Is any one playing in, or have you ever played in, the World Am in Myrtle Beach? What did you think? I just learned of this event a few months ago and decided to play in the upcoming event in August.

http://www.worldamgolf.com/

It would be nice to meet some you in person and what a place/event to do it!

(My apologies if this has been posted before)

I can't believe that nobody on this forum has played in this event in the past or isn't playing in it this year.

I've always been curious about it. I had an old boss 10 years ago that would always play in it and he lived in Northern CA. Let me know how it is as I would be interested in possibly playing it.

Past Winners:

2006 - Baxter Greene, Granite Falls, NC (22 Handicap)
2005 - Jerry Glenn, Pensacola, FL (13.4 Handicap)
2004 - Jeannette Fenner, Sturgis, MI (12.9 Handicap)
2003 - Stan Nodland, Jacksonville, FL (13 Handicap)
2002 - Joseph Kalil, Braintree, MA (16 Handicap)
2001 - David Miller, Hampton, VA (15 Handicap)
2000 - John Pugni, Valhalla, NY (30 Handicap)
1999 - Joe Moberg, Gladstone, MI (14 Handicap)
1998 - C.R. Chernick, St. Louis, MO (14 Handicap)
1997 - Rhonda Oeters, Greenville, SC (34 Handicap)
1996 - Jerry Berghauser, Richmond, TX (24 Handicap)
1995 - Dennis Connors, Miami Lakes, FL (3 Handicap)
1994 - Chuck Baur, Apopka, FL (20 Handicap)
1993 - Jim Low, Altamonte Springs, FL (27 Handicap)
1992 - Michael Martuscelli, Venice, FL (13 Handicap)
1991 - Randy Mason, Hampton, VA (11 Handicap)
1990 - Larry Wireman, Dexter, MI (7 Handicap)
1989 - Neil Laminack, Sour Lake, TX (7 Handicap)
1988 - Al Turner, Fayetteville, NC (31 Handicap)

Doesn't look like a low handicap has a chance in this one....

A little off topic but handicaps in tournaments are bull crap in my opinion. I am a 4 handicap, I could play 4 rounds of golf and shoot 78 every round and loose to a 20 handicap who shoots 93 every round. All it means is he gets a crap load of strokes and I don't so he won...but who REALLY played better.

Why are golfers afraid to admit they suck and be happy with that. Have different flights or tournament levels (A Flight, B Flight, C Flight and so on). If you do well in the C Flight then move onto the B Flight and so on. I think NET scores in any golf tournament are silly...not to sound mean I think the concept of handicaps was invented by a loser.

Sorry for the vent, I am tired. Don't mean to offend anyone. But handicap golf tournaments really don't prove anything in my opinion.

-Steve

Ha ha, you can compete for the title of world's biggest sandbagger.

I guess until a golfer can be competitive in the state am events, this is the only way to go. As stated, it's not fair at all, but is good experience.

I agree with you, flights are better. Because like you said its not fair that someone with a 31 handicap can go out and beat a scratch. But I guess no one is forcing me to play in the tourney.

A few years ago when I first started golfing I was in a summer golf league at a nearby 9 hole course. Me and my friend ended up winning(teams) which wasn't fair at all. Because we were shooting low 50s. Compared to a few who were shooting high 30s and low 40s.

Sorry for getting off topic, and to answer your question no I have never played in the world amateur handicap championship.

"Why are golfers afraid to admit they suck and be happy with that."

New golfers don't "suck", they're learning; there is a huge difference. And what is the cut-off for sucking and not sucking, professor? Scratch? So anybody that doesn't shoot scratch "sucks"? That means 98%, if not more, of the members of this forum don't meet your elevated standards. We bow in the presence of your greatness.

As far as flights are concerned, the tourney is flighted and similar skilled players are grouped together. Other than that, I have no idea how the thing will run.

Haha well while your bowing to my GREATNESS can you polish my shoes too? -- Yea to much money for what it is- I love playing in scrambles and having people sandbag in the oldsmobile scramble. I knew a guy who was legit 1 and he posted 20 scores of 93-102 and had his buddy the pro sign off on it and they beat me in the qualifying. By his bs fake handicap- Everything needs to be flighted.

I've played in it 5 times since 1999. It's four days of flighted competition and flight winners play a 5th round to determine the overall winner. My observation is that it can be fun as long as you learn how it the tourney works. By that I mean very few players go there with their REAL handicap. I am a legit 4 (not bragging, just honest) and have always played in the correct flight. However, my experience has been that 4s are playing in the flights for 8-10 hcps, 6s are playing in 12-14 hcp flights, etc. Even 0s were playing in my flight the last couple of years! One player shot 68-68 the first two days in my flight before word got out that he's a +1! A serious amount of sandbagging takes place at this tourney (as well as other flighted tourneys throughout the country). I agree with other posters in that hcp tourneys are generally unfair, no matter how tight the flight ranges are (in MB they are about 1-1.5 strokes). And since it's tough to police this activity, I've decided to play in tourneys that are gross stroke only from this point on. Fortunately for me, I can try to qualify for State Am, Mid-Ams, and other higher level tournaments in my state, in addition to my club championship.

Again, the MB tourney is fun and you meet a lot of great characters; it's just not fun for those who truly want a fair, competitive experience. Just my 2 cents...

I hate sandbaggers. I'd love to play in this event someday. I"m a 5, so I'd tell them i'm a 9. LOL> Just kidding.

how much does it cost?

so even for the 0-5 guy that wins his flight when he gets to the finals against other flight champions he has to spot that guy the difference between their handicaps? that could be tough for a 2-4 handicap. I mean theres not a lot of room for improvement where as the 20-25 handicap just needs one somewhat decent day with the irons... i mean geez if he hits 30-35% of greens thats good for about 4-5 strokes right there, if he doesnt hit anything out of bounds. .... lot's of potential to go "low" with that going on. I mean geez whats the 2-4 suppossed to do...miss no greens and never three putt. and considering that the greens are going to be a little done in due to all the traffic on them that low handicap is going to have a hell of a time makeing up any dropped shots along the way.

Geez the more i think about it the more i realize that its not worth it unless the entry fee is less than 300 dollars. I mean I currently play to a 1, or so the thing says: i dont feel i am this good because i play the same course everytime: my stroke avg. is a good bit higher than 73, so there is almost no chance i am going to shoot any more than 2 under that. so if i golf my ball like a pro: i am still hoping that the 25 handicap shoots no better than 96.....AND THERE'S SANDBAGGING..yeah i have no chance if i enter myself as a 1, and the past champions handicaps are indicitive of this.


what do you get for winning?

I mean I dont think that two wrongs make a right but if the prize is something of significant value then i may have to play a few rounds were i hit short everytime and then put my shortgame to the test....bound to see my index rise after about 10 rounds takeing 2 clubs less than i need into every green... i could just say hey I thought i could hit my 8 iron 203 just like phil did....so i came up 25 yards, well 35 + yards in my case, short like he did....Phil wasnt trying to sandbag and neither...ummm...am I .... ummmmm...ummm

surely there are reprecussions for the guy that turns in an index of 18 and shoots 68-68....right?

Hey...take a chill. It's just my opinion. Their are people reading this post that would quit golf if there handicap ever raised to a 4. It's all relative. In my opinion if you are over a 20 handicap then you suck. I don't care if you are just learning...you suck. I use to suck, then I practiced a lot got good (down to a 4 anyway). And if/when my handicap goes up to a 20 or more...guess what? I will be the first to say that I suck (which I do now anyway when I hit a bad shot). Sorry if I hurt your feelings...but lighten up.

And yes I am great! Feel free to be in awe of my golf abilities you sucky golfer!

-Steve

I treat handicapped tournaments like a hooker with syphilis....I stay very far away from them. A low handicapper is just throwing money away in these tournaments.

I have played in this tournament for the last 5 years and you really can't go in with your true handycap and expect to be in the money. My flight was won this year with someone who shot a net 15 under par for the week. That being said I look forward to the event every year becouse I go up with a great group of people and we play @ 10 rounds of golf in 7 days including the 4 rounds of the tourny. The time away from work and everyday stress is worth every penny. And I did win closerst to the pin this year. It was a blast.

I previously worked for a major OEM and have worked at this for a few years. The only thing i see is what goes on after the golf is over for the day. You have every major company there with the newest equipment, you have all the food and booze you can handle (some people get a little carried away here) You have great presentations, and all in all seems like a pretty cool place to spend a week, that is if you don't mind it being 300 degrees outside.

I agree. I would enjoy something like that as well, but sandbaggers ruin these events.