Is there a tournament for pitch and putts?
 

I frequently see articles about golf tournaments for the championship courses and they have scrambles on executive courses.

Is there a tournament for the pitch and putts? It would be interesting to see who has the best short game in the Villages!

And if we did have a tournament, what do you think would be the winning score?

Justin Thomas had 11 birdies in the second round of the Players a couple of weeks ago. Would the winning score be lower than Justin's score on a regulation? Or higher?

I doubt it, but you could start one on your own. It’s not really a short game, because you are hitting from the exact same place..off of a mat. So very little skill is involved. It’s not like hitting from the severe side slope off a green, or that sand trap with Fried egg landing.
We’re 5 minutes from a pitch & putt, yet have zero interest, unless the grandkids are visiting. Then it’s a 2 club carry strap, even our grandkids get bored with hitting the same club.

Unless it’s high season some get very little play. I think the idea was to get non golfers a starter option, or the older guys who need something shorter than green tees.

What is finally being noticed, the walk for older groups is too much up and down hills, making walking difficult, especially those with balance issues. Richmond, You have to play all 18, no bailing out since #9 isfarthest away from parking lot.

Word on the street is some may be converted to an executive course. One can only hope, because using two clubs doesn’t help with much improvement of the game. But just an opinion,

Most of the pitch and putt courses have holes ranging from 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 plus yards. I don’t think many golfers use only two clubs for those distances.

And I have seen people use drivers on pitch and putts.

It would be interesting to see what the low score would be.

Gap wedge and putter would cover that.

People seem to be getting off topic.

The question wasn’t how many clubs people used to play a pitch and putt.

The question was whether there is a tournament on the P&Ps.

I think it would be fun, definitely a precision type of tournament. I have played with those that think gap and putter is all you need, they struggle. Pride is your worst enemy.

Richmond is a fun pitch and putt. I played it once with one good knee and one bad one. There was maybe 2 benches along the way to stop because we had to wait behind two groups at around hole 6. I've since bought a three wheelie with a seat for any course.

Not off topic, but many are giving the answer to your question “ is there a tournament on a pitch and put? So far posters don’t see any reason for that event, explaining it wouldn’t be a challenge only needing a few clubs.

No there has never been a tournament on a pitch and put, since day one. Many will not hit off a mat, so there is that.

A golfer would only take a gap, can be hit easily to 100+ yards. Doesn’t take much to shorten a swing, adjust foot stance, slight change in hand position and club face to pop one short.

Our 90lb granddaughter can hit a gap 100yards, so 2 clubs is very doable.

Once a month 40 of us play money game on an executive with only 3 clubs. Sometimes you can choose, sometimes the 3 club choice is in the rules. Think executive with 2 par 4…what 3 clubs?
That is a challenge, for competition, with a very large learning curve of quick thinking.

I would suggest like others. Post a sign up, you might get a few responses.

Ever put a foot wedge in the rules?::a20:

The average LPGA Tour Player, hits a Gap Wedge approximately 97 yards. (Gapping is 9-11 yards, the chart shows up to a PW).

I am not aware of any but think it would be fun. I play both executive and championship, and have done tournaments on both. I have played all the pitch and putts and while I agree with others that I carry two clubs for the round, I still think an occasional competition of some sort would be fun. I disagree that there is "no skill involved" in pitch and putt. It's not a game of luck so not sure what would be the explanation for someone shooting a 40 and someone shooting a 54. Highly doubt anyone on here has, or could, shoot less than 40. I'd play.

No, it is not golf. It is pitch and putt.

No. There are no tournaments played at any of The Villages 4 Pitch & Putt golf courses. But, it would be fun there was one for The Villages' residents. My wife and I play a Pitch & Putt golf course once a week to improve our short games and this has lowered both of our golf scores. Plus, it's nice to walk the 18 short holes in Florida's beautiful climate.

Hate the mats. Have fun with the tournament that will never happen.

I JUST KNEW!!! After seeing the Thread title, that some would scoff at this.

The Champ players scoff at Executive play.

The Champ and Executive scoff at P&P.

I find it appalling when folks look down at others. Easy example is some of the previous responses.

Mat play - So what? No chewed up grounds to drive from. Shorter holes - So what? good short game practice. Only 2 clubs - So wrong. Depends upon the skill and ability of the golfer.

P&P is GREAT for short game practice and FUN. P&P is relaxing and can be challenging for some. It's a nice walk for 9 or 18 holes.

Why look down on P&P? Florida's Friendliest Home Town hits yet again.

What I get from the Real Golfers here is that no Real Golfer would EVER hit from a mat or play on a P&P course. Those are for losers.

And don't even mention miniature aka putt-putt "golf".

I would love to see how the championship golfers would do on a pitch & putt. I assume that they would be well under par - but you still have to putt!

The above, is the disconnect.

Is "Flag Football" or "Touch Football", the same game as the NFL plays?

We have "softball" & we have "baseball". Luckily, different names.

We have "Pickleball" & we have "Tennis". They came up a different name, thankfully.

Unfortunately, there appears to be only 1 word for hitting a ball with a club and aiming for a hole in the ground .... golf. Personally, I think it's unfortunate that golf has been around so long, the USGA & R&A never trademarked the name.

I suppose it's something like Drone "Pilots", calling themselves "Pilots". People who are licensed to fly a real airplane, hauling around live people, are offended by it.

Golf is no different. People who play golf on a 6000 yard golf course, with (4) Par 3 holes, are offended by people who say ... "oh, I have 17 holes in one", when those HIO's came on an shortened Executive or P&P golf courses. It's an entirely differently level of accomplishment.

I posted basically this same post, 3 years ago. The sport of Golf is regulated by the USGA & the R&A. If you're not playing the game as it's regulated, you're not playing "golf". You may be hitting a golf type ball, with a golf type club ... but you're not playing golf if you're on an Executive course, Pitch & Putt course or even if you're playing on a Championship Course and playing "Villages Friendly Golf Rules".

I think it's great that there are alternatives types of sports & games for folks to play in The Villages, but playing a round of golf on a 6000 yard traditional Championship golf course, is a world away from playing a Pitch & Putt course, just as "flying" a drone is a long way from flying a AirBus 320.

----------------------------

---sorry. word games. Semantics. "If you're not playing the game as it's regulated, you're not playing "golf". All types of car racing. I really don't care if it's NASCAR or anything else. Tennis on clay, cement, grass, or anything else.

IMO - just have fun playing golf. Whether it's putting on a putting course. Or Pitch&Putt on those courses. Pick up a club and go to a driving range (even off mats...) Or drive a Par 5 at 500 yards. Or a Par 3 at 120 yards. Go out and have fun. And BTW - watch the new TGL - indoor projection golf. It's ALL great. I simply do not understand, or agree with, looking down on having fun playing GOLF.

Highly doubtful. I would really like to know this "word on the street" source.

I've played all the pitch and putts and I don't see how any of them could be converted into an executive.

The only problem I have with playing on these pitch and putts are the "pads" you have to tee off on. They are an indoor outdoor carpet covered concrete pad. Hit it low and feel the vibrating strike up the club! There are specific plastic tees made for them .

Is "Flag Football" or "Touch Football", the same game as the NFL plays?
No.

Baseball and softball are not the same.

Pickleball and tennis are not the same.

Running 100 yards is not the same as a marathon.

Although I have never played on a PGA course, I believe that playing a “Championship” course in the Villages is not the same as playing a PGA course.

The question about a P&P tournament was not to suggest that the championship courses and the P&P courses were similar.

Please note that the Masters has a Drive, Pitch, and Putt tournament every year. And they also have a Par 3 tournament. Is that golf?

Bonus in TV nobody cares if one doesn’t play pickleball, tennis, golf, or own a golf cart. Or enjoy or thinks P&P is a waste of space should have been an exec, because one can’t get tee times.

Has nothing to do with looking down on any player. In fact the thought process of the design P&P to get beginner golfers interested and those who found exec just too challenging. Problem for those golfers if they can’t walk 10 feet from cart to tee, they definitely aren’t walking any P&P.

Executive tee times are hard to acquire. Championship have their regular golfers who frequent often, especially enhanced members.

Like any individual club choice and count is different, but you see very few who carry full bag on P&P, but 4club bag.

Mat that not even a personal choice for anyone who take great care of their clubs, and didn’t come from garage sale.

Our grandchildren won’t play P&P, because they find it boring, extreme slow play. But the number one reason, P&P cost the same to play an executive.
Then again they golf at our CC and one works summers to pay for fun stuff at school.

What's the difference, besides "size"?


So 1 is "Football" and the other is not?

What's the difference? The size of the racket, size of the court and age of the participants?

Exactly. Which is why they have different names. "Marthoner" vs "Runner".

It is exactly the same, other than perhaps the difficulty factor, which is factored into scoring, via the GHIN system.

No and I've yet to see anyone suggest that it is. It's an initiative to grow the game, just as Executive & P&P course were originally conceived.

Nice response and true. Sometimes those who only play Championship come across as snobs. IMO. Like those driving a Mercedes or such looking down on those driving a small Chevy. It’s a CAR! Enjoy the drive.
As long as a person picks up a set of clubs and balls (and btw they don’t need to be ProV1…) and goes to a course, no matter the size, enjoy and have a fun time. And no matter if it’s 500 yards or 70, enjoy the drive.
Why can’t some folks here simply go out and have a good time playing GOLF???

You seem to be the only one comparing the two...

Golf Snobs...

Just like the "Food Snobs" who insist that TV restaurants only appeal to people with no sense of taste..

Play what you enjoy. Eat at restaurants you enjoy. The snobs can pound sand...

Make it interesting - one club limit. Would take some real skills.

[QUOTE=BrianL99;2419701It's an initiative to grow the game, just as Executive & P&P course were originally conceived.[/QUOTE]

And wouldn’t a P&P tournament be an initiative to grow the game for those people who aren’t good enough to play championship tournaments?

Please note that people would not be required to play in a P&P tournament. It would be voluntary.

I'm all in for Exec "golf" & Pitch & Putt "golf" or any other sport folks want to play at or learn. I'm merely pointing out the fact that using the same word for traditional USGA Golf and the various versions available in The Villages, leads to some of the attitudes that surround the subject.

Things like hearing about all the "Hole in Ones", that were nothing more than simple chip shots, at a P&P course. Or folks complaining on either side of the Dress Code issue, as it applies to Exec courses.

I think it would be different, if there were different names. No one confuses softball with baseball. No one confuses pickleball with tennis. No one should be looking down on folks who play the P&P courses or Exec courses, but when those players put themselves and their accomplishments into the same category as those who play the Championship courses, the disconnect or derision is inevitable.

Golf is very difficult game. Golfers spend huge amounts of time, money & effort to become reasonably proficient at it. In my opinion, anyone who carries a single digit handicap, is a good golfer. I'm under a 5.0 Index. I made a HIO in TV last year. 172 Yards. One of the guys in the group I was playing with, told me he had 11 HIO's. When he was out of earshot, his friend told me that he usually plays P&P courses or Exec courses and counts those. It's not the same thing and hearing it, irks most golfers who take the game seriously.

I'll use the drone analogy again. When I hear a drone operator calling himself a "pilot", my blood boils. Getting a certificate to fly a drone, is not much more demanding than getting a license to drive a car. Trust me, getting a real Airmen's Certificate to fly an airplane, is entirely different process and not so easy or cheap.

Then again, in the social media world, CNA's call themselves "Medical Professionals" so I guess it's not just golf or flying.

Please note that the FAA refers to them as remote pilots.

Become an FAA-Certified Drone Pilot by Passing the Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) Knowledge Test

I knew there was a big "but" coming.

The government is no more immune to aggrandization, than golfers.

I agree with your analysis of HIOs. I have only one, it was 198 yds with a 5 iron in 1978. Call me a "snob" if you want, but I think that is a much greater accomplishment than a "HIO" on a 65-yard exec hole with a skulled driver into a 12 inch hole. (which is what most of the HIOs listed every week are)

Since 1/1/20, Sungae Im has holed out from off the Green, 97 times on the PGA Tour. (2) were considered "Holes in One".

In TV, he'd probably have 25 HIO's per year.

I think everyone agrees that a hole in one on a championship course is far more difficult than a hole in one on an executive or a P&P course.

But I find it amazing that so many people don’t even want to allow poor golfers the opportunity to play in a tournament where they can reach most of the greens in regulation.

It would be interesting to see how well the good golfers - who don’t have the length to play championship courses - would do in a short game tournament.

One hole in one? How many eagles? If I did a golf nom de plume, it would probably be golfing double bogeys.

"Everyone agrees"????

Nope. Let's assume that a hole in one is almost Always on a Par 3 hole.

There are MANY MANY Par 3 holes on Exec courses in TV which are JUST AS long or difficult as Champs. Someone's bias and prejudice is showing...

It doesn't necessarily have to do with "bias", it has to do with odds & opportunity.

On a Championship course, in most cases, you get (2) chances to make a HIO in 9 holes, on an Executive or P&P, you get 9 chances for every 9 holes you play.

While the pipes were positioned in the holes, there were more hole in ones, than had ever been reported in the past. We were playing with two guys who both hit the top of the pipe so hard, one ricocheted into the sand trap, the other traveled close to the pond.

I have never witnessed two old guy jumping up and down like a 5 yo need a bathroom, yelling Hole in One for both of us.

When asked for my name as a witness, I refused. Told them if they need to cheat they could use their own names as a witness. Which in most minds would scream I lied, but who watching.

I enjoyed the rest of my game, even with two old guys talking through backswing, putting, club choice, or must be special putting with a Scottie.

Holy cow, I’ve never seen people get so bent out of shape, about something that does not matter in the least.

Do some people get so bored in retirement that they need something to be mad about?