FAQ
- WHAT IS THE GOLF CHANNEL AMATEUR TOUR?
- The Golf Channel Amateur Tour is the largest amateur golf tour in the U.S. and the only tour powered by the No.1 network in golf. Am Tour provides an authentic PGA TOUR experience to players of all ages and abilities, allowing golfers to compete with others at their skill level, gain access to top courses in their area and across the country.
- WHO QUALIFIES FOR MEMBERSHIP?
- Membership is open to everyone who loves to play tournament golf! Golf Channel Amateur Tour has 12 flights, including six senior flights, to allow for fair and competitive tournament play. Whether you’re an accomplished scratch player or a beginner, there’s a place for you on Am Tour.
- WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
- A Golf Channel Am Tour annual membership includes the ability to compete in PGA Tour-quality, professionally-run events in more than 55 cities across the U.S. That includes more than 800 local tournaments and more than 30 two-day Major Championships.Plus, as an Am Tour member you’ll also receive:
• Official Golf Channel Am Tour gear, including a golf shirt and, hat. and golf towel
- A Golf Channel Am Tour annual membership includes the ability to compete in PGA Tour-quality, professionally-run events in more than 55 cities across the U.S. That includes more than 800 local tournaments and more than 30 two-day Major Championships.Plus, as an Am Tour member you’ll also receive:
- HOW CAN I SIGN UP FOR MEMBERSHIP?
- Click here or call 877-465-5094 to learn more about becoming a Golf Channel Amateur Tour member.
- ONCE I REGISTER, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE MY MEMBERSHIP PACK?
- Membership packs ship within 6 to 8 weeks after registration. If you experience any issues receiving your items, please contact customer service at gcatsupport@golfchannel.com.
- WHAT DOES IT COST TO PLAY IN EACH TOURNAMENT?
- Entry fees for each event vary based on tournament location, time of year, number of rounds and venue. Check your Local Tour schedule for more information.
- ARE GOLF CARTS INCLUDED IN TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES?
- Yes, golf carts are included in the published price of all tournament entry fees at no additional cost.
- I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A TOURNAMENT – WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?
- Please contact the local tournament director with specific questions about events. Contact information is listed on the “Info” page for each tournament.
- HOW ARE TOUR EVENTS OPERATED?
- Each Golf Channel Amateur Tour tournament is designed to provide a professional PGA Tour experience. Events are hosted on the nation’s best public and private courses and use professional scoring. All players are announced off the first tee and the top finishers in each flight win prizes and trophies.All Am Tour events abide by USGA© Rules of Golf, including those rules pertaining to amateur status.
Additional tournament information can be found in the Am Tour Player Handbook
- Each Golf Channel Amateur Tour tournament is designed to provide a professional PGA Tour experience. Events are hosted on the nation’s best public and private courses and use professional scoring. All players are announced off the first tee and the top finishers in each flight win prizes and trophies.All Am Tour events abide by USGA© Rules of Golf, including those rules pertaining to amateur status.
- WHEN AND WHERE ARE TOURNAMENTS HELD?
- There are Am Tour tournaments in 55 cities across the U.S. throughout the year, and most tournaments take place during weekend days (either on Saturday or Sunday or both). To view the full tournament schedule, click here.
- HOW MANY TOURNAMENTS DO I HAVE TO PLAY?
- Members can choose to play in as many or as few events as they wish – there are no requirements. However, in order to be eligible for the National Championship tournament, a player must compete in a minimum of 5 tournament rounds*, 3 of which must be local events. The more events you play, the more opportunities you have to earn Order of Merit Points which are used to determine qualification for the National Championship.*Please note that playing in 5 events does not guarantee a position in the National Championship, for more information on qualifying for the National Championship, consult the Player Handbook
- CAN I PLAY IN TOURNAMENTS OUTSIDE MY LOCAL TOUR?
- Absolutely! Golf Channel Amateur Tour members can compete in any local tournament or major championship across the country. Entries for these events are on a first come, first serve basis.The only tournament that requires eligibility and qualification to play is the National Championship.
- HOW DO I REGISTER FOR TOURNAMENTS?
- You can register for tournaments via the official Golf Channel Amateur Tour website, www.gcamtour.com, or by contacting the Local Tour Director in your area.If you are not an Am Tour member and are interested in competing in a tournament, please contact your Local Tour Director to register as a guest (Guests can compete in up to 2 local Am Tour events per year).
- DOES PLAYING ON THE GOLF CHANNEL AMATEUR TOUR AFFECT MY AMATEUR STATUS?
- No. Golf Channel Amateur Tour conforms to USGA® rules regarding Amateur Status, so it will not affect your amateur status.
- ARE GUESTS ALLOWED TO COMPETE IN AM TOUR TOURNAMENTS?
- Non-members, or guests, are allowed to compete in up to 2 local Am Tour events per year, based upon space availability. However, they are not eligible for prizes, winnings, or Order of Merit Points, nor are they eligible to compete in any Majors or the National Championship. A non-member may join the Tour at anytime. Please contact your Local Tour Director to register as a guest.
- AM I REQUIRED TO HAVE A USGA HANIDCAP INDEX?
- Yes, but if you do not currently have a USGA Handicap Index®, an official USGA® Handicap service from Golf Channel is provided as part of your Am Tour membership. The Golf Channel Golf Club Handicap® is considered a Type 3 Club by the USGA®. For more information on handicapping, click here.
- IF I HAVE AN EXISTING HANDICAP (i.e., GHIN®, EZLinks, etc.), CAN I IMPORT MY SCORES INTO THE GOLF CHANNEL HANDICAP SERVICE?
- Unfortunately, no. The Golf Channel Amateur Tour utilizes a handicap service called the “Players Club” and scores from other handicap providers must be manually entered during the member registration process.All tournament rounds played on Am Tour will be automatically posted to the Players Club handicap index but cannot be posted to an outside index. Any non-tournament rounds must be manually entered into a Players Club account by the member.
- WHAT ARE THE TOURNAMENT RULES?
- All Golf Channel Amateur Tour events conform to USGA® rules and are generally individual stroke play events at scratch within each flight. Am Tour Players are initially flighted based on their USGA Handicap Index and are re-flighted monthly based on their Golf Channel Am Tour index to compete only against players in their flight.For a complete listing of tournament rules and all Golf Channel Amateur Tour flights, refer to the Am Tour Player Handbook.
- WHAT IS A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP AND DO I NEED TO QUALIFY IN ORDER TO PLAY IN ONE?
- A major championship is a competitive, 2-day, 36-hole tournament that typically draws registrants from across the country. Players earn double the Order of Merit Points they would find at a local event, and the top three finishers in each flight, including ties, receive invitations to the National Championship and Senior National Championship tournaments.Players do not need to qualify for Majors, as they are open to all current and active Am Tour Players. Guests are not allowed to compete in Majors, with the exception of Duel In The Desert.
- WHAT ARE ORDER OF MERIT POINTS?
- Order of Merit Points are points awarded to tournament players in each flight based on their order of finish. The more events you play, the more opportunities you have to earn Order of Merit Points, which are used to determine qualification for the National Championship. Points carry NO monetary value.
- WHAT IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP/SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND HOW DO I QUALIFY?
- The National Championship and the Senior National Championship are 72-hole stroke-play tournaments that take place at the end of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour season, and they determine the National & Senior National Champions in each player flight.In order to receive an invitation to compete in the National Championship and Senior National Championship tournaments, an Am Tour player must be ELIGIBLE AND QUALIFIED. To become eligible, a player must compete in a minimum of 5 tournament rounds*, 3 of which must be local events (non-Majors), and at least 1 of those rounds must be played after June 1, 2013. A tournament round is designated as an 18-hole score.
There are many ways a player can become qualified, including placing in the top 3 in a Major tournament, earning a qualifying number of Order of Merit Points, being a past National Champion and more.
For a complete listing of National Championship/ Senior National Championship tournament rules and ways to qualify, refer to the Am Tour Player Handbook.
*Please note that playing in 5 events does not guarantee a position in the National Championship
- The National Championship and the Senior National Championship are 72-hole stroke-play tournaments that take place at the end of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour season, and they determine the National & Senior National Champions in each player flight.In order to receive an invitation to compete in the National Championship and Senior National Championship tournaments, an Am Tour player must be ELIGIBLE AND QUALIFIED. To become eligible, a player must compete in a minimum of 5 tournament rounds*, 3 of which must be local events (non-Majors), and at least 1 of those rounds must be played after June 1, 2013. A tournament round is designated as an 18-hole score.
- ARE LADIES PERMITTED TO JOIN THE GOLF CHANNEL AM TOUR?
- Yes, absolutely! Everyone who loves golf is welcome to sign up and compete on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour. Ladies play from one tee in front of their similarly-flighted male counterparts.
- HOW CAN I GET OFFICIAL AM TOUR APPAREL AND GEAR?
- You can purchase official Golf Channel Amateur Tour golf attire and more from our online store here. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.
- WHAT IS THE AMATEUR TOUR REFERRAL PROGRAM AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
- The Golf Channel Amateur Tour Referral Program rewards those members who refer their friends to play on the Am Tour. The more friends you refer, the more you can earn. It’s easy:1. Spread the Word – Tell your friends, family and co-workers and about Am Tour via phone, email, text or Facebook.
2. Give Your Friends & Family 3 Pieces of Info – Make sure they have (1) your full name, (2) local tour city and (3) the Am Tour web site: www.gcamtour.com/join.
IMPORTANT - Your Referrals MUST include your Full Name and Local Tour City under “Referred by a Member” when they sign up through our Membership Registration Page in order for you to receive your reward.
3. Earn Big Rewards – If your friend registers and stays an Am Tour member for at least one month, you’ll receive an $80 GolfNow credit for a twosome (Hot Deals only). There’s no limit, so the more friends you refer, the more $80 GolfNow credits you can earn!
- The Golf Channel Amateur Tour Referral Program rewards those members who refer their friends to play on the Am Tour. The more friends you refer, the more you can earn. It’s easy:1. Spread the Word – Tell your friends, family and co-workers and about Am Tour via phone, email, text or Facebook.
- I REFERRED A FRIEND AND THEY BECAME A NEW MEMBER – WHEN CAN I EXPECT TO RECEIVE MY REWARD?
- You should receive your $80 GolfNow referral credit via email between 6 to 8 weeks from the date your friend registered. Your friend must remain a member for at least one month after their purchase date in order for you to be issued a referral reward.If you have issues redeeming your $80 GolfNow referral credit or have additional questions about the Referral Program, contact us at gcatrefer@golfchannel.com
- IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF REWARDS GIFT CARDS THAT I CAN EARN?
- No. The more friends you refer, the more referral rewards you can earn!
- IS IT IMPORTANT FOR MY REFERRALS TO NAME ME AS THE PERSON WHO REFERRED THEM?
- Yes! Your Referral must provide us with your contact name and information in order for you to receive proper credit.
