Chuck Wood, PGA,Head Professional,Oconomowoc (Wisconsin)Golf Club
Chuck Wood, a five-time Wisconsin PGA Section Award winner, has spent decades fine-tuning ways to make golf more enjoyable for players of all levels.
One of his most impactful solutions addresses a problem that every PGA of America Golf Professional has faced: painfully slow tournament rounds.
For years, charity golf outing organizers have considered a “full field” of 144 players a major success. But in practice, two foursomes per hole often results in six-hour rounds, bogged-down par 3s and frustrating waits on par 5s. Participants leave irritated, revenue takes a hit and charities miss out on post-round donations.
Wood’s solution? Put groups together as “eightsomes (pictured below).”
Viewed as taboo under normal circumstances, the idea stems from Oconomowoc’s long-standing “Goofy Golf” tradition, where 12-16 players compete in a scramble on the same holes, all playing ready golf. Those matches finish nine holes in just two hours – proof that larger groups can actually speed things up. Applied to charity events, the same principle worked wonders.
Here’s how it plays out: Both the A and B groups on each hole tee off, then scramble from their best position, playing ready golf with par as the maximum score. Instead of 36 foursomes, the field becomes 18 eightsomes moving in constant motion.
“The benefits are immediate,” says Wood, PGA, Head Professional at Oconomowoc (Wisconsin) Golf Club. “Pace of play improves dramatically; players spend less time waiting and more time enjoying the round. The vibes shift from frustration to camaraderie, with groups sharing laughs and building new relationships.”
The business impact follows naturally. A quicker round means participants stick around after golf, fueling higher food & beverage tabs and more active fundraising auctions. Word spreads, too, as players talk about how fun and fast the outing was, making them more likely to return the following year.
“On paper, the idea of eightsomes is probably a little concerning to PGA Professionals,” Woods admits. “But I’ve seen firsthand that it turns slow, draining charity scrambles into lively, memorable experiences. Happier golfers, healthier fundraising and stronger relationships across the board.”
