Reply To: Course Selection & Thoughts

[Jeffrey Topp]

Jason – Sad that you decided not to come back. You did a great job running the skins. And you’re a class act to play with. But I do understand. This was my first year in the event, so I can’t speak for the past. I was shocked at the condition of Lion’s Paw, and equally shocked that they had us playing it down on fairways that poorly conditioned. But to be fair I don’t know what goes into scheduling these courses. It could be Covid challenges. Maybe trying to keep costs down. Who knows. I tried to drink my tuition at the 19th hole. Thought I made a good attempt at it.

To get better players to sign up I think more will have to be done to advertise it as a top notch event. An attempt was made by trying to entice folks with an exemption into the Dixie. I’ve played in the Dixie twice and it’s a college event. Only the world’s best midams will be competitive. And it’s not the world class event it once was. I’ve played in the new Dixie mid-am the last couple of years, and if you want to play it’s reasonably open I believe. But as a first timer into the WAM I was on the fence given the course rota was unknown upon signup. It would help if they could do better than that for the gross divisions, though I understand this is mostly a handicap event so I doubt the powers that be care to cater to just gross.

As for gross champion competing in overall title, is there any extra prize money or anything? You’re competing against handicap players so it might be tough to challenge. I went into the tournament with the expectation that gross division was who I wanted to beat. Fail.

Jeff