Newbie to a Mens League...

So last night I played for the first time as part of Men's League. I've played in my "Work Golf League" which is much more so about Networking/Socializing/Drinking though there are a couple guys who can really play on the league. I've never had a real handicap and playing last night I learned more about this Men's League than they could've put in a book!

So this thread to me will be about how different everyone's leagues can be and my journey through mine. I hope you get something out of it!

March 31st:
Played from the Blue Tee's since I don't have a Handicap established yet. I played the same course and tee's Sunday and shot an 87. Last night I shot a 50 on 9. Thats with carding an Eagle on the 3rd hole par 5! So last night I found out the format is a 9 hole tourney every week and there is also a Skins game for Net and Gross scores. Each of them is $5 to enter each week or $15.

I can't believe the diversity of Handicaps in this league! I know my work league is completely different and the handicaps reflect that, but I figured this league would be more so about people wanting to have fun but are somewhat serious about improving their game too. I thought it was going to be extremely competitive, and my foursome was fun but not what I expected. Two of the guys shot 60+, the 3rd shot a 56 and I thought my 50 was one of the worst rounds I've played. I was embarrased to post it to this forum even though I know this forum is full of people working on their games too, I don't know... I just wasn't sure I'd post it. But alas thats part of this journey!

Well I didn't enter the skins games and with that eagle I would've won $80! I was the only one to eagle the hole all day so I would've won gross and net!

At the end of the night, I've already formed a nice friendship with the foursome and they actually all want to play the same time every week so thats great. Another reason I joined this Men's League.

So there you have it. I'd really like to hear how other leagues are run and your thoughts!

I've been in the same league for 20 years now. When I started I was shooting in the 70s (nine holes) and now mostly shoot between 40-45. We have players with handicaps from 2 - 25 (again, for 9 holes). We have 2-man teams, each team has an A and a B player. The A player for one team plays the A player from another, with strokes given to compensate for the handicap difference. There are a total of 21 points available per match. There are the 18 points for the holes (9 for each A and B player), one point for low net score for each and one point for low team net score. We have a weekly skins game, $2 to enter, have to have birdie or better to win a hole.
We have a great bunch of guys and have a lot of fun. Hope you do too.

MarcW said:

I've been in the same league for 20 years now. When I started I was shooting in the 70s (nine holes) and now mostly shoot between 40-45. We have players with handicaps from 2 - 25 (again, for 9 holes). We have 2-man teams, each team has an A and a B player. The A player for one team plays the A player from another, with strokes given to compensate for the handicap difference. There are a total of 21 points available per match. There are the 18 points for the holes (9 for each A and B player), one point for low net score for each and one point for low team net score. We have a weekly skins game, $2 to enter, have to have birdie or better to win a hole.
We have a great bunch of guys and have a lot of fun. Hope you do too.

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Thanks for the reply Marc, your league sounds a lot like my Work League, biggest difference is that we play one 9 hole match for 1 point x 2 players per team, then one point goes to the team with the lowest net score.

Last week was a lot of fun, when I made eagle the guys cheered like it was sunday at the US Open. Very cool considering I'd only known them for all of an hour prior. I'm looking forward to the season for sure!

You played in that crappy weather yesterday? Man, you are a diehard!!! Would have loved to see you shoot that Eagle, congrats man. My leagues doesn't start for another 2 weeks

RonInThornton said:

You played in that crappy weather yesterday? Man, you are a diehard!!! Would have loved to see you shoot that Eagle, congrats man. My leagues doesn't start for another 2 weeks

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No way man! I didn't play yesterday, it was last Thursday, but still super wind gusts! Saddleback is definitely still a "new" course and the very few trees they have are still young. So there is absolutely NO wind protection to be had anywhere.

My course didn't have a league last year. So what we did was we would show up, with adult beverages, and then play. Scoring wasn't exactly an issue since no one was keeping track.

This year, I think were doing a match play style. #1 on Team A plays #1 on Team B. The match play winner of those two people over 9 holes wins 1 point for their team. There are 6 on a team, so you can win a total of 6 points each week as a team. It is handicapped, and since it's match play, the worse handicap will get a stroke on one or more holes.

Just joined my first men's club http://http://www.ouilmettegolfclub.com/with league events and outings. Kick-off dinner is next Thursday (4/14) and then we'll see. I've been more of a solitary golfer up until now so it's rather exciting.

jmaier said:

Just joined my first men's club http://http://www.ouilmettegolfclub.com/with league events and outings. Kick-off dinner is next Thursday (4/14) and then we'll see. I've been more of a solitary golfer up until now so it's rather exciting.

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Good luck with that jmaier! I was a little nervous myself, outside of my work league which is purely for fun I haven't had this type of experience ever really.

MarcW said:

I've been in the same league for 20 years now. When I started I was shooting in the 70s (nine holes) and now mostly shoot between 40-45. We have players with handicaps from 2 - 25 (again, for 9 holes). We have 2-man teams, each team has an A and a B player. The A player for one team plays the A player from another, with strokes given to compensate for the handicap difference. There are a total of 21 points available per match. There are the 18 points for the holes (9 for each A and B player), one point for low net score for each and one point for low team net score. We have a weekly skins game, $2 to enter, have to have birdie or better to win a hole.
We have a great bunch of guys and have a lot of fun. Hope you do too.

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Our mens league is nearly the same. Same format but with only 8 points available each night per match. 2 per 3 hole match and 2 for low total. Skins are paid out of the $75 we pay up front at the start for birdies/eagles.

I've been in mens league for years off and on, but this may be the last year for me. Sandbagging has become common place. So many guys will do anything to win these days.

April 7th, 2nd night out on the league.

Got to meet a few more players on the league. I hit the fairway on the first hole, and ended up with par. So I thought I was going to have a decent day. Those plans folded quicker than paper at an origami convention! I was everywhere off the tee, and in my world scrambling like crazy for bogey. I was shocked at the end of the round looking back that I had 1 triple, 2 doubles, 5 bogeys and the lone par. To me and my still unestablished handicap that's not horrible. I didn't 3 putt anything either which is another win. I just couldn't find the fairway or GIR and that was pretty frustrating. I think by monday, I should have gotten in enough rounds to establish a handicap. So I've got that, and rolling my new SeeMore slated to arrive monday to look forward to!

On the flip side, I got to see someone hole out from about 145 for eagle. Was pretty cool to watch. We ended up playing with 5 in our group as we were the last to go off in the league. The guys hits his shot and everyone saw it heading for the flag and everyone gave the typical, nice shot comment. Though he and I are the only ones to that continued to watch it... roll into the hole! I started shouting it went in! The other guys looked again and said, no I think it rolled off the back. I thought differently. So the poor guy who hit it brought his wedge and putter to the green, I walked up to the hole and sure enough, bottom of the cup was his callaway. The other guys then started high fiving him and yuckin it up. I laughed too. But that skin won him $80!