GCA and Stableford Scoring

[Tim Gavrich]

Some of the best PGA Tour news I've heard in a good while is that Stableford scoring is coming back, this time at the Reno-Tahoe Open:

http://www.rgj.com/article/20111023/SPORTS02/110230352/RTO-change-scoring-system?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

The PGA Tour had a Stableford event a Castle Pines from 1986 until 2006, and it was always a lot of fun to watch.  And in 2002, it produced the most exciting finish to a non-major event I've ever seen, when Steve Lowery holed out with a wedge for eagle on 15 and with a 6 iron for double eagle (!) on 17 and then missed a 10-footer for birdie on the 18th that gave Rich Beem the hold-on victory.

I can't help but think that Stableford solves a couple key problems.  The first is that Stableford seems inherently more exciting because it encourages risk-taking moreso than standard stroke play.  If (under the Stableford system the Tour has used) the worst a player can do on a hole is lose three points for making double-bogey or worse, then I think the field will feel better about hitting riskier shots at times.  And second of all, Stableford scoring significantly obscures public perception of how easy or difficult a golf course is for the pros.  Sure, if winning point scores are higher one place than the next, that golf course will seem easier.  But it's much harder to quantify, which might quell the critics who complain about pros shooting -20 or better and ruining the integrity of the game, blah blah blah.

Furthermore, in a Stableford event, the Tour can be a bit more daring with the setup and selection of the golf course, I think.  Just think back to the on-the-edge setup of Shinnecock in the 2004 U.S. Open.  If something like that were to happen in a Stableford event, I think it would be easier to swallow if players just picked up after missing their bogey putts.

Boy, it sure would be interesting to see how the Masters played out under Stableford scoring.  Charge me with blasphemy.

What GCA characteristics might Stableford scoring highlight?  What courses--current PGA Tour rotation and otherwise--would lend themselves to such a system?

[Tom_Doak]

Tim:

First of all, The International was a "modified Stableford" to give lots of extra points for eagles and the rare double eagle.  True Stableford scoring just gives one more point for each shot under par ... so it really isn't any different than stroke play, except for where it does not discriminate between double bogeys and "others".  But how often do Tour pros really make "others", anyway?  Especially if they're in contention that week?

The other key to the Stableford system was that it wasn't a week-long tally ... at some point they re-set the scores to zero and everyone played head to head from there.  That part certainly makes for an exciting finish.

[Garland Bayley]

It seems to me that Stableford was created to facilitate faster play as was two-ball foursomes. So that aspect would seem to have little to do with GCA.

More pertinent would be that perhaps unusual or difficult holes tend to make less difference in the outcome. Match play is even more pertinent this way.

[Bill_McBride]

It seems to me that Stableford was created to facilitate faster play as was two-ball foursomes. So that aspect would seem to have little to do with GCA.

More pertinent would be that perhaps unusual or difficult holes tend to make less difference in the outcome. Match play is even more pertinent this way.

Garland, correct on speeding up play.   At the Buda Cup at Hoylake in 2006 we played the final round at Wallasey, a terrific old links down the coast.   A member, Dr. Frank Stableford, invented his scoring system - pick up after double, zero points - on the second hole.   You can still see why 80 years later.   The second is a long par 4 dogleg right.  Both left and right roughs are native grasses about knee high, with locating poles every 20 yards.     You can easily visualize what happened during medal competitions:  everybody lost two or three balls and gave up there, about 300 yards from the clubhouse!    With Stableford you could just write down a "0" and keep on truckin.'

[Niall C]

Bill/Garland,

More pertinently it gives the higher handicappers a better chance and consequently stableford comps tend to get considered as being "fun" comps. I've played in stableford loads of times and there's no doubt they bring a different mindset to the game for the ordinary club golfer. I don't think that the player more aggressive but what it does do is take the pressure off in not trying to run up a 9. Most mid to high handicappers factor in at least one or two blimps per round.

Niall

[Andy Ryall]

Tim,

I think Sawgrass would be a great course - reachable Par 5s (11/16).    Would certainly attract some casual fans to check it out given that the May date reception has been lukewarm from a viewership perspective.   I think the lack of a short/driveable Par 4 may be a downside but given the flexibility with tee box selections at the US Open, there might be an opportunity to do something similar at Ponta Vedra.

Good topic.

Andy