Stableford - Joke !

[User101]

All joking aside I can understand the point Cabby is making in stroke play it is pure, every shot counts.

I suppose it is akin to an individual time trial in cycling there are no team mates to draft, no one sacrificing themselves for the good of the team i.e. it is you and your time - completely naked.

But for a higher handicapper like me it is nice having the option to pick up and put those two shots OOB off the tee out of my mind and walk to the next hole without ruining my entire competition. If I am hacking around I put myself under pressure both for my fellow players (especially if they are single figures) and those behind. In that scenario I seem to rush and play even worse.

Good posting and I get it but I ask You, being better at golf is about taking less shots and as said earlier in this topic, higher handicappers are using it as a comfort blanket, playing that format won't make you a better player, it will make you stale, surely everyone wants to be better than they are.

 

[Hobbit]

Good posting and I get it but I ask You, being better at golf is about taking less shots and as said earlier in this topic, higher handicappers are using it as a comfort blanket, playing that format won't make you a better player, it will make you stale, surely everyone wants to be better than they are.

Just a thought, does Stableford make players take more risks? And in taking risks are they more likely to learn from them and become better golfers? I've generally found that players tend to be more conservative in medals.

 

[slowhand]

surely everyone wants to be better than they are.

Maybe, maybe not. Some players are very happy with the level they are at, and play the game for the enjoyment of it. Some players may not have the time or inclination to spend hours and hours on the range and putting green. Some may not have the money for regular lessons with a pro.

A lot of people on here seem amazed that others may not have the same priorities or views as themselves. At the risk (extremely low!) of repeating several others on this thread, you do not like Stableford, for a myriad of reasons. Fair enough, but to state that the format is a joke is enforcing your world view on everyone else. You state your original post was to open debate on what the format brings to the game; it brings enjoyment and the ability to play in a competition for those players who might not otherwise compete.

 

[User101]

Just a thought, does Stableford make players take more risks? And in taking risks are they more likely to learn from them and become better golfers? I've generally found that players tend to be more conservative in medals.

I treat any stableford comp as a medal, the lower I score then naturally the more stableford points I'd get. Does it have me chasing 20 footers for birdie ? Absolutely Not, cause I don't want a 6 footer back for birdie.

 

[r0wly86]

Good posting and I get it but I ask You, being better at golf is about taking less shots and as said earlier in this topic, higher handicappers are using it as a comfort blanket, playing that format won't make you a better player, it will make you stale, surely everyone wants to be better than they are.

No competitive golf is about winning whichever format you are playing. In a medal that is lowest score, in matchplay that is winning the most holes and in stableford it is getting the most points.

You can win a match play match at the same time as taking more shots than your opponent.

Your point is correct for medals but not for golf as a whole

 

[jim8flog]

Cabby what are you going to do next year when the new rules come in that allows a player to pick up the ball and just be given double the par and then still keep on playing

So you can play a medal but only 17 holes 

My understanding is that is an optional competition format (twice the par)and not a general rule.

 

[jim8flog]

Stableford is strokeplay!

From when the new handicap system kicks in, there really will be no difference. After a net double, you will be able to pick up, and still be in the medal.

I think some people are picking this up from comments in magazines and not from reading the new rules. I have not read this in the new rules just that there will be a new competition format that clubs can run.

 

[merv79]

I treat any stableford comp as a medal, the lower I score then naturally the more stableford points I'd get. Does it have me chasing 20 footers for birdie ? Absolutely Not, cause I don't want a 6 footer back for birdie.

For regular medals I treat them exactly the same as well.
I want to get my handicap as low as possible and for handicap purposes, a bad hole (be it a pick up or a high number) in a medal counts as a net double bogey for handicap anyway.

For board or bigger strokeplay comps, there is definitely an element of more defensive play because of the consequences of a big number.

 

[Slab]

Just a thought, does Stableford make players take more risks? And in taking risks are they more likely to learn from them and become better golfers? I've generally found that players tend to be more conservative in medals.

I indicated similar yesterday

This 'debate' was opened in a post designed to irritate &/or antagonise if you don't happen to share the OP's opinion. He might just as well have said 'If you like stableford you are a joke golfer - discuss' Perhaps a couple of minutes thought to the audience and he might have structured it in a more interesting way to get a proper debate going

Anyway as a 20 handicap I'm actually not supposed to like medal scoring according to misconception so its weird that I do (its easy to play conservative golf) But as you say it doesn't push you or teach you what you're capable of under comp conditions which is why I also enjoy stableford.
I hope by enjoying both scoring formats that the combination will help me improve

 

[User101]

I indicated similar yesterday

This 'debate' was opened in a post designed to irritate &/or antagonise if you don't happen to share the OP's opinion. He might just as well have said 'If you like stableford you are a joke golfer - discuss'

Again yet more nonsense interpretation of what I said.

Simple enough what I said, someone only completes 17 holes but finishes higher than someone who competed 18, joke !

 

[Slab]

Again yet more nonsense interpretation of what I said.

Simple enough what I said, someone only completes 17 holes but finishes higher than someone who competed 18, joke !

Fair enough, just a couple of words that might help engage with instigating debate rather than head-butting
Always worth considering: if a message is misinterpreted, is it possible it was because of the message? but hey I cant force you to reconsider your post style


edit: as a point, once only zero points can be scored on a hole, the scoring on that hole and therefore play of the hole is now complete, so how did they only complete 17 (unless they walked in without teeing off on 18)

 

[richart]

I play medals as stablefords. Play for my handicap, as I could never be accused of being a pot hunter. Had a few handicap cuts with nines on the card. Think I have only ever had a couple of cuts in stablefords, more in medals. Play both formats the same way, to keep nice and simple.

 

[slowhand]

Again yet more nonsense interpretation of what I said.

Simple enough what I said, someone only completes 17 holes but finishes higher than someone who competed 18, joke !

So according to your logic if I play a matchplay match and win 6 & 5, and someone else in the draw loses 1 up on the 18th, matchplay is a joke format as I've only played 13 holes as opposed to the 18 the other player played, and I am going to finish higher than him in the competition?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I play stablefords and medals the same so there really isn't an issue for me, I tend to get more than a double bogey (only the occasional abhoration).
I don't really enter competitions with the sole aim of winning, but as an oportunity to try to reduce my handicap.

 

[Orikoru]

Again yet more nonsense interpretation of what I said.

Simple enough what I said, someone only completes 17 holes but finishes higher than someone who competed 18, joke !

So you'd rather he teed off the 18th, smashed the first tee shot out of bounds, teed up again and stuff it in a bunker, took two to get out so then picked him his ball and walked off. His final score would have been exactly the same but he'd have played 18 holes. Why is that any better?

 

[User101]

So according to your logic if I play a matchplay match and win 6 & 5, and someone else in the draw loses 1 up on the 18th, matchplay is a joke format as I've only played 13 holes as opposed to the 18 the other player played, and I am going to finish higher than him in the competition?

Have a word with yourself eh.

So you'd rather he teed off the 18th, smashed the first tee shot out of bounds, teed up again and stuff it in a bunker, took two to get out so then picked him his ball and walked off. His final score would have been exactly the same but he'd have played 18 holes. Why is that any better?

If that's what you think I'm saying, then crack on.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Again yet more nonsense interpretation of what I said.

Simple enough what I said, someone only completes 17 holes but finishes higher than someone who competed 18, joke !

What are your feeling regarding scratch matchplay?

Hypothetical situation:
If I play someone and I score 18 consecutive 4's, I score 72

But I could play someone who doesn't score on the first 4 holes (lost balls, picks up because he can;t win the holes etc), then has 5 straight 3's.

We both then score 4's on every hole coming in.

I lose by 1 hole.


Do I moan about the fact I played 18 holes and shot level par and my opponent only completed 14 holes? Or do I say well done, you won?

 

[User101]

What are your feeling regarding scratch matchplay?

Hypothetical situation:
If I play someone and I score 18 consecutive 4's, I score 72

But I could play someone who doesn't score on the first 4 holes (lost balls, picks up because he can;t win the holes etc), then has 5 straight 3's.

We both then score 4's on every hole coming in.

I lose by 1 hole.


Do I moan about the fact I played 18 holes and shot level par and my opponent only completed 14 holes? Or do I say well done, you won?

You're talking about matchplay ye ? Matchplay ! not strokeplay, matchplay, and you want me to answer that do you ?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

You're talking about matchplay ye ? Matchplay ! not strokeplay, matchplay, and you want me to answer that do you ?

Clearly

 

[Jasonr]

Good posting and I get it but I ask You, being better at golf is about taking less shots and as said earlier in this topic, higher handicappers are using it as a comfort blanket, playing that format won't make you a better player, it will make you stale, surely everyone wants to be better than they are.

I get exactly what you mean but there isn't a simple yes or no answer to that but I always measure the number of strokes I have as a measure as to how well I have played.

For instance and apologies if the maths doesn't work but to give you an example If I shot 97 and 37 points I would have felt that I had a better game than shooting 103 and 38 points.

Having said that my first hole has OOB all down the right of the fairway and the same on the 3rd but on the left. It wouldn't take a lot to put me out of contention on a medal by hole 3 with my high handicapper accuracy on the tee shots. It is possible to have two errant tee shots and a three putt and I am probably looking at a double digit score on each. In stroke-play my comp would be over but in Stableford I still have something to play for and will be concentrating for the rest of the game whereas with my comp blown in the medal I may well as just pick up my ball and walk in and that won't improve my game.

As someone relatively new to golf you also put yourself under immense pressure as not only are you worrying about your own game you are worrying about whether you are annoying your PPs by tacking up the fairway, you are thinking will the guy who is off 1 be happy to sit through me carding a 15 on two holes during a medal, you are worrying about holding up those behind and those in front that you are holding up with your wayward drive onto their fairway.

Take away some of that pressure by playing stableford and you have someone who can concentrate on their game and improveinstead of someone stressing about making a prat of themselves by worrying (probably needlessly) about all the above. So I wouldn't say Stableford is a barrier to improvement but yes in the purist sense a net 72 will always beat a net 75.