How the Blue Ball Works

The "Blue Ball" golf tournament will have two scores per team. One score will be the "Blue Ball" score and the other is a 3 man team scramble score. Each team will consist of 4 players and will be given one unique blue/semi-blue/bluish golf ball (literally). An individual team member will play the blue ball by him or herself for the entire hole while the other 3 team members play a scramble (best ball) with regular white balls for the same hole. At the end of each hole, your team scorecard should be marked with the individual's Blue Ball score and the team's scramble score for the hole played. The blue ball is played individually by a different team member each consecutive hole in a SET rotation. You may not change the order of rotation after you start playing. For example, the person that plays the blue ball on the 1st hole will play it on holes 5, 9, 13, and 17.

Since this tournament is for bad golfers to have fun, please be at ease when it comes to playing the feared blue ball. The absolute worst blue ball score for any given hole is double the par value. Each player must play the blue ball however, until the number of strokes matches double the par value. For example, 10 strokes on a par 5, 8 strokes on par 4 and 6 on a par 3. Once your number of strokes hits this magic number while playing the hole, pick up the blue ball, sigh in relief, and relax in the cart while the rest of your team finishes the scramble for that hole.

Double par may save the blue ball for your team, and for some will be the best score you could get. You may now start to see how the pressure builds for the person playing with the blue ball and wonder what happens if the blue ball is sent into the wildlife area or the bottom of a pond. If you can find the blue ball, take the penalty stroke and keep going, if the blue ball is lost, your team will play a 4 man team scramble for the remaining holes to play and receive the maximum blue ball score of DOUBLE PAR on all remaining holes.

Other items to note:
* If you intentionally swing at the ball and accidentally miss (whiff), no problem, you may swing to try and hit the ball again. Repeat until you make contact.
* For the DRIVE: If the ball does not go out of the tee box, no problem, tee it back up and swing again at no penalty.

BLUE BALL TOURNAMENT RULE CHANGES *Updated 5/17/09

The 2 Putt Rule: This rule change will reduce playing time significantly, more than you think – and should get us very close to completing the round in 4 hours.

• This rule applies to both the scramble and blue ball.
• Once you have made it onto the green, all players will putt, if you miss the putt, the next putt is a “gimmie”. Pick up and move on to the next hole.
• Example – if on the green in 2 shots, the worst score you put down is a 4 (and you don’t even need to try for the 4th stroke)

Each team will be given a “Sack” of Blue Balls (a set/pair of balls) to use through-out the round along with other goodies for your team to share. The object, of course, is to not lose your balls.

• If you lose both Blue Balls you will now take a White Ball from your bag and continue on with the Blue Ball concept of having a 3 man scramble score and a Blue Ball (now a white ball) score.
• Depending on the number of Blue Balls your team returns, they will be your “ticket” for a random drawing for a pot of money. If you bring both back you will double your team’s chances of winning the pot. We are setting aside $4 from the registration fee for this pot of money – (plus any remaining revenue after all expenses for the entire tournament).

Drink/Beer and Food Stations:

• There will not be any beer carts this year. We will still try to have some food stations every 3rd hole, and in some cases even more frequently, you will encounter a “station” to stock up on more food and snacks. The pavilion is a station as well.
• Food will be chips, pretzels, hot dogs etc.
• Twin Wells now has their liquor license!!@#@!$! It is no longer BYOB. You will have to buy your own beer –

The “Money Shot” hole:

• There will be an option $2 to participate in the Money Shot pot. There will be a par 3 hole where, if you make it onto the green in one shot, you will be entered into a drawing to win the entire pot. For example, if we have 100 players that is $200.

The Throw:

• Each player has ONE free throw for the entire 18 holes in which they can pick up the ball and throw it (can be used for either the blue ball or the scramble). The throw itself does not count as a stroke (it also cannot count in any competition hole – longest drive/closest to the pin)

Prizes:
• “Best Stroker” Award Trophies will be presented for the following accomplishments:
o Closest to Pin –
o Longest Drive -
o Lowest BlueBall score –
o Lowest Scramble score -
o Lowest Combined score -

Charity:
Unfortunately, we will not be working with a charitable organization this year, but hope to add one in the future.