Frequently Asked Questions
How do I join the Tour?
Simple: just click or tap Join and sign up. There are no membership fees and your first event is free so give it a try.
I'm a rookie and I have no idea what's going on.
Don't panic. Here's a one-page overview of how things work. Feel free to ask questions via Messenger or send an email to info@SlammerTour.golf
I'm not a great golfer so do I even belong?
Absolutely. We have golfers who shoot in the 100s, we have pro-level players and every type in between, and groups are set up according to skill/division-level. Rest assured, you will be competitive and have fun playing with others like you.
How do I add a photo to my profile?
Please send photos by email to photos@SlammerTour.golf and we will add it to your profile for you.
Why is my ranking important?
Your main objective of the competition is to reach the top of the rankings in your own division. If you beat someone above you in your own division you get their ranking. For example, if you beat the number one ranked Slammer in your division then you become number one. If you do manage to make it to the top you are then rewarded with a #1 Slammer Tour golf cap. Rankings are also used for qualifying for special tournaments like the Commish’s Cup, Ottawa Sun Scramble and Course Challenges.
Is there an incentive for recruiting new Slammers?
You bet. Any Slammer who recruits a rookie gets a $10 credit towards SlammerGear and if that rookie plays his or her 10th event, they get a complimentary entry for the Ottawa Sun Scramble. Remember, the first regular Ottawa-based Tour event is free for all first-timers so that makes them even easier to recruit.
How did you decide on the “Pin” rule?
The 15 feet idea came after a few ideas floated around. Like any Tour/League/Tournament, local rules can be implemented. The 15 feet doesn’t have to be exact and the idea behind it is that once everyone is at a reasonable distance and on the green where they can see the hole, the pin will come out and stay out purely for pace-of-play reasons. We understand some players may want to leave the pin in but others will also want it out and we can't have a new rule that has the pin coming in and out. Pace-of-play is too important to the Tour to jeopardize this.
What's a "bone"?
It's the same as a buck!
Is the Tour a boys club?
Not at all. In fact some of the Tour's most active members are ladies, and we encourage ladies of all skill levels to join. It's a great way to learn more about the game and meet new people.
What's does "inski" mean?
It simply means "you're in!" with respect to some kind of event or activity.
What is the lottery?
The Registration Lottery occurs during the first two hours of registration for an event. During this interval, all registered players are deemed to be 'in the lottery'. Once the two-hour lottery is over the registrants are randomly ranked from 1 to x. The first person will have first challenge-priority, the second person second challenge-priority, etc. There could be more people in the lottery than there are spots available for the event, so in this case, the top people ranked in the lottery will be registered for the event.
I'm a professional golfer: can I join?
Absolutely. The Tour is specifically designed to accommodate everyone, from beginner to pro.
How do challenges work?
You select three "challenges" online while the event is open and before it closes, and you can change your selections as often as you wish to rearrange the groupings. At 10pm the night before the event, the groupings are locked. By default there are matches all around within your group -- unless two golfers are two or more divisions apart -- in which case the match is not on unless the lower division player chooses to challenge two divisions up.
How does match-play format work?
Unlike "stroke-play" where the player with the lowest score wins, match-play is about winning more holes than an opponent before you run out of holes in the round. Your score on a particular hole is actually irrelevent, so long as it's better than your opponent's score. For example: if Player A makes par on the first hole, and Player B makes bogey, then Player A is "one-up". If Player A wins 10 holes in a row, Player B loses the match because there aren't enough holes left to mount a comeback. Being "10-holed" is like being skunked in other sports.
What tee blocks do I play?
Golfers play from the tee blocks that suit their game (based on distance and skill-level), and since different courses have different tee block configurations, we use ClubEG's Course Tee Block Mapping chart to determine which tee each Slammer plays from. Just find your own personal Tee Block Assignment in your profile (T1-T7) and map it to the chart above.
What does it mean when someone says: "I beat him two-and-one"?
This means the match ended on the 17th hole because the winner was two-holes up but there was only one hole left to play.
What is a doggie?
This is the Tour's closest-to-the-pin challenge for par threes. It's an optional five-bone entry for all Slammer Tour events and, argueably, the most exciting part of Tour events. Make sure you have a ball ready, marked with your nickname, and a nice long tee so you can proudly display your feat of greatness. One word of caution, though: in order to win a doggie, you must make par or better on the hole. A dreaded three-putt disqualifies you of the doggie and you then have to make a 50 cent donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Eastern Ontario, and Teagan's Voice. Hey, it's for the kids!
Why do Slammer Tour rounds cost more than a basic green fee?
The Slammer Tour is a fully-organized league with daily events, online stats, leaderboards, online registration and event management, prizing and special events. It offers much more than a standard round of golf with your buddies.
What's a SwingFit Skin?
Players win a SwingFit Skin when they outright beat everyone else on a particular hole. Say you're the only one to make par and everyone else makes bogey or worse, you win a skin! SwingFit Skins are an opptional side-competition at Slammer Tour events and the value of each skin is based on the number of Slammers in a particular event and the number of actual skins. More info here.
Who are the "Kids"?
The "Kids" represents the charities we support with three-putt donations, excess skin and doggie bones and money generated through contests and other means. A presentation is made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Eastern Ontario, and Teagan's Voice at our year-end Slammies event.
Say I beat the number one ranked Slammer in my division on hole 17 but another competitor beats me on hole 18, will I be ranked number one or number two?
You will be ranked number two. It doesn’t matter what hole matches are won on.
What is the Tour's cancellation policy?
There is no penalty for pulling out of an event unless it's within 48-hours. In fact, we encourage people to sign up for as many events as they might possibly be able to play, to secure challenge priority, and then bail three or more days in advance if they must. See "Rules & Format: Other Rules".
How can I become an Onsite Coordinator (OC)?
The Tour already has plenty of OCs but feel free to send us an email to be put on the waiting list.
How do you determine which courses to play?
The management team bases course selection on Slammer requests, preferences and other factors. Although the schedule is pretty much set at the beginning of the season, there are last minute alterations throughout the year.
What is a "Claim"?
If you think a fellow competitor has broken a rule on the course, you respectfully let them know that you intend to file a claim for the rules committee to examine. You must let your playing partner know your intent to file a claim before teeing off on the next hole.
What is a Ruling?
A ruling is the result or decision of a reported "Claim".
How long has the Slammer Tour been around?
The Tour was founded in 1997 by the Commish.
Why doesn't the Tour use handicaps?
There are a couple of reasons: not everyone has an official handicap, and handicaps are subject to misuse in competition (i.e. sandbagging).
How do the points work?
When you beat someone in your own division you get 3 points. When you beat someone in a division that is one higher you get 4 points. When you beat someone in a division one lower you get 2 points. There are more ways to earn points but this is the meat of it given it is a match-play league. We will be publishing a comprehensive breakdown in the near future but in the mean time you can click on any name in the ‘Group Winners’ section on any ‘Results' page and see how each person earned their points that event.
How is Scoring Median (ScMdn) Calculated?
Scoring median is based on your last 20 games, even if it's across seasons. To calculate, take your last 20 games and sort them by score. The tenth one is your "Scoring Median". If you have fewer than 20 games posted, i.e. two, we use the best one; if four, we use the second round.
Contact info@SlammerTour.golf if you have any questions, or reach out on Messenger.
