The Concussion - Summer 2021 Preview

We're back after a long break, with everyone's favorite tournament: The Concussion.

As many of you know, I love finding "new" courses. Tampa's golf scene is a steamy pile of dog turds, so I'm always looking for "hidden gems," which is mostly a futile effort. Southern Dunes, Big Cypress, The Moc, and The Groves were all products of my travels. Many more were rejected. Maybe one day I'll drag everyone up to Skyview.

Anyway, Gary recently alerted me to some "executive" course in Zephyrhills I've never heard of — Southport Springs. We went up there a few weeks ago (with John and Darren) to check it out as a possible Concussion location. Of course... it's in the middle of a trailer park.

 

The locals, one of which was obsessed with us, warned us not to play the tips. We did so anyway and found it to be a rather challenging test... but not in a good way. More of an "aim over someone's trailer" situation. Our scores weren't terrible, but it was no means "executive." Imagine a full-scale putt-putt course, but instead of windmills blocking your path it's 30-foot oak trees... with 20 yard chutes to hit through.

The greens were great, surprisingly. Good greens always make the day better. But I just didn't feel it was a good Concussion layout, and too tricked-up to use for another event. The other three guys (two of which are Board members) assured me that if we teed it forward, it would be Concussion worthy since seven of the par-4s are driveable (some of those were driveable anyway).

So... we're going to try it. 

 

Everyone is on the WHITE tees, and moving back isn't allowed. We've done this before at Buffy Creek, so the precedent is set. Some of the holes are like The Groves. The rest are like Freedom Fairways (which we were split 50/50 on enjoying/hating).

I imagine this week will test your mental fortitude. If you stand on the tee box and attempt to answer the question the hole is asking — no matter how stupid — then you might earn those coveted DPT Points... which now count toward the 2022 Rapture. The rest of you are going to implode and yell at me for booking this course.

And that's OK. It's a golf course, and we're trying something different. This is also the last week of random pairings, as we'll go out based on standings from here on.

 

Billy played Southport the other day and reported the greens were slow but rolled decent. And thinks the round will be entertaining. Dave's low Handicap Index makes him the first player in Club history to have a plus-Course Handicap (+3)!

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A True Concussion

With seven driveable par 4s, and two extremely short par 5s, we might actually cause some real-life concussions. So here's the deal... waive people up who are going for the green to help pace of play:

Step 1 - If you're on the tee box, and you want to attempt to drive the green, give the group in front of you "the signal." I recommend something like this:

Step 2 - If you're on the green of a driveable par 4, periodically glance back at the tee when you aren't putting. Look for "the signal." If you see it, and your group is nowhere close to finishing, then wave up Mr. Big Stick. Tell your group to huddle by the hole — as that's the safest part of the course. If you see the ball go OB (there's a decent amount of OB in trailer parks), give them a sign that it's OUT, like this:

 

Please don't hit into a group unless you're waived up. If you're not waived up they're probably close to finishing the hole. Just use common sense, which I realize is in short supply these days.

See you Sunday... 9am 8:54am... there's no range... can't remember what the price is but somewhere around $28.

Handicap Adjustments

Hello, fellow Members.

I've had a few handicap inquiries lately, so I'd like to review some of the "adjustments" in the World Handicap System, which began in 2020. I outlined these changes back in December of 2019... but let's get a refresher.

 

Keep in mind the USGA's main concerns are 1) their amateur tournaments (which are played straight-up but usually tiered by handicap) and 2) private clubs. The most contentious issue in those worlds? Sandbagging.

The Handicap Index is designed to predict your best demonstrated ability. Not your average score... but what you should shoot on a good day. Not only does your Index skew low, there are some wild adjustments in place to make sure you don't sandbag.

"Playing Conditions" Adjustment

If a course is playing outside the standard expectation (easier or harder) on a specific day, the USGA's system (GHIN) makes an adjustment to all scores reported. It has nothing to do with weather. They collect scores and determine where they fall on the bell curve. If enough of them are outside the standard deviation, everyone that day gets an adjustment.

 

We don't have the ability to make this adjustment, and it's kinda bullshit anyway. If the weather is terrible, the number of scores reported on the course that day shouldn't be enough to make an inference. To me, this seems like a band-aid for a course that might be improperly rated.

Handicap Index "Throttle"

Your Index can only go up so high, and so fast, over a 12-month period. Once your Index is 3 points higher than your lowest level in the past year, continued increase throttles down 50%. If it ever reaches 5 points higher, you hit a ceiling. I was able to code this into the duct tape running our Club.

Watch this video (seriously) for the USGA's explanation.

We don't currently have any players in the Hard-Cap threshold... but those in the Soft-Cap zone as of 6/1/21 are: Faz, Reid, JW, Buchert, Ho, Adam, and Billy. 

 

You people have put up enough turds lately to boost your Index to sandbagger levels.

 

Exceptional Score "Adjustment"

This is the biggest of the 2020 changes, and replaces a convoluted chart of "tournament scores" most Handicap Committees weren't using. When you record an exceptional round, the USGA considers your overall Index to be inflated — and they dust off their pimp hand.

 

If the Differential of a reported round is 7 to 9.9 strokes better than your Index, one Differential point is subtracted from ALL previous rounds in your scoring record (most recent 20).

If your Differential is 10+ better than your Index, it removes 2 points from ALL previous Differentials in your current record. And these adjustments can compound on each other if you post multiple Exceptional Scores in your most recent 20 rounds. 

 

Any subsequent rounds are not subjected to the adjustment, unless they are also "Exceptional."

 

Again, I was able to get this coded correctly in our system.

Dave just activated it, by shooting a 74 (par 71) from the tips at Ozarks National — a round which he claims is probably the best in his life. The Differential was 8.9 points better than his Index, triggering the 1-point adjustment to his entire record. 

 

Combined with the other good scores he shot in MO, his new Index is going to be cut in half.

RIP Dave.

Watch this video to hear what the USGA has to say about Exceptional Scores.

FBGC Open - Summer 2021 Recap

Brendan snuck out of the Westchase Womb to win yesterday, in an impressive display of 16 holes. Braving his fear of turning into a pumpkin at 5pm, BD slowly built a commanding lead before realizing he could shave a few strokes on the final two holes for handicap maintenance. The Deviled Egg — as he is affectionately known in Kingston — has been sneaky good lately... with two wins and a 2nd place finish in his last four starts. He'll be a threat to win the season, undoubtedly choosing his driveway as the Champions Dinner location.

Yesterday was the first time we saw a dry Grasslands. It played great, maintaining its easy fun median scoring of 2 over par (net). However, 15, 17 and 18 were nightmares into the wind, and many of you ejected down the stretch. It's a great layout that allows for comfortable scoring early, but really kicks you in your assigned reproductive organs late.

Shout-out to Dave who shot 81 from the tips... JW for shooting his lowest round on a full-sized course in almost a year... and Geoff for recording what I believe is his lowest score to par in Club history. The rest of you didn't do anything special, and deserve nary an ounce of praise!

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We're off for two weeks, as 9 of us embark on Gary's ultra-exclusive yearly golf trip — the Club within the Club. The following weekend is Memorial Weekend, when most of you are busy taking the family to the zoo.

So our next event is June 6th, and I have a doozy of a course picked out for The Concussion. There are far too many ???s on the board, however. So update that RSVP now or I'm going to consider those as OUT when I call this weekend.

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The 2021 Rapture qualification list is now set. As expected, Troy finally ascended to #1 in the World, and will have first pick in the draft. Geoff is the second captain, selecting the next two picks as the draft snakes. The draft won't be for awhile as we're 5-ish months away, and I still need to book the location and courses. Hopefully I'll have details in the next few weeks.

 

Removing Buchert & Crum who have said they're 100% OUT, the final qualifiers look like this:

1 - Troy (Captain)

2 - Geoff (Captain)

3 - Moostie

4 - Dave

5 - Brendan

6 - Melberg

7 - Gorecki

8 - Casey

9 - Chandler

10 - Ho

11 - Reid (RSVP'd out)

12 - Darren

13 - JW (RSVP'd out)

14 - Adam

15 - John

16 - Gary

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Alternates:

1 - Faz

2 - Danny

3 - Travis

4 - Billy

5 - Topor

 

Alternates are based on: 1) World Golf Ranking 2) Number of official events played during the qualification period 3) Total points earned in qualification period.

You'll notice two qualified members reported "OUT" in our initial availability inquiry. They'll still be given the option to attend when the time comes, and we'll elevate the alternates if they decline. Of course, there's always a chance others can't/won't attend, so I advise everyone to block off October 7th - 10th on your calendars.

See you in a few weeks.

FBGC Open - Summer 2021 Preview

We're back with our first Major of the season. This will also be the last event counting toward 2021 Rapture qualifying.

Tee time is 11am out at Grasslands in Lakeland. When you get there you can head straight to the range. John is checking us all in, and you owe him $43. Don't show up without the ability to pay him cash/PayPal/Venmo.

You can view the scorecard from this 2020 post.

Everyone is on the WHITE tees by default. Many of you are going to want to move back (although I don't think you'll get much for it)... so make a comment and let me know!

The Randomizer has been run, and pairings are updated. Indexes are tentative and might slightly change based on any rounds I uncover this week...

See you Sunday!

Skins Game - Summer 2021 Recap

Darren put together an impressive round yesterday at Heritage Harbor, keeping the wheels on with only two double-bogeys on the most tricked-up par 5s. He's slowly been increasing his handicap, so a steady round was all he needed to be the only player under par (net).

Melberg finished 2nd, despite moving back to the tips. I think this was a good play on his part, even though the four extra strokes was really only two due to the terribly designed par-3 14th. The extra distance didn't hurt him at all on the other holes. Impressive round and he easily could have won.

Everyone else kinda sucked. There weren't as many max scores as I expected, but the course played to its normal difficulty.

Greens were good. Yes I know they were "slow"... but they weren't slow for regular local courses. We're getting into aeration season so that speed should be expected everywhere. The other conditions needed some work. Still... not terrible for the price and location. If they keep it up we'll check back in with HH in 2024. When Darren needs another victory.

 

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Some of you people are getting bad at scorecards again. While you caught and fixed all scoring errors before we left the course, we had an un-awarded greenie for Reid (birdie on 14). Deadbeat list has been updated to reflect this.

 

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Let's talk about the World Golf Rankings and Rapture qualification.

We lock the 2021 standings after the next event. Nobody currently on the board is in danger of falling off due to lack of rounds played (<10). And there isn't anyone not currently on the board who can qualify by playing in Week 3. Anyone not on the rankings board will be ranked by:

 

1) number of rounds played in qualification period

2) number of points accumulated in the same period

Once we reserve housing for the event, we'll start collecting money. After a week or so, we'll allow the alternates (in order of ranking) to fill in for those who aren't allowed to attend.

Troy will be a Captain, as long as Tall Mike doesn't win. If the Moose wins, then Troy will need to score a handful of more points than Geoff.

Melberg could actually be a Captain if he wins, Geoff scores less that 53ish points, and Tall Mike scores less than 450ish points.

Tall Mike basically needs to win to be a Captain. 

 

Geoff just needs to play well.

This is easily the most players we've had in the mix with one event to go.

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We're off this upcoming weekend for Mother's Day. You're welcome.

Next event is our first Major at Grasslands, 11am tee time — which is what happens when we play the private courses you elitists desire. John has pre-purchased the rounds, so everyone attending owes him $43.

 

See you in two weeks.