Tournament Format 📜

Friday Round Robin

 → 3 nine-hole matches & 1 nine-hole team scramble

Matches, 2-person vs. 2-person scramble match play

10 points possible for each match

1 point per hole won

1/2 point per hole halved

0 points for losing a hole

1 point for the match-winner

1/2 point for a tied match.

→ Record both the points and score on the scorecard.

→ You are able to concede putts to opponents (say that’s good if putt is close my goodness).

4-Person Team Scramble

1 point for birdie 🦜

2 points for eagle 🦅

→ In the 4-person scramble, if you have missed your birdie shot, pick up and move on to the next hole.

→  NEW: Skins game for 4-person scramble

Saturday Championship Bracket Play

→ Standard match play, both teams will split into pairs of two.

→ NEW: Your team is playing two individual 2-person scramble matches, versus the opposing 2 players you're paired with.

→ The aggregate total of up or down between the two matches will determine the winner.

→ If you win a hole you are 1UP, if you lose a hole you are 1DN.

→ Tied holes are a push; there is no carry-over.

→ Team that is up at the end of the 9 holes is the match-winner.

→ If tied after the ninth hole, there will be sudden-death playoff holes. 

Rules

All participants will be playing from the INVY TEES. Tees will be highlighted on the scorecard.

→ Both teammates are allowed one club length, no closer to the hole, from the original spot of the ball (with exception to the green and hazards).

→ Both players can “fluff” to a preferred lie, as long as it is within a club length of the original position.

→ If a ball is in the rough, sand, or fairway, both shots must be hit from the original type of playing ground.

→ Red and Yellow staked areas are hazards. The player who hit the ball into the hazard must play the ball as it lies, no fluff. Teammate is allowed one scorecard length, no closer to the hole.

→ All out of bounds will be played as lateral hazard (one penalty stroke). You may NOT play a ball in white stakes. 

Team & Player Bios 📃

Bios brought to you by Nick Latzke

Team 1: Birdie Bombers 💣

💣 About the Birdie Bombers: 3 of your defending Champions look to run it back once again captained by Jimmy Farrow, who showcased the true way of how to wear a C on your chest last year, en route to the Back 9 Bandits title. Haven’t seen anything like it since Charlie Conway on the Ducks. He once again squads up with his bash brother Cam Posey aka Fulton Reed, who also has won twice in a row with Jimmy, and last years MVP Cullen McNeill aka Adam Banks. Joining them is Kevin Sampson aka Goldberg. 

Not much analysis to give out here, other than this squad will definitely have a target on their backs. From the Back 9 Bandits to Birdie Bombers… does “BB” have a deeper meaning for ‘Back to Back’? We shall see. If this team doesn’t repeat though, I wonder why..?  (No pressure, Kev). 

Team 2: Spicer Green Jackets 🌺

🌺 About the Spicer Green Jackets: Our fearless leader and host Austin Harrington returns 2 years after finally getting a taste of glory, seeking to reclaim the title. Things will look a little different this time around though, as he joins up with 3 players he’s never played with before. For the first time ever, watch out for team Chem to play a potential factor for Stix’s squad. 

Joining him is the steady always improving Mebo Tyson, the 2nd year analytics savant Mr. Kenpom Adrian Trow, and Chaka Nichols. Last year this bunch floated around 2nd-6th place finishes and they’ll look to come together to become first-time champions for the latter 3 members (and first-time champs for all 4 if you don’t count the Koronis Hills asterisk) 

Worth noting that Nichols has apparently hired famous swing coach Butch Harmon. If Chaka can transform his 1,500 max deadlift power into power drives, watch out.

Team 3: Goldmembers ⭐️

⭐️ About the Goldmembers: Tom Schutt just barely saved his legacy last year from nearly becoming a 2-time Spieth player and 2-time last place finisher… and now he adds to that pressure as a 1st Time Captain. Joining him is Nicky Boyce who is looking to combine the ever so-coveted Fantasy + Spieth titles, along with The Dude Tanner Haines, and we welcome back Bryce Tuma. 

The Bryce is Right may have some rust to knock off as he’s been reading Dr Seuss as opposed to greens for the past 12 months, however any Spieth veteran knows that he’s a gamer. This should fit nicely as you look across this team, as it’s a very competitive bunch. The 2 biggest hurdles in their way may be both falling on Haines’ shoulders as he looks to avoid breaking his driver again and breaking a BAC level of 0.2. 

Team 4: Rookie Fowlers ✴️

✴️ About the Rookie Fowlers: The last time we saw 3 Rookies at the Spieth, the Space Jam Scramblers let the Monstars get to them and coined a last place finish. Captain Sammy will be doing whatever it takes to avoid history repeating itself, as that would also lead to a repeat last place finish for someone for the first time in Spieth history. Somewhere in the hills of France, Nostradamus is turning in his grave in anticipation. 

However, if the Rookies glance at Warner’s resume and stop at 2020, they should come in very excited as he put together arguably the most impressive run we’ve ever seen at the Invy, and to many is still considered the SSI Goat (Skip Bayless would disagree, though - as he calls him Scam Warner) 

Joining him from our highly esteemed Rookie class is the in-law Joe Ford, and a couple of fellow former Skipper baseball players in Alex Laporte and Michael Prochno. If Paul Twenge can speak some words of wisdom into this crew, they may just have the depth combined with Sammy’s elite status to make a deep run.

Team 5: Marlboro Freds 🚬

🚬 About the Marlboro Freds: Captain Web returns with a hunchback of Notre Dame sized chip on his shoulder after back to back last game place appearances, but the fact he won both of those matches shows why he is the ultimate gamer at the Spieth, who embraces pressure like no other. Joining him are the former champion Jhene‘s Groceries duo of Matt Galloway and Sean Devine (great to see them back together, it just feels right) and Mr. “I’m coming for MIP” Adam Fredericks. Freddy, who has been training in Afghanistan this past winter while he was scouting out Bach party and Wedding venues is rumored to be showing up with the best bunker game that the Spieth has ever seen. 

This is another squad with great depth, and the Fred’s definitely have their sights set high - I’d be shocked if we see Web battling for last place again. Watch out for this team.

Team 6: Bone Thugs-N-Parmony 🦴

🦴 About the Bone Thugs-N-Parmony: No one in the field was more ecstatic after Selection Spiethday than Captain Nick Latzke, finally getting to squad up with his brother Mark LaPointe. Joining him is Kyle Dalton where they have unfinished business after House Pargaryen’s Friday success followed by Saturday’s downfall in 2023. Rounding out the bunch is the veteran Ryan Bradley who has been so locked into film study and practice sessions, that he’s completely gone off the grid and permanently turned off his cell phone in preparation for the Invy. 

This squad has more depth than the Mariana Trench, but their biggest obstacle will be can they string together the ever so important Birdies when it counts. 

Team 7: Driplomats💧

💧 About the Driplomats: The OG Wolfpack of Dolan, Stein, and Schroeder welcomes Alan aka Big Z to join their crew to complete a team full of electric personalities. Wherever Kendall Ray Bryan is nowadays, this is likely the squad she’s pulling for. Last year Shradz and Z were Rookies and now Stein joins in, giving the sole veteran Dolan a tall task of making sure his youthful squad is prepared for the challenges of Las Vegas/Little Crow. One can only hope that Mike Epps’ Doug did his thing to take away the memories of the 3 returners, as this is the only squad that does not have anyone from a previous Spieth championship team (even including Ryder Cups).  

They’ll be looking to change that this year and cement their legacies, and don’t be surprised if it happens as they brings a great balance of elite skill and depth to the forefront.

Team 8: Sunday Red 🐅

🐅 About the Sunday Red: Coming off of his MIP victory, Gabe Boyce has received a C on his chest for the first time ever. 2 years ago he was asked if he’ll ever be a Captain at the Spieth to which he replied “maybe if we play flag football”. Gotta respect the humility, but this Captaincy was well earned - congrats Gabe. Joining him is the reigning ROY Todd Kollodge, Andrew Shotwell, and Rookie Alex Eernisse.

A team with some Concordia Bear firepower,  they’ll look to transfer their skills from the Diamond to the Links. One of the things to watch with this squad is the rivalry between Farrow and Kollodge. At Zorbazs Saturday night, an electric back and forth between the two ended when Farrow silenced Todd quickly by flashing the trophy in his face. Shotwell spent the offseason doing a unique training regime of playing catch with George Kittle and receiving punts from Johnny Hekker in an attempt to add versatility to his game. Someone please keep him away from the beer, though.

This is the end, see you boys on Thursday, May 16th!!!