Our regular foursome usually plays a side game during a round just to keep interest up, with the main one being "Wolf." For those not knowing about this game, it's pretty simple. Players rotate through the foursome -- and through the round -- as the Wolf on a hole, with the order for the day being designated on the opening tee box via a tee flip (the player the tee points at when hitting the ground).
The first player off the tee is the Wolf, and after teeing off, he has to select a playing partner for the hole after watching another player's tee shot. Using the first tee as an example, if the second player hits a nice tee shot,
the Wolf can then declare that player his partner and the two compete against the remaining two players on that hole. However, the Wolf must choose a playing partner for the hole before the next person tees off. In this example, once player three hits, player two is no longer an option to be chosen.
If the Wolf watches all players hit and doesn't like any of the tee shots, then he can declare himself a Lone Wolf and compete against the other three players.
Scoring is based on low ball, low total, with a point given for each. For Lone Wolf, the points are doubled. This type of scoring helps equal things out if players of varying abilities are partnered -- for instance, partners can easily make a combined higher score (total) than the other two, but one of the partners can still have the individual lowest score (low ball) for the hole, canceling the points out.
We like Wolf, but it gets tiresome.
We've also played Bingo, Bango, Bongo (BBB), which is a more random, luck-based game. Each BBB counts one point. Regardless of honors on the tee, the first player to hit the fairway gets a Bingo, then the first player to hit the green gets a Bango, and the first person to hole out (no gimmes) gets the Bongo. Bangos on par 3's are awarded for closest to the hole (must be on the green to count) -- Bingos are not in play.
Because of the random nature of BBB, it's proven to be less competitive and usually doesn't hold our interest for an entire round.
So we've "created" a new game -- we'll, actually we've just modified another game called "Disaster." I found Disaster, and many other games, at this website golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/a/formats bets.htm. There are many golf side games detailed at the site, including the two previously mentioned. We're calling our new game "Redemption," and here's how we're going to play it:
Penalties -- 1 point each
Splashy (water ball)
Goner (OB)
Woody (hit a tree)
Beachy (bunkered)
Fooby (Failed Out Of Bunker)
Three-Jack (3 putt)
Wipes
* Par on hole wipes all penalty points for that hole only
* Birdie (or better) wipes penalties for that hole and previous hole
* Back-to-back birdies (or better) wipes all penalties up to that point in round
Rules
* Redemption scoring kept separately from regular stroke score
* Player with fewest points after 18 holes is the winner
* In case of tie(s) after 18 holes, single ball, closest-to-hole chipping contest, with order of play determined by tee toss
We haven't had the opportunity to try this game out yet, but I'm kinda' looking forward to it. I like the idea of trying to make positive things happen to eliminate (wipe) the points given for negative shots. For instance, on a par 5, a player could hit a tree off the tee (1 point), hit his second in a bunker (1 point), fail to get out the bunker on the next shot (1 point), and then knock the fourth shot on and drain the par putt -- 3 points wiped for that hole alone! Or if he misses that par putt, he'd card the 3 points, but could then wipe them by birdieing the next hole. The big one, of course, is the back-to-back birdies, wiping all points -- what a great incentive to score well and stick it to your opponents.
For higher-handicapped players, the "wipes" could be changed to bogeys and pars, instead of pars and birdies. Like most side games, modifying the rules and scoring helps to better accommodate different types of golfers, just as long as everybody is in agreement before teeing off. I rarely wager anything when playing side games. It's been my experience that gambling on a golf course makes you lose more friends than money, and brings out the worst in people. Playing for something trivial, like a soda or something, works best, I think.
It's more a pride thing, anyway.
Not sure how the Redemption scoring is going to work on our home course. There's not much water, and the bunkers are positioned mostly out-of-play. There are plenty of trees, though, enough out-of-bounds to keep you honest, and three putts are in everyone's bag. We'll see how this Redemption goes and I'll blog an update. I also plan to start a subject in the Golf Gab forum about side games, so post a reply. I'm always looking for something different.
A couple of guys I golf with have competed in an ongoing match for the past couple of years. Originally, the bet was for a small bag of chips after the round, but it became common for the wager to never be paid off. The two now keep track of the competition per round, with one rarely getting more than a three match lead.
In recognition of the competition, one of the competitors, Dewayne, decided to build a trophy. Dubbed "Old Salty," it's an empty bag of chips -- filled with expandable foam -- atop a partial golf shaft, mounted on a block of wood. Simple, with understated appeal.
The matches have become as entertaining as they are competitive. They try to play at least twice a month, and as of yesterday, they're all square. But they didn't decide if yesterday was indeed the final day. Now there's a debate...
The matches are kept track of through the calendar year, so the competition officially ends New Year's Eve. With the holidays quickly approaching, and with real winter weather and temperatures threatening, they may remain tied if the matches have come to a halt. Dewayne holds the trophy from last year, and in essence, will retain the much-coveted title. But fellow competitor Steve would like to have one more shot, regardless of the weather conditions. Can Steve call Dewayne out for a match, and if he refuses, will Steve win by forfeit? Will Dewayne make himself scarce until year's end, avoiding his cellphone, pager, e-mail and answering machine? Where's ESPN to report?
As stated, the competition has been fierce at times, none more so than two weekends ago at the 17th hole. Steve could close the match out with a win, and Dewayne found himself on the back fringe, some 15 feet away for par to make the 18th the deciding hole. Steve had reached the short par 4 in regulation, and had already lagged up for his easy par. With the stage set, Dewayne went through his putting routine. He was grinding. He stood over the ball longer than normal. These guys were taking this stuff seriously, and I liked it.
All was still and calm as Dewayne finally made the stroke. It was dead on line. Steve broke the silence, saying, "That looks good -- I think it's going to drop!" And just as Steve completed his words, the ball took the most violent lip out I've seen in my 25-plus years of playing golf. I now understand how astronauts return from the moon, being sling-shotted around the rock, gaining speed in the process. This putt did a 180 and came back some three foot towards Dewayne, then stopping suddenly as if it had airbrakes. One could sense the golfing gods laughing at their efforts.
But Dewayne wasn't laughing. Instead, his face was deep red, veins popping so badly even Clint Eastwood would be uneasy. Then, he did a Judge Smails imitation, the same as when he missed that two footer in Caddyshack. He acted as if he was going to launch the putter, looking around for the best place. He paused long enough for me to think he wasn't serious. Then, off it went, end over end in classic club-throwing fashion toward the 18th tee box.
Match over. Exclamation point added.
Like many aspects of life (and sports), I believe we arrive at success in golf through a combination of passion and talent. To be good -- not great, but competitive -- you have to have both of these attributes, but one can come from the other.
I began to think about this watching my son play football. Three years ago, he decided to play for our county's youth league. The idea came from his passion from watching the game, most notably, Brett Favre and the Packers. He's a pure cheesehead, and watching the games on Sundays has been great times for him. He's developed a great relationship with a lifelong friend of mine who is also a die-hard Packers fan. When not playing youth league games, he's over at my friend's place watching the Pack -- they have NFL Sunday Ticket on Direct TV. His room is adorned with Packer stuff, including a Brett Favre Fathead.
When he talked about playing football, I thought it would be a passing fad. It's one thing to toss it around in the yard with some buddies, it's another to put on the pads, get hit over and over again, comprehend the complexities of X's and O's, and have coaches constantly yelling and cussing at you. But to my surprise, and to his credit, he made it through that first year, mainly as a tackling dummy for the practice team. He was the slowest kid on the squad, usually finishing last when running sprints. He had little natural abilities, not very coordinated. He also had at least a one second delay coming off the line -- the rest of the team would go, then he would take off.
He just completed his third and final season in the youth league. His team won back-to-back championships (which is rare at that level), and he started on both the offensive line and at defensive end. He even made the all-county team, winning the recognition over many good, solid players.
So this isn't a bragging rant about my son -- not the intent. Yes, I'm proud, but FOR him, not just OF him. I am proud of him because he's a good kid, and, hopefully, on his way to being a good adult. I'm proud for him because he accomplished all he wanted to do with a lot of sweat, hard work, and commitment.
He had developed his talent from his passion. It was his driving force to learn and get better.
With me and golf, I began on the other side of the equation. I started playing seriously when I was about 16. Golf wasn't exactly a popular sport in the early 1980's, so there were few crowds to fight for tee times. When I got my driver's license, after high school let out, one of my good friends and me would head to the country club where his family retained a membership. I'd play there so often, they thought I was a member and wouldn't charge me.
I liked golf, but no more than any other thing in life. It was something to do. Funny thing was, I didn't think I was very good at it, until I began noticing I was better than most people I played with. Finding something, by accident, that I was pretty decent at sparked my interest, and I began playing more and more. It finally became my greatest pastime, and to this day, it remains that way. I'm a mid-70s player and have gotten into the 60s a few times when the putter's hot and the golfing gods allow.
I had developed my passion for the game from my talent. It was my driving force to learn and get better.
So what's the point?
Well, I'm also a Scout leader, and I meet with young people every week. What I see mostly in these young men is a lack of passion -- for anything. Over and over I see young teens with nothing they want to do. No aspirations. Little ambition. I don't know what causes it, but I wish I had an answer.
I've read much on this subject, and for young and old, having a passion is the great motivator of life. Seems obvious, I know, but helping people find theirs is a real challenge.
I'm no expert, no psychiatrist, no therapist, just a dad who loves my son more than he'll ever know. The changes in him from football are very positive. He's making better grades, he's more focused, and he has a belief in himself -- confidence without the cockiness, a trait I hope will always define his character. And yes, football's a tough game and I've seen many get hurt. I'd always say a prayer for him before kickoff. I once read it's a parent's job to protect them when you can -- it's God's job when you can't.
My advice is this -- Help your kid find a passion. Think about their talents, and maybe an interest will develop. Doesn't matter what it is (although I wouldn't consider TV and video games the answer). That passion may change over the years, but they'll find another because they will want to fill the void, especially males and their competitive nature.
So take the time to talk with your kids. I've found them brutally honest when having serious discussions, and they really are wanting help and answers from adults in their life.
Happiness is where you find your passion. Many just need help looking.