The Birdie Hunt Challenge Game
1. The Game: "The Birdie Hunt Challenge"
This game is built on a Game Theory Payoff Matrix14. The goal isn't just to make birdies; it's to relentlessly reward the process that creates them (hitting greens) and heavily penalize the errors that lead to bogeys.
🎯 The Objective
Score +19 or higher for the 9-hole round.
📊 The Scoring System (The "Payoff Matrix")
This system has two layers: the Outcome Score (your score on the hole) and the Process Modifier (the quality of your tee shot).
Layer 1: Outcome Score
Birdie: +3 points
Par: +1 point
Bogey: -1 point
Double Bogey or worse: -3 points
Layer 2: Process Modifier (This is the key)
Green in Regulation (GIR): Add +1 Bonus Point.
Missed Green: Add -1 Penalty Point.
2. How to Play (The Strategy)
This scoring system changes your decisions. A simple par isn't just a par.
Good Process: You hit the green and two-putt.
Score: +1 (for Par) + 1 (for GIR) = +2 Total.
Bad Process: You miss the green, chip on, and one-putt to save par.
Score: +1 (for Par) - 1 (for Missed Green) = 0 Total.
A birdie from a GIR (+3 + 1 = +4) is massively rewarded, while a bogey from a missed green (-1 - 1 = -2) is heavily punished.
Your New Strategy
This game forces you to adopt the "Conservative Target, Aggressive Swing" doctrine15.
Forget the Pin: Your goal is not to hit it close. Your goal is to hit the green. That +1 bonus point is your lifeblood.
Aim for the Middle: On every shot, identify the absolute center of the green. Game theory and stats prove that aiming for the center and committing to an aggressive swing gives you the highest probability of hitting the green, which is the first step to a birdie16161616.
Execute the Routine: Use your Pre-Shot Routine on every single shot17171717. I want you to use the Intermediate Target Drill18:
Stand behind the ball.
Find your target (center of the green).
Find a spot on the grass 1-2 feet in front of your ball on that line.
Align your clubface to that intermediate spot.
This is the discipline of a clear process19.
📈 Post-Round Accountability
After the round, log your score in Clippd. But more importantly, answer these questions (this is Extreme Ownership 20):
What was my final point total?
How many greens did I hit? (This is your Process Score).
On the greens I missed, why did I miss? Was it a bad strike, bad alignment, or a bad strategic choice (i.e., you got greedy and hunted a pin)?
This game trains you to value the process (GIR) over the outcome (score), which, paradoxically, is the most disciplined and effective path to maximizing your birdie chances21.
