Hooter's Tour

[collegiate-pursuit]

Playing in first tournament as a professional

Hey guys, at the end of August I am playing in my first professional tournament. The Hooter's Tour is coming to Dothan, AL Aug 31-Sept 6th. I am going to be playing the Monday Qualifier in hopes to enter the tournament the week of. Being a +5.1 hdcp and consistently practicing 7-9 hours a day, I think my chances are good to at least get in the field. Does anyone have any good advice/information regarding what to expect once/if I get in the field tueday-sunday? I researched last years winning number at the same course (-17) and believe I have a shot at posting a number close to that, all things going well of course. I've been playing amateur touranments all year to prepare myself for the feelings of real tournament play. (I'm 23 and haven't played tournament golf since h.s. Fraternity life and college girls will do that to you I guess).
Anyway, Thanks for any help ya'll can give. I'm sure there are some knowledgeable people on here that have good things to say.
On a side note as far as preparation. I'm going to go play practice rounds 3-5 times leading up to the monday of, getting a guage on the greens, distances, safe play,s pin loc, etc etc. Thanks again.

Almost forgot. Are traditional metal spikes ok in this Tour's play? Range finders w/o slope as most USGA events are?

[callawayfan]

dont really have any advice but DAMN +5.1
that's crazy lol

good luck and id wear soft spikes just to be on the safe side.

[iteachgolf]

You can over prepare. I'd work on your short game and take an attitude that you have nothing to lose. I'm not saying don't care but putting too much stress on yourself won't help. I'd wear softspikes if I were you. Biggest key is not to get ahead of yourself. You can obviously play and you know that. From what I remember 71-75 got you into most events depending on course.

[Tmiller72]

That's at Turtle Point right? I played in 3 Hooter's events and that was one of them. I'm pretty sure I shot 71 in the qualifier to get in. I'd wear soft spikes and leave the laser in the car, but you can always call the tour office and ask them. Good luck.

[tigerphan]

use soft spikes( you practice with them, so be used to using them)

I'm hoping to get to professional golf in a few years, so good luck!!

let us knnow what happens

[odie]

Turtle Point is in Kilen, AL

[Tmiller72]

[quote name='odie' post='1845074' date='Jul 26 2009, 11:28 PM']Turtle Point is in Kilen, AL[/quote]

I meant to say Point Mallard and now I realize I totally misread the 1st post. I thought it said Decatur, not Dothan. They used to play a Hooter's event in Decatur and that's the one I played in. Sorry.

[collegiate-pursuit]

Thanks for the advice guys. And, yes the tournament is in Dothan, AL at The Highlands (Robert Trent Jones). I have been working on my putter/shortgame. I practice this I would say about 70 percent of the time. Mostly rolling downhill putts to get somewhat used to the speeds I expect to be playing. The course is 7500+/- yds which plays to my advantage as well. Thanks also for the good luck comments. Everything going smoothly, we should be in good shape. Maybe I'll start keeping some sort of a journal on here as I progress through the stages of professional golf.


Thanks again.

[homi mike]

I wish you the best of luck for the tournament.

[EnglishBob]

Good Luck

[Jacoby]

good luck!

[sosinsurr]

Good luck man. Keep us posted for sure!

And yeah +5 is pretty crazy.

[Jimbo999]

Good luck man

[Sean2]

as a +5 you can obviously golf your ball.

have you done anything to prepare yourself mentally? this will be a new experience for you and perhaps you may want to factor that into the equation?

good luck to you and please let us know how you do. :-)

[larrybud]

Here's the player handbook:

[url="http://www.hooterstour.com/pro/handbook.html"]http://www.hooterstour.com/pro/handbook.html[/url]

[mattsuth87]

+5.1????? thats impressive, the top ranked amateur in the WORLD (canadian Nick Taylor) is like a +5.2, so I think you should be in good shape. good luck, and let us know how you do!

[philfan316]

There's golf and tournament golf, and the two aren't very much alike. ~Bobby Jones~

Other than that, good luck to you.

[littlepingman]

[quote name='philfan316' post='1845973' date='Jul 27 2009, 01:48 PM']There's golf and tournament golf, and the two aren't very much alike. ~Bobby Jones~

Other than that, good luck to you.[/quote]

+1

I was playing to a +3.3 when I tried to make it on the Hooters Tour with very little success. A tournament here and there isn't going to do it for you. You will need the backing and bank roll to play a couple of full seasons to get into the groove of the daily grind. And those guys are really, really good. You have a few PGA Tour vets and whatnot out there. Tons of tournament experience and the game to go with it. If at first you don't succeed you need to stick it out. Hope whoever is sponsoring you is willing to stick it out with you. The fees to enter the tournaments are quite high, high enough that you need to finish top 10 just to break even most of the time. I've played with and known many regulars on the Hooters/Nationwide tours. Everyone is in agreement that the Hooters tour is basically legalized gambling.

[littlepingman]

[quote name='collegiate-pursuit' post='1125144' date='Jun 18 2008, 05:55 PM']I definitely understand where you are coming from. [b]I play to about a 4 handicap but I'm always looking to improve my game. Sometimes the perfectionist in me can be a detriment.[/b] The reasoning for the length is from a lesson I had with Bill Buttner (former PGA Tour player). Since we're about the same height, forming a new swing was made easier. He has been working on me having a more upright stance and a swing that is less arms and more fluid core body movements. Basically, he's trying to simplify my swing to gain consistency. The upright swing has helped my body rotation and reduced a lot of unnecessary movements in my swing. I think the clubs are right; its just hard switching from my high school Ping Eye II's that had TT Lite shafts and were 1/2 in long and 1.5 degrees upright. Thanks though![/quote]


I'm extremely curious what kinda practice routine took you from a 4 handicap to a +5.1 in a years time?

[kekoa]

good luck man.


oh, whats the difference between a 5 and a +5? just currious. Does that mean your index is under par?

[Ping-er]

[quote name='littlepingman' post='1846039' date='Jul 27 2009, 02:10 PM'][quote name='collegiate-pursuit' post='1125144' date='Jun 18 2008, 05:55 PM']I definitely understand where you are coming from. [b]I play to about a 4 handicap but I'm always looking to improve my game. Sometimes the perfectionist in me can be a detriment.[/b] The reasoning for the length is from a lesson I had with Bill Buttner (former PGA Tour player). Since we're about the same height, forming a new swing was made easier. He has been working on me having a more upright stance and a swing that is less arms and more fluid core body movements. Basically, he's trying to simplify my swing to gain consistency. The upright swing has helped my body rotation and reduced a lot of unnecessary movements in my swing. I think the clubs are right; its just hard switching from my high school Ping Eye II's that had TT Lite shafts and were 1/2 in long and 1.5 degrees upright. Thanks though![/quote]


I'm extremely curious what kinda practice routine took you from a 4 handicap to a +5.1 in a years time?
[/quote]

HA...good find ! I believe it when I see a GHIN Index...

[larrybud]

[quote name='littlepingman' post='1846039' date='Jul 27 2009, 02:10 PM'][quote name='collegiate-pursuit' post='1125144' date='Jun 18 2008, 05:55 PM']I definitely understand where you are coming from. [b]I play to about a 4 handicap but I'm always looking to improve my game. Sometimes the perfectionist in me can be a detriment.[/b] The reasoning for the length is from a lesson I had with Bill Buttner (former PGA Tour player). Since we're about the same height, forming a new swing was made easier. He has been working on me having a more upright stance and a swing that is less arms and more fluid core body movements. Basically, he's trying to simplify my swing to gain consistency. The upright swing has helped my body rotation and reduced a lot of unnecessary movements in my swing. I think the clubs are right; its just hard switching from my high school Ping Eye II's that had TT Lite shafts and were 1/2 in long and 1.5 degrees upright. Thanks though![/quote]


I'm extremely curious what kinda practice routine took you from a 4 handicap to a +5.1 in a years time?
[/quote]
Alright, so are we being hookwinked here, or is it possible he meant to say he was a +4 in the above post?

[elnino82]

WOW +5.1 hdcp?
If you keep that up, we might see you in PGA Tour in few years.
I really envy your hdcp.
Good Luck!

[gonabepro1day]

LOL if that is true that he was a 4 handicap a year ago then, yeh maybe he is playing in the monday qualifier, but the only reason he started this thread is because he wanted to let everyone know! What shall I expect he asks!? Umm....A golf course, a golf ball and a few clubs plus some top pros around you. From your monthly medal to a pro tournament......its just the same....your in a tournament....except your hitting prov1's on the range instead of pinnacles and the players around you are some of the best in your country. Golf is golf.

If you are off +5.1 then good luck to you, and you have as good a handicap as Mcilroy, Charles Howell, Tiger Woods did when they turned pro.

[robb01]

Best of luck to you

[shadow]

I must say I doubt that a +5 (who hasn't played in any tournaments since HS) will just decide to qualify for a Hooter's Tournament. At 23, and a +5, you certainly would be wasting a great gift in not playing any USGA events (pro and Am), college events etc. Heck, you probably are good enough to win your State Am, or State Open even. An easy way to prove the handicap issue is seeing your GHIN.
Not that I would lose sleep over it.
If you are truly a +5, get out there and play as many tournaments as you can. A very good friend of mine is a +2, and won the State Amatuer Player of the Year last year (MASS). If he can win at a +2, imagine what you could do with a +5.

[Redman]

Yeah man if you are really +5 there is NO reason why you shouldn't be playing in a tournament every week somewhere and gearing up for Q-School.

[iteachgolf]

+5 is another planet good. I mean that is some really low numbers, at least to maintain it.

[Swingtheclub]

do you have to pay the whole eleven hundred entry to qualify?

Good luck

[littlepingman]

[quote name='Swingtheclub ' post='1846323' date='Jul 27 2009, 03:52 PM']do you have to pay the whole eleven hundred entry to qualify?

Good luck[/quote]

You pay a certain amount to get into the qualifier. I think it used to be $200-250. If you then qualified you had to pay the rest of the entrance fee. Once you add in the money for hotels, food, transportation, etc, etc... It takes a wonderful finish to break even on the Hooters Tour.

I agree with a few others here. If you are really a +5.1 handicap, going to Q-School is a better idea.

Or stick with playing and winning some big amateur events. With your handicap you are as good or better than 99.9% of all the top ams in the world. You are also better than a large majority of the PGA Tour. Get some winning experience under your belt and play in some majors as an amateur. You shouldn't have any problem getting in the Masters by winning or finishing runner up in the US Am.