On Jul 5, 2023, at 9:14 AM, Tate Rich <taterich@deltacoals.com> wrote:

   Facts

Foremost was confident that a visit to Highlands by three of his Nashville buddies would result in a slew of contentious rules issues and, perhaps, a personality breakdown or two, given the players’ unfamiliarity with the courses and the unaccustomed difficulties presented by the mountain elevations, tumbling creeks, slippery greens, and perilous circumstances often found after wayward shots. Such was not the case, however, as the group arrived and played not only with determination, which was to be expected, but with shocking rules compliance.

F, of course, doesn’t intend to suggest his playing partners don’t follow the rules. He is simply suggesting they have demonstrated in the past a propensity to find awkward rules situations, much to F’s delight.

To F’s amazement, however, while the competition was intense, the players survived 36 holes of Four-Ball at the lovely HCC without a single question raised as to Rules.

The competition continued on Day #2 at the lovely OEI course. Again, a spirited 18-hole Four Ball morning competition was completed without a single Rules question or dispute. Frankly, F was somewhat troubled by this unexpected development…not a single rules argument over the entire trip to date! He was dumbfounded by the uncharacteristic civility and harmony of the group. Perhaps, he reasoned, it was the change of scenery or the soothing mountain air!

Reader JSt, for example, had earlier returned from a short walk on Satulah Mountain thrilled with his identification of several bird species he had found through his bird-call phone app. As F recalls, JSt had identified an Eastern Phoebe, a Red-eyed Vireo, a Dark-eyed Junco, a Gray Catbird, a Blue-headed Vireo, and a Song Sparrow. F was happy for JSt and his avian discoveries, but would have been just as happy had he been chased off the mountain by a Momma Black Bear, a species also prevalent at Satulah.

After a day and half of spirited Four-Ball play, which had seen victories by both teams, the players decided to change the format for the afternoon round at OEI, deciding only on the first tee to play a Scramble (6 holes), Alternate Shot (6 holes), and then Best Ball (6 holes). (An abbreviated lunch session between rounds had foreclosed any opportunity to settle upon the afternoon format or consider necessary adjustments for team handicapping). After several highly competitive Scramble holes, which the players were enjoying, the decision was made to stick to the Scramble format.

F’s partner, Sandwich, was perfectly happy with this decision, but he wanted team strokes considering JSt had a course handicap 7, RMn an 8, and they were playing Sandwich (a 12) and F (a 17). The match was tied at the time and pace of play was a consideration. There was no time for an handicap debate. F, supremely confident, didn’t want any dang strokes from these guys anyway… of course, RMn or JSt didn’t press the issue. No one listened to Sandwich. Play continued.

The match remained competitive with exciting ebbs and flows … F and Sandwich eventually went one up after a birdie on Hole #12 with six holes left to play. Unfortunately, the tide soon shifted with the JSt/RMn team winning the difficult #13 with a side-hill 18-foot birdie, and another side-hill 15-foot par save for a win on #14, and a 7-foot come-backer for a par to tie on #15 (after a missed 4-footer for birdie), and a down-hill 12-footer for birdie on #16, all of which placed them two-up with 2 holes to play. They sealed the deal with a curving, down-hill, 20-footer for birdie and a 3-1 victory on the Par 3 hole #17. A putting clinic!

F congratulated the victors. Sandwich declined to shake hands or congratulate anyone, or reach in his pocket and pay his portion of the high-stakes wager which had been placed. He demanded that the match be audited and adjusted for handicaps.

Finally some controversy!

Sandwich continued to press the issue that evening beside a roaring fireplace over several cups of hot tea. F couldn’t decide which was worse…the ongoing discussion of the scramble handicaps, or the Amy Winehouse Pandora playlist recommended by JSt. F would have much preferred listening to his bird-call tape.

Issue

Of course, no one had known how to handicap a two-man team scramble. The fairness, or lack thereof, of the prior day’s bet was still raging the next morning as F’s guests mercifully departed. Sandwich wouldn’t pay. RMn wanted his money. F figured RMn and JSt would have 5 hours to placate Sandwich and collect their bet earnings on the return trip. F wished them the best in this endeavor. He then decided to research the handicap issue.

Ruling

Indeed, Sandwich was correct! While the USGA has not adopted a hard and fast rule for handicapping two-man scrambles, F’s research indicates that competitions generally calculate the team handicaps at 35% for Player A (the lower handicap) plus 15% for Player B (the higher handicap), rounded up or down. This handicap formula is recommended by the USGA. *

By F’s calculations, the RMn/JSt team was entitled to 3.65 strokes (rounded to 4) and the F/Sandwich team 6.75 strokes (rounded to 7) a difference of 3 strokes. Upon review, F realized that had the match been correctly handicapped, and the three strokes awarded on the designated holes, instead of a 3-1 victory by the bad guys, the Match would have been tied after H #17 when it was incorrectly and prematurely concluded.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda….

F reluctantly finds, however, that the parties, by a three to one unspoken consensus, had agreed not to handicap the Scramble, even after the early mid-round format change, and that the 3-1 victory was official. Yes, Sandwich was correct in scolding F and calling him out for losing the bet on the first tee but, in truth, he could have griped less and played better.

Although F missed the ride home with the guys, he did receive an update on the status of the bet debate.

Sandwich reported that he had held firm in his principled refusal to pay his side of the bet (citing “equity”, a “choke job” by F (who was “just trying to be a good host”), the character of Bobby Jones, and so forth for 5 hours), but that “our greedy, ungrateful competitors” had ultimately prevailed again …this time, by declining to reimburse him their share of the gas money.

F is delighted the golf trip ended with a wee bit of controversy …just as he had expected!

As usual, all comments and corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,
F

* Another two-man team scramble handicap suggestion is to add the two-man team handicaps and divide by 4, rounding up or down. In the present case, using this alternative formula, the handicaps would have remained as per the formula used, 4 and 7.