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Re: Virtual US Open and Virtual Open Championship Suggestions

• b0geybuster 2,574 Posts

  Wed, Jun 29 2011 8:39 AM

   

  After playing already in the Virtual US Open and looking forward to the Virtual Open, I have been thinking about these two championships.   A discussion has been started here about the winds and the fairness of high winds in any championship:

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/52687.aspx?PageIndex=1

  Now with that said my suggestion would be that rather then two rounds for each championship that WGT moves to the same format as the PGA and moves these tournaments to four rounds.   

  I think this would eliminate the idea that I got unlucky winds and the winner had lucky winds.   Four rounds would likely ensure all players are seeing the whole range of winds over the four rounds, but also IMO would keep the competition closer, as even after a poor round, you would likely still be within striking distance of the leaders.   

  The 2nd suggestion would be to allocate prizes to the top 10 in each field.   It doesn't have to be much, but right now its all or bust.   Most players put  a lot  of time and effort into these competitions, and it all seems for not, when its all said and done.   The all or bust mentality was seen in the Virtual US Open when a first round leader withdrew after deciding he or she could not win.  Had there been more prizes this would not have been the case.  

  Just some thoughts,

  b0gey

• StoneColdKiller 76 Posts

  Wed, Jun 29 2011 8:43 AM

  I agree with the much respected Mr. B0geybuster, and shall take the liberty of adding that the suggested idea would also lower the %age of WDs (not just a 2nd round bust as mentioned by the OP) and keep all players involved interested in the competition for prizes other than the 1st prize.

  Excellent mr.b0geybuster, i wonder where you come up with such brilliant ideas ;)

• TheLighterDark 1,404 Posts

  Wed, Jun 29 2011 12:07 PM

  I think it's a great idea, but it would make the Virtual Opens last almost two weeks, instead of less than a week. 

  However, a good way to cut down on the time required would be to overlap the rounds via:

  • Round 1 lasts from June 20-24
  • Round 2 lasts from June 22-26
  • Round 3 lasts from June 24-28
  • Round 4 lasts from June 26-30

  And if they have more than two pin placements, they should alternate using them on two of the four days and alternate the winds as well... 

  • Round 1 - 1st pins with low winds 
  • Round 2 - 2nd pins with high winds 
  • Round 3 - 1st pins with high winds 
  • Round 4 - 2nd pins with low winds

  As for other prizes. I think that there should be a huge credit purse for the tournament. It takes quite a lot of effort in order to qualify, and everyone should be rewarded with in-game prizes, though the outside prizes they offer are pretty cool as well. 

  Perhaps the top 5 credit payoffs should be as follows: 

  1. 5,000 credits + trip 
  2. 4,000 credits + smaller prize
  3. 3,500 credits +smaller prize
  4. 3,000 credits
  5. 2,500 credits

  Great ideas b0gey, keep pushing them so that we can see them at next year's Opens. 

   

• genorb 1,255 Posts

  Wed, Jun 29 2011 12:44 PM

  I also support those ideas. 4 rounds is nice indeed with respect to wind as explained by Bogeybuster. In addition, 4 rounds allow eventually to do one less good round so clearly there will be less withdraws in my opinion. Prizes to the top 10 is nice too (I finished 10th at the Virtual US open, so I like particularly that idea lol).

  Regards

• wildcat18racing6 420 Posts

  Wed, Jun 29 2011 4:34 PM

  Great idea's guy's. It would be nice to see all those idea's used.

• ryan4spurs 828 Posts

  Thu, Jun 30 2011 5:39 AM

  b0gey and TLD, I like the ideas. Only thing I would say about the time limits posed are about players playing the first 2 rounds and then having a planned vacation during the times of the 3rd and 4th rounds.

  If it was possible, I'm sure many would prefer to just be able to go out and shoot the rounds in their own time, but obviously you would have to unlock each further round as you go and play them in order, so you couldn't go out and play the 2 rounds with high winds first. I know this is a strange idea, but wouldn't punish the qualifiers who couldn't play in a certain week of the 2 weeks.

  I'm sure there was a few players who couldn't play in the recent US Open because they were away on vacation/business or another reason that they weren't able to play in a tourney that they rightly qualified for.

• losersss 138 Posts

  Thu, Jun 30 2011 8:29 AM

  Great idea on the prize payout b0geybuster

• b0geybuster 2,574 Posts

  Fri, Jul 1 2011 7:23 AM

  Thanks for the input guys.   Another time frame option would be, 1st week you have whole week to play first two rounds.  Last week would use the same setup as we currently have.

  And TLD has nailed the prize side of the post.  Something like that would keep all interested to the end and this would likely reduce the WD %.

  Cheers,

  b0gey

• United4Life 104 Posts

  Mon, Jul 4 2011 12:41 AM

  Really awesome ideas! Please listen WGT! :)

• TarheelsRule 5,603 Posts

  Mon, Jul 4 2011 1:55 PM

  I would add that it would be good to have a cut as well.  Lower the field to the top 72 plus ties after the second round.

  The prizes are a good idea.  You can see that it only would cost WGT a few hundred dollars to pay out to the top 10.  

  I would suggest that the overlap suggested by TLD is a good idea and fairly easy to set up by WGT.