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Post by HappyFan on Oct 10, 2018 16:35:00 GMT
The International Crown is fast becoming one of the most exciting tournaments in women's golf. I certainly can't complain about the results this year  , and it does seem like the top teams rise to the top most of the time. But, is there room for improvement? How would you improve it? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Change the qualifications If I understand correctly, the teams get into the event based on the total ranking of their top four players. Thus a team with a lot of OK players like Taiwan (but no superstars) can outpoint teams with big stars like China. I think it might be better to do something like this: base qualification on having at least one player in the top 20, then one more player in the top 60. Add those rankings, and as long as there are two more players in, say, the top 300, that team qualifies. That way, we'd be much more likely to get teams in the competition with superstar players. I don't think New Zealand will ever make it, but I'd bet China or Canada might. You think they wouldn't like to have Henderson or Feng in there instead of Theresa Lu? 2. Change the finals I love the way the Kowa Queens handles the finals and think the International Crown should adopt it. Here's what I would do: After the team rounds, the top two teams from each bracket advance. No more fifth team. Reason: the fifth team is too far back to have any realistic chance of winning, why bother having them there? Next, split the remaining teams up into brackets, top scorer vs. bottom scorer and 2 vs 3. Reset the scores to zero. Have the ENTIRE TEAM play singles against that other team in the Sunday morning session. In the afternoon, the two winners play the same way for the Crown (you can have a consolation match if you want). So many reasons to do this, but the main ones: - it's less confusing. Right now it's so hard to follow what needs to happen in order for a team to win. This way it's obvious: every match counts. - Because every match counts, there won't be any inessential matches like sometimes happens. IK's win was more important than In Gee's because England was closer to winning than Sweden. But in my format, both matches are equally important. - In three Crowns, the Koreans and Americans have played exactly two matches and a one-hole playoff (and both matches were So Yeon vs. Thompson). You NEED to maximize the chance that the #1 and #2 teams will face each other in a meaningful matchup, or why bother having this at all? Imagine a Sunday final where Kerr battles Inbee, Sung Hyun Park takes on Wie, In Gee goes against Korda, AND we still have Thompson/Ryu? Yeah, I think it would be great, too! Any other ideas? |
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Post by longballbogey on Oct 10, 2018 17:00:09 GMT
The International Crown is fast becoming one of the most exciting tournaments in women's golf. I certainly can't complain about the results this year , and it does seem like the top teams rise to the top most of the time. But, is there room for improvement? How would you improve it? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Change the qualifications If I understand correctly, the teams get into the event based on the total ranking of their top four players. Thus a team with a lot of OK players like Taiwan (but no superstars) can outpoint teams with big stars like China. I think it might be better to do something like this: base qualification on having at least one player in the top 20, then one more player in the top 60. Add those rankings, and as long as there are two more players in, say, the top 300, that team qualifies. That way, we'd be much more likely to get teams in the competition with superstar players. I don't think New Zealand will ever make it, but I'd bet China or Canada might. You think they wouldn't like to have Henderson or Feng in there instead of Theresa Lu? 2. Change the finals I love the way the Kowa Queens handles the finals and think the International Crown should adopt it. Here's what I would do: After the team rounds, the top two teams from each bracket advance. No more fifth team. Reason: the fifth team is too far back to have any realistic chance of winning, why bother having them there? Next, split the remaining teams up into brackets, top scorer vs. bottom scorer and 2 vs 3. Reset the scores to zero. Have the ENTIRE TEAM play singles against that other team in the Sunday morning session. In the afternoon, the two winners play the same way for the Crown (you can have a consolation match if you want). So many reasons to do this, but the main ones: - it's less confusing. Right now it's so hard to follow what needs to happen in order for a team to win. This way it's obvious: every match counts. - Because every match counts, there won't be any inessential matches like sometimes happens. IK's win was more important than In Gee's because England was closer to winning than Sweden. But in my format, both matches are equally important. - In three Crowns, the Koreans and Americans have played exactly two matches and a one-hole playoff (and both matches were So Yeon vs. Thompson). You NEED to maximize the chance that the #1 and #2 teams will face each other in a meaningful matchup, or why bother having this at all? Imagine a Sunday final where Kerr battles Inbee, Sung Hyun Park takes on Wie, In Gee goes against Korda, AND we still have Thompson/Ryu? Yeah, I think it would be great, too! Any other ideas? I would like to see the top 2 teams (Korea n USA) compete against each other in 4 ball. Right they only have a chance to compete against each other in singles. |
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 10, 2018 18:40:27 GMT
I think the event will improve with time as the world improves at golf. That is to say, it seems that the golf world is not quite big enough for an 8-team inter-country melee. Not one that is thoroughly compelling at least. I am thinking specifically of Taiwan's craptastic performance this year, and also of Spain's pitiful inability to even qualify, going on four years now.
Or I could very well be completely wrong and what the event could actually use is a few more teams at a time, like 12 and who knows? Maybe you'd might see a scrappy underdog team ride a wave and win every so often. Arguably that is what happened at the first IC with Spain. I do remember that being a entertaining watch and I'm not even a fan of any Spaniards.
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Post by SoYeonFan on Oct 10, 2018 19:05:41 GMT
If the only focus is on the USA and Korea.
Why bother inviting the other teams if they don't count.
Just have a USA versus Korea match.
I like it the way it is, where all countries are as important as the top countries.
I also love watching Teresa Lu!!!
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Post by legitimategolf on Oct 10, 2018 19:12:46 GMT
Just have a USA versus Korea match. That used to be a fun proposition. However nowadays, given the diverging arcs of US and Korea women's golf, it feels like borderline bullying, to even discuss such an idea. |
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Post by HappyFan on Oct 11, 2018 5:40:31 GMT
I don't mind having the finals be singles, but... it wouldn't hurt to have one team match and two singles in my suggested final format. That would certainly add some intrigue to the planning, wouldn't it?
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Post by don on Oct 11, 2018 21:47:38 GMT
I don't mind having the finals be singles, but... it wouldn't hurt to have one team match and two singles in my suggested final format. That would certainly add some intrigue to the planning, wouldn't it? Singles on the last day takes a little air out of it. What makes team golf fun is seeing the players interact and celebrate. At the Ryder Cup the players are interacting w/ the fans more because there are only two teams. Who is a foreign player going to fist pump to in singles at this thing? Her caddie I guess. |
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Post by philknj on Oct 12, 2018 17:22:24 GMT
I don't see them eliminating the 5th team from the final (even though they have no chance of winning)...the current set-up makes every match look meaningful during Round One thru Round Three. However, the three-way playoff for the 5th spot was the height of suckitude. First, they did it on a shortened tricked-up par-4...Thailand with Ariya 51 must have bought off the rules committee on that call. Plus, only two of the four players from each team were used...we're trying to figure out the 5th best team, so let's use everybody. Australia, who went into the playoff with a winning record, must feel they got jobbed by a downtown chip shot that could not be repeated if you had 25 more chances.
I disagree with making entrance "modifications" for countries like China and Canada, because they have no bench strength. I like the combined Rolex Ranking TEAM aspect...if your country stinks, too bad. China might get back in next time if Yu Liu turns out to be really good...but, I'm not too optimistic about the Cannucks. Also, I have no problem with denying the defending champ an automatic birth in the next UL Crown...which won't be an issue in 2020!
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Post by HappyFan on Oct 12, 2018 23:22:43 GMT
Australia, who went into the playoff with a winning record, must feel they got jobbed by a downtown chip shot that could not be repeated if you had 25 more chances. Yup. |
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Post by IceCat on Oct 13, 2018 8:53:22 GMT
I don't see them eliminating the 5th team from the final (even though they have no chance of winning)...the current set-up makes every match look meaningful during Round One thru Round Three. However, the three-way playoff for the 5th spot was the height of suckitude. First, they did it on a shortened tricked-up par-4...Thailand with Ariya 51 must have bought off the rules committee on that call. Plus, only two of the four players from each team were used...we're trying to figure out the 5th best team, so let's use everybody. Australia, who went into the playoff with a winning record, must feel they got jobbed by a downtown chip shot that could not be repeated if you had 25 more chances. I disagree with making entrance "modifications" for countries like China and Canada, because they have no bench strength. I like the combined Rolex Ranking TEAM aspect...if your country stinks, too bad. China might get back in next time if Yu Liu turns out to be really good...but, I'm not too optimistic about the Cannucks. Also, I have no problem with denying the defending champ an automatic birth in the next UL Crown...which won't be an issue in 2020! Kevin |
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Post by HappyFan on Oct 13, 2018 21:14:42 GMT
How do you feel about guaranteeing a spot in the Crown for the host country? Right now, it's tough to have the event anywhere other than Korea or the US, because almost any other country could conceivably not qualify, and that would suck if they were the host that year.
Personally, I'm OK with giving the host country a bye. They do that at the Olympics, where a host country automatically qualifies for every sport, even if they would not normally be able to compete.
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, and it does seem like the top teams rise to the top most of the time. But, is there room for improvement? How would you improve it?
