masters right around the (Amen) Corner

[Masters Debater]

I'm running a pool again this year, and for all the Major tournaments.
As it's all my own hard work, I get to make the rules.
I forgot some of the rules from last year, as they changed a bit from one tourney to the next. So here's a draft:
Objective: To score lowest sum of average placements in the pool.
1. Pick eight players. No limited ownership. Easier to track 20 players (from 6 entrants in US Open pool last year) than 48.
2. Four must be 35 or older by final round on Sunday. Four must be under 35 on Sunday. www.masters.org has birthdates of each player.
3. "Sum of average placements" = an example works best: a four-way tie for 10th place is scored as 11.5, as it's the mean of {10, 11, 12, 13}. (I thought about summing total prize money, but that won't be known during the tournament. I can't find it. Besides, the money is very top-heavy.)
4. Players cut will remain at their cut placement for the duration of the tourney.
5. Deadline: Wednesday 4/10, 9:00 PM EDT.
6. Prizes: Everyone you beat owes you one beer. Work the date-and-place details amongst yourselves. No time limit.

[Mick Fan]

Sounds terrific! I'll have to start thinking about my picks ... :)

How do we get our picks to you? Do we PM you?

[Masters Debater]

PM sounds like a good idea. That way, no one knows who's picked whom.
Previously people felt compelled to pick differently from those who had already picked, otherwise there'd be no beer on the line. That makes for a different game, altogether.
Perhaps I could disclose the players picked after three entrants have been submitted, but not who has chosen them, nor how frequently they've been chosen?

[Mick Fan]

I don't think you should disclose any of them. With eight picks available, it'll be tough to have identical picks.

That's my suggestion, but you're doing the work, so you get to make the rules. :)

[Franchise]

Don't disclose any of them until the deadline has passed. If everybody picks the same players, that's their own dumb luck.

I'm definitely interested. I'll try and put together a list of my draft picks tonight and PM them to you.

[Kid Rock]

The 35 age cut-off may be a bit low. It would be a bit tougher if the age +/- was 40.

In any event, I'll play. Love the Masters.