Gruesomes/bloodsomes

[timd77]

Playing this on Sunday, it’s part of our winter pairs league at the club. I’ve never played it before, can anyone shed any light?:

Is it pretty much fair game to pick your opponent’s worst shot from the off? As in, be really mean and pick the one right in the cabbage on the first tee? Or is there a bit of gamesmanship initially, bit like in matchplay where you give the first putt, but then start seeing a few when the knees start wobbling?

If one of you hits the tee shot out of bounds/water, the other is in play, can your opponents still make you play the one OOB/water by playing 3 off the tee?

 

[Orikoru]

Never heard of it. Sounds like something to be played at Halloween??

 

[HeftyHacker]

Only played it once in a very casual setting but I think it essentially played it as the worst tee shot of the two and then alternate shots from there (depending on who hit the tee shot being used).

Not sure if that was the "proper" way or not.

 

[nickjdavis]

Playing this on Sunday, it’s part of our winter pairs league at the club. I’ve never played it before, can anyone shed any light?:

Is it pretty much fair game to pick your opponent’s worst shot from the off? As in, be really mean and pick the one right in the cabbage on the first tee? Or is there a bit of gamesmanship initially, bit like in matchplay where you give the first putt, but then start seeing a few when the knees start wobbling?

If one of you hits the tee shot out of bounds/water, the other is in play, can your opponents still make you play the one OOB/water by playing 3 off the tee?

Absolutely...thats the whole point of the game...see your opponents in the claggiest position possible and laugh your socks off at them....as they will do to you....if you are not going to punish them for a way ward shot then what's the point?

I guess if you've got a really good player paired up with someone whos a bit rough then sometimes it might pay to select the really good players shot if the other guys shot isn't too much worse...and then watch the higher capper top it up the fairway. Its supposed to be a fun format to some extent.

 

[Bratty]

If one of you hits the tee shot out of bounds/water, the other is in play, can your opponents still make you play the one OOB/water by playing 3 off the tee?

Yes. Totally. I would do that every time they hit on OOB!

 

[timd77]

Yes. Totally. I would do that every time they hit on OOB!

*gulps* I’m more worried about me hitting it OOB!

Sounds like it’s more of a laugh than something to be taken too seriously, although there are league points up for grabs!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Never played it. Not sure I want to play it. Not a fan of foursomes but will play greensomes so at least you get to hit a tee shot. No idea why you'd want to play this especially in a winter league format. I play golf to try and score as well as I can and shoot as low as I can. I am more than capable of putting it in the crap without then having to play it when my partner does.

 

[Baldy Bouncer]

Playing this on Sunday, it’s part of our winter pairs league at the club. I’ve never played it before, can anyone shed any light?:

Is it pretty much fair game to pick your opponent’s worst shot from the off? As in, be really mean and pick the one right in the cabbage on the first tee? Or is there a bit of gamesmanship initially, bit like in matchplay where you give the first putt, but then start seeing a few when the knees start wobbling?

If one of you hits the tee shot out of bounds/water, the other is in play, can your opponents still make you play the one OOB/water by playing 3 off the tee?

How bad is the rest of your course?

 

[timd77]

Never played it. Not sure I want to play it. Not a fan of foursomes but will play greensomes so at least you get to hit a tee shot. No idea why you'd want to play this especially in a winter league format. I play golf to try and score as well as I can and shoot as low as I can. I am more than capable of putting it in the crap without then having to play it when my partner does.

Sounds fun I think. There are 5-6 rounds in the league, all different formats. Nothing too serious really.

 

[timd77]

How bad is the rest of your course?

First tee shot is easy, over water and OOB lines the whole left side of the hole. After that you’re into what can only be described as a forest! Not too much more OOB but plenty of opportunity for lost balls or sideways chip outs!

 

[Baldy Bouncer]

First tee shot is easy, over water and OOB lines the whole left side of the hole. After that you’re into what can only be described as a forest! Not too much more OOB but plenty of opportunity for lost balls or sideways chip outs!

WHOOOOOSH!!!

 

[fundy]

Let your oppos have the honour, let one of them hit it OOB then you both tee off with a wedge

 

[Cake]

Sounds fun I think. There are 5-6 rounds in the league, all different formats. Nothing too serious really.

So this is a league where you play a different format each round, and presumably where you come in each round is used to determine an aggregate position for the ‘Winter League’ (we have best 4 positions from 5 rounds)?

If so, then I don’t see how Gruesomes can work as a format, as it relies on a bunch of subjective decisions each time from the other pairing in the group… those decisions being what protects the field. Whereas with the other alternate shot formats (foursomes, greensomes, fensomes) the decisions that affect how each team score on the day are made within each team.

maybe I’m missing something, but I would have thought that Gruesomes would only work for matchplay?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Used to play it on Boxing Day - can be great fun if played properly, just have a laugh and enjoy it

 

[timd77]

WHOOOOOSH!!!

Ah, I get ya.

 

[timd77]

So this is a league where you play a different format each round, and presumably where you come in each round is used to determine an aggregate position for the ‘Winter League’ (we have best 4 positions from 5 rounds)?

If so, then I don’t see how Gruesomes can work as a format, as it relies on a bunch of subjective decisions each time from the other pairing in the group… those decisions being what protects the field. Whereas with the other alternate shot formats (foursomes, greensomes, fensomes) the decisions that affect how each team score on the day are made within each team.

maybe I’m missing something, but I would have thought that Gruesomes would only work for matchplay?

Well yeh, it probably does suit a knockout type format but I guess it’s just a bit of friendly competition to keep us ticking over in the winter. One of the other rounds is 3 clubs and a putter, and so it’s nothing to lose sleep over. Stableford, the top 10 in each round earn points towards the league. There are also prizes to play for in each round. I won nearest the pin in the last round, had a nice club branded woolly hat and water bottle.