Winter 2010 10 Ball Challenge
This is the Winter 10 ball challenge, which is modified from the 20 ball challenge currently running until 1st October, to see if the new format works better or not. Its free to enter and intended to get you all out on the course, hopefully enticing a few of the newer members to take part as well.
The rules are simple and explained below.
10 Ball Challenge
You start with 10 balls; each is worth 25 points if you do not lose them. So if you play right through the 10 ball challenge without losing any balls, you earn a 250 point bonus.
Each round you play has to be with another CGL member so there is someone to witness it. The only rounds that do not count are in matchplay comps (as the chances are you will be taking on some risky shots in an attempt to win a hole), or if you declare that you are not going to count the round BEFORE you start.
The latter is to allow those that have been out of the game for a period, or coming back from, or have an injury to get some golf in, even though they know they will be playing really bad.
Duration of 10 Ball Challenge
The 10 ball challenge will run during the “Race To Bondhay”, or until such time as you have lost your 10 balls. Once you have lost your 10 balls, the score you have achieved whilst using them is your final score in the leader board.
Ball Identification
In any golf competition, you have to be able to clearly identify your ball during play and the 10 ball challenge is no different. This does not mean you play with a pro V1 ball, therefore that’s your identification, as many other people will be playing with that type of ball.
Each ball should have either a clearly identifiable set of markings on it, which could be different coloured dots, or you initials on it. For example, I always mark my ball with “AL B” before starting, as I know no one else will have those markings on the ball.
Before you start using the ball, it must be shown to the other players on the day, so they know what ball they are looking for if you hit a bad shot and they need to assist you in finding it.
Lost Ball
A ball is deemed lost, if it’s not going back into your bag at the end of the round, as simple as that.
Examples of a non lost ball:
Ball is hit into a water feature and you recover it
Ball is hit OOB and you recover it
You are only allowed the standard 5 minutes to look for a lost ball. If you do not find it after 5 minutes, then you start using another ball.
If you hit your ball OOB or into a water feature and you cannot retrieve it, even though you can see it, it is classed as a lost ball, as it will not be going into your bag at the end of the round.
If you end up badly marking your ball whilst using it, you can deem it un-playable and continue with another one, after letting your playing partners know you have swapped your ball. If you don't tell them, then it will count as a lost ball, the same as any normal game of golf.
If the group behind finds your ball, but you have already started to play with another one, then sorry, it cannot count as being in play, so it is a "lost ball", even though you have got it back.
Scoring
Scoring is simple, you play off you CGL handicap and receive the strokes you are entitled too.
So if you play a round and score 30 stableford points without losing a ball, then you have scored 30 points to your final total.
If you scored 30 stableford points, but lost a ball during the round, you have in effect only scored 5 points, as you have lost 25 bonus points for losing a ball.
If you have scored 30 stableford points and lost two balls, you have in effect had a negative round, as you have lost 50 bonus points (2 lost balls) but scored 30 points for the round, so in effect scored -20 for the round.
Qualifying
To qualify at the end of the 10 ball challenge, you have to have played a minimum of 10 rounds of golf in the 10 ball challenge.
You will be limited to your 10 rounds for the final score, to see if it makes it fairer to those that cannot play as much golf as others. This does not mean you can only enter 10 rounds though, as you can take the gamble and add more rounds if you wish.
What this means, is that if after 10 rounds you have any balls left, you can enter more rounds to try and improve your overall total.
Example
If I have played 10 rounds and only have 1 ball left with a total score of say 500 points, which includes a scoring round of 5 points (scored 30 on the day, but lost a ball (-25), I can play another round to see if I can go round without losing my last ball and thus add more than 5 points to my overall total. I could keep doing this until I have lost my last ball.
It might be, that I think I have a good overall total and do not want to risk losing what I have already got, or I might decide to gamble and try and improve my total score, knowing that if I lose another ball, I will probably be worse off!
This will allow me to gauge if the 20 ball challenge next year follows the same rules as above with regards rounds submitted (but will be 20 rounds), or I stick with the current format.
Remember, this is a fun tournament, allowing members to chuckle over someone losing loads of balls in one round and we are playing between ourselves. There will be a prize at the end of it, but that’s not what we are playing for, as its more about getting out on the course with the people you have met through the site on a regular basis.
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Comments
Thanks for the comments i
Thanks for the comments i must have missed them the first time round due to work etc.
you raise a few points, so i will try and address them all.
1. Start retrieving a ball from a water hazard, then drop it again and cannot find it - its not in your bag at the end of the round, so its lost. This is to even things out. Some courses just have ditches running across the fairways, where you would pick your ball out and take a drop. Others have larger water features. If its a large water feature and your ball is within reach for recovery, then you should be able to following the same principle for a ditch. If its in the middle of the water feature, regardless of ball retriever, you are not going to get it back! If you play courses with plenty of water features in it, the chances are, that you will be carrying a ball retriever anyway. If you see the ball enter the water hazard, regardless of size, the rules are the same if the stake colours are the same, so i have just adapted the same principle for a lost ball.
2. OOB - Some courses have fairways that are divided by OOB's white stakes down the middle, dictating a ball on the opposite fairway is OOB's. I think even you would still go and pick it up, even though its OOB's?
3. Very tight courses. I entered two rounds from Retford, and a round from Rotherham, plus a few other difficult courses and the only ball i have lost so far, was at DTM in a ridiculous manner (lost in the middle of the fairway). But I realised some courses are harder than others (Say the difference between Retford / Bondhay and Mid Yorkshire / Kilton Forest). That's why i have adapted the rules for the 10 ball challenge, allowing players to declare before they start that the round to be played is NOT a counting round to the 10 ball challenge. This then means, if you play some hard courses, whilst others are playing open courses, you are not being penalised.
Overall, i think the changes will be for the better, but only time will tell. As with all things, some members will agree with them and some members will not. Every time we go to a poll, we end up with numerous wishes, that contradict each other. So as the organiser, I set these up to play too if you wish to take part. I have also mentioned, that this is a trial run to test things out before the 20 ball challenge next year. Its what i think will be the best for the competition (as there are a few changes from the 20 ball format), but i could be found with egg on my face come April next year. Only time will tell.
Personally, its been great fun this summer and all it has required is to keep a log if you lose a golf ball during a round of golf with a fellow member. This has highlighted to me how many rounds i can play without losing too many golf balls and made me concentrate on any bad shot so i can find my ball (that or play with Nigel who finds them for me). After all, every lost ball has an affect on the players handicap, as it is basically two shots to your gross score, or removes the chances of scoring any points on a hole. Its not much to ask for, but great fun winding others up when they lose loads in one round!
So i'm sorry you disagree Malcolm, but i intend letting the comp run with the rules I have laid out so far. I will see what those that enter it feel about the rule changes come April next year. If those that have taken part generally feel they need altering again, then i will look into it before the 20 ball challenge starts again.
Allan