Final Round Grouping

[Mike Sigmon]

Hey Bob,
I agree with you on liking the tee times but on the other hand I do like to know what I might need to do if I’m playing for the win…If I’m in the top four in the flight I would like to see what the other’s are doing if the leader of the flight hooks one OB and I’m 1 shot back I’m for sure going to play the hole different then or maybe they hit one in the water on a par 3 at that point I’m just going to hit the green rather than taking on the pin if it’s trouble around the green…with today’s technology I would think we could be able to let people know the tee times easy enough either with text messages and/or email Facebook or even at the 19th hole where we pick up flight info sheets. It may take a little doing but computers can spit this info out in no time at all.
Look when you get to the 19th hole on any given night in 2019 we had 67 flights and when the doors opened at 6 PM all the info was on the score board in lights and every flight was listed with where you stood on the info sheet that can be picked up at the Convention Center ( “C” Hall ) I think it is so it can be put together on without a lot of problems I think.
I help with doing a small tournament ( 2 Days ) and I understand I’m only doing 1 course and 120 people but when the last group gets done at 6pm or so on Sat. we get the flights put together and tee time assigned and email to people and posted on Facebook, and a sheet posted on the window at the pro shop with all the info on it. Like I said above we are living in a world today where info can be put out within a short time frame.

[Scott T. – World Am]

The final round shotgun idea is reasonable.

@Mike – I’m grateful you appreciate our 70 flights being public on the Hall Floor by 6PM. You should see what goes into getting that done! Lot’s of sighs of relief once those doors open (assuming we got it done in time).

In short we’d need to redevelop our programming for not only the pairings but the communication and we aren’t there yet. Keep in mind it’s not just about the players, it’s also the printing paperwork at the golf courses. If you get it done at 7PM the night before there’s nobody at the golf course to work it out until the morning. Lots of moving parts to consider.

All that said, would hate to build that all out and then switch back to shotguns!

Sorry for the rant. Thanks for all the input everyone. We’ll keep working at it.

[Bob Newman]

Please do not go to the shotgun start to please the top players. Tee times are the best.
I fully understand the issues with the repairing. I think that all you would have to do, I’d have2 additional tee times on the last day. Via way of the tee sheets and big boards that players are responding to check that on Wednesday night to see if they are being changed. Let the 8 groups go as 3 somes The only ones affected are the top 8.

[Ricky Herman]

Going to be interesting how many players in each flight. With over 3500 players. Plus some courses being used you can only tee off on hole 1. Split tees on the other courses. In March our first group flew around the front nine and than hit the last couple of groups teeing off 10. Than we need to pray no weather delays to back up tee times. This is why shotguns start work the best. If all players in your flight the app golf genius can keep score for the whole flight and show the leader board. We use it at MSGA events and VGA events.

[Mike Sigmon]

Hey Scott,
Like I said I’m helping a guy that has 120 people in the 2 day tournament I can only imagine the planning and all the work that goes into a 4 day tournament with 3000 plus people and 60 courses on top of that…
My hat is off to you and all of your staff on running this event and for the past 7 years I’ve played in it just to say it has gone off with out a hiccup that we the players see…
I will say this now Thank you !!! and all of your people !!! for doing a outstanding job to make a few of us old farts have a great week of playing golf and being able to meet and make new friends that would not have been possible without all of you…

Thank you all world am staff
Mike Sigmon
PS
See you in 19 Days lol

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Mike Sigmon.

[David Baker]

Guys, I have played in the WA since 1997, some have played in many more. Some of the ideas that are advanced here are really good, at this point just not practical to implement. The changes and upgrades sine 1997 make this a true Championship. Prior to 2000, and 5000 entrants, the sand bagging was rampant and unchecked. That is why the numbers dropped down into the 3000 range. I have had disgreements with WA staff, but they listened, agreed or disagreed. I count many on the staff as special friends who do an unbelievable job at putting this Championship on. I agree with Mike 100%. I am sure that they will continue to tweak the Championship to make it better. For now, thank you WA, couldn’t have a btter time, unless I win.

[Raymond Blank]

Dave
You are so right. Lol
That is why I continue to play this game and play in the World AM.
It doesn’t get any better than this

[Mike Cheeseman]

The idea of a shotgun for the final day is a great idea. It would pair the contenders and make it easy for the skins guy.

[Bob Newman]

Decisions should be based on what is best for the tournament and not the skins guy. This is advertised as a golf tournament.

[adam peterson]

Shotgun last round is way to go.

[Rick Kimbrell]

Well said David Baker. I started playing in the WA in 1988 and have not missed one since. I have met many of the WA staff and really appreciate the effort they put into this event to make it what it has become. I have not agreed with them on all counts thru the years but the tournament is much better than it was way back when. They have definitely implemented many good ideas into this tournament. I too am a person who would like to see the top 4 paired together and those who are 5th thru 8th paired together. But, if their software does not handle it right now, so be it. And, yes shotgun would make it so much better for the guys running the skins game but Bob is correct, this is about the golf tournament not the skins game (which really are fun and you know it Bob).
Thanks WA for listening to us.

[Mike Sterner]

I appreciate playing with the leaders the last day but do understand the problem Scott and team would have with tee times. I remember playing in one of the top flights back in the eighties. Back then there was about 100 people per flight and after the third day I was in fourth. I showed up on day 4 and two members of my foursome brought a case of beer EACH because they were out of it. Needless to say I fell out of the top 10 (there were prizes for top ten) but I have never laughed so hard in my life. One of the guys shot his best round of the week…what the hell does that mean?

[Jeffrey Topp]

IMHO, it can’t be called a competition if you aren’t playing against your competitors. For the most part that means groupings should be ordered by score for at least the final round if not the final two. Not hard to do, millions of tournaments do it. I understand if the handicap flights don’t care but I think it could be done for at least the gross flight.

But I’ve never played the WA. Don’t know who runs it, how many people set things up, etc. I would think each division would have someone in charge of that competition. But it is what it is. Either I have fun and come back or I don’t and play in something else instead. Cheers!

[Tommy Briggs]

I absolutely agree there is a value to playing with the leaders in the final round if you are one of the leaders. I also absolutely agree there is a value to knowing how the entire field is doing if you are competing for the lead in your flight. However if you are going to ignore the rest of the field and focus on winning within the final round group you are playing with, you are probably going to find yourself wondering what happened when you are passed by someone behind you.

If you really want to focus on winning your flight we (the WA) needs to use something like Golf Genius, which is used for Fridays Championship round, for the entire tournament. This app allows you to see how the whole field is doing in real time, not just the scores of the group you are playing with. The FSGA in Florida now requires it for all events so you are able at any time to see where you stand in real time.

Regarding the skins games, we figured it out for last years WA and the past two March Championships, it is really not a big deal, unless someone wants to make it a big deal. And as my friend Bob has stated, this is a golf tournament not a skins game, the focus should be on the tournament not the skins game. Whoever runs the game tees off last and collects the money on the first day. The first three days have already been paid out by Thursday morning, so all we are talking about is figuring out the skins for the last day. Again if you are running the game tee off last or work with someone to collect cards until the final group comes in.

I think many of you are missing Scott’s point. Yes there are millions of tournaments that arrange for final round groupings based on the leaderboard. There is not ONE single tournament that is doing it with 3,500 plus golfers competing in over 40 separate flights. A PGA event has 70 or so golfers that need to be notified. They have a portal to find their tee times. Most USGA or state sanctioned events have a field of around 144, and maybe 4 – 5 flights. How do you insure 3,000 to 4,000 golfers and over 40 flights are notified what time they tee off the next day? By Text? What if my phone gets lost or my battery dies? By email? What if I don’t have access to my email when I am in Myrtle Beach. How do you insure EVERYONE has received the notification of their tee time, which is going to arrive after 6:00 in the evening the night before.

I have won my flight twice in the last 5 years, and top 5 finishes in two additional years so I speak with a little experience and an obvious commitment to winning. I agree I am going to play some shots differently if I know where I stand against the FIELD, I am not making decisions based on how the other two or three players in my group are doing. Too many times I have lost tournaments to someone 4 – 5 shots back, or won tournaments when I was 4 – 5 shots back on the final day.

I wish I was able to play this year and I will return in 2022, but until then play well my friends, fairways and greens for all of you.

[Ed Guertin]

Just my 2 cents here, with the Covid varient rearing its ugly head again I am so in favor of tee times!

I think a final round shotgun should wait until next year.

Tee times gives everyone a chance to appropriately practice some form of social distancing on the range, on the putting green and especially in the lounge after the round…

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