There’s a new game in town or rather, on the Golf Channel. It is called PowerPlay Golf which has just 9 holes per round. The breakout is that there are two flags on every green: a White Flag and a Black (‘PowerPlay’) Flag. There is a risk-reward decision to be made on each hole, as golfers have to decide on whether to go for the regulation hole placement, designated by a White Flag, or try to score extra points by playing to the more difficult placement, or Black Flag. Each player is required to designate three PowerPlays for the first eight holes. The ninth hole provides the chance to score bonus points, but also to lose more points than on previous holes.
For its television debut, the Golf Channel will be showing a star-studded tournament which features an international field playing The Twenty Ten Course at The Celtic Manor Resort (site of the 2010 Ryder Cup and the Saab Wales Open European Tour event). Start-to-finish coverage will take place on Monday, 30 May.
Hall of Famer Gary Player heads the field, which also includes reigning men’s and women’s U.S. Open champions Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer, plus Englishmen Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.
Here’s a video that explains the concept:
Launched this year, PowerPlay Golf creates an exciting new strategic spin on scoring, adding drama and a new look for golf on TV. Two other similar PowerPlay Golf events are scheduled for later in the year, one in Singapore in early November and the other in late November in the U.S. at a site to be determined.
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