At what point should a kid move up to harder tournaments.

[BFD3]

On 7/29/2021 at 6:43 AM, heavy_hitter said:

 

I know on the men's side at the elite level a junior isn't paying for a lot.  I would assume Zweig, Pano, and a couple of other girl's aren't either.  The equipment manufacturers and sponsors are covering equipment, travel, and lodging.  Zweig and Pano are exposure for the companies.  I very rarely watch LPGA because I don't find it entertaining.  I don't enjoy watching the internationals play.  At the tournament in Texas I tuned in just to see how Avery was doing.

 

I don't think it is a shame for women's golf or women's sports in general because they aren't entertaining for me.  I may hurt someone's feelings for saying that, but I don't care or come here to be politically correct.  It all comes down to numbers and female viewership for the LPGA is worse than male viewership.  If someone thinks it is entertaining, then watch it.  I don't watch men play baseball either because for me, it is boring.  I think the viewership for a LPGA event breaks down to 20% female and 80% male.  I think the number for PGA breaks down to something like 30% female and 70% male.  If just the 30% female audience from the PGA tuned in to watch a LPGA event that would be more viewers than they have now.  I really don't feel like going in and finding the article these come from, but you can do a google on it.  The link has been posted here on WRX before.

 

In fact, for me, I would find watching the USKG Junior Worlds (boy's or girl's), more entertaining than watching a LPGA event.

My daughter could watch PGA events all day. She knows all of the top players and many of the less well known players. But she couldn’t care less about the LPGA. I’ve tried to get her to watch it (even though I don’t personally like it). She finds it boring in comparison.

[leezer99]

Just to follow up on this topic.  My son somehow qualified for our top level tour here in SoCal as a 13 year old without having to go through their two day Q School.  It's basically a 12-18 year old division with the top 300 or so kids playing in it.  He has status on the tour for one year where he has to record a top ten finish to keep his status for another year.  They only have a couple events per month and they are all two day events with most being 36 holes but a couple that are 54.

 

Should be a very interesting 2022.

[tiger1873]

6 minutes ago, leezer99 said:

Just to follow up on this topic.  My son somehow qualified for our top level tour here in SoCal as a 13 year old without having to go through their two day Q School.  It's basically a 12-18 year old division with the top 300 or so kids playing in it.  He has status on the tour for one year where he has to record a top ten finish to keep his status for another year.  They only have a couple events per month and they are all two day events with most being 36 holes but a couple that are 54.

 

Should be a very interesting 2022.

 

Gaining status is pretty important you can't underestimate advantage.  I noticed since my daughter gained status everything just seems to be easier. You paired with better players get better start times and officials are always happy to see you.

 

It just plains sucks to go to a new tour without status. You end up paired with he worst kids have crappy tee times and can't get into any good events.

 

It why rankings matter you can sometimes buy yourself some status without starting at the bottom.

Edited December 10, 2021 by tiger1873

[kekoa]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:59 AM, leezer99 said:

Just to follow up on this topic.  My son somehow qualified for our top level tour here in SoCal as a 13 year old without having to go through their two day Q School.  It's basically a 12-18 year old division with the top 300 or so kids playing in it.  He has status on the tour for one year where he has to record a top ten finish to keep his status for another year.  They only have a couple events per month and they are all two day events with most being 36 holes but a couple that are 54.

 

Should be a very interesting 2022.

Congrats on that.   Just how hard was it to get status?  Some kids I speak to say it isn't that hard.  I see other good players who have a hard time earning status.   TTC is big time.  Good luck out there.  

[leezer99]

1 hour ago, kekoa said:

Congrats on that.   Just how hard was it to get status?  Some kids I speak to say it isn't that hard.  I see other good players who have a hard time earning status.   TTC is big time.  Good luck out there.  

For the fall season they took the top three in points. Not hard at all. I think my son played in 15 events while most kids played in 20+.  However… in 2022 they are charging it to the top two in points each season but adding in the series championship winner so imo it will be much more difficult. The key to maxing out your points is to play well in the two day events and play well in the events that have more kids. A fourth place in a field of 26-30 kids is the same points as a win in a field of 10-15 kids. 
 

There are currently 166 players signed up for Q school this weekend and they’re only taking the top 10% and ties. In the past there were usually 200+ kids playing. I think it’s going to be easier to get in via Q school this year than it has in the past.  Although I’m super happy he doesn’t have to go through that again this year. 
 

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by leezer99

[Kcct82]

On 12/10/2021 at 10:59 AM, leezer99 said:

Just to follow up on this topic.  My son somehow qualified for our top level tour here in SoCal as a 13 year old without having to go through their two day Q School.  It's basically a 12-18 year old division with the top 300 or so kids playing in it.  He has status on the tour for one year where he has to record a top ten finish to keep his status for another year.  They only have a couple events per month and they are all two day events with most being 36 holes but a couple that are 54.

 

Should be a very interesting 2022.

Congrats 🎉 We just signed up for the Players Tour. 

[tiger1873]

 

 

 

13 hours ago, leezer99 said:

For the fall season they took the top three in points. Not hard at all. I think my son played in 15 events while most kids played in 20+.  However… in 2022 they are charging it to the top two in points each season but adding in the series championship winner so imo it will be much more difficult. The key to maxing out your points is to play well in the two day events and play well in the events that have more kids. A fourth place in a field of 26-30 kids is the same points as a win in a field of 10-15 kids. 
 

There are currently 166 players signed up for Q school this weekend and they’re only taking the top 10% and ties. In the past there were usually 200+ kids playing. I think it’s going to be easier to get in via Q school this year than it has in the past.  Although I’m super happy he doesn’t have to go through that again this year. 
 

 

 

I don't know anything about this tour but it does seem like a lot local tours and especially PGA junior tours make you jump though a lot hoops to play their better tournaments.

 

I'll use south florida PGA as an example.  They have a new structure in place to move from there 1 day prep tour to the 2 day medalist tour. 

 

They have the following requirements.

 

0. Scoring Requirements to advance from the Prep Tour to the Medalist Tour:

   Boys 13-18 – 80.99 Girls 13-18 – 81.99 Boys 11-12 – 77.99 Girls 11-12 – 77.99

 

To me this makes no sense and screams that someone has no clue what they are doing.  if I have a younger kid 11-12 scoring these scores I am playing 2 day FJT and HJGT already. Also these scores make less sense for girls. If a girl is averaging  in the 70's good chance they are starting to play AJGA events.  Also kids 13-18 that break 100 need to be playing 2 day events so there going to seek out alternative tours and never even bother with SFJPGA when they get better.

 

Golf may be competive in florida but the kids are not that much better.

Edited December 15, 2021 by tiger1873

[heavy_hitter]

1 hour ago, tiger1873 said:

 

 

 

 

I don't know anything about this tour but it does seem like a lot local tours and especially PGA junior tours make you jump though a lot hoops to play their better tournaments.

 

I'll use south florida PGA as an example.  They have a new structure in place to move from there 1 day prep tour to the 2 day medalist tour. 

 

They have the following requirements.

 

0. Scoring Requirements to advance from the Prep Tour to the Medalist Tour:

   Boys 13-18 – 80.99 Girls 13-18 – 81.99 Boys 11-12 – 77.99 Girls 11-12 – 77.99

 

To me this makes no sense and screams that someone has no clue what they are doing.  if I have a younger kid 11-12 scoring these scores I am playing 2 day FJT and HJGT already. Also these scores make less sense for girls. If a girl is averaging  in the 70's good chance they are starting to play AJGA events.  Also kids 13-18 that break 100 need to be playing 2 day events so there going to seek out alternative tours and never even bother with SFJPGA when they get better.

 

Golf may be competive in florida but the kids are not that much better.

 

These are the new scoring averages for the Medalist Tour.

 

Scoring average:
Boys 11-12- 74.99 or better
Boys 13-18 – 78.99 or better
Girls 11-12- 76.99
Girls 13-18 – 81.99 or better

[tiger1873]

1 hour ago, heavy_hitter said:

 

These are the new scoring averages for the Medalist Tour.

 

Scoring average:
Boys 11-12- 74.99 or better
Boys 13-18 – 78.99 or better
Girls 11-12- 76.99
Girls 13-18 – 81.99 or better

 

I pulled my scores from the doc they had so yours may be updated. Thanks  It effects me because I have an 11 year old as well that is starting to play more.

 

Personally I think those scores are way too low for the 11-12 year to play a 2 day event. You are talking about tournaments where the majority do not have to travel to play. There also supposed to be averages not best score which means posting some very low numbers.

 

 

 

 

[heavy_hitter]

Just now, tiger1873 said:

 

I pulled my scores from the doc they had so yours may be updated. Thanks  It effects me because I have an 11 year old as well that is starting to play more.

 

Personally I think those scores are way too low for the 11-12 year to play a 2 day event. You are talking about tournaments where the majority do not have to travel to play. There also supposed to be averages not best score which means posting some very low numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

I agree with you in that aspect.  I really think they need to go 11-13 and 14-18.

[tiger1873]

1 minute ago, heavy_hitter said:

 

I agree with you in that aspect.  I really think they need to go 11-13 and 14-18.

 

What even worse is since the older kids scores are higher it sort means the better kids will never play their events and most likely will move on fairly quickly since they have small fields.