2 Golf Prop Bets

[CalledDownLight]

Sorry that its long.

Background info: Both of us are 20 years old and have a pretty good knowledge of the game. I played 4 years of varsity golf, but haven't played hardly at all in the 2 years since I've gone to college (ended HS shooting mid-upper 80s and shoot 87-95 now based on only a few rounds in last 3 months or so). My opponent played DIII golf his freshman year of college, but not this last year although he still spends much more time on the course and range than I do, however he has fallen to around a 8-10 handicap. He hits the ball 25+ yards longer off the tee than me and hits his irons higher and further than me. We are both really inconsitent with the driver missing tons of fairways each.

Bet 1: I'm pretty sure I can't really lose this one so I'll try to keep it brief, just checking to make sure I'm not being to cocky b/c I want to put a good part of my poker roll on this bet. I'm left handed and my friend is trying to learn to play lefty. Given 1 month of practice he wants to challenge me on an 18 hole par 3 course. I will play the back tees (a few 180-190 type holes, but not much else I'd have to hit a long iron into). He will play the ladies tees (mostly 80-130 yard holes). After seeing him hit the ball at one range session he is slightly more compotent than a few of my friends who are just picking up the game, but his short game should be much better even left handed. The course has very little trouble at all (1 water hazard and maybe 3-4 holes with a bunker). He has to beat or tie me in medal play for these 18 holes in order to win. I have to win outright for me to win. I'm almost to the point of getting it booked at 5 to 1, good bet?

Bet 2: Same player. Course is pretty tough par 72, 73.5/138 rating and right at 7000 yards. He practiced on the course we will be playing all freshman year and I've played it once. Thus, he has a lot more knowledge of it than me. Since we are playing the tips his length will be an advantage. He has offered me two separate bets: one gives me 1/2 a stroke on 9 of the par 4s (excluding the one thats like 350) and the longest par 3 and we will play match play. My other option is taking 8-10 strokes (he says 8 is more than fair while I think I'd need 10) and play medal play. Which option is better or is either worth taking? I won't bias results with my opinion yet. Bet is even money.

[JTrout]

No. 1 depends entirely on how much your opponent practices before the match.
Given that he'll be playing a short par 3 on every hole, I can see him getting competent enough to win. It's a very limited set of skills that he has to practice. (full wedge/8iron; pitch; putt)

If he gets in enough practice, I think he can shoot +9 or better.
Would you give 5-1 that you can shoot +9 from the back?

I don't like your side of the bet in either of the second bets, but I like getting 1/2 shot on 9 holes much better than getting 8-10 shots.

Without putting a lot of thought into it, if you tie (win) 6 of the 9 holes that you get half a shot, that puts you 3 up.
Can you beat him with that spot on the other 9 holes?

[black knight]

1) 5:1 still has you getting way the best of it.

2) If you're inconsistent, matchplay is always to your advantage...however, 1/2 a stroke seems to EASILY bias him since you have to tie to win (or win)...you can't tie by being a stroke behind. Take 7 full strokes for matchplay...no less.

[j_gomberski]

FWIW, i made a similar bet to no. 1 with 3 of my friends. I played 9 holes left handed (first time ever playing 9 holes left handed before, but have hit about 50 shots left handed previous to this bet). 2 of my friends suck at golf, one shoots roughly 60-70 for 9 holes the other shoots about 55-65 and the third is pretty decent shooting around 47-57 or so. Ive only actually played a handful of rounds with them prior to this and at the time i was averaging about a 6-8 handicap right handed and i believed i could beat them all straight up playing left handed with an incomplete set. The only stipulation was that i got to putt right handed as i didnt have a left handed putter to use. I ended up beating the 2 bad golfers by at least 5 strokes each and i lost to the decent golfer by 1 stroke. I shot between 58 and 63 im not positive on the exact score.