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Sandbagging Change

Tue, Jan 22 2013 11:03 AM (162 replies)

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alosso

21,072 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 3:32 AM

It's but my opinion and the attempt to find a parallel, and as I see now it fits to German HCP modification practice (only tournament scores count, if they are declared HCP-relevant by the committee) and not to those countries where every score counts (like USA).

I've heard of real golfers who only play courtesy tournaments which do not count against the HCP but may have big prizes at stake, e.g. holiday vouchers etc. They show a HCP considerably higher than their skills, getting a lot of strokes in net counting and thus profit from their advantage. They are a nuisance IRL like the WGT sandbaggers are here, cashing in the high stakes.

OTOH you are correct, the automatic procedure implemented here now may hit innocents - I may belong to them soon enough.

RonnieCig

50 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 6:15 AM

Just played a guy who went birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, bogey, triple, double. He made every putt inside of 10 feet in the first six holes then blew everything past by 10 feet on the last three holes!!

Choppography

2,166 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 6:29 AM

No doubt in my mind that tier-based equipment is the way to go. However, that hurts sales so it won't happen. Besides, are you going to actually go back and strip a L90 TP of his R11s? No. It's a shame, but WGT made their own bed here.....and seem perfectly comfortable lying in it.

Where to go from here? I don't know. I like that they are addressing the players' overwhelming concerns in the issue. WGT will likely make subtle changes back and forth, but folks, things change....roll with it.

I'm sorry to the recreational players that get bumped before they were ready. But, I bet you also fell a few times when trying to learn to ride your bicycle, too. Eventually, you adjust. The choice is yours........voice your displeasure, practice and improve, or leave the game entirely. WGT won't begrudge you this choice either way.

I imagine the only way, though, to figure match play rounds into your scoring averages is to factor in an amount of your average to remove when you win a match. 0.01, for example...maybe more....like 0.05. Players slowly move lower since their averages can't move higher after reaching the minimum ranked rounds for their tier.

gsoup

2,929 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 7:00 AM

Choppography:
trip a L90 TP of his R11s?

or level 94 masters

quit trying to be nice

lmao

Richard4168

4,309 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 7:38 AM

I don't see advancing tiers as someone who believes they were good enough to be in the next tier or not, or thought they deserved to be. Its about embracing the challenge at the next tier. No player advanced to the next tier and proceeded to birdie every hole, it took practice and playing to experience success.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity of putting on the 'championship' speed greens in the Tour Legend tier. I find that putting speed to be much easier than say a 'fast' or 'very fast' green speed. I would much rather leave a putt long than short.

Tyrone05

2 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 8:14 AM

I just got through cursing out some one from spain or whatever because his tier showed that he was at L17 with Hack showing as his title...his Hack percentage or whatever we call it showed him being at a 84.30 and my Title is Amateur-83.4 my Level is currently at 40. Now my question to all the honest WGT members. WGT staff is that possible because I did call his ASS out on that and excuse my language. As soon as I wrote that he is one of the Sandbaggers WGT is looking for all of the sudden his -4 par turned into a +2. So I told him that is is the winner of this years Academy...Next thing I no after calling him all kinds of names and telling him that only week golfers would do what your doing. So be that coward. I think I hurt his feelings and he disconnected.. So he might have one the golf challenge but I won the Cheat War...So Tyrone 1 and Sandbaggers 0 whos next. If these sandbaggers don't stop then pretty it wont be as easy to sign up for WGT anymore....or people are going to have to have a valid mobile or landline phone number that must be in your name in order to play the damn game ...Now if they go out and by an extra cell phone just to play some damn golf thats not going to make you rich then hell you deserve to be a floating sandbagger on this game.

WGT here is my suggestion to you ...How bout you let us honest and real 100% WGT players work for you by giving us credits for catching a sandbagger..Yall should no what one is...You can say its like your honest members are like secrete shoppers but we will be secrete golfers instead

alosso

21,072 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 8:27 AM

Richard4168:
I don't see advancing tiers as someone who believes they were good enough to be in the next tier or not, or thought they deserved to be. Its about embracing the challenge at the next tier. No player advanced to the next tier and proceeded to birdie every hole, it took practice and playing to experience success.

You are right, generally speaking.

Alas, for a casual player with a "low budget" attitude the challenge might be too big when coming to the Master tees. It's not the greens (which come at TM and need some practice) but the course lengths. Until then, you might fare quite well with low quality equipment, even with Starters, but to have fun as a Master needs some decent clubs or more than decent passion. Playing bogey golf ain't fun when ev1 plays 60s.

As an example, I invested less then 9 $ until then, only buying two Satins and a 3WD. As a Master, some 30 bucks were indispensable, combined with steady green fees in the form of custom balls.

Therefore, some of those players might be sacrificed in this procedure.

Choppography

2,166 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 9:30 AM

LukasDad:

But I just can't be compettive with starter clubs at the Master tier. Nobody can. And then the fun is gone. And I just don't understand why I can't be left at the Tour Pro tees with the limited clubs I can afford.

I think you are missing the point. There are ways here to upgrade clubs without spending a dime of your own cash. I have yet to deposit a dime of my own.....look in my bag. And, don't dare tell me that Canada doesn't get surveys or videos to watch. It may not be as often, but you also aren't applying yourself to upgrading to the equipment with which you can compete...imo.

Saying that WGT is screwing you over because it moved you to a better tier, because you were likely successful at your previous tier, is EXACTLY the base of your argument. The irony in your statement baffles me.

duffer19

3,670 Posts

Wed, Oct 17 2012 9:39 AM

LukasDad:

duffer19:

sorry to those who play with no desire to be challenged or improve and just hit from the same ole spot with the same ole gear. it's a game (sport) you can't help but get better by playing. okay, not really sorry. everyone levels up (or should) as time goes by.

it's still fun. you'll get used to it.....and be better for it

first time you bowled, did you break 100? how about the 100th time you bowled? would be lovely to have a handicap of a 80avg bowler with the skills of a 220 player eh?

kudos wgt

I do have desire to be challenged and improve.

Unfortunately I will always have to use the same ole gear. Not all of us can afford the R11 club set, Cleveland wedges and Nike balls. How much did that cost you BTW? (I have NEVER purchased balls, plain can't afford too)

Does that mean I have to compete at a level with players that can and get my butt kicked! If you played me, I would be helping you be a sandbagger!!

In golf (and bowling) you can only be as good as your equipment. This tier system is plain unfair to those that can't afford to spend money, especially in this economy.

you don't have to spend any money to earn credits for equipment purchases. it might take longer to accumulate them than liked but how many and how fast is basically up to ones willingness to spend the time earning them.

I haven't done anything to warrent trust, but trust me.......we have (most of us) all been there. The Raptor driver purchase was a huge deal for me at tour pro or whatever as was the move for the 3w and so on.

at one point I had 6 different club speeds (meter speed) in mybag. Not the best approach but it's what I did. It wasn't the chase of tier or average that made me do countless surveys, it was the desire to just get better and hoping better gear would help. the tier and average will come, despite my worst efforts. I moved from stock rocks to GI balls.......then GISD's.......and I thought I'd arrived! Callaways came out.......and the Cleveland wedges......and the equipment just kept coming........but I stuck with my stuff and got to TM. My next goal was to get to lvl 88 and get the hot new driver - then the 3w, the iron set, the wedges, and finally improved balls. It will happen.

It will be okay, you will and can earn enough to feed the beast. Couple that with some folks just being gracious as we travel the road and this time next year this might give us a little chuckle. Mustangtattoo gave me my first gift a long time ago......he loaded me up with some awesome golf balls....I was thrilled. I've had country club mates and it's owner gracioucly gifting me items.......not because I'm such a great guy.....but because they are the great ones. folks will be generous to others.......there must be 100's of thousands of instances of generosity to fill these pages. It'll happen.

I spent under 100$ in my entire time here.......yup, they got me with the golf ball promo's (had to have the MLB teams last year, and the GreenBay golf balls, etc) They're gone now of course, I am not rich........I shouldn't have spent what I did given the pile of bills......but I quit espresso and beer a long time ago.......what's a cup of coffee from time to time as a treat.

and all the time this game has kept me at home rather than going out lol......i've saved a lot on gas$ not being used :) It will be what we want it to be, realizing what that is can be difficult i suppose