What To Expect in 2009
I hope this post finds you doing well. It is my pleasure to extend an invitation for you to compete in the 2009 PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship, scheduled for August 31st – September 4th in Myrtle Beach, SC.
The 2008 participant survey proved to be a valuable source of information while planning for 2009. We received completed surveys from over 50% of the field, the highest response we have ever seen.
After reviewing the information, we decided to make some major changes to help improve key aspects of the event. Without further ado, it’s on to what the World Am has in store in 2009:
Tournament Changes
More Players to the Dunes Club – 2009 will see flight sizes reduced from roughly 100 golfers, to no more than 48. This will essentially double your chances of reaching the Flight Winners Playoff at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. Each golf course will host two flights per day, with no more than 96 golfers at a course.
Pace of Play – To help reduce the amount of time spent on the golf course, all players will be
grouped in threesomes, as opposed to foursomes. The Carolina Golf Association has seen great pace of play successes by using the threesome groupings at their annual tournaments. We anticipate the same results.
New Host Golf Courses – The quality of host golf courses continues to grow. Courses hosting rounds for the first time in many years include the newly renovated Pine Lakes Country Club, Eagle Nest, featuring brand new MineVerde greens, and Barefoot Fazio, the 8th TOP 100 Golf Course to join the tournament rotation. Add to that roughly 50 additional Championship courses and you have another outstanding course lineup.
Goodie Bag – Event staff will be more involved in the goodie bag selection process. PGA TOUR Superstore has access to a vast array of potential goodie bag suppliers. We are excited about their decision to allow the event staff more input when selecting items for the 2009 bag.
19th Hole Dining – Participants told us that smaller lines and more selection is key. So, we are going to add more lines and more restaurants. Instead of seeing the same restaurant serving different items, don’t be surprised if each food station features a different restaurant each night. Plus, a few additional food stations should be expected as well.
Participant Registration – Registration for the 2009 event will move away from the convention center and directly into both PGA TOUR Superstore locations. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to register during hours on both Saturday and Sunday, instead of just Sunday. Players will be able to choose which store they would like to register at. Two outcomes will take place from this change.
1. A reduction in lines with the addition of more registration hours.
2. Since you will have an opportunity to see ALL that the Superstore has to offer by being in their stores during registration, they will reduce their retail presence at the 19th Hole, allowing more space for additional food stations and expo vendors.
Tournament Overview
Along with the above changes, many of the staples that have made the World Am your favorite event will remain.
Format – The tournament will consist of four 18-hole rounds of net stroke play. Players will compete within a flight based upon gender, age and handicap index: Men (49 & Under), Sr. Men (50-59), Mid Sr. Men (60-69), Super Sr. Men (70+), Women (49 & Under), Sr. Women (50+). Following the 72-holes of tournament play, all flight winners and ties will advance to the 18-hole Flight Winners Playoff to determine the World Champion.
Field/Camaraderie - Golfers from all 50 states and more than 20 foreign countries are expected to compete in this year’s event.
The Party – The 19th hole will still be providing four nights of open bar (top shelf liquor for the 2nd straight year), food from local restaurants and great entertainment for you and a guest. Plus, the opportunity to test the latest in golf equipment, receive lessons from the pros and listen in on round table discussions with past and present golf industry celebrities.
Prizes - A total pot of over $135,000 in Gift Certificate money to the PGA TOUR Superstore is on the line for flight prizes this year. Not to mention glassware from Sterling Cut Glass. Also available for the taking:
• Daily Low Net in each flight.
• Closest to Pin, Long Drive and Straightest Drive contests
• Random drawings
Requirements – As always, the tournament will be conducted using the USGA Handicap Slope System. Thus, a valid USGA handicap index will be required to compete. Each player will be asked to verify their handicap as the event approaches. For those who have competed in the World Am within the past four years, your “World Am Tournament Index” (calculated using past World Am tournament scores) will be compared to your incoming USGA index and the lower of the two will be used for the event.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, August 29th
TBD Registration, PGA TOUR Superstore (both locations)
Sunday, August 30th
TBD Registration, PGA TOUR Superstore (both locations)
Monday, August 31st - Thursday, September 3rd
8:30am & 9:30am Rounds 1,2,3 & 4 (All Shotgun Starts)
7:00pm – 10:00pm World’s Largest 19th Hole, MB Convention Center
Friday, September 4th
7:30am – 9:30am Flight Winners Playoff, Tee Times (flight winners & ties)
3:00pm Awards Ceremony
I wish you the best of luck for a great year of golf and look forward to seeing your name on the player roster this August.
Regards,
Dave Macpherson, Tournament Director
2009 Entry Information
What is Include in Your Entry Fee?
Your event entry fee will include:
• Four rounds of net stroke tournament play on four different courses.
• Four (4) evenings of the World's Largest 19th Hole (you and a guest).
• Opportunity to compete in Flight Winners Playoff.
• A gift bag upon arrival with tournament logo'd golf merchandise.
• Opportunity for prizes.
• Coffee, bagels & donuts at golf course each day.
• A subscription to Golf Magazine*
* World Amateur Handicap Tournament entry fee includes a subscription to Golf Magazine (12 issues valued at $19.95). This is a refundable offer. Instructions will be mailed to you. For U.S. & Canadian residents only.
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Great changes for the 2009 event
Thanks for all your hard work, changes all sound great, looking forward to it.
Thanks Again
When can I sign up? I played last year and will be playing this year. I have been trying to sign up all month, but no luck so far. Thanks
The changes that I read sound great. I am looking forward to my 3rd. year at the tournament and it seems to get better each year. I appreciate the tournament being willing to assess the feedback from the participants and make changes. It sounds tricky to try to get all flights at 48. With smaller flights, will there be fewer prizes per flight? I plan to be there and have 4 new guys saying they want to come this year. Keep up the great work.
This a great event just made better with the new changes. I won't miss 6 hours + per round of golf each day. Keep up the good (hard) work.
The changes really sound great. Last year was exciting and it looks like you've really given us 2 chances to play at the Dunes Club is more than fair.
Will a decision be made in advance to standardize the "cart paths only" days with "Lift, Clean & Place?"
Last year some courses had "LCP" when others didn't on the same days.
My Flight played 2 saturated courses "down" on the days other players could "LCP".
A good note is -- the new changes sound great. Shorter rounds is good.
New courses is great, too.
Do you feature any two man team matches?
Sounds like this years event will be even better. Like the smaller flights. Hopefully, I will not need shoulder surgery as I really want to play again this year. Currently undergoing physical therapy in the hope to avoid surgery but shpuld know something in a few weeks - keeoing my fingers crossed. You guys do a great job in hosting this event every year and praying I will able to compete again!
What is the entry fee, and can you be more specific as to whether it covers meals and or lodgeing?
Thank you,
Eddie Herndon
Great changes. Look forward to my 14th year.
The changes sound great, I think it will speed up play and make it more enjoyable this year compared to the past years of play, I'm really looking forward to playing more this year, than in the past years, because of the changes.
will there be a "LOT" of lefty equipment to demo?
or should i just leave the check book at home.
:) LOL -can't wait for it- sounds great!!!
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2009 EVENT GREAT CHANGES WITH THE GROUPS IN 3 1ST TIME LAST YEAR AND I WILL BE BRINGING 3 PLAYERS WITH ME THIS YEAR CANT WAIT
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
I love the changes that you have made, especially going to threesomes and cutting the flight in half. I wasn't sure if I was going to play this year, but with all the new changes, I am definitely going to play and look forward to it all,, thanks again for all your hard work, and I am sure that it will pay off for all of us.
not sure how 96 people play faster in 32 groups of 3 or 24 groups of 4 ? and also is a single a good thing ? Love the tournment however you do it.
For years the players have been asking for reduced fields and reduced # of golfers at the course to speed play. 48 player flights are great. 96 players per course, still a bit high with 2 groups on 14 of the 18 holes, even if threesomes, length of rounds still may be an issue. Changes are for the better and attendance to the tournament will be better in the future though maybe not this year due to the economy.
Great Job Dave!!
I do not like the threesome I enjoy getting to know my fellow players and visting durning the round, I will probably be the one that has to ride by himself and this will not make me a happy camper! What is with all of you men that grib about 5 - 5 1/2 hr rounds I drive from Midland, Tx. to play golf and have a good time I could care less how long the round is (unless it involves a rain delay). I played in flight 25 last year 60+ and I really do not think it took over 5 hrs a round except for the frist day and that was caused by a rain delay (for about a hour)and our flight got to finish all 4 rounds thank goodness. The rest of the changes are fine but I wish the committe would re-think the threesomes. Of course I am in my sixties so the only thing I care about is the golf. See you all at the end of Aug.
I will tell you right now that I am not happy about dropping to threesomes. I can not believe all of the people that thinks this is a good idea, I drive from Midland, Tx. just to play this tournament and meet new people and play golf, I could care less if it takes 5 or 5 1/2 hrs to get the round in I haven't anything else to do. My wife comes with me but does not play the tournament but she loves to take the tours that are available and spending one day on the beach on every tour she took she wasn't back in Mytrle beach until 5:30 or 6:00 pm. I meant some really nice men last year and not a one of them complained about the amount of time it took to play the round, and thank God we got to play all four rounds, we had a rain delay of an hour the first day other then that things went every well. I will not be a happy camper if I am the one that gets suck in a cart for the hole round by myself. I hope the committee will reconsider this but I am sure it is just hopeful thinking.
This is all good I am glad the changes have been made I can see where the threesomes can save some time but not a large amount of time but it is good I drive form Mcalester oklahoma and this will be my 5th year and thangs have gotten better each year.My only question is where is the bulletin board? My wife and I both play and look forward to is each year
Thank you for going to threesomes and reducing the size of the flights...thank you, thank you!!!
James send me an e mail i will send you the bullitin board link joharegolf@aol.com
I agree with Dale, I also dislike the idea of going to threesomes. This is my 15th year and I always look forward to playing with as many different people as possible. I seriously doubt it threesomes will have much effect on the pace of play, which I have always thought was not that big a problem. Don't know anyplace I'd rather be than on the golf course sipping a cool one and bitching to your playing partners about the slow goober in front of you.
this is my 5th year and like most people I like meeting and playing with the other golfers. I don't think this will speed up playing.I could be wrong. Can't wait for aug 30th and getting to myrtle beach from florida.hope everyone has a great time. JIM, I would be thankful if you could send me the link for the bulleton board. this is one of the great things to look at till the golf starts. thanks, Bob Bunce
I'm glad that the World Am is seriously looking at ways of resolving the issue of 5-6 hour rounds. Cutting the groups to a maximium of 48 players is a good start although I too am against the idea of switching away from playing in foursomes. The camaraderie is one of the highlights of playing in this tournament. Making one player ride alone detracts from this. Hope the committee rethinks this. Can someone post the bullentin board link here so we all can have it.
Changes sound great, looking forward to playing again, this will be my 4th year, with my son and a friend, keep up the good work.
12 Years of being a hacker in this tournament. I use a lot of strokes, but do it very quickly. Hmm, maybe if I slowed down?! Threesomes sounds great! Registration sounds great! More food sounds great! See Yall there again this year!
I have a reservation for a one bedroom deluxe at Seawatch Plantation Aug 29 - Sep 5. Unfortunately, I cannot make it to the tournament because of back surgery, so I would like to rent this week to someone in the tournament. Please e-mail me if you are interested and we can discuss.
I like the reduced numbers in the flight, but not the threesomes as so many have expressed.
Being a super senior, I would like to be at a course closer to Myrtle Beach rather than sent to North Carolina two out of the four days and then way south. Too much traveling.
Good job on everything else. Looking forward to tee time again.Don
How is individual scoring kept on the course? Are there scorers in each group, or do participants keep each others scors?
Is the Hippo still the man in charge of the "skins" for us more "experienced" golfers? Can't wait to head south, have several cool ones, see some friends, and have a blast - DD
Jerry
Do you still have the room?
Threesomes do not speed up play! I play alot of tournament golf and they too think that three play faster than four. We still play 5 to 51/2 hour rounds. It is all due to those groups that just dont keep up the pace of play! I do like the 45 instead of the normal 100 plussssssssss! Look forward to my 8th year. See ya'll there.
is there any place to view last years scores by flights. when will we be told which courses we will be playing. Theresomes wont speed up play unless all help look for balls in the rough. setting guide lines, and printing out tips to speed up play will. Like play ready golf be ready to play not just standing, pick out a club and get ready.
This will be my first year back after 5 years and I have 6 of my best friends from Palm-Aire Country Club in Sarasota. Fl.coming with me. We are so psyched. I hope my game is as ready as my mo-jo.
See you all soon, Jim Pfrogner