Changing High school Golf State Tourney

[Master of the Hardwood]

Just came from Golf Clinic and was told that they may be thinking of changing the way the golf tourney gets it's players soon. They are thinking of just taking the winning team from the regions and then the top 9 that are not on the winning team from each region. I think that would be a great way to make the State tourney more competitive, what is everyone's take on that? Do you think it will fly with everyone or will it get shot down?

[ladiesbballcoach]

Just came from Golf Clinic and was told that they may be thinking of changing the way the golf tourney gets it's players soon. They are thinking of just taking the winning team from the regions and then the top 9 that are not on the winning team from each region. I think that would be a great way to make the State tourney more competitive, what is everyone's take on that? Do you think it will fly with everyone or will it get shot down?

Don't like it. Some regions you have one powerhouse, thinking Notre Dame girls who are shooting 75's and lower players one through five, year in and year out. Doesn't give other teams a chance to make the state.

[jahearme]

Here is my thought process on this:

Why make golf different from baseball, basketball, etc. I believe there should be 16 regional champs at the state tournament. If my math is correct, you could have your 16 teams (80 players) and then 4 individuals from each region. That's 144 players.

I HATE the current alignment in golf. Look at the Lexington and Louisville regions. Teams that are shooting 310 are not making it to the state tournament there, while teams shooting 330+ are making it in other regions. That can be frustrating.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Here is my thought process on this:

Why make golf different from baseball, basketball, etc. I believe there should be 16 regional champs at the state tournament. If my math is correct, you could have your 16 teams (80 players) and then 4 individuals from each region. That's 144 players.

I HATE the current alignment in golf. Look at the Lexington and Louisville regions. Teams that are shooting 310 are not making it to the state tournament there, while teams shooting 330+ are making it in other regions. That can be frustrating.

That is no different than basketball. The regional champion in the mountain regions find it hard pressed to compete against the regional runnerup in the Louisville and Lexington regions.

[Master of the Hardwood]

How many Runner-up teams have won the state tourney since it's been going on????? Maybe 1. I think we should give more individuals a chance and if your team doesn't win the region sorry, just like other sports. If your individuals score well, they will still have a chance to compete.

With only 12 regions in boys golf(5 member teams) with the top 8 players from each region that would give you 156 players at state and would definitely give more individuals a chance at the state tourney, and would not have so many high scores that slow everyone down. Would be a bigger talent pool and would be better for everyone to watch.

And 11 regions in girls(5 member teams) plus the 9 top girls not on winning team would give 154 girls players. Just really think would be a good idea to get more individual golfers playing in the state than teams. Lot better for the kids that wouldn't of never had a chance to get there on some of their teams, most teams only have 2 or 3 good players and the 4 and 5 always put them out of tourneys, so this way your top 3 may still get to go play in a state tourney.

[NKY sports CEO]

I like it.

[2Short]

Don't like it. Some regions you have one powerhouse, thinking Notre Dame girls who are shooting 75's and lower players one through five, year in and year out. Doesn't give other teams a chance to make the state.

 

Maybe I don't understand this too well, but, if a "powerhouse" is going to win the region, they're going to win the region...by taking the next top 9 individuals from the region...then the better players all get a shot at state...right? The stronger teams are the stronger teams...the goal, I think, is to allow the top players who may be on weaker teams a chance to compete at the state level? You'd have to handicap the region to 'even' the team competition?

 

Btw, can somebody please remind what the current system is?

[Master of the Hardwood]

That is exactly what it would do, give more individuals a chance to play state that are on weaker teams!

Current system is take the 1st place and runner up of each region and then just the top 3 (I think), and girls may be 1st and runner up and then top 5 that was not on the top 2 teams.

The new way you would have the same amount of players just 11 teams and the others individuals, unless 4 or your team qualified for one of the 9 spots, then they could compete also as a team which is good also!

[Fastbreak]

I think this is a great proposal. :thumb:

 

There are many teams with only one or two truly competitive golfers who have little chance to advance as a team, or with limited individual opportunities.

[Fastbreak]

I don't know if KHSAA charges spectators at the State Tourney, but it would seem that more individuals, bringing more supporters would boost revenues. :thumb:

[bellalumni40]

I don't know if KHSAA charges spectators at the State Tourney, but it would seem that more individuals, bringing more supporters would boost revenues. :thumb:

To my knowledge they do not charge specatators.

[gchs_uk9]

I don't know if KHSAA charges spectators at the State Tourney, but it would seem that more individuals, bringing more supporters would boost revenues. :thumb:

 

It would boost revenue in the town that is hosting the event, I can guarantee that!

[ladiesbballcoach]

Maybe I don't understand this too well, but, if a "powerhouse" is going to win the region, they're going to win the region...by taking the next top 9 individuals from the region...then the better players all get a shot at state...right? The stronger teams are the stronger teams...the goal, I think, is to allow the top players who may be on weaker teams a chance to compete at the state level? You'd have to handicap the region to 'even' the team competition?

 

Btw, can somebody please remind what the current system is?

So much of the development of a golf player is done NOT by the HS coach.

 

There was a team this week that brought 8 players to a match. Each player had their OWN and separate private swing coach. Two visited a sports psychologists on a regular basis and three worked with a trainer.

 

And this was on their OWN COST. My players don't have the ability to pay for these costs.

 

On a consistent basis, I cannot compete against this. It is not like basketball, where I am developing the players. The development for golfers comes OUTSIDE of the HS golf season.

 

I even had a college coach say they give almost no concern to their HS golf match results in recruiting for golfers for their college. They want to know about the tournaments outside of HS.

 

So, you have the one school that has a wealthy clientele and can afford all of this (the private coaches, traveling to play in PGA-sponsored tournaments, members of country clubs, etc, etc) and they have a HUGE advantage. Take only one team and that one school may not win it 2 times out of 10 years.

 

Take the runnerup and now the other schools can have a realistic chance to compete for a berth in the state tournament. A state tournament berth could be the highlight of their golfing career.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I don't know if KHSAA charges spectators at the State Tourney, but it would seem that more individuals, bringing more supporters would boost revenues. :thumb:

Larry Boucher said the number of golfers for boys would stay the same. The number of girls would increase from 150 to 154. Not many more if any supporters coming.

[ladiesbballcoach]

That is exactly what it would do, give more individuals a chance to play state that are on weaker teams!

Current system is take the 1st place and runner up of each region and then just the top 3 (I think), and girls may be 1st and runner up and then top 5 that was not on the top 2 teams.

The new way you would have the same amount of players just 11 teams and the others individuals, unless 4 or your team qualified for one of the 9 spots, then they could compete also as a team which is good also!

So you feel that someone who realitic will finish 8th to 11th in the region is more deserving of playing at the state level than the runnerup to the region crown?

 

Presently, all on the winning and runnerup teams go. You could count the top two of the runnerup would have ended up finishing in the top 5 or 7. You can count the top two on the winning team to have finished in the top 5 or 7. Plus, the top 5 that were not on the winning or regional teams in girls' go to the state. So now you are looking at the golfers that would make it with the new system would be the approximate 8th to 11th place golfer in the region. LY, in my region that score would have been in the high 90's while the runnerup team who lost by a handful of strokes stayed home except for their top two golfers.

 

They are more deserving than the runnerup team?