For our NT event in August (Skylands Classic at Warwick, NY) we are discussing various format options. I would like your opinion, especially if you are a touring player. Here is a question:

Would you prefer to play 2 rounds of 18 holes on Saturday and 2 rounds of 18 holes on Sunday, which might require 5-somes if we fill the field with 90 players, or would you rather play 2 rounds of 24 holes on saturday and 1 round of 24 holes on Sunday, playing in foursomes?

A few notes to consider:

The Silver-Blue layout at warwick will take 3-1/2 hours for 5-somes. The Blue-Blue layout will probably take 4+ hours with 5-somes. We'd have to start early Sunday and we'd end late Sunday. But this format would mean only playing the traditional 4 warwick layouts.

If we opt for 3 24-hole rounds using 4-somes, it would require us to use 6 holes on the ever-developing Wolfe Woods course adjacent to the original Animal course. We would only use Wolfe Woods holes that are suitable for and ready for NT play. They won't be squirrely little unkept holes and would be of the quality of the Animal holes. Saturday would be a long day because we'd play 48 holes, but Sunday would be much shorter and we wouldn't have to start really early (or we could start early and end early).

if we only have 72 players (or less) it is a moot point because then we could go with 4-somes on the Animal course. Our feeling is that we will fill this event.

My hunch is that most players would feel that 3 24-hole rounds is a lesser evil than having to play 4 18-hole rounds on a weekend with 5-somes.

Your opinion matters....

Thanks....

Dan Doyle
PDGA #310
TD, Skylands Classic at Warwick, NY
August 20 & 21, 2005

Sponsored by the Brooklyn Brewery and Brakewell Steel
$10,000 minimum added

3 x 24

blue-blue on sunday

I'm responding to my own post due to lack of interest....

Since only Anne Hyzer, an optometrist from Boise, has weighed in I suppose there is major indifference with respect to my initial question.

Therefore, unless I am offered better alternatives, I will most likely make my decision as I best see fit, and whiners will be directed to this thread....

i would say that this question needs to be posed on the tournament thread for the nt tournament....not here where touring players seldom look! :D

very FEW touring players post on the rules threads..but alot of them post on the tourney threads,especially if they are planning on playing the event... just a thought....
keith

I have always felt....no matter how many holes....no matter how big or important the event.....# of holes x 4. I believe in entry caps. If you have 18 holes, cap it at 72, if you have 24 holes, cap it at 96.

Playing in a 5 some is tedious and slow. Down here in our unsanctioned events, and a few of our sanctioned, it is common and almost the rule that TD's fill the field with as many people they can cram on a course, I played in tournament full of 5-somes and 1 6-some! Also down here they mix divisions. I ended up in a 5-some with a junior, Am Women, Am men, and a Grandmaster; and I play Advanced!

I personally feel and would vote and support a rule in our rule book stating that groups must be no larger then 4 players along with our rule of groups having a minimum of 3 players.

Good idea, Keith....We'll probably have our NT link available next week sometime....

i just played a tourney with 5's on a hole, 21 holes a round, 4 rounds total. we finished 5:30 pm on sunday, anybody who had to drive home more than 5 hours got home close to midnite. and with work the next day its a huge drag. also, if there is a bottleneck anywhere on the course you will have huge delay problems as you probably know.
24 holes, three rounds......without a doubt is the best scenario, you can finish up sunday relatively early and give people time to relax and talk about the shot that made a difference with everybody or get home at a decent time.