Opening Day is almost here!

[dc] I [/dc]t’s almost time for the 2011 GCCGL season to begin! We are referring to it as “Opening Day” because of the buzz that is surrounding this season.  After a remarkably successful campaign last season with two teams going down to the wire and Team Harris pulling it out barely hanging on by a measly 4 points.  So much happened last season it will be hard to top the 2010 season.  However, your GCCGL commissioner’s office has been working diligently to make 2011 even more special.  First we upgraded the GCCGL website so that it is more collaborative which should lead to some very interesting dialog.  Second, we instituted a new handicap system replacing the beleaguered Parson’s system which in my opinion was a good system with a flaw or two.  Third, we’ve just completed a successful draft and the teams look evenly matched.  It should make for some great competition.  Last but not least, the commissioner’s office has instituted some changes this season which we feel you will enjoy. 

By the way, Kudos to everyone for being much more creative in your team name selections.  We had to turn down or modify a couple of them but a great job by all.  The teams can be found under 2011 Teams link under the Pages section.  The team names are:

The Haywood’s
Gunga Galunga
Sphincter Says What?
The Focker’s
The Handicapped

In order to keep things fresh and to offset the “Scramble-strong” teams (i.e. any team with Harris), we’ve have gone to a slightly different format this season.  Don’t worry, the majority of play is still match play.  However, instead of 4 traditional Best-Ball Scrambles at the end of each month, we are mixing it up.  Instead we will have a total of 4 non-match play events scheduled throughout the season.  The last event on the last day of the season will still be a Best-Ball Scramble but that will be the only best-ball scramble we’ll play this season. 

Some of the non-match play events include:

Florida Scramble – A Florida Scramble is very similar to a conventional scramble with one twist. The twist is that the player whose shot is selected doesn’t get to play the next shot. So in a Florida Scramble with teams of four, all four players tee off, the best shot is selected, then only three players hit their second shots. The best of the second shots is selected – and the player who hit it sits out the third shots; and so on until the ball is holed. This will almost certainly neutralize some of the play of the A players forcing more of a team effort.

Pot Luck Opponent – This is the result of a creative and collaborative effort on behalf of your GCCGL commissioners.  One week this season, 10 of you will select the opponent you will be matched up against from a hat.  It could be the person you played the week before or an A player can be matched up against a D player.  There certainly is a chance that you will play someone you’ve never played against before.  This might be our most interesting week of the season.  We are so excited about this one that if we get rained out that week, we might push everything back a week.

2-Man Combined Score – This will probably be the most strategic week of the season.  Instead of playing single-player match play, you will be teamed up with another member of your team thus your team will consist of 2 two-man teams.  These teams will be matched up with other competing 2-Man teams and play match play using the combined score of the 2-Man teams.  Handicaps will be in play.  You can read more about it here. 

Best-Ball Scramble – In typical GCCGL fashion, we will finish the season with the traditional best-ball scramble, regular GCCGL scramble rules apply.

For the complete schedule, please select Schedule under the Categories section or click the following link https://gccgl.com/blog/?category_name=schedule

Start hitting the range, this should be another great ride.

George Almeida, GCCGL Co-Commissioner