Three Amateur Tours Available To Test Your Playing Skills

As golfers all over the area are gearing up for this summers’ upcoming local and national Amateur Golf Tours, many are looking for a competitive format where they can participate to test their skills, as well as meet new friends. The area now includes many organized groups that host events throughout the Tampa Bay area and golfers of all skill levels are taking notice. Three of the established tours in the area are the USA Golf Tour (usagtour.com), The Tampa Tour (thetampatour.com), and the most widely known The Golf Channel Tour (thegolfchannel.com). All three tours compete using USGA Handicaps, incorporate a pointsbased system, include golfers whose skills range from single digit to 36 handicaps, and have a wide range of demographics. A variety of different formats can be found on each tour, ranging from stroke play to Ryder Cup style Events and Stableford Scoring. 

The USA Golf Tour has been in town in one form or another for over 8 years. Over the years the Tour has included as many as 70 golfers playing per event, with a typical event ranging from 8 to 20 players. Events are usually every other weekend with weekly winners earning trophiesand prizes. The standard format is a stroke play event with players grouped based on individual handicaps, then competing among that grouping. The demographic includes a wide range of ages, and is comprised primarily of male golfers.

The Tampa Tour is a relatively new tour in town ready to kick off their third season. The Tour saw a big jump in participation from their first to  second season, growing from an average of 6 golfers in year one to 10 in year two. As many as 24 golfers have participated in a single event. They anticipate similar growth for year three. The tour has a younger demographic than the other two tours, with typical players being 25 to 45 years of age. They have weekly events starting in April, with most events kicking off early on Saturday mornings. The tour officials maintain handicap and scoring for all players, with adjustments and posts made on a weekly basis.

The Golf Channel Tour is a national tour that usually sells out weeks in advance. The cost to participate is more expensive than most amateur tours, but the set up has been compared to being more like a professional event. The Golf Channel Tour will secure an entire course for their events, and all golfers are grouped according to their USGA Handicap. As a member, a golfer can join a Golf Channel Tour event anywhere in the country. The Golf Channel Tour includes players of all ages and includes both male and female golfers.

So if you live in the Tampa Bay area, and are ready to get those competitive juices going, find the local amateur tour that best fits your preferences and personality and test your skills. Remember, more than anything, to have fun!