Noticing the “Hammer” became a popular topic on social media but often ignored by the players, the indoor golf league’s competition committee tweaked the rules midseason so the yellow flag that challenges a team to double down on the hole, thus providing more opportunity for the trailing team to come back, will be thrown more often.
How does the ‘Hammer’ work?
At the start of a match, each team has three Hammers to use at their discretion, but only once per hole. The maximum a hole can be worth is three points if both teams throw a Hammer on the same hole and each is accepted. As previously defined, a Hammer thrown prior to the start of a hole, must be accepted.
Previously, only the team that possessed the Hammer could throw it and then it would transfer to the other team.
When the Hammer is thrown and accepted by the other team, the value of the hole multiplies to two points. If it is not accepted, the other team concedes the hole and its value, one point, does not change.
The league’s competition committee is comprised of representatives from each of the six TGL teams in the league created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, along with a member from the PGA Tour and TGL leadership. The committee examined multiple simulations from matches already played to come up with different iterations of the Hammer rule.
The strategy has become if you have the lead, do not give the trailing team the opportunity to win two points on one hole and then possess the Hammer.
TGL golf format, how the league works
Each match will feature two sessions with different formats. Session 1 will be nine holes of “Triples,” three vs. three team alternate shot. Session 2 is six holes of “Singles,” a head-to-head competition where each competitor plays two holes.Holes are worth one point each, and the team with the fewest shots on a hole wins the point. Ties are worth 0 points. If a match is all square at the end of the 15 holes, players will compete head-to-head until a team hits two shots closer to the pin than its competitors.
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