USKG Local Tour re-starts: COVID-19 edition (updated 5/5/20)

Here in FL, there are local tours finishing up this weekend and starting again next weekend.

Winter Orlando Tour plays their Championship 5/2, and then starts Summer tour on 5/9.

Space Coast (added 5/3), NW FL and Jacksonville Spring Tour resumes/starts May 17.

Tampa Spring Tour resumes May 24.

Boca Raton and Stuart Tour plan to set dates mid-May, with the goal of completing the tour schedule by end of June for Worlds.

The Sarasota Tour resumes play 5/9.

Does anyone here plan on having their kids playing in local tours this month?

We are in South Carolina. My son was not going to do any local tours anyway, but I am on mailing list for Columbia (SC) and Savannah (GA) tours - both resuming this weekend or next. A quick look shows field numbers consistent or better than past seasons. Looks like people are ready to get back at it.

We've been playing once or twice a week ourselves through all of this. Of course at first there were questions but the reality it is pretty simple - limited group sized (we were never paired with anyone else, flags stay in (with pool noodles here), no bunker rakes, inside of proshops closed. Courses have been very busy. Procedure & protocol would be no different for a tournament, which would have even more restrictions (scorecards, etc.) I am sure. He is not playing any local tmnts, but I personally wouldnt hesitate if he were to be.

Our local will start back up on the 17th with a lot of new social distance rules as I'm sure most of you read the USKG email (print your own scorecards, flagstick must stay in which I HATE) I personally don't have an issue with USKG or other groups running tournaments right now as long as some safety measures are put in. But I still expect many families will not share the same opinions as me and I expect the numbers to be down across the board.

Space Coast will resume 5/17.

The Boca Tour is run by Don Law out of Palm Beach County. They are still under State Covid Regulations. They run the Stuart tour as well and not sure why the hang up with resuming that tour.

I saw this, too. I have a feeling there will a fair share of kids from Port St. Lucie, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens driving up to Viera for that 5/17 tournament. Pretty sure we'll make the trip up there for it, but was going to give the Stuart tour a few more days to see what they were doing first. Seeing as it will be the kids first ever tournament, maybe it's best to start them off at Space Coast where there will only be one or two kids flirting with par per age group rather than five or six.

Perhaps Don doesn't want to schedule Stuart just yet as to not draw negative attention from media and hesitant parents? It seems like he has a lot to lose if the backlash is fierce.

I got an email from them today. They won't know anything about the Boca or Stuart until 5/15 is what she told me.

Thanks for passing on the info, it definitely helps with planning.

I think the bigger issue is going to be finding courses that will host junior tournaments. Palm beach, Broward and Miami is probably going to loosen restrictions soon.

the problem I see is the private clubs have tons of old members and are scared to even let in guests. How long this period lasts is anyone’s guess. I could not imagine even bringing up the subject to host a junior tournament right now.

Thisleaves public courses and they are slammed even if there basically cow pastures. They can also name their price for prime tee times. So no way they let the kids play there either.

i hate to say but It may be while before we see tournaments. Really for my kids it back to the basics for little while.

Yep, FCG just announced their new course lineup for Worlds and for the most part they are dog tracks. For some reason Menifee Lakes is highly regarded but every time we’ve been there it has been in awful shape and those events were some big qualifiers.

We played in a Phoenix event this past Sunday. Super smooth....flagstick in, preprint the scorecards, no exchanging on the first tee, no awards ceremony after...

Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade were hit considerably harder by COVID-19 than the Treasure and Space Coast... and those counties should do what they feel they need to do.

It not just anyone living closer in to the Miami area that has this issue it's pretty much anywhere near a Larger Metro Area. I am getting very pessimistic that AGJA or any larger tournaments will international players has a chance of being played this year. I would like to think they do but once you start seeing the patchwork of laws and the 14 day quarantines mandated in various states and the fact that even the simple task of getting food and a hotel is still a challenge.

A lot people are going to figure out a way to put on a local tour for sure in a lot areas but it going to be hard to find a venue for the most part. I am optimistic that we will see a lot more tournaments but I am thinking most of the tournaments that do eventually happen will be closer to the end of the year and we will see a lot things cancelled again in the next month.

The bigger question is these days you really can't brag too much about playing golf and even tournaments that your kids play in. A lot people who my opinion should mind their own business and leave everyone alone will make a point of telling you how you are putting your kid in danger. In some cases they might even try to get the tournaments shut down. Sad we live in that world but we do. So how does this effect the parents who like to brag on instagram and facebook?

As someone just getting his kids started in tournaments, I can only sympathize with parents and kids who have put in years of effort into playing in Worlds, Callaway, IMG, etc... only to have '20 be a shadow of what it could have been, competitively speaking. I hope things start to come together for the junior golf situation in the less-fortunate areas who have limited access for play right now.

As someone who has posted very limited pics of family events, business or personal trips over the past four years on social media because of public perception--kids golf may very well have to go into that same bucket. If my kids were older and scholarship hunting right now, I can imagine the feeling of angst--the current restrictions and social judgements would be cumbersome.

I see a ton of kids that are still playing. We’ve driven 70 and 90 miles out to play a couple rounds and would have continued if our county hadn’t just opened up. One of our local tours just opened up and it’s PACKED. I do think they should be using non contact thermal thermometers though before the round.

The big question is did the local tour refund or issue credits????

i have a lot credits from various tournaments that were cancelled. So what that means is I want to spend that money and will be signing up for anything that is near me on those tours.

once all that credit is spent are the tours going to be as packed?? It take a few months for this sort itself out.

They had one tournament on the books that was supposed to take place the week before but hardly anyone had signed up for it. They did issue refunds or credits whichever the parent wanted for the cancelled event.