The Differences Between a Golf League and A Golf Tournament
Golf is a social game. You can undeniably enjoy a round of golf on your preferred course all alone. However, the game requires an exciting company to make it more enjoyable. Most golfers will testify to have met their golfing friends in the course of a ball rolling along the 18 holes. Golf involves hitting the ball one shot at a time over several minutes difference span. It would be dull without some a bit of chatting with friends between the shot taking.
Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to hook up with other golfers especially the acquainted ones to join you for a round of golf since your schedules may not match. Most people join golf leagues and tournaments to make the game more fun. Both options offer the platform to build relationships and networks as well as compete. We at RunRex, get questions from golfers concerning golf leagues and tournaments mostly targeted at the difference and most preferred.
Golf tournaments are one-off events hosted at different courses. There is a group of successful, famous matches that are typically held on an annual basis at the same course every year. On the other hand, golf leagues are held at the same course on a weekly basis.
Golf tournaments can be held both during the weekends and weekdays depending on the scheduled dates. Leagues are held on a consistent basis at the same time each week. Most leagues take place during the evenings after a day’s work, but for the retirees, groups take place during the day since they are free.
Golf tournaments will differ from golf leagues with the number of holes in the format allocated. Tournaments have at least eighteen holes while leagues have nine holes owing to the time and resources allotted to each. Since tournaments are events, they have been used at times to benefits charities and foundations. Part of the entry fees goes towards a donation to the charity. In most cases, golf leagues don’t have the donations allotment.
Those who participate in golf leagues, consistently interact with each other week over week and compete against each other throughout the years due to the league’s consistent time allocations. Many golf leagues consist of co-workers and business associates and act as a great networking tool for business. However, in a golf tournament, it is more likely that you will see a change of faces each time you participate although an individual may participate maybe once a year but not in every tournament held according to their availability.
Golf tournaments have limited slots for the players with each event hosting about 100 golfers. A tournament is limited to a maximum of 120 golfers which in simple math would mean 30 foursomes. On the other hand, golf leagues are limited to 60 players which totals to 15 foursomes, but most have 40 players.
A tournament is expensive compared to one league given that you get awarded with prizes and gifts that are included in the fee. An average tournament ranges from fifty to one fifty dollars depending on the standard of the course and additional items that are added to get to that price tag. Moreover, tournaments hardly charge membership fees. With golf leagues, there is usually an upfront league fee and in which you have to pay the greens fee every other week as part of the league which mainly covers for the competition prizes and administrative costs. The membership fee ranges from fifty to one fifty dollars up front, and the greens fee can cost twenty to fifty dollars per week depending on the type, of course, you are playing or if you are walking or taking a cart. You could look into websites such as RunRex for the fees charged in various competitions.
Depending on the golf tournament, you may or may not need a handicap to participate in the competition. In the golf league, you typically need a handicap to participate in the competition. Most golf leagues compete on a net basis. Therefore, the game should be fair for all involved. None the less it will be less enjoyable to play with players worse or way better than you. If you are a beginner, a league composed of single-digit handicap golfers wouldn’t be a good fit for you. Without the know-how of whatever handicap, you best fit in, you might have a tough time establishing yourself into the league. Most tournaments are straight competitions in which the one with the lowest score wins. Others have rules designed to balance different skill levels among participants. Find a tournament that will make it easier for you to enjoy.
In conclusion, if you are in search of consistency in the golf world, with a group of consistent people to play with on a weekly basis or at least regularly, then the golf league would be your best pick. If you are looking for a multiplicity of courses with different golfers to compete with on weekends and weekdays, then the golf tournament would be the best place for you.