GolfSixes Format – Explaining The New European Tour Event

GolfSixes Format – Explaining The New European Tour Event

The tagline for the European Tour’s GolfSixes event is: It’s Golf, But Not As You Know It. That is no exaggeration, as the Golfsixes format is quite the departure from the usual eighteen hole stroke play format. The inaugural playing is May 6 – 7, 2017 at the Centurion Club in England.

GolfSixes is a team match play event played in rounds of six holes (thus, the “sixes.” The field consists of two man teams from sixteen different nations, each of which is represented by its two leading ranked and available European Tour members.

The Golfsixes format for scoring also is unusual: Greensomes. In this game, both players in each team hit a tee shot. The team then selects one of the shots and plays on using the alternate shot format.

Matches are played over six holes. A match win is worth three points, and a draw, one.

On the first day of competition, the teams are split into four groups of four. The top two teams from each group then progress to the knockout states: the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, a 3rd/4th place play-off match and the final – all of which will be contested on the second day.

If there are ties after all initial matches have been played, each team’s total points differential from the 3 matches (similar to goal difference) will be used to determine the qualifiers to the knockout stages. At that point, if ties still exist, a playoff ensues.

To keep the whole thing moving quickly, teams have 40 seconds to make each shot. There will be a stroke penalty for any breach of time, with digital clocks displayed at the green, fairway and tee.

Teams for the inaugural playing of GolfSixes:

1. ENGLAND: Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan
2. THAILAND: Thongchai Jaidee, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
3. AUSTRALIA: Sam Brazel, Scott Hend
4. SOUTH AFRICA: Darren Fichardt, Brandon Stone
5. DENMARK: Thorbjørn Olesen, Lucas Bjerregaard
6. FRANCE: Alexander Levy, Grégory Bourdy
7. SPAIN: Pablo Larrazábal, Alejandro Cañizares
8. WALES: Bradley Dredge, Jamie Donaldson
9. USA: Paul Peterson, David Lipsky
10. NETHERLANDS; Joost Luiten, Reinier Saxton
11. BELGIUM: Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Detry
12. SWEDEN: Johan Carlsson,Joakim Lagergren
13. INDIA: S.S.P Chawrasia, Chikkarangappa S
14. PORTUGAL: Ricardo Gouveia, José-Filipe Lima
15. ITALY: Matteo Manassero, Renato Paratore
16. SCOTLAND: Richie Ramsay, Marc Warren