GC Am Tour....Worth It??

[Bodee]

Maybe I was using the wrong words doing a search about this, but this is my question. Is it what they brag it up to be? Worth the membership fee and entry fees for the prizes they offer?

[Bodee]

Nobody?

[fishstix94]

I haven't had any experience with that tour, but from what I have heard from others is that it is rather expensive to join and that the prize pools are lacking. They don't pay out many spots and the spots that get paid don't get much money compared to the entry fees.

[BoogieThumper]

From what I heard it's worth it if you can afford to pay the $200 yearly fee along with the $125-$160 fees per round. If I had the extra scratch laying around I'd join in a heartbeat, but I dont.

[Bodee]

What other tours are there for us am's? I agree with both of you. When I was checking out the site, prize money wasn't much compared to the entry fees and they don't pay many spots. If I had the extra money, yea, I would do it also.

[Bodee]

BTW.... I'm in New York State

[TheGasman]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

[statmagic]

Been playing on it since 2009. Almost 40 tournaments last year. Prizes are gift cards, trophies and points. There are two day majors and a four day no-cut National Championship at the end of the year that you have to qualify for. Nationals for the past few years have been PGA West, Grayhawk, Sawgrass and this year Innisbrook.

 

It's golf. Real golf. Tournament golf. If you make a 12 on a hole, you make a 12. We play it down, putt it out and are penalized if you don't get around in 2:15 (two strokes).

 

The competition is tough. Especially in the Sarazen, Hogan and Palmer flights. The guys that play on GCAT are hardcore golfers.

 

Most people who have never played on it I tell them to add at least ten strokes to what they expect their score to be for the first few tournaments.

 

It's a lot of fun if you make the investment and try to get to Nationals. If you just dink around with one or two events you will wind up quitting.

 

So yeah, it's an investment of time and money. Worth it though IMO.

[statmagic]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

 

I had one skin from Nationals last year worth about $850. A buddy of mine got one a couple of years ago around $3,000.00. Paid for his trip.

 

Nationals skins are nice. :yes:

[TheGasman]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

 

I had one skin from Nationals last year worth about $850. A buddy of mine got one a couple of years ago around $3,000.00. Paid for his trip.

 

Nationals skins are nice. :yes:

 

That would be nice!!!

 

I actually won the 50/50 at this years for 2800. I made the mistake of calling my wife right away though because I was so excited.

 

Its looking like I wont be able to make it to Nationals this year because of my schedule. Im kind of bummed about that.

[statmagic]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

 

I had one skin from Nationals last year worth about $850. A buddy of mine got one a couple of years ago around $3,000.00. Paid for his trip.

 

Nationals skins are nice. :yes:

 

That would be nice!!!

 

I actually won the 50/50 at this years for 2800. I made the mistake of calling my wife right away though because I was so excited.

 

Its looking like I wont be able to make it to Nationals this year because of my schedule. Im kind of bummed about that.

 

Nice! The 50 / 50 at Nationals is sweet too. Majors 50 / 50 aren't bad either.

 

Sorry you won't be there bro. I was a little bummed we weren't at Sawgrass this year but I'm looking forward to Innisbrook. Grayhawk Raptor ate my lunch. :black eye:

[TheGasman]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

 

I had one skin from Nationals last year worth about $850. A buddy of mine got one a couple of years ago around $3,000.00. Paid for his trip.

 

Nationals skins are nice. :yes:

 

That would be nice!!!

 

I actually won the 50/50 at this years for 2800. I made the mistake of calling my wife right away though because I was so excited.

 

Its looking like I wont be able to make it to Nationals this year because of my schedule. Im kind of bummed about that.

 

Nice! The 50 / 50 at Nationals is sweet too. Majors 50 / 50 aren't bad either.

 

Sorry you won't be there bro. I was a little bummed we weren't at Sawgrass this year but I'm looking forward to Innisbrook. Grayhawk Raptor ate my lunch. :black eye:

 

I still might make it this year! Im in three weddings this year, which means three bachelor parties, plus another baby on the way. Im still trying to figure out a way to convince the wife that I have to go.

 

I was on fire in Scottsdale. I really hope they go back there again. I probably had too good of a time.

[statmagic]

This is my fourth year with GC. If you are looking to make money off of it in the form of gift cards, its not going to happen. In my flight you can make anywhere from 20-150 for a local tournament off skins. The skins get bigger in the 2 day events and at Nationals. If I was to add up my winnings versus entry fees over the years, I would be negative by a lot. Its always a good time though

 

I had one skin from Nationals last year worth about $850. A buddy of mine got one a couple of years ago around $3,000.00. Paid for his trip.

 

Nationals skins are nice. :yes:

 

That would be nice!!!

 

I actually won the 50/50 at this years for 2800. I made the mistake of calling my wife right away though because I was so excited.

 

Its looking like I wont be able to make it to Nationals this year because of my schedule. Im kind of bummed about that.

 

Nice! The 50 / 50 at Nationals is sweet too. Majors 50 / 50 aren't bad either.

 

Sorry you won't be there bro. I was a little bummed we weren't at Sawgrass this year but I'm looking forward to Innisbrook. Grayhawk Raptor ate my lunch. :black eye:

 

I still might make it this year! Im in three weddings this year, which means three bachelor parties, plus another baby on the way. Im still trying to figure out a way to convince the wife that I have to go.

 

I was on fire in Scottsdale. I really hope they go back there again. I probably had too good of a time.

 

Did you give her your 50 / 50 money? That should have secured you for this year right? LOL!

[TheGasman]

 

Did you give her your 50 / 50 money? That should have secured you for this year right? LOL!

 

Great point! I cant afford not to go!

[SadTrombone]

Three words:

 

Six

 

Hour

 

Rounds

[Holy Moses]

I was going to play this last year, but never wound up playing. Do you need a verified USGA handicap to get into the proper flight?

[Bodee]

Lasers or GPS allowed in these events?

[TheGasman]

I was going to play this last year, but never wound up playing. Do you need a verified USGA handicap to get into the proper flight?

They will give you a USGA number once you sign up. You can post there to establish your handicap until you play enough for a tournament index. Or if you have a ghin you can just give them that and they will flight you accordingly.

Lasers or GPS allowed in these events?

Yes.

[Holy Moses]

Lasers or GPS allowed in these events?

 

Yes, but not for slope or wind

[Bodee]

Ghin?

[Holy Moses]

Ghin?

 

Yes, but their website has details: http://d2aygmo1xd84v8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/11/Am-Tour-Player-Handbook-2016-V1-1.pdf

[snagy2000]

Ghin?

 

Yes, but their website has details: http://d2aygmo1xd84v...k-2016-V1-1.pdf

 

I have played for about 4 years now. There are plenty of people who don't have a GHIN, so if your club doesn't use the GHIN system or you use something outside of the GHIN system there are no worries. Once you've established a GC tournament index you'll get flighted or you can ask to be moved into the appropriate flight. Most local directors do a good job of making the adjustments as needed for guys playing well above their indexes. As far as pay-outs, you can look at the Players handbook (http://gcamtour.com/player-handbook/) to get a better understanding of the minimum required payouts. Most of the local directors use this to pay out prizes per flight in the events. Overall, we can get access to courses we don't usually have access to and the so called "majors" are at some pretty outstanding places. As a member of the tour, you can play at any event in any city as long as your register in time. My favorite part is observing all the cast of characters who play on this tour. Everything from "tour pro impersonator" to "weekend warrior." I've only met one A-hole in all the events I played, mostly good guys and gals otherwise.

[fairways4life]

OP --- also check out the Golfweek am tour. They have a metro NY section and also a western NY section.

 

I played on it a couple years ago and enjoyed it.

[TerpFangolfer]

Three words:

 

Six

 

Hour

 

Rounds

 

Is this accurate? Because they seem to make a big deal about place of play in the T&C.

So they don't (or are unable) to enforce it?

Was thinking of giving it a try this season (MD/DC area).

[wcgolf]

6 hour rounds do not happen in any event I have played in and most of the time the higher cap guys go out first and they finish in the required time or less. Two stroke penalties speed it up.