Dilemma of Conscience

[Vince, Pt. II]

Sorta. With a not-so-humble brag thrown in.

So last year around this time, I won my first golf tournament. It was an NCGA Qualifier, which meant I got to move on with a teammate to a regional tournament. We finished 2nd there, and the top four teams qualified for the NCGA Championship at Spyglass Hill and Quail Lodge. Then, well, this happened:

http://www.ncga.org/2013/06/24/ncga-...-championship/

It was made even better by the fact that I hit the Championship winning putt on the second playoff hole. It was the experience of a lifetime, and will remain one of my fondest memories forever.

Fast forward to yesterday, and it's the same qualifier again (no free rides here, even defending champions have to earn their way back in). I finished second at my club, so the 1st place player and I will advance to the regional tournament. Here comes the dilemma: I finished one stroke ahead of a guy named Jerry in our club. He's a pretty terrible golfer, and he had the round of his life yesterday. He's unlikely to have a shot like this very often, if ever.

I not only got to play in the regionals, I advanced and then won the whole thing. Defending my championship would be nice, but even if I beat the odds and win it all again, there's no way it compares to last year. Should I defer to this guy and let him experience the whole thing?

[corbes]

Was scoring gross or net? If net, I'd say no way. Convenient that the dude has a "miracle" round at just the right time, no?

[gstelmack]

If he's that bad a golfer, he's not likely get through the regional, is he?

Part of this may depend on the type of person he is - not having actually earned the spot may diminish his enjoyment, especially if he bows out quickly. Or if he'd just enjoy the experience and you don't care, it might be a nice gesture.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

I not only got to play in the regionals, I advanced and then won the whole thing. Defending my championship would be nice, but even if I beat the odds and win it all again, there's no way it compares to last year. Should I defer to this guy and let him experience the whole thing?

Would Jerry have a shot in Hell at doing well in the Regionals? If not, I would go myself.

[Vince, Pt. II]

It's a net tourney. He's about a 26, but they cap indexes at 18.4 for the tournament. So he's not all that likely to do great - but it's a Best Ball format, so anything is possible. I was a 21.5 when I won back in June, and the confidence boost has led to a dramatic improvement in my golf game. I now sit at a 16.8, the lowest I've ever been.

Also, having played in tournaments with Jerry for about 2.5 years now, it's definitely legit that he had a once-in-a-lifetime type round

[Subby]

You are one dapper motherfucker!

[Vince, Pt. II]

As for what kind of guy Jerry is...I actually don't know the guy that well. If I were to bow out, I'd probably claim a schedule conflict with the regional tournament so he didn't think I was showing him charity. I think he would enjoy himself there.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Subby

You are one dapper motherfucker!

Hell yeah. If you've got it, flaunt it

[NobodyHere]

Does Jerry have a PS4 that you could "borrow"?

I think the choice is clear.

[Blackadar]

I don't think I'd bow out. While it's great Jerry did so well, he still didn't earn it.

If it's best ball, then that impacts his teammates, no? So wouldn't you bowing out impact someone else's chances?

[Vince, Pt. II]

Mike, who won, is also a mid-20's handicap golfer. We actually played to the same gross score, but he gets more strokes than I do so he got me by one net.

[DaddyTorgo]

I think it all boils down to how much it means to you, which is something none of us can really judge.

Sure Jerry would appreciate it, but if you're going to regret not going later then you should go. If you're just kind of "eh" about going again, then might as well let someone else.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Mike, who won, is also a mid-20's handicap golfer. We actually played to the same gross score, but he gets more strokes than I do so he got me by one net.

So if you don't go Mike's chances of winning are lessened, correct?

[sterlingice]

The golf clothes make the... well, I think "man" is still the right word

(Actually, I really like the clothes because they beat the polo and khaki shorts that everyone else was sporting)

SI

[Vince, Pt. II]

@Blackadar: Maybe?

It's a net tournament, so we get free strokes. Jerry will get more free strokes than I will, but he's likely to play worse golf than I will as well. So if Jerry and I shoot the same score, they'll do better with Jerry, because he gets more strokes. It's all a question of how we play on that particular day. I've got nearly 10 strokes on Jerry, and he doesn't get to use his full handicap because it's capped at 18.4. So in all likelihood, I'm a better partner. But it's not a slam dunk that I'm giving Mike a better chance to win.

Thanks SI I love that it sets me apart without being obnoxious. Most of my knickers outfits don't feature a bowtie. I actually really enjoy the photo they took of me at Spyglass, at the bottom of that article is the article from the first day, and there's a slideshow at the bottom if you want to check it out.

[Lathum]

Is there money involved?

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

@Blackadar: Maybe?

It's a net tournament, so we get free strokes. Jerry will get more free strokes than I will, but he's likely to play worse golf than I will as well. So if Jerry and I shoot the same score, they'll do better with Jerry, because he gets more strokes. It's all a question of how we play on that particular day. I've got nearly 10 strokes on Jerry, and he doesn't get to use his full handicap because it's capped at 18.4. So in all likelihood, I'm a better partner. But it's not a slam dunk that I'm giving Mike a better chance to win.

Jerry had his Bishop-Caddyshack round yesterday. Your words - "the round of his life". What are the odds of him replicating that feat going forward?

The questions is rhetorical, because I used to play a lot of golf. The answer is that there's a snowball's chance in hell. He's already in the hole about 8 strokes (26 - 18.4) before he tees up. That's a helluva lot of shots to make up just to get to where most of the rest of the field is starting from. Yeah, I know it's a best ball tournament, but still...and the odds of him repeating that round are nill.

If you give him the spot, that's your call. But you are negatively impacting the teammate because the team won't get the 10 strokes that's the difference between your average round and his. It'll get just a couple, making it much more difficult for the team to win.

[Drake]

What are the chances that you could murder Jerry, bury him in a bunker on 16, then cover it up successfully?

You get to go, Jerry's last good memory is the round of his life, and your team doesn't suffer.

Win-win-win.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Mike, who won, is also a mid-20's handicap golfer. We actually played to the same gross score, but he gets more strokes than I do so he got me by one net.

If Jerry is handicapped too, I say let him go.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Thanks SI I love that it sets me apart without being obnoxious. Most of my knickers outfits don't feature a bowtie. I actually really enjoy the photo they took of me at Spyglass, at the bottom of that article is the article from the first day, and there's a slideshow at the bottom if you want to check it out.

Do those socks glow in the dark?

SI

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Jerry had his Bishop-Caddyshack round yesterday. Your words - "the round of his life". What are the odds of him replicating that feat going forward?

The questions is rhetorical, because I used to play a lot of golf. The answer is that there's a snowball's chance in hell. He's already in the hole about 8 strokes (26 - 18.4) before he tees up. That's a helluva lot of shots to make up just to get to where most of the rest of the field is starting from. Yeah, I know it's a best ball tournament, but still...and the odds of him repeating that round are nill.

If you give him the spot, that's your call. But you are negatively impacting the teammate because the team won't get the 10 strokes that's the difference between your average round and his. It'll get just a couple, making it much more difficult for the team to win.

Good point. I didn't really think about Mike.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Good point. I didn't really think about Mike.

Yeah, I think you might want to clear it with him first. Personally, I like to compete in those kind of things and would love the shot at defending a title.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Is there money involved?

Not really. The club covers the entry fees of the proceeding tournaments as you qualify for them (and they're no joke, a few hundred dollars each), but you can't get into the tournament without qualifying, so there's no money that you would have earned otherwise. The prize for the whole thing is a medal (which is really nice) and your photo up at the Poppy Hills clubhouse as a winner of the tournament. I haven't been down to check out my photo yet because the course is being renovated at the moment.

[vex]

The competitor in me says that you earned it, you play it.

[Vince, Pt. II]

As a side note, no one has asked me to do this, just something I'm considering.

There is no lack of desire on my part to participate in the proceeding tournaments

[PilotMan]

Dude, I have to say, that the mere fact that you are having this thought speaks volumes about your character. To recognize and contemplate doing something like this with, at least what appears to be no benefit to you, is truly altruistic, and that is rare. You're a good man.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Dude, I have to say, that the mere fact that you are having this thought speaks volumes about your character. To recognize and contemplate doing something like this with, at least what appears to be no benefit to you, is truly altruistic, and that is rare. You're a good man.

Thanks! It just seems like something I should consider. My mom apparently did a good job