Is the road to the final four paved through golf?  No, really!

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is truly exciting.  The top 68 teams play in a loose and go home tournament that lives up to its hype.  The games are exciting, the coverage is fantastic and the bragging rights are out of this world.  I love this time of year!

This year is a convergence of excitement for sports fans.  The Final Four ends on Monday April 8; the Masters practice rounds start Monday, April 8.  It is hard to believe that this coincidence was not planned….or was it?

Golf has a similar tournament; ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP.  For most golfers it is as exciting as the NCAA Final Four.  I love the format.  It is a tournament where streaky golfers have an opportunity to rise to the top and beat top rank players; as evident when Charles Howell III beat Tiger Woods and Shane Lowery beat Rory McIlroy.  I realize the media hype is not as great as the Final Four, but, hey, for golfers it is really exciting.  Congrats to Matt Kuchar for winning this year.

A match play (an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal) competition is very different from stroke play.  Match Play is very much a mental competition.  You still have to play well, but you also have to opportunity to forget mistakes and take your lumps.  Additionally, one bad hole does not eliminate you from competition (as John Daly has learned on many occasions in stroke play).  Personally, I try to play at least one match play tournament a year.  It is difficult, but most courses offer a match play competition to members.

Golf Match Play dates back to the 1500s.  I would suggest that the Road to the Final Four is paved through golf.  The structure and results of the basketball tournament can find its roots in our awesome game.  Regardless, both events are exciting.

I am a grateful golfer.  See you on the links!