Golf 2023 Discussion Thread

[mpjmcevoy 375]

46 minutes ago, phelps said:

sloppy start for the US team, great start for the European team

 

result: 3-0 Europe and the 4th pair 2 up with 3 holes to play...it would be the first clean sweep for Europe in a morning session, the 4th overall (last one, in 2018)

 

a lot more people than expected on the course, a bright sunny day, the course perfectly setup (in a very tough and "homish" manner); despite all the idiots trying to cause problems (as it happens for any event organized in Italy), it's already a great success

Delighted to see the Ryder in Italy, and it's good for the game. For all its flaws, Golf is quite a good game for showing the beauty and grandeur of a countryside. And that suits Italy fine!

 

The excitement of even the early stages of Ryder cup, compared to almost any other golf competition, also reinforces my view that we desperately need to bring a matchplay element into the Olympics.

 

There are ways you could do it in singles, but the better idea may be to introduce a high-speed fourball format (say over 9 holes) for men's and women's pairs, and perhaps a foursomes for mixed...

9 hole format - every hole is worth 2 points, so W2, Draw/share hole 1, lose 0 - within the match, 10 pts wins the match - if you win the last hole while Dormi, you'll get 11 pts, and still win. If it's 9 pts each after 9, golden point is simple 1 shot nearest the pin tie breaker on nearest part 3...

 

You could have 4 groups of 4 pairs, doing 2 9 hole group matches back to back in the morning (1-9 and 10-18), and the third that afternoon. Top 2 in each group to QF next morning, again 9 holes, semi finals, again 9 holes, medal match that afternoon 18 holes (19 points to win, or score on the traditional method)

In group, h-2-h is tiebreaker, if three pairs tie on 4 points (2wins, 1 loss) then goes to score difference (10-6, 10-4, 9-10* would beat 10-8, 4-10, 10-8).

 

Whole thing could be done in two days. Following two days do the foursomes as plain knockout, no groups, again on 9 hole format.

 

So, basically, singles on strokeplay, pairs on matchplay, with pairs seedings based on final totals in strokeplay. Strokeplay 72 holes no cut, matchplay - "powerplay" 9-hole format.

[phelps 8,337]

42 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

Delighted to see the Ryder in Italy, and it's good for the game. For all its flaws, Golf is quite a good game for showing the beauty and grandeur of a countryside. And that suits Italy fine!

 

The excitement of even the early stages of Ryder cup, compared to almost any other golf competition, also reinforces my view that we desperately need to bring a matchplay element into the Olympics.

 

There are ways you could do it in singles, but the better idea may be to introduce a high-speed fourball format (say over 9 holes) for men's and women's pairs, and perhaps a foursomes for mixed...

9 hole format - every hole is worth 2 points, so W2, Draw/share hole 1, lose 0 - within the match, 10 pts wins the match - if you win the last hole while Dormi, you'll get 11 pts, and still win. If it's 9 pts each after 9, golden point is simple 1 shot nearest the pin tie breaker on nearest part 3...

 

You could have 4 groups of 4 pairs, doing 2 9 hole group matches back to back in the morning (1-9 and 10-18), and the third that afternoon. Top 2 in each group to QF next morning, again 9 holes, semi finals, again 9 holes, medal match that afternoon 18 holes (19 points to win, or score on the traditional method)

In group, h-2-h is tiebreaker, if three pairs tie on 4 points (2wins, 1 loss) then goes to score difference (10-6, 10-4, 9-10* would beat 10-8, 4-10, 10-8).

 

Whole thing could be done in two days. Following two days do the foursomes as plain knockout, no groups, again on 9 hole format.

 

So, basically, singles on strokeplay, pairs on matchplay, with pairs seedings based on final totals in strokeplay. Strokeplay 72 holes no cut, matchplay - "powerplay" 9-hole format.

I'm more into something like:

week 1: team tournament as a full knockout stage (8 teams, QTFs, SFs and Finals over 6 days) with 5 players per team with 2 Foursomes, 2 Fourballs on day 1 and 5 singles on day 2

week 2: individual tournament with 2-day/36-hole stroke play, the top 16 make it through to the knockout stage with match play (day 3, round of 16 and QTF; day 4, SFs and Finals, always over 18 holes)

 

the problem is that it would be very demanding on top players (who might dislike the idea) and it would require 2 different courses for women and men (with both genders playing basically at the same time (there might be a 1-day separation, but still)

 

so, I guess we won't see anything like that in the near future, but it would be intriguing and entertaining for sure

[phelps 8,337]

by the way, the clean sweep was completed at the end of the morning session 

 

right now the fourballs are well underway, with Europe taking an early lead 1 UP on 2 matches, while the USA are 1 UP in one match and the last is still tied (but we're still in the first 6 holes)

[phelps 8,337]

and finally a great day of golf is over

 

the USA did a better job in the afternoon in the fourballs (it was expected) but they lost the narrowest of lead in the last hole in 3 of the 4 matches, with the Europeans tying them with the last shot (and winning the 4th match with a big margin)

 

therefore day 1 ends with an amazing 6.5 to 1.5 lead for the Old Continent

 

all the European players had a great day (more or less, at least partially), but Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland were definitely the best among the best

[Monzanator 4,797]

The bitchslapping on Day 1 must really sting since US captain pulled "there is some illness here" BS excuse

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/66967308

[Monzanator 4,797]

Jon Rahm has signed with LIV Golf.

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/67450710

 

Even McIlroy said Ryder Cup needs him...

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/67657155