Hit Down Dammit! Golf Instruction

FedEx Cup Playoff System

Okay, the suspense is over, he won. About as surprising as, well, Roger Federer winning a US Open in tennis. Hmmm. I was going to write this piece about golf's playoff system and suddenly I want to start talking Woods-Federer. More and more often the names come up in the same sentence whenever one talks about dominating a sport. I think I can kill two birds with one stone.

When the question does come up about who is more dominant in their sport I usually say Woods because, well because I am biased of course. But also because when Tiger wins an event he has to beat every single player in the field, whereas Federer, no disrespect at all, has only to beat the man in front of him. As well, Federer can make an unforced error, several in fact, and still win a match handily. In golf, one unforced error can be the end of everything. Certainly it can mean the difference between making the cut or not, winning, or not. But now I have playoff system and Woods-Federer jumping around in the staff bag I call a brain, and I am seeing a slightly different take on things. Let me explain.

First, the playoffs. Golf playoffs, that is. Do I like the idea of a "playoffs" in golf? Absolutely. It does make sense to take an entire season and give it a single purpose rather than 34 separate purposes, albeit with four of those being major purposes. But singular major purposes. The playoffs do create a climax in the season and give season long success a bit more meaning. However, if we are going to call these events we witnessed over the past four weeks "playoffs", and market them on the basis that all the major sports have playoffs and this is golf's version, shouldn't then golf's playoffs indeed be "playoffs"?  In baseball can the Yankees make the playoffs and then say, "you know, we got a lot of points this year, we think we'll sit the first round out. We're kind of tired"? Can the Braves win the first round and then sit out the next because they aren't happy with the baseball commissioner? And yet play the following round for all the marbles?

Jumping back to Federer, and tennis, where I am not giving the guy credit is while yes, he only has to beat the man in front of him, he also faces elimination every time he plays. In fact, in most playoff systems, don't all the teams playing in the first round also face elimination, no matter how well they did during the season? It is the playoffs, after all. That's what playoffs are, you playoff to see who will advance and who will not.

One of my criticisms of the current golf playoff system is the fact that so many players playing at East Lake advanced to the final tournament via the golf playoff system, and yet mathematically had no chance of winning the Cup.  It's hard to imagine an NHL playoffs with teams playing their hearts out for the Stanley Cup, but some of those teams being mathematically out of the running at the same time. Vijay Singh, a definite Cup contender when the playoffs started, had no chance of winning the trophy this week and yet he was still playing. In any other playoff system he would have been eliminated and that's that. Instead he is out there almost having to say, "Don't mind me, I got here, but I can't actually get there from here, so do you mind if I play through? There's a plane for Fiji leaving in an hour."

I can't claim I have given this a lot of thought, whereas the PGA Tour did put a LOT of thought into their playoff system (probably too much) but following is a rough scenario I could see working in terms of a golf playoff system. I put this out there but then invite you to do the same. Devise what you consider to be a workable playoff system for golf, put it in writing (one paragraph to one page max) and send it to info@hitdowndammit.com. I will publish your proposals and then ask you the readers to vote on your favourite. The winner will receive a Hit Down Dammit! "Dammit Gamut" bundle (CD-Rom, Audio CD, Printed Book, and E-book) for their efforts. What I propose is something like this:

First Event (of 4) (Barclays based on this year): While the top 144 qualify for the first event, the top 30 get a bye to the second event. Yes that means the Tigers and Phils and Ernies won't be in the first event, but there are many tournaments they don't play in - at least this one will have meaning. And it will give them their desired week off to rest up and take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese.  114 players play with 75 plus ties making the first cut after round two. Those who do not make the cut, are out. Of the playoffs.  There is a second cut after round three, with only 65 plus ties making it to the final round. Those who do make the second cut play for the title, and prize money, with money earned still counting toward making the Top 125 on the money list and keeping your card for the next year. However, even after round 4, only the Top 60 advance to event two. Any ties for 60^th are subject to a sudden death playoff.

Second Event (Deutsche Bank): 90 players, including the Top well rested 30. After round two a cut to the top 80 plus ties, after round 3 a cut to the top 70 plus ties. After the final round only the top 60 advance to Event Three and again a sudden death playoff if there are ties.

Third event (BMW): 60 players with the top 50 advancing after round two. If there are ties for 50^th then a sudden death playoff decides this Saturday morning. (Good TV.) This is the only cut. Other than that, after round four, the Top 30 advance to the Tour Championship.

Fourth event (Tour Championship): Lo and behold, if you are teeing it up for the Tour Championship then you have a chance to win the FedEx Cup. There is no cut, and after the fourth round the winner, well, he wins. Funny that.

So that's my stab at a playoff system, what's yours? Again, put it in writing and send to info@hitdowndammit.com and I will publish them for the world to see, and vote on. Kind of a playoffs about playoffs. And the winner will win a Dammit Gamut Bundle consisting of a Hit Down Dammit! CD-Rom, Printed Book, Audio CD, and E-Book. I look forward to your ideas!  [CONTEST SINCE CLOSED]