Golf Courses Shorter Than 18 Holes

I've always thought that golf is a great 12 hole game, an okay 14 hole game and 18 holes is just too long. I have a suggestion which I think will increase the amount of golf played and not require any additional investment by golf courses. The major complaint of golfers, particularly by the family oriented golfer, is that it takes too much time. The suggestion is to establish an atmosphere that encourages playing less than 18 holes by re-orienting the course into three 6 hole segments.

For more than 10 years, I have talked to my friends and some golf professionals about the concept of playing less than 18 holes. Without support and encouragement by recognized golf professionals, the concept was not accepted because it broke with tradition. In the last couple of years Jack Nicklaus has proposed 12 hole rounds including penalty strokes if the rounds were not completed in a specified time limit. In other words, the time required to play an 18 hole round of golf is just not conducive to the current time scheduling for most women and men.

For example, six holes could be played in about an hour and a half. On the other hand, if people want to play 12 or 18 holes they can do that. In order for this to work, there needs to be a change in the attitude of golfers and a modification of the score card for the golf course. In other words, the concept of 12 holes would not change anything that is currently offered. It would just add a new dimension to golf. It's a way to address the single most serious cause of the declining number of golfers, it is too time-consuming for an 18 hole round.

We need a few golf courses and professionals to take a leadership role in creating change. One of the first questions most non professional golfers ask is, what happens to the handicap system. With computers the scoring could easily be adjusted on a hole by hole bases instead of just accounting for 9 or 18 holes structures.

season is over

The question about the half stroke is, how many people got to benefit from this new concept in golf scoring during the golf season? I am not sure that the idea for changing the scoring system in golf is easily accepted by most golfers. Golfers need time to incorporate the idea of change into their game. This year there were two tournments where the 1/2 stroke was used with exciting results. In 2009 there will be more.

It is easy to understand and easy to use. Therefore, it should catch on.

The half stroke is an idea that will require some time to gain acceptance. The other day in the Wall Street Journal there was an article which discussed the hardest shot in golf. Interesting not everyone agreed . Some thought the long bunker shot , others thought a down hill ball position requiring a long fairway wood , for sure not a 100% agreement.

If you looked at the reverse of the question. What is the easiest shot in golf. I think there would be 100% agreement that the 1/2 stroke is the easiest shot because everone can make this shot 100% of the time.

A real life confiration happened in this years US Open when in the final day with the outcome still in doubt Tiger hit his ball in the cup with the front of his putter. He was only the distance of a "1/2 stroke from the hole".

1/2 STROKE WORKS

The concept of the 1/2 stroke was finally tested in a real outing. The premier was held at the
Moorings Country Club in Naples, Florida. The very first person in the world to register the 1/2 stroke was Shelia Bettendorf. It was an exciting occasion because it allowed Shelia to win the tournment
by ...guess ...... you are right .. 1/2 half stroke.........

Half-Stroke Drawing

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Scoring: If it’s not broke don’t “fix” it. – Golf is broke and it needs a “fix.”

It was only a few years ago that the average golfer thought the number of golfers would continue to expand, forever. We saw dozens of new golf course built each year and once women took up the game seriously the pool of new golfers seemed unlimited.

Today we are reading articles in the press about golf not growing. In fact the number of golfers is at best holding flat or in decline. A recent article in the New York Times lists numerous reasons why golf is not as popular – too much time to play, too many golf courses, some etiquette rules. The article says “it’s time to get creative.” (February 21, 2008 “More Americans Giving Up Golf”)

Pellucid Corp. (pellucidcorp.com) released its sixth annual state of the industry report indicating 2007 was a good year because the industry “stabilized” (no growth but no continuing decline as indicated in the previous six years). This authoritative source sites these reasons why golf is on the decline: time, cost, competing leisure activities….

The underlying challenge is to generate some “new” enthusiasm for the game to attract new golfers. We have enough coverage on television to present the level of skill at the highest professional level. The average golfer can relate and even try to emulate the “pro” through lessons, practice or new equipment. Golf is one of the few sports where individuals can play the sport at all age and skill levels. It does not require being on a team or matching against an opponent – it’s just you against the golf course – no one else’s mistake can change your score (like tennis where a missed shot by an opponent gives you a score).

One way to “fix” the decline would be to allow some variation in scoring to encourage new golfers and to encourage current golfers to not stop playing. A revision of the scoring system could create interest by recognizing some good shots not just counting the same value for all levels of shots difficulty. The half stroke idea is a start. To introduce the thought that there may be a possibility to change scoring, the half stroke for the last “one inch” opens the door for other concepts.

A Fundmental Issue : Scoring

The underlying concept of the 1/2 stroke raises the question ; could Golf change it's scoring system?

Right now every shot, no matter how difficult costs the golfer the same one stroke. The Half Stroke concept only charges 1/2 stroke for the last shot if it is less than one ball diameter from the hole.

If a ball stops less than one ball diameter, it is such an easy shot, all golfers will make it 100% of the time. Therefore a no skill shot should only cost 1/2 stroke.