The Ironman consists of five individual golf tournaments, played over 2 ½ days, on the three golf courses at Jekyll Island Golf Club.  Each tournament features a different format, combining both team and individual play.  Teams are changed up after each tournament, so participants will be playing with different playing partners each round.  Player handicaps are submitted and ABCD flights are implemented into each tournament.

Plaques are awarded to first place participants and money is awarded for each tournament.

 

Friday, 8AM:   Four-Person Scramble

The tournament kicks off with a four-person scramble on either the Lakes or Indian Mound course.  These two easier courses provide a way to ease into the Championship.  Normal scramble rules apply with the addition of a rule requiring a minimum of three drives per player.

At the end of this tournament, 50% of the field will have won money, which is especially important for the rookies in the field.

 

Friday, 2PM:   The Egg

After a short break for lunch, it’s off to Oleander for the most difficult tournament of the Championship – the Egg.

The Egg is a Two-Person team event, with the team provided with a marked ball.  These balls are imprint test balls, used by a golf ball imprinting company to verify the imprint prior to a production run.  Player A plays the marked ball, or “Egg”, on odd holes and Player B plays it on even holes.  Lose the ball and your tournament is over.

Combining the thoughts of a Scramble format with very little time until the next tee-off and playing on the most difficult course on Jekyll Island, provides a stern test for participants.  Generally, less than 50% of the teams have their Egg after finishing the round.  Many instances have been noted where a team has lost the ball on the first tee.

 

Saturday, 8AM – Four-Person Best Ball

Bright and early Saturday morning, we are back to either Pine Lakes or Indian Mound for best ball.  Players play their own ball and the best score for the hole becomes the team score.  However, Championship rules dictate that A players use 6 holes, B players use 5 holes, C players use 4 holes and D players use 3 holes.  This tournament provides a good combination of individual and team play.

 

Saturday, 2PM – Skins

Now the tournament continues its turn from team play to individual play.  Players are grouped into foursomes based upon their handicap flight.  Normal Skins rules apply with any final hole carryovers resolved via putt-off.

This tournament usually provides a “moving day” atmosphere, as players can move quickly up the money list with well-placed shots turning into multiple skin dollars.

 

Sunday, 8AM – Individual

The final tournament, traditionally played on Oleander, puts all the onus directly on the player.  No more team play, no individual play within a foursome.  Tournament is played in a Modified Stableford format with one point awarded for bogey, two points awarded for par, four points for a birdie, and eight points for eagle.  Prior to the round, a handicap number is established for each player.  The winner is the player with the highest Stableford score netted against the initial handicap number.

 

Who wins the Championship?

The player with the highest dollar winnings takes home the Crystal and has their name etched on the Champions Plaque that resides in the Jekyll Island Golf Club.