Special Competition
A special competition is an additional award within a tournament that is given independently of the overall result.
The special competition runs alongside the main competition and has its own aim. The best-known examples are Nearest to Pin and Longest Drive. There are also often categories for seniors, juniors or the best score of the day. The point: even players with no chance of winning the overall result can win something. That keeps motivation high across all skill levels. Which special competitions are on offer is stated in the entry form or on the notice board at the club office.
In practice, this works through fixed holes and lists. One example: on the par 3 of hole 7, the nearest-to-pin hole is marked. Anyone whose tee shot finds the green measures the distance to the flag and, if they were closer than the current leader, enters their name and distance on a card at the edge of the green. On a long hole, the longest drive counts, measured from the tee to where the ball comes to rest. In the end, each list leader receives a small prize, no matter how their round went overall.
A common misconception: special competitions change nothing about the tournament result and certainly nothing about your handicap. They are purely additional prizes with no influence on your handicap allowance. What is often forgotten is the obligation to sign up: anyone who does not enter their ball on the list themselves goes away empty-handed, even if it lay closest. In the longest drive, moreover, usually only a ball that comes to rest on the fairway counts. A look at the entry form before the round clarifies such details.
FAQ
How does signing up work for nearest to pin?
On the marked hole, usually a par 3, a card or list sits at the edge of the green. If your tee shot finds the green and you are closer to the flag than the current leader, you enter your name and distance yourself. If you forget to sign up, you go away empty-handed — even if your ball lay closest.
Does a special competition affect my handicap?
No, special competitions are purely additional prizes and change neither your tournament result nor your allowance. For your handicap, only your result in the main competition counts, provided the round was played as a handicap round. Nearest to pin and longest drive run completely separately from that.
Does a ball in the rough also count for the longest drive?
Usually not — the common rule is that the ball must come to rest on the fairway to count. This is meant to prevent a long but wayward ball from winning. The exact conditions are in the tournament entry form, so take a look before the round.