FairWay Golf Tour - Tour News

3/8/2010	9-Year Tour Vet Lillard Catches Fire, Wins Cherokee Hills By 7.8 Strokes
Doug Lillard has been a loyal member of the FairWay Golf Tour since 2001 and has 264 rounds in our system. Saturday may have produced his finest round considering the conditions as Doug smoked the field with a gross score of +7. Subtract the 7.2 strokes given to him by the handicap system and Doug easily beats the field of 16 players and wins a total of $1180 on the difficult (to say difficult really doesn't give the course its due) par 70 layout. Mike Brownell finished a distant second with a net score of 77.6 and two players, Trey Coursey and newcomer Kacey Threet (both 3 handicappers) tied at +9. If you are a player who has not come out this year because the weather has hindered your practice, well, you're missing the boat as it doesn't appear ANYONE has been able to practice much with the scores a reflection of the cold winter. Surely most of you think you could get within nine strokes of your handicap...even with a broken arm. Yesterday that would have cashed a check and certainly not damaged your handicap. COME JOIN THE TOUR...MEMBERSHIP IS FREE IF YOU PLAY BEFORE MARCH 31st!

2/27/2010	Ingram Fires Even Par With 1.5 Handicap @ Bear Creek
Congratulations to Jason Ingram (1.5 hcp), who bested the field of 34 players with a net score of 70.5 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Bear Creek Golf Club in Dallas, TX and earned a nice paycheck of $1815.00 on the par 72 layout in the process. Jason shot even par to tie for first in the gross division ($110) as well as winning the front nine nassau ($345) and the 1-Day Net Division ($1300). Jason also collected $60 in the deuces game for making a 2 on hole #8. All told, Jason made money in every division he entered, which cost him a total of $200 on the front end but made him $1815 on the back end, nearly 10X his entry fee. Great job Jason, that's how you cash a big paycheck on the FairWay Tour...enter every division, then become the only player in the field to beat their handicap! Speaking of handicaps, there have been 119 rounds played so far this year on the FairWay Tour and only 7 of those rounds were under par. Four of those rounds, including the lowest (-2.2 net), were shot at Tangle Ridge Golf Club the first event of the year. Q: How often should I play to -- or beat -- my handicap? Answer: If it's accurate, you should average about three shots above your handicap. The USGA handicap system is based on 96 percent of the best 10 of a golfer's last 20 rounds, not simply average score. Scores normally fit into the classic bell-shaped curve. More than half of your scores should be within three strokes of three over your handicap. The player will better the handicap only about 20 percent of the time, or once every five rounds. Golfers should only beat their handicap by three strokes one out of every 20 rounds (source: USGA). On the FairWay Tour so far this year it is even more rare than the USGA says. In 119 rds, a player has broken their handicap 5.8% of the time and a player has yet to shoot more than 3 below their handicap. Just a few numbers to remember while deciding where and when to play your next event. Also, check out the new stats feature on the website...just go to the home page and click the stats icon at the bottom of the page. Hope to see you at our next event!

2/22/2010	Franke Filling The Cup; Only Player To Break Par at Tierra Verde
Kurt Franke is doing more these days than working long hours filling orders at the family business, aptly named Franke Filling...his hot putter is filling the cup with golf balls on the weekend and making some nice paychecks in the process! Kurt has a new lease on life after a near fatal car wreck left his body broken but renewed his mind and spirit. He has played in all but one event since he joined the FairWay Tour in October 2009 and his game is starting to show up as a result, being the only player in the field of 25 players to beat his handicap with a net score of 70...which was worth a total of $1285. "This is the first time I have made over $1000 playing in a golf tournament!", an elated Franke said after his round. Other top finishers included Chickasaw Pointe Head Pro Paul Aycock, who fired a net score of 72.5 to take 2nd place as the top 7 finishers earned a paycheck. The Nassau Division costs $40 to enter and paid $285 per nine to the winners. Franke won the front nine with a net score of 34 and Wes Neesham, a 2 handicapper, birdied the last three holes on the back nine for a net score of 34 and $285 to add to his 6th place finish for a total of $435...not a bad paycheck for a 2 handicapper with a gross score of 77. Our next event will be held Saturday, Feb. 27th at Bear Creek Golf Club's West Course. Please enter online or contact Tour Director at 405-203-4653 by Thursday at 5 pm to guarantee your spot. Come join the fun and compete for cash prizes while meeting new friends and business associates on the best handicap tour in the region.

2/8/2010	Terrell Takes Waterchase With Net Score of +2
Congratulations to David Terrell, a 5 handicapper from Trophy Club, TX, who fired a net score of 74 (79 gross) Sunday at Waterchase GC to beat a field of 15 players under chilly conditions and take home the first place check of $750. The tour has added an influx of new players and is excited about the 2010 season. The FGT Handicap System is as strong as ever...there have been 4 events played so far this year averaging 15 players and the average winning net score is +0.3. In 2009, the average winning score for the entire year was -0.6. What does this mean? With the most generous pay matrix in the business and the most accurate handicap system, the FairWay Tour expects 2010 to be a banner year...come join the fun!

1/25/2010	Leverett Wins Southern Oaks by 4 Strokes in British Open Conditions
Clay Leverett, a 1.3 handicap from Ft. Worth, fired a front nine 34 on what started as a nice day before 30mph north winds and a cold pelting rain descended on the field of 21 players at Southern Oaks GC. His back nine 38 under MOST difficult conditions was easily good enough for the victory with a net score of 70.7 and a total of $1430, nearly 10 times his entry fee. Some players did not finish (I can't say that I blame them) while others choked down their pride and turned in scores 10 - 15 strokes higher than their usual round. The good news for those players is their scores will go into the system and count for their handicap...which can't hurt with spring and better weather just around the corner. Bad weather players may reap the benefits of a higher handicap and easier conditions, a double bonus when spring arrives along with fair weather golfers who still have fair weather handicaps!

1/18/2010	2010 Off To Fast Start Despite Weather
The FairWay Golf Tour is off to a fast start in 2010 as Kurt Franke bested the field of 17 players in the net division Saturday at a very wet Tangle Ridge GC to win the year's first event and $1000 in prize money. The tour also played Sunday at Winter Creek CC in Blanchard, OK where Larry Merrick cashed a $500 1st place check over 7 others with a net score of +2.5...Congratulations to Kurt and Larry! In other news, $100 Membership dues will continue to be waived for all players who play in at least one event before March 1st in an effort to bring more players to the longest active and best paying tour in the region. Compare our 2010 pay matrix to other tours in the area and you will see the HUGE disparity for basically the same entry fees. Not only are we the best at paying our players...we have the best and most proven handicap system in the business, paying over $1.5 million since 2001...the longest active net tour in the region. To prove our handicap system is best, compare the winning scores with other net tours in the area...the average WINNING net score in 2009 was -0.6. A player could average +3.1 and still finish in the money in 2009! Plus, we have MORE events to play, with the 2010 schedule featuring 38 events, 8 of which are 2-Day Majors in Oklahoma and Texas, with a Super Major scheduled for Las Vegas in July... So Come play the FairWay, it's the only way!

12/21/2009	2009 By The Numbers
$82,633 = Total 2009 Payout; $7546 = total payout to leading money winner Jeff Higgins; 65 = number of players to cash a check; $3178 = avg. payout per event; 33 = number of 1-Day Net Division competitions; 8 = number of 36-Hole Major Division competitions; +3.1 = average net score finishing last in the money for both divisions; -0.6 = avg winning net score in 1- Day Net Division; -0.4 = avg winning net score in 36-Hole Major Division. -6.0 (The Tribute)= lowest winning net score in 1-Day Net Division. -8.7 (The Tribute)= lowest winning total for 36-hole Major Division; +3.4 = highest winning net score in 1-Day Net Division: +5.1 = highest winning net score in 36-Hole Major Division; 12 = avg. number of players per event.

12/20/2009	Gregg Wins Final Event of 2009
Congratulations to Dax Gregg of Ft. Worth, winner of 2009's final event held at Bridlewood GC in Flower Mound, TX. Dax, 32, a 1.8 index (2.0 course hcp) and former New Mexico State University golfer fired a gross score of 75 (+1 net) to take home a total of $770 from a field of 9 players.

12/5/2009	Survival Test @ WinStar
The weather was anything but perfect today at WinStar Golf Club as temperatures and winds were almost 40 at 11am when 8 brave (or crazy) golfers started off #1 tee at WinStar GC on the Red River. Nobody in the field hit less than driver, 3- wood into the 455 yd par 4 1st, which played straight into the cold, gusty wind. A net score of +2.9 was good enough for first place and $590, followed by +5.9 ($300) and +6 ($250)...the other five competitors shot net scores of +6.6, +6.6, +6.9, +8.5 and +9.5.

11/24/2009	Stinneford Wins Tour Championship With Net Score of +4.4
Congratulations to Tim Stinneford of Euless, TX, winner of the Tour Championship held at Texas Star GC. Stinneford was able to hold off a stiff challenge by first round leader Mack Hamilton and take home the winner's check, a total of $1500. Mack, a +1 handicap from Ardmore, OK was unable to find his touch on the difficult greens during round 2 and followed his opening round 70 with a 76 on the par 71 layout for a net score of 147.5...Stinneford, meanwhile, maintained a steady putter throughout the 36-hole event held on his home course, which proved to be the difference in the end. The Tour will be holding its next event at The WinStar World Casinos Golf Course on December 5th at 11AM. Come check out the great course and best casino this side of Vegas!

11/2/2009	First Time Player Hamilton (+1 hcp) Wins Major #8
Mack Hamilton, a 24 yr old scratch golfer from Ardmore, OK was questioning whether or not it would be a good idea to participate in a handicapped event with no handicap. As Tour Director, I did my best to explain to him the difference between a handicapped event at your club, where a net score of 62 may or may not be good enough to win, and a Pro-Net Event run by a tour that has hosted over 300 events and paid over $1 million in prize money using USGA approved software and proven tour policies that effectively wipe out any attempts at sandbagging. Hamilton started as a zero and moved to a +1 the second day as he fired gross scores of 70-72. He added the 1 stroke to his total for a net score of 143, good enough for a 1-stroke victory and a total of $2675 from the field of 16 players, 11 of which participated in the 2-Day Major Division. Congratulations to Mack Hamilton for believing in his game and believing in the FairWay System enough to cash a big paycheck in his first event.

10/14/2009	+2.6 Wins Major 7 at the Wire in Crazy Finish
The competition heated up for the field of 16 players in the final round on Sunday at Dornick Hills CC in Ardmore, OK and so did Jeff Higgins as he birdied the 15th and 18th to jump 3 players and fire an even par 70 (-2 on the back nine). The 2.8 handicap shot 78 the first day and ended up with a 2-day net total of 142.6 (+2.6), good for $3,180. As Higgins was quietly shooting 70 in the second to last group, there was a battle going on in the last group between Rieck, Belknap and Copeland coming down the stretch. Copeland made his move after being stymied under a tree and receiving an unfavorable ruling on the 12th. He shanked his approach shot, got up and down for bogey from there and was seemingly out of contention. But he hit the shot of the tournament and probably his life 2 holes later on the 320 yd 14th as his drive somehow stopped 3 feet from the cup for eagle on the uphill blind shot that requires at least 295 yd carry over bunkers and then must roll up a plateau to a tucked pin. He parred in from there after a clutch up and down from the bunker on 18 to finish 2nd at +3.8 and earn a total of $1700. Belknap, a 4.9 hcp, was in command to start the back nine after a 36 on the front, but he hooked one OB on 15 and, as all of us have experienced, weird things started happening to him after that. He ended up with a 43 on the back nine and 3rd place at +4.6, good for a total of $750. Rieck, a 2.3 hcp, played consistently and was +1 thru 13 before his putter failed him, missing 4ft par putts on 14 and 16, then 3-putting the 18th from 12ft...make those and win, miss them and fall from 1st to 4th at 145.6. Most important, the FairWay Tour provided fair and equitable competition and the winner played the best at the end when it counted most. The tour will be playing Major 8 at Chickasaw Pointe Golf Club on Lake Texoma Oct.31-Nov.1...if you like to play a great golf course while competing for cash prizes using your handicap and meeting new friends, come join us!

10/4/2009	FairWay Tour Vet Turner Wins Nationwide Soboba Classic, Earns $180,000 and 2010 PGA Tour Card
The FairWay Tour and its players send a sincere congratulations to Jerod Turner, who lived out many of our dreams by winning the Nationwide Tour Soboba Classic and earning his PGA Tour Card for 2010...and an added bonus of $180,000 in one of the richest purses of the year on the Nationwide Tour. Many of us on our tour have played with Jerod and knew he had the talent to accomplish great things on the golf course. Turner currently maintains a +3.1 handicap and in 88 rounds from May 2003 - October 2008 earned $43,174 on the FairWay Tour, 5th best all-time (he got there in 88 rounds...the 4 players ahead of him have all recorded over 200 rds). His outstanding play and support of our handicap tour and his belief that our handicap system was the best (he never played other net tours) provided proof over the years that anyone, no matter their handicap, has a fair chance! Join us this weekend at Dornick Hills CC, a favorite of Turner who played 7 times at this site, winning 3 of those events. Players on our tour can breathe a sigh of relief...I am sure he will not be there this weekend!

9/28/2009	+2.9 Wins At Winter Creek
Burt Rieck shot a gross score of 77 (2.1 hcp = net score of 74.9) on Saturday at Winter Creek CC to get a surprising win over Jeff Higgins and Alan Merrick, who finished second and third with net scores of 75 and 75.5. The course conditions were great and the weather was nice as nobody in the field could find their "A" game and Rieck got the default win. In other news, Major #7 will be held at the famous Perry Maxwell designed Dornick Hills CC on Oct. 10-11, located in Ardmore, OK. The course is 70 miles N. of Denton, TX on I-35 and 70 mi. south of Norman, OK on I-35. The course has played host to numerous national events, including "The Maxwell Tournament", a favorite among major college golf teams. The bent grass greens were punched Sept. 10th, so they will be their normal, fast and undulating self, just like all of Maxwell's designs, which also include Southern Hills CC in Tulsa. The event starts at 12 noon Saturday, Oct. 10th. Tee Times will begin at 9am Sunday with the Winner's Check Presentation and Dornick's Sunday Brunch Buffet immediately following play. $475 Online Entry Fee includes all 36-hole course fees, range balls and some of the finest Southern-Style cooking you could wish for at the conclusion of play Sunday afternoon! 1st place $4000 w/full field of 32 players... 1. $4000 2. $2000 3. $1000 4. $600 5. $400 6. $375 7. $350 8. $325

9/8/2009	Net Par Broken by Only One Player for the Fourth Consecutive Event
Congrats to Tim Stinneford, who used home course knowledge to edge the field at Texas Star GC in Euless, TX on Sundy, Sept. 6th. Tim fired a net score of 70.5 on the demanding par 71 layout for a 2.8 shot victory and a total of $635 in winnings over Bill Blankenship of Ft. Worth, TX. Bill's net score of 73.3 (gross score of 74 with 0.7 hcp) edged out Charles Johnston's 73.4 (gross score of 80 with a 6.6 hcp) and Michael Juneau's 74 (gross score of 77 with a 3 hcp).

8/31/2009	Brownell Wins Major 5; Only Player To Break Handicap
For the third consecutive event the FairWay Golf Tour paid a winner who was the only player to break net par. Congratulations to Mike Brownell of Bartlesville, OK, who collected $2130 by shooting a 36 - Hole total of 143.1...9 tenths of a stroke under his hcp. Mike hit his driver well both days, a must on the 7,380 yd University of Oklahoma layout. You never know what might happen in this crazy game as Mike thought he would show up and "donate" after the six handicapper finished in 17th pl. out of 22 golfers in the last event at Rose Creek August 16th. For those who would like to keep score, 79 tournament scores were posted into the FairWay Tour Handicap System for the month of August and a total of 6 scores were below net par, with the lowest being -1.5 (70.5)...If you want a Fair Chance to win, play the FairWay Tour...the most advanced handicap system in competitive golf with 9 yrs of proven accuracy. This week's event will be Sunday at Texas Star GC in Euless, TX, a preview of the Tour Championship to be held there 11/21. Come join us because to WIN, you must first TEE IT UP!

8/25/2009	OU Golf Course In Championship Condition
Major #5 will be held this weekend at The Jimmie Austin OU GOlf Club in Norman, OK, site of the 2009 USGA Public Links Championship. "The greens are currently the best in the state", one former OU golfer and participant in the USGA's Championship was quoted as saying in The Daily Oklahoman last month. If you wish to take advantage of the weather (highs forecast for low 80's Sat and high 70's Sun.), a championship course in pristine condition and the opportunity to compete for cash prizes, reply to this newsletter. Players are welcome to participate in day games only if desired, which include the 1-Day Net ($125 Entry) on Sat and/or Sun, the 1-Day Nassau ($40 Entry) Sat and/or Sun, the Low Gross ($50 Entry) Sat and/or Sun and the 2-Day Sr. Net ($100 Entry) Sat and/or Sun. There is as much or little action as you prefer, but to WIN you have to TEE IT UP!

8/17/2009	Good, Better, Best
For the second week in a row, the FairWay Golf Tour posted one red number on the leaderboard as the field of 22 players struggled under windy conditions at Rose Creek GC in Edmond, OK. William Belknap (4.5 hcp) of Lindsay, OK posted a net score of 72.5, which appeared to be good enough for the win until Jason Ingram (1.0) of Ft. Worth, TX went a half stroke better by carding a net score of even par 72 after firing the low gross score of the day at 73. But the Best round of the day came from the last pairing as Matt Best (2.3 hcp) of Pauls Valley, OK shot a net score of 71.7 to take home a total of $1105.

8/11/2009	Rushing Only Player To Break Par At Coyote Ridge
Jeff Rushing of Ft. Worth TX, a 3.3 handicapper playing in his 4th event on the FairWay Golf Tour, added his name to the list of first time winners by posting a net score of -1.3 at Coyote Ridge GC in Carrollton, TX to beat the field of 14 players by 4.3 strokes, the largest margin of victory for a 1-Day Event this year. Dax Gregg (2.0 hcp) finished a distant second at +3.0, followed by Sam Murphy at +3.5 and Donny Davis at +3.6.

8/1/2009	Finney Wins at Winter Ceek
Congratulations to Cody Finney of Ft. Worth Tx, winner of Saturday's event at Winter Creek CC with a score of -1.5. The net score of 70.5 was the third consecutive event where the winner posted a score higher than -2 net and the second time in the last 4 events where the tour paid a first time winner. Major #5 will be held this week at Coyote Ridge GC in Carrollton, TX...Although the course is only 15 minutes from The Tribute, site of Major #4, there is a huge difference in the golf course. Coyote Ridge boasts a rating of 75.2/141 as compared to the 73/128 of The Tribute (at least three strokes harder), which is even more defenseless with no wind. "If a player breaks their handicap at Coyote Ridge, they can expect to cash a big check, if not win the event, where that certainly was not going to be the case at The Tribute", said Tour Director Burt Rieck.

7/27/2009	Everyone Has A Fair Chance
As evidenced once again this weekend, the FairWay Golf Tour provided a forum for competition in which almost all participants had a chance to win coming down the stretch. At the two events over the weekend, (Sat. at Fossil Creek in FW and Sun. at the soon to be Hard Rock Casino course in Tulsa) the tour provided a little bit of everything. Tim Stinneford will tell you first time players can win as he fired a net 70 to edge out veterans Burt Rieck (70.2), Donald Chapman (70.4), Harvey Pulido (70.8) and Doug Lillard (71). These players all had more than their fair chance at victory as Rieck (2.8 hcp) triple bogeyed the 11th and double-bogeyed the 15th, but birdied the 14th and 16th to salvage second place with a gross score of 73. Chapman (6.6 hcp) reeled off three birdies in a row on holes 11-13 after a front nine 41, only to bogey 15 and 17 to fall into 3rd pl. at 70.4. Pulido (7.2 hcp) doubled 15 and 16 to finish fourth at 70.8. Lillard bogeyed 14 and 15 before tripling 16 to finish at 71 and just out of the money in 5th place. Want to hear more...Don Tate (6hcp) was the leader at the turn with an even par 36 befor shooting 44 on the back nine for a net 74. And even Donny Davis (11 hcp), the sole leader at -3 after a birdie at 14, finished double bogey, bogey, triple bogey, double bogey for a net score of 77. More of the same on Sunday in Tulsa as veteran Eddie McGoveran (6.8 hcp) fired a net score of -1.8 to beat newcomer Cody Finney (6.8 hcp) by 1 stroke after Cody bogeyed the final four holes, including a three putt on 18. The moral of this story? A.) Never listen to mid round chatter about how this guy or that guy is running away with the tourney...there are 18 holes to be played, and B.) Play a tour where everyone has a fair chance!

7/20/2009	Close Call @ Hawks Creek
Major 4 Champion Donald Chapman stayed hot with his game on a hot Sunday afternoon at Hawk's Creek in Ft. Worth after firing a front nine 34 (gross) to win the Front Nassau and $210 with a net score of 30.35. But he cooled off on the back nine with a 43 (gross) to give him an 18-Hole net total of 69.7. I'm sure he got hot again in the clubhouse when he saw the the 69.6 posted by Dax Gregg (2.4 course hcp), who also posted the low gross score of even par 72! Congratulations to Dax, a first time winner on the FairWay Golf Tour, who pocketed $970 by beating the field of 14. Rounding out the money winners were Chapman (2nd pl. 69.7/$560), Harvey Pulido (3rd pl. 70.4/$260), Mike Reinhardt (T4th pl. 74/$135) and Jeff Rushing (T4th pl. 74/$75)

7/13/2009	Chapman Wins Major 4 - The Tribute Yields Low Scores Under Benign Conditions
Congratulations to Donald Chapman of Decatur, TX, winner of Major #4 at The Tribute GC in The Colony, TX on 7/11-12.The Scottish links style course,designed for windy conditions, played the easiest of any major in the history of the FairWay Golf Tour since its inception, with all money winners finishing under par and 18 of the 21 players in the field shooting net par or better in at least one round of the 36-hole Championship. Tour money leader Jeremy Copeland said, "The course was great fun to play, but the players knew the scores were going to be low when you have no wind, 90 yd wide fairways, soft greens and perfect lies all day." Chapman's winning score of 135.3 was also the lowest winning total in 40+ majors dating back to 2001. Next week's event will be held Sunday, July 19th at Hawk's Creek GC, where competitors will receive a $50 credit w/12 or more players if they break their hcp and do not finish in the money. The online entry fee is $125 and first place is $1000 with 20 players.

6/27/2009	Best Finishes Off Kickingbird
Matt Best, a 2.9 handicap from Pauls Valley, OK fired a 4 under par 31 on the back nine at Kickingbird GC in Edmond, OK on Sunday to take first place from the field of 12 players and earned $620. His net total of -4.9(gross score of 68 on the par 70 layout) was the lowest score on tour this year. Bryan DonCarlos (also 2.9 hcp) of Woodward, Ok continued his consistent play by winning 1st place in the gross division with a 71 (Matt did not enter the gross division) and second place in the net with a 68.1. Also finishing in the money at just over par with their hcp was Jeff Higgins @ 70.3 (3.7 hcp also got 2nd in low gross with +4 74) and Wayne Roberts at 70.9 (5.1 hcp. fired 76).

6/15/2009	Photo Finish @ Fairfax
Sunday's event at Fairfax Golf Club in Edmond, OK came down to the last hole for three players and ultimately the last putt for one player as Jeremy Copeland (71.7) edged out Larry Meek (71.8) and Bryan DonCarlos (71.9) by gambling on a difficult 3-wood shot to hit the par 5 18th in two. The two-putt birdie was just enough as DonCarlos lipped out his 12 ft. attempt at the win, which bumped him from 1st to 3rd. Larry Meek played a hot back nine to take the Nassau for the side and sneak into 2nd pl. in the Net Division. The front nine Nassau was won by Charles Johnston, who rattled off three consecutive birdies on holes 6-8. Copeland (3.3 hcp) and DonCarlos (3.1 hcp) split the Low Gross Division with 75's.

5/18/2009	Belknap Wins at Winter Creek
Congratulations to William Belknap, who fired an even par 36 on the back nine Sunday to surge into the winner's circle at Winter Creek CC. The 5.1 handicapper shot a gross score of 76 (+4) to beat the field of 23 players on his home course. Major 3 will be held May 30-31 at the beautiful Waterchase GC in Arlington, TX. The deadline to enter this event is Thursday, May 28th. The tour will be playing White Hawk GC in Bixby, OK on Saturday, May 23rd at 11am. Please register online if you wish to participate.

5/11/2009	Tour Launches Guaranteed Minimum $1085 Cash Payout In Texas; Pulido Wins First Event
Congratulations to Harvey Pulido of Ft. Worth, winner of the year's first event in Texas at Southern Oaks GC in Burleson. Harvey shot a gross score of 82 with a handicap of 8 to give him a net score of +2. The FairWay Golf Tour is guaranteeing cash payouts of at least $1085 in its Texas Events, which made the payout matrix of $600 $300 and $185 effective for the 8 participants. Jeremy Copeland won the $300 cash 2nd pl. prize with a net score of +3. There was a three-way tie for 3rd place at +5, which means 5 out of 8 players won cash! What does the new cash payout matrix mean? With an entry fee of $185, which includes course costs and tour administrative fees, a player is guaranteed at least 6 times his money (less green fee and admin. fee) for first place and at least his entry fee back for third place regardless of the number of participants. In short, the tour guarantees a 10 player payout regardless of the number of players. The payout matrix will rise with each participant after 10 players.

4/20/2009	Copeland Wins Major 2 @ Rose Creek
Jeremy Copeland won his 2nd FairWay Golf Tour of Oklahoma and Texas Major Title here at Rose Creek GC in Edmond, OK on a blustery day at the links style course which fit the Troon Golf layout. Cold North winds blowing 25-35 mph whipped the golfers around the course, but Copeland, a 3.4 handicap on Sunday, was able to keep his game intact and hold off a host challengers for this Oklahoma mini-tour event by one putting ten greens and playing the last seven holes at 1 under par to post a three stroke victory at 143.9 on the par 144 course. Those challengers included first round leader Eddie McGoveran who seemed to be in control until he hit the wrong ball from the middle of the fairway on the par 5 14th hole and buckled coming down the stretch. The famous Will Rogers once said "if you don't like the weather in Oklahoma just wait thirty minutes and it will change"...Every golfer in the field would agree with that as Saturday was a picture perfect day for golf only to be followed by the miserable Sunday conditions. Copeland was able to take the good and the bad and make it a profitable and memorable weekend of golf.

11/26/2008	Career Money List - Elite Eleven
The following is a list of the top eleven career money leaders, current handicap index and # of rounds played on the FairWay Golf Tour from its inception in 12/2001 to 12/2008: 1. James White 5.1 (294 rounds) $59,324 2. Mike Brownell 5.8 (259) $55,192 3. Chuck Taylor 6.1 (264) $51,798 4. Tom Best 10.5 (271) $44,215 5. Jerod Turner +2.8 (88) $43,174 6. Donald Chapman 7.0 (136) $38,905 7. Donny Davis 10.1 (155) $35,670 8. Bobby Stark 7.0 (123) $34,484 9. Jeremy Copeland 2.7 (162) $33,859 10. Doug Lillard 8.4 (243) $32,703 11. Jamison Badders 1.8 (85) $32,385

11/25/2008	Jerod Turner Makes Final Stage of PGA Tour Q School
FairWay Tour veteran Jerod Turner of Ft. Worth TX achieved a lifetime goal by making it to the Final Stage of PGA Tour Q-School to be held Dec. 3-8 at PGA West. Jerod had career earnings on the FairWay Tour of $43,174 and never carried a handicap higher than +1.4...considering we are a NET Tour this is a very impressive stat. The good news for FairWay Tour players is we no longer have to worry about Jerod taking all the prize money because he will have status on either the Nationwide or PGA Tour next season! Congrats, Jerod! Also, don't forget about the Tour Championship for Oklahoma to be held Dec. 6th and 7th at Cherokee Hills Resort and Casino in Tulsa. +16 net won the first major event of 2008 at this course! Great, undulating greens and rolling terrain make this course a must play and true challenge.

10/23/2008	Johnston Only Player To Break Net Par In First Major Victory at Dornick Hills Fall Classic
The sky was sunny, the greens firm and the fairways green on this spectacular weekend for golf in Southern Oklahoma. Charles Johnston brought with him a game that fried the field almost as good as the club fried their chicken Sunday afternoon here at Dornick Hills CC. Johnston, a 5 handicapper and hospital administrator from nearby Pauls Valley, OK won his first major on our tour in 18 tries thanks to a sizzling round of -4.2 on Saturday afternoon, the gross score of 72 was his best single round score in over 120 rounds on tour dating to April 2003...He followed that round with a net score of +1.6 (+7 gross) for a 36 hole total of -2.6 and $2450...Jeff Higgins, out of Winter Creek CC in Blanchard, OK, made the strongest move on Sunday with a net score of -3.2 (71), which was good enough to sweep the nassau and net divisions for Sunday and move him from 11th pl to 5th pl. in the 36 hole event with a net total of +4.6 ($1130). Other top finishers were runner up Matt Best at +.9 ($1580), 3rd place Derek Watson at +2.5 ($1280) and 4th pl Chuck Taylor at +3.4 ($900) Please go to results page and click on event to view full results.

9/8/2008	Turner Wins Texas Summer Championship
Jerod Turner, a +2 handicap from Ft. Worth, played near perfect golf under perfect conditions at Waterchase GC over the weekend to collect $3000 as the 1st place finisher in the FairWay Texas Summer Championship...His gross scores of 71-67 included a back nine 33 Sunday on the challenging layout in Arlington, TX. Jerod has been playing alot of golf lately as he has made it through Monday Qualifiers in successive weeks on the Nationwide Tour. Jerod fired a first round 68 on Thursday at the Utah Classic and was tied for 16th before a 75 on Friday left him one shot short of qualifying for the weekend. Turner lands in Dallas Saturday morning and makes his tee time for the noon start at Waterchase. As it turned out, he needed all three birdies on the back nine 33 Sunday which left him with a two round net total of -2.4, good for a 1 shot victory over Bryan DonCarlos of Woodward, OK, who finished at -1.4. The only other player to break net par over the weekend in the 20 player field was Ramon Romero, who finished at 143.1 on the par 144 layout. Jorge Gomez and Bobby Stark were also money winners with net scores of 144.9 and 146 respectively.

6/9/2008	Your HCP Questions Answered - Source: USGA
Q. How Often Should You Beat Your Handicap? A. Not Often, In fact, you should average three shots HIGHER than your handicap...For example, if your handicap is 6 and the Course Rating is 73, you should average 82, not 79. More than half your scores should be within three strokes of three over your handicap (82 to 85 in this example). Most golfers beat their handicap (78 or better in this example) only 20 percent of the time and beat it by three strokes one out of every 20 rounds...For a person with a handicap of 6 to break 70, the odds are 1,138-1...To do it twice, it would take more than 700 years!

6/5/2008	What Are The Possibilities?
As a Tour Director who has hosted 500+ handicapped events, I can speak from experience when giving an explanation for someone actually playing well!! Although it is hard to believe, it is ACTUALLY POSSIBLE for someone to improve at this crazy game. Case in point #1: Ed McGoveran is a 56 yr. old veteran of the FairWay Tour. A member since its inception in 2001, Ed carried a 12 handicap when we started playing our events and was as high as a 14 in the late '90s on a previous tour where we competed against each other. One day 6 or 7 yrs ago at Silverhorn Ed was smoking the field at +6 getting 12 shots going into the 18th hole when it became apparent to me he was improving...that was about two minutes before he hit 4 TEE SHOTS IN A ROW OUT OF BOUNDS RIGHT (you could have thrown a blanket over them) to lose by 1 shot. Yes, golf is a cruel game, but today Ed is 7 yrs older and carries a 4.2 HCP...Case in point #2: William Belknap is another veteran of the FairWay Tour with 68 scores recorded since 2001. I remember watching William play my majors with an 8 or 9 handicap a few years back and he'd be shaking like a leaf on the 1st tee box (I wondered if he could get the ball to stay on the tee!). Always the competitor, William learned on our tour how to manage his game under pressure. That, along with recent shoulder surgery and hard work on his game has resulted in his best two rounds in his last 2 starts. So it is possible for a player to SEE THE LIGHT so to speak, and win multiple times in a short span on our tour. One thing for sure, the two players mentioned above take their game seriously and their improvement inevitably comes fom hard work and the desire to get better...the results will show up on the money list as well... Remember, when your handicap goes down, your winnings go up!

5/21/2008	67-Yr Old Taylor Impressive, Clips Field Again
Age is no excuse for Chuck Taylor...as a matter of fact, it is not even an issue as the cagey 67 yr. old veteran (in more ways than one as he is ex-military!!) edged past the field for the second time in his last three starts (he also won major #3 May 3-4) by firing a gross score of 75 today at Lincoln West Golf Course. His net score of 66 bested other net scores of 66.7, 67 and 68.2 as he just seems to have a knack for getting the job done. Chuck should be an inspiration to all who love the game and want to compete. As Tour Director, I have to say Chuck Taylor is a perfect example of the type of competitor we envisioned when starting the tour...a winner all the way around. Great playing, Chuck!

5/20/2008	Brown Brings Coursey To His Knees
Dusty Brown is probably the longest hitter in the state of Oklahoma. The evidence was there as the National Long Drive Finalist hit his drive 372 yds. on the 572 yd. 14th hole at Cherokee Hills Resort on Sunday, which was one of many cannon blasts witnessed that day by his fellow competitors...That being said, Trey Coursey had an opportunity to win on the 18th hole but his 8 ft. birdie putt slid past the high side of the cup as he dropped to his knees knowing it was his last chance to pass Brown for the win. Coursey birdied 14 and 15 to get within striking distance but could not finish the deal...As always on our tour, it came down to the final hole before a winner was decided.

4/25/2008	Badders Finishes Strong, Continues Streak
Jamison Badders won the FairWay Tour event at Thorntree CC by the narrowest of margins Thursday afternoon in DeSoto, TX beating 5 contenders, all within 1 stroke of each other thru 15 holes, with solid pars on the last three to lock up the win with a net score of +2.4 ...Check this out: Jamison is a 0.4 handicap on the FairWay Tour but does not have a score under 70 in his most recent 20 scores but also does not have a score over 76 in his scores that count to calculate his handicap index...instead of complaining about his low handicap, he simply wins and wins and wins. As a matter of fact, in his last 20 starts dating to April of last year only three times has he been shut completely out of the money in a FairWay Tour event, including a streak of 6 straight events dating to last fall. That is very impressive considering these are handicapped events. The tour would like more competitors like Jamison Badders, who sets an example for all by his consistent play which is a result of his winning attitude.

4/14/2008	Watson Wins FairWay Masters
Derek Watson, a +2 handicap, fired a back nine 33 on Sunday that included a birdie on the difficult 18th hole to steal a victory away from Jamison Badders, a 0.9 handicap who led the event for the first 35 holes and seemed in control throughout the first 34 holes before bogeying the 17th and 18th. Derek fired a gross score of 143 on the par 144 layout and added a total of 3.2 strokes to his scorecard to give him a net total of +2.2...The avg.winning score after 10 events for 2008 going into this event was +2.4...Upcoming events will be Forest Ridge GC in Tulsa, OK Sun 4/20 at 1pm...Texas Star Golf Club in Euless, TX Th 4/24 at noon...Boiling Springs GC in Woodward, OK Sat 4/26 at 11am and Major #3 at Winter Creek CC in Blanchard, OK May 3-4.

4/3/2008	Coursey Wins At Battle Creek Despite Triple On 18
Trey Coursey of Broken Arrow, Ok played a very solid 17 holes of golf Sunday afternoon at Battle Creek GC in Tulsa...So solid, in fact, the three handicapper got away with a nasty hook out of bounds on 18 that resulted in a triple bogey and some anxious moments in the clubhouse. Trey was kicking himself but the tension soon gave way to smiles when no one in the remaining groups could match his net score of 72.6 on the par 72 layout. Trey was 1 over par thru 17 holes on a chilly, windy, rainy and otherwise miserable day for golf where carts remained on paths and players were able to lift, clean and place their ball. Dell Wilson of Tulsa was the only other player to register a decent score with a net total +2, good for second place.

3/24/2008	Sharks Circle, Then Attack!
It was only a matter of time before the scratch golfers realized their is opportunity on the FairWay Golf Tour. On a beautiful Saturday at Winter Creek CC scratch golfers David Jennings, a pro from Duncan, and Colby Ricks, an amateur college player for NEO, showed why handicaps look tough to beat on paper, but maybe not so tough on the course as they bested the field of 16. Jennings (1 hcp) fired a -1 71 and Ricks (1 hcp) fired an even par 72 to separate themselves from the field. Their net scores of 70 and 71 were good enough for a 1-2 finish. They were the best players, by handicap, going into the event and recorded the best net scores of the day as well.

3/16/2008	"Fast Eddie" Blazes Field By Record 9.9 Strokes at +3.1
Once again the weather was a difference maker in Tulsa as the brutal conditons wreak havoc on the playing field. Ed McGoveran, a 4.9 handicapper from Tulsa, seemed unfazed by the 20-25 mph north winds and 45 degree temperatures on the front nine as he fired a 2 over par 38 to take a commanding lead. On the back nine, the weather continued to batter the players as the small field of eight became seven and the course only yielded some decent scores when holes 14-17 turned downwind. McGoveran, a tour veteran of seven years, has won 5 times at White Hawk but never was the going as easy as this day. Ed's score of 75.1 (80) defeated new member Dennis Yost's net 85 (94) by 9.9 shots...a tour record. The tour welcomes new members Andrew Garrett, a 2 handicapper from Sapulpa and Yost, a 9 handicapper from Tulsa.

3/12/2008	Luck Runs Dry For Leaders...Brownell, Murphy End Droughts
The FairWay Golf Tour held two events over the weekend of March 8-9. On Saturday at kickinbird GC in Edmond, OK, Mike Brownell of Tulsa ended a streak of four consecutive 1-Day events where he finished out of the money by less than 1 stroke. Persistence paid off for Mike on this day, however, as Tony Proctor suffered back to back three putts on the 15th and 16th. Mike saw the tables turn in his favor as his net score of -0.9 edged Proctor's score of -0.1. Nice job, Mike! On Sunday at Tangle Ridge GC in Cedar Hill, TX Sam Murphy wins with style on his home course, beating the field by three stokes with a net score of -3.9. Sam likes to win by wide margins as his last victory was a tour record -9.9 at Thorntree CC in the summmer of '07. Sam's gross score of 77 was his first round under 82 in over 10 tries since the stellar 73 at Thorntree CC last year. Can you say hot and cold? In other news Sunday, Jamison Badders continued his struggles to finish rounds as he faltered down the stretch for the third consecutive event. Jamison was in position to win the final major of the year at Split Rail in 2007 before double bogeying the 18th. On Sunday, he was going to the 18th at -1.9 before again double bogeying. Meanwhile, fellow competitor Shane Carlisle birdies 16 and 18 to capture second place with a net score of -0.3. "I had a bad swing thought on 18 tee box", said Badders as he found the water with his drive and had to settle for third place at +.1.

2/25/2008	+14.6 Wins Major #1 @ Cherokee Hills
Roger Bonaobra of Tulsa, Ok blasted his second shot into the cup from a bunker on the 11th hole Sunday at Cherokee Hills Resort and used that momentum to win Major #1 by two strokes over Bryan DonCarlos of Woodward, OK. 12 golfers braved the cold weather on Saturday and were rewarded with a picture perfect back nine on Sunday afternoon. The +14.6 total was a record high score for a 2-Day event on the FairWay Tour. I am guessing this is the highest 2 round total EVER recorded in a pro-net event. Considering the ball was played "up" one grip length, this is an almost unbelievably high winning total. Tour Director guaranteed net par would be a winner, as always, on tour and I would say this week that would be an understatement. To all those who thought about playing but didn't, just remember, if you don't tee it up you can't win!

2/10/2008	Sub-70 Rounds Rare!
A couple of interesting stats: 1.) Since 8/26/07 there have been 14+ events and well over 150 rounds played on the FairWay Golf Tour...Since Brad Barrick (2.6 hcp) of Woodward, OK shot 68.6 (1.4 under net par on the par 70 Boiling Springs State Park layout) on that day only twice has it taken a score lower than 69.9 to win in the 1-Day FairWay Net Division on this tour!!!...Shane Kelley (0.9 hcp) shot a 68.1 on 11/8/07 at Bear Creek West and Tim Cochran (4.1 hcp) fired a 65.9 on the par 70 Dornick Hills CC under pristine conditions on 9/23/07. Interesting to note two of the three sub-70 rounds (Barrick, Cochran) were from tiny Woodward, OK... 2.) So far in 2008 there have been 3 events with the winning scores being 78.5, 75.7 and 70.8...AVG.Winning score in 2008 is 75! These stats are important to me as Tour Director because it provides proof that handicap golf is a very effective form of competition when properly administrated and it disables the myth that you must shoot net 63 or even net 70 to win a handicapped event...We hope you will join us at Cherokee Hills Resort and Casino on 2/23 and 2/24 where once again my money is on NET PAR TO WIN!!!

2/10/2008	McGoveran, Wilson Shoot +3.7, Share 1st pl. @ Emerald Falls
Tulsans Ed McGoveran and Dell Wilson survived the brutality at the new Emerald Falls GC in Broken Arrow, OK to share first place money at the tour's third event of the 2008 season. The last two holes proved to be the difference as always on our tour as Trey Coursey (2.7 hcp)was the leader going into the par five 18th...Trey met his demise when he dumped his third shot into the water from 135 yds and carded a double bogey to finish at 77.3. Meanwhile, "Steady Eddie" (4.3 hcp) as we call him, bogeyed four of the last five holes while Dell Wilson (2.3 hcp) pars four of the last five holes to create the tie at 75.7. Mike Brownell (6.4) carded a 76.6 in another hard luck round that featured a hot start at -1 thru five holes before recording an 8 and 7 back to back on the par 4 6th and 7th...It marked the third consecutive time Mike has finished out of the money by less than 1 stroke.

1/29/2008	Tee Boxes 101
This is an attempt to shed some light on the use of tee boxes on the FairWay Tour...The goal of the tour is to provide an EQUITABLE and ENJOYABLE arena of competition for its members...Let's dissect the EQUITABLE part of this statement. The Tour uses USGA approved software along with its own policy and procedure proven over six years to be extremely accurate in handicapping its players. Senior players are allowed to choose which tee box they will play with their handicap adjusted accordingly using the USGA's Formulas. Herein lies the controversy with the younger players and also leads us to the ENJOYABLE part of our goal on the tour...It is simply not enjoyable for our older members to be hitting driver, 3-wood into a majority of the par 4's and 3-woods on many of the par 3's from the back tee box! The younger players (and older long ballers) need to understand this: YOUR HANDICAP IS ESTABLISHED FROM THE TEE BOX YOU PLAY FROM...there is an extreme penalty to be paid for low scores...the same players who are at odds with the current system would be at odds with their handicap if they were permitted to play the up tees because these tees are not designed for 300+ yard hitters. On the flip side, the back tees are not enjoyable for 240 yard hitters...The bottom line: After over 300 events there are no statistics to show one particular group of players has an advantage over the other. Let's give everyone a chance to have fun while competing and let the stats show that the current system is accurate and enjoyable for all!

1/6/2008	2008 Off To Windy Start As Proctor Holds Off Higgins At Winter Creek CC
Tony Proctor, a 3.2 handicap from OKC, redeemed himself after a poor showing in the last Major of 2007 by making birdies on three of the first five holes in 2008 to win the year's first event with a net score of 70.8. The fast start held off Winter Creek member Jeff Higgins, the 2.9 handicapper finished 1.3 strokes back at 72.1 in a round that featured an eagle on the par 5 fifth hole. Both players separated themselves from the field with their consistent play under very windy conditions. Doug Lillard was the top Senior finisher as the 7 handicapper continues his improved play with a third place score of net 75 that included a solid 40 on the back nine despite bogeys on the final 2 holes.

12/11/2007	If You Don't Tee It Up You Can't Win!...Rieck Wins Major #6
As Tour Director, my policy since we started the tour in 2001 has been not to participate in 36-hole majors...Since 2001, the FairWay Tour has had 32 Majors with net par or higher winning over 90% of the time...The tour has had over 100 events each year since it began in 2001 and net par or higher has won the majority of these events...the tour has paid over 1.5 million dollars in prize money and every check from every event has been honored...Regardless of these statistics, the tour had only 9 participants for Major #6 at Split Rail GC in Ft. Worth, TX on Dec.1st and 2nd, 2007...As a result, for the 2nd time in 30+ majors over six years, I participated(finished next to last the first time) in the event and I must say I had one of the most enjoyable and definitely the luckiest experience of my competitive career...On the last hole of the last day I made up three shots on 2 players after my badly pull-hooked second shot on the par 5 18th hole bounced off a tree and onto the green for eagle...The shot was headed for the hazard left of the green when fate stepped in the way...My competitor's third shot plugged into the lip of the bunker less than 1 yard from perfection and certain victory...Moments later, as I tapped in my birdie putt for the crazy victory at +3.9 over net par, I realized one thing... If You Don't Tee It Up You Can't Win!!!

11/7/2007	Coursey Wins Major #5
Congratulations to Trey Coursey of Tulsa, OK...winner of Major #5 at Rose Creek GC with a 2-Day Total of 3.7 over net par...In addition to being a great golfer, the 2-handicapper deserves to be recognized as a great web designer as well...Trey is the designer of FGT's new website and took the painstaking job of writing the programs needed for this great new look and all the stats and data our players can now have access to. Congratulations on a job well done on the golf course and on the computer!

9/26/2007	Register for your Player Profile
Please go to the Players page, and see if your name is listed. If your name is listed you may contact the tourdirector@fairwaygolftour.com to find out what your password is. If you do not see your name, please create your FREE online profile today!

9/25/2007	Cochran Wins Major #4
Tim Cochran of Woodward, OK fired a 2-round total of 3.3 under net par to win Major #4 and a total of $3345 at Dornick Hills CC. Tim fired a gross score of 2 under par 34 over the final 9 holes of the par 70 layout to secure the victory. Tim's 1 over par 71 on Sunday was his best score in 11 tries on the tour...his previous best round on tour was a 4 over par 75 at Boiling Springs last month, which also happens to be his home course. Congratulations on a great finish, especially the last nine holes!

9/24/2007	FGT New Website Launch!
The FairwayGolf Tour is proud to launch it's newly re-designed website. There are many new features we feel all the players will enjoy. We are continually transfering data from our old system to the new one. Each day and week, there will be more PAST events, with RESULTS posted.