A Wanted Bogey

I was pleased to read Peter Dennis' concise and understandable explanation of the slippery slope (Handicapping 101, September).

Upon returning to the game in the early 1990s, after a hiatus to travel and live abroad, I was intrigued by this new rating factor. I deduced that the higher the slope the tougher the track, but was still confused by what differentiated it from the course rating.

Every golfer I queried about what slope is muttered something vague about "degree of difficulty" and "lots of hills make a course a lot tougher." Similarly, no book I pored through (and there have been many over the years) or handicapping club could offer a description that made sense.

After reading the aforementioned article, I cannot help but ask one more slope-related question: Why don't courses simply list the bogey rating along with the traditional course rating and the now-conventional slope rating on the scorecard? Joel P.M. Edminster
Stamford, Conn.

Peter Dennis replies: At present, many associations do not issue the bogey rating to a course when it is rated. Associations traditionally have not issued the bogey rating since it is not directly needed in computing a handicap index. That is not to say an association should not, or would not, provide a bogey rating; some associations have told the USGA recently that they are considering offering the bogey rating as additional information. Unless the bogey rating is supplied, a course cannot include it on the scorecard.

Your article on how courses were rated cleared up several misconceptions I had on how the numbers are determined. I'm curious about how much higher, approximately, the slope for a course like Pebble Beach would be when set up with U.S. Open-type conditions.

Howard Frischman
Westland, Mich.

Slope is determined by a mathematical formula that takes into account both course rating and bogey rating. U.S. Open sites are characterized by four factors: length (key in determining course rating), narrow fairways, high rough and firm, fast greens. The back tees at Pebble Beach (6,828 yards) play to a course rating of 73.8, a bogey rating of 100.3 and a slope of 142. Since one can assume that an Open site would be much more difficult for bogey players compared to the difficulty for the scratch players, one can assume the slope would also increase incrementally, perhaps by a point or two.

Paying for Maintenance

I agree wholeheartedly with James Snow (Grass Roots, August) about the necessity of aerification as a form of preventive maintenance for greens. I think that most golfers will concur. My only objection is that while this treatment is going on, I'm expected to pay the regular green fees, even though I'm forced to use two or three temporary greens, which are really just a flagstick in the fairway surrounded by a white circle.

Stephen Petrucci
Baltimore, Md.

He's Buying Tickets

I'm sure I wasn't the only one amazed to see the quote from John Kain of Black Rock Golf Course in Maryland (Through the Green, September) saying, "we need a hurricane to break this drought and fill up the reservoirs." Apparently Floyd was looking for a starting time. I wonder if Mr. Kain picks lottery numbers.

Dennis Capps
La Costa, Calif.

Not a Favorite Format

Eight might make the numbers seem right as a way to police scores in scrambles (Through the Green, August), unless even more players collude to modify the true scores. There are many drawbacks to eightsomes for a scramble:

  • Play is much slower, as seven are watching while one hits. We played in this format in December, and after five hours we had two holes left when darkness fell.
  • We were paired with players who had too much liquor, became unpleasant and forgot to keep our score.
  • It emphasizes winning as the event's purpose, not fundraising.
  • If blatant sandbaggers are deterred from entering, then there are fewer donors for the charity.

    I am against eightsome scrambles and intend to avoid playing in them. I'd rather donate to the charity and enjoy a nice round as part of a foursome. If minimizing cheating is most important, then find volunteers to keep score.

    William D. Freund
    Tampa, Fla.

    Cherokee Ridge Golf Course, an unpretentious nine-hole course in Colorado Springs, Colo., hosts a three-man scramble each year. The format is a shotgun start, 36 holes played over two days with two teams in each group.

    In addition to eliminating any concerns about honesty, this year as many as three groups of two teams started on each hole and play was completed each day in a bit under five hours. That's not bad for a nine-hole track. Rod Kuharich
    Colorado Springs, Colo.

    The views contained in Letters to the Journal do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of Golf Journal or the USGA. Letters submitted for publication must contain the author's address and phone number. Letters can be mailed to Golf Journal, USGA, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931, or faxed to the Golf Journal offices at (908) 781-1112. We also accept correspondence via e-mail at golfjournal@usga.org.