Golf Connect Golf Tours - Nationwide Golf Tournaments for Amateurs

Below are the most commonly asked questions and answers regarding the Golf Connect®  Golf Tour.  If you have additional questions, please email us at tour@golfconnect.com or call the National Office at 612.730.2418.


Q1. What is the Golf Connect®  Golf Tour?
A1. The Tour is, quite simply, a real golf tour for the average golfer. It is a chance for golfers who normally score 95 or less on 18 holes to play in professionally-organized tournaments at a variety of quality courses on local, regional and national levels. Tournaments are 18 hole events and are 2-person team, best ball or scramble format. Each tournament has an optional prize pool available for placement, skins, day games contests. The Golf Connect®  Golf Tour was founded in 1997 and has hosted more than 25,000 participants.
 
 
Q2. Who can play on the Golf Connect®  Golf Tour?
A2. All golfers who normally score 95 or less on 18 holes are eligible for play. Men, women and juniors are welcome. Our format accommodates anyone looking for friendly competition and camaraderie. Amateurs and golf professionals may participate in our events. The Tour complies with all USGA guidelines for maintaining amateur status as prizes are awarded as gift cards.  Juniors are welcome as long as they can typically score 95 or less on 18 holes.  The majority of players on the Tour typically score in the 80's or low 90's. 
  

Q3. How much are the Entry Fees?
A3. Tournament entry fees vary based on the hosting course and include the 18 hole green fee, riding cart and range balls (when range is available). Players may choose to participate in an optional prize pool for placement, skins and day games for $10 per player. Please note that prepayment and submission of a Tournament Entry Form is required for all players.  For tournaments, the cost is as close to the courses' normal green fee as possible (varies course to course).  Riding carts are mandatory for all events and are included in the entry fee.  If you choose to bring a caddy, the caddy must pay to ride if they ride with you. Results are posted on this website by 5pm the Tuesday following the event and prize money accumulates through the events and are paid out mid season and at the end of the year.
  

Q4. When and Where are the Tournaments Hosted?
A4. Golf Connect®  Golf Tour™ tournaments are held on both weekends and weekdays and are hosted on all four corners of the metro area at a wide variety of quality local courses. All courses (except occasional out-state events) are within 60 minutes of metro area locations and have been pre-screened for quality and playability. View your local schedule for specific dates and times. Note that we add events throughout the year so be sure to check back regularly.
    
 
Q5. Are My Scores Handicap Adjusted?
A5. No. To give everyone an equal chance of winning prizes in our events, we have designated payout positions (eg. 1st, 2nd, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, etc.). Specific payout positions vary based on the number of participants. Because there are no flights and no handicaps used in our tour events, we do not have any sandbagging issues and everyone has a chance of winning every time they tee it up.
      
 
Q6. Do I Need an Official USGA Handicap Card?
A6. No, you do not need a handicap card to play in Tour events.  Players use different tee boxes based on an average of your prior three scores
    
 
Q7. Are There Any Age Restrictions?
A7. No. As long as a golfer has the ability (usually scores 95 or less on 18 holes), they are welcome to play. We acknowledge the need for a competitive environment for juniors and the Tour provides an excellent opportunity for players to compete and fine tune their competitive skills for high school, college and beyond. Many parent-child teams play together in the tournaments.
  
  
Q8. Can I Walk?
A8. No.  Carts are required (and included in the entry fee) for pace of play reasons.  So that all participants may enjoy the round, appropriate pace of play is imperative. Note that most courses require golfers to be at least 16 years of age to drive a golf cart.
    
 
Q9. Can I Bring a Caddy?
A9. Yes, you may bring a caddie but they must pay the additional cart fee to the course at the time of the event.  The Tour does not allow a walking caddie with 2 riding players for pace of play and safety reasons and at no time may more than 2 golfers ride in a single golf cart.
   
 
Q10. Can I Play in These Tournaments and Maintain My Amateur Status?
A10. Yes!  The Tour offers only merchandise prizes in the form of gift cards. No cash prizes are awarded thus assuring that players amateur status is not jeopardized.  In compliance with USGA rules for amateur status, no individual player may accumulate merchandise winnings in excess of $750 per event.  See the USGA website about prize money awards.
    
 
Q11. Are There Any Mandatory Membership Dues or Fees?
A11. No. You may play in as many or few events as you would like and never pay any membership dues or fees.
        
     
Q12. How Do I Join the GOLF CONNECT®  Golf Tour™?
A12. To join the Tour, simply play in a tournament.
      
  
Q13. How Do I Sign Up for a Tournament?
A13. Tournaments are open to the first 100 applicants.  To be pre-registered, a golfer must submit a Tournament Entry Form and payment.  Click on the Entry Form link at the top of this page to register for a tournament.   You may check to see if a tournament is full by visiting the Tournament Schedule page.
    
  
Q14. May I Sign Up as a Single or Foursome?
A14. Yes. You may sign up as a single, two-some, three-some or four-some.  If you sign up as a single, we will find you a playing partner. If you would like to play with another team, simply request the pairing and you may play together as a foursome.
     
  
Q15. What is the Average Winning Score?
A15. To view past results for your local tour, choose your local Tour then click on RESULTS. Note we are transitioning to a new payout structure for 2010 in order to make the event entry fees more affordable but will still have an optional per event prize pool available for placement, skins and day games contests.  To view a sample of our new 2010 results and prize payout summary, click here

  
Q16. Is There a Max Score I Can Record on a Hole?  
A16. To assist with Appropriate Pace of Play, the maximum allowable score on a hole is par plus 3 (for best balls) and par plus 2 (for scrambles).  If you are at +2/3 for the hole, please pick up and assist the remaining group/ players finish out the hole.  This rule allows groups to remain within one hole of the group in front of them per our Tour Pace of Play Policy. 
  
 
Q17. What is the Payout?
A17. Beginning in the 2010 season, we are transitioning to a new payout structure in order to make the entry fees more affordable. At each event, players may choose to participate in a 3-way prize pool which will pay out for (a) Team Placement, (b) Skins, (c) Day Games contests. This per event prize pool is optional and available for $10 per player. 75% of the total collected comprises that events total prize pool. All players throughout the year will qualify for our season long "Player of the Year" prize pool. To view a sample of our new 2010 results and prize payout summary, click here
     
    
Q18. What is the Weather Policy?
A18. Players understand that they may have to play in less than favorable conditions. Play will not be allowed if dangerous or unplayable. Call your local Tour Director if the weather is questionable the morning of the event. Course manager determines if conditions are unplayable or dangerous. Your safety is our utmost concern. If play is cancelled before the first teetime, players receive a full refund.  In cases of questionable weather, credit cards are not billed until after the event.  Once the event begins, if a player is rained out before they finish the 9th hole, they are issued a rain check for a full 18 holes. If a player is rained out after finishing the 9th hole but before finishing the 18th hole, they are issued a rain check for 9 holes. Players are then required to return within 2 weeks to finish their round. It is the players responsibility to submit team scores to the Golf Tour™ within 14 days following the tournament date. Scores must be emailed to your local Tour Director to be considered official.  Final results will be posted 2 weeks after the original date of the tournament. All prize pool money will be divided between Team Placement and Skins (no Day Games contests).
   
  
Q19. What is the Cancellation Policy?
A19. Because we must place deposits and guarantee the course the number of players, no refunds will be issued if you cancel less than 7 days prior to the date of the tournament.  A full refund will be issued (minus a $5 processing fee) if cancelled 8 or more days before the date of the tournament.
    
    
Q20. Who Organizes and Runs the Events?
A20. A trained local Tour Director is responsible for organizing and hosting the tournaments. This assures that each tournament is a professional and consistent experience. 
   
   
Q21. What is the Difference Between Best Ball Format and a Scramble Format?
A21. In a Best Ball format, each individual plays out the hole with their own ball and the lower of the two individual scores is the ‘team’ score. In a scramble format, players choose which ball position to play and one player picks up and places their ball at the same position as their teammate.
   
    
Q22. Can Professionals play on the Tour?
A22.  Yes.  We formed the Tour so it could be a type of developmental tour - a springboard for players to gain experience and build up their resume for when they go after sponsorships for their professional career. 

 
Q23.  Can I Use a Rangefinders and other Electronic Distance Measuring Devices in a tournament?
A23. Yes.  Per new USGA rules, we will allow Rangefinders and other Electronic Distance Measuring Devices such as the uPro or SkyCaddie.  Note that such devices can only measure yardage (not wind speed or green slope gradient). 
For USGA clarification of this new rule, visit USGA's Rules of Golf website at:
http://www.usga.org/questions/faqs/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=49&Rule=14
 
 
Q24.  How Are Player of the Year Points Calculated?
A24   All players earn season long "Player of the Year" points based upon team placement and awarded based on the number of teams in each event.  Points per event are calculated by assigning the last place team 5 points then incrementally increasing 5 points per team. (eg. 20 teams: Last place = 5 points; 1st place = 100 points).  The Year End Player of the Year Points Placement Prize Pool is 1st place - $100; 2nd place - $80; 3rd place - $60; 4th place - $40; 5th place - $20.

Q25.  If I have a membership or season pass at a course where you are hosting an event, what is the cost to play?
A25. If the course does not charge us (the tour) for your green fee and cart, the "tournament fee" is $20. Note that specific arrangements need to be made with the course in order for this to apply. If you have questions or are a member at a hosting site course, please contact your local Tour Director. The $20 tournament fee includes the day of contest prize pool.

Q26.  What happens if a player in a Best Ball format event does not have a playing partner?
A26. In this case, after the round the Tour Director does a "blind draw" of another players scorecard and a Best Ball team score is calculated. If the blind draw player finishes in the money, then half of that team placement money is transferred down to the next place team.
   
  
Q27.  Which tee box do I use?
A27.  Average your last 3 (tour/recreational) golf rounds to determine what tee box you'll play. Our events use 2 sets of men's tee boxes and we strive to achieve 6400-6600 yards for the further tees and 6000-6300 yds for the closer tees. Golfers who average 84 or less play the further tees and those who average 85 or above play the closer tees. Women will play from the forward tees (goal = 5500-5800 yards). NOTE: If a player scores 79 or less twice on the tour (in the same year) you will be moved back a tee box.  This is a game of honesty and integrity, we ask that you remember this when deciding what tee box to play from.  Please contact your local Tour Director if you have any questions about this policy.