Would You Play With 8 Inch Cups?
A few months back, this caveman spent some time brainstorming on how we should refuel the golf flame. Well, apparently, Jack Nicklaus feels the same way. But I won’t call him a copycat because he does have a pretty decent idea.
Nicklaus is trying something new to get more people to play golf. He is holding events at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in which the cup will be twice as large and the tournaments only will be 12 holes.
This has spawned because he decided that since fewer people are playing golf, we need to think outside the traditional rules and try something extraordinary in order to give the game more appeal to the younger crowd. And I couldn’t agree more.
His first events took place Labor Day Weekend and involved 8-inch holes instead of the 4.25-inch traditional ones. But there is a twist. Sure, it’s only 12 holes, but there is a time limit. Players will be required to complete the round in 2.5 hours (150 minutes, that’s shorter than the film Independence Day). If they don’t, they must suffer the consequences. Sure, they aren’t dire, but 1 stroke for every 5 minutes over the time frame. One stroke could be the difference between 1st and second place.
So what do you think, Rock Heads? I might need to go find some 8-inch cups!
Maybe as a beginner’s course to help those of us trying to learn the game and needing a little encouragement. The kids would get a kick out of it.
I think 8in is too large. However, I think making the cup about 5in would be much better. So many hackers
lip-out, mis by an in, etc, that they get discouraged. Just my thought on the subject. Good Golfing.
I personally don’t like it. The purpose of a game is to enhance one’s skills and to dumb it down seems to defeat the purpose. What’s next, lower tennis nets, make pool table pockets bigger, make the Bulls Eye on targets bigger? The challenge is soon gone. We have already done that with our educational system to a large degree and I think the results speak for themselves.
I have just started playing golf, but have watch it for years. I do not think that 8 inch hole are going to help, when this country gets some jobs again then people will come back to golf!
Jack is only thinking about how many more golf course he can build .leave the hole the same .you can or you can’t play golf this is from a man who have played for over55 years .i am 70 years old with a 10 handcap.
I think it’s agreat idea! I’d love to do it a few times at my home course. I’d still want to play 18 thou.
You are joking, right? What is the point of playing golf? I think it is to have fun with friends, strangers, clients, etc. if you make golf easier you may get more play, the future would be interesting to watch although I personally am not a fan of this idea. What would follow… bigger rims for lesser skilled basketball players, shorter courts for those out of shape? I say leave it alone, if Jack wants to build a 12 hole golf course and penalize those who come in later than allowed during tournaments then let the big dog SCRATCH. How will this effect daily play, time limit or strokes added..hmmm.. seems as though this would only penalize the better players, good luck with that Jack. Might make a great place for a lot of players who give and take 5 footers to learn how to count and become math majors in the future. They will probably cut it back to only 3 footers with the 8 inch cups and will not take the stroke if they miss the gimme. As my Uncle Winston always says, “whatever blows your skirt up sis!”.
I VOTE NEVER ALLOW SUCH A CHANGE TO THE BEST GAME EVER INVENTED!!!!
Gene
I beleive this is a very good idea. I’m always looking for different, fun things for youth golf. Larger holes is a very good idea in the fact of kids being able to make more putts min the process of learning the game. The time limit is a good thing also to make you more accurate. I do agree that we don’t want to change the rules or how the game is played, but it is a temporary thing and it doesn’t hurt to make a fun round of golf sometimes. I am a consistent golfer and also coach a high school team. This will come in handy for those fun, social evenings when your members and friends get together to have fun. enjoy a temporary change!!!
After reading all comments posted above I decided to chime in. I feel the point Mr. Nicklaus is trying to convey is make golf fun and try to speed up play. I have played in 8″ tournaments at the course I belong to and they make it a two day event and it always sells out and makes revenue for the club. This also if marketed correctly should be used to bring people back into the game of golf, especially today’s youth.
Our chamber of commerce hosts a golf tournament and I approached them about cutting cups to have a 8″ cup tournament to help speed up play, they declined my offer for the reason they host the tournament once a year and they said the work involved to cut cups and then replace them were labor intensive and healing of the greens was also an issue. My point being if done properly should enhance the game and encourage people to at least give it a try.
If you listen to pro athletes who play other sports, most will say that golf is the hardest sport to master. Keep an open mind to new changes I feel there will be opportunity in this area very soon to where you can choose the 4-1/4″ cup or try the 8 inch option during the same round. Golf is a game, have fun with it!