Par events

[Scottt]

Why do people hate them?

The most common response I hear is that you are robbed of four pointers that are merely +1s, but conversely, your wipes are only -1s.

I'd hazard a guess that most golfers have more wipes than four pointers while playing stableford.

There has to be more to it than that, surely?

I actually quite like them. No less than stableford, anyway.

[markTHEblake]

Why do people hate them?

because they dont understand the format.

[mike]

The one and only par event (they call it VSS here) I've ever played I played a blinder . Ended up +1. Stableford score would've been 40. Had 4 birds on holes I had a shot.

That's why.

[Scottt]

and I suppose -4 or 28pts - it's still +0.1 on the hcp. But a 40 pointer that ends up +1 stops you losing say 0.8 and means you only get cut 0.2.

Where are you living, Mike?

[mike]

Half way between Julie and Courty.

[Scottt]

Ahh, right when you said it had a different name where you were I thought you were OS.

[adlo]

I don't mind them, but the main reason I prefer stableford is the satisfaction of being able to grind out a point if you are having an average hole.

With par, on holes you don't get a shot, you pick up as soon as you don't get your par. It is boring and you miss the fun of trying to sink a long bogey putt (or similar) to get on the scorecard.

[Andrew]

I don't mind them, but generally only get to play them when I am in Melbourne. For some reason they play plenty of them down there, but we play so few of them in Sydney. I guess it's just a Mars/Venus thing.

[Dotty]

Remind me not to get caught behind those grinding it out for a single point. (That's why we tend to get a few par comps in the middle of winter.)

Personally, I like par, in that the peaks and troughs are removed, needing solid scoring all the way through, rather than a hoping for a couple of late birdies.

Also tends to encourage risk-reward recovery shots and strong putts (when playing ordinary), without the worry of risking a 1-pointer in stab. or a snowman in stroke.

[Sydney Hacker]

I am a fan of them as well.

Probably one of the main reasons is it is a quicker round, with guys not struggling for one point and less people seem to play them at my club so you don't get caught behind people as much.

[Julie]

I quite like them as well, especially as it keeps the field moving - if you don't make your 2 pointer, pickup and move on.

[Dotty]

When I go out for a game of golf I want a full game not 3/4 of a game.
When I'm having a chop theres nothing worse than picking up 200m from the hole.

That explains '36 holes without a 3 putt'. You've only putted out 14 times.

[BrisVegas]

I don't mind vs Par. We have one once a month and it's the only comp I have won recently. I think of it like matchplay vs the golf course.

[grandmasterb]

Main reason i dont like par events is that there is no real reward for playing good golf except a +

I played one a few months ago and was hitting the ball solid all day ending with +6 but looking at the scorecard just didn't seem as satisfying as if i looked at the card and saw a 75.

Different strokes for different folks i guess.

[razaar]

I think of it like matchplay vs the golf course.

That's it in a nut shell...you already know what the opponent's score is on each hole.

[sms316]

I think high markers tend to hate par more than low markers. Although most golfers have selective memory in regards to remembering the number of 4 pointers v 0 pointers.

On a side note - I have played a bisque par off plus one. Didn't take Einstein to work out when I would choose to give one away - the first hole I made a bogey on.

[BrisVegas]

On a side note - I have played a bisque par off plus one. Didn't take Einstein to work out when I would choose to give one away - the first hole I made a bogey on.

on a side note side note.... with bisque, do you choose before or after the hole where the shots are taken (or given in your case) ?

I haven't played a bisque since I was a teenager and have forgotten the rules.

[sms316]

It varies from club to club. Most choose after the completion of the hole, but before teeing off on the next hole.

Prick of a game. Massively favours high handicappers.

[markTHEblake]

On a side note - I have played a bisque par off plus one. Didn't take Einstein to work out when I would choose to give one away - the first hole I made a bogey on.

thats the funniest thing i have heard you say!

cos before i finished reading the sentence i instinctively was thinking first birdie

I haven't played a Bisque since i was about 23 (handicap), I might suggest it at my club.

Yeah it is an advantage for high handicappers, but only if they know how to play it. Most try to conserve their handicap and foolishly dont get to use them all.

[Scottt]

before i finished reading the sentence i instinctively was thinking first birdie

Me too

[sms316]

thats the funniest thing i have heard you say!

cos before i finished reading the sentence i instinctively was thinking first birdie

Me too

Hmmm, perhaps I'm a bit smarter than some people give me credit for...

[sms316]

I haven't played a Bisque since i was about 23 (handicap), I might suggest it at my club.

Yeah it is an advantage for high handicappers, but only if they know how to play it. Most try to conserve their handicap and foolishly dont get to use them all.

Best time to play it is straight after coring the greens. You can't get handicapped on it, yet it is still an individual game. Take it for what it is - a novelty event.

[markTHEblake]

best way to play the bisque is too use all your shots to get a plus on every hole until you run out. (obviously you will take the wipe if you make double/triple handicap depending)

[Moe Norman]

I really like Par, you just have to play it properly.

Like Vegas, I treat it as matchplay vs the course

[Scottt]

It seems to me lower handicappers are more likely to like par.