Captains Prize's 2017

Wichita Lineman

I had my Captains Prize in Moate last weekend. We run a qualifier the week before with the top 75 starting in the final at 8am and then 27 play a further 9 holes at 5.30 (all strokeplay)

After 45 holes of golf we had only half a shot between 1st and 2nd so it was a very exciting finish. We were blessed with the weather both weekends.

Then we had the presentation, a few short speeches some music and a few drinks. A great night.

Any reports from your clubs Captains Prize? How does your club do it? Do you bother playing in it? How did you get on? etc etc

charlieIRL

Seen the photos on facebook, weather was great for you thankfully.

Didn't get to the qualifier for ours unfortunately.

blue note

Stableford and off the whites in my place. The members generally find the blues too difficult, so they do it to suit them. I'm in favour of this to be honest - gives everyone a chance. We've had a fella win it off plus 2 and people closer to 18 in the last few years.

Has been 18 and 18 hole qualifier followed by 18 in recent years. Generally use all the toughest pin positions.

Seve OB

Wichita Lineman wrote: »

I had my Captains Prize in Moate last weekend. We run a qualifier the week before with the top 75 starting in the final at 8am and then 27 play a further 9 holes at 5.30 (all strokeplay)

After 45 holes of golf we had only half a shot between 1st and 2nd so it was a very exciting finish. We were blessed with the weather both weekends.

Then we had the presentation, a few short speeches some music and a few drinks. A great night.

Any reports from your clubs Captains Prize? How does your club do it? Do you bother playing in it? How did you get on? etc etc

How do you have half a shot?


Ours in Greystones has been pretty much the same forever, 18 holes stableford. Some years it has been tweaked with qualifiers and stroke play, but it always reverts back to tradition. Start the day early with first tee at 06:30 and last tee about 16:30 with two tees in operation to get as many out as possible. Being stableford, it is generally not to long and rarely has been over 4:20 to get around. It's expensive though, €25 maybe €30 this year (can't remember). But you get a BBQ after 9, few chockie bars and soft drinks. There is also a beer garden set up after with a few free pints if you are that way inclinded, so you can get your moneys worth (I'm always driving though:() One thing that has changed though is the date. It always used to be on the last Saturday in June to get the most light and more people could play, but that seems to be done away with about 6 years ago and recently it is the first Saturday in July. Since the change they also open up a few hours overflow on the sheet on the Friday afternoon. I'm not a fan of this, I think it should be all on the one day.

This year for some strange and stupid reason it was on the second Saturday in July... Irish Open weekend When we had a star competing from our club and it being so far away, it really made no sense. Still we had I think 250 play on the Saturday and 40 on the Friday so big numbers and everyone who wanted to play, could. (just need to confirm those numbers but HDID is down atm). Of course, Murphys law, I was heading away that Saturday morning so I had to play on the Friday!!!! Arrgghhhh

Well I started with a scratch on the second hole and ruled myself out of it, but I dug deep and fought hard to turn with 19 points and back in with a sniff, but a few one pointers early on the back saw me set back. Then on 13 I hit a lag putt so short I should have been shot, I had about 30 foot and I only hit it 15, but somehow managed to drain the follow up for par. On 14 I had a 3 footer for par, but a little downhill with small break and I missed it. I knew it would cost me. On 15 I three putt from 30 foot... Arrrrgggggghhhhhh. I'm still on 30 points though, so I know 3 pars will give me 39. Not enough IMO as I figured there would be a 40+ out there. I go bogey, par, par for 38.

Saturday night, on the piss in London I get a call from the club PRO looking to see if I was able to come up as I featured in the main prizes The one bloody time I'm not there :rolleyes: Told me I hadn't won, but I was close... 3rd. 39 was second and 39 was first. The putt on 14 :eek:, or the 3 putt on 15..... When I check it out, either one of them would have been enough for me to take the win on the back 6 I didn't play brilliant golf, just solid steady stuff. There were other chances for me such as the scratch on 2 and the few 1 pointers I had, but really they were dead shots and I don't consider they were the ones which cost me. It was the 2 soft shots I left on the greens at 14 & 15, but hey, thats golf.

I've won my class twice now and a third overall, so I've done well over the years. Normally we don't get a really low guy win, but I would say there has been everything from high single figures to mid 20's pick the top prize up over the years, so well spread. Apart from one year with a 45 points, I think late 30's early 40's is always in with a great shout, so it's a fair score that normally wins.

Wichita Lineman

You can get half a shot as the handicap for the 9 holes is obviously halved. So if you have a handicap of 11 it's 5.5 off your score for the 9 combined with your other 36 holes.

Seve OB

Wichita Lineman wrote: »

You can get half a shot as the handicap for the 9 holes is obviously halved. So if you have a handicap of 11 it's 5.5 off your score for the 9 combined with your other 36 holes.

oh right. i always though if you got 5.5 well that bacame 6? even for 9 holes

frink

Captain's prize in our place feels like a normal Saturday Comp in the sense that is 18 holes Stableford off the Yellow Tees. This is at the discretion of the Captain but is 90% Stableford. It is split over two days to get as many people out as possible starting at 6.30am finishing at 15.30. There is more of a buzz around the place with the Captain on the first tee all day giving out memorabilia for the day and a BBQ at the 10th tee.

They generally make the course more difficult by speeding up the greens and having tough pins but this year they set it up fairly. One year the greens were cut to over 12 on the stimpmeter and the winner was 35 points!

I would prefer they play at least off the White tees, (Blues rarely used in our club) and have it over 2 days. The Ladies Prize is 1 day qualifier and the top 36 go into the final day and play in reverse order. It then feels like a different competition then.

In terms of this year, I started off with a few pars but then a couple of scratches killed my round and ended up with 31 points so no where near the prizegiving. 18th was longest drive so a let one loose and was longest but crept into the rough so didn't count!

red ears

Ours is run over the saturday and sunday. With the leaders from saturday going out last on sunday.

Wichita Lineman

Seve OB wrote: »

oh right. i always though if you got 5.5 well that bacame 6? even for 9 holes

Not for our 9 hole play offs anyway. If half your handicap was 5.5 for match play purposes or something like that then yes it would be 6 but not in this instance.

kev_s88

We do Stableford off the back tees in our club. We had no knockout round, just 2 consecutive weekends with points total from the two rounds added together. Top 12 after the first round went out in the last 3 groups, but outside of that everyone was free to go out when they wanted. We ended up going out about 30 mins before the top group so caught them nicely at the end.

Think winner posted around the 80 point mark and was playing off 17. He had 44pts in the 1st round and was 4/5 ahead of the nearest so was always going to be a challenge to catch up if he had a solid 2nd round.

Seve OB

Wichita Lineman wrote: »

Not for our 9 hole play offs anyway. If half your handicap was 5.5 for match play purposes or something like that then yes it would be 6 but not in this instance.

Check out Congu. they say you should round it

CalamariFritti

blue note wrote: »

Stableford and off the whites in my place. The members generally find the blues too difficult, so they do it to suit them. I'm in favour of this to be honest - gives everyone a chance. We've had a fella win it off plus 2 and people closer to 18 in the last few years.

Has been 18 and 18 hole qualifier followed by 18 in recent years. Generally use all the toughest pin positions.

Same in our place. Simple white tees stableford, no qualifiers. The thinking probably is it gives more people a chance.

Personally I think strokes and more holes (qualifiers, playoffs) favour the low guys, stableford favours the high/mid guys. There are a lot more mid/high guys than low guys. In s/f the really low guys just play for the gross prize.
Having said that, it must be 10 years ago, a members off scratch won ours with a 62. The card hangs in the club house. Not sure, could be course record, too.

Redriddick

Ours is 18 hole stroke followed by the top 27 playing 18 more stroke the following Sunday. I didn't make the 27 this year so will play the normal comp next Sunday and wait around to see who wins!!
Net 67 leading at the moment!!!

benny79

Ours is off the blues & strokes with qualifiers the weekend before top 90 qualify for the following week and go out in reverse order plus your allowed caddies, There's a big score board in the club house and markers on the course from the 9th onwards.. But no BBQ Captain meets everyone on the first tee and your picture is taken etc

This year was the first year I actually qualified! I actually qualified second 1 shot behind 3 lads so was in the second last group! Got caught off guard a bit as I was kinda treating it as a normal comp and didnt find out about caddies and markers on the course till I arrived at club before my Tee time. My mate told me you had to know your score for the markers etc which in fact you just have to hand them your card. Little things got in on me like this which shouldn't have & I got really nervous teeing off. First time in years with about 10 lads watching and blow up early with an 7,7 start an a 11 on par 5 4th index 18 :eek:

But from 14th hole onwards you have a group of committee members following you about 10/12 lads with walkies, radioing in the scores and I played the last 4 holes in 1 over which included indexes 1 & 3 parred the index 1 which I haven't done in years! the winner which was in my group had a 7 on it! Its a very tough par 4.. The club house sits right in front of the 18th and as I walked up there was about 300 people out watching :eek: but took my chip well (weakest part of my game!) and lagged a 20 ft putt to the lip with hands trembling

Overall a great experience and really glad I played well the last few holes with an audience.

Ronney

My place has 2 Days of Qualifying (Sat/Sun) with the top 160 or so making it through to the Prize Day the Following Saturday. Both rounds Stableford off the Medal tees. Scores dont carry through. There is a prize for best combined though, its equivalent to 3rd prize.

On an interesting note be interesting to see what say the average H/C of Capts prize over the last 10 years in different clubs and if where strokes does it really favour the low guys.

In my place there has been 3 4/5 H/C winners in the last 5 years for 1 day Stableford

rickis tache

ours was 18 hole stroke on a Sunday followed by 18 hole stroke the following Saturday. same guy won it last 2 years, he was 4 back after round and won by 7 on day 2 this year.

Wichita Lineman

Our winner was off 12, runner up off 19.

bustercherry

Anyone embarrassing themselves turning up with a caddy to their captains prize should be beat with their clubs and never allowed back on a course

I once played the first round club matchplay, giving away 17 shots, and the opponent turned up with caddy. The caddy played off 14, and Completly delusional on his own ability which was even more annoying.

After work and not a sinner on the course apart from us 3. Never listened to as much ****e in my life about club selection, shot choice, reading lines etc... caddy was informed at one point to mind his own business over conceding putts too.

Won 7&5 and after shaking my opponents hand promptly told him and caddy to cop the fcuk on. Caddy none to impressed and even less impressed when I hammered him in the 3rd round

benny79

Ah caddies were only in the final round in are place. I laughed at it too but the chap in my group (who eventually won) his mate who met him on the 9th caddied in for him. Just giving him moral support and maybe helping him with reading the odd putt was nothing too serious like picking clubs etc but could definitely see the advantage of it even just not to have to worry about pushing your trolley..

Seve OB

bustercherry wrote: »

Anyone embarrassing themselves turning up with a caddy to their captains prize should be beat with their clubs and never allowed back on a course

I once played the first round club matchplay, giving away 17 shots, and the opponent turned up with caddy. The caddy played off 14, and Completly delusional on his own ability which was even more annoying.

After work and not a sinner on the course apart from us 3. Never listened to as much ****e in my life about club selection, shot choice, reading lines etc... caddy was informed at one point to mind his own business over conceding putts too.

Won 7&5 and after shaking my opponents hand promptly told him and caddy to cop the fcuk on. Caddy none to impressed and even less impressed when I hammered him in the 3rd round

I think you were the one who should have minded your own business and you have some pathetic attitude telling them to cop the fck on. I think you need to take a leaf from your own book.

Redriddick

bustercherry wrote:

After work and not a sinner on the course apart from us 3. Never listened to as much ****e in my life about club selection, shot choice, reading lines etc... caddy was informed at one point to mind his own business over conceding putts too.

bustercherry wrote:

Anyone embarrassing themselves turning up with a caddy to their captains prize should be beat with their clubs and never allowed back on a course

bustercherry wrote:

I once played the first round club matchplay, giving away 17 shots, and the opponent turned up with caddy. The caddy played off 14, and Completly delusional on his own ability which was even more annoying.

I have to say I was in the final group once and only 2 behind the leader.
The leader and the other guy showed up with caddies and all their families walked the whole course with them.
I was on my own....... 3 putted 7 holes and missed a playoff by one shot!!
I played well apart from my putting.
If I had a caddie it wouldn't have made a difference, I would still play my own game!!

Wichita Lineman

A handful of the 27 had mates as caddies in our final 9 holes but I think it's more to do with pushing a trolley or giving them a bit or moral / mental support after they had already played a tough 18 earlier in the day rather than club selection and reading lines. I know the runner up definitely didn't have one and I don't think the winner had either.

Senna

36 hole for ours, but I think there are some prizes for both days. Like if you had the best score on the Saturday but didn't feature on the Sunday.
Best 24 head out late on the Sunday.
It's Captains choice for format, back tees and stableford this year, stroke the few years before, think Captains should always be stroke.
No caddies but I'm sure it's allowed, it's just no one would actually bother.
There normally a good crowd around for the leaders coming in on the Sunday, which has put off many people when they don't expect it, just adds to the pressure /excitement.

bustercherry

Seve OB wrote: »

I think you were the one who should have minded your own business and you have some pathetic attitude telling them to cop the fck on. I think you need to take a leaf from your own book.

Ah since I'm in a good mood I'll humour you.

I enjoy the match play. Most of the time I play matches in the evening after work or after singles at the weekend. Its great as I get to play with people I never get the chance to. My second round match was with a 72 year old ten handicapper (just), which went to the 23rd hole. Not only was it a great match but also really enjoyable company for the 23 holes. Someone who I still make time to have a chat or drink in the clubhouse to this day.

In the 1st round, the guy and his caddy spent the whole time chatting between themselves. I was that bored i spent the entire time on tinder between shots.
It was slow, I played 23 holes in the second round in the time i played 13 in the first (fix would have had a michael douglass type meltdown).
The caddy was a complete moron, he talked about how he could potentially meet his mate in the 3rd round repeatedly before the match with me began.
His advice was useless, an example which was "chip it 6ft short with a little bit of check.. there is loads more diamonds but can be arsed typing them. He always recommended the high percentage shot too.

But here is the crux of it, watching my opponent putting I noticed he consistently hit it off the toe, making a good chance he would miss a few right. Therefore I wasn't gonna be too generous conceeding putts.
On the 4th the caddy brought up I wasn't that generous, after i didnt conceed a 3ft putt. I shrugged and went back to being ignored. On the 7th same again with a 3ft putt; the caddy proceeded to walk to the side of the green I was on to tell me I should have conceeded. My opponent missed the putt and I told his caddy to mind his own business or step the **** away. He then proceeded to tell my opponent that I should have conceeded the putt that he missed to lose the hole for the next couple of holes.

So yes they needed to cop on. My opponent, who now is a good single figure in player in his own right, and better than his caddy, openly admits it was bullsh1t behaviour. It was his first match play, he was nervous and his mate talked him into it.

jtown

We had a massive 361 players that played in our Captains Prize this year over 2 days.

Glad to also say only 3 people failed to return their card!

Any club in Ireland have this kind of numbers for Captains?

Seve OB

jtown wrote: »

We had a massive 361 players that played in our Captains Prize this year over 2 days.

Glad to also say only 3 people failed to return their card!

Any club in Ireland have this kind of numbers for Captains?

we had 40 play in the overrun slot on the friday and then 210 on the Saturday

slingerz

I wish my club did something similar. I think a qualifying stableford competition the weekend before with the top 90 qualifying for a stroke play comp the week after would be a great way of doing it.

Ours was a standard stableford over 2 days. Done primarily to appease the seniors by the captain who is a senior himself. The presidents was the exact same setup.

jtown

Looking like Fri/ Sat and Sunday next year.

Top 20 qualify for playoff with all 20 getting a prize

Dormy

jtown wrote: »

We had a massive 361 players that played in our Captains Prize this year over 2 days.

Glad to also say only 3 people failed to return their card!

Any club in Ireland have this kind of numbers for Captains?

348 in Captains
335 in Presidents