One day last June, a typical day at Golf Digest’s New York headquarters was interrupted by the announcement of an emergency Zoom meeting.
A major strategy shift? No.
Breaking golf news? Not exactly.
Two staffers were going to a playoff in the season-long Golf Digest Match Play tournament, and a livestream was set up for the rest of us to watch.
There are plenty of examples of how Golf Digest strays from the standard workplace environment, but the passion surrounding our golf competitions might be most telling. We have other tournaments held in chaotic single-day bursts, but the Match Play unfolds over months in small, irresistible doses, the drama building along the way.
Much of the tournament resembles the format of a season-long match-play event held at many golf clubs. We have a random drawing to establish a bracket, and players are given a deadline to complete each round of matches. Most importantly, we rely on the handicap system to create a level playing field among a group of golfers that range from former Division I college players to beginners who have just learned the basics of the grip within the last year. Even among people who work in golf, there can be a misconception that a Handicap Index is reserved for serious players. But they soon learn signing up for one is easier than ever, opening up new opportunities for some of the greenest players on our staff. Just ask Greg Gottfried, a 30.6 index who took Daria Delfino, a former Match Play champ sporting a plus-1.5 index, to the 18th hole before losing in a dramatic opening-round match last week.
That the momentum shifts in that match were chronicled on a company Slack channel, and that the whole thing can be justified as “work,” is where our tournament might be unique. If pressed, we’d admit it’s still mostly about fun. But a golf event contested among a bunch of people who think about the game every day also helps crystallize some of the dynamics other players are consumed with as well.
A couple of years ago, a debate around conceded putts led us to consult the input of Ryder Cup hero Paul Azinger. Many of our matches feature the common matchup of men against women. And yes, there is ample discussion about why this person is getting this many strokes and this player isn’t.
Therein lies another defining quality of a Golf Digest golf tournament: no matter the topic, everyone has an opinion.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
