PowerPlay Golf: a big hit in New Zealand

New Zealand sporting legends Sir Richard Hadlee, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan joined other celebrities from the sporting world as New Zealand got its first taste of PowerPlay Golf® – the new global two-flag golfing format – at the prestigious Clearwater Golf Club.

And the overwhelming view was that this particular sporting short form is here to stay, with golfers enjoying the high-pressure competitive elements and shortened time frame of PowerPlay Golf®, which breaks golf’s normal 18-hole mould by being played exclusively over 9 holes.

Fine weather blessed the PowerPlay Golf® launch event at the Christchurch-based golf club. 58 competitors, including international sports stars and representatives from the region’s golf clubs, took part in two simultaneous events, all tackling the unique ‘risk and reward’ golfing format – where golfers have a limited number of ‘PowerPlays’ to the harder of two flags on each green, in return for extra Stableford points – for the first time.

In the launch event Michael Paterson, the popular flanker for Canterbury rugby team, won the ‘back nine’ event with 29 PowerPlay Golf® points off 16 handicap, including two coveted PowerPlay eagles to the tricky Black Flag – which both earnt him 8 points apiece.  

In the ‘front nine’ event, Geoff Foubister – playing off 26 and representing Christchurch Golf Club – scored a huge 33 points including 14 on his three PowerPlays alone, beating the field by 6 points.  

In PowerPlay Golf®, golfers choose to aim for one of two flags on the green, a White and a Black. Players earn extra points for birdies or better when playing to the Black Flag, which is generally in a difficult position on the green.

As it is nine holes, a round of PowerPlay Golf® takes half the time of a normal 18-hole round. The format is being taken up by TV broadcasters keen to televise golf in a more compressed time-frame, in the belief that this will increase golfing TV audiences.

Golfers can go online after their game, registering to earn PowerPlay Golf® Dollars, climbing World Rankings and competing in user-generated PowerPlay Golf® Leagues both locally and around the world.

Former New Zealand Test cricket captain and ICC Cricket Hall Of Famer Sir Richard Hadlee, who scored a creditable 20 points, said: “It’s a clever game which needs thoughtful tactics and very good shot execution if you want to score well. It rewards good play and creates a lot of interest – the game can change very quickly if you use your PowerPlays well.”