ONTHETEE- MATT LE TISSIER
tournaments are professionally managed, and most have Rules Officials from the PGA. On the tee your name is announced, and then the tournament experience starts. The team format is the best two scores from four, and the professionals keep an individual score as they play for a professional prize fund which can be as high as $20,000. “I love the team format because even if you are playing badly, you can still make a contribution on the odd hole, so the team can still have a great score and everyone encourages each other,” commented Le Tissier. “This becomes very important at holes like the scary par three 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass where you are looking to get at least two pars on the card, and it becomes exciting to say the least if your first two team mates have hit it in the water!!! Each day of the 72-hole Pro-Am you play a different course, all are fantastic and some are more playable than others, as the event builds to its climax with a final round on the infamous Players Stadium Course.”
Championship, because golf experiences don’t get any better than this.”
Another highlight of the week is a drinks reception and barbeque which offers a great opportunity to mix with the other teams. During the evening the competitors are challenged to play pitch shots, fairground style, and hit a miniature replica of the famous 17th Island Green which is floating about 70 yards out in the lagoon behind the hotel. “This is great fun and there are some great prizes, but I didn’t manage to hit the floating green on my first Pro-Am Tour event at Sawgrass,” said Le Tissier. “However, I am pleased to report I have since achieved this feat, but it did take me another four events to do it!”
As is traditional, the event concludes with a prize- giving dinner, and there are lots of excellent prizes and trophies, and the professionals pick up their prize money.
There have also been great reports about the annual Las Vegas Classic Pro-Am, which follows
“I love the team format because even if you are playing badly, you can still make a contribution on the odd hole, so the team can still have a great score and everyone encourages each other"
“As well as the Pro-Am competition, the Sawgrass event offers a separate optional Challenge Day on the Players Stadium Course. On this day the professionals are challenged to break 80 from the back TPC tees on this notoriously difficult course which is presented in pristine tournament condition. Successful professionals are rewarded with a $200 bonus, but boy do they have to earn it. The amateurs play a stableford competition from more forward tees, but trust me it is still tough. When you play a top course which has been set up to test the world’s best players, you soon find out how good those top professionals really are! With firm fast greens, challenging rough, and a magnificent Pete Dye design, the player is challenged on every shot. “Believe me it is a truly unforgettable golf experience to play the course under these conditions. Without doubt TPC Sawgrass is the best course I have ever played, but I would really only want to play it again straight aſter The Players
straight aſter the Scottsdale event in February, and every year there are a few different events. In 2014 The Pro-Am Tour will visit Maui in The Hawaiian Islands which is one of the top tropical island destinations in the world, and features a chance to play the PGA Tour venue at Kapalua. In early April the Hilton Head Classic Pro-Am is staged just ahead of the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links. Competitors have the opportunity to extend their stay and watch The Masters at Augusta the week aſter.
“To sum up, I have been lucky enough to play in lots of golf events all over the world, but John and Alison Hooper at The American Golf Holiday’s Pro- Am Tour run the best in my opinion. Obviously, all this quality comes at a price, but when you consider the amazing golf experience on offer, and how much is included in the package, plus the level of service, the events really are incredible value for money.”
Matt Le Tissier travelled with The American Golf Holiday (ATOL 5784) who operates The Pro-Am Tour.
Please visit
www.pro-amtour.com for further information or telephone 023 8046 5885.
SGBGOLF 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28