Power Play Coming Up!
/Kevin Garside reminds us that today is the debut of Power Play at a soggy ("pissing down rain" -Poulter) Celtic Manor.
The format, played out over nine holes, offers players two pins to aim at, one with a greater degree of difficulty yielding more points. The format has been trialled at more than 400 clubs over a period of three years. The made-for-TV event is designed to appeal to a new audience, attracting those who might not otherwise engage in golf.
Gary Player is PowerPlay's leading advocate:
“PowerPlay is not meant to take the place of tour golf but to augment it. And if golf is to grow and develop a grass-roots following in other parts of the world PowerPlay is a great idea. Just look at what Twenty20 has done for cricket. You would never have visualised anything like that.
The event appears to have some impressive organizational backing and television outlets across the globe. It's coming on Golf Channel live at 12 ET.
**I had high hopes but as seems to be the case with many of the attempts at novelty, they piled on one too many layers for the format to resonate. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I do love the concept of a second hole location and reward for playing it.
How would you make this just a little more palatable?
