GolfSixes: European Tour announce six-hole team event with music and fireworks

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley hopes the new event will "appeal to the millennial demographic"

The European Tour has announced a six-hole team event called GolfSixes, in its attempts to "modernise" and "broaden the appeal" of the sport.

Two-man teams from 16 different nations will compete at St Albans' Centurion Club on 6-7 May for a prize fund of one million euros (£852,000).

There will be amphitheatre-style stands around the tees plus music and pyrotechnics.

Players will wear microphones and be encouraged to interact with fans.

Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said the Tour was keen to "emulate" the Ryder Cup atmosphere.

"We have said for some time that golf needs to modernise and introducing innovative new formats is a major part of achieving that," he said.

"We want to broaden the appeal of our sport to the millennial demographic and I think this format will do that."

How does it work?

The teams will be split into four groups of four teams on day one, with the top two from each group progressing to the knockout stages.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final - and a play-off for third place - will be contested on day two.

Matches will be played in a greensomes, match-play format, with both players in a team hitting tee shots on each hole. After selecting the best tee shot, the players take alternate shots until the hole is completed.

One point is awarded for each hole won, with the winner being the team with the most points after six holes.

Countries will be represented by their leading ranked and available European Tour member as of 13 March, who will then choose a team-mate.