FAQs - DC Metro Golfweek Amateur Tour
- What do I get for my membership to the Golfweek Amateur Tour?
Your tour membership allows you to play in any tour event nationwide. Your membership comes with a welcome packet where YOU CAN SELECT YOUR OWN MEMBERSHIP KIT ITEMS! Each member will receive a coupon for the Golfweek Amateur Tour Pro Shop.
To ensure that members get the most for their money, we have a special “Members Only” Pro Shop with carefully curated items offered at a deep discount. Inventory is limited but we will add new products as the season progresses. However, your coupon can also be used in any category in the Golfweek Amateur Tour Pro Shop!
- What do I get for my tournament entry fee?
Your entry fee for each tournament gets you 18 holes (or 18 holes each day of a 2-day event), cart, and range. The tournament cost includes a prize fee to create a purse to pay winners based on the number of people in each flight. Each flight winner receives an etched trophy at each event as well as their share of the pot.
- What is the event format?
All standard 1 and 2-day events are gross stroke play with USGA rules in effect. The Tour Championship at the end of the year in Hilton Head, SC is a 3-day, 54-hole, gross stroke play event where members from all 48 tours come together to determine an overall Flight Winner for the season for the whole tour.
- Are Range Finders or GPS devices allowed to be used during the events?
Range finders and GPS are allowed as long as they conform to USGA rules and do not measure slope, wind, or any other information other than distance. No green reading devices of any kind are permitted.
- Can I try an event before I commit to becoming a member?
Golfers who have not been on the tour before can attend 1 event as a visitor and would only have to pay the tournament entry fee. In order to play a second event, the membership would have to be paid for first.
In order to play as a visitor, you must enter your player registration by filling out and submitting the first page on the "Join the Tour" tab (exit out when asked for member payment), then submit event payment and lastly email us at TimNATC@amateurgolftour.net and let us know that you are planning to play as a visitor. Once those steps are complete, you will be set to play and try an event as a visitor. Vistors may participate in cash side games but are not eligible to win prizes for placing in the overall tournament.
- Do I need a USGA handicap index?
It is helpful to have an established index to place you in the correct flight, but the index is not necessary. If you do not have a USGA or Tour index, we will place you in a flight based on your average score and ability for the appropriate yardage. Your flight placement can always be adjusted later if the placement doesn’t fit your ability. Once on Tour, you will develop a Tour Index based strictly on your tournament results and will dictate all flight placements.
- Do I have to play in every event?
You can play in as many or as few events as you wish. The more events played, the more points you will earn towards the race to get to the Tour Championship at the end of the year at Hilton Head Island, SC. If you cannot make an event on your local tour, you may play any other event nationwide to make up for it. Make-up events only earn 60-80% of the original value. Only a single-day event can be used to make up a single-day event and only a 2 day major can make up for a missed 2 day major. A single-day event can NOT be doubled to make up for a missed 2-day event.
- How long do I have to decide to play in an event?
All tournament entry fees are due no later than the end of the day on the Sunday before the tournament. Courses cannot leave openings, therefore they need to know how many players the tournament requires well before the event. These are updated within 24 hours of payments.
- What time are the events?
Most events are played on a Saturday or Sunday, which are golf courses' busiest days of the week. Our events are scheduled for Tee Time or Shotgun starts.
- What is the breakdown of handicap indexes for each flight?
Championship Flight players have a handicap of 0 -3.9; A Flight players have a handicap of 4 – 8.9; B Flight players have a handicap of 9 – 13.9; C Flight players have a handicap of 14 – 18.9 ; D Flight players have a handicap of 19+
- How is the Tour Handicap Index calculated?
The Tour Index Policy is intended to group players into flights of comparable potential ability to promote fair competition within the flight. Indexes are based solely on Amateur Golf Tour performance. The AGT index formula will closely mirror the published USGA handicap method. The AGT formula differs from the USGA handicap methodology in that it uses only rounds played on tour and substitutes the triple bogey rule in place of Equitable Stroke Control.
- What if I am playing in the wrong flight?
Flight adjustments are usually made after 3-5 events have been played. However, adjustments to a higher flight can be done at any time. If you are in the wrong flight and are shooting out of the flight range, a battlefield promotion will be done instantly. This would create a loss of winnings and points to balance and account for the adjustment to the higher flight. If you feel you are in too difficult of a flight, you may request to move down a flight (provided your index allows for the move). Flight adjustments to a lower flight do not warrant any loss of points. However, an adjustment to a higher flight warrants an adjustment of 20-40% reduction of current point earnings as that is approximately the number of points you would have earned had you been in the proper flight all along, but cannot earn a spot higher than a tie for 5th when moving up a flight.
- What yardage is played for my flight?
Championship plays from roughly 6700+; A plays from roughly 6500 – 6800; B plays from roughly 6400 – 6600; C plays from roughly 6200 – 6500 ; D plays from roughly 6000 – 6300
**Yardage distances played can vary from this guide based on ease/difficulty of course slope and ratings.**
Women typically play 1 tee forward of their respective flight tees, or approximately 10-15% less than their male counterparts.
- What are the prizes for the events?
Prizes are in the form of VISA Gift Cards. The Prize purse amount is determined by how many players are in the Player Flights and the Prize Matrix for each tournament is located on the Tee Times/Pairings page.
- Can I play events on another GolfWeek Amateur Tour?
You can play any event in the nation, on any of the 50 other tours. If you play a visiting Tour, you must first indicate the play to your local tour director and also let the visiting tour director know which tour you are a paid member. Event registration is then the same process as your local tour. Be sure to take note of any differences in the other tours' local rules.
- How do I earn a spot to the Tour Championship at Hilton Head Island, SC at the end of the season?
You must play at least 4 rounds in the season, local tour or other, to qualify. 2 day Majors count as two rounds. The top 10 season-long points winners in flights A, B, C, and D and all Championship flight players earn an invitation to play in the Tour Championship.
- What if the weather is bad?
We play rain or shine unless the course suspends play. If an event has to be canceled due to dangerous weather, then a make-up event will be arranged for later in the season.
- What is the Cancellation Policy for Events
Any player who wishes to withdraw from a Tournament and receive a full refund must tell the Tour Director before the deadline to withdraw for each tournament (generally the Friday of the weekend before the tournament) as courses hold the Tour to the number of players identified on the Monday, the week of the tournament. A partial refund may be given provided a replacement player is added in your place after the deadline.
- What is the triple bogey max rule?
To promote a good pace of play, the AGT implemented the triple bogey max rule for all flights except the Championship flight. All players must pick up their ball and discontinue their play on any hole where they have reached a score of triple bogey. (If you are at double bogey, and are not in the hole yet, pick up as triple is the best you will get. Do not hit for the triple as the whole purpose of this rule is for a faster pace of play).
- What if I don't know the rules?
Players are responsible for knowing the rules. Other players can help with the rules if in doubt or unsure. Always play 2 balls if a rule or play is in dispute. The director can determine the proper play when discussed at the end of the round. Penalties can and will be, assessed for rules infractions, so be sure to know the rules to the best of your ability.
- What is the dress code?
Collared shirts and soft spikes are required. (Mocks are considered Collared Shirts at most locations). No jeans, denim, jogging outfits, tank tops, workout wear, or sweat pants are permitted. Shorts may be worn.
- Are caddies permitted?
Caddies are not permitted unless offered through the course.
- Are spectators permitted?
Spectators are usually welcome but it is to the discretion of the course. Spectators may be required to ride and rent a cart, whereas some courses do not have enough carts and spectators will have to walk. We try to refrain from having spectators ride with the players. It is up to each course in regards to their spectator policy, so be sure to contact the course to inquire as to their policy.
- What are the cash games at the events?
At each event, players are able to enter into the optional CASH games. Games MUST be entered with cash as the money gets paid to the winners in cash the same day or electronically through CashApp/PayPal/Venmo if not picked up the day of the event.
Players can pay $10 to get into the Flight CPs contest for the par 3's for that day.
Players can also pay $10 for their respective flight skins. An outright low score (birdie or better) on a hole, amongst the players in the skins game, will win their share of the flight skins pot.
Additionally, players can enter the super skins for $10. These players compete against all the flights and players that entered super skins. An outright low score (birdie or better) on a hole, amongst the players in the super skins game, will win their share of the super skins pot.
Any player can enter in as many, as few, or none of these events as they wish. In the case of a 2-day event, players must enter the games each day. 1st-day entries go towards day 1 results and 2nd-day entries go towards day 2 results.
- How are Ties for Placing and Prize Pay-Outs handled?
All ties for placing and prize pay-outs are done using the back 9 total, then the last 6 total, last 3 total. (Placement will not be split among multiple players) 1st Place Tie will result in a course Playoff, and all others would split the prize amounts based on placement.
- Live-Scoring System at All Events
The live scoring page can be found by clicking the corresponding link from your tour homepage under the Live Scoring System button or by going to Amateurgolftour.net/livescore
Your login is the member number provided to you as a player on the tour.
Family and friends can follow along in real-time at home by clicking on the Live Leaderboard tab.
It is mandatory to have 1 person in your group enter scores into live scoring. 1 other person in the group can keep score on the scorecard. Entering scores throughout the round will also make the scoring and results at the end of the round as we won't have to take the time to enter the scores, but rather just verify them. The system will do the rest, so results will be quickly calculated, but again, can only be done if players participate.