The Division II Men’s Golf Committee is recommending a match-play format for its championship similar to the one used in the 2009 Division I men’s finals.

Committee members forwarded to the Division II Championships Committee a proposal for the 2011 golf championship that calls for the first three rounds to be conducted in the traditional stroke-play format. After that, an individual champion would be crowned and a field of eight teams would play quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches to determine the team champion.

 “We think it brings a completely different aspect of excitement to the championship,” said Dave Sharp, committee chair and athletics director at Oauchita Baptist. “We think the student-athlete experience will really be enhanced because of it.”

The committee, which met earlier this month, plans to conduct the new format as a five-day event, with the quarterfinal and semifinal pairings in the match-play portion conducted in one day, followed by the final pairing the next. Division I used the same system for its debut of match play in 2009 but is implementing a three-day window for the quarters, semis and final beginning in 2010.

Committee members recommended the format change based on feedback from coaches, as well as reviewing the success of the format in Division I. Many in the golf community had argued that the previous four rounds of stroke play during which teams used the “play five/count four” approach was difficult for people to follow as far as scoring goes. Match play, on the other hand, is more spectator-friendly and provides for a better student-athlete experience as well.

“It provides for a different type of championship, and it offers excitement for more teams who might not be so close to the lead in that third round,” Sharp said. In the 2009 Division I championship, Texas A&M reached the final eight and eventually won the after finishing the third round seventh in the team standings.

“It brings more teams into the championship picture,” Sharp said.

Practice rounds go from two to one

In other action, the committee voted to eliminate one of the two practice rounds at the front end of the championship. Sharp said the cost-savings move would have been implemented this year had it not been for previously signed contracts for lodging at the host site.

The one round will be conducted in a shotgun start as well instead of in waves so as to not disadvantage teams in case the round is interrupted or canceled by weather.

Committee members also reviewed golf-related proposals that are part of Division II’s “Life in the Balance” initiative. The package heading to the Presidents Council for review in August contains proposals that shorten seasons and reduce contests in eight sports. Gold dates of competition would be reduced from 24 to 21.

Sharp said most coaches are OK with the proposal, especially since golf is a sport in which competitions can be conducted in each semester in order to reach the minimum of seven competitions for postseason-selection purposes. He said even with a reduction to 21 dates, teams can still play 10 two-day tournaments and one other multiple-team, single-day competition. He also noted that not all teams use the 24 dates currently provided.

“Most coaches think the proposal is generally fair, though teams that currently use all of their 24 dates might be against it,” Sharp said. “We’re fortunate to be able to compete in two different semesters, so I think the proposal is very fair from my standpoint.”