[zipper]

BTW - unless things have changed, and maybe they have, the general approach was not par + 4, it was 7 strokes per hole. Now it may be that all along that was meant to reflect par + 4, but that's how it has always be discussed by the rules Zealots on the PDGA MB over the past 10 years. No one ever discussed non-par 3 in that formula. I suspect if you treat it differently than that, you will hear about it. Take for example two players who come late. Player one is on hole three, set at par three, player two is on hole 7, par 5. Three more holes are played all par three. So player one gets punished with 12 + 16 stokes whereas player 2 gets punished with 14 + 16 stokes, simply based on luck of the draw. I'd hate to be the TD explaining that one.

BTW - the notion that some rookie would use that to get an advantage seems a little misplaced to me. If that is your strategy to get ahead in a tournament, I have a bridge to sell you in NY, come see me now before you play that Saturday night poker round.

Redefining par on the course, to accommodate a mini event, no matter how sweet, sort of defeats the concept and recognized goals of a Super Tier event. The goal of A Tiers and higher is to set a professional tone, not lower the standards so more people have a shot at winning a free beer...