NGA Hooters Tour

[Konrad]

These guys are pretty good....

Well, the Hooters tour was in my hometown this week, and I got to follow a group today for a little while. I was only there for an hour, after I got out of school. Let me tell you, it's a far cry from the PGA Tour in terms on sponsors and courses, but these guys have some game. I followed Mark Blakefield, who is tied for the lead after the first round. He played real good, could have been better. He played with Casey Wittenburg, who I believe played at the Masters two years ago. The holes I saw him he played pretty good, but he shot +1, so must have a double in there somewhere. Anyways, I will be attending tomorrow, hopefully seeing some different players and I plan on skipping Saturday and going Sunday to see the finish.

Pretty awesome, if anyone has the chance to go to one of these events, it's worthwhile. It was free to get in, and sometimes you can find a player who might even talk to walking down the fairways from what I was told. :shout:

[DRGJR72]

Totally agree, tons of talent out there on the mini tours these days that is for sure.

 

DG

 

*go red sox!!!!!! :shout:

[NicholasP]

Some may think this is a stretch, but I believe the top guys on these tours with the right breaks can compete in the big leagues. I say this because the course I work at hosted a Hooter's Tour event last year and I saw first hand, -16 won. Now, granted the course played to 6800 yards, it was wind and the rough was up. Very impressed with the game, desire, and work ethic of these players.

[DRGJR72]

Agreed as well, when I was in South Florida in my professional days, I played some golf with Brett Wetterich, and Briny Baird, both of whom were playing on the Golden Bear tour at the time. There were a few other guys that are on the nationwide tour, Rick Price, Tom Carter, Mike Sposa, Robert Floyd, Pat Bates, Ty Tryon...pretty solid, and that is just one of the tours.

 

Also had a few guys that made it through Q school to play in the nationwide for a year. Very deep, professional golf is not for someone that cannot tee it and go low, especially on the mini tours. I saw more 10 and 15 under par tournament totals, and tons of scores in the 60's.

 

I can imagine the depth across the country.

 

DG

[oregongolf]

Most of those guys are a little raw, but could contend on any given week when they get hot.

 

A lot of them just need the time on a tour for it to really click. I love watching Hooters and Canadian tour events.

[bk4]

Last year Steve Marino was playing on the Grey Goose Tour in Florida. One good week of Monday qualifying got him in a Nationwide Event and a good finish there got him in the next week and so on. Now he is playing in the third event of the FedEx Cup

[Jim_0068]

Off the top of my head:

 

David Toms

John Daly

Chad Cambell

 

All graduates of the Hooters Tour.

[Calamity Todd]

It would be really nice if the Hooter's Tour guys got status (NationWide Tour) based on their results, but they don't. Currently, I think they top 5 get their tour school dues paid. Problem is that the PGA and the NationWide Tour are affiliated, and NGA Hooter's Tour isn't related.

 

I've got a buddy that has won a couple of times and has been top 5 two out of the past 3 or 4 years......yet there is no plausible way to get to the NationWide Tour without Monday qualifying, which is VERY difficult and costs mucho $$$$. :shout:

[slicktry]

As good as the Hooters tour is, I still think the Canadian Tour is one step up. Once guys have played the season they go down to the US to finish the year.

 

God Bless

Jer

[justyn]

How much is it now?

 

When I tried out for the San Jose Open at the Monday Qualifier back in 98 (I think), it was only around 150 bucks for two rounds at Santa Clara Golf and Tennis, you could even drive carts with your caddy sitting in the passenger seat.

[webber]

NO BS. I played that tour in 2000-2001 with Chad Campbell, Zach Johnson, and Vaugh Taylor to name a few. Every event seemed like -20 under. Every round someone would shoot 61-63. I played with som many other guys thta were good but have since disapeared. I think Chad Campbell won like 9 of 18 events in 2000.

 

Pro golf got to be a joke. I monday qualified for the 2001 Nationwide Utah Open with 66. They were taking 14 spots and I played off 10 guys for 8 spots. There were 2 64's and 2 65's.