The Golf Channel Amateur Tour - Page 4

In my area we have the Golfweek Am Tour and the Golf Channel Tour. I looked hard at both tours and decided to go with Golfweek. I based my decision on the lower memebership fee and the lower tournament entry fees. Golf Channel's tour is more spread out over the Carolinas where Golfweek is more local for me. I also have a friend that played the GW tour last year and plans to play this year also so I will at least have someone to travel with.

I play with the golf channel tour a number of years back when I lived in Jax Florida.  It's not cheap, but at the time, I was single, had plenty of money and plenty of time.  The organizers of our tour did a GREAT job, so it was worth it. 

Pros - different challenging courses, large fields, meet new people, competitive with like golfers, gets you used to tournament golf, really makes you focus on percentages and smart decisions, well run, ability to travel and play in other regions.

Cons - TIME and MONEY - if you play most events, your travel time is an average of 45 minutes.  Load your gear, arrive an hour plus before teeing off, practice, play a 5 and a half hour round, hang a little afterwards, then get back home.....it eats an entire day, and the long rounds wear you down.  Also, it's not cheap.....fuel, cost of the round, food, etc....it's $200 minimum.  There is a definite commitment of time and money.  Set expectations with friends and family members because it eats up an entire day.

If you have the time and money, do it.  It's great.  I also, if you get a chance to volunteer, do it.  I helped a buddy with a similar tour in that same area, we helped set up tables, score sheets and so forth....he appreciate the help and you got a feel for how much work is put into these events.  Most people I met and played with were great, very few were otherwise and they seemed to get weeded out after a few tournaments.

The AmTour is really expensive, and in my flight there normally only 5 or so competitors. Plus the tournament entry fees are ridiculous as well. It's literally impossible to get your money back in winnings. I belong to a local golf association. It costs $50 to join, comes with a USGA handicap, and they play 12 tournaments a year. Tournament fees are only $20-$30 plus green fee. Great guys, great tournaments, and I can actually afford to play in every tournament, in the AmTour I couldn't.

I guess it depends on where you live.  In Central California there is probably 6-7 local tournaments I can play in and they are around 100-110 dollars to play in.  I really like the Golf Channel Amateur Tour for the courses we can play.  I also try to attend 1 of their majors a year and it's just me and my wife.  Hopefully this year I will qualify for the National Championship because it's played close to home this year, PGA West.  I enjoy playing in these tournaments because they always play at great courses.  Their are two cons, the first negative for me is that in my area their is not a lot of competitors in my division, my fault, just need to get better.  The other negative is that their needs to be more local tournaments for me to play in. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by castlerockmo 

Which tour? Golf week or golf channel? Gc seems expensive but looks like golfweek is 78 to join and 75-80 an event.

I was referring my post to the Golf Channel Am Tour.  The AMtour is like 170 to join and all tournaments are at least 100 and up depending on the course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NM Golf 

The AmTour is really expensive, and in my flight there normally only 5 or so competitors. Plus the tournament entry fees are ridiculous as well. It's literally impossible to get your money back in winnings. I belong to a local golf association. It costs $50 to join, comes with a USGA handicap, and they play 12 tournaments a year. Tournament fees are only $20-$30 plus green fee. Great guys, great tournaments, and I can actually afford to play in every tournament, in the AmTour I couldn't.

That depends on a few things.  Here is the LA section, it's not expensive at all if you consider what you'd be paying to play the courses on your own.  I played in a tournament in December at Monarch Beach Golf Links.  The entry fee was $140, while the regular Sunday morning rate is $210.  Additionally, the winner of my flight got $200 and a trophy.  Of course, we have the benefit here of having big fields for our tournaments.

I am not playing in it, but there is a tournament tomorrow at Pelican Hill.  Entry fee was $200.  Regular greens fee for Pelican Hill is $280, which includes the price for the forecaddie, but not his gratuity.  (Win this tournament and you will have gotten to play a $300+ course for free ... and you get a trophy!)

Now, if you normally only like to play munis for $30 ... then, yeah, it's expensive no matter how you slice it. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad 

That depends on a few things.  Here is the LA section, it's not expensive at all if you consider what you'd be paying to play the courses on your own.  I played in a tournament in December at Monarch Beach Golf Links.  The entry fee was $140, while the regular Sunday morning rate is $210.  Additionally, the winner of my flight got $200 and a trophy.  Of course, we have the benefit here of having big fields for our tournaments.

 

I am not playing in it, but there is a tournament tomorrow at Pelican Hill.  Entry fee was $200.  Regular greens fee for Pelican Hill is $280, which includes the price for the forecaddie, but not his gratuity.  (Win this tournament and you will have gotten to play a $300+ course for free ... and you get a trophy!)

 

Now, if you normally only like to play munis for $30 ... then, yeah, it's expensive no matter how you slice it. :)

Which course at Pelican are they playing?  I'm surprised you didn't play!?  That would be a sweet tournament to play in... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beachcomber 

Which course at Pelican are they playing?  I'm surprised you didn't play!?  That would be a sweet tournament to play in... 

They are playing at the Ocean South Course. I wanted to play in this tournament with him, but couldn't make it down.  Hopefully I can make it down to this one next year.  I am surprised he didn't play too. It's like in your guys backyard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35 

I guess it depends on where you live...

It does depend on where you live. $280 green fees don't exist here. Heck Paako Ridge (#31 on the best courses you can play) only costs me $50 and that includes $10 into the skin pot. It's probably why the AmTour here has low participation. 

TheAmTour charged a tournament entry fee of $100 to play my local muni. Couple that with $175 to join and there are just many better options around here. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beachcomber 

Which course at Pelican are they playing?  I'm surprised you didn't play!?  That would be a sweet tournament to play in... 

South.  Yeah, I originally had planned on it, but the weekend didn't work out for me.  My next tournament is likely going to be Tijeras Creek on March 10.  I've never played there so I need to get out at least once before then.  Perhaps we can plan another get together with John between now and then.  (If you guys are willing to play Tijeras Creek one of these days, I'd be more than willing to buy a Creek Card to save us all some dough) :)

Next one after that is Mar 24 at Oak Creek ... haven't played there yet either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad 

South.  Yeah, I originally had planned on it, but the weekend didn't work out for me.  My next tournament is likely going to be Tijeras Creek on March 10.  I've never played there so I need to get out at least once before then.  Perhaps we can plan another get together with John between now and then.  (If you guys are willing to play Tijeras Creek one of these days, I'd be more than willing to buy a Creek Card to save us all some dough) :)

 

Next one after that is Mar 24 at Oak Creek ... haven't played there yet either.

Jon has a Creek Card (I believe) because it is ran by OB Sports - and he has a card over at Monarch.  So he gets a reciprocal type of rate (I believe)?  So that would save you from having to drop the coin on the Creek card.

This week is out.  I'm getting my wisdom teeth pulled this coming Thursday afternoon - and have Friday off for PTO to ensure I recover from the surgery.  But lets try and figure something out before your 3/10 tournament as I haven't played Tijeras either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35 

I guess it depends on where you live.  In Central California there is probably 6-7 local tournaments I can play in and they are around 100-110 dollars to play in.  I really like the Golf Channel Amateur Tour for the courses we can play.  I also try to attend 1 of their majors a year and it's just me and my wife.  Hopefully this year I will qualify for the National Championship because it's played close to home this year, PGA West.  I enjoy playing in these tournaments because they always play at great courses.  Their are two cons, the first negative for me is that in my area their is not a lot of competitors in my division, my fault, just need to get better.  The other negative is that their needs to be more local tournaments for me to play in. 

Today I played in another tournament and shot a 93.  My only other competitor in my division shot a 103, we weren't told til the end of the round that we were also playing against the golfers in the division that is better than us. Nice to know and unfair.  I guess that's a problem with not very many competitors.  Will know next time there aren't very many signed up to expect that or even drop out of the tournament.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCfanatic35 

Today I played in another tournament and shot a 93.  My only other competitor in my division shot a 103, we weren't told til the end of the round that we were also playing against the golfers in the division that is better than us. Nice to know and unfair.  I guess that's a problem with not very many competitors.  Will know next time there aren't very many signed up to expect that or even drop out of the tournament.

Yeah, I don't think that finding out after the tournament that you were competing against the other division was really the issue.  Unless, of course, you were within a shot or two of the leader and knew it, and would have played the hole differently had you known that.

The only real issue is the unfortunate lack of turnout for your section.

I always like to look at the bright side, so I would look more at the fact that you held your own with the guys from the better division.  You didn't beat them, but you at least showed that you "belong" with them and can compete at that level ... which is good because I imagine you aren't too far from being able to play in that division.