2027 League Format and Changes
What are the changes and why do we need them? We will schedule a Q&A before next season to go over questions and concerns.
- Problem #1: The low ball/low total (two points per hole) is not compatible with the leaderboard setups on Unknown Golf. The goal is for the season standing and weekly results to be automatically tabulated and posted. Solution #1: Switch to Net Team Stableford as the matchplay format. This format uses both balls and provides a very close result to the original low ball/low total format, while only requiring one point per hole. This makes the season long scoreboard way easier to manage without changing the basis of the league. Players can also pick up at NET double bogey, which will help speed up play.
- Problem #2: The current handicap format discourages better players from participating and skews the results in favor of higher handicaps. Solution #2: The league will use 90% of each players handicap. This is higher than the USGA two-person team guideline (80%), but flattens the distribution to not skew the league in favor of higher end handicaps. Additionally, in the weekly $20/team game, any plus handicaps will play as a zero with the rest of the field wheeled (adjusted) up relative to the difference.
- Problem #3: Forfeits and no shows. Solution #3: There will be no more forfeits. Each week a random team will be drawn to serve as the “ghost team” for any forfeits. If your opponent does not show, then you will play for the $20/weekly game as normal, but your scorecard will be matched up with ghost team to determine your weekly points (the ghost team does not get any additional points for that matchup). In addition, each team can use two subs in the same week ONCE for the entire season. This should help alleviate forfeits from vacations scheduled in the same week. Finally, the league will move to format with discreet halves with 18 teams and will reset (except for running total of stableford points for seeding). So for example, Toth & Haga (e.g. team #7) could participate in the First Half, but then be replaced by two new players for the second half (remains team #7). If team #7 qualifies for the playoffs based on first half performance, Toth and Haga have the option to participate in the playoffs at the end of the season, or the new team #7 would fill that spot (but can’t mix and match players).
- Problem #4: The league fizzles out at the end when most places are decided. Solution #4: Adding the playoffs to determine the overall winner and places of the league. The final 3 weeks are playoff style and will determine who wins overall league. Each half has a payout to the top 4 finishers, and in addition the playoffs will add a bonus pool to it as well. The top 4 finishers in the first half will qualify for the playoffs. The top 4 in the second half (not already qualified in first half) will make the playoffs. However, if a team finishes in the top 4 in the first half, they can still win the second half money, but a different team would go to the playoffs (but would only be eligible for the playoff money, not the second half). For the quarterfinals and semifinals weeks, all teams can still play for the $20/team weekly game. For the finals, it will only be the championship match and the hope is the rest of the league will come out and boozily watch and apply some pressure on the final match.