[ziggychamp]

THE VILLAGES, FL—The Golfweek Amateur Tour is teeing it up to start its first season in North Central Florida on Sat. Jan. 14, initiating a series of 14 tournaments that includes two majors and intra-state Tour competition, all leading to the National Championship in Hilton Head, SC.
Tournaments are scheduled for some of the area’s most prestigious courses and certain to prove to be a good test of golf for all competitors.
The Tour is open to men and women of all skill levels and all ages. Members are placed in one of five flights: Championship Flight (0-3.9 handicap), A Flight (4.0-8.9), B Flight (9.0-13.9), C Flight (14.0-18.9), D Flight (19-plus).
Tournament sites include: Stone Creek, Ocala; RedTail, Sorrento; Juliette Falls, Dunnnellon; Timacuan, Lake Mary; Black Bear, Eustis; Country Club of Ocala; Mission Inn, Howey-in-the-Hills; Golden Hills, Ocala; Alaqua, Longwood; Eagle Dunes, Sorrento; Black Diamond, Lecanto; Southern Hills, Brooksville; Harbor Hills, Lady Lake; and, World Woods, Homosassa Springs.
The tournaments at Mission Inn and World Woods are major 2-day, 36-hole tournaments that award double points and prizes. This often affects the standings in each flight since the top ten points leaders in each flight are invited to the National Championship held in October.
The tournaments at Black Diamond and Southern Hills pit the Tampa Tour against the North Central Florida Tour, to experience a different level of competition.
Tournament format is gross stroke play, with USGA rules in effect. A software program tracks each player’s handicap to ensure participants are placed in their proper flight. Once you begin playing on Tour, the integrity of each flight is kept and many players are moved up in flights during the season. A Skins game is also available.
“Players are truly treated like pros,” says Villages resident and local Tour Director Jim Castello, “This Tour gives competitive golfers the opportunity to test their skills on some of the finest courses in the area with some of the area’s finest players.”
Tour President Dennis McCormac, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, heads-up the 15-year old Tour in 60 markets across the country.
“A Tour member in North Central Florida can play in any Golfweek Amateur Tour event in any of our other Tour cities and a percentage of their points accumulate in their home Tour,” said McCormac, emphasizing that this is a “huge benefit for those who travel, especially those who Winter in Florida and Summer in the North.”
Tour membership fee is $90 and includes a tour gift pack, plus reduced rates on Tournament practice rounds. Entry fees vary with each event, and include cart, green fees, range balls and prizes. Golfers can check the Tour Manual, schedule, and sign up and pay by credit card at www.amateurgolftour.net.
For more information contact Tour Director: Jim Castello, 352-446-3446; or, email at ncflorida@amateurgolftour.net.