Sand Trap Open Invitational - Ever Done?

[underparnv]

I'm so for this idea. I'd love to take an 'extended' weekend (three day weekend...at most this year anyway. Next year I may have a bit more time off stored up! ). I would prefer somewhere on the 'left' of the U.S., but am open to options a bit in the 'middle'.

Should we get an official topic going...or will this one suffice?

[iacas]

Should we get an official topic going...or will this one suffice?

This one's fine.

Aren't flights into the Las Vegas area typically quite inexpensive because the casinos like to get people to the area? And isn't the weather usually pretty good, year-round, but particularly in, say, December?

[underparnv]

Super cheap for me into Vegas...but that's because it's only about an hour flight...

Weather good in December = super pricey green fees.

Unless Ben is going to cover all of our green fees, I suggest another location. Bay Area was actually a good recommendation, but I'm not sure on the flight costs. Maybe Arizona??

[iacas]

Weather good in December = super pricey green fees.

And we'd get an outing rate, at the very least. I don't think greens fees are going to be the cost people will worry about - more likely flights will cost 2x to 6x as much as the greens fees.

[Fraser]

Bay Area was actually a good recommendation, but I'm not sure on the flight costs. Maybe Arizona??

You have plenty of Bay Area options from Phoenix. Between SFO, OAK and SJC (although the latter is a little inconvenient and I never use it) you've got plenty of options.

If you don't mind flying Southwest then they fly non-stop to Oakland, the cheapest airport in the Bay Area. Based on the responses it is almost like we have a high proportion of fearful flyers on here

[NM Golf]

I'm in and would help with setup if it was held in this neck of the woods. (Southwest United States) Phoenix is nice and very reasonable to fly into as it is a base for SW airlines. Las Vegas is the same way. I would venture to say better golf rates could be found in Phoenix as Las Vegas is pretty expensive.

[mikelz]

Isn't Saint Louis, MO the center of U.S. population dispersion?

[Puttin4Bird]

I'm certainly intruigued by the idea. Vegas has the cheap flights, but what about just flying into Vegas and actually staying/playing in Mesquite? Less expensive on both fronts, and some damn quality golf establishments.

[907golfer12]

I'm interested, but would prefer something on the West coast, as flights will be cheaper then going all the way across the country. And if we do it around December 13th the it would be near my birthday

[iacas]

And if we do it around December 13th the it would be near my birthday

No offense intended here, but there are a whole bunch of legal reasons why this type of thing should be limited to people age 21 and over, and perhaps even 25 and over (most car rental places have a 25-yo limit, though that's worked around by carpooling).

I would advise strongly that any such event like this be strictly 21-yo or older. Frankly, I think the odds of this happening are slim to none. Nobody's yet even stepped up as an organizer (or nominated someone to do it). Right now everyone's just saying "we should do it [insert name of place close to that person]." I'd volunteer to help set it up with underparnv, and to have the event somewhere near Las Vegas (for the flights) with golf anywhere else (Mesquite, perhaps), but that's all I know. Oh, and I could check with the management group for Turning Stone (upstate NY). They manage a course called Black Mesa in New Mexico that might be nice (blackmesagolfclub.com) for this sort of thing.

[immts007]

Hey guys, you can play Bandon for only $75 from Nov through Jan!

Afraid of a little rain?

[NM Golf]

No offense intended here, but there are a whole bunch of legal reasons why this type of thing should be limited to people age 21 and over, and perhaps even 25 and over (most car rental places have a 25-yo limit, though that's worked around by carpooling).

Black Mesa is a nice course in a not so nice place. It's over an hour out of Albuquerque in a crappy little town.

Like I said before would help organize something like this no problem as long as it was someplace like Phoenix, Las Vegas, or even Albuquerque for that matter. I would even do something in Michigan next summer as I have family there. I agree with the over 21 part. Sorry all you young guys but nothing good can come out of having underage players at an event where there will probably be drinking. Doubtful though that this will get off the ground, although a similar forum, who will remain nameless, pulls this off from time to time.

[underparnv]

Kind of recapping the thread off of memory here...so hang with me for a second

I'd be more than willing to help play 'host' for a Mesquite/Las Vegas event. I just checked on Southwest.com and found a round trip from Buffalo, NY to Vegas for $770.

Would the last weekend of October be too soon? How many people could actually get down to Mesquite? I would fly down Friday after work and spend Friday all day, Saturday all day then Sunday through probably about 6:00PM or so and be back in time for sleeping in my own bed and ready for work on Monday.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?? Should I just be voted off this island already??

[JCDot33]

... Sorry all you young guys but nothing good can come out of having underage players at an event where there will probably be drinking ...

Probably???

[Spectrums]

Even though I'm under-age, I don't mind helping out with the logistics and stuff.. just give me a PM if you need some help.

I think a junior tournament is necessary.

[shortgrass lover]

Yea I second the junior tourney. But it's gona have to be near the east coast for me. I will help set something up. just need some suggestions for date, place, age limit, etc.

[NI4NI]

This one's fine.

Based on responses so far, sounds like we should put the location to a vote, as well as begin to tee-up some preliminary dates (December?). That is, if this is being treated as a centralized event (versus regional in order to expand the participant levels).

I'm an East Coaster, but would not be against a SFO - SJ outing in December. How do you want to go about puting a finer point on this?

[907golfer12]

No offense intended here, but there are a whole bunch of legal reasons why this type of thing should be limited to people age 21 and over, and perhaps even 25 and over (most car rental places have a 25-yo limit, though that's worked around by carpooling).

No offense taken, I completely understand, and I wouldn't want to play with guys that are drunk, just because everyone's personality changes and it doesn't become fun for me. I know this because I play in scrambles sometimes and this happens.

I also think we should organize a junior get together.