The news that the outdated 18-hole playoff employed at the US Open has been shelved, got me thinking about playoffs in general.
It’s no secret that the only people who don’t want playoffs – like extra-time or penalty shootouts in other sports – are those that need to write about the events and file stories in the race to get one-up on their competitors.
For the rest, playoffs are well, pretty awesome.
Who doesn’t want to see two, three or four players battle it out past the 72nd hole with glory and the millions that accompany it on the line?
But isn’t it time to change the way playoffs are run?
This week at the Cape Town Open, I found myself explaining to a spectator what would happen if Peter Karmis made par on the last to tie with Rhys Enoch. [ICYMI Enoch won in regulation after Karmis’ bogeyed the last]
Most events have the simple method of a playoff; go back down 18 over and over again until one player scores lower than the other.
Surely’s that a bit boring? Not every 18th hole is the course’s feature hole or most dramatic in terms of scoring variations with risk and reward.
Tie 18 twice, so let’s go back for a third run at it? No, thanks.
Some tournaments get it right but others lack imagination and could do with a change.
The Open has a four-hole playoff which is pretty good – it’s great entertainment for the fans and gives the players a good chance at winning the championship even if they have one bad hole.
While, The Masters is a sudden death playoff that rotates between the 10th and 18th only – not exactly the holes that showcase Augusta’s majesty. Imagine a three hole playoff around Amen Corner or a sudden death that requires you to play 15 and 16 if 18 is replayed as a tie?
The US Open now seem to have a good formula – they won’t be playing 17 and 18 by standard definition. Instead, they’ll decide on the holes depending on the course.
Golf is moving into a pretty good space when it comes to innovation; the Shot Clock Masters, GolfSixes, the Steyn City Championship to match the Zurich Classic and the ‘Beat the Pro’ opportunities which is making it’s local debut in Tshwane this week.
The time is now to make playoffs a real showcase of golf – sudden death is fine, not ideal but fine. But treat fans, the ones in attendance and the ones watching on telly, to tense golf played on the best holes of the particular course. And while you’re at it, vary the rules from one hole, two holes or aggregate over a selected few.
Don’t worry about those furiously typing up their intros and headlines, we can wait until the drama has played out, however long it takes.
