Course Selection & Thoughts

[Jason Moore]

Gentleman,

More then likely played in my last World Am this year and it’s disappointing but after 8 years it was most frustrating this year. I’ve brought over 20 guys down from Maryland over the past 8 years and the general concession was disappointing.

• Lion’s Paw once again for 2 years in a row was unplayable. Gross division under 50 had our final round on this course.
• 19th Hole just not worth it for everyone. They do a great job but went once and still believe a discount should be available for this who choose not to attend
• Gross Division winners can’t compete for the overall title. This needs to change in order to grow this event.
• 9 flights for participants under 50. 88 players registered as Gross and up to a 4.1 hcp. Why don’t better players sign up

[Corey Gates]

Putting us on that course was pathetic, especially on the last day i hope its truly random because if someone did that on purpose that’s bad. Left a sour taste for me and I’m not sure about next years decision to play…

[Ron Anderson]

Lion’s paw might have been the worst course I have ever played. It should be removed from the list of places.

[Thomas Meadows]

I totally agree. Lions Paw was absolutely horrible. It looked like they just punched there greens last weekend. Why would they pick that course to play much less the gross final round. No way any flights should have to play that course. I know we cant have all A courses but come on man

[John Decatur]

I recall last year the WA took a lot of heat for one of the courses at the Big Cats for the same issues and the WA promised this issue wouldn’t happen again. Scott T finally admitted they shouldn’t of been in the rotation last year because of the awful conditions. I just looked on a bunch of reviews prior to the WA and people were complaining about the same issues you all experienced at Lion’s Paw. I fault the WA staff for once again believing the course operators on saying the course would be ready for the tournament and not sending someone up to check it out. We pay way too much money to continue to get excuses. Remove them from the rotation along with Azalea Sands and any other dog track until they can show they have made improvements. Diamond Back and Crown Park are D courses at best and always will be so I have come to accept if I get either one of them which I have got the past two years it is fine as long as the other courses make up for it.
This year I got True Blue, Myrtlewood Palmetto and The Pearl so I did very well so I will not complain about drawing Diamond Back. At least the operators of Diamond Back are trying to do the best with what they have and the staff were very accommodating. I feel bad for the people that own houses in the Big Cats community as they are beautiful homes but the golf courses are not what they once were.

[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

[Rick Kimbrell]

The Big Cats courses have become a joke. Last year I drew Panther’s Run. I have played a $15 green fee course that was in better shape than Panther’s Run. To continue to let that complex give the World Am a really bad name is sad. Last time I was on Lion’s Paw, it was just as bad as Panther’s Run was last year. Had it not been for the high weeds, there probably wouldn’t have been anything green in the fairways. In the rough, some of the weeds were 6 inches higher than the rough itself. We played a hole that had over 60 yards of absolutely no grass whatsoever.
Sorry you guys who played anything at Big Cats had to play there.
The only time I have ever had anything worse in the WA was the year we played Barefoot Norman with sand greens. Not punched and sanded…an actual 1/4 to 1/2 inch layer of sand on top of the green. Founders Club would come in a close second because of the weeds and screwed up greens there.

[Bernie Loehr]

Interesting to hear the comments about Azalea Sands. I did not go there but I had heard they had a multi million dollar renovation. When I played there a few years ago, they didn’t have a scorecard, bar or anything. I guess the investment didn’t succeed.

[Keith Stephens]

See the “Azalea Sands” thread. Lions Paw was not the only unacceptable track this year. Carl Spackler wouldn’t even accept a job as the Greenskeeper at Azalea Sands.

[Curt Seviour]

I played Azalea Sands and ir was horrible they say they are making improvements but I’d hate to see what it was like before. The director of golf told us he expected higher handicaps or just for fun groups and was wondering why they put single digit handicaps on the course.

[Keith Pluto]

I don’t think it is fair to put the highest handicap flights on all the dog courses as they spend the same amount of money. I say this as a single digit handicap. Every flight should get a D course. The problem is not all D courses are equally as bad and why are there bad D courses allowed in the tournament rotation? We never seem to get an answer to that question. I played Tiger’s Eye this year and it was pretty bad too. You would think after the surveys are tabulated that the dog courses wouldn’t be invited back.

[Bob Newman]

For what we pay to play in the WA, why should we ever get a “D” course????

[John Francis]

I have avoided expressing my opinion and feelings regarding the WAM as I didn’t feel it was right not having the experience here many of you do. Now having 3 trips under my belt and taking into account many thoughts and ideas shared by so many, I feel I have earned a few “stripes” if you will.

I really enjoy reading the different posts, as you all have so many ideas I have never thought of, and I find them quite interesting.

The first year I played was 2019. I found the event to be everything I had been told it would be, and then some. As a former PGA member, I can attest to the work that goes into running an event. But nothing compared to this level. So, for starters, I applaud Scott and his team for the time and effort they put forth to provide 3500 players a quality event. Do they get it right at every corner? No. Do they miss the mark in some areas? Yes. By and large, I have had a great time playing and playing some nice courses that are not available here in Pensacola.

We are in a time that many of us have never seen. A time that has taken us away from a normal way of life that we may never see again. Let’s face it….COVID rules. It’s just the way it is right now. We simply need to adapt and improvise.

Tee times vs. Shotgun makes no never mind to me. I haven’t played enough years to develop the long lasting friendships many of you have here. I understand the anticipation of seeing those friends. And if a Shotgun start is the way of the future, I’ll be just fine.

As far as courses on the rotation, I played Possum Trot last year. It was my first real experience with a “Goat Track” in this event. I learned it was up for demolition after the WAM to put in new apartments or housing development. If they had let me know in time, I would have been happy to assist with its destruction. This year, I believe it was Diamond Back that fit the bill. It was not nearly as bad as Possum Trot. I will say the cups did not look like they had ben changed in 3 days. Too many worn areas on the low side of the hole. The big issue I had was with the driving range and practice balls. I swear there were balls on the range that looked to be as old as I am (58), and looked to be no effort to clean them before putting them back out to be hit again.

The glaring thing I see with many of these courses is there seems to be absolutely no effort made to show us they are A: proud of their facility and B: Glad to have us at their course.

My apologies for the long post. what I thought was going to be my two cents looks more like 2 or 3 dollars.

[Ian MacLean]

This was my 22nd year and over those years I have come to love the WA and Myrtle Beach so much I bought a condo at Legends. Over the years I have seen great improvements but also some set backs. For those who had to play Wedgefield Plantation (I had to play 3 out of 4 years) or Sea Gull it was not fun to fly 6000 miles to play those courses. With that in mind, I do understand those complaining about the “Cats”. I believe the WA should have standards (if you do please publish them) and say to those courses that do not meet them you cannot participate till you meet standards. They will either improve their course or suffer. I come to the WA for 13 days and play 19 rounds during my time there but the good quality courses are getting to be smaller in number. I know COVID has been the excuse I hear often but if that is true why are some courses there in great shape (if all have to deal with COVID)? In my opinion the superintendents or owners are spending the least amount of money to maintain the course and hope they keep getting play. Myrtle Beach has been and still is known for it’s golf courses but at this rate in ten years it will not be known for golf but just another over built area where developers bought failing courses to build condos. I implore Myrtle Beach golf superintendents take a stand to maintain your courses and you will keep golfers coming there for years to come but, ignore this warning and MB will just fade away (when it comes to golf). On a separate note, Scott, I know you all work very hard and I applaud all you do, please keep working to keep the WA improving. BTW, on the 19th hole, what happened to the golf vendors. It seems all the 19th hole is alcohol, finger food and a few golf booths. In years past you had club vendors, Dave Pelz, golf courses and other golf related booths. It use to be like a mini PGA golf show with food and drinks. Please bring some of those back! thanks,

[Bill Ashley]

I won the mid-senior gross last year, and they made me play on Day 5 as a +3!

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