Egolf Amateur tour

[Clueless]

As a member of the GCAT I have also defected to the egolf tour in the past week. Let's keep it real. The price of the GCAT was driven by no competition. The GCAT has held events at Bougainvillea, Hillcrest, Falcon Dunes (a real dog) Legend of Arrowhead, Foothills and The Duke (Maricopa) and Lone Tree. None of these are high end like Ocotillo, Eagle Mountain, WeKoPaw, Grayhawk, etc.

 

The fact is that green fees in Arizona are seasonal and the GCAT played weaker courses in the winter than the summer. It is a fact. And to be totally honest, most of the high end courses let their courses go to the dogs during the summer. I played an event at Talking Stick last summer where the greens were like playing plinko they were so bad. The next event was at Raven South Mountain ($150 in the winter) and we had to play lift, clean and place in the "rough" and around the greens. The course was soggy despite no rain and 110 temps.

 

I like the fact someone is coming in and offering tourny's for a lower price, have you checked your 401k lately :)! No doubt the quality of courses overall is not what the GCAT offers, but the entry fee is $40-$50 less per event and $100 less for the 2 day events. I think comparing the 2 tours is like comparing apples and oranges. Two totaaly different concepts if you ask me. The GCAT San Diego TD called me this week to reassure me that the Phoenix tour would continue. I have no doubt they will as plenty of folks have deep pockets, they will just have to get by without me. Just my 2 cents.... Thanks for letting me vent :)!

[malasuerte]

As a member of the GCAT I have also defected to the egolf tour in the past week. Let's keep it real. The price of the GCAT was driven by no competition. The GCAT has held events at Bougainvillea, Hillcrest, Falcon Dunes (a real dog) Legend of Arrowhead, Foothills and The Duke (Maricopa) and Lone Tree. None of these are high end like Ocotillo, Eagle Mountain, WeKoPaw, Grayhawk, etc.

 

The fact is that green fees in Arizona are seasonal and the GCAT played weaker courses in the winter than the summer. It is a fact. And to be totally honest, most of the high end courses let their courses go to the dogs during the summer. I played an event at Talking Stick last summer where the greens were like playing plinko they were so bad. The next event was at Raven South Mountain ($150 in the winter) and we had to play lift, clean and place in the "rough" and around the greens. The course was soggy despite no rain and 110 temps.

 

I like the fact someone is coming in and offering tourny's for a lower price, have you checked your 401k lately :) ! No doubt the quality of courses overall is not what the GCAT offers, but the entry fee is $40-$50 less per event and $100 less for the 2 day events. I think comparing the 2 tours is like comparing apples and oranges. Two totaaly different concepts if you ask me. The GCAT San Diego TD called me this week to reassure me that the Phoenix tour would continue. I have no doubt they will as plenty of folks have deep pockets, they will just have to get by without me. Just my 2 cents.... Thanks for letting me vent :) !

 

Agree with everything you said.

 

Glad you joined! Should be fun. I have been talking with Blane(TD) and he is doing some real big marketing(mailers, FBR, etc.) Something Greg never did.

[malasuerte]

Agreed. A bunch of us have "defected" to the egolf tour. I put all the numbers into a spreadheet(can you say anal?). The golf tour turns out about half the cost....lower fees and less travel(GCAT had 2 regionals outside PHX). The courses improve as the season goes on and no tour dir. for the GCAT + they raised rates even higher on some courses(after the rates had been raised already by the previous TD).

 

Anytime you see someone wearing long pants in the middle of summer, and saying they only want to play the best courses, you know you've got a sucker with deep pockets. And there will always be a certain number of those people, although not nearly as many these days with the economy the way it is. :black eye:

 

I never wear pants! :tongue:

[Clueless]

I went and played San Marcos today, it is in pretty good shape. It's not Grayhawk, but it's not $200 either. I would say to each their own regarding what tour to play, each one has pro's and con's. Go with what you are comfortable with, I actually like some of the courses being bashed earlier. Sundance and Hillcrest are two of my favorites. The International tour is the one that has me scratching my head. Why would an amateur pay the same $200 entry fee to get a $750 GC when a pro pay's the same entry for $1,000+? And for the record, I enjoyed playing on the CGAT for those considering it. I just wanted to set the record straight on the quality of courses. I don't expect to play Eagle Mountain or Whirlwind in the winter high season for $85. I can't wait to start mixing it up again:)!

[ricar1610]

I am another Phoenix GCAT member defecting to Egolf. I can actually play a few more times throughout the year. I think the courses will be fine. I live in the west valley so this really is up my alley. I am looking forward to it as I was not going to be able to continue in the GCAT due to the prices and the membership fee coming up. I hope this one is good. Don't know until you try though. See you guys out there.

[JakeBarnes]

I went and played San Marcos today, it is in pretty good shape. It's not Grayhawk, but it's not $200 either. I would say to each their own regarding what tour to play, each one has pro's and con's. Go with what you are comfortable with, I actually like some of the courses being bashed earlier. Sundance and Hillcrest are two of my favorites. The International tour is the one that has me scratching my head. Why would an amateur pay the same $200 entry fee to get a $750 GC when a pro pay's the same entry for $1,000+? And for the record, I enjoyed playing on the CGAT for those considering it. I just wanted to set the record straight on the quality of courses. I don't expect to play Eagle Mountain or Whirlwind in the winter high season for $85. I can't wait to start mixing it up again:)!

 

San Marcos is nothing special, but hey, when I am out visiting my cousins in Chandler, we usually end up playing that course at least once. They keep the course in pretty good condition. I personally enjoy it. At that point I would really think that it wasnt about the courses but the competition.

[mygolfbuddy]

You guys might want to check out the Golf Galaxy tour. I know they are in Phoenix. No entrance fees, and all payouts are in the form of Golf Galaxy gift cards. Here is the link

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/galaxy/dept.asp?...amp;dept_id=220 , they say thattheir schedule will be up on January 1st.

[VinceRKG]

I had no idea there was the Golf Galaxy Tour as well. Hmm....

[Pinehurst1999]

I had no idea there was the Golf Galaxy Tour as well. Hmm....

The problem with the GG tour is that they are all 2-man events, at least they are here in NC. They are all scramble and best-ball formats. That is not waht 99% of people are looking for.

[golferlaird]

Just played in the first one of the year yesterday at Palmetto Dunes(Robert Trent Jones Course), Hilton Head. Shot 76,took 3rd place and two skins in the A flight, won $96. I'm signed up for the next one . It was really fun. Good competition. Two guys shot 74 to beat me in my flight from the regular tees. 72 won the championship flight from the back tees. Course was great! I recommend Egolf Tour.

[klaymon]

Congrats on 3rd! I might try the tour this year or next.

 

Palmetto Dunes is the course I played for my first round of golf ever. I was too petrified of what I was doing to remember jack squat about the place. I'd like to go back in a year or so and play it again now that I know what I'm doing and I can appreciate the course.

[atlanta golfer]

Just played in the first one of the year yesterday at Palmetto Dunes(Robert Trent Jones Course), Hilton Head. Shot 76,took 3rd place and two skins in the A flight, won $96. I'm signed up for the next one . It was really fun. Good competition. Two guys shot 74 to beat me in my flight from the regular tees. 72 won the championship flight from the back tees. Course was great! I recommend Egolf Tour.

 

Some of us (depending on flight) played the Jones course back at the end of October in the Egolf national championship at Hilton Head. I love that course, as well as the other two at Palmetto Dunes. I am envious of those who live in the warmer zones, getting the tour started already. We are playing some here in Atlanta year round but we need to pick our days. Egolf Tour events for us start in mid March. Can't wait. We are lucky here in north metro Atlanta because we can pay the annual fee ($80) and then play events on three Egolf tours that are all in driving range - the Atlanta tour, the Northeast Georgia tour, and certain locations on the Upstate SC tour. For me, that gives me about two dozen events I can choose to play between mid March and early October, plus the nationals in Hilton Head every year in late Oct.

[Skydiver22]

As a member of the GCAT I have also defected to the egolf tour in the past week. Let's keep it real. The price of the GCAT was driven by no competition. The GCAT has held events at Bougainvillea, Hillcrest, Falcon Dunes (a real dog) Legend of Arrowhead, Foothills and The Duke (Maricopa) and Lone Tree. None of these are high end like Ocotillo, Eagle Mountain, WeKoPaw, Grayhawk, etc.

 

The fact is that green fees in Arizona are seasonal and the GCAT played weaker courses in the winter than the summer. It is a fact. And to be totally honest, most of the high end courses let their courses go to the dogs during the summer. I played an event at Talking Stick last summer where the greens were like playing plinko they were so bad. The next event was at Raven South Mountain ($150 in the winter) and we had to play lift, clean and place in the "rough" and around the greens. The course was soggy despite no rain and 110 temps.

 

I like the fact someone is coming in and offering tourny's for a lower price, have you checked your 401k lately :)! No doubt the quality of courses overall is not what the GCAT offers, but the entry fee is $40-$50 less per event and $100 less for the 2 day events. I think comparing the 2 tours is like comparing apples and oranges. Two totaaly different concepts if you ask me. The GCAT San Diego TD called me this week to reassure me that the Phoenix tour would continue. I have no doubt they will as plenty of folks have deep pockets, they will just have to get by without me. Just my 2 cents.... Thanks for letting me vent :)!

 

Did you just call Falcon Dunes a dog track... are you high!!! maybe you have it mixed up with the Goodyear muni "The Falcon". The dunes is a great course, played there two days ago and it is in great shape.

[Clueless]

As a member of the GCAT I have also defected to the egolf tour in the past week. Let's keep it real. The price of the GCAT was driven by no competition. The GCAT has held events at Bougainvillea, Hillcrest, Falcon Dunes (a real dog) Legend of Arrowhead, Foothills and The Duke (Maricopa) and Lone Tree. None of these are high end like Ocotillo, Eagle Mountain, WeKoPaw, Grayhawk, etc.

 

The fact is that green fees in Arizona are seasonal and the GCAT played weaker courses in the winter than the summer. It is a fact. And to be totally honest, most of the high end courses let their courses go to the dogs during the summer. I played an event at Talking Stick last summer where the greens were like playing plinko they were so bad. The next event was at Raven South Mountain ($150 in the winter) and we had to play lift, clean and place in the "rough" and around the greens. The course was soggy despite no rain and 110 temps.

 

I like the fact someone is coming in and offering tourny's for a lower price, have you checked your 401k lately :) ! No doubt the quality of courses overall is not what the GCAT offers, but the entry fee is $40-$50 less per event and $100 less for the 2 day events. I think comparing the 2 tours is like comparing apples and oranges. Two totaaly different concepts if you ask me. The GCAT San Diego TD called me this week to reassure me that the Phoenix tour would continue. I have no doubt they will as plenty of folks have deep pockets, they will just have to get by without me. Just my 2 cents.... Thanks for letting me vent :) !

 

Did you just call Falcon Dunes a dog track... are you high!!! maybe you have it mixed up with the Goodyear muni "The Falcon". The dunes is a great course, played there two days ago and it is in great shape.

 

I guess you are validating my point. I was indeed referring to Falcon Dunes at the air base. Obviuosly it gets play so someone must like it, I just didn't care for it. It wasn't in great shape when I played it a couple years ago. Perhaps they have improved since then, I wouldn't know.

[malasuerte]

Agreed on Falcon Dunes. It was one of the worst courses I have played in the Valley. When we played it for the GCAT it was very very disappointing and in poor shape....

 

...they must have done some major overhauling if it was in great shape now.

[pickblade]

The course line-up is not too spectacular, I guess to keep costs down...

San Marcos

Bougainvillea

Hillcrest

Coyote Lakes

Sundance

...

 

Gets a little better in the summer

Copper Canyon

Whirlwind

GC Estrella

...

 

I'll probably just stick with the Longbow Men's Club next year.

 

Off topic a bit but,

Tjy, how is the mens club at Longbow? I have been trying to find a competitve one that is not over run by low net events always won by 40 hndcps that by a "miracle" come out and shoot 100 or less. The best one I have seen on paper so far is over at The Foothills with a solid event schedule with plenty of gross events plus a good mix of stableford, best ball low net events. It looks like the majority of their members are in the 6-10 range with a few lower and higher. I wanted to join this year but they wouldnt cut me a deal on price even though the season was 2/3 over. Most importantly to me is they play most of the events on sunday with some on sat which is perfect for my work schedule.

 

This tour looks interesting enough to consider doing I know the tracks arent the class of the valley but atleast the competition should be decent

 

probably a little off topic but IMO Dobson Ranch Men's Club is probably the best run Men's Club in the valley. Good golfers, fair, but difficult to get in tournaments because they fill up fast. Most tournaments are low net/gross by flight.

[VinceRKG]

Well just registered for the San Marcos event.....Pretty stoked....going to play a practice round Saturday, anyone game??

[Tourplayer6]

I read these comments and take everything with a grain of salt but some of you don't have a clue. I am an 10 year friend and business associate of Greg Guest who I met at Senior Q-School in Florida when he was trying to make the Tour (BTW, he missed by a stroke). He and his wife are nothing but first class and Mal, he doesn't need the money so back off! He probably lost more in the market in the last three days then you will make in the next three years.

 

As some of you know, he was also the GCAT regional director here in the west and when GC bought the Tour in December, the very next day they fired ALL of the regionals. The reason they fired him was, as I recall the conversation, "Since your father passed away in July we didn't think that you would want to travel so we made the decision to not include you in the reorganization. We would like you to stay on and run the Phoenix Tour though!" Sad thing is that they never even asked. What a great company, eh! Greg resigned the next day after we discussed me taking over the Tour.

 

Greg took the western region from 6 tours with 450 members total to 16 tours and 3500 members but that wasn't good enough for GC. In no way, shape or form, was his decision to move-on based on money, it was simply the management change and their asinine decision making when they bought the Tour. The Phoenix Tour was his child and likely was the best venue they had as he treated all the members as he himself would have wanted to be treated, that being, with respect! I've seen the financials for the Phoenix Tour and its not pretty, he'll probably loose $8-10K for 2008 and that was one of his better years. Worse now is, and likely due to some of the posts here, is that readers have made up their minds that he was fired for "mis-handling players money." That's so laughable and if he ever saw these postings he would not be happy. People would get hurt.

 

I know he is working on a new tour (www.wstourllc.com) for pro's and single digit players as well as an event scoring service that will launch in a few months, after he has recovered from seeing six years of work go down the tubes. It is going to be a "players" tour that will go regional in a couple of years. He is also planning on talking with the LDA and ESPN Team Challenge folks to do some of their events.

 

It's interesting how some posts are so positive on how the Phoenix tour ran and that Greg was the best and in the next post the same guys write that he took "big cuts," had no clue how to select a course and that his leaving "was a money thing." Fact is, his cut was about $7.00 US (the very reason I didn't take the tour) and he never once "prostituted" a course for a lower fee that I know of. He respected the course's right to make a few dollars and he knew what he could sell at what price. Sometimes he simply had to settle for a lesser course because he knew he couldn't sell the better courses and their fees. I agree that some of the courses were not in the best of shape but Mother Nature has a mind of here own. And it must be getting tough out there, as just like Blane, the new Phx TD is adding the same courses ($125 for Coyote Lakes, LMAO!) to the GCAT schedule, dropping some of the quality venues that Greg had.

 

Like VinceRKG says, you shouldn't comment on something that you know nothing about. And Mal, why is it that you signed up for the first few events on the egolf thing, have you have had a change of heart about playing "pathetic" and "utterly crappy" courses... LOL...

 

Mark W.

[Skydiver22]

Just signed up for the mailing list for the tour above... lets see where this goes, it sounds good.

[mul1gan]

Very interesting.. Ive played on the GCAT for 2 years and its fun. It can be a little pricey but I always thought that was how it is. I might look into the egolf tour this year but it looks like the Richmond tour is the only one available in my area. I was hoping they had a DC tour but I didnt see it. I might still bite the bullet and join the egolf tour and play a few events if it is within a 1-1.5 hour drive.

 

As for the IPT, it looks really good and really professional, but I dont think im quite ready for that. And again the traveling looks like it can be a PITA.

 

So for the exerts, do I have any other tour options besides the 3 listed?

 

thanks

[malasuerte]

Phoenix' first tourney is in the books. It was a bit cold and there was a fair bit of wind during the round. Thankfully the rain held off until the very end.

 

Our group flew around the course and were in having lunch as the rain came down. Some groups were not so lucky and played 3 or 4 holes in the rain.

 

It was hard getting into it the first few hole....6 over thru 4, and 5 over the rest of the way. Finally got going after the first 4.

 

It seemed hard going because of the cold as the ball wasn't traveling as far.

 

As for the course, the tee boxes left a bit to be desired. The greens rolled pretty good, except a few had a lock of rocks embedded in the greens. Bunkers were wet and a little hard to hit out of.

 

Ended up 2nd place and 2 skins for the effort...wish I would have put a better front up. 44/39. I missed a bunch of putts(standing up and a lil quick).

 

Nice fajita lunch afterwards. Nice trophies for the winners.

 

Champ player(Peter) put up a sparkling 69...hell of a round there!

 

They got about 400 names at the FBR, so the field should increase over the season.

[VinceRKG]

It was awesome! I was in the B flight since not golfing well at all the past year!! Showed again how off and on I am now. First hole I put in the palm and got stuck!!!! Tripled that hole, and bogeyed the par 5 after when I was on in 2...unbelievable. I remember saying, " This sucks!!" , the guy in my four some stated, " Calm down, were all the same handicap"..LOL...It was awsome though, learned more and more. Def. sticking to all events this year.

[teejaywhy]

Regarding the eGolf Amateur tour San Marcos tournament, I was looking at the results... was that the total turnout - 32 players?

[malasuerte]

Regarding the eGolf Amateur tour San Marcos tournament, I was looking at the results... was that the total turnout - 32 players?

 

 

Yes. I think there was 1 or 2 no shows if I recall correctly.

 

Hopefully it will grow.

 

If you break it down though...take out the last and first flight and it was a good showing(3 in each)....so there were 26 for the other flights(the more common HCs).

 

A tourney in 3.75 hours, a good lunch, decent prizes($60 for me for 2nd) and pretty well run for the first one.....I was quite happy. I think general consensus seems that the skin $ should be bumped, at least for the first 2 flights....so that would be good too!

[malasuerte]

It was awesome! I was in the B flight since not golfing well at all the past year!! Showed again how off and on I am now. First hole I put in the palm and got stuck!!!! Tripled that hole, and bogeyed the par 5 after when I was on in 2...unbelievable. I remember saying, " This sucks!!" , the guy in my four some stated, " Calm down, were all the same handicap"..LOL...It was awsome though, learned more and more. Def. sticking to all events this year.

 

 

Cool!. I waited a bit for you, but we flew around and had lunch and the other groups were not in yet, so I finally took off.

 

Had problems all day with my new clubs(hooking and pulling badly)....so I decided to go to the range and use some impact tape.....I was hitting on the heel almost every hit. So I went to PGA Store and Vans and got consensus that my clubs lie angle was off. (as much as 3degrees in the PW). ugh!!! Anyways I having them bent this week and hopefully I will do better next time.

 

I plan on playing as may events as possible. Plus I am playing the Golfhub league which is every other weekend too.....works out great!!

[atlanta golfer]

Regarding the eGolf Amateur tour San Marcos tournament, I was looking at the results... was that the total turnout - 32 players?

 

 

Yes. I think there was 1 or 2 no shows if I recall correctly.

 

Hopefully it will grow.

 

If you break it down though...take out the last and first flight and it was a good showing(3 in each)....so there were 26 for the other flights(the more common HCs).

 

A tourney in 3.75 hours, a good lunch, decent prizes($60 for me for 2nd) and pretty well run for the first one.....I was quite happy. I think general consensus seems that the skin $ should be bumped, at least for the first 2 flights....so that would be good too!

 

I'm lucky in that I have the opportunity to play events on 3 different egolf tours without excessive driving, due to my location northeast of Atlanta. One of the tours, upstate SC, typically has turnouts of 50 to 70 golfers, while the smaller, newer tours in NE Georgia and Atlanta have fields in the range of 20 to 40. It is all about getting established, finding good people to run it, and then building it over the course of several years. It definitely is more fun when you get more established and larger fields.

[VinceRKG]

Cool!. I waited a bit for you, but we flew around and had lunch and the other groups were not in yet, so I finally took off.

 

Had problems all day with my new clubs(hooking and pulling badly)....so I decided to go to the range and use some impact tape.....I was hitting on the heel almost every hit. So I went to PGA Store and Vans and got consensus that my clubs lie angle was off. (as much as 3degrees in the PW). ugh!!! Anyways I having them bent this week and hopefully I will do better next time.

 

I plan on playing as may events as possible. Plus I am playing the Golfhub league which is every other weekend too.....works out great!!

 

Awesome Awesome, I have not heard about the Golf Hub Deal yet. Does Eric Manmano still help run things there?

 

Well I will be at all the events, it was a blast.

[malasuerte]

Cool!. I waited a bit for you, but we flew around and had lunch and the other groups were not in yet, so I finally took off.

 

Had problems all day with my new clubs(hooking and pulling badly)....so I decided to go to the range and use some impact tape.....I was hitting on the heel almost every hit. So I went to PGA Store and Vans and got consensus that my clubs lie angle was off. (as much as 3degrees in the PW). ugh!!! Anyways I having them bent this week and hopefully I will do better next time.

 

I plan on playing as may events as possible. Plus I am playing the Golfhub league which is every other weekend too.....works out great!!

 

Awesome Awesome, I have not heard about the Golf Hub Deal yet. Does Eric Manmano still help run things there?

 

Well I will be at all the events, it was a blast.

 

 

Yup, Eric still runs it. They have Net and Gross. So the prize pool is pretty small. But skins are $20 which is good. They also play ESC for everyone...so the worst someone can do is double for 10 & Below and triple for 10 and above.

 

He had lunch inlcuded and has pulled it out to reduce the fees. I took 3rd gross last outing.

 

There are some really good courses on the schedule too.

[malasuerte]

Egolf Tour Update:

 

The Local Finals will be moving from San Marcos to Red Mountain Ranch September 12 - 13, 2009.

 

Very cool! I really like the track.....short but tough.

[VinceRKG]

Played my 2nd event yesterday and shot 85! Not bad, started great, only 4 over through 9 holes, and then within 3 holes went to 8 over!! and bogeyed last 4 holes to go 12 over....The courses so far have been awesome! Next is Hillcrest and playing on Sunday. All in All, well ran and put together!!