That's a great question, and I appreciate the feedback. After reviewing scoring data from both the W ...
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That's a great question, and I appreciate the feedback. After reviewing scoring data from both the Wiconisco Creek Classic and Rally in the Valley, and filtered just for the divisions that would be playing Golds (MPO, MP40, MP55, MA1, MA2, MA40) it showed that the current island rules on Holes 6 and 18 over-penalize players and create unbalanced scoring distributions, especially when a single missed shot results in a stroke-and-distance penalty.
Hole 18: Rally in the Valley vs. Wiconisco Creek Classic
• In Rally in the Valley, 0 players recorded a par on Hole 18.
• The hole yielded: 1 ace, 12 birdies, 13 bogeys, and multiple double/triple bogeys—including two 8s.
• In contrast, at the Wiconisco Creek Classic, when we switched to a hazard instead, 22.7% of players carded a par on the same hole, showing a more natural scoring spread with fewer extreme outcomes. The players had a chance to make a great putt to save par.
I believe this discrepancy stems from the island drop zone rule. A single mistake resulted in immediate punishment without a chance of recovering, disproportionately affecting scoring.
Hole 6: Consistently Harsh Scoring
• Across both tournaments, Hole 6 averaged a 3.53
• Only 14.7% of players across both events recorded a par.
• A significant 53.3% took a bogey or worse, with many scores reaching double or triple bogeys.
As with Hole 18, this shows that the island rule on Hole 6 led to a skewed scoring curve, where a minor mistake removed any chance of saving par.
This year, we are removing the island rule on Hole 6 as well. No Hazard either. The goal is to allow scoring to balance out more naturally: where aggressive shots can still be rewarded, and mistakes aren't disproportionately punished. The reason we are not even making it a hazard is because of how tight and wooded the shot is. We don’t want to ‘double’ penalize someone for hitting a tree early and then slapping a hazard stroke on top of that.
Jesse Diller May 2, 2025thanks for the thoughtful response!
Benjamin Appel May 2, 2025I am amazed you took all that data into consideration. I support the change, while always wanting to play harder layouts.
Hole 18: Rally in the Valley vs. Wiconisco Creek Classic
• In Rally in the Valley, 0 players recorded a par on Hole 18.
• The hole yielded: 1 ace, 12 birdies, 13 bogeys, and multiple double/triple bogeys—including two 8s.
• In contrast, at the Wiconisco Creek Classic, when we switched to a hazard instead, 22.7% of players carded a par on the same hole, showing a more natural scoring spread with fewer extreme outcomes. The players had a chance to make a great putt to save par.
I believe this discrepancy stems from the island drop zone rule. A single mistake resulted in immediate punishment without a chance of recovering, disproportionately affecting scoring.
Hole 6: Consistently Harsh Scoring
• Across both tournaments, Hole 6 averaged a 3.53
• Only 14.7% of players across both events recorded a par.
• A significant 53.3% took a bogey or worse, with many scores reaching double or triple bogeys.
As with Hole 18, this shows that the island rule on Hole 6 led to a skewed scoring curve, where a minor mistake removed any chance of saving par.
This year, we are removing the island rule on Hole 6 as well. No Hazard either. The goal is to allow scoring to balance out more naturally: where aggressive shots can still be rewarded, and mistakes aren't disproportionately punished. The reason we are not even making it a hazard is because of how tight and wooded the shot is. We don’t want to ‘double’ penalize someone for hitting a tree early and then slapping a hazard stroke on top of that.