"This one here, the week can become so short."

Doug Ferguson looks at the players' love-hate relationship with match play and as usual there is more disdain than affection. The embarrassment of a possible one-and-done situation is the real driving force behind player antipathy toward the event.

Robert Karlsson, who would seem to be tough in match play, had never won a match until last year. It certainly wasn't for a lack of effort. Three years ago he drew Paul Casey in the opening round and shot 65, only to lose. Casey shot 64,

So when he was asked if he looked forward to the week, Karlsson paused.

"Yes and no," the Swede said with a smile. "It's a bit funny. It's good fun, and we don't play it very often. I do enjoy the Ryder Cup match play a little more. This one here, the week can become so short. One year I was there for less than three hours."

That was in 2007 when he played all of 11 holes before Stephen Ames beat him.

In this week's Golf World (column not posted), I write a plea for my match play and in particular, another event on a grand scale similar to the WGC, but with two twists: nine hole matches and round robin pool play.

The idea is to legitimize the nine-hole round for the good of the game and also to create matches with a bit more urgency. The round robin pool play would also let players stay around at least two days at the minimum.

Does anyone know of some fun formats played on the amateur level with round robin pool play?