Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour - Tour Profile

The Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour was established in 2001 to give Niagara Region's best amateur players the opportunity to hone their skills in a competitive environment at a reasonable price.

The Tour is a non-profit organization that is governed by a five-person committee and supported by a small group of sponsors.

TOUR BACKGROUND -

In the autumn of 2000, a meeting was called that brought together representatives from almost every golf course in the Niagara Region, with owners, course managers, head professionals and top local players all in attendance. The purpose of the meeting was to develop an association between all of the area's courses while also initiating some sort of regional competition for the area's better amateur players.

A smaller subcommittee was formed to investigate the viability of organizing such a tour, with local sports journalist Wayne Redshaw joining Rolling Meadows club manager Gary Cunningham and a number of the area's best amateur players, including Bernie Bodogh, Jamie Culp, Mark Derbyshire, Bob Goss, Tim Helpard, Jeremy Julie and Andy LaBelle.

A number of different ideas came out of the original meetings, including the possibility of arranging a local match play competition but in the end, it was decided that the Niagara District Men's Amateur Tour would consist of a five event, stroke play competition with a cumulative points structure to award a year-end Tour champion.

The Tour continues to evolve on a yearly basis, moving to a six-event schedule in 2006 and it's grown to the point where the Tour needs two qualifying events (Fall and Spring) to help determine exempt status for each season.

PLAYING THE TOUR -

Due to high demand, unless you are otherwise exempt, new players must enter one of the two qualifying events to gain entry onto the Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour. The Tour runs a Fall Qualifier at the conclusion of the schedule for the next year and if necessary, will also run a Spring Qualifier at the end of April or early May to fill out the field for that year.

At the conclusion of each Tour season, a number of players are granted EXEMPT STATUS for the following year. There are a number of ways for a player to gain exempt status and avoid having to requalify:

• Top 30 finishers on the year-end Order of Merit - ONE YEAR EXEMPTION
• Top 10 finishers on the year-end Senior of the Year Order of Merit - ONE YEAR EXEMPTION
• Niagara District Junior Golf Tour Champion or Top Ranked Age Eligible Player - ONE YEAR EXEMPTION
• Niagara Men's Tour Event Winner - TWO YEAR EXEMPTION
• Niagara Men's Tour Order of Merit Winner/Tour Champion - FIVE YEAR EXEMPTION

The Tour ideally likes to have anywhere from 52 to 54 players per year so there are typically about 20-30 spots available through the qualifiers and the Tour will normally take the top 15 from each event. However, if there are a small number of participants at one of the qualifiers, the Tour committee reserves the right to reduce the number of exempt positions available at that event, usually taking the top 50%. For example, if there are 40 participants in a qualifier, the Tour committee will give the top 15 players exempt status. If there are only 20 players, the top 10 will gain exempt status. In all cases, Tour officials will let potential qualifiers know how many exempt slots are available before they tee off that day.

In 2010, the Spring Qualifier will be run simultaneously with the year's first event at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club. If you are interested in attempting to qualify for the 2010 Niagara Men's Tour, please click on the Qualifier Registration Form, print it off and fill out the entire sheet. You can send this form, along with a cheque for $75.00 (Qualifier Entry Fee) to Tour committee member Willie Ormerod, whose address is indicated on the form. Also, the Tour will allow participants to submit their registration forms and payment online through INTERAC Email Money Transfer. You can send your entry form and payment to mbosela1@cogeco.ca. Potential qualifiers must submit their registration form and entry fee by April 16, 2010.  There will also be a separate skins game available for the qualifying players at $10.00 per player and it is completely optional. 

As previously indicated, the Tour committee will let all qualifiers know how many exempt positions will be available before they tee off. The players who put up the best 18-hole score will gain exempt status for the rest of the season and their point total for that event will count toward the Order of Merit. The entry fee for the last five events on the 2010 Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour is $390.00 - successful qualifiers will need to pay off this balance over the course of the next two events, paying $170.00 by the second event and having a post-dated cheque for $220.00 dated for June 13, 2010.  Even though the Spring Qualifier takes place at the same time as the first event, it is handled as a separate event and that is why there is a different price structure for potential qualifiers.

There are separate registration forms and entry fees for 2010 Exempt Players. The Exempt Players Registration Form needs to be printed, filled out and sent to Willie Ormerod, along with a cheque for $440.00 before April 16, 2010. Alternatively, the Tour will also accept two post-dated cheques: $220.00 on April 16, 2010 and $220.00 on June 13, 2010.  The Tour will also accept Interac payment of entry fees - you can email your entry form along with payment to mbosela1@cogeco.ca.

The Tour entry fee covers the player's green fee for each event on the schedule, skins money for each event, closest to the pin prizes, vouchers for each event, the year-end prize table and also the year-end meal. The only things NOT covered by the entry fee are the optional 50/50 draws that are held for each event and carts. Carts will be mandatory for the event at Ussher's Creek due to the long distances between holes and will be approximately $17.00 per player, with money to be paid directly to the pro shop.  Carts will be provided at Thundering Waters at no additional charge to Tour members.

COMPETITION AND PRIZES -

All events on the Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour are individual 18-hole stroke play competitions. Each event has a number of different prizes available to participants:

• Top six finishers plus ties receive vouchers or gift certificates: voucher denominations will be announced once the Tour has a final tally on the number of players participating in 2010.
• There is a Skins game at each event, with the individual hole winners splitting the money evenly. Skins money is part of each participant's yearly entry fee so there are no additional payments before events.
• There are at least two Closest to the Hole competitions for each event, with the winners receiving a gift from a Tour sponsor.
• Additionally, there is an optional 50/50 draw held after every event, with the cost being $5.00 for two tickets.

The Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion Men's Tour features a season-long Order of Merit competition where players receive points based on their finish for each event. The worst point total from the first five events will be discarded for each player before the sixth and final event of the season. This final event is considered a Tour Major and the points from this event count towards the player's final total in the standings. If a player misses the season finale or any other event for that matter, they get zero points for that particular tournament. The Order of Merit points chart can be seen below.

 

At the conclusion of the last event, the Jim McNeil Trophy is awarded to the person at the top of the Order of Merit, signifying the Tour Champion for that season. The Gary Bos Golf Academy Rookie of the Year is given to the first-year player with the top point total on the Order of Merit while the Niagara Golf Report Senior Player of the Year is given to the top point getter in the standings among those who are 50 years of age or older. The Grant MacMillan Trophy gets presented to the individual who best exhibits the qualities of an ideal playing partner and Tour ambassador, including sportsmanship, camaraderie and gentlemanly conduct both on and off the course. This award is voted on by all Tour members prior to the final event of the year.

The top 30 players on the Order of Merit gain exempt status for the following year and don't have to go through qualifying. All players in the top 30 receive a prize or voucher after the conclusion of the final event. Remaining prizes or vouchers will be randomly drawn to players outside the top 30 that stayed for the prize presentation.

COMMUNICATION -

Tee Times for each tournament will be posted on the website about a week before the event. All players are automatically entered into every tournament should they qualify for the Tour. Therefore, if a player knows he won't be able to make a certain event, the Tour asks to be notified at least three weeks before the event takes place by email at niagaramenstour@gmail.com. There are no refunds for players who miss an event. Also, the Tour will take special requests for early or late tee times but again, we require three weeks notice prior to the event in question.

Results for each event, along with updated standings will be posted about two days after the event has concluded. A number of local publications are also notified with results from each event, including all the area newspapers, The Niagara Golf Report and Fore Golfers Only.

Any news or changes to the Tour schedule will be posted here on the Tour's official website.

TOUR MANAGEMENT -

The Tour is a non-profit organization that is governed by a five-person committee, with all five members active playing participants as well. The committee is also supported by Registration Table Volunteer Charlie Owens.

• Bernie Bodogh - Chairman
• Jim Briggs - Co-Chairman
• Bob Goss - Sgt. of Arms
• Willie Ormerod - Treasurer
• Matt Bosela - Website Manager

TOUR SPONSORS -

The Title Sponsor for the 2010 Niagara Men's Tour is Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotion.  Briggsy offers brand name and imprinted sportswear and promotional products. Thanks go out to Tour committee member Jim Briggs for his support.

Financial Care Group at 209 Highway #20E in Fonthill is the sponsor of the Tour's first event at Peninsula Lakes. They are a truly independent financial planning organization that thrives on developing new and better ways to help their clients, right here in the heart of Niagara! Our thanks go out to Tour member Paul Lord for his support.

The sponsor for our event at Thundering Waters GC is Trappers Sports Bar at 279 King Street in Welland. Home of the "Best Wings in Town" and the "Biggest Football Pool in Town". Our sincere appreciation goes out to Dan Burwell, owner of Trappers for his support.

Lakefront Windows in St. Catharines will be sponsoring the fourth event of the year, taking place at Ussher's Creek at Legends on the Niagara. Our thanks go out to Chris Lewis for his great support.

The sponsor for the fifth event, taking place at esteemed Whirlpool GC is Buckner's Source for Sports, one of the largest retailers of sporting goods in Canada. Tour member Ryan Buckner has stores in Dunnville, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, St. Catharines and Welland and offers a specialty store environment, personal service along with big box store prices. Our gratitude goes out to Ryan for his great support.

The Gary Bos Golf Academy will be sponsoring our annual Rookie of the Year competition. Gary will also be making appearances at selected events and will be offering video swing analysis to Tour members. Our appreciation and gratitude goes out to Gary Bos for his support.

The Niagara Golf Report is a Niagara This Week bi-weekly publication, distributed free of charge throughout the region. The Niagara Golf Report sponsors our annual Senior of the Year competition and the Tour committee would once again like to thank editor Mike Cressman for his support.

Our Closest to the Hole sponsor is 13 Mountain Steet, an elegant yet casual bistro located in Grimsby. Many thanks go out to Executive Chef and Tour participant Joshua Groom for his contributions.

RULES -

The Tour will operate under RCGA rules and regulations for the 2010 season.