Hall of Fame? Which players have really excelled at this game, who do we miss from the forums, our clubs or just for a friendly game?
Andyson is gone and remembered through players' efforts. Most of us know of someone they played against that has died, some we knew well some only by username but all are missed by other players and ignored by wgt.
There's all those who have given to others so that less fortunate players can enjoy the game too.
ScottHope has helped many, certainly hundreds and probably more, play the game smoothly often when wgt threw obstacles to that in thier way.
The measure of excellence must surely be the major flash-based tournaments that have been what the game has been about for the last 13 years. A Hall of Fame, in all cases (except one) I know of would reflect on that period.
The main tournament winners are listed below and there are some that really stand out for me.
Fmagnets started playing shortly before the 2013 VUSO yet managed 13th and since then has finished 2nd, 2nd, 3rd equal, 5th, 4th, 5th and 1st by a record margin. In the VT Mags won about twice as many times as the next best and was never out of the first three on the seasons list, usually winning. A win in the VUSA, three (or is it four?) World Cups, certainly never in a losing team. Top earner and lots I can’t remember right now.
Poldimaier won the VUSO in 2014 and 2015, 2nd this year and third equal in 2016. . There’s also JoeMaverick with his back to back wins and other prominent finishes, StoneColdKiller, BolloxinBruges in 2010 won the VUSO and was runner-up in the Virtual Open. AgentBrown always seems to be there or thereabouts. Great names from the early days like AvatarLee and on and on. Then there are great players who don’t play the Majors as they’re not eligible for the prize, Ujjbnjk would be prominent among these. There are many more and those above have won more than I’ve mentioned but the point is there are many that have really achieved in the flash game.
There’s Finny and all he’s done with the WC. Simon with the Ryder Cup as well as being one of the best players, winning a VUSA and many good finishes in the events the best players do want to do well in, the etour. Which of course brings us to golfx3, what he’s done in that is remarkable. Apologies to the many not listed.
The CC’s that have been at the top forever, set up (I think) by Farfoo, Beryman and BolloxinBruges. Dazza, Bubbs and various people at SEL and lots more in other CC’s have done great work too.
These are just a few of the many who could have been chosen for the hall of fame honour but what do we get? They announce during the final game of the live series
WGT Champion
Congrats Yiannis on the win today. Congrats Young46 for winning the season and becoming the first ever Hall of Fame player in WGT
Who knew this was to be part of the live series before it started? Who knew this was to be part of the Live Series before Young46 had already won it? Was it decided when it was seen he couldn’t be caught? If it had been Yiannis would he now be the first Hall of Fame player? Hmmm. Young46 was certainly not surprised at the news. Did golfx3 and others know when he/they missed some events?
To be fair Young46 did also “win” the VUSO. Weeks and weeks of qualifying, four championship rounds and he finished nine strokes behind Fmagnets. All of these rounds could be played on flash. Yes, wgt said there would be a single round between the top 10, they didn’t say it would be on the unfinished EA platform only. When did they tell the 10 players? Well that probably varies, a lot.
This from Poldimaier’s status “ USGA Open: NOT 1 word in the rules concerning a mandatory use of the new EA version! Just 1 day to learn it....impossible”
Yet Young 46 has shown the commentators the course sometime before, surely something that could be done by someone not playing in the tournament, seeing the pin positions etc. If he is to have the (slight?) advantage of seeing and playing the course then it should be limited to that and not be a tournament set up to run until the shootout and be unlimited play. I noticed during his Hall of Fame interview he said he spends much more time practicing than playing. I’m also undecided whether the chat there is about him always playing last in this sort of event is relevant.
So Poldimaier had a day or two notice and Young46 had a month or two; that means Young46 knew before the championship rounds, I bet Poldimaier wishes he did then he may not have bothered.
Someone with three Monthly wins in the VT, a couple of 5th’s in the VUSO, and a win in something some of the best players pay little or no attention to (why would the best players spend lots of time on a tournament that gives credits as a prize when wgt have taken away any opportunity for them to get anything from these credits?) and a shootout in a game that isn’t the finished article when he may or may not have had advantages.
No offence to Young46 he’s a very very good player, and seemingly an ever better salesman, but all of the players mentioned for their playing skill could lay some sort of claim to be the best in the flash game at some point, I can’t see when he could do the same.
I’m not objecting to wgt using Young46 to promote their new game, that’s nothing to do with me, I just don’t like how they are doing it. Hall of Fame means something to some people; true legends of the game who have left their mark on it in some way be it through their play, their words, their kindness, generosity, etc. etc. If you had done this by calling him WGT Young46 that would have been fine by me.
VUSO Winners
2009 NASA Golfer (66 at BB won it by 2 shots)
2010 BolloxinBruges (124 at Oakmont won it by 2 shots)
2011 mrenn26 (119 at Congressional won it by 2 shots)
2012 StoneCold Killer (112 at Olympic, won it by 2 shots)
2013 Kriztjan (112 at Merion won it by 2)
2014 Poldimaier (228 at Pinehurst won it by 3)
2015 Poldimaier (228 at CB, won it by 3)
2016 Remangrum 226 at Oakmont, won it by 1)
2017 JoeMaverick (227 at EH won on tie break)
2018 JoeMaverick (222 on B0VUSO won it by 2)
2019 Andivo (223 at PB won on tie break)
2020 Fmagnets (224 at Congressional/Merion/CB/PB won it by 4)
Virtual Open
2010 AvatarLee (121 won it by 2 shots, BolloxinBruges 2nd)
2011 StoneColdKiller (119 at RSG won it by 1 shot)
VUSA
2018 Fmagnets
2019 Birchi
The Virtual Tour Summary (Full results on a seperate post)
Between 2014 and 2019 there were 72 monthly tournaments in this as well as championship events, the full list is in a separate post but, as a brief summary, here are the players that won at least three of these. Again apologies for any I’ve missed, misspelling or mistakes in general, I don’t want to spend more time checking things again. Some other players may have also excelled in this but not at the top tier (which is all I included). There’s only so much that can be included.
Fmagnets: 13 monthly wins. Also won the 2014 Tour Championship and Live play off, and three of the four 2015 quarterly Championships. I think it's one sp playoff and 5 out of 6 MP games against the other top players.
Ujjbnjk: 7 monthly wins.
Dansamcan: 5 Monthly wins
JoeMaverick: 4 monthly wins
Andivo: 3 monthly wins.
Young46: 3 monthly wins
(I've not included banned players in the summary)
Only one person mentioned in this, far too long, post is honoured with being in the Hall of Fame, why is that? I think it’s what wgt want is the short answer but I wonder who the customers would like to see in a Hall of Fame?