O/T How many ways can you compete

[john_stiles]

Oh my.  here is a new state competition being started by a state golf association.  My email message from the state GA stated :

"   A new event called the One Man Scramble is being introduced to Members — where players get 2 mulligans on every hole.   Sign-up to play a One Man Scramble Local Qualifier or organize your own event in June, July, or August.  Winners will advance to the Regional Championships on September 29, 2008.  "

-and-

"  We are excited to introduce this new event to golfers all across the state. I hope that you and your club will consider hosting one of these fun and exciting events this year where golfers will shoot their lowest score ever!    "


What are some other wild competitions organized by state associations ?

[John Moore II]

I can not think of any of this type competitions in the Carolinas, but I can say that this is one of the dumber ideas for a tournament that I have heard.

[Jim Briggs]

Presuming that you go out as a fourball, that has the makings of a horribly long round.

[John Moore II]

Briggs--I didn't think about that, but it is quite true. This format would double the number of shots taken per hole. 5 hours would be lighting fast in this case.

[Mike Bowline]

Just think how long the groups will be on the greens. Savvy players will use their mulligans on putts, and can you imagine a foursome with each player taking up to three first-putts?!? I think five hours is a low estimate on time - more like six hours all told.

[John Moore II]

Mike-I know that 5 hours is a low estimate, thats why I commented it would seem like a lightning fast pace

[BCrosby]

John -

A friend and I got caught behind a bunch of foursomes recently. The waiting drove us crazy. We made up a game where each of us hit two shots and played the worst one.  We had a great time. I was amazed by how much pressure I felt. A great way to prep for a tournament.

Bob

[Adam Clayman]

One man scrambles are actually a fun event. Course depending, of course. There is one difference between the one man I'm familiar with and this format. A true one man scramble allows the player to play two balls on every shot. It's a popular format. At Wild Horse it is an absolute blast. One shot can be high and soft while the other can play the ground.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

[Wayne_Freedman]

Sorry, John, and J. Kenneth, but you should play in one of these before passing judgement.

Not new.
Not dumb.
Not noticeably slower than any other tournament.
And, lots of fun.
Have played in two.
 
If a golfer has any swing-awareness and ability to  correct, he can go very, very low and learn a great deal about his scoring potential in a competitive situation.

[Tom Huckaby]

Concur with Adam and Wayne - I too have played in one of these, it was great fun, and it really didn't go any slower
than normal tournament golf.

This format - and the organization that runs these - has been around for a few years now.  Interesting rules change this
year will cause strategic use of mulligans... competitively that should make it even more fun.

TH

[Mike Bowline]

Interesting rules change this year will cause strategic use of mulligans... competitively that should make it even more fun.

Tom, what is the rule change?

[JohnV]

The One Man Scramble is growing fast.  There are a number of them around the country.

See: http://www.onemanscramble.com/ to read about Jeff Wilson, who is one of the best amateurs in Northern California and the US and recently shot 58 in one.

[Brent Hutto]

With apologies to Huck and other esteemed colleagues, I've got to put on my Melvyn Morrow hat here for a moment...

I don't care how much fun you guys had. It's not golf, the fact that it's growing in popularity is a bad thing and I see it as a continuing enroachment of supposed "improvements" that only serve to bastardize the game and bring more manifestly non-golfing distractions onto the course. What an awful trend.

And now my John Kavenaugh hat...

Sure, it's more fun than golf. Screwing your girlfriend is more fun than golf too but I don't want to see some paunchy, Viagra-popping middle-aged doofus doing it on the putting green when I'm trying to play a round of golf.

[Adam Clayman]

Brent, No scramble is golf. This one however does allow for greater interfacing with the architecture. Allowing players who usually suffer from a lack of consistency a second bite at the apple.

[Tom Huckaby]

Mark - instead of just two tries at each shot, you get a certain number of mulligans per hole - I think only two.  Thus rather than just blindly fire twice each time, you must judiciously use your re-dos.  Sounds to me like it will make it more fun.

Brent - these things are not exactly pervasive, so I see no detriment to the game.  I can say they are a lot of fun.  If I play in one again (unlikely), well... I would do so guilt-free.

TH

[Bill_McBride]

And now my John Kavenaugh hat...

Sure, it's more fun than golf. Screwing your girlfriend is more fun than golf too but I don't want to see some paunchy, Viagra-popping middle-aged doofus doing it on the putting green when I'm trying to play a round of golf.

Good job!  It does indeed sound like JK on a slow day in the office! 

[Keith Williams]

Bob,

Good point on your game about prepping for a tournament.  Back before jumbo drivers when I played high school golf, it was a standard weekly practice routine to play a round where everybody took the worse of two tee shots on every hole.  It really revealed how important it was drive the ball in-play consistently.

Keith.

[Mark Smolens]

John -

A friend and I got caught behind a bunch of foursomes recently. The waiting drove us crazy. We made up a game where each of us hit two shots and played the worst one.  We had a great time. I was amazed by how much pressure I felt. A great way to prep for a tournament.

Bob

A buddy and I used to play a second round in the afternoon at Cog Hill #4 after our round with the morning group.  Because Dubs is so friggin hard, the pace of play for the non-regulars was brutal.  One time we were a twosome, and played one of your worst ball scrambles.  The opponent picks the worst shot.  On #4, a tough par 4, I hit two good drives.  My second shot came from 144 yards in the first cut of rough, left side.  I jarred an 8-iron.  Tom looked over, and said with an evil grin, "Do it again."  Dumped it in the bunker and made six!

[Wayne_Freedman]

Brent,

Altogether, now...let's spell 'R-I-G-I-D'.

Your statement makes perfect sense for people who:

Brush their teeth for exactly two minutes...
Drive to work by the same route every day...
Wear white shoes only in the spring and summer...
 
Ever play wiffle baseball?
Ever play a round of golf with only three clubs, just for the heck of it?
Then, you might understand the concept behind these One Man Scrambles. 
It's called 'VARIETY'.

This does not portend  the demise of civilization.   It's just an adaptation of the game played by golfers on a golf course.  In practice, it's just lke  any other scramble except that you're playing with yourself.

In this format, that's okay.

You won't get pimples.

With apologies to Huck and other esteemed colleagues, I've got to put on my Melvyn Morrow hat here for a moment...

I don't care how much fun you guys had. It's not golf, the fact that it's growing in popularity is a bad thing and I see it as a continuing enroachment of supposed "improvements" that only serve to bastardize the game and bring more manifestly non-golfing distractions onto the course. What an awful trend.

And now my John Kavenaugh hat...

Sure, it's more fun than golf. Screwing your girlfriend is more fun than golf too but I don't want to see some paunchy, Viagra-popping middle-aged doofus doing it on the putting green when I'm trying to play a round of golf.

[JohnV]

It should be noted that Brent Hutto and Bah Humbug have the same first initials.

It sounds like fun to me and a different way to do things.

Also notice that the One Person Scramble tournaments were started to raise money for the NCGA Foundation so it is helping kids learn life skills and the game of golf.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Brent

Sorry I can’t put your hat on – it’s just too big.  

But if you are going to quote me, get it right

‘Real Golf can only be played by golfers who walk’  

If I keep repeating it do you think it might catch on – may
become one of those awful trends you mentioned or do
you think people will just take the piss out of me.  

Thanks for taking the Pi..

[john_stiles]

BobC,

I have done the same on a slow round, or even late in the evening.

We have even played where my opponent picks from where I play my next shot.   Have only done this variant in a twosome or threesome, and  only informally, not an official club or GA event.


Don't knock its,

Have played this format in an informal setting.   But it still seems very strange for a  'state'  GA  to organize such an event.   Sounds more like a suitable format for the crazy fund raisers as opposed to being run by the state GA.

Yes,   the format might generate more interest in golf events which is why the state GA has organized the event, but come on now........

A state GA event where you got ONLY one mulligan and maybe one throw might be better. 


John

[Tom Huckaby]

John:

See John VanderBorght's post.  Here in NorCal, it was sponsored by NCGA as a fundraiser for a very worthy cause.  It's tough to have much against that no matter what the format.

TH

[Mike Bowline]

A buddy and I used to play a second round in the afternoon at Cog Hill #4 after our round with the morning group.  Because Dubs is so friggin hard, the pace of play for the non-regulars was brutal.  One time we were a twosome, and played one of your worst ball scrambles.  The opponent picks the worst shot.  On #4, a tough par 4, I hit two good drives.  My second shot came from 144 yards in the first cut of rough, left side.  I jarred an 8-iron.  Tom looked over, and said with an evil grin, "Do it again."  Dumped it in the bunker and made six!
[/quote]
That is a fantastic story and really makes me want to meet your friend Tom   He said simply: "Do it again". Not "great shot", but "do it again" He sounds like a great golf buddy.

[john_stiles]

In the charity events that I play/contribute/etc.,   it is much more odd than the 'mulligan fest' recently announced by a state GA.

Most charity events include additional ways to contribute to the worthy causes, $5 (or name your price) for a mulligan, same for a red tee, same for a 'free' throw at any spot, at any time.

It really raises a lot of money for charities and it is,  for some charities, their main fund raiser.

And you meet some great folks and maybe win some nominal donated prizes,  but you will never be the state 'mulligan' champion.