Hooters tour??

[ProPro]

The Hooters Tour is much more than that what has been described here. First and foremost it is a developmental tour. It patterns itself after the PGA & Nationwide Tours in that it has week-long events. There are monday qualifiers, pro-ams, players walk, wear slacks and cannot use distance measuring devices. Like the big tours they play 72 hole events with a 36 hole cut and they spread out over a large part of the country. It is designed to prepare players for life on the bigger tours. There is so much more to it than just playing well for a round or a week. It teaches players how to manage their time...life on the road...when to practice...when to back off..when to go out with your buddies and when not to. This is why you see so many players move on and have success on the bigger tours (Zach Johnson, Chad Campbell, Vaughn Taylor, Ben Curtis, Stewart Cink to name just a few-Hooters Tour Alumns have racked up eleven (11) Majors).

Yes the entry fees are high ($1100 for members) but without major corporate sponsors like the big guys have you need the entry fees to have an attractive purse ($200k each week). Keep in mind the PGA Tour plays for $300 million...The Hooters Tour plays for roughly $3.5 mil. It's a training ground. Kinda like minor league baseball...think of it as double-A. 95% of the players have sponsors...meaning people who help with the expenses.

Non-members who want to MQ pay $250...members pay $150. If they get in...there are 10 spots up for grabs..they pay the balance of the entry fee. Keep in mind that while the entry fee seems high, players are playing for roughly 107% of their money...meaning there is added money in every purse.

There are lots of other 'mini' tours all over the country...some let you ride carts, use range finders, play 54 or 36 hole events, let you wear shorts, etc. You should look at these type tours as a place to make money, not to develop your game. Riding carts, using range finders and playing less than 72 hole events won't help you when it comes time for Q-School.

[eltigre-21]

  ProPro said:

There are lots of other 'mini' tours all over the country...some let you ride carts, use range finders, play 54 or 36 hole events, let you wear shorts, etc. You should look at these type tours as a place to make money, not to develop your game. Riding carts, using range finders and playing less than 72 hole events won't help you when it comes time for Q-School.

do you know of any that are in florida i would like to try and find something competitive other than 4some and 2 some scrambles and try and make some money but mostly for fun i just want to step up my game by getting some practice in tournaments..

[ProPro]

The Hooters Tour runs it's winter series in the orlando area. 54 hole events. 36 hole cuts. riding carts. $800 for members...$950 non mbrs.

Emerald Coast Tour operates in the panhandle...entryfees are $150 to $500.

[Parker0065]

  eltigre-21 said:

do you know of any that are in florida i would like to try and find something competitive other than 4some and 2 some scrambles and try and make some money but mostly for fun i just want to step up my game by getting some practice in tournaments..

Google "Golf Mini-Tours" and you will come up with a number of them in the Florida, Alabama, Georgia areas. You live in a golf Meca, there should be know problem at all finding a mini-tour if your willing to travel relatively short distances.

I am looking at joining a tour all the way in Virginia because there are no real mini-tours here in NY State so consider yourself very lucky!

[bogeyhitter25]

  zrlaegel said:

to give you an idea I'm 24 and married. Alot of things got put on hold when i joined the marines. Im going to be playing golf for becker college (D3). but it will enable me to practice every day. when i can shoot a consistent 68 i will start weighing my options.

Good luck at Becker, man. That's like a 10 minute drive from my house.

[TMO]

  eltigre-21 said:

how hard is it to play on the hooters tour? for what i have seen the avg is a 74 for the last few years. the number one guy this year avg.'s a 68. not to make it a living but to go out and know that you could play on it? any other stuff you know about it??

I played a number of Hooters tournaments. It was a lot of fun but I wouldn't say that it is easy by any means. Although the guys out there won't say it, the only reason they are playing on the Hooters tour rather than the Nationwide or PGa is because that is where their comfort level is at right now. They have incredible games but the mental hurdle to play on the PGA is a huge one.

Aside from that, the courses are set up pretty difficult and you still have to be well below par to make the cut in many tournaments. Winning will take -10 or lower pretty much anywhere you go. If you want to try a Monday qualifier though and are debating between a PGA event, Nationwide event, and a Hooters event I would probably go with Hooters if it is your first one. The two PGA qualifiers I played in both took below 65 while a 69 would get you into most Hooters events. Hope that helps.

[deronsizemore]

  TMO said:

Aside from that, the courses are set up pretty difficult .

I can attest to this. The course here that hosts the Hooters Tour event, I played it a week after and they had the rough at a ridiculous height. In most cases you could easily lose your ball and if you found it you would likely have to wedge it back to the fairway.

[eltigre-21]

  TMO said:

I played a number of Hooters tournaments. It was a lot of fun but I wouldn't say that it is easy by any means. Although the guys out there won't say it, the only reason they are playing on the Hooters tour rather than the Nationwide or PGa is because that is where their comfort level is at right now. They have incredible games but the mental hurdle to play on the PGA is a huge one.

thank you made it easy to understand

i was just trying to see what the cuts and scores would be.