Leagues

Match Play

 Match play leagues are very adaptable and can format competition for singles doubles or team play. At Club Dead we use it in all these formats.

Match Play is a fun format that's very competitive format and even more so when handicapped.

 In Match play each hole is an individual match, the player winning the most holes wins. This means the player shooting the lowest score for the round isn't necessarily the winner of the match

Team play version 1

We use this format for our Oshtemo league in Kalamazoo MI.  We charge $40 per player to join the league and $5 weekly. All players receive a league shirt (embroidered wind shirt). The weekly fee pays for point money, ace pool, league prizes and a party. The league begins in April and finishes in late August.

 This league is based on 2 player teams playing singles. Each team has an A player and B player based on player averages.  During the season its "A" player versus "A" player and "B" player versus "B" player in weekly matches.

 To begin the season teams play 2-3 weeks of average setting. The teams are divided into divisions and a season schedule is created. Teams meet each week and play their scheduled match.

 In the Match each hole is worth 2 points, and the winning team receives 10 bonus points. This league is also handicapped based on averages. Players get 80% of the difference in averages. We give the woman golfers 100% handicapped.

  In handicapped match play the stroke difference equates to how many holes a player will get a stroke on. Deciding which holes can be up to the players or based on handicapping your course. Handicapping your course means rating the holes based on difficulty. The number 1 handicap hole is the toughest hole, number 18 handicap equals the easiest hole on an 18 hole course. If you don't want to handicap your course you can let the player giving strokes decide on which holes.

  Points and W/L records are kept and W/L record determines division champions and seeding in the league championship tournament. The championship is a classic bracket tournament with first round byes for division champions.

The Tournament takes at least 4 weeks using single elimination. Eliminated teams play in a round robin tournament to decide 5th through last place.

 This league takes a season long commitment to show up each week or get a sub.

Team play version 2

 This league works much like the 5 2 previous  match play league, the difference is that two player teams compete against each other playing best shot match play.  Each team has an average and must give or take strokes based on 80% of the difference in their team’s averages.

 This league doesn't necessarily require a weekly schedule of matches. Teams may randomly draw matches based on teams present each week.

Team play version 3

We use this format for the overall of our Match Play series. We travel to courses around the Midwest playing this format. Teams of 2-6 players compete playing singles in the morning  and doubles in the afternoon in this day long format league.

Players are handicapped based on PDGA rating or league rating. Using a ratings system allows you to develop handicapping while playing different courses.

 For each course you need a handicap number based on the course's difficulty. The handicap number tells players how many points equals 1 stroke in the match play. The number for most courses is in the 8-12 range.

You also need to use a world class par for each singles course to generate league ratings based on a players singles round at each league event.

WCP will give a 1000 rating score with which you can determine each player's rating for each event and average them for a league rating.

For example if WCP is 50 players shooting 50 get a 1000 rating for that round. players shooting 49 get 1010, and players shooting 51 get a 990 and so on.

Stroke Play

Stroke play leagues play the same format as most disc golf tournaments.

A player's or teams total score for the round is what counts.

Singles Handicapped

In this league each player’s weekly scores are averaged to figure their handicap, it takes at least 3 rounds to establish your handicap. Handicapping makes the score of each player competitive.

Handicaps are calculated as follows: Take 90% of the difference between the player’s average score and WCP. In this example World Class Par equals 45 For instance, my average over 3 weeks is 53, the difference between 53 and WCP(45) is 8. Then 90% of 8 equals 5.6, you always round down and so in this case you get a 5 handicap.

 Players then use their current weekly handicap to compete against each other. Simply subtract the handicap from your score at the end of the round to get the final score. This league works well with a small group and requires little record keeping, all you need is one sheet to keep track of averages and pay out prizes each week.

Like most leagues this one too can be adapted for doubles play, using best shot.

Singles Points League

In this league players compete against their own averages to score points. Points are accumulated by comparing how well you did against your average and against how other players did against their averages.

Here is how it works, my average is 54 and Joe’s is 50. I shoot a 51 and Joe shoots a 49. This means I beat my average by 3 and Joe beat his by 1. Because I played better compared to my average than Joe played compared to his average, I would get 2 points from Joe (3 minus 1). Each player’s score is compared against

every other score that day and points are awarded accordingly. At the end of the season prizes are distributed based on points.

 This league is great for beginners. The beginner will improve over the season, shooting below their average more often than established players.

Team Stroke Play

This league works much like any high school sport.  Teams compete against each other in a day long match.  This is how it works, one team travels to another team’s home course for a match.  Each match consists of two rounds of golf.  The visiting team fills out their line-up for the first round of singles matches, 3 match play and 3 stroke (medal) play.  The home team then chooses the competing teams.  No handicaps are given and players earn 2 points for a win, 1 for a tie.  The second round works the same way except with doubles, 2 best shot and 1 match play.

 When the match is finished, the team with the most points gets the win.  For fair advantage, each team should play their home course against each of the other teams, at least once.  Teams can be from the same town or different towns same course or different courses.  The idea is that the teams travel to other courses and towns to play matches.

Random Draw Doubles

Random draw doubles league is easy to run, you just need players that show up every week.  Flipping discs is the most common way of deciding teams, but any random pick system is acceptable.  Best shot is the most common format.  There’s no paper work with this league, just collect and pay out all the money each week.

Pro-Am Doubles

 Another simple random draw league, where players are divided into 2 pools based on ability. Teams are made by randomly selecting players from each pool to make a team. Once teams are formed, a ‘best shot’ format is usually played.  There is no paper work with this league, just collect and pay out the money each week.