games to play between players of different calibers?

[Nyper]

Anyone have any suggestions for games to play between two players of different calibers?

I generally shoot mid 70's to low 80's, and the guys I play with are much newer to the game. One guy shoots in the 90-105, and the other guy is new to the game and doesn't break 110. Even if I give them strokes, 2 per hole wouldn't even be fair to the 2nd guy... and they're the kind of people that have a little too much ego to "accept strokes". Stroke play wouldn't really be fair with either of them anyway. They're both very likely to blow up on a hole or two and have a 10 or 12 or something.

What kind of game can I propose that would make it competitive for a couple bucks without sounding demeaning & such. I just know if I said "Lets play $2 nassaus and I'll give you 2 strokes per hole" they'd feel insulted and wouldn't want to do it.

bingo bango bongo is the only thing that comes to mind...
1 point for first player on the green
1 point for player closest to hole once both are on the green
1 point for first player in the hole

[Elvisliveson]

Anyone have any suggestions for games to play between two players of different calibers?

How about match play or skins against their best ball? I'm in a similar situation; I'm an 8 and the two guys I play with are more like 20s and it works for us.

[Nyper]

I should have clarified.. I don't play with the two guys together. It's usually just a twosome.

[Mr3Putt]

.. and they're the kind of people that have a little too much ego to "accept strokes".

Then play them straight up and take their money. Watch their "not accepting strokes" ego dwindle. Me, I'm like give me my blows sucka!

We play a game called "dots". Dots are earned for good shots. Fairway Hit Green In Regulation CP on Par 3's 1 Putt Chip in's Sand Save (two dots cause you get the 1 putt dot) Birdie Eagles You assign a $ value to the dots. Start with a quarter a dot. Good shots/holes are rewarded, bad shots/jholes are not too detrimental. I've seen guys shoot in the 70's and lose dots to guys in the 90's. (not saying who ) Q: What did ya get there? A: Two dot par, fairway and a 1 putt. Put the dots in the same box on the card as the score. Add them up at the end of the round. If it's really lopsided you can change the denomination of the dots, yours are worth a quarter, his are worth 50 cents. WARNING: This game is addictive. We have dot games with 18 guys, low guy on the dot pole gets eaten up, even at a quarter. When you get into it, I'll tell you how to properly dot score greenies. For the record, a hole in 1 is 100 dots. It's been done once in my group.

[Mr3Putt]

One more record: Guy once had a two dot 9.

Fairway and a 1 putt.

The two dot 7 record held for a long time before getting beaten out with the 9.

[mruseless]

Then play them straight up and take their money. Watch their "not accepting strokes" ego dwindle.

I agree with that 100%. The whole point of a handicap is to allow players of different ability levels compete. Offer the strokes, and if they don't take them, too bad. Beat the pants off them.

[goblue107501]

There are a couple things I have done, but it is a little trickier with just two players. One is for you to play from the back set of tees and the other guy plays from the front (not the women's tee, just the front men's). You play the ball down at all spots on the course, he gets to play the ball up everywhere. That will even things out a little, but maybe not as much as you would want. Maybe at that point you give them 6-8 a side.

Another option within a group I play with is to play shambles. He gets to play from your drive (if he wants to) and they play your own ball in from there. This usually works best with 3 or 4 people in the group so there are more options.

[deronsizemore]

Can I ask why the need to play a game?

If they are that bad where giving them strokes will not even up the match, then I can't imagine any other game where you wouldn't beat the pants off of them anyway? Every game I've ever heard of is geared toward good play (would be a dumb game not to be) so if you're that much better, I'd imagine you'll be in the fairway more, on the green in regulation more and have less putts in the round so you'll win any game you play.

Why not just go out, enjoy the round and play to improve your game? I have a blast doing just that...

[sp33d]

Anyone have any suggestions for games to play between two players of different calibers?

My grandpa, and his friends do this. Its pretty fun when I decide to wake up and play at 5:30 in the morning...

[mruseless]

bingo bango bongo is the only thing that comes to mind...

I've also played BBB when people are of radically different skill levels, but we play it like this:

1 point for closest to the hole 1 point for longest putt 1 point for fewest putts Its short game only, as you can tell, and I've found it really evens things out. The only problem is that the better players can strategically try to miss the green so they can chip close and get the "closest" point, and maybe the "fewest" point.

[wedge player]

Then play them straight up and take their money. Watch their "not accepting strokes" ego dwindle. Me, I'm like give me my blows sucka!

i like this idea

[Mr3Putt]

i like this idea

You should try it, first in a foursome so it's easier to track and pay, and then as more players understand it, you can expand the game to include other groups. Greenies on Par 3's are dotted like this. Of course, everyone on the green in one shot gets their GIR dot. The guy closest to the pin gets his GIR dot, plus a dot for everyone in the group, so in a foursome he would get 5 dots, in a threesome he would get 4 dots. So if you're in a foursome and you get a Par 3 greenie and make the putt, you would get: Greenie dots 5 Birdie Dot 1 One Putt dot 1 For a total of 7 dots for that hole. It sounds (and reads) much more complex than it actually is. Once you get the game underway, it's easy to track and score dots. FYI: I had two 4 dot birdies yesterday! Fairway, GIR & 1 putt. (did ya already forget the birdie dot?)