How many members are in the Swat group?
The Swat group consists of 315 members—the oldest is 94— making it essentially a club within the club. It has an annual party every fall that includes a magician who sticks dollar bills into the ceiling as part of his repertoire. To keep teams fair and balanced, the books are audited each month and players are reassigned to group A, B, ...
Who won the 1973 swat?
According to the ledger, Palmer won 12 shares in a Swat in 1973. Not too shabby. One of the most legendary participants: Arnold Palmer. Fred Vuich. The room is unquestionably original. And like the game itself, it’s evolved over time. Just last year the members put in some flashy new carpet with swat stamped onto it.
What is a shotgun start in golf?
Golf News Net. If you've ever played golf, you've probably heard of the term "shotgun start.". It's kind of unique to the sport. After all, only in golf can players compete on the same shared piece of land in at least 18 -- really, more like 40 -- different places at the same time. And a "shotgun start" is designed to take advantage ...
Why do golf courses have shotgun starts?
The point of a shotgun start is to allow for a large field of players to get through a round without having to clog up a driving range all day in preparing for a tee sheet of starting times, keeping them engaged and moving so the course also doesn't have to necessarily give up a full day for an event. Almost always, shotgun starts are done ...
Do you have to ride in a cart to start a shotgun?
Almost always, shotgun starts are done with players riding out to their starting hole on carts, but riding in the cart throughout the round is not always a requirement. Sometimes, players will drive out to their starting hole, taking off their bags and walk, either by themselves or with caddies.
How many golfers are in a shotgun start?
If a tournament has a shotgun start, here's how it works: Say there are 18 groups of four golfers each entered in the tournament. Each of those groups is assigned to a different hole on the golf course.
How long does it take to start a golf shotgun?
A shotgun start means that all the golfers get underway at the same time, rather than teeing off at regular intervals from the No. 1 tee. Imagine the tee times are spaced 10 minutes apart. That means that it takes roughly 180 minutes for 18 groups of golfers to begin their rounds using such tee times. But with a shotgun start, those 18 groups all ...
Why are shotgun starts so popular?
Shotgun starts are very popular with fundraising tournament s, corporate outings, association playdays and the like because of the time management benefits. And all golfers finishing around the same time makes it easier to get everyone into any follow-up activities (lunch, awards ceremony, etc.).
What time does a shotgun start?
Usage examples: "The tournament on Saturday has a shotgun start at 9 a.m.". "The shotgun start is at 9 a.m., so make sure your group is in place on the appropriate hole and ready to begin play.".
Where did the term "shotgun start" come from?
The term "shotgun start" comes from the first known use of such a starting format. As reported in the December 2004 issue of Golf Digest, Walla Walla (Wash.) Country Club head pro Jim Russell fired off a shotgun to sound the start of play to golfers waiting on tees around the course at a tournament in May 1956.
Is a shotgun blast a loudspeaker?
A loudspeaker atop the clubhouse. Even, yes, a shotgun blast. And upon hearing the starting signal, golfers on every tee box around the golf course begin play.
The Shotgun Start in Golf Explained
A shotgun start is a way of organizing a golf tournament so that all players tee off at the same time from different parts of the course. So, instead of starting every group from the first tee, you can spread them out to begin on different holes across the course.
Why is it Called a Shotgun Start?
It is called a shotgun start because takes its name from the fact that a shotgun was originally fired to signify the start of the round. The very first shotgun start was reportedly at Walla Walla Country Club in Washington in 1956.
How Does a Shotgun Start Work?
A shotgun start is an incredibly effective way of starting a tournament, and it positions players all over the course to tee off at the same time.
What is a Modified Shotgun in Golf?
A modified shotgun start still enables you to have all tournament entrants start and finish at the same time, but it also allows the golf course to open for other customers. A modified shotgun start is more suited to smaller tournament fields, and most courses require a minimum of 48 players.
What is a Reverse Shotgun in Golf?
A reverse shotgun is another way of utilizing the shotgun start for competitions that have fewer than 72 players. The advantage of a reverse shotgun start is that hole one is cleared as quickly as possible, meaning the course can quickly open up to other paying customers.
What is a Double Shotgun in Golf?
Tournaments with a large field of entrants that follow a shotgun start are referred to as a double shotgun. In this instance, organizers will give players the choice of two tee-off times, one early in the morning and one early in the afternoon.
What is a Shotgun Scramble?
A shotgun scramble is a fun and inclusive format that requires players to team up and select the best ball to play from the tee. As it is a shotgun start, players are split into four balls and designated to tee off from around the course.
What is a wedge in golf?
Wedges are the highest-lofted clubs in a set of golf clubs, designed for short approach shots (for most golfers, 120 yards and in), strokes played out of sand, chip shots and pitch shots, and generally any shot for which the golfer wants the ball to ascend and descend sharply.
Why do golfers use wedges?
Because wedge shots have such a high trajectory, they tend to roll very little once they hit the green. More accomplished players can produce a great deal of backspin with a wedge, causing the ball to back up (or "bite") once it hits the green. Any wedge can also be used for chipping around the green.
What is the difference between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge?
Pitching wedge: The lowest-lofted of the wedges (the one that hits the ball the farthest), pitching wedges (abbreviated PW) are usually included in a set of irons. The PW is considered one of the basic clubs every golfer carries. Sand wedge: Designed specifically to make hitting shots out of bunkers easier. Abbreviated SW.
Why are gap wedges called wedges?
Today, the other two wedges that are common are: Gap wedge: So-named because it falls in-between the pitching wedge and sand wedge in loft. The gap wedge has more loft than a PW, less loft than a SW.
How many degrees are sand wedges?
Typically, sand wedges have lots from 52 to 56 degrees. As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges.
What is the bounce angle on a golf wedge?
Bounce is a physical property of the sole of a golf wedge. And bounce is a concept that even golfers who have been playing for decades may not understand, or may misunderstand.
Is a wedge a golf club?
Wedges are also irons, but golfers think of wedges as a sub-set of irons, or as specialized irons. They are often thought of as their own category of golf clubs, in other words. From the 1930s forward, up until the latter part of the 20th century, it was common for even the best golfers to carry only two wedges:
