Math and Flipping Discs for Doubles

[randomatt]

This sounds amazing

We used to use the cards to pair people up. It is very simple, and quick. However, it is totally random and therefore, often the top two players get paired together and just blow everyone else away. While this may be fun for the two top players, newbies and lesser players get very discouraged and lose interest from the start because they know they don't stand a chance.
So, my assistant developed a phone app that we use now. We use players handicaps from our singles league (or assign a number to players who have not played in our handicap league before based on their level of play). Each players name is already entered in the app (new players are very easily added on site). I simply tap on each players name who shows up for doubles and hit start and the app automatically divides all the players into 2 groups according to their handicap. Upper division players and lower division players. Then it randomly selects a player from each group and pairs them together so that all teams are evenly matched. We have found this is much more fair and everyone has a shot at winning. Only 1 time have we had the top upper division player matched with the top lower division player, and yes, they did end up winning, but it was close.
If there is an odd number of players, the player who's rating is in the middle is the wildman.

Is the app available in the app store? This app sounds incredibly helpful (and fair).

 

[optidiscic]

we do 2 pools as well
initially a few of the pros whined
we never have the 2 best or 2 worst together and its usually very competitive
interestingly our numbers double and triple the turnouts at other nearby courses who adhere to the completely random method
Moral of story
dont ever let yourself by selfish entitled local pros....its a trap lol

 

[scarpfish]

We used to use the cards to pair people up. It is very simple, and quick. However, it is totally random and therefore, often the top two players get paired together and just blow everyone else away. While this may be fun for the two top players, newbies and lesser players get very discouraged and lose interest from the start because they know they don't stand a chance.

This could be solved with the card method simply by having the big guns draw from a small number of non-matching cards. You can similarly have the bottom people do the same thing to avoid two of them from getting paired. Then you reshuffle the rest of the deck and everyone else draws.

If there is an odd number of players, the player who's rating is in the middle is the wildman.

Which to me, isn't terribly fair to those folks who are perpetually in the middle.

 

[tampora]

This would all be solved by instituting two rules.

1. Once it is obvious that a smaller group has an even number of people of eight or less amongst it, players in that group must partner with someone in that group. If you get singled out of one of these groups, you will stand put and wait until another person gets singled out. That person is your partner.

2. Players who get singled out of an odd numbered group, or any group of ten people or more (not likely), will go to a predesignated area and wait until all players are partnered or resigned to the same fate. Then all of the odd men out will group and resume flipping.

In regards to your proposed rule 1:
Start with 8 players and flip once.
We get 7 heads and 1 tails(Alex). That tails person (Alex) waits for the next odd-man-out.
Flip again and we get 3 heads and 4 tails.
There is no odd-man-out yet, so we must make these two groups of 3 players flip again.

After this flip we get:
2 Heads and 1 Tail(Bob) in the first group
3 Heads and 1 Tail(Charles) in the second group

After a final flip for the 3 remaining Heads, we get:
2 Heads and 1 Tail(David)

But now we have a problem. Who is the partner for Alex? Is it Bob or Charles? By rule 2, Charles would go to the designated area for odd-men-out since he were singled out of a group of 3 flippers. But, he is the only one to do so in a group of 8 flippers.

This is quickly becoming a multi-leveled exercise in logic.

The pre-designated area gives an idea though. Both rules could be covered by saying anyone who, at any time ever, is an odd man out, goes to the designated area AND DOES NOT FLIP ANYMORE. Once all flips are done, everyone will either have a partner, or be in the designated area. Then repeat the process. At NO TIME EVER do two odd-men-out become partners.

 

[bogeyfreetilinfinity]

This is how we do it. Heads uphill, tails downhill, odds to the teepad. Once all the odds are weeded out and at the tee, flipping starts over. This happens with over thirty folks often and is simpler and more fun than cards.

 

[scarpfish]

In regards to your proposed rule 1:
Start with 8 players and flip once.
We get 7 heads and 1 tails(Alex). That tails person (Alex) waits for the next odd-man-out.
Flip again and we get 3 heads and 4 tails.
There is no odd-man-out yet, so we must make these two groups of 3 players flip again.

After this flip we get:
2 Heads and 1 Tail(Bob) in the first group
3 Heads and 1 Tail(Charles) in the second group

But now we have a problem. Who is the partner for Alex? Is it Bob or Charles?

You have an even numbered group (4), which will eventually result in two pairings, and an odd numbered group (3), which will eventually result in a second odd man out, i.e. Alex's partner, i.e. Bob.

After a final flip for the 3 remaining Heads, we get:
2 Heads and 1 Tail(David)

By rule 2, Charles would go to the designated area for odd-men-out since he were singled out of a group of 3 flippers. But, he is the only one to do so in a group of 8 flippers.

No he would not, as he was in an even group of 8 or less to start with. Once you are in such a group, you are locked to it, and any odd man out in such a group will eventually be paired with a second odd man out. Its mathematical certainty. Charles would be paired with the second odd man out, David. The designated area is only for people who get singled out of odd numbered groups.

 

[damagedLIVER]

This is quickly becoming a multi-leveled exercise in logic.

It doesn't have to! You guys are making it more difficult than it needs to be. If it is this hard to get a group of people split up so that you can actually play golf, then maybe you need to find some different people to golf with.

 

[tampora]

It doesn't have to! You guys are making it more difficult than it needs to be. If it is this hard to get a group of people split up so that you can actually play golf, then maybe you need to find some different people to golf with.

You missed the point. Of course it's not difficult to use whatever (noncomplete) method you want. The point is whether or not such a system is fair and random.

 

[blarmour]

No, it is not in the App store. This is an App that my Assistant TD created just for us. On some point in the future he may make it available to all. I will post it if he does. And by the way, it IS incredibly fair and everyone loves it, especially me as the TD. Makes my job much easier and very quick.

 

[blarmour]

Which to me, isn't terribly fair to those folks who are perpetually in the middle.[/QUOTE]

We are pretty lucky in the fact that most of the time we do have an even number of players. On the weeks when we do have an odd number, there is enough player improvement, new players, players falling that the same person is never in the middle and playing the wildman.
I would love to be the wildman everytime, and so would several of our players so I don't see that as a bad thing.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

Oh you're crazy!

 

[MrFixIt]

Matt Dollar ran our league at Mathews Park last season. He had numbered nickels that he would place face down on the table and everyone grabbed one.
Matching #'s were partners.

 

[threevok]

Matt Dollar ran our league at Mathews Park last season. He had numbered nickels that he would place face down on the table and everyone grabbed one.
Matching #'s were partners.

I'd expect something like this from Max Nichols, but Matt Dollar?

 

[MrFixIt]

I'd expect something like this from Max Nichols, but Matt Dollar?

I see what you did there...