It is going to be a very exciting year for Knoxville area golfers as the highly successful Egolf Amateur Tour is coming to the Knoxville area. The Egolf Amateur Tour began in 1995 in Charlotte, N.C., and now has separate tours in 30 cities nationwide. “We provide not only competition, but camaraderie as well,” said tour founder and president Dennis McCormac. “That is what makes the Egolf Amateur Tour so special.” The Egolf Amateur Tour is open to all amateurs with handicaps from 0-30, with each golfer placed in a flight according to handicap or average score. The five flights are: Championship (0-5.9 handicap), A Flight (6.0-9.9), B Flight (10.0-14.9), C Flight (15.0-20) and D Flight (20.1 and above). Competition is stroke play, using full USGA rules. The flights provide for a fair and competitive tournament, giving each player a chance to win. The Knoxville tour will be run by veteran Egolf Amateur Tour tour director Joe Lee. Lee has been with the tour since the late 1990s and is known for his attention to detail and for running efficient tournaments. “The Egolf Amateur Tour is to amateurs what the PGA Tour is to pros,” Lee said. “Our goal is to provide each Egolf Amateur Tour player with the same type of treatment that a professional golfer receives at a tournament.” Knoxville area golfers who participate in 2008 will experience a true “tour atmosphere” in which tourneys are well-organized and professionally-run. The top three finishers in each flight at every tournament win gift certificates from a local golf retailer, while all players receive points toward a point’s championship in their flight. “I tell everyone that there are three main reasons to join the Egolf Amateur Tour – fun, competition and camaraderie,” said Larry Lee, assistant tour director. One of the neat aspects of the Egolf Amateur Tour is its season-long point’s race. Golfers accumulate points based on their performance in tournaments. At season’s end, the top 10 in each flight receive invitations to the Egolf Amateur Tour’s National Championship. In 2008, the National Championship will be played at Palmetto Dunes, Palmetto Hall and Port Royal Resorts in Hilton Head, S.C. “We had 531 players compete in the 2007 National Championship,” said Lee. “From day one, it was the most exciting event I have ever been a part of.” Golfers may join the tour any time during the year for a $70 membership fee. That fee includes a tour packet and gift bag, and allows members to play in local tournaments, as well as other Egolf Amateur Tour events around the country. “I can go on vacation to Myrtle Beach or Charleston, S.C., and play in an Egolf Amateur Tour tournament if those tours have one scheduled,” said tour member Doug Newton. “That is fantastic.” Entry fees to the tournaments average from $65-$85. Those fees include green and cart fees, range balls and prizes for the top three in each flight. There is also a skins game, closest-to-the-pin awards and a hole-in-one pot at each event. The 2008 Knoxville tournament schedule is highlighted by some of the best courses in the area. The season kicks off March 22 at Three Ridges and concludes at Riverview on September 27. “We have put together a 13-event schedule playing on some of the premier courses in the area,” said Lee. In addition to the opening and closing events, tour stops include: River Islands, Willow Creek, Millstone and Dandridge CC. All events take place on Saturdays or Sundays, and tour members have no minimum required number of tournaments. All tour results, point standings and news will be updated on www.amateurgolftour.net every day. “I strive to make sure that players are up to date on everything going on with their tour in a very timely manner. If a player has a question, I want to answer it for them as quickly as I can,” said Lee. As the tour gets ready to kick off its 2008 season in Knoxville, the best advice for avid golfers is to dust off the clubs and visit a driving range. Practice does not always make perfect, but at least you will be ready and loose come March 22 at Three Ridges.