The concepts are simple…
The 3 foursomes are identified by virtue of your score in the position round: Best 4; Middle 4; Top of Mt. Suck 4.
We usually play on the cheapest, scraped-up 9-hole-muni we can find.
You can only carry 4 clubs.
One full cooler of beer, per foursome.
No coolers with shoulder straps.
You can carry an unlimited amount of balls/tees.
If you have the shortest drive on the first hole, you carry the beer.
If you lose the hole, you carry the beer.
You play until 1. You run out of beer or 2. It is just too dark to play
(which then segues into night chipping, the subject of another post…it also involves beer does not involve forced labor)
As a courtesy, drinking pace is encouraged to be 1:1 ratio beer:hole
If you are going to lose a hole, lose it late (the cooler is lighter)
Filed under: History & Memories, Traditions
My favorite memories from the 4-club:
- Ken, myself & cuz sneaking on to the course that Ken’s Dad house was located and inventing the game. We played somewhere between 8 – 11 holes careful to jump around the course so we wouldn’t play any hole near the clubhouse.
- Shep tackling Dobry on tee box during play, was never sure why he did it?????
- Playing the same ball for all nine holes the time we played the last 3 holes in total darkness, that ball has a honored spot in my logo ball display.
- Nicknaming Carl “Playmate” because he had to carry the cooler for so many holes one year
You know how they say if you are relaxed when you get in an accident, you won’t tense-up upon impact and get hurt? Witnessing Dopry’s volume of “input” that day (a wake/bake on the ride up began the series) I wanted to test the theory — so I blindsided him.
By the way, the theory is true.