1. What do I get for my membership to the
GolfWeek Amateur Tour?
Your tour
membership allows you to play in any tour event nationwide. Your membership
comes with a welcome packet where YOU CAN SELECT YOUR OWN MEMBERSHIP KIT ITEMS!
Each member will receive a coupon for the GolfWeek Amateur Tour Pro Shop.
To ensure
that members get the most for their money, we have a special “Members Only” Pro
Shop with carefully curated items offered at a deep discount. Inventory is
limited but we will add new products as the season progresses. However, your
coupon can also be used in any category in the GolfWeek Amateur Tour Pro Shop!
2. What do I get for my tournament entry fee?
Your
entry fee for each tournament gets you 18 holes (or 18 holes each day for a
2-day event), cart, and range balls. Tournaments include Visa Giftcard Payouts
based on the number of people in each flight and each flight winner gets an
etched trophy for the event.
3. What is the event format?
All
standard 1 and 2-day events are gross stroke play with USGA rules in effect.
The Tour Championship at the end of the year in Hilton Head, SC is a 3 day, 54
hole gross stroke play event where members from all 45 tours come together to
determine an overall Flight Winner for the season for the whole tour.
4. Are Range Finders or GPS devices allowed to
be used during the events?
Range
finders and GPS devices are allowed as long as they conform to USGA rules and
do not measure slope, wind, or any other information other than distance. Cell
phone range apps can also be used, provided the player does not use the phone
for anything other than yardage information, no slope, wind, etc.
5. Can I try an event before I commit to
becoming a member?
Golfers
who have not been on the tour before can attend 1 event as a visitor and would
only have to pay the tournament entry fee. In order to play a second event, the
membership would have to be paid for first.
In order
to play as a visitor, you must enter your player registration by filling out
and submitting the first page on the "Join the Tour" tab (exit out
when asked for member payment), then submit event payment and lastly email us
at Tampa@amateurgolftour.net and let us know that you are planning to play as a
visitor. Once those steps are complete, you will be set to play and can try an
event as a visitor. Vistors cannot win but they can place second within the
flight range.
6. Do I need a USGA handicap index?
It is
helpful to have an established index to place you in the correct flight, but
the index is not necessary. If you do not have a USGA or Tour index, we will
place you in a flight based on your average score and ability for the
appropriate yardage. Your flight placement can always be adjusted later if the
placement doesn’t fit your ability. Once on Tour, you will develop a Tour Index
based strictly on your tournament results and will dictate all flight
placements.
7. Do I have to play in every event?
You can
play in as many or as few events as you wish. The more events played, the more
points you will earn towards the race to get to the Tour Championship at the
end of the year at Hilton Head Island, SC. If you cannot make an event on your
local tour, you may play any other event nationwide to make up for it. Make-up
events only earn 60-80% of the original value. Only a single-day event can be
used to make up a single-day event and only a 2-day major can make up for a
missed 2 day major. A single-day event can NOT be doubled to make up for a
missed 2-day event.
8. How long do I have to decide to play in an
event?
All
tournament entry fees are due no later than the Wednesday before the tournament.
Courses cannot leave openings, therefore they need to know how many players the
tournament requires well before the event. These are updated within 24 hours of
payments.
9. What time are the events?
Most
events are played on a Saturday or Sunday, which are golf courses' busiest days
of the week. Our events are scheduled for Tee Time or Shotgun starts.
10. What is the breakdown of handicap indexes for
each flight?
Championship
Flight players have a handicap of 0 -3.9; A Flight players have handicap of 4 –
8.9; B Flight players have a handicap of 9 – 13.9; C Flight players have a
handicap of 14 – 18.9 ; D Flight players have a handicap of 19+
11. How is the Tour Handicap Index calculated?
The Tour
Index Policy is intended to group players into flights of comparable potential
ability to promote fair competition within the flight. Indexes are based solely
on Amateur Golf Tour performance. The AGT index formula will closely mirror the
published USGA handicap method. The AGT formula differs from the USGA handicap
methodology in that it uses only rounds played on tour and substitutes the
triple bogey rule in place of Equitable Stroke Control.
12. What if I am playing in the wrong flight?
Flight
adjustments are usually made after 3 events have been played. However, adjustments
to a higher flight can be done at any time. If you are in the wrong flight and
are shooting out of the flight range, a battlefield promotion will be done
instantly. This would create a loss of winnings and points to your balance and
account for the adjustment to the higher flight. If you feel you are in too
difficult of a flight, you may request to move down a flight (provided your
index allows for the move). Flight adjustments to a lower flight do not warrant
any loss of points. However, an adjustment to a higher flight warrants an
adjustment of 20-40% reduction of current point earnings as that is
approximately the number of points you would have earned had you been in the
proper flight all along but cannot earn a spot higher than a tie for 5th when moving
up a flight.
13. What yardage is played for my flight?
Championship
plays from roughly 6700+; A plays from roughly 6500 – 6800; B plays from
roughly 6400 – 6600; C plays from roughly 6200 – 6500 ; D plays from roughly
6000 – 6300
**Yardage
distances played can vary from this guide based on ease/difficulty of course
slope and ratings.**
Women
typically play 1 tee forward of their respective flight tees, or approximately
10-15% less than their male counterparts.
14. What are the prizes for the events?
Prizes
are in the form of VISA Gift Cards. The Prize purse amount is determined by how
many players are in the Player Flights and the Prize Matrix for each tournament
is located on the Tee Times/Pairings page.
15. Can I play events on another GolfWeek Amateur
Tour?
You can
play any event in the nation, on any of the 44 other tours. If you play a
visiting Tour, you must first indicate the play to your local tour director and
also let the visiting tour director know which tour you are a paid member.
Event registration is then the same process as your local tour. Be sure to take
note of any differences in the other tours' local rules.
16. How do I earn a spot to the Tour Championship
at Hilton Head Island, SC at the
end of the season?
You must play at least 5 rounds during the 2022 season to qualify for the Golfweek Amateur Tour National Championship. 2 day
Majors count as two rounds. The top 10 season-long points winners from each
flight earn a spot to enter the Tour Championship.
Tampa Tour Specific Info - You must play at least 10 rounds in Tampa Tour Tournaments in the season and be flight winner in order to have your National Tour Championship paid for by the Tour. If a player plays less than 10 rounds in Tampa Tour Tournaments and is the flight leader, player receives paid tour membership for the following year.
17. What if the weather is bad?
We play
rain or shine unless the course suspends play. If an event has to be canceled
due to dangerous weather, then a make-up event will be arranged for later in
the season.
18. What is the Cancellation Policy for Events?
Any
player who wishes to withdraw from a Tournament and receive a full refund (minus Paypal processing fee of $5.00) must
tell the Tour Director before the deadline to withdraw for each tournament
(generally the Wednesday before the tournament).
19. What is the triple bogey max rule?
To
promote a good pace of play, the AGT implemented the triple bogey max rule for
all flights except the Championship flight. All players must pick up their ball
and discontinue their play on any hole where they have reached a score of
triple bogey. (If you are at double bogey, and are not in the hole yet, pick up
as triple is the best you will get. Do not hit for the triple as the whole
purpose of this rule is for a faster pace of play).
20. What if I don't know the rules?
Players
are responsible for knowing the rules. Other players can help with the rules if
in doubt or unsure. Always play 2 balls if a rule or play is in dispute. The
director can determine the proper play when discussed at the end of the round.
Penalties can, and will be, assessed for rules infractions, so be sure to know
the rules to the best of your ability.
21. What is the dress code?
Collared
shirts and soft spikes are required. (Mocks are considered Collared Shirts at
most locations). No jeans, denim, jogging outfits, tank tops, workout wear, or
sweat pants are permitted. Shorts may be worn.
22. Are caddies permitted?
Caddies
are not permitted unless offered through the course.
23. Are spectators permitted?
Spectators
are usually welcomed but it is at the discretion of the course. Spectators may
be required to ride and rent a cart, whereas some courses do not have enough
carts and spectators will have to walk. We try to refrain from having
spectators ride with the players. It is up to each course in regards to their
spectator policy, so be sure to contact the course to inquire as to their
policy.
24. What are the cash games at the events?
At each
event, players are able to enter into the optional CASH games. Games MUST be
entered with cash as the money gets paid to the winners in cash the same day or
electronically through CashApp/PayPal/Venmo if not picked up the day of the
event.
Players
can pay $10 to get into the Flight CPs contest for the par 3's for that day.
Players
can also pay $10 for their respective flight skins. An outright low score
(birdie or better) on a hole, amongst the players in the skins game, will win
their share of the flight skins pot.
Additionally,
players can enter the super skins for $10. These players compete against all
the flights and players that entered super skins. An outright low score (birdie
or better) on a hole, amongst the players in the super skins game, will win
their share of the super skins pot.
Any
player can enter in as many, as few, or none of these events as they wish. In
the case of a 2-day event, players must enter the games each day. 1st-day
entries go towards day 1 results and 2nd-day entries go towards day 2 results.
25. How are Ties for Placing and Prize Pay-Outs
handled?
All ties
for placing and prize pay-outs are done using the back 9 total, then the last 6
total, last 3 total. (Placement will not be split among multiple players) 1st
Place Tie will result in a course Playoff, and all others would split the prize
amounts based on placement.
26. Live-Scoring System at All Events
The live
scoring page can be found by clicking the corresponding link from your tour
homepage under the Live Scoring System button or by going to
Amateurgolftour.net/livescore
Your
login is the email address that we have on file with the tour.
Family
and friends can follow along in real-time at home by clicking on the Live
Leaderboard tab.
This
process is a welcome change but can really only be most beneficial if each
group participates, so it is mandatory to have 1 person in your group enter
scores into live scoring. 1 other person in the group can keep score on the
scorecard. Entering scores throughout the round will also make the scoring and
results at the end of the round as we won't have to take the time to enter the
scores, but rather just verify them. The system will do the rest, so results
will be quickly calculated, but again, can only be done if players participate.
27. Registration changes day of event
Once
registered to play in a tournament for either GolfWeek or Senior, you cannot be
moved to the other Tour the day of the event.
Any changes must be requested the Wednesday before the event.