GTA AM TOUR
PLAY LIKE AN AMATEUR, GET SPOILED LIKE A PRO.

Inspired by the way professionals play the game, the GTA AM Tour brings together golf enthusiasts of various backgrounds to compete on 22 of Ontario's best public and private courses. No gimmies, mulligians or do-overs here. We're talking about by the book, no nonsense competitive style play. But as long as you have a handicap of 25 or under, you're eligible to compete in any of our unforgettable tournaments. It's your chance to feel like a pro even if you aren't.

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    Tom Watson – Embodies The True Essence of Golf GTA AM Tour Player, David MacLachlan, shared a wonderful encounter he witnessed involving Tom Watson at the recent U.S. Senior Open. In an era when athletes show less than exemplary behaviour or the “what’s in it for me attitude” we want to acknowledge Tom for his humility and for always representing how a true Major Champion behaves.  David’s email to me: “Last week I attended the U.S. Senior Open, just north of Detroit.  I was at the practice range, behind the ropes, just a few feet from Fred Couples, Kenny Perry, Tom Watson, and other major names on the senior circuit as they were warming-up.  A dude shows up, stands next to me, and asks the Marshall to summon Tom Watson.  He claims he had arranged a meeting with Tom Watson’s office.  She of course resists the request, but sends over the supervisor. The dude keeps insisting that he needs to see Tom Watson.  The supervisor gets Watson’s caddie, who politely told the guy that Tom was busy getting ready for his round, and to come to the exit door for the players at the clubhouse, after the round.  The dude continues to press his case, and by now we all think the guy is more than full of himself and that he should back off.  However, the caddie relents and mentions the guy to Watson. Tom immediately stops his warm-up, races over and commences a 10 minute conversation with the dude’s friend/relative, whom none of us had noticed before Watson’s arrival. The friend/relative was an older to middle-aged guy who was clearly riddled with cancer, or a similar disease, that had reduced him to a weakened shell.  Tom went on to show great interest in the man, in his treatment, his struggles, etc.  He even went so far as to get his cell phone from his bag in order to share the phone number of a physician that Watson said was, in his opinion, the best in the field.  In a crowd of people Watson made this guy feel like they were alone.  He referred to him by name, recalled details of his background, etc.  In short, it was a very thoughtful and personable encounter by a true gentleman.”

    Tom Watson – Embodies The True Essence of Golf

    GTA AM Tour Player, David MacLachlan, shared a wonderful encounter he witnessed involving Tom Watson at the recent U.S. Senior Open. In an era when athletes show less than exemplary behaviour or the “what’s in it for me attitude” we want to acknowledge Tom for his humility and for always representing how a true Major Champion behaves. 

    David’s email to me:

    “Last week I attended the U.S. Senior Open, just north of Detroit.  I was at the practice range, behind the ropes, just a few feet from Fred Couples, Kenny Perry, Tom Watson, and other major names on the senior circuit as they were warming-up.  A dude shows up, stands next to me, and asks the Marshall to summon Tom Watson.  He claims he had arranged a meeting with Tom Watson’s office.  She of course resists the request, but sends over the supervisor. The dude keeps insisting that he needs to see Tom Watson.  The supervisor gets Watson’s caddie, who politely told the guy that Tom was busy getting ready for his round, and to come to the exit door for the players at the clubhouse, after the round.  The dude continues to press his case, and by now we all think the guy is more than full of himself and that he should back off.  However, the caddie relents and mentions the guy to Watson. Tom immediately stops his warm-up, races over and commences a 10 minute conversation with the dude’s friend/relative, whom none of us had noticed before Watson’s arrival.

    The friend/relative was an older to middle-aged guy who was clearly riddled with cancer, or a similar disease, that had reduced him to a weakened shell.  Tom went on to show great interest in the man, in his treatment, his struggles, etc.  He even went so far as to get his cell phone from his bag in order to share the phone number of a physician that Watson said was, in his opinion, the best in the field.  In a crowd of people Watson made this guy feel like they were alone.  He referred to him by name, recalled details of his background, etc.  In short, it was a very thoughtful and personable encounter by a true gentleman.”

    Posted on Wednesday, July 18th 2012

    Tags Tom Watson golf

    Source us103.com

    Healthy Competition: How Competitive Golf Can Improve Your Game

    Those of you who have been participating in the GTA AM Tour this season probably already know that a little healthy competition can go a long way towards improving your game. After all, when you’re playing in a tournament environment you’re matched with players whose skill levels are close to your own. That means you’ll have to work harder if you want to win your flight – no coasting here!

    Among our amazing sponsors on Tour is The Golf Lab, a unique facility built to give the amateur golfer the same game improvement and enhancement tools that touring professionals have at their disposal every week. Who better than Liam Mucklow, president of The Golf Lab, to offer suggestions on improving your game?  Liam joined the Canadian PGA in 2001 and worked under world-class golf instructors such as Bruce McCarrol and Gary McCord, as well as shadowed instructors like Michael Bennet, Andy Plummer and Peter Kostis. I recently asked Liam his opinion on how competitive golf improves your game and this is what he had to say:

    “Psychology - As we progress as golfers everybody goes through the trials and tribulations of trying to take skills from the range to the course and, for those of you on the GTA Am Tour, the transition between recreational and tournament play. The first step in becoming a better tournament player is to develop your own solid pre-shot routine. The pre-shot routine is the backbone of consistency for any tournament player. It is a process designed to clear your focus and become properly focused on the outcome you are setting out to achieve. A good pre-shot routine is one that the player repeats each and every time they strike a golf ball. Spend some time working on yours and you will find yourself handling pressure situations like the 1st tee and 18th fairway much more confidently.

    Coaching- The first thing that we want every player to understand is the difference between a coach and an instructor. An instructor’s focus is on mechanical improvements and changes in ball flight. A coach’s focus is, simply put, improvements on the scorecard. Coaching is about getting the player to navigate the golf course with a better game plan and a higher level of confidence. Instruction is definitely a big part of coaching, but there are far more elements a coach must consider when evaluating their athlete’s performance. They include, but are not limited to, Technique, Physical Ability, Equipment Performance, Mental Strategy and Course Tactics. I would encourage every tour player out there to sit back and reflect upon their needs: Do they need a fundamental change in their ball flight? Or do they need a coach to help them improve their overall skill set?

    GTA Am Tour- Finally, let me congratulate each and every one of you for playing by the rules! Golf is about the inner struggle to achieve our potential. Until you go through the struggle of a tournament round, I don’t believe that you have experienced all that golf has to offer. The GTA Am Tour is the perfect venue for passionate golfers to truly experience the rewards the game has to offer, regardless of the level at which you compete.”

    Some great advice from someone who clearly knows what he’s talking about. I hope it helps you improve your game.

    In good health,

    Mark


    The Golf Lab - The Game Improvement Specialists

    Founded by Liam Mucklow, The Golf Lab takes the guesswork of out of improving your golf game.  Their three-step approach allows them to address a player’s entire skill set to apply purposeful change that translate in better scores. 

    Posted on Sunday, June 10th 2012

    Unleash Your Inner Pro - GTA AM Tour | Introduction to Playing on Tour

    Playing competitively is a great way to consistently challenge yourself, gauge your progress and ultimately improve your game.  Next week we will further explore how competitive golf improves your game, including some coaching tips from our sponsor The Golf Lab.

    Posted on Thursday, May 24th 2012

    Mother Nature Takes The LG Season Opener Uninvited, unannounced and definitely not registered for the event, Mother Nature scorched the field and took the GTA AM TOUR LG Season Opener today at Lookout Point County Club in Fonthill.  She played meticulously, hitting every fairway and smothering every green.  She registered a +3 over freezing, needing just 18 mm of precipitation to complete the day. In spite of her extraordinary efforts, Mother Nature was sorely disappointed to learn that she wasn’t eligible for prizing since she neglected to register for the event.  Instead, all she got for her efforts was a heartfelt raspberry and a kick in the backside on the way out.  On a more serious note, we would like to once again extend our thanks to Lookout Point for generously offering to host the Tour opener, and to our wonderful sponsor, LG Electronics Canada.  We are really excited to let you know that we have rescheduled the event for Wednesday, September 26th.  This will allow all players with an extra opportunity to score Order of Merit points to qualify for the Tour Championship, which will be played the following week. Next week, the TOUR reconvenes for the Kingervision Classic at Coppinwood Golf Club in Uxbridge. This time we will happily let Mother Nature play through… — Mark

    Mother Nature Takes The LG Season Opener

    Uninvited, unannounced and definitely not registered for the event, Mother Nature scorched the field and took the GTA AM TOUR LG Season Opener today at Lookout Point County Club in Fonthill.  She played meticulously, hitting every fairway and smothering every green.  She registered a +3 over freezing, needing just 18 mm of precipitation to complete the day.

    In spite of her extraordinary efforts, Mother Nature was sorely disappointed to learn that she wasn’t eligible for prizing since she neglected to register for the event.  Instead, all she got for her efforts was a heartfelt raspberry and a kick in the backside on the way out. 

    On a more serious note, we would like to once again extend our thanks to Lookout Point for generously offering to host the Tour opener, and to our wonderful sponsor, LG Electronics Canada. 

    We are really excited to let you know that we have rescheduled the event for Wednesday, September 26th.  This will allow all players with an extra opportunity to score Order of Merit points to qualify for the Tour Championship, which will be played the following week.

    Next week, the TOUR reconvenes for the Kingervision Classic at Coppinwood Golf Club in Uxbridge. This time we will happily let Mother Nature play through…

    — Mark

    Posted on Monday, April 23rd 2012

    It’s Go Time: Gearing Up for the GTA AM Tour’s 9th Season

    It’s official: golf season is here. So dust off your clubs, grab your lucky ball and gear up for what’s sure to be your best season yet. After all, playing some of the country’s most prestigious courses will certainly inspire you to play your best!

    We are incredibly excited to welcome both new and returning members alike to the GTA AM Tour’s 9th season. Just nine short years ago, we launched the Tour so that golf enthusiasts across varying skill levels could enjoy a “pro” tournament experience with no-nonsense, competitive-style play. We take the game seriously, but we certainly aren’t afraid to have some fun along the way!

    As usual, we’ll be offering exclusive access to 22 of Canada’s most spectacular public and private courses this year, including Brantford Golf & Country Club, Coppinwood, Mad River and Lookout Point Country Club, where we’ll be hosting our LG Tour Season Opener next week.

     For those of you who may be feeling a bit rusty after the long winter, we’ve compiled some tips to help you get back into the swing of things.

    1. Add some stretching to your pre-game routine. You may be surprised by how much a few stretches can improve your play. Refer to this slideshow by the Mayo Clinic for some great golf stretches.
    2. Learn how to tune out the world and focus on playing your best game ever with these tips from Single Minded Golf.
    3. Perfect your swing by going in for a tune up with a golf pro, like our friends at The Golf Lab.
    4.  Take a moment to review the Tour rules. It’s been a year, so some of the finer points may have slipped your memory.
    5. Make sure your clothing and equipment are in peak condition to help you play your best.

    Most importantly, get ready to reconnect with your golf buddies, meet new people and enjoy being treated like a pro!

     See you on the course!

    — Mark Young

    Posted on Friday, April 20th 2012