State Golf Association events. What are your expectations?

[golfnhack]

So I played my first TXGA (Texas Golf Association) event this past weekend. I spent 17 years in Florida, prior to this year, and have lived in SoCal, and Nevada.

 

I found that FSGA (Florida State Golf Association) events were always very professional, and clubs that hosted them took pride in hosting an FSGA event. When ever you went to an event, the FSGA would do the following:

 

1) Make sure there was signage around the club house indicating that an FSGA event was taking place and what the event was.

2) Have multiple personnel on hand for registration, rules questions etc.

3) Have a prominent scoring area.

4) Provide water and snacks on both the first and 10th tees.

5) Have pace of play check points after 4, 9, 12, and 18 holes.

6) Strictly enforce pace of play.

7) Provide player info including accommodation, rules, practice round info etc.

8) Mark all teeing off and pin locations on the course at least 1 day prior to the event.

 

The club would:

 

1) Prep their course to be in the best possible shape they could get it.

2) Make sure their staff were friendly and attentive the day of the event.

3) Provide adequate water around the course.

 

The FSGA would also present them with a plaque as recognition for hosting the event.

 

Now... Much of that was not present in the TXGA event I played this weekend. No signage. No TXGA officials. No pace of play policy or monitoring (almost 5 hours for the first round). No water/snacks. Water buckets on the range that looked like the water had not been changed in 2 weeks. No tee or pin location markings. Also, player info said practice rounds would be $25. When I got there they wanted to charge me $80. I had to show them the e-mail that stated otherwise, and they reluctantly gave me the $25 rate.... making sure I knew it.

 

It felt like it was just 41 guys that showed up to play golf somewhere.

 

I paid $145 to enter the event. I paid another $300 for food/gas/accommodation. So all in all it was about a $445 "trip". For $445.... I felt pretty disappointed. Was I just really spoiled in FSGA events?

 

I can already predict what many will say to this post, but I am very curious to hear from players here that do play state golf. What state do you play in? Do they run it like the FSGA or TXGA?

[raynorfan1]

What kind of "event" was it?

 

Our golf association runs a bunch of championship tournaments and qualifiers, and they're a well oiled machine. Very well organized, very well run, and the clubs go out of their way to make them great events.

 

We also do "Association Member Days" at private courses which are more casual. Basically, put your name in a lottery, pay your money (which is generally far less than the course's normal guest fees), play golf - but not a lot of frill around the edges.

[FlaBoy239]

I only have FSGA experience but you are correct. They do a very good job.

[b.helts]

I can confirm the SCGA and NCGA in California do a great job running their tournaments. Sounds similar to the Florida events.

[golfnhack]

What kind of "event" was it?

 

Our golf association runs a bunch of championship tournaments and qualifiers, and they're a well oiled machine. Very well organized, very well run, and the clubs go out of their way to make them great events.

 

We also do "Association Member Days" at private courses which are more casual. Basically, put your name in a lottery, pay your money (which is generally far less than the course's normal guest fees), play golf - but not a lot of frill around the edges.

 

It was a “medalist” series event. Ie. Gross only event with an open and senior division. Played over 2 days. 2 rounds.

[golfdaddy01]

I played in one of those medalist events and thought they were just so so. Now you play in the tx mid am , state am and bigger events then it’s a completely different story and are top notch

[raynorfan1]

It was a “medalist” series event. Ie. Gross only event with an open and senior division. Played over 2 days. 2 rounds.

 

Interesting. We don't have those - the only tournaments that our state golf association runs are championships.

[golfnhack]

I will have to say that the Florida State Golf Association is just phenomenal. Not only do they run championships, but they have a full schedule of what they call 1-day events. These are played pretty much every week day for the entire year. You get to play top and private courses for $40-$65, including competition fee. They have the following divisions: Gross Division, Gross 50 & Over Division, 50-64 Age Division, 65 & Over Age Division, Women's Division. It is a 9:30 shotgun start. They also have premier courses like TPC Sawgrass, Doral, and Streamsong. Those are general 2-day stay and play at drastically reduced prices. You can also opt in for $10 skins, which is also managed by the FSGA

 

If I were retired and lived in FL, I would play as many of those events as I could. If you live in FL, and play golf, you really need to check it out. I miss it... A LOT.

 

https://www.fsga.org/TournamentCategory/Details/d99ad47f-2e7d-4ff4-8a32-c5b1eb315d28