Powerplay Golf - A New Challenge

It has all been a bit quiet on the golfing front recently. I've not been very well and so practicing has been minimal and there was no golf over the weekend. However I do have some interesting news. Golf Monthly are holding a Powerplay Golf event at the The Grove in Hertfordshire on August 31st. It is in the top 100 courses in the UK and we are playing the event over the front nine and I've been selected to play.

Powerplay Golf is a modified stableford event where there are two flags per green, a white one and a black one. The white flag will yield normal stableford points but should you opt to go for a powerplay you shoot for the harder black pin placement. You have to take three powerplays before the ninth hole. On the last hole should you decide to take the optional extra powerplay, nett par or better will give you double points but anything worse than par will lose points (the only time you can lose points from your tally). You have to declare your powerplay intention before teeing off. Check out the link below and click on the video clip for a far better explanation

http://www.powerplay-golf.com/play/

The Golf Monthly event is going to be a team event and sadly will be a random draw. I say sadly because I'm being joined by fellow Royal Ascot members Mike Stannard, fresh from meeting Padraig Harrington in Dublin and Matt Davis (aka Sundance) who has seen his handicap tumble quicker than the FTSE 100 in recent months. I did approach Mike Harris, the editor of Golf Monthly to put us in as a Royal Ascot team (plus an honorary member for the day to make up the four) but he refused.

Powerplay Golf has had a pretty big write up and there has already been a big professional event to launch it in the UK at the Celtic Manor course back in May. Players included legend Gary Player, womens US Open champion Paula Creamer and 2010 mens US Open winner Graham McDowell. Now I'm not sure any of the Ascot boys will be as good as them but we'll give it a go. There is also a putting competition, burgers and prizes and it is a free event so the price is certainly good. Many thanks to Golf Monthly for putting this on.

I guess I need to get out and find my game again. Hopefully the fact that it is a team event means I can loiter with intent and maybe come in as and when necessary as opposed to the usual burden of trying to protect my individual score as I would in a normal medal or stableford. It certainly looks a fun format and I'll be sure to let you know how I did.