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Charity Golf Tournaments

fupresti

fupresti

Former Big Deal
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Have you ever played in one where people did not cheat out of their lying arses?
 
The last one I played in like 7 teams shot 52 or lower. When I raised eyebrows people swore it was on the up and up, that they were just really good players. Uh huh.
 
I'm always amazed when scores are in the mid-50's!!! Do they really think we're that naive? At least my scores are legit and it's for charity so I can hold my head high!
 
Can't speak for other teams being on the up and up, but I've been on teams that shot mid 50's fairly routinely. No strings, mulligans, or other shenanigans involved.
 
i have played in a foursome where the highest handicap was 10 and we played in 6 or 7 events over 2 years, our average was 9 under, about 60-63 depending on the course.
 
The one I played in today had a player who had a 360 yard drive, won the putting contest AND his team shot a 55 on a pretty respected private course. You could smell the ******** from a mile away.
 
I find a lot of scores are very questionable. I'm not in the foursome that shoots 52 so I can't comment of the honesty. I will say that with outragous scores and exteme slow pace I no longer play in them and will write a check to the carity that I choose.
 
With handicaps, I've been a part of a group that shot in the 50's. All you really need is one of your high caps to have a great day on just a few holes, one stud and the other players steady.

Of course, I've also been in a group that shot the highest score and was roundly teased for not cheating!
 
Myself, afwcardinal, cookie and my dad shot 54 in one with 2 mulligans per person and one 12" string per person, but we also got to pay $20 to hit out 1st shot from the 125 marker on a 550 par 5 where we got a 2. Aside from the mentioned benefits we played on the up and up all day. I cant speak for other teams though.
 
I used to see cheating all the time. Lately not so much. With the shortness of the courses and aids to shoot low scores, mid to low 50s can be had.

But there are some that you know cheated and always do year after year. And what makes it worse is when it's a local golf course that sent over a team to represent the course and resort.
 
niteowl03 said:
Myself, afwcardinal, cookie and my dad shot 54 in one with 2 mulligans per person and one 12" string per person, but we also got to pay $20 to hit out 1st shot from the 125 marker on a 550 par 5 where we got a 2. Aside from the mentioned benefits we played on the up and up all day. I cant speak for other teams though.
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With a 12" string or paint stick I can certainly see that low. Without it, then it becomes highly questionable.
 
Our course has scrambles at the end of every year until the snow's too deep. There are handicap limits for the teams, and there's where I see the most chicanery. When the boys have to huddle up before giving the team's handicaps which magically just fit the requirements, you know a 56 is coming.

There's the usual, of course. Balls propped up on divots in the fairways, liberal interpretation of a "clublength". That's meant to be a driver length, not the clubhouse.

In general, it isn't too bad, but there's not a whole, whole lot on the line. Some of the larger events with bigger prizes, I've seen teams who might as well have filled in the card on the first tee.

Low scores are always possible, I know one team that routinely scores 13-16 under and that's legit. We allow women to hit off the ladies' tees, and that's a BIG advantage on some holes.
 
I have played on teams in scramble outings that have finished dead last & teams that cheated to avoid being last. I am never surprised when the winning team comes in at -14 or -18... I know there are much, much better golfers out there than myself. A couple or 3, let alone 4, could certainly average a birdie per hole.

My old boss would tell the guy keeping our score, "be sure we don't finish last"... which meant - finish at or just under par. Usually I think the guy just didn't count tap-ins, balls just left on the lip. I never really cared, the boss paid for the outing & the day off work, so it was his call... He just didn't want to be "recognized" for the distinction of being last.
 
Don't think I've ever shot a 52 in a group but have gotten close. Most of the time in a scramble the players range from a low handicapper to a high. It's a good mix. So maybe a really good player, a pretty good player and then some "I play 4 times a year" players. I love playing scrambles. I work on shots sometimes I don't normally hit and it's good putting practice. Make the scramble fun!

This tournament we had myself, a 2 handicap, a 7 handicap and a 12 handicap and didn't sniff a 52.

Scramble_zps2a99da15.jpg
 
I typically only play in Church golf outings around here. There's a ridiculous amount of church's in Des Moines (not sure why?) so there's plenty to choose from. Our group tied last year at -12 (final 60) so doesn't appear to be any cheating. Go figure, I wonder why :)
 
Play in a ton of tournaments, and the ones that are strict on Handicapping...as in must have registered Handicap...you see a lot less hinky scoring...for instance, one of the largest tournaments in our region is a two day Scramble with 5 person teams (normal rules but one player is a "celebrity")...This tournament brings in a LOT of great golfers (10-15 former touring pros play, including 4-5 Majors winners), the majority of teams (generally 100+ teams) are stacked with at least 2 scratch players...So, if there is ever a tournament that can shoot LOW it is this one...However, they are VERY tough courses (ratings 74+, with slope 138+)...my guess is the courses are the biggest factor, and ACTUAL REAL handicaps are they key...

I am yet to ever see a gross score sub 60..and Net scores in the sub 50's are not uncommon...A few teams have been UNinvited as they won both net and gross two years in a row...yes they got their prizes, but they also had their name scratched off the trophies...

We also, about every other year have someone win a car on the Par 3's...The long drive contests in this large of a group tend to yield some MONSTER hits, most prizes are monitored (long drive, putts, and par 3's)...all tends to lead to pretty honest scoring...
 
I had a team shoot -17 (55) in our school's intramural tournament, but we had 4 guys who were all under a 7 handicap and a good mix of bombers and accuracy guys. Our score was 100% legit, but the course was pretty short (~6,300 yards)

I played in a tourney benefitting a local high school football team where a team turned in a -23, but they were legitimately booed when they got their trophy. -23 is something ridiculous and it was at a pretty tough course. It is hard for me to see that happening.
 
jank1434 said:
I had a team shoot -17 (55) in our school's intramural tournament, but we had 4 guys who were all under a 7 handicap and a good mix of bombers and accuracy guys. Our score was 100% legit, but the course was pretty short (~6,300 yards)

I played in a tourney benefitting a local high school football team where a team turned in a -23, but they were legitimately booed when they got their trophy. -23 is something ridiculous and it was at a pretty tough course. It is hard for me to see that happening.
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Yea, that's birdie every hole, eagle every par 5 (assuming there are 4) and throw in an extra eagle on a par 4. Not saying impossible but not likely.
 
I played in a scramble event in Miami at Biltmore Golf Course and the winning team posted a 50 on a tough par 72 course in some wind. When they were up at front getting their plaques/trophy the rest of the tournament started booing them and throwing dinner rolls at them. It was hilarious. I did not partake in the roll throwing, too nice of a course for that type of shenanigans. Biggest issue was that the carts had GPS and an up to date leader board. The Head Professional wanted to DQ them for cheating but the tournament organizer said to let it go.

That said I've been on teams that posted 50s before. The lowest score I've posted with a group in a scramble is a 55. I play in a 4 person scramble each summer at my home course with the same group of guys (a scratch, me at a 3, a 15 and an 18 hcp). We've won the event 7 out of the last 10 years, typically post a 56 to 59 depending on the weather with no gimmies and mulligans. Best part is we play with another fouresome and that keeps everyone honest...although it leads to ridiculous times for 18 holes (6 hour rounds).
 
Callawaygolfpro said:
I played in a scramble event in Miami at Biltmore Golf Course and the winning team posted a 50 on a tough par 72 course in some wind. When they were up at front getting their plaques/trophy the rest of the tournament started booing them and throwing dinner rolls at them. It was hilarious. I did not partake in the roll throwing, too nice of a course for that type of shenanigans. Biggest issue was that the carts had GPS and an up to date leader board. The Head Professional wanted to DQ them for cheating but the tournament organizer said to let it go.

That said I've been on teams that posted 50s before. The lowest score I've posted with a group in a scramble is a 55. I play in a 4 person scramble each summer at my home course with the same group of guys (a scratch, me at a 3, a 15 and an 18 hcp). We've won the event 7 out of the last 10 years, typically post a 56 to 59 depending on the weather with no gimmies and mulligans. Best part is we play with another fouresome and that keeps everyone honest...although it leads to ridiculous times for 18 holes (6 hour rounds).
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Yea, locating 8 different golf balls in the fairways could get tricky I would imagine.
 
There is undoubtedly cheating in any tournaments like this just by the very nature of the format. Some people have to win at all costs, which is a sad state of affairs.

That being said, in a scramble it is possible to shoot mid/high 50s so long as the team has at least one deamon putter and one high handicapper to at least give them a few shots to play with. Allied to this they also need one guy, or gal, who is deadly from 100yds.

If however it is a game where the best 2 scores from the 4 players are taken at each hole, it is almost impossible to get mid 50s as to do that it would mean each player would have to play at least 5 below their handicap and the chance of a whole team having a day like that is slim so that then means the guys who are doing well have to do even lower scores to offset the one who is playing s**t.
 
I just assume people cheat in charity events which I think is really ******.
 
fupresti said:
With a 12" string or paint stick I can certainly see that low. Without it, then it becomes highly questionable.
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Yea it was a fun tournament with no real prizes. We actually didnt think we would win because the winning score last year was 48. The only reason we got there was because of moving to the 125 on that Par 5 so we made a 2 on that hole.

I can see 50s being possible without cheating as thats just averaging birdie on each hole. With 4 decent golfers and 4 chances at each shot, birdies should be the norm. Cookie was killing his driver, I was playing really well from 100-125 and afwcardinal could have putted from the tee box and made it, my dad was great for moral support as he was having a bad day!
 
Sure I've played in a ton where there wasn't cheating, but the same can be said for any round of golf I've played, there are always people who break the rules, doesn't matter if it's a charity tournament.
 
I caddied for a 4 some scramble where they guys shot (without using handicaps) a 56. It was ridiculous, and they definitely didn't cheat.
 
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