14 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1953 Foursomes: Chapman-Style

The popularity of the Chapman system conducted annually, at stroke play under of playing foursomes, which Eloise and the Chapman system, by the Silver Foils Dick Chapman have popularized at Pine- and the Tin Whistles, the women's and hurst, N. C, and Oyster Harbors, on Cape men's clubs, respectively. The Chapmans Cod, seems to be spreading, and we have hold an "open house" for all contestants received several inquiries on the subject. at their home after each tournament. As most players know, the basic system Team handicaps were one half of the of playing a foursome is to use alterna­ total of partners' handicaps, except that tive drives as well as alternate strokes on if the difference in partners' individual each hole. Oftentimes, however, in in­ handicaps exceeded five strokes, that formal play and especially in mixed play, difference less five was arbitrarily con­ partners have found it more enjoyable if verted to a percentage and that percentage both drive from each tee and then select was deducted from one half of the total the drive to be continued in play by al­ of the partners' handicaps. ternate strokes. As an example, if A has an individual The Chapman system is simply an ex­ handicap of 24 and B of 12, the total of tension of the selected-drive method. Both their handicaps is 36, and one half of partners drive and then each partner that is 18. However, the difference be­ plays a second stroke with the other's tween their handicaps is more than 5, so ball. After the second strokes have been the percentage reduction is applied. The played, one ball is selected to be con­ difference, in fact, is 12, and 12 less 5 tinued in play. The ball selected must be equals 7. Therefore 7 per cent, or 1.26, hit alternately by the partners from the is deducted from 18. Fractions under .5 tee into the cup. are ignored, and the resulting handicap for the team is 17 strokes. Eloise and Dick developed this system of selected seconds after playing two This unique system of handicapping rounds with Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pearse was devised by the late C. L. Becker, oi at Pinehurst in March, 1947. At that Philadelphia, N. Y., a former Captain "of time Mrs. Pearse was playing well over the Tin Whistles. 100 and Mr. Pearse in the low 90si Mrs. Neither the Pinehurst clubs nor the Chapman was playing in the low 80s. In Chapmans have had experience in the an attempt to equalize the sides, Mr. playing of alternate seconds in match Chapman paired with Mrs. Pearse and play under tournament conditions and the innovation of selected seconds was therefore make no recommendations for added experimentally. Each side scored handicapping this form of play. 77! They tried it again the next day and each side returned the same score once The USGA recommends handicap al­ more. lowances for foursomes, stroke play, of 50 per cent of the combined handicaps The idea of balancing out unequal when alternate drives are used and 40 players in such a manner appealed to per cent when selected drives are used. Chapman so much that he offered a tro­ It has had no experience with selected phy, honoring his late mother, for a fall seconds and therefore has , no official tournament and another trophy, honoring recommendations for handicapping this his late father, for a spring tournament form of play, in either stroke or match at Pinehurst. The two competitions are play.