As golfers look for the challenge of having the freedom to play when they want and with competition including both scratch and handicap divisions, the Bogey Golf Tour is a place where you can do both. There are plenty of competitive Tours for junior golfers and even more for adult scratch golfers but a vacumn exists for golfers who would like to have most of their weekends free but play in tournaments about once per month. The Bogey Golf Tour is looking to capture golfers who would like to golf all over southeastern Michigan and has three more divisions that compete in Ontario. The Tour has majors and a charity with sponsors that help keep golfers coming back for more. Todd Grondin got started with the Bogey Golf Tour almost right from the beginning and I catch up with him.
JA: Todd, how did you get the idea for the Bogey Golf Tour?
TG: Jeff Derochie started it in Windsor in 2003, I joined in 2004 and really enjoyed the concept of competitive golf for the average golfer.My wife Michelle and I purchased the BGT off of Jeff in October 2005, and it has evolved over the years to what it is today. Michelle is a graphic designer, so I had the good fortune of her developing my ideas and vision for the BGT. I created it as a golfer for golfers, and together Michelle and I made the web site easy to understand and navigate. Essentially I wanted to create a PGA Tour for the average golfer, and I think we have done that, but it always seems to be a work in motion.
JA: I see you actually have four Tours going Windsor, Detroit, London and Kitchener/Waterloo. What is the reasoning behind that?
TG: The tour started in 2003 with just one location Windsor and one handicap division, and since Michelle and I took it over in 2005 we have grown and expanded the tour to the current 4 locations with three handicap divisions to accommodate all levels of competition. We have goals of expanding it right across North America. This year we have 32 stroke play events and 5 charity events included in the 4 Chapters. One membership and you can pay and play in any of our current chapters events.
JA: How does your prize money work and how much can people play for?
TG: Our tournament fees are $20 to $25 per golfer more than what the course charges us, and out of that we have to cover our costs, and we pay out $9 of that fee back to the golfers. Cash or Gift Certificate pay outs for the top 5 in each handicap division, plus long drive and closest to the pin prizes for each division at each tournament. Payouts depend on how many participants per division per tournament. Last year we averaged 82 players per tournament in the Windsor/Detroit Chapter. You aren’t going to be able to retire on the winnings, but you can expect to get your day paid for and bragging rights. Your picture gets posted permanently on our web site tournament stats page, and local news papers have been posting our stats as well.
JA: How do you keep the sandbaggers out?
TG: We play by the Rules of Golf as approved by the RCGA and USGA associations and use the Tee-On handicap system. BGT Members put in a minimum 5 most recent rounds into the handicap system to establish a handicap and keep putting their non BGT rounds in throughout the season, the more rounds the more accurate the handicap. We enter their BGT tournament rounds to keep an eye on everyone and if their tournament scores are on average lower than their non-tournament rounds the system automatically lowers the player’s handicap. All members can see every other member’s rounds and current handicap, so we also police each other.
JA: You have a majors component to your Tour. How does the points work and what is the ultimate prize for playing money wise and playing wise?TG: We do run four major tournaments throughout the year in each of our chapters just like the PGA and the sponsor’s kick in extra prize money for the event. We also run a Race for the Cup contest throughout the season where members earn points just like the PGA and if you have the most points at the end of the season you win a beautiful trophy which is yours to keep. This year Miles of Golf is sponsoring the Race for the BGT Cup and also offering our members 20% off of club fittings and lessons at the Kendal Golf Academy. All of our tournament stats, BGT Cup winners and event history since 2003 is on our web site, with photo’s and stats of all current members.
JA: You also have a charity component for the Tour. How does it work and who does it benefit?
TG: Our players and sponsors have helped raise over $74,000 for local Charities. The heart of our tour, above and beyond the actual game of golf, is our desire to raise money for Charities.
Since 2003, we were able to donate to various local charities: W.E. CARE FOR KIDS, WINDSOR CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, CHILDREN DIABETEBETES, HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION, BIG BROTHERS, GOODFELLOWS, WINDSOR CANCER CENTRE, AUTISM SOCIETY, CRIME STOPPERS and ARNIES ARMY BATTLES PROSTATE CANCER.
For 2012 we are committed to helping the “WINDSOR / ST. CLAIR ROTARY”, “CYSTIC FIBROSIS”, “Children’s Wish” and “Make-A-Wish” Ontario and Michigan chapters with events. See our schedules for more details.
Since 2003, we were able to donate to various local charities: W.E. CARE FOR KIDS, WINDSOR CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, CHILDREN DIABETEBETES, HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION, BIG BROTHERS, GOODFELLOWS, WINDSOR CANCER CENTRE, AUTISM SOCIETY, CRIME STOPPERS and ARNIES ARMY BATTLES PROSTATE CANCER.
For 2012 we are committed to helping the “WINDSOR / ST. CLAIR ROTARY”, “CYSTIC FIBROSIS”, “Children’s Wish” and “Make-A-Wish” Ontario and Michigan chapters with events. See our schedules for more details.
JA: How can you check out the Bogey Golf Tour and see if it is a good fit for you?
TG: Just go to www.bogeygolftour.com to see our calendar of events on the left and scroll down to see the map of all of our 2012 events. You obviously don’t have to play in all of our events. Annual memberships are only $60 and you are eligible to pay and play in any of our regional Chapters (Windsor, Detroit, London, Kitchener/Waterloo). Play in 4 tournaments in a regional division and qualify for that Chapters Invitational. Play an additional 2 tournaments in any other Chapter and qualify for that Chapters invitational as well. Three dollars from each participant from each event goes to the Invitational prize pot. We paid out over $10,000 in prize money in 2011 and expect that amount to double in 2012.
Click on your local chapter and scroll down to see detailed information about each event. Everything is clickable with more detailed information so check it out.
If you love golf, friendly competition, and want to feel like a pro, then just click on our “Membership Sign-up” golf ball and SIGN UP TODAY!! Once you are a member you can register for events and as long as you get your tournament fee paid a week in advance you are guaranteed a tee time at the event.
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If you are looking for added competition, check out the site and look at the testimonials and call or contact Todd or Michelle Grondin.
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