FASTBALL

Fastball is a unique and copyrighted format owned by Big Hole Golf.

There is a license fee associated with Fastball use. Contact us for further details on using Fastball for your event using standard size golf cups or Big Hole Golf cups.

There are two versions of Fastball.

1. Standard play
2. Power play (see below for details)

It is a competition that combines traditional Foursomes and Ambrose (Scramble)

Rules of Fastball Golf (standard play)

• Played as a team of two
• The best player of the pair is deemed Player 1
• Player 1 tee’s off the first hole and then Player 2 hits the ball, the team play alternate hit (foursomes) until the ball is on the green. Once on the green a second ball is introduced and both team members have a putt from the marked spot as if playing Ambrose until the ball is holed out.
• Next hole, Player 2 tees off and the process continues.
• Player 1 tees off all the odd numbered holes and the second player tees off the even numbered holes. The even numbered holes can have forward or easier tee placing.

Rules of Fastball Golf (POWER PLAY)

• Played as a team of two or three (for integrity, two teams play together in the same group)
• Prior to the start of the round, each team nominates who will be player 1, player 2 and player 3 for the entire round (18 holes)
• Player 1 tees off the first hole and then Player 2 hits the ball, the team play alternate hit (foursomes) until the ball is on the fairway in the power play zone (past the powerline) or is on the green.
• Once the ball is on the fairway in the power play zone (past the powerline) or on the green. The team then plays Ambrose (Scramble) until the ball is holed out.
• Next hole, Player 2 tees off and the process continues. (regardless of who had the last hit in the foursomes format (alternate hit) the starting player for each hole is fixed.
• Number of drives (team of 2 – 9 drives each, team of 3 – 6 drives each)

Course set up for the Powerplay Zone

• The event coordinator determines how many holes will have a powerplay line and strategically where to place the lines.
• Ideally the powerplay line should be placed at a distant to entice the greatest risk and reward for the players.
• The powerplay line is a line painted using grass friendly paint across the fairway to determine the powerplay zone.
• If it is problematic to distinguish the fairway from the non-fairway areas, the rules of play can be altered allowing the power zone to be anywhere past the powerline.

The event coordinator may opt for no powerplay line on one or more holes and just make the green the power zone

Scoring Fastball:

Fastball has a special scoring system that enables golfers to compete without needing a handicap.

• Firstly, six holes (highlighted in yellow and red circles) are chosen randomly by the host club professional once players have commenced their game on the course.
• The score for the selected six holes are added up in relation to Par to calculate the Handicap of the player.

Scorecard Example: The selected six holes score gave a total of 2 over.

• Then, the six holes score (which is 2 over) is multiplied by 3 which equals 6.

So based on this Scorecard, 6 is this Handicap given for the entire 18 holes played.

• The Scorecard Handicap which is 6, is then deducted from the Gross Score of 77 to give a Nett Score of 71

Scorecard Example:

Gross Score – Scorecard Handicap = Nett Score

77        –               6                  =       71

• Putts are recorded for all 18 holes. The total of the Putts are then divided by 2.

Scorecard Example:        26 ÷ 2 = 13

• The Fastball Score is the Nett Score plus half the number of putts.

Scorecard Example:

Nett Score + Half of the total Putts = Fastball Score

71 + 13 = 84