[John Decatur]

I believe amateurs can win up to $750.00 before they would have to relinquish amateur status. I like the idea of increasing the top prize to $750.00 and increasing payment to top 10. The only problem is you have certain individuals who have found ways to beat the system and win their flight many times. I was curious if you are DQ’d on Friday do you lose the $600.00 and trophy you won for winning your flight?

[John Decatur]

Billy that is interesting the guy wasn’t disqualified. A couple of years ago during Covid when they had tee times on Day #4 I had the last tee time and I was driving home to New York after the round and was hoping to get a early start on my drive. I noticed there was an open spot in a tee time much earlier than the time I had and I wanted to take that time. I was told by the WA staff that if I did that I would be disqualified and not eligible for any prizes. I didn’t take the earlier time and played the assigned time. If I had known they weren’t going to enforce the policy I would have rather of teed off sooner. Starting on a different hole to play with buddies is a little different scenario but it is still not the hole you were assigned to and it is a lot easier playing with friends vs strangers.

[John Decatur]

Why not on the 50-59 age group?

[John Decatur]

I played in the over 50 flight and we were playing the same course lengths I played in the under 49 flight. The courses were set up at the exact distance the card said. No tees were moved up all played the tips of the tees we played. That is my biggest complaint they don’t take the course conditions into the setups. International Club was a swamp and they had us play back on every tee. I agree it isn’t fun but the world am never changes the script. Every week on the pga tour they play some holes with the tees up for a risk reward. Not at the world am we have to play the tips of the assigned tees. I just don’t get it we want to have fun not be tortured.

[John Decatur]

Thank goodness. Much appreciated

[John Decatur]

They say they don’t have enough staff to check all of the courses. It’s simple they have our money and they really don’t care. The excuses are getting really old. I fault the Board of Directors and the executives on staff, they have a duty and a fiduciary liability to make sure we are getting a quality tournament. I met a guy in line at the 19th hole and his pass said volunteer. I asked him what he gets besides a shirt. He laughed and told me they had to buy the shirt. I am amazed they get volunteers when they make them buy those cheap crappy shirts. If you notice the WA staff weren’t wearing those. They were wearing William Murray shirts every night. Those aren’t cheap.

[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.

[John Decatur]

Amen to that. Thank you Keith.

[John Decatur]

Tee times was a total failure. 6+ hour rounds is not acceptable when there are only 108 golfers on the golf course. The 4 courses I played I saw a ranger once only each round and they didn’t want controversy so they just drove right on by. Of the 4 rounds the earliest tee time I got was 8:57 and we didn’t actually tee off until 9:15 because they were already behind. This was my vacation I didn’t enjoy spending the entire day on the golf course waiting to hit shots. It wasn’t fair to my wife who came with me but she doesn’t golf. If they do tee times next year I don’t plan on coming back especially when I had the last, second to last and 4th to last tee times. The one day the early groups had no wind the first nine holes. We had 40 mile an hour winds for 18 holes. Totally unfair. Also some players I talked to got early tee times everyday.
Also the late tee times you didn’t have range balls as the courses ran out and didn’t want to pick up the range and provide more balls.
In my opinion the tournament has gone down Hill each and every year and this was my 13th. The price goes up but the quality goes down and the merchandise we get is total crap. It goes right in the garbage as goodwill won’t even take it.

[John Decatur]

I asked about that Hertz discount when the Fall Classic was originally announced and never got a response. Someone suggested to me to look at rental companies that operate offsite of the airport as they may offer a cheaper rate.

[John Decatur]

We played it down today at Pine Lakes. No lift clean and place there for us in Q School.

[John Decatur]

Let me begin by saying Tommy, I never said or alleged that Scott was involved in anything unethical and once again Tommy you are being corrected by another person on these forums. Do you think it is odd that numerous people correct your inaccurate comments and you are the only one that is corrected constantly I talk facts the guy that won my flight this year in 2017 won his flight by 11 shots that year and wasn’t DQ then either. He led every round, the facts are their for you to see. You constantly spew crap about the USGA that’s great. I play in the tournament because I have met many friends over the years and I enjoy seeing them and I love the area as I graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 1992 and spent 4 years of my life in Myrtle Beach.
Looking at past results you have won more than once is that why you chose to attack me with inaccurate statements.
I have made my point clear Scott has chosen not to respond which is typical when he can’t stand the heat or knows the truth.

[John Decatur]

My frustration is Scott and his committee refuse to address the cheaters that know what they are doing and have 5 birdies and a eagle in one round but then purposely miss short putts late in a round or do whatever it takes so they don’t show up on the alogrithm formula they use. I wish I was good enough of a player where I could beat the system and have 5 birdies and a eagle in one round. I can’t remember the last time I had a eagle let alone more than 2 or 3 birdies in one round let alone 5 which I never did. I had 2 eagles in one round once but that was 20 years ago when I could hit drives a long ways. I guess the only way to do that would be to inflate my handicap. Problem is I am too competitive and want to play my best. Since I have returned from Myrtle, I shake my head everyday how the guy that won my Flight #18 had to cheat the system to win $600.00 and a trophy. My only question is why? Did he not get enough love from his parents when he was a child. If it was for the money I would of given him the $600.00 just to not have him play in my flight. I was told he played as a 5 handicap previously and won his flight as a 5 handicap but skipped last years tournament and now he is a 10 handicap this year. I call BS on that and ask how Scott the master of statistics didn’t call him out or adjust him based on previous years handicaps. I am sick of reading people kissing Scott’s butt saying how wonderful he is. I have played in 12 world ams and a combined 13 fall handicaps/March Championship so a total of 25 of their events. Scott seems to DQ a lot of first timers but certain people win their flights many times and they aren’t ever DQ. What are the odds of that, I am sure Scott has statistics on that? Maybe the solution is suck up to Scott and I won’t get a DQ. I hate suck ups and refuse to drink the kool aid. It’s the same with his member clubs, pay your dues and we will let you host a round in the World Am. Maybe he should run statistics on how many years in a row certain golf courses haven’t lived up to par and make them sit out until they can show they have improved. He wants constructive criticism and ideas I offer that as a suggestion. Like others I miss honest comments that Jeff Barbas would provide. I may too get banned but at least it was for being honest. Cheaters never win and I hope karma gets Flight 18 winner and others like him. I played my first senior tournament at my club when I returned from Myrtle, shot a 99 in round one with 44 putts. The second day I shot 83 with 22 putts. Scott probably would of DQ me, I didn’t win any money but my point is the one day I couldn’t make a putt nor could the field and day 2 I played like I should and yes both scores were posted. I have over 100+ scores posted this year. Quite a range of scores. That is amateur golf.

[John Decatur]

Glenn, I agree with you 100% on range balls being free and included. I said that every year in my comments and it took 12 years for it to be included. I am hoping it wasn’t just because of COVID I hope it continues going forward. We pay enough and are basically renting the course for the day. I have never paid for range balls in upstate NY when I played in a tournament. I always thought it was a cheap money grab for the courses to charge and some did and some didn’t. It was usually the courses that were desperate for money that charged like the Big Cats probably why one of the reasons they are in such horrible shape. People got sick of being nickel and dimes and stop coming. As an example Grand Dunes never charged and they are an awesome course and the conditions always are great.

[John Decatur]

Great suggestion Lee. I have so many pullovers I have never worn since I have played in 12 WA. I would take 2 golf shirts instead of another pullover as long as different colors.

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