Mike -
I've always been curious about why the old PGA match-play format was adopted in the first place. I say that because PGA events, as the descendants of older pro exhibitions, are about the exhibition of great golf by pros that people payed to see. Match-play is a second best way to do that.
I don't think the PGA started doing match play just to be different. Back in the day the US Am was a big deal and it's always been match-play. So I'm not sure why the pros went in that direction. I think the British PGA has always been medal, no?
I'd doubt the the PGA's change of format in '58 had much bearing on the popularity of match-play. Club golfers have always played some version of team match play. It will always be the most popular way to play.
Bob
Bob,
It seems that it was Wanamaker's call:
"The PGA Championship was born in the mind of department store owner Rodman Wanamaker, who saw the merchandising possibilities in a professional golfers’ organization. Wanamaker invited some prominent golfers and other leading industry representatives to a luncheon at the Taplow Club in the Hotel Martinique in New York City. On Jan. 17, 1916, a group of 35 individuals, including the legendary Walter Hagen, convened for an exploratory meeting, which resulted in the formation of The PGA of America.
During the meeting, Wanamaker hinted the newly formed organization needed an annual all-professional tournament, and offered to put up $2,500 and various trophies and medals as part of the prize fund. Wanamaker believed that the Championship should be conducted similar to the British News of the World Tournament. That championship, a 36-hole elimination match-play tournament, was the PGA Championship of Great Britain."Edit: How do players on the east side of the pond deal with this scenario?
A stripes one down the middle of a 520m hole,
B puts two in the gorse. After
B concedes does he play another for the hell of it, walk along with
A and watch him play, or do they both just walk to the next hole and wait for the group ahead to tee off, if they've gotten there yet?
I would say that the first option is most likely on the west side of the pond, unless it's a four-ball, then I'd say that if one of the players on a side is OOB he would not put another ball in play.
Is there any amount of time saved in any of the scenarios, or is most of the time in match play wasted on the green becasue the player wants to putt out for score and handicap, even if he has already lost the hole. If it's a handicap issue then wouldn't a simple change to the rules make play go faster? How about removing the 'most likely score' provision and change it to say that once a hole is won all other competitors still playing the hole should be considered to have holed out with their next shot.