I know this column is called "The Big Game," as in poker, not golf, but it also has to do with high-stakes gambling in general. One of a poker player's favorite places to be when not on the green felt is on the greens of a golf course. Money can change hands on the golf course just as easily as it can in the cardroom, thus the appeal.
We've all watched or at least heard of
High Stakes Poker on
GSN, and now
ESPN will air high-stakes golf. All of the players will be poker players, most of whom you'll know from TV. I was lucky enough to run into some guy named Doyle Brunson, who was able to give me the lowdown on this new event.
Todd Brunson: High-stakes golf is obviously going to be gambling on golf, but will it be a tournament-type structure or side betting?
Doyle Brunson: It will be a tournament format, but I'm sure there will be plenty of side bets among the players and spectators.
TB: Who will be allowed to watch the tournament? Do you have to know somebody? Could you get me in?
DB: The tournament will be open to anyone who wants to come out. They just have to get a cart and then they can follow their favorite players around.
TB: How much is the buy-in? Is it winner-take-all?
DB: The buy-in is $200,000 per two-man team for the main event. The top five spots are paid as follows:
First - $1 million
Second - $500,000
Third - $250,000
Fourth - $150,000
Fifth - $100,000
There will be a second event immediately following the main event that will have a $3 million buy-in per player. There will be three teams of three players ($500,000 per hole, per team). Each team will scramble their best ball. Ties will not count, and there will be many ties. One team must beat the other two for there to be action.
For example, if the first two teams make par, the third team is freerolling. If that team makes par or worse, there's no action. If, however, that team is lucky enough to make a birdie, it wins $500,000 from each of the other two teams.
TB: How will the handicapping work?
DB: The handicapping will be done by distance, not strokes. There will be four starting points, from the closest to the furthest: red, white, blue, and black tees. I will, obviously, be starting from the red tees.
TB: I've heard that many players will be representing poker sites.
DB: Yes, the main sites will be represented. DoylesRoom will be represented by myself, Dewey Tomko, and Al DeCarlo; Full Tilt by David Grey and Huck Seed; PokerStars by Daniel Negreanu, and PartyPoker by … umm … I guess they couldn't afford to have a player represent them.
TB: I know this will air on
ESPN. Who else is involved, and is this an ongoing project or a one-time thing?
DB: It is being sponsored by The Venetian, which is bringing in the top production crew from Los Angeles to shoot for four days. August 11 and 12 will be practice days, and the 13th will be the main event. And the 14th will be the big game, when one three-man team could theoretically win $18 million!
It will be held at the Bali Hai Golf Club, located on the Las Vegas Strip. The committee that will oversee the tournament will be made up of Jack Binion, Dewey Tomko, David Grey, and Butch Holmes. Every player who participates will have a say in how things are run, so things should go smoothly.
TB: Even the matchups?
DB: (Laughing) Well, once the crying is over, things should settle down a bit. One player actually told me that he would have to play from the red tees, as he was so out of practice. I told him that was out of the question and he literally almost cried and said he wasn't going to play because he couldn't hit the ball very far anymore. "I've completely lost my distance," this overemotional baby stammered.
I said, "Well, that's fine then, don't play if you don't want to. I've known you 20 years, and you're the best athlete of any of the poker players by far. I'm not falling for your sob story."
The player agreed to play without the red handicap, and we went off to play a round or two for the day. The first green was 350 yards out, and he drove it about 25 yards short of the green. "Yeah, I can see what you mean. You've completely lost your distance," I repeated back to him.
TB: Can you tell us who this crybaby was?
DB: Well, I really shouldn't, but I will say that besides being a fruit, he was named after one … (pondering) or at least the seed of a fruit.
