POLL question – Why do you play

[Tommy Briggs]

Please be honest with your answer, I understand some people have a two fold answer, some people play to win but show up for the comradery and others show up for the comradery, and do not really care if they win, (although they would not send the money back).

For me it is my competitive spirit, I truly enjoy meeting many of the people I have played with and the people I have communicated with because of the World Am, but I show up because I want to win. Ultimately the idea of laying claim to the World Am champ drives me.

[William Zeoli]

There is no better chance to have fun, meet new folks, be competitive and just enjoy the game of golf than this event. As THE guy at my club who organizes and runs most of the tournaments, it is a pleasure to just show up and enjoy. Will I win my flight? Honestly, I really don’t care. Do I want to be “in the hunt” for the win. Yup, sure do, but the rest of the event overshadows everything.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by William Zeoli.

[Jeffrey Barbas]

Well, Tommy, it should be an embarrassment if you don’t win it all being an ex-pro and all. You should really be playing in the scratch division. Not the handicapped division at an 8 to 10 handicap?

[Tommy Briggs]

Jeffrey you already proved to everyone you are a complete asshole in the other thread.

Why don’t you take your opinions and jealousy someplace else, start your own thread or post someplace else, several people called you out for your behavior in the other thread, does the opinion of everyone here not concern you even a little?

No reply is necessary, your obsession with me is getting creepy, just in case you have some delusion about a romantic involvement I am a happily married man and I have no interest at all.

By the way, you would obviously be amazed by the number of ex professional golfers who have applied for and regained their amateur status and are competing in amateur tournaments at numerous levels, including the World Am.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Tommy Briggs.

[Jeffrey Barbas]

Listen, Tommy, the biggest concern people have in this tournament and biggest reason they don’t play is that they feel there is too many sandbaggers. Now, I’m not calling you out, but, by your comments in previous threads you boast about how much money you won as a professional. Now your playing in your 3rd World Am this year and we see you won your flight in your second World Am. I get the speech last year from the WA staff after posting an even par round which I had never done previously in the 16 years I’ve been here that “my handicap is based on my potential”. So I’m just throwing this out there, if you were a pro then your handicap was on the plus side of the scale, right? I’m sorry, but, I don’t buy into someone coming into the World Am with a 7 to 10 handicap that use to be a pro even if he had medical problems. You probably still chip like a pro and putt like a pro. That in itself will beat any 7 to 10 handicap just about every day of the week.

So your argument about regaining your amateur status and playing in the World Am in the handicap division I might add, I think a lot of people will take offense to that if they knew the facts. But…..That’s why they have a gross division for 49 & under and 50 and above now. But if winning your flight is that important then I guess you do whatever you think you must to compete at your high level. Your obviously way better at the handicap game than I will ever be.

[Jeffrey Barbas]

BTW, I just played in a game with 2 ex-professional golfers and many of the players were on the plus side of the handicap. The one guy qualified and played in the U.S. Open several years back. Bethpage Black is where he played in the Open. I play knowing I have no chance of winning. But I still like to compete. And this year I turned 50 and I still want to play in the 49 & under. I’m not ready to move up a tee box just yet. Not yet! So I will be giving up yardage and years and thanks to the WA a reduced handicap, but, I’m still here.

[Jason Moore]

Tommy,

Great Question to post for discussion. Group of us came down from Maryland in 2015 for the first time to see what it was about. While I missed last year my buddies came down and we are all back together this year. We are spread out but most of us are playing in the first flight and we’ve had a great experience. The competitor in me wants to win but I enjoy the competition with guys of equal caliber. While my play hasn’t been great and personal success limited to a dozen of balls over the years its a great time. The Value, Location and a week at the beach what more do you need.

As far as Mr. Barbas we sparred back in forth many years ago (2015) because like he currently does he just trolls people who want to have a great time. I know many Golf Pros that are 5-10hcp and was lucky to pass the PAT to move forward. Keep grinding and good luck this year

[Tommy Briggs]

I am going to hope the sarcasm and viciousness ends with this, so I will respond.

I never boasted about how much money I made as a professional, go back and reread what I wrote. Reality was when I played there was no money to be made. In 1989 The Players Championship paid 243K to the winner (Tom Kite), which was almost twice as much as any other PGA event. Tom Kite led the PGA Tour in earnings that year with $1.35M. Compare those numbers to today and then add in hundreds of thousands of dollars in endorsements and sponsorships deals.

In 1989, I played on the Hooters tour, (which is now the Korn Ferry tour, was the Nationwide tour, Web.com tour among other iterations over the years) a great year was $50K – $75K, hardly enough money to live on when you are living in hotel rooms, driving all over the country hoping to make a cut so you can go out and have a decent meal instead of the free wings the host club provided. (If you got there early enough). There were three of us who travelled together, the low two rounds got the beds, the highest round slept on the couch if there was one or on the floor. There was no serious sponsorship money, we had to be entered in a tournament that week to get a dozen balls and a hat from the Titleist rep. We got one set of clubs a year and had to buy our own clothing. Most of the money we made was from playing local golfers who wanted a chance to “beat a pro”.

I was a +2 in 1988 when I qualified for the Hooters tour and was chasing a tour card. Every day, unless I was playing and I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY, I hit 500 balls. I putted another couple hundred balls every single day. So yes, there were not too many things I did poorly 30 years ago. My primary motivation for playing was the top finishers received an entry into Q school finals.

Since 1996 I have had three back surgeries, I need to have another but I am going to pass because I will not go through another one. I had one torn meniscus fixed I need to have the other done and scar tissue removed from the one that was repaired. My hands don’t work right, there is nothing left, mostly bone on bone, my fingers lock up if I make a fist.

This year I will probably play less than 50 rounds, I have played 20 something so far this year. I haven’t been to the driving range in several years. Yes, I know the proper technique to hit a golf ball, yes, my short game is the best part of my game. But I have to have a good short game when I only hit my driver 210 – 220 yards. I tell people I am a New Testament golfer, “My mind is willing but the flesh is weak”. Yes, I occasionally shoot a round in the low 70’s but most of the time I am in the high 70’s low 80’s.

I understand your sentiment about sandbaggers which is one of the reasons I fully support the World Am’s position to adjust handicaps mid tourney or DQ a golfer for an “Exceptional Round”. I have seen too many net tourneys where the winner shoots his career round. Normally I play gross tourneys because it eliminates the potential for cheating.

Jeffrey you may be a nice guy but chastising me for my accomplishments is petty. I sincerely hope it ends now. If you do not understand or accept the toll 30 years and major medical issues have on your body, I only hope you never have to experience them. Ask Tiger at 35 how a single back surgery sets you back. I play in the Net flight because it is where my game belongs today, if my scores dictate it the World Am staff will take the appropriate actions. Playing and cheating in the World Am for a stupid $600.00 is silly, there are places I can play for thousands. $600. will not excite me enough to go to the range and try to get back in top golf shape. I actually play because a friend I help wants to play.

Good luck, Fairways and greens

[Jason Moore]

WELL DONE MR BRIGGS!

[Jeffrey Barbas]

I know plenty of people who wanted to be the Golf Pro and take their PAT, Jason. And you know where they end up? Behind the cash register of the golf course collecting greens fees while everyone else gets to play. It isn’t all cracked up to be what they thought it was.

[Dale Craig]

Jeffrey and Tommy, I’m sure you guys are both great guys and probably fun to play with, but for the love of God, please let your BB war come to an end! I personally am tired of seeing this go on and on. I was brought up with the belief that if you don’t have something nice to say to someone, don’t say anything at all.

As for the point of this discussion thread….I play because I love to compete, no matter where it is and with whomever I play with. The WA is the only opportunity I have to play somewhere besides my club and the occasional state tournament. I have ZERO hope of winning my flight or anything probably remotely close. I came to my first WA 4 years ago with the hope of finishing in the top 10 and finished 12th and was very happy. The last 2 years I finished near the very bottom of my flight thanks to a typical blowup round or two which I always seem to throw in. This year I expect even less as my handicap at the end of last year was at a low for me (7.9) and I am not currently playing anywhere near that. In fact I’m struggling to break 90 at my home course (which I’ve played for 35 years) and know like the back of my hand. So, coming to the WA and playing courses I’ve probably never played before in conditions I’m not used to does not give me much hope. But, I will come and if no else jumps in, I will also run the skins game for the flights I play with and love the hell out of it. Because I will meet almost everyone and get to make a few lucky(or skilled) guys much happier with hopefully some great skin payouts.

so lets all take a breath, relax and if you’re like me counting the days until I fly into MB International and get to meet back up with some of the guys I’ve met and made friends with over the last 4 years. Cheers!!!!

[Rick Kimbrell]

This will be my 32nd consecutive year to play. First off, I enjoy playing competitive golf and the WA provides the opportunity to play with a bunch of guys at or near the same handicap.
So, for me I would say I come to put my game up against others of similar skill rating.
Next, it is a great golf vacation and I come with a bunch of friends of similar interests.
I get a chance to play golf with people from all over the world and the opportunity to make a friend, or friends, for life.
The 19th hole provides the opportunity to reconnect with friends I have made over all these years I have played and generally this is the only time I ever get to see them.
I always enter with the idea/hope of winning my flight and I have done so. But, even if I don’t win my flight I want to finish inside the top 10…preferably the top 5.
Lastly…IT IS FUN!!!

[Jeffrey Barbas]

Looks like I’ll be playing in your flight this year, Jason. Hopefully we get a good grudge match together during the AM. You better beat this old man.

[David Baker]

I play cause I get 8-9 days in MB playing golf with great people. Do I want to win? Hell yeah. Do I try hard, yep. Sometimes good sometime not so good. But I really enjoy the courses and the people. Do we still have sandbaggers? Yes of course, that may never change. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but not everyone is entitled to speak their opinion. I almost won my flight the 2 or third time I played. Who cares if someone was a former professional and is now an amatuer. Good for him and congratulations on living your dream. Who wouldn’t like to try that. Tommy, I have no reason to believe you are anything but an honorable person. Let us put this behind us and move on to have a great WA and lift a few drinks while doing it. Jeffery, get over this and let the WA do their job, which I believe they will. We can all meet for a drink,shake hands and tell golf stories. Hope to meet all of you.

[Mark Hancock]

1. 4 Rounds of Competitive Golf against my Peers (in theory).
2. 4 Rounds of Competitive Golf against myself.
3. One week vacation in a Golf dedicated location.
4. Relaxing beach trip.

Dale: Thanks for shutting down the negative banter. I look forward to playing with you again.

Rick: Good response & good luck with #33.

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