3 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing More Alternate Shot Matches At Home
- Updated: April 24, 2021
Twitter/GolfDigest
This week’s event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans offers a refreshing opportunity for us to see something different than your typical week on tour.
Rather than an individual birdie fest, we get to see a team birdie fest. But in between fourball rounds where circled numbers reign supreme, we get the most volatile and exciting format in golf: Foursomes.
You may also know this format as alternate shot. If you haven’t played it with your buddies before, you should consider it for your next weekend foursome. Here are a few reasons why:
It’s something different.
Let’s face it, going out there and struggling to break 90 during your weekend Nassau can get old quick. Alternate shot is a good way to shake things up.
It requires a totally different strategy than a fourball or scramble. You need to always be thinking about your opponent’s next shot and the shot they will likely leave you after that.
If he’s a terrible bunker player, don’t hit it in the bunker because your next shot will either be from the same bunker or 30 yards over the green.
And you’ll want to make sure you nestle your chips up to gimmie range if your partner is a notoriously terrible putter.
You need to play to not just your own strengths, but your partner’s as well, which can make for entertaining TV as well as Saturday afternoon public course fun.
It’s just hilarious.
There’s nothing like hitting your drive 60 yards right into the fescue and making your partner search through the hay while you polish off your beer in the cart.
Or putting one off the green forcing your partner to go back and grab a wedge. You’re used to dealing with your own mistakes out there, but making your teammate deal with them makes it a little less painful and a lot more satisfying.
Each one of you only has to be like half a golfer.
That sounds about right. The real challenge is getting the right half to show up for the right shot.
Golf is a difficult and frustrating game that allows for only a certain number of good shots per round. But in this format you’re only hitting half the shots, so you have to like your chances.
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