Fast greens and diabolical hole locations,

[Patrick_Mucci]

what a fun combination.
 
I recently played in an event, the "Greenkeeper's Revenge", a scramble, where the hole locations were wild, fun, but wild.
 
The greens were putting at 13+/-.
 
Two of the greens had oversized cups, probably in the 10 inch range.
Two greens had very small cups, probably 2 inches.
 
Scores were capped at 9 strokes per hole.
 
We hit every fairway and 17 greens, only just missing # 18.
 
On a par 71 course, our foursome shot 85.
 
We 5 putted two holes and 4 putted another.
 
We did have one birdie, on the second longest hole.
 
The winning score ?
 
Now I know this was quirky......... on steroids, but, it was alot of fun because you had to contend with tremendous contour, not to mention slope.
 
The contouring, knowing how to combine pace with line, was what made this so much fun.
 
Afterwards, everyone, with one exception, indicated that the day had been alot of fun.
 
One of the reasons it was so much fun is that no one expected to shoot a low score.
 
Enter match play and the stymie........... stage left.

[Jason Connor]

My club usually does this for my morning golf group (32-48 guys) first thing on a Saturday morning, then moves the cups behind our last group for the rest of the play that day.


Definitely a fun day and creates lots of stories for the clubhouse afterwards.


Only we don't have the luxury of scrambling when we play the setup that way.

[RSantangelo]

Pat

I am playing in something similar this weekend at our club -  we call it the Monster tournament.  We play every tee from the tips (one foot out of the box), 18 toughest pins, greens around 13...everybody shoots a million but has a good time...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Pat,


We had the "Revenge" at Commonwealth, usually late in the season. Some features were: Tractors in front of greens, multiple flags on holes with only one having a hole, tees in strange locations- particularly on the island tees in the wetlands, and holes in even stranger locations like at the top of 17 in the fringe and the green slopes steeply from back to front. Always a fun event.


Here, in the desert, we call it "Goofy Golf" and it's a fun event too.

[Thomas Dai]

What a fantastic idea for an event. I would love to play in one akin to it and will chat to my clubs gk/pro about holding one when I next see them.


18 super-hard pin positions, super-slick greens, obstacles in front of greens, tees in unusual positions, maybe even unraked bunkers.


 



atb

[Sam Andrews]

Littlestone has a "play the course backwards" charity day, which is huge fun. Approaching the 17th green from the 18th fairway is a hair-raising test that almost everyone fails.

[Josh Stevens]

I recall Geoff Olgilvy talking about just such an event held annually at Whisper Rock.  The battle of attrition or some thing.
Back tees out of sight, pins tucked in silly spots and greens running at 14.

[Bill_McBride]

Littlestone has a "play the course backwards" charity day, which is huge fun. Approaching the 17th green from the 18th fairway is a hair-raising test that almost everyone fails.

It's hard enough approaching the 17th green from the 17th tee!

[Keith OHalloran]

Pat,
How did you last the whole day watching the ball roll so slowly on the 13 plus greens? 

[Patrick_Mucci]

Keith,
 
We noticed that the balls picked up speed and went faster as they rolled down the slopes and off the green.
 
One of the really neat features was the flag on the short 3rd hole was cut far right on the green, but, there was no cup, just a note saying to look for the cup elsewhere on the green.
 
Since we hit divergent drives, left, right and center, we wanted to see what the best angle of attack would be since a bunker was precariously close to the pin, so we walked up to evaluate the shot and saw the note.
 
That hole had a 2 inch cup at the far back left portion of the green.
 
Some holes were cut IN the fringe.
 
Another hole had two pins, but, only one of them was cupped.
 
Another hole had two huge leaf containers blocking the green with a front hole location.
 
It was alot of fun and we're looking forward to playing again next year.

[Jason Topp]

Ours is this Friday and always a good time.  My favorite memory is of a four foot putt where if I got it to the hole and missed it was going 50 feet off the green. 
One variation of this event that has always sounded fun to me is a "hell and heaven" event where everyone plays a very difficult set up on the first round from the back tees and a very friendly setup from the front tees in the second round.
 

[Kalen Braley]

I'm also doing one of these "monster events" this weekend, and there are no low cappers in our group.  Doh!!
 
Even thou its a 4 man scramble, we may have difficulty breaking 90.   

[Jonathan Mallard]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

[BHoover]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

If this is one event during the year, is it really worth getting upset? These are usually meant to be "fun" events, but apparently not for everyone.

[Kalen Braley]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

John,
 
If you've never done one before, I can see where you're coming from, but they are good fun.  I like 4 man scrambles in general, but these are extra fun cause you really have to work your butt off just to save par on many holes.  It really brings out group comradery as you navigate the course under the worst case scenario...
 
And they almost always do them in the shoulder season when the rounds have dropped off a lot and its just the hardcore guys out there.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Sounds like something a Moron would love?

[Bob Harris]

Ed,


There better not be a John Deere parked in front of the fourth green tomorrow.


Bob

[Ed Brzezowski]

Sadly Bob I have arranged for a new Toro, I like changing up the equipment I hit every year. I got the fan on five several weeks ago. See you tomorrow my friend.

[Carl Nichols]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

I missed that part--whose round took that long?

[Jason Connor]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

It's one day, and usually for the hard core membership to have some fun & do something different.


No one is saying to bring the amateurs out to introduce them these 6.5 hours out of the whole year.

[Bill Seitz]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?


Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'

Sounds like an event designed more to promote meeting your monthly/quarterly/annual minimum. You can go through a lot of alcohol in six hours on a brisk October day. Or at least I can. But as mentioned, these are usually late season, mostly member events that take place once a year (at least at my club). Doesn't sound like much of a problem to me.

[Patrick_Mucci]

How does any event that takes an average of 6.5 hours to play promote the game overall?
Jonathan,

With a tee time of 1:00pm and sunset at 6:18, would you tell us how an event like this can take 6.5 hours to play ?

Isn't less rounds by less people part of the global 'problem.'


With a shotgun start, what's the relevance of your above comment  ?

[Pat Burke]

I was going to drive to Monterey to play CPC but a 6 hour drive was just too long!


Some things are worth the time!!