Continental Europe won the first two matches of the day before securing a narrow 3-2 lead over Great Britain and Ireland  against after the opening session of fourballs matches at the Hero Cup, a new team matchplay tournament that is being held at Abu Dhabi Golf Club this week.

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and Swede Alex Noren defeated GB&I Captain Tommy Fleetwood and Ireland’s Shane Lowry 1up in a thrilling opening clash at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

The Continental Europe pairing were 3up at the turn before Fleetwood and Lowry fought back to all square through 15 holes, but Noren – a man with a history of holing important putts on the final hole – rolled in a birdie on the 18th to secure the first point for his side.

Belgian Thomas Detry and France’s Antoine Rozner were two down against English duo Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith after four holes, but recovered well to secure a 2up victory, with Detry finishing in a style with an eagle at the last to celebrate his 30th birthday.

Italy’s Guido Migliozzi and Frenchman Victor Perez, representing Continental Europe, secured a half against the second all-English pairing of Callum Shinkwin and Matt Wallace in a match of high quality, while Robert MacIntyre and Séamus Power secured the largest margin of victory on day one, defeating Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Austrian Sepp Straka 4&3 to earn GB&I’s first winning point.

With the final match finishing after 15 holes, it was left to Continental Europe Captain Francesco Molinari and Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard to try and extend their team’s lead, however Richard Mansell matched Højgaard’s closing birdie to ensure the Englishman and Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson closed day one with a half.

Tommy Fleetwood said: “I think it was a good team performance on the first day. I know we would loved to have finished the day and been the right side of the scoreboard and been up. Unbelievable really that four matches go down the last. Just shows how close the teams are in terms of levels.

“I think in the end, to get out of that session 3-2, we’ll definitely go back to our team rooms feeling the better, and the guys, I just said to the guys, that’s why those guys are at the back, trust them to get something out of it at the last and be very tough coming down that last hole.”

Francesco Molinari added “I’m really happy and proud of how we started today. I think obviously a lot of tight matches which is good for Luke [Donald] and his Ryder Cup vice captains to see. My guys did amazing. Obviously it’s a nice start, long way to go but it’s always nice winning a day, winning a session.”

To see all the scores and a live leaderboard from the Hero Cup, click here.

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Many folks assume that you can’t play any fun golf games unless you have an even number of players.

For that reason, most people will limit their golf groups to either 2 or 4 people. However, as you’ll soon discover in this article, that isn’t necessary.

A foursome may be the most common grouping on the golf course, but there are tons of fantastic games that can be played with 5 golfers. Let’s look at some of the best five-person games for your next round of golf.

After trying out a few of these fun games, you’ll find that there’s just something special about playing golf in a team format.

1. Two Carts

Here’s a fantastic golf game for 5 players, and it’s a great way to get some added exercise. As the game’s name implies, only 2 carts can be driven. This means that there are only enough seats for 4 golfers.

All 5 players will tee off on the first hole and abide by regular stroke play rules. Each golfer plays their own ball and adds up their shots. At the end of the hole, the golfer with the highest number of strokes has to walk the next hole.

This game is loads of fun because the other 4 players get to comfortably ride in the carts and crack jokes at the loser who has to walk. However, the loser can get a seat back in one of the carts on the next hole if they don’t shoot the highest net score again. This game is easy to play, and everyone will enjoy it.

2. Wolf

We wrote an in-depth piece on how to play Wolf and how much fun it can be for larger groups of golfers. Wolf is possibly the most popular golf gambling game on the planet because the stakes can be whatever the group decides. Here’s how it works:

Gather near the first tee box to decide who gets to be the wolf on the first hole. The easiest way to do this is to spin a tee until the rotation of play is established. Each player will take turns being the wolf.

The advantage of being the wolf is that you can decide whether you want to play with a teammate or as the lone wolf. If the team format is chosen, each team will play a best ball scramble after each golfer has hit their tee shots. The wolf also gets the privilege of being the first player to tee off on that hole.

After the wolf hits their tee ball, he can announce that he’s the lone wolf or wait until others hit their tee shots. However, if the wolf wants to team up with another golfer, he must announce it directly after their tee shot.

If the lone wolf wins the hole, they get 2 points instead of just one. The other 4 players get 1 point each if the lone wolf loses the hole. If the team format is chosen, each player on the winning team receives one point at the end of the hole.

Another great thing about Wolf is that there are a ton of variations, which means that golfers will never get bored with it. For example, players can agree to play for a set amount or change their bets on each hole.

3. Round Robin

Want a golf game that keeps things fresh and is never dull? Round Robin is an excellent choice for a group of 5 golfers because the matchups change every 3 or every 6 holes. This keeps one team from dominating the entire round of golf.

When playing Round Robin, the format is that a team of 3 golfers takes on the other 2. Once either 3 or 6 holes have been played, the rotation changes, and the golfers must re-pair.

Need help deciding who to re-pair with? Golfers can take turns spinning a tee (just like in Wolf). Whichever person the tee points to is your partner.

Golfers can also toss golf balls toward a target and decide the groups based on the closest golf balls. In Round Robin, each golfer should keep up with their own score and how many matches they won. The winner is whoever won the most matches at the end of the round.

4. Best Ball Scramble

This game is perfect for beginners, those with high handicaps, or a group that just wants to have a good time. The beauty of the Best Ball Scramble is that everyone is on the same team! On a side note, I might’ve given up learning how to play golf if not for this game.

In Best Ball Scramble, each golfer hits their own ball off the tee. The players will then decide which person had the best drive, and everyone will hit their second shot from that position. The rotation continues until the hole is completed.

Once the hole is finished, the team of 5 records its score. Best Ball Scramble is one of the most fun golf games out there, and it’s even more enjoyable with a few adult beverages.

5. High vs. Low

High vs. Low is usually played with a foursome, but it works well for a group of 5. In this game, the 2 golfers with the lowest handicaps team up against the 3 golfers with the highest handicaps.

The teams will follow the best ball scramble format and record their scores after each hole. Though the logic may sound a bit weird, there’s not much of an advantage for the low handicappers because the threesome is getting to hit an extra shot.

If one team beats the other pretty badly, you can switch the teams up after 9 holes have been played. The goal is to make things as fun and competitive as possible.

6. Stableford

This game is a favorite of scratch golfers or those with low handicaps. Instead of traditional stroke play, Stableford follows its own unique scoring system. An albatross is worth 5 points, eagles score you 4, birdies count as 3, pars count as 2, and a bogey gets you 1 point.

Double bogeys, or worse, don’t come with any points. A nice thing about Stableford is that it doesn’t penalize a golfer too severely after a bad hole. They simply won’t get any points for that hole.

When playing Stableford, the player with the highest score wins instead of the lowest, like in regular stroke play. Another cool thing about Stableford is that it works well for a group of 5 golfers. Golfers can decide before the round if they want to team up with a 2 vs. 3 format or play every golfer for themselves.

7. Captain’s Choice

Here’s another outstanding golf game for larger groups. Tear up a sheet of paper into 5 pieces and number each piece 1 through 5. Have each golfer draw out a number.

The rotation of the teams depends on the number you draw. Numbers 1 and 4 will face off against Numbers 2 and 3. The one who draws Number 5 is a wild card, and they must switch teams every 3 holes.

Each team will play a best-ball scramble. This is a neat feature of Captain’s Choice because the Number 5 golfer can help both teams quite a bit. Each player should keep their own scorecard to determine if the Number 5 golfer belongs to the winning or losing team.

After half the round is completed, the golfers can vote on whether they want to change up the teams or keep them the same for another 9 holes.

8. Ghost

Not a lot of golfers have heard of Ghost, and no were aren’t talking about the classic movie with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. Ghost is the perfect solution for any group of golfers with an odd number. The ghost is an imaginary player who plays on the team with the least number of players.

Before you get all weirded out and think that Ghost is just an imaginary game for kid golfers, let us explain. If a group of 5 golfers wants to play a team match, they’ll split up as 3 vs. 2. The ghost will play on the team with only 2 golfers.

Here’s the dirty little secret about the ghost: he’s a scratch golfer that shoots par on every hole. That means that whichever team the ghost plays on can do no worse than par! Each team will play a best-ball scramble, record their scores, and the ghost can give handicap strokes on certain holes.

A lot of folks like Ghost because it can easily be played with match play or stroke play rules. The team who plays with the ghost can let it all hang out and take greater risks. This can lead to some incredibly good or incredibly bad shots, which will lead to lots of laughs on the golf course.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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The 14th edition of the Presidents Cup begins Thursday as the United States attempts to defend the cup following its victory in the last edition of the event in 2019. Boasting an 11-1-1 all-time record, the U.S. side is filled with confidence as it features the world No. 1, major championship winners and players who have previously thrived at Quail Hollow

 Favored substantially to win the 2022 Presidents Cup, the Americans will look to get off to a fast start in foursomes on Day 1. Captain Davis Love III has chosen a traditional route in his pairings with some common partnerships, while International captain Trevor Immelman has gone down a different path. 

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will headline for the U.S. attempting to jumpstart the home crowd in the first match. The 2022 Zurich Classic winners put their 4-0-0 foursomes record on the line versus Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama. This is a pair Immelman will likely rely on moving forward, and a victory on Day 1 could give the entirety of his team a bolster of confidence. 

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas will follow for the U.S. and face the ball-striking duo Corey Conners and Sungjae Im. It was thought Conners would be paired with his fellow countryman Taylor Pendrith, yet instead, Immelman chose to pair him with arguably his best player. If you like crisp iron play, this is your match.

Fellow countrymen K.H. Lee and Tom Kim will experience their first Presidents Cup match together. The two rookies face a pair of American rookies in Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa in the third match. Morikawa is the only player in this group with any team experience as he debuted at the 2021 Ryder Cup. 

Good friends Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler will bat clean up for the Americans. They combined for seven victories throughout the 2021-22 season and face a volatile Si Woo Kim and Cameron Davis. This is a match that could be finished after 12 holes or go the distance — nothing in between.

Bringing up the caboose are two of the most likable players on tour in Tony Finau and Max Homa. With three combined victories since the end of July, this is a strong U.S. partnership and go up against a pair of international rookies Mito Pereira and Taylor Pendrith in the final match of Day 1. Billy Horschel and Kevin Kisner will be sidelined for the U.S. on Thursday as will Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Sebastian Munoz for the internationals.

Foursomes has been a format which has historically favored the U.S. team. Since 2007, it holds a 30-point edge over the International side in these specific sessions. If the underdogs expect to hang around early and keep this competitive, they will need to hold serve on Day 1 and put their flag on the board at least twice.

Here’s a look at all the pairings on Day 1 of the 2022 Presidents Cup. Don’t miss our complete Presidents Cup TV schedule and coverage guide so you can check out the action all weekend long. All times Eastern

2022 Presidents Cup pairings

Day 1 — Foursomes

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Six years after his stunning victory at Augusta, Danny Willett is bidding to get his game back into top gear as he returns to the scene of his finest hour and embarks on his 14th season on tour

As he heads off to the airport to travel to Augusta next month, there must be a moment when Danny Willet has to pinch himself that he is a member of exalted group of 90 players who have earned the right to call themselves a ‘Masters champion’.

But whatever else the 34-year-old Yorkshireman is able to achieve in the rest of his career, nothing, perhaps baring a victory in the Open Championship at St Andrews next month, will come close to the elation, and the global recognition, that comes with bagging that cherished title.

“There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about winning the Masters,” he says. “I can remember almost every shot I hit, and I remember how I felt at each point throughout the week. It’s amazing how you get the same feelings on weeks when you win or do well. Clearly it’s not easy to replicate that feeling, but that week in April was unforgettable to say the least.”

Willett, while acknowledging that the win in Georgia back in 2016 changed his life for ever, is also mindful that it signalled the beginning of what has been a very frustrating period of what, by any standards, has been an extremely successful career which began on a council-run course in Sheffield and has so far yielded a major title, seven European Tour wins and almost €20m in prize money.

By his own admission, winning the Masters was both the pinnacle of his career and a curse. While he had achieved his childhood dream, the many lucrative and high profile opportunities which subsequently came his way pushed his already fragile back to breaking point. 

“I was on painkillers when I won the Masters,” he reveals. “Back then it was becoming an issue, but not a huge issue. And then I played and travelled a lot more than I’d planned. I went and played in America, Asia, and my body didn’t cope great with it. In the back of my mind I constantly knew that there was an underlying problem, and any moment it could spring up and hinder my performance. So I was competing and almost waiting for something bad to happen, instead of being completely clear of thoughts, and just actually enjoying the game.”

As the pain worsened, so did the results. Over the course of the next two seasons his world ranking dropped from a high of nine to something in the highs 400s, and there were times, Willett says, when he was almost too ashamed to show up for tournaments. 

“I got to a point where I was feeling like there was almost no point actually playing, because I wasn’t gonna play any good,” he recalls. “I wasn’t living to up to the stature I’d created for myself. It’s embarrassing when you pitch up at golf events and people are expecting you to play pretty well, you’re a Masters champion, and you don’t perform. I was just taking spots and making numbers, which is never a good thing if you’re trying to be a professional golfer.”

Eventually, Willett took drastic steps. He split with his long-time coach and caddy, both of whom had been with him since he started out on the tour, and turned to Canadian golf instructor Sean Foley. Over the course of the next 18 months the pair slowly rebuilt Willett’s golf swing to reduce the strain on his back. 

“I kind of rebuilt the whole team to focus entirely on working on the movement patterns of the golf swing,” he says. “It took a long, long time to sift through all the underlying areas that were causing problems, which meant it took the best part of two months before I was fully pain free again. It’s only been over the last two seasons that I’ve actually been able to focus on performance again. The scores haven’t always been that great, but just being pain-free means I can see that I’m going in the right direction.”

While his physical health has slowly improved over time, Willett says it wasn’t always easy to watch his ranking plummeting. By the time it had dipped into the 400s, he simply tried to see the funny side. 

“There were times I’d look at it and you’d just have to giggle because you know the player that you can be,” he says. “But it got to a stage where it was so poor that there was no point really paying attention to it. It’s how the rankings work. It’s easy to drop a long way down when all your points come off from when you were playing well, but it’s also easy to jump up pretty quickly. Lee Westwood fell all the way down and then came back to no 1; Henrik Stenson has had a couple of topples in his career and came back, Sergio [Garcia] the same. And, of course, Tiger fell all the way down and came back up to the top, before he got injured again.”

Woods’ remarkable rise back in 2018 proved a source of inspiration for Willett. And just like Woods, Willett slowly began to mount something of a comeback. At the end of the 2018 season he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to break back into the world’s top 100, and the following year he won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, beating Jon Rahm by three shots, to further remind himself, and the world, that he wasn’t quite ready to wave the white flag. 

The last two seasons, both of which were disrupted by Covid – which he also caught himself – have yielded some inconsistent results, but Willett rounded out the 2021 season with a confidence-boosting win at the Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews, the eighth of his 14-year career on the European Tour. 

“I know that my results have been a bit mixed in recent seasons, but I moved out to America full-time with the family in 2018, and it’s taken some time to find my feet on the PGA Tour. It was a bit of a learning phase, trying to find which courses I liked, how to go about things, but the wins, although achieved in Europe, have underlined that when things click, I still have the game to compete, and more importantly, to win.” 

Willett describes himself as being on a clearer path these days which has helped him with the mental side of the game. In the past he’s often referred to a battle with ‘inner noise’ while out on the golf course, and he says that at times during past season he was hitting shots whilst inwardly questioning whether he would ever play again.

“It’s a strange old game when you’re not playing well,” he says. “Everything seems to be against you. You get the bad breaks, and everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. And in the past when I wasn’t playing very good, I’d find myself asking questions like, ‘How good are you ever gonna be?’, ‘Are you going to give up?’ But being technically better has allowed me to think so much clearer out there. 

“For me, the mental side of golf is a chicken and egg thing. If I’m playing great, then there’s no reason why I should be in a bad place. While if I’m struggling with my game, then the psychology part is a pretty tricky one, because you end up asking yourself a lot of questions that you don’t really know the answers to. And that’s when it gets hard to actually concentrate on the game, because there’s so many other things going on in there!”

But having gone through such a tough period, Willett now feels he’s a lot more resilient through the bad patches, as he attempts to make his way back up to the top 100 and beyond.

“Before, everything was based around me playing good golf, but 

now I’ve come to realise that if I hit a couple of bad shots, it’s not the end of the world,” he says. “Everyone hits bad shots. If you’re relying so heavily on results to keep you happier on a golf course, that’s a pretty vulnerable place to be. Now I just feel that if I keep doing the right things, inevitably something good will come of it.”

Can Willett avoid being a permanent one-hit wonder, and add to his tally of major titles? While he dreams of once again being in contention down the final straight, for now he’s simply enjoying the thrill of competing pain-free.

“I’ve not really got any long term goals,” he says. “Out of all the sports, I think this is one of the most difficult, because you can’t control what other people are doing, what the weather’s doing, so I think career goals is a completely pointless aspect. 

“But it’s a big difference to be able to play without pain again, and know that what you’re working on has helped you to get that way. I was 29 when me and Foles got together, and I wasn’t sure how long my career was gonna be. But now my body’s in good shape, I’ve got maybe another 10 years, which is a pretty long time. That’s the main thing really, this is my 14th year of being a professional, and I want my career to be as long as it possibly can and as good as it possibly can.”

Asked whether a return to St Andrews for this year’s Open Championship, scene of two of his European Tour wins, might bring about a second major title, Willett remains cautious, but upbeat.

“I played alongside Zach Johnson the year that he won in 2015, and I finished sixth. I like the golf course and I enjoy the set up for the Open. It’s an interesting golf course. It gives you ways out. If you are nervous, you aim down the left on any hole you want. If you’re out of position a little bit too much, you can’t get to a few of the flags. But, as I said, I like the course and I’ve had some good experiences around there, so it will be interesting to give it a shot.”

In the meantime, Willett has the small matter of preparing for a return to the Masters, in what will be his eighth appearance at the season’s first major. The tournament has not been kind to him since his win with four missed cuts from five attempts, although a tied 25th in 2020, gave him a lift.

After that, Willett will be back on hosting duties at the British Masters at The Belfry in May, a role he enjoyed last year when it was also hosted at the iconic Midlands venue. Being a proud Englishman, it’s a tournament he would dearly love to win, but it’s a feat that has so far proved elusive to its hosts, with Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood all unable to present themselves with the trophy.

“I can see why others haven’t performed well on the course when they’ve hosted,” says Willett. “You want to try and play well and put a good performance in, but you also want to make sure the week goes as planned for other people as well as yourself, so it’s a tricky one. I can see why guys have struggled in the past, but fingers crossed I can change that and have a nice week.”

We’ve all got them crossed, Danny. 

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Getting the most from your Golf Society or Charity Event

Planning a Golf Day

Organising a golf day of any magnitude is not as easy as people make out. Therefore it’s very important that you find volunteers to help, before, during and after the event. 

This will help in making decisions that leave no stone unturned and important things don’t get forgotten. 

The venue choice is very important. Choosing a golf course that’s not too difficult, well-manicured and with limited rough, while still offering many challenges – this will keep players of all abilities wanting to join the day and support the event. 

The clubhouse should also be able to cater for many people during the day, and at an evening function, if that’s what you’re offering. 

Organisers prefer member’s clubs because they benefit more from holding an event and are more attentive than the popular corporate venues. They also seem to give better value for money.

Format

Choose a format that people will enjoy, based on players’ handicaps and abilities. Here are a few suggestions:

• Texas Scramble – Very popular for beginners, those new to the game and non-golfers.
• Best Ball – Either in teams of 2, 3 or 4 (Stableford is preferred as it helps with speed of play, however, stroke play is another option)
• Alternate Shot – Known as Foursomes, it’s not common on golf days but can be fun.
• Waltz (123, 123) – Teams of 3 with 1 out 3 scores to count on first hole, 2 out 3 scores to count on second hole and all 3 scores to count on third hole, then repeat until the end of round.
• Danger Ball – Teams of 3 or 4 where each player takes it in turn, hole by hole, to use a coloured ball. Their score must count on that hole along with 1 score from the remaining players. However, if the ball gets lost at any time, then your score is frozen.

Extra Ideas

• Yellow Ball – When planning a golf day, a good competition within a competition, is to see how far a team can get a coloured ball round the course without losing it. Each player takes it in turn to play a hole. If they don’t lose the ball, next hole it then passes on to next player. The team who gets the ball furthest without losing the ball wins.
• Nearest Pins, Straightest and/or Longest Drive competitions.

Fundraising for a Society or Charity

To encourage people to join the event, entry fees should be competitively priced. Negotiate with the golf club for a good deal. Ask for 1 in 8 to go free. This can raise funds towards your target. 

On the day, you can raise money by running any of the following ideas:

• Raffle Tickets
• Mulligans – Players can re-play a shot without penalty e.g., 3 Mulligans for £10
• Charity Bunker – Anyone going in bunker pays a fine
• Hit or Miss green on a Par 3 – Hit go into a draw, Miss pays a fine
• LIVE Auction – 4 balls vouchers are great for this
• Hole sponsorship
• You could just leave a donation envelope on the table after golf meal.

To help with fundraising, it’s important to get all golf prizes, raffle prizes and auction items donated from any source available. Just ask your local professional to donate a prize and ask golf clubs to donate a 4-ball voucher. If it’s a charity golf event they usually oblige. 

Also, approach local businesses close to the chosen golf club.

Promoting your Golf Event

Use any material that the Charity you choose to support can provide. Most charities help promote fundraising events on their websites and social media platforms. 

Posters indicating all key information (venue, price and date etc.) to be posted at golf clubs, local shops, and public houses in the areas around the chosen course.

Ask local businesses and golf clubs to promote on their social networks but the tried and tested method still works – asking family and friends to send out invites to people they know who play golf.

If it’s a big event, then you can ask local radio and newspapers to advertise, as this gets to a wider audience.

Conclusion

If you’re considering organising a golf event, do your research. Give yourself plenty of time to do your research and get the support of people you can trust to achieve your goal.

Happy Golfing!

By Kevin Booth

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