The benefits of Par competitions

[BUSHY]

I’m a bit of a fan of Par comps, I see them for what they are. After reading the below article I think I like em a bit more.

Some interesting points of view and some statistics here. Important thing I see is that the comps are generally closer with less rounds in the 40+ points range and it’s easier to come back from a minus than it is to come back from a wipe.

http://www.insidegolf.com.au/opinion...-competitions/

[blurry]

Always plenty of good tee times


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jazz18]

Agreed. I much prefer a par round for the reason you pointed out. Heaps easier to come back from a minus than a wipe.

[benno_r]

I’m a bit of a fan of Par comps, I see them for what they are. After reading the below article I think I like em a bit more.

Some interesting points of view and some statistics here. Important thing I see is that the comps are generally closer with less rounds in the 40+ points range and it’s easier to come back from a minus than it is to come back from a wipe.

http://www.insidegolf.com.au/opinion...-competitions/

I am a big fan of Par, but it never gets played at Maryborough any more due to lack of support. For me, the main benefit of par comps is it limits the wipes, but also the 4 pointers. Since I get more wipes than 4 pointers, this is where I assume the better overall scoring comes from.

[benno_r]

Any feedback on how often it gets played at everyone's clubs?

Used to be every third week in our Wednesday comp (stab / stroke / par rotation). I haven't played it at home in the last 12 months, but have had 2 rounds at Hervey Bay.

[BUSHY]

Any feedback on how often it gets played at everyone's clubs?

Used to be every third week in our Wednesday comp (stab / stroke / par rotation). I haven't played it at home in the last 12 months, but have had 2 rounds at Hervey Bay.

Maybe <6 times a year I think.

[Johnny Canuck]

Maybe <6 times a year I think.

My club is about the same.

[JoeS]

I like it.A mental game between You,the course and the gods.I see it more as a match play format,where as in stableford your day can be all over in the first few holes,Par comps you can come back

Sent from my SM-J250G using Tapatalk

[Grumpy8]

My clubs play par comps , but much more Stableford, I like it when we have a stroke comp on a Tuesday, all the old boys whinge .

[Jazz18]

My club is about the same.

My last club maybe twice a year on Saturday's. Not sure about the new club I'm at.

[PeteyD]

I like them. Reddy Bay only has stab and stroke rounds except the week after renos. Gets very boring.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Sydney Hacker]

Eastern in Melbourne had them a lot when I was down there, I believe after the night they stroke round they tried to split the rest almost 50/50.

I do believe a lot of the older guys complained not long ago and they changed some of them back to stab.

[benno_r]

I always wondered why it gets so poorly supported. I assume it's because a lot of the old boys have heaps of double bungers, and pick up a disproportionate amount of 4 and 5 pointers.

[Sydney Hacker]

That seems to be the argument, old fella gets 2 shots on a par 3 and their eyes light up!

[Daves]

That seems to be the argument, old fella gets 2 shots on a par 3 and their eyes light up!

Yep, I have to combat this every Saturday. I play in a group where I am the youngest and the lowest handicapper. I have to compete (in our 4ball) against guys that used to play off my handicap, but now are 10 shots or more higher. They are shorter off the tee, but still have the same short game and putting games. And they have perfected the Sandbag throw over the last few holes. I must ask them about Par events.As Pete says we haven't had one for 5+ years. I think it is because they all want to play their 4 ball matches and Stab is more suited for that than Par.

[jimandr]

We play no more than two or three a year. I don't play any of them.

Why? Too stressful. I do not enjoy the pressure of constantly putting for a square, where a missed par by an inch is the same score as hitting two balls out of bounds. Some like that, but not me.

The thing the old guys object to is the occasional hole where they can't reach the green in one over regulation, such as water carry holes where they have to lay up, so the best they are looking at is a square. That isn't enjoyable golf. i don't play my black marker day for the same reason. There are two holes I can't reach in regulation that I don't get shots on, so I have to get up and down for par just to get 2 points. I just don't enjoy that type of golf.

[hacker]

I quite like Par for the same reason I like playing golf in wet weather. Both upset the grumpy pricks, they whinge and it is nice to see them making a choice, by playing golf on that day, to not have fun.

[3Puttpete]

IDGAF what the format is. If I’m playing I try to put the ball in the hole. The score sorts itself out

[SundayHack]

IDGAF what the format is. If I’m playing I try to put the ball in the hole. The score sorts itself out

Ah the old any hole is a goal adage. I like it. Though getting a kakaaa on a stroke hole doesn’t have the same gusto

[mrbluu]

Not a fan of them as I prefer grinding for my 1 pointer, instead of a wiping the hole if I can't make par. I prefer playing stroke events.

Our club has them about 6 times a year.

[Courty]

I used to hate playing par, but once I adjusted my thinking to the 'matchplay against the course' idea, I don't mind it now.

[WBennett]

I really like it, but as mentioned by Courty, it requires a change in mindset.

You stand on the tee knowing what score you have to shoot to square or win a hole.

You then decide what the best way to mitigate the risks, execute the shots, and make the score. Bunting 3w or hybrid around all day and staying out of trouble is worth it to pick up the 'easy' pluses, and remove the risk of minuses.

[FuzzyJuzzy]

I’m a bit ambivalent to Par events. I’ll certainly play them though when that’s the format for the Saturday comp at my club. They’re good because it brings the field closer together - it’s hard to score really bad or really good.At my club we’ve just come out of five straight Saturdays of Stroke due to club champs and monthly medal. Stroke really is the truest test of your game - there’s no place to hide, say, a poor short game. I think a lot of our handicaps would be quite different if we played more Stroke events. The obvious drawback is that Stroke rounds take longer.

[Dotty]

New club seems to have one every month on their comp. days, but that may just be a winter thing.

I like them, and if my game is in a trough or it looks like bad weather, I tend to have a sleep in and an hour or two practice instead of grinding out a potential -8 on the course.

The old club had par exclusively over winter on Wednesdays, to speed up play. It worked well last century.
Then the 'Faldo routines' slowed down play, stableford sidebets added unnecessary putts and a few whingers wanted more variety, further slowing play with stroke rounds or trying to calculate an Irish Four Ball or Split Sixes instead of hitting the ball.

[Rodent]

I too disliked par events until I cottoned on to the matchplay idea. The only negative is that you get to play fewer shots for your $.