What is the most extreme modification that you have seen to an existing course for a competitive event? I'll define what is "extreme" (on a scale of 0-5, with 0 being not at all extreme) and then share some examples...

0 - No changes made at all...standard course layout is used for event.
3 - Some holes possibly added, some temporary teepad locations and/or pin positions used not normally available for casual play
5 - Added holes all over the course, some regular holes changed to "safari holes" (i.e. hole 1's teepad to hole 2's basket), temporary teepad locations and pin positions used, etc.

Here are the actual events I've played that I think meet each of the ratings:
(0) - Pecan Park Open, Nacogdoches, TX (April 2007) - 2 18-hole courses; no different teepad locations or pin positions are used, just the standard courses available for casual play
(1) - Mr. Jim's Carrollton Open, Carrollton, TX (September 2007) - 2 normally 18-hole courses are expanded to 21 holes; no teepad location changes or pin position changes from the normal setup.
(2) - Play-it-again-sports Open, Crowley, TX (August 2007) - 1 20-hole course was expanded to 27 holes. Different teepads were played between rounds, as well as some pin position changes. The added temporary holes did not change from round to round.
(3) - Big Show at the Vet - Veteran's Park - Arlington, TX (January 2004) - 1 normally 18-hole course had 18 temporary baskets added, and the resulting 36 holes were split among two event courses (note - some holes from the permanent 18 were used on each course, requiring temporary re-numbering). Some temporary/alternate teepad locations and pin positions were used on the permanent holes, and some teepad locations and pin positions changed on the temporary baskets as well.
(4) - Texas State Championship - Houston, TX (April 2007) - The park has 2 permanent 18-hole courses. 18 additional temporary holes are added to make 54 total holes. [Note - All holes in original course 1 are used to make up one course, while the remaining 36 holes are split with some of the other permanent holes in temporary course 2 and temporary course 3...hopefully this makes sense.] For rounds 1 & 2, these three courses are used, with some (not many) changed teepad locations or pin positions from round 1 to round 2. For round 3, the 54 total holes are split into 2 27-hole courses. The teepad locations and pin positions are the same as for round 2, but the holes are basically re-numbered (which I guess is more of a logistical issue).
(5) - Veteran's Park Open - Arlington, TX (November 2007) - the normal 18-hole course had 6 temporary holes added to make 24 total holes. There were teepad location and pin position changes between rounds. In round 3, there were temporary "championship" teepad locations not normally available for play. Also during round 3, some safari holes were played (hole 11's teepad to hole 12's basket), and a few others. Lots of changes to be aware of and renumbering.

Those are some of the changes I've noticed, but I was wondering what other extreme examples there are out there...which modifications did you like? Which did you not like?

EXTREME!!!!

: ) :
TUB SUN

No existing holes should ever be renumbered if at all possible. Any new holes should be either alphabet labeled as in A, B, C, or number-alpha when they occur after a known hole such as temp holes 4A and 4B following regular hole 4. It's hard for a TD that renumbers holes to really justify 2-shot penalties for players who end up playing holes out of sequence or the wrong hole no matter how good the written player information may be. It's the locals who can get messed up more than those from out-of-town.

I completely agree, but what about in the case of #4 scenario above? For that one, the permanent courses (Powell and Tourney) all have signs with their normal hole. The club labeled the courses as Powell, Wilmont, and Tourney for the 18-hole setups, and East and West for the 27-hole setups. The club added temporary signs to the temp holes, and made stickers that said Powell #7 or Tourney #17 for use for rounds 1 & 2, and a second sticker was on each sign that said East #22 or West #26 so that players would know which hole to play. I agree it could easily get confused, but I don't think there's a better way to do it. Plus this format has been used for years, and locals and the perennial players are well used to it.

I recognized that scenario since I saw it at PW2002. I realize it's become a standard course realignment that players are more used to now and is apparently well marked which is key. I just feel that when TDs do this temporarily and markings may not be adequate, it's tough to penalize players for misplaying/misrouting even though we all know it's the player's responsibility, etc.

Winthrop Gold at the USDGC would have to be prominent on the list of tournament modifications.

due to a flood i had to make up an entirely different back 9 at hawk hollow the morning of a pdga event- that was fairly extreme.

I recognized that scenario since I saw it at PW2002. I realize it's become a standard course realignment that players are more used to now and is apparently well marked which is key. I just feel that when TDs do this temporarily and markings may not be adequate, it's tough to penalize players for misplaying/misrouting even though we all know it's the player's responsibility, etc.



I know of a tournament earlier this year that used 3 different layouts for 3 different rounds. The group the TD was playing in, including the TD, misplayed one of the rounds!