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Cities With The Best Amateur Golf Scene


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Who lives in an area that really enjoys their amateur golf? Good players and a high amount of competitive serious tournaments. I’m not talking about state association events or state open events, just local golf.

My hometown holds about 16 big tournaments a summer that include 4 best balls, 2 match play, and the rest stroke play. The events are open to all handicaps, and flights are a popular option, but the championship flight always produces a few under par scores on some pretty tough courses.

It’s a lot of golf for a place in MN that calls 50 in July a normal day.

 

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Who lives in an area that really enjoys their amateur golf? Good players and a high amount of competitive serious tournaments. I’m not talking about state association events or state open events, just local golf.

My hometown holds about 16 big tournaments a summer that include 4 best balls, 2 match play, and the rest stroke play. The events are open to all handicaps, and flights are a popular option, but the championship flight always produces a few under par scores on some pretty tough courses.

It’s a lot of golf for a place in MN that calls 50 in July a normal day.

 

I asked a question about shortstop tournaments a while back, and apparently they don't exist outside our area. What city are you in? Being from the Mpls area, I'm only vaguely aware of events other than the resorter tournies.

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Austin, TX, is a pretty great place for amateur golf:

Plus, my sense is that the amateurs in Texas are better than the amateurs just about anywhere else, so the competition is fierce.

 

These guys have learned to play in the wind and off hardpan, and my experience suggests guys who can score in those conditions are a cut above other amateurs.

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The Burgh ain’t bad, lol

 

Just to name a few, we’ve got the only male Am in the history of the USGA to share the same distinction as Bob Jones for winning the same USGA event four times, and I am speaking of Nathan Smith, winner of FIVE USGA Titles, four of them the US Mid-Am(along with the inaugural Four Ball Title) and his side-kick, BFF and average garden variety traveling +4.8, Sean Knapp, winner of last year’s USGA Senior Am Title.

 

Sean beats Nathan as often as not however one is a Legend and the other, unless you follow Amateur golf, ya haven’t heard of, lol.

 

Go figure?

 

For a northern area, we’ve got some serious Players

 

Cheers?

RP

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Austin, TX, is a pretty great place for amateur golf:

Plus, my sense is that the amateurs in Texas are better than the amateurs just about anywhere else, so the competition is fierce.

 

These guys have learned to play in the wind and off hardpan, and my experience suggests guys who can score in those conditions are a cut above other amateurs.

When I visit my in-laws in Austin in the summertime, there is always a decent sized piece in the Sports Section on the Am golf events. I live in a pretty active golf community, but the Austin area is heads above many places in having amateur golf events.



 

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Who lives in an area that really enjoys their amateur golf? Good players and a high amount of competitive serious tournaments. I’m not talking about state association events or state open events, just local golf.

My hometown holds about 16 big tournaments a summer that include 4 best balls, 2 match play, and the rest stroke play. The events are open to all handicaps, and flights are a popular option, but the championship flight always produces a few under par scores on some pretty tough courses.

It’s a lot of golf for a place in MN that calls 50 in July a normal day.

 

I asked a question about shortstop tournaments a while back, and apparently they don't exist outside our area. What city are you in? Being from the Mpls area, I'm only vaguely aware of events other than the resorter tournies.

 

Originally from Duluth (further south now but I play if I happen to be back in town). There are usually a few guys from the metro area that come up to play these, especially the 5 day match play events at the country clubs. There’s a lot of fundraiser tourneys around, but these ones are put on by the course and usually have a very good payout.

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Austin, TX, is a pretty great place for amateur golf:

Plus, my sense is that the amateurs in Texas are better than the amateurs just about anywhere else, so the competition is fierce.

 

These guys have learned to play in the wind and off hardpan, and my experience suggests guys who can score in those conditions are a cut above other amateurs.

 

I would definitely agree that overall, amateur golf is better in Texas, but I think it would surprise a lot of people how good the golf can be up North. The wind and hard pan are tough, but drop the temp to 45, add rain and crazy greens that break towards the big lake even if it’s uphill, and there’s not a lot of players that would struggle.

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It always surprises me how good Canadian golfers are. With such a short season, you'd think they'd be at a real disadvantage; perhaps hockey techniques just translate better to golf :D

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It always surprises me how good Canadian golfers are. With such a short season, you'd think they'd be at a real disadvantage; perhaps hockey techniques just translate better to golf :D

Probably some truth to that, but I can tell you most of them wish they could be playing all year round like you guys.

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I think DC is ok...probably a lot are better, but I've never lived any where else

 

I play in both MSGA & WMGA events - and often on some very nice courses

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The Burgh aint bad, lol

 

Just to name a few, weve got the only male Am in the history of the USGA to share the same distinction as Bob Jones for winning the same USGA event four times, and I am speaking of Nathan Smith, winner of FIVE USGA Titles, four of them the US Mid-Am(along with the inaugural Four Ball Title) and his side-kick, BFF and average garden variety traveling +4.8, Sean Knapp, winner of last years USGA Senior Am Title.

 

Sean beats Nathan as often as not however one is a Legend and the other, unless you follow Amateur golf, ya havent heard of, lol.

 

Go figure

 

For a northern area, weve got some serious Players

 

Cheers

RP

 

I met Sean for the first time about a month or two ago. Watched him hit on trackman for about a half hour and the consistency was amazing to watch. Nice guy. Hope to play with him some day soon.

 

Pittsburgh does have a great amateur scene. Hope you’re feeling well RP! Cheers!

 

Nate

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Salt Lake City has a great amateur tournament season. In fact, Utah in general is great for amateur golf.

 

I was going to say the same thing! I lived in SLC for 4 years and miss playing up there quite a bit. Vegas (current hometown) is more of a well-known golf destination, but the amateur golf scene isn't even close. Lots of good former pros and college players in Utah, and for the most part, they're good people too!

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The Burgh ain’t bad, lol

 

Just to name a few, we’ve got the only male Am in the history of the USGA to share the same distinction as Bob Jones for winning the same USGA event four times, and I am speaking of Nathan Smith, winner of FIVE USGA Titles, four of them the US Mid-Am(along with the inaugural Four Ball Title) and his side-kick, BFF and average garden variety traveling +4.8, Sean Knapp, winner of last year’s USGA Senior Am Title.

 

Sean beats Nathan as often as not however one is a Legend and the other, unless you follow Amateur golf, ya haven’t heard of, lol.

 

Go figure

 

For a northern area, we’ve got some serious Players

 

Cheers?

RP

 

I met Sean for the first time about a month or two ago. Watched him hit on trackman for about a half hour and the consistency was amazing to watch. Nice guy. Hope to play with him some day soon.

 

Pittsburgh does have a great amateur scene. Hope you’re feeling well RP! Cheers!

 

Nate

Hey Nate, how goes it?

 

Thanks for the wishes?

 

I had chemo today and feel like I’ve been on a 72-hour bender minus the ibuprofen though this too shall pass, lol.

 

Yea, Sean’s a machine and as Great of a Player as he is, and make no mistake, he’s every bit the Player that Nathan is, he’s a much better Person.

 

I’ve always said that Nathan is the Classiest Am that I’ve been around in 50 years in the game and I don’t even bother with a #2, 3 or whatever, as the names and faces start to blurr, between lost brain cells due to life in my 20’s & 30’s, the meds over the past few years and middle age, however with Nathan at #1, Sean would be 1A.

 

It’s very fitting and a testament that Karma is alive and well that they’re BFF’s(Sean was Nathan’s Best Man).

 

No finer Men you will you ever meet!!

 

Enjoy your time with Sean, and this is just a pearl from me to you-

 

While you can learn from him as a Player, regardless of your cap or skill level, please don’t short change yourself by missing the greatest lessons and pearls that you could take away from spending 4+ hours with Sean~

 

It is not often in your life when you will meet a Champion as Humble, as Considerate or as Classy as Sean Knapp-

 

Again, thanks for the wishes and have a great season Bro?

 

My Best,

Richard

In the end, only three things matter~ <br /><br />How much that you loved...<br /><br />How mightily that you lived...<br /><br />How gracefully that you accepted both victory & defeat...<br /><br /><br /><br />GHIN: Beefeater 24

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Best of luck to you Forged.

Love hearing the input on different areas. Pro golf is fun and all, but amateur golf is the reason most of us want to play. Good groups of guys and competitive events are what makes it fun. After moving a few times I’ve realized this isn’t this case in all cities, big or small.

Unfortunately the weather up north puts a strict timeline on these good times.

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It always surprises me how good Canadian golfers are. With such a short season, you'd think they'd be at a real disadvantage; perhaps hockey techniques just translate better to golf :D

Probably some truth to that, but I can tell you most of them wish they could be playing all year round like you guys.

 

I can attest to this.

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Pretty much anywhere in Southern California has a solid amateur golf scene. Some particularly solid areas for public amateur golf (private club amateur golf is pretty solid all over California):

 

Pasadena/Glendale area: Brookside Golf Club is a decent public track (36 holes) with a long history of scratch amateur play. They annually host a solid tournament, the "Pasadena City," which attracts a field of many top local high school, college, and mid-am golfers.

 

Inland Empire (Riverside/San Bernardino areas): Lots of solid public courses at reasonable prices, and the Inland Empire Amateur is held annually over Labor Day weekend. 54 hole event with a cut.

 

Orange Country: All kinds of solid golfers here, but good, reasonably-priced public golf is hard to come by. Lots of amateur tournaments also.

 

Greater Los Angeles: There are millions and millions of people here. Solid amateur golf is all over the place, both public and private.

 

Bottom line: Southern California has a rich and varied tradition of amateur golf. There is literally something for everyone here, from the mid to high handicapper down to the very best amateur players in the country.

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