Monday 30 April 2018 17:48, UK
GolfSixes makes its return to the European Tour schedule this weekend and the tournament has continued to make new innovations to its format ahead of its second edition.
The team event enjoyed a successful inaugural edition at the Centurion Golf Club and will once again be held at the Hertfordshire based course from May 5-6.
GolfSixes sees teams split into groups of four to compete in a round-robin format over six-hole contests on Saturday, before the format switches to knock-out matches on Sunday.
There have been some alterations made to this year's version and we take a closer to look at what to expect from this week's stop on UK soil…
Sixteen teams of two compete over six holes, with the pairs split in to four groups of four for a round-robin tournament.
Greensomes format will be used, meaning teams pick the best tee shot from the two players and then play alternate shots from there.
Each match is decided on the number of holes won, with three points awarded for a head-to-head won and one point for a tie. The top two teams from each group then progress to Sunday's knock-out contests.
Any tied matches in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off and the final will go to a sudden death play-off, with the tournament offering a total prize fund of €1 million and €100,000 each for the winners.
One of the major implementations this time around has been to invite the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup captains, Thomas Bjorn and Catriona Matthew to partner up in a 'Captain's Team' - they will become the first male and female professionals to play together in a competitive match play format.
There will also be two ladies teams as English duo Charley Hull and Georgia Hall team up while Solheim Cup colleagues Mel Reid and Carlota Ciganda will form a European partnership, with the female players playing off forward tees.
Defending champions Denmark, one of 13 men's teams, will again be represented by Thorbjorn Olesen and Lucas Bjerregaard.
England will be represented by in-form Matt Wallace and Eddie Pepperell, while potential Ryder Cup debutant Alexander Levy and British Masters champion Paul Dunne are also in action.
Centurion Golf club on the outskirts of St Albans hosts the event, with each hole in the circuit being modified to give a different challenge and make every shot count.
The six-hole competition will once again be themed with the shot clock back in action - with a penalty imposed should players take longer than 30 seconds per shot - while spectators both on the course and watching back home will be able to see long drive and closest to the pin holes.
Watch the GolfSixes live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Saturday May 5 from midday on Sky Sports Golf with knock-out matches beginning from 12.30am on Sunday.
