[ADMINISTRATOR: please remove this post -- endless internet delay led to accidental double-posting. Please delete this thread, and retain other one. Thank you!]
From Corwyn & CerinoDevoti:
It's back! Tough-It-Out II: The Trans-Atlantic Starter Clubs Uneven Open.
Our defending champion, Hans, managed an extraordinary -6 over 4 rounds in Tough-It-Out I in the fall. Can anyone match that performance this time around?
WGT's much-requested, and long-awaited, introduction of Uneven Lies is now officially 'out there', available in special Invitational tourneys. But we think you'll do much better in the official tourneys if you give yourself a chance to learn the feature by going back to basics. After all, Unevens is such a radical change to the gameplay that it demands a fresh start. You simply can't learn it in a handful of rounds.
It transforms the game from one of dart-throwing, to one where you need to plan ahead, aim for flatter parts of fairways, give due consideration to risk/reward, and putt your lights out just to hang in there. And Uneven Lies also forces you to play shots very similar to those facing the pros in the majors. If you get in trouble, often the best (or only!) thing to do is to play out sideways. In short, it's more like the game we see the top pros playing four times a year in the Majors on these very same courses.
By playing it with Starter Clubs and Balls, you change your expectations: making Greens in Regulation becomes the target each hole, and Old Man Par the goal for the round.
This tourney will be 4 single-play 18-hole rounds at the two British Open courses, and at the toughest two US Open courses, with set conditions for each. The challenge we're throwing out there is to see how many of the field can end up under par.
The tourney is open to all tiers and levels. We'll all be using the same clubs, balls, green speeds, and lies. So, no advantage for sandbaggers here! This is the only way in WGT to have a truly level playing field (pun intended). All rounds to be completed within the allotted time frame (from the start of one weekend to the end of the next; note overlapping weekends to give maximum time for rounds to be played).
If anyone is up for this challenge, and able to commit to getting your 18-hole round in each week with a playing partner, please sign up here in this thread, and via this link, and we will collate all the names in this first post. Any questions, please ask and we'll try to answer.
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DETAILS:
Dates for each round:
Round 1 - start Saturday 12th January, 2013, finish Sunday 20th January.
Round 2 - start Saturday 19th January, 2013, finish Sunday 27th January.
Round 3 - start Saturday 26th January, 2013, finish Sunday 3rd February.
Round 4 - start Saturday 2nd February, 2013, finish Sunday 10th February.
COURSE SETUP for each round:-
All games should be set with a 90-second timer, StrokePlay, in Practice Mode, with Uneven Lies. Hole locations, Tees, Green speeds and Wind conditions are as follows:.
Round 1 – Oakmont: 18 holes, Hard hole locations, White (Medium) tees, Very Fast greens, Moderate wind, Uneven Lies.
Round 2 – St Andrews: 18 holes, Medium hole locations, Yellow (Medium) tees, Fast greens, High wind, Uneven Lies.
Round 3 – Olympic: 18 holes, Default hole locations, Red (Easy) tees, Very Fast greens, Low wind, Uneven Lies.
Round 4 – Royal St George's: 18 holes, Default hole locations, White (Medium) tees, Very Fast greens, Moderate wind, Uneven Lies.
CLUBS: Starter Clubs only and Starter Ball only.
The only clubs that can be used are the normal starter set that comes free of charge when you first joined the game. No beginner equipment allowed, including the putter (it is unfair as newer players don't have beginner equipment). Starter Plus clubs will not be allowed either as they are pay-for clubs.
PLAYING PARTNERS:
Rounds must be played in twosomes. When you post your interest, you must fill out the signup form with your availability times so that I can assign playing partners.
We'd love to have players play in pairings just like a real Open, ideally with leaders together "on the weekend" but the latter may be ambitious. Do note, though, that we won't have a cut. We want everyone to have the chance to experience the fun of Starters on all of these toughest courses. If you're up for this challenge, you deserve to get the full 4 rounds! (If it's all too much pain, please Withdraw formally via a post in this thread… don't just disappear. Thanks!)
POSTING SCORES:
Please note these requirements for the tourney: As well as final Front 9 & Back 9 scorecard snapshots, you'll need to remember to take full screen shots on your 2nd shot on any of the last five holes, as well as on the Green, to verify Uneven Lies, and other conditions. (It might be prudent to take one on the 1st fairway as well, so you've got one in reserve in case you forget later.) [Example screenshots will be given below in the next post]
1 posting error = official warning
2 posting errors = 1 shot penalty
3 posting errors = 2 shot penalty
4 posting errors = DNF (did not finish)
Please do share your playing experiences in this thread!
PRIZES: Tourney organizers are covering the prizes, which are as follows:
1st place: 2,500 credit purchases in the Pro Shop
2nd place: 1,500 credit purchases in the Pro Shop
3rd place: 1,000 credit purchases in the Pro Shop
There will also be special prizes for most Greens in Regulation, and Closest Distance to the Pin, at the least, and possibly also for some of the following if we can get other sponsors: e.g. for Most Birdies, Least Bogies, Greatest Improvement in Tackling Unevens (from Rnd 1-4). Let me know in this thread if you'd like to sponsor any of these, or want to think up something else worthy!
Note: in the event of ties for any of the placings, we'll follow the WGT approach to resolving them, essentially, best scores for the last 9 holes etc. (So, for the special prizes, it will be best score for last round, then penultimate round, in the event of a tied placing.) WGT rules in full are here: http://www.wgt.com/help.aspx#ties [Needless to say, organizers decision will be final should one be needed]
Please note: to be eligible for prizes, you will need to submit full and complete score posts, with the statistical data tabs, for each round.
PLAYERS: Open to all tiers, all levels.
We'd like to get as big a field as possible, but most of all we want committed players who will get their games arranged and played each week. So, please spread the word amongst Friends and CC members. Deadline for Entries: January 11, 2012.
Sign up here