THE TOURNAMENT
Any amateur player who can swing a golf club and pay the
entry fee can apply. Additionally, a player may be sponsored by other friends,
players, clubs, etc. The World Series of Golf® tournament is strictly an
amateur prize tournament and will be governed by the standard rules of golf.
There are no handicaps, no strokes in play. Players will be pre-flighted
according to skill level with validated handicaps and placed in groups to
assure you play against players of similar skill level. This tournament is
designed for players with med-high handicaps. Each player will be allowed to
bring a financial advisor/caddie on the course with them. The World Series of
Golf is a $10,000 buy-in event.
THE EVENT
The tournament is open to amateur players only. Amateur
players will lose their amateur status if they take prize money from the
tournament. Amateur players will be required to make an application. Upon
receipt and review of the application, the player will be contacted by the
Director of Player Development. If the applicant is approved to play in the
tournament, they will be required to post a deposit to secure their spot with
the balance of the entry fee due prior to playing in the tournament. Entry fees
include four nights of accommodations, opening night draw party with guest,
greens and cart fees.
This is not just a golf tournament; this is a Las Vegas experience for players and guests.
"THE TEXAS HOLD’EM OF GOLF"
Players ante on each tee. The ante is followed by a pass,
bet or fold on each golf shot, combining the skill of golf with the finesse of
betting. When a player is out of money, they are out of the hole and out of
the tournament. The players do not play against the field; they play against
those in their group.
The objective is to win all the money from the other players
in the group. Whoever does that, wins the match and advances to the next round.
Players are paid after advancing through the first round.
The challenge of this type of competition is to win all the
other players’ money in each group in each match. This is not about shooting
the lowest score, it’s not a stroke play format. The World Series of Golf®
tournament allows players to compete in successive elimination matches and use
the pressure of betting and the skills of golf.
The World Series of golf is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the
entertainment capital of the world. No other city is as dedicated to
hospitality as Las Vegas. Las Vegas is also one of the world's greatest golf
destinations. Designers have etched out their handiwork in the southern Nevada
desert — none finer than Pete Dye's masterpieces at Paiute Golf Resort.
RULES OF THE GAME
FORMAT
-Modified Stroke Play, No Handicap Strokes. Gross format
-The number of competitors in a group is subject to change.
The game can be played with between three and six competitors in a group.
-The Tournament Committee will determine the composition of
the groups, as well as which teeing ground each competitor will play from. A
competitor’s teeing ground may change from one day to the next.
-Each group winner in round one will advance to round two.
Each group winner in round two will advance to the final round. Competitors
that compete in the final round will be in one group, and the winner will be
crowned the champion of the World Series of Golf.
-USGA rules apply unless otherwise stipulated.
COMPETITION
1) Order of Play
a) On the first tee, there will be a random draw to
determine the set order of play for that round.
b) A designated competitor (the first competitor to hit on
the first tee) will have the button for that hole. On the next hole that
competitor moves to the bottom (last to hit), and all other competitors move up
one spot. Each competitor always follows the competitor in front of him (unless
he folds) except when he has the button. The competitor with the button will
always play his shot first in each round of shots and the pre-designated order
will be followed. A competitor will NOT hit his shot first based on being
“away” but rather the designated order determined before play begins will
determine who plays and in what order.
c) A competitor may not hit his next shot, even if he is
furthest away, until each competitor has hit his shot in the order of the
button. Competitors follow the pre-designated order of play designated by the
button.
d) If a competitor hits his shot out of turn he is penalized
one stroke and his ball will be played as it lies. His subsequent stroke will
be a penalty stroke.
2) Antes
a) Every competitor is required to ante a pre-designated
amount prior to beginning play on each hole. The ante will increase multiple
times during the competition round.
b) Each competitor’s bank will be the same at the start of
each day. The 1st hole ante on each day will be 1% of that amount.
c) If the round goes to extra holes, the ante on the 19th
hole will be double the amount it was on the 18th hole, and will double each
subsequent hole thereafter.
d) Should a competitor not have enough money to pay the
entire ante on a given hole that competitor will be immediately eliminated and
his remaining cash will be placed into the pot of the hole being played. For
example, if a competitor does not have enough money to pay the ante on the 16th
tee, he is eliminated from the competition and his remaining money will be put
into the pot for the 16th hole.
3) Betting
a) The minimum bet and the betting increments will be equal
to the ante amount on the first tee for that given day. (i.e. round one minimum
bet is $100.00). No other betting increments will be allowed, except for all-in
bets.
b) First Round of Betting: A competitor may place an
additional wager after all of the first shots are played by each competitor and
prior to hitting his second shot. The Competitor with the button sets the
standard by placing a bet, checking, or folding. The next competitor shall have
the opportunity to call, raise or fold on the bet. The other competitors must
call, raise or fold. If a competitor folds he loses whatever he has wagered to
that point, and he must immediately stop playing and wait to start playing at
the next hole. This format continues until all remaining competitors finish the
hole, or a winner is determined, whichever comes first.
c) Second Round of Betting: After all competitors have a
chance to call, raise or fold the competitor with the button can fold or match
any bets or raises, but no additional raises to the bet can be placed after the
first round of betting. In the second round of betting, all competitors must
match the current bet from the first round of betting to stay in the hole and
hit his next shot. If everyone checks during the first round of betting, there
will NOT be a second round of betting.
d) Winning a Hole: The outright winner of the hole receives
the entire pot for that hole.
e) Multiple Competitors Tie on a Hole (Even Split): In the
case of a tie, the pot is split evenly between the winners of the hole.
If there are any Rules or Competition situations not covered
by the Terms, Format, and Competition, a decision shall be reached by the
Tournament Committee whose decision shall be final. Otherwise the USGA Rules
will apply.
All rules are subject to change, at any time, at the
discretion of the Tournament Committee.
PLAYER NARRATIVE
WORLD SERIES OF GOLF 2007
With its high class, high stakes and high drama, the World Series of Golf is the next
evolution in televised golf events. The innovative play format of the World
Series of Golf combines the wagering savvy of Texas Hold ‘Em poker with the
skill of golf, causing high stakes drama to unfold with every shot. The appeal
to the television viewer, however, largely lies with the fact that the
participants in the World Series of Golf offer engaging personalities and
intriguing stories to whom the average golf fan can relate.
With slumping television ratings for PGA TOUR events, it is clear that today’s golf
professionals fail to excite the imagination of average golf fans. Who can
blame them? PGA pros have personal trainers, new custom-made clubs for every
round, free memberships to private golf clubs and private jets to chauffer them
to their next tournament. And how do these pros behave while on the links?
Often they ignore their fans, insult the media and, while playing on the best
courses of the world, throw tantrums if the slightest spike mark mars a putting
surface. The average golf fan can’t relate to these privileged few, much less
care how these pampered pros fare on the links.
By contrast, the World Series of Golf offers countless compelling real-life stories of
mid-handicap golfers to whom television viewers can truly empathize. These
aren’t the spoiled rich kids of the game, but rather the players that –
regardless of skill – infuse the sport with passion, love and life. These are
the guys who have slept in their cars for the chance to catch a tee-time at Torrey Pines, players who know the
agony of having aced a par-three while playing as a single, golfers whose knees
knock when standing over a four-foot putt with twenty bucks on the line. These
real people are real characters, each with stories that resonate with avid
golfers, gambling fans and the average television viewer.
In addition, the World Series of Golf attracts top professional poker pros, adding celebrity
cachet to the event. These professional gamblers know their way around a
wager, but still sometimes shank a pitching wedge from 110-yards. These
familiar faces add to the intrigue of the tournament and heighten the
excitement as “average Joes” get the chance to call the bluff of gambling
legends, or suffer the agony of being bested by some of the premier gamblers in
the world.
Blending an intriguing and innovative play format with a collection of golfers that possess
diverse backgrounds and engaging personalities creates a sporting event that is
part golf tournament, part reality show. The colorful antics of compelling
characters propel the broadcast and leave the viewer truly engaged in the
program because the average golfer is watching at home thinking “hey, that guy
is just like me.” A feeling they never get while watching PGA TOUR events.
The inaugural event of the World Series of Golf attracted dozens of golf and gambling
enthusiasts that had skill levels ranging from a 2-handicap to a 40+. They
ranged from Phil Ivey, one of the top money winners on the professional
poker tour who arrived at the course via private helicopter, to Ken Tanner,
a 60-year old retired railroad conductor from Colorado. Michael Bernardi,
a milkman from Chicago barely knew the rules of poker, but he brought along his
father Renzo to serve as his financial advisor and place the wagers
while Michael concentrated on keeping it in the fairway. Andy Knudson,
a 24-year old chef from the five-star Daniel Bouloud restaurant at Wynn Las
Vegas, took time away from the kitchen to try to cook up some magic on the
greens. Gambling fans would recognize master blackjack player and CBS
commentator, Max Rubin who proudly declared that he’s bet more money in
a week than most of his competitors have in their lifetime.
The field of competition wasn’t limited to just men as three female golfers hits the links.
Tough-talking Kim Shelpman wasn’t at all intimidated teeing off against
her male competitors; Shelpman is the CEO of one of the nation’s largest
construction companies. Former Miss Nevada, Michelle Yegge showed grace
and beauty under pressure, while former Bond Girl Tanya Roberts left the
crowd shaken and stirred with her winning smile and solid swing.
Denny Robinson, a Las Vegas-based professional gambler, took part in the
tournament in between conducting his duties as an official judge for the
Hawaiian Tropic Beauty Pageant which concurrently occurring at the Mirage Hotel
& Casino, the host hotel for the World Series of Golf. Odds are that Jeff
Egan and David Brackett weren’t caught paying attention to the
bathing beauties; both players made it to the semi-finals with their wives
acting as caddies/financial advisors.
In addition, other notable personalities in the event included:
- Phil Gordon, world-class poker pro, author and television host
- Steve Dannenmann, 2005 World Series of Poker main event runner-up ($4.25 million)
- Rhett Butler, 2006 World Series of Poker main event 5th-place
finisher ($3.2 million)
- Ken Einiger, World Series of Poker champion and World Series of Blackjack
champion
- Blair Rodman, Professional gambler and WSOP Finalist
- Mark Dyle,
former quarterback for the Denver Broncos
- Dusty Allen, former major league baseball player
On the final day of the three-day
tournament, a day trader once named “most eligible bachelor” in his hometown of
Newport Beach, CA out-matched the competition to capture the $250,000 top
prize. Mark Ewing, 31, who recently quit his job to “take some chances
in life,” successfully knocked out poker pros Phil Ivey and Rhett
Butler and sealed his victory by betting “all-in” on his approach shot on
the 373-yard par-4 16th hole at Primm Valley Golf Club.
As part of the World Series of Golf
telecast, the producers weave all these real-life stories into the fabric of
the golf tournament, providing viewers at home the opportunity to get to know
these players and start to care about them. Unlike the emotionless golf robots
on the professional circuit, the World Series of Golf features people that are
engaging and interesting to watch, a key factor that is often lost in
televised golf today.
The loudmouth gambler bullying his
opponent to go “all-in,” the stoic young man who dedicates the round to the
memory of his recently passed mother, the husband and wife team who break down
in tears when they realize that the prize money will help replace the home they
recently lost to a fire; all stories that hit home with the television audience
and evoke emotion and interest.
Some players you’ll love, some
characters you’ll love to hate, but the World Series of Golf is as much about
the players and their stories as it is about televising a golf tournament.