Poker Chips

[iacas]

I had an idea for the high school team (of which I am the assistant coach) this year. It's a fall sport where I live.

Here's the email I sent to the head coach:

I have an idea for a little competition between the kids. Here's how it works.

The coach's concern is that it "encourages gambling." When I played (as a kid), we bet all the time - just a buck or two (a pop or two), but we bet. This wouldn't even be real money... But I understand his concern.

What do you think of the idea?

[sungho_kr]

HAHAHAHA, man i'm the biggest highschool gambleer in the world. Not really. Well I use to golifng like everyday last year with my friend John Huh, he's quite amazing (shot 72, 73 at cog hill) but that wasn't the point. He was a poor kid and he some nice clubs(983k driver, pt13, 2imizuno mp14, 3-pw kasko, sw,lw,cg10black) but that was about it. Since he had no money he always wanted to gamble and I gave in. He still owes me like 200 dollars because we would bet sometimes 5, 10 or even 30 buks on a hole but at the end of the day it would be like a 5 dollar difference and he would buy me lunch and mickey d's orsomething, but when i started playing with him i was a 20 handicap, i went down drastically to a 11 handicap just from this stupid gambling. I think its a good idea in my personal point of view but that might be bad because competition will be harder for me. Well I say, bring it on

[muskegman]

It would be great for the competition but you might want to check with parents to see what their feeling is about gambling. Gambling is a habit that can really bite people in the butt. A lot of it depends on parents and kids' attitudes.

[Finn07]

I think its a great idea, but I agree with Muskegman to check with the parents before hand, esp. in this day in age things can get misconstrued. But it will lend itself to much more competitiveness and it may even get them out on the course more, and get them to play with eachother more often, getting them closer to one another. I know alot of golf is individual, but the kids are part of a team and it would be nice for them to play together all summer long. Even though its fake money there is still something to be won and it will also help their nerves alot.

[iacas]

That's my goal.

Parents, my fear is, wouldn't realize that their kids gamble (bet) all the time anyway. Like I said, when I was a kid, there was ALWAYS something on it, even if it was a new ball or a buck or something.

I think I'm going to push to give them out, maybe with a note that the parents have to sign. The parents - most of them anyway - have gotten to know me. My mindset is that playing with poker chips is almost no different than playing with monopoly money - it's literally a stand-in for actual cash, and the kids are smart enough to see that. But we'll see...

[muskegman]

In favor of the idea the kids will probably love it, its not really money after all (its applied toward a prize), and it generates serious buzz for the golf team throughout the school.

[Deep Stuff]

First I think it is a GREAT idea.

Does it promote gambling? No, it takes away the desire to gamble with REAL money (which is the problem). Since they can use the chips to play for something tangible, they do not need to play for money. Gambling, for me, is for bragging rights. My friends and I play for a few dollars in different categories. The 5-6 bucks I may make or lose on the course means nothing but the bragging is what is fun!

[golfchief]

Sounds like a great idea. If they come from a golfing family they should understand the value of playing for something.
We had one guy who never wanted to gamble and I said would you buy me a coke and he said sure then I said we were playing for who would be paying. Now when we get to the course he wants to know what were playing for, coke or coke and hotdog, he says now it makes him play better just so he don't have to pay. LOL