How many feet of putts will this get me?
My lovely bride has a nice lady friend who has been helpful and done us some great favors. That lady friend asked a favor of me yesterday, to be the “ringer” in her Friday tournament for her church. So, this post is an automated post which is set to publish at the precise moment I’ll be teeing off as the ringer in her “hit and giggle” tournament. I was happy to help said lady out, who didn’t even have a set of irons or a putter. She’s good now, and my garage is a little less cluttered.
Hit And Giggle
What is a “hit and giggle” tournament? I’d call that a tournament which isn’t for “serious” golfers. Mainly these are corporate, charity or church events in a scramble format. I’m not a big fan of scrambles. Alright, I can’t stand them. As a serious player (I take my game seriously, though it pretty much sucks compared to what I want it to be) scrambles can be bad for your game.
First, scrambles are breaking the rules of golf on every shot. You can’t pick up your ball, clean it and choose the best shot of your group. Then you get to practically tee it up on a fluffy piece of grass and make it easy to hit! Golf blasphemy!
Scrambles are all about being aggressive. The group is going to pick the longest drive of course. So rather than putting a “good” swing on your driver, you swing out of your shorts and try to kill it. Bring a change of underwear! We all know that doesn’t really help in the distance department, but it is almost mentally impossible not to do it.
Of course serious golfers don’t take mulligans. I haven’t taken a mulligan in 20 years. Another rule of “real” golf broken. And how about tournaments that allow competitors to “buy” mulligans? I’m getting nauseous.
My wife’s lady friend informed me that in each person’s gift bag there would be a piece of string licorice. I almost threw up in my mouth when I heard that. In these hit and giggle tourneys players or teams can use the licorice for putts. If they all miss a putt, they can use their licorice to count made putts. So if they have 12 feet of licorice, they can count 12 feet of made putts. Gag me with 12 feet of black licorice then fashion a noose with the other 12 feet and hang me from the gallows of the clubhouse.
I mentioned the damage that can occur to one’s driving as a result of swinging for the fences. Putting is just as bad or worse. In a scramble pars are no good. So all putts must be hard and aggressive, regardless if they miss and go 10 feet by the hole. Talk about a quick way to destroy your putting stroke and feel. Ouch.
As a decent putter and the group’s anchor, I’ll probably be putting last. The problem with that is that I’ll have to watch three hacker’s putts before mine. I’m supposed to get “read” from those. I may ask to putt first. I might have a better chance of making some putts.
The Good
These tournaments can be good. In the case of tomorrow’s tournament it is a charity event. So a local charity will benefit from the revenue generated. Hope they buy lots of mulligans and shoot a million under par, because the charity will benefit.
RIBS! I was really doubting if I’d play in this tournament until I heard the keyword. Once I was told there would be ribs for lunch I was sold.
Scrambles are also good because it gives hackers and people who never have a chance to play, get a golf experience without having the game crush their egos. If they miss a shot it isn’t a big deal. Surely someone in the group will hit a better shot. Or in the case of my group, I will hit a better shot. For me, I guess the pressure is on.
Tiger Woods has played seven holes so far today at the PLAYERS Championship. He started on the back nine with a bogey on the 10th hole, but just finished playing the island green 17th with a birdie. Tiger is currently at even par with two bogeys and two birdies.
Tiger Woods tees off on the 17th at TPC Sawgrass
What are Tiger’s chances this week at the PLAYERS? He has withdrawn the last two times, and hasn’t won the tournament since 2001. The tournament favors ball strikers and Tiger has been improved in that department this season, but still has bad bouts of errant shots.
One of the best weeks of the year in pro golf is here, PLAYERS week. This week the PGA Tour is playing on their home course, TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.
Will Tiger Woods bring the allegedly “fixed” swing which he missed the cut with last week to Sawgrass or will he fix the fixed swing? What about Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlory, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and the rest? Who will win? Usually great ball strikers are the winners of this tournament.
THE PLAYERS TV Times
Thursday, May 10, 1-7 p.m. – Golf Channel
Friday, May 11, 1-7 p.m. – Golf Channel
Saturday, May 12, 12-2 p.m. – Golf Channel
Saturday, May 12, 2-7 p.m. – NBC
Sunday, May 13, 12-2 p.m. – Golf Channel
Sunday, May 13, 2-7 p.m. – NBC
I can’t help thinking of Terminator whenever I see the BagBoy “T-2000” name. There was the Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, the, T-800, T-850, T-1000 and now the BagBoy T-2000 golf travel bag.
“I need your shoes, your clothes and your motorcycle.”
Does this bag protect my golf clubs while traveling like a Terminator would? Lets find out. (more…)
I’d say this is the 5th best week of the year, THE PLAYERS Championship week. Remember that whenever you use the words THE PLAYERS they need to be in all caps. At least that’s what the Tour does…
The 17th Island Green At TPC Sawgrass - click for more
I have a few previous articles related to THE PLAYERS that I’d like to refer HOG readers to. First is my TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course review, which I posted back in May of 2009. That piece is one of my longest course reviews ever, clocking in at over 3,000 words. I tried to convey the whole experience of playing there from the locker room to the pro shop to gagging a sleeve of brand new Titleist ProV1’s into the drink on the island green at #17.
I also have quite a large TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course photo gallery. Every hole is there along with the clubhouse and practice facilities. Roughly 120 photos.
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