HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Always seemed a good concept and played some great courses. A shame to see it end up like this but at least the OP has the answers to the questions
Mid Am Tour - Warning
- Thread starter Robobum
- Start date
Dibby
Assistant Pro
Sad to see this.
As a relative newcomer to golf, I may be missing something, but is there a reason the national unions don't run something like this? Clearly, there is a market for it, and the unions would already have the knowledge, contacts and infrastructure. They could be competitive on price and still make a small profit to fund their other initiatives. Surely this is a win-win for them?
What stops this from happening?
As a relative newcomer to golf, I may be missing something, but is there a reason the national unions don't run something like this? Clearly, there is a market for it, and the unions would already have the knowledge, contacts and infrastructure. They could be competitive on price and still make a small profit to fund their other initiatives. Surely this is a win-win for them?
What stops this from happening?
User 105
Journeyman Pro
It's a shame but for something like this to be viable they'd need decent sponsorship to cover the costs of running the events as the entry fees alone will only cover so much.
That's going to be tough when even the LET is struggling to retain sponsors. What would a sponsor really get for their money with this ?
Compare that that to the trilby tour, which has television coverage, then why would a company put money into this tour ? Shame, as I really liked the concept but it needs to be financially viable.
That's going to be tough when even the LET is struggling to retain sponsors. What would a sponsor really get for their money with this ?
Compare that that to the trilby tour, which has television coverage, then why would a company put money into this tour ? Shame, as I really liked the concept but it needs to be financially viable.
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Why does it need a sponsor? Just add a couple of quid on to the entry for each event and over the course of a season a decent pot would build up. If the national unions agreed to run it then jobs a good'un 😊
MendieGK
Tour Winner
Agreed
User 105
Journeyman Pro
A couple of quid an event. That's not going to add up to much.
From the update this guy is running this as a company. He will have costs to cover outside of the prize money and course fees etc. If they get some national union to run it for free then yes I could see it working. Even then the golf unions likely need to divert resources from something else onto this, or get more funding for this.
Either way it sounds like they need more money to run this than they can make from entry fees alone, which is why they are struggling. Hence needing some form of sponsorship to help bridge the gap.
From the update this guy is running this as a company. He will have costs to cover outside of the prize money and course fees etc. If they get some national union to run it for free then yes I could see it working. Even then the golf unions likely need to divert resources from something else onto this, or get more funding for this.
Either way it sounds like they need more money to run this than they can make from entry fees alone, which is why they are struggling. Hence needing some form of sponsorship to help bridge the gap.
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Some of these events have 60-100 people playing in them and there were something like 20 events per season. Even at £2 per person per event and 60 players for 20 events that adds up to a prize fund of £2400. That's on top of the prizes already up for grabs at each event. As the prize limit for an amateur event is something like £500, that makes for a pretty healthy OOM prize fund.
User 105
Journeyman Pro
I'm not just talking about prize fund here. Reading the organisers e-mail there seem to be other costs associated with running this (Admin and staff costs etc) and a couple of K extra isn't going to go a long way.
If he's running this under a company there are going to need to be company records, tax submissions etc which means accountants to pay etc.
Just saying there are likely costs over and above venue and prizes that need to be covered somehow.
Homer
Active member
Just to confirm, other than the details on here - you have no idea about how the Mid Am Tour was run do you?
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
You are right, the tour was run as a money making venture and it priced itself out of the market. The point being made here is that if it was run by the national bodies who already have the staff and infrastructure in place, it could make for a very good tour.
User 105
Journeyman Pro
No but I don't need to to know there are other costs involved. Travelling, hotels etc.
That's all I'm saying.
You know what F'it. Not worth my time debating this.
Homer
Active member
Not if you don’t know what you are debating then you are right!
Robobum
Money List Winner
There is a strong will to relaunch the an over 35s tour afresh. This will have no connection with previous guise - new name, new person running it etc etc.
We are meeting on Monday to discuss - will hopefully be able to provide a positive update next week
We are meeting on Monday to discuss - will hopefully be able to provide a positive update next week
MendieGK
Tour Winner
I’m still 3 years away but the events have to remain Congu qualifiers otherwise you’ll massively reduce the ilpsct
Also, why over 35? Most clubs start full membership fees etc at 30. Why not make it the same
Dibby
Assistant Pro
You could also follow the US route and make mid-am over 25. If the purpose is the same, to create recognised amateur events that aren't college players, future pros etc.. then this cut off would be fine.
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
A 20 event tour will take quite a bit of organising. And I very much doubt that the national bodies have someone just leaning back in their chair, staring vacantly at the ceiling, thinking "l'm sure there is something I could be doing with all this spare time".
You ain't going to get much organisational time for the notional £2.5k generated by a couple of quid on top.
You ain't going to get much organisational time for the notional £2.5k generated by a couple of quid on top.
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
Because it's all down hill from 35...you're suddenly middle aged
!
MendieGK
Tour Winner
i feel middle aged now mateBecause it's all down hill from 35...you're suddenly middle aged
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
You wait til the juniors start hitting it past you 😱🤬...at first you blame their new drivers, but then you realise...
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
It's set at 35 because that's when all the little wannabe pro's that play in scratch opens realise that golf is a game played for fun and they become more sociable on the course. Us oldies don't want to spend 8 hours with some bolshie little upstart
