Hey, as an audience member I can tell you this show is a mix of real, scripted, and opportunity. Contestants really have to win and are told before hand only if it is one and done or best out of game (i.e. 2 out of 3). In-between or after rounds they may have them say or do something, but nothing that affects the winner and/or outcome. There is a lot of footage that is cut and a great editor can make a hole look completely different depending on how they want it to look after. As for the guy coming back on... A contestant did get hurt just enough they did not want to continue. The guy that was eliminated earlier did have to win the extra hole and win the final to continue. If you like him or not he still had celebrity friends so you can not fault the show for capitalizing on that. So the opportunity part is depending on what happens (how they fall in, if they get hole in one, or miss so bad it is good) the editors are able to adjust that to the narrative they want to post for that nights episode but the contestants still have to win it.
Hope that helps to further enjoy the show!!!
