Under new leadership, SwingThought Tour making changes to lure aspiring golfers

To remain relevant in what has been a diminishing domestic developmental pro golf tour industry, the SwingThought Tour has hired a new national director, added some investors to its board of directors and implemented some player-friendly policies in 2017.

Myrtle Beach resident Jason Dores has been hired as the director of tour operations, and Dores is intent on giving the tour a presence in the Myrtle Beach market, as its tour championship is being moved to the TPC Myrtle Beach and several Carolinas Series events will he held on the Grand Strand.

Dores is a 15-year Marine veteran and Golf Academy of America graduate who has worked as an assistant club professional in the area and operates the area chapters of the Golfweek Amateur and Golfweek Senior Amateur tours.

The SwingThought Tour, which has its administrative offices in Little River, is now the combined former Hooters/NGA and eGolf tours that were based on the Strand and Charlotte, respectively.

The tour’s 2017 national series features 16 primarily 72-hole events in five Southeast states. Competitive policies are similar to those of the PGA and Web.com tours, including requiring players to walk.

“We want to provide the most tour-like experience we can, and we’re trying to provide services and a welcome atmosphere for the players so they’ll be loyal to us,” said Dores, who became a SwingThought area director in January and was promoted to director of tour operations in early February. “Instead of looking for places to play they’ll know they’ll be taken care of. Professionalism is a big thing for me.”

Dores said the tour is finding new sponsors that are adding to purses and the board of directors now includes influential businessmen John Burke, president of MSi Lighting; Richard Godfrey, a recent executive with a multi-national energy organization; Sudeep Dhillon, a managing director for JPMorgan Chase bank; and David Carlson, chairman and co-founder of Empyrean Benefit Solutions.

“They’re very motivated about the tour and platform and want to see it grow,” said Dores, who believes the tour model may expand to include amateurs and seniors in coming years.

To appease to players, tour membership has been reduced to $750. Regular events are $875 per member and $1,075 for non-members and a minimum of 80 percent of entry fees are paid in purses every tournament. An additional $5,000 per event or $4,000 to the winner – or both – have been added to the next four tournaments.

Winners are paid on-site and full purse payouts have been expedited, with players receiving payment within one to two weeks, Dores said.

A point system has been created, and points can be redeemed for entry fee discounts.

The tour expects to have four majors this year in addition to the tour championship, and two are set. Major entry fees are $100 more than regular events.

The first major from May 3-6 is at Compass Pointe Golf Club outside Wilmington, N.C., and will coincide with the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship at nearby Eagle Point Golf Club. Both $5,000 to the purse and $4,000 to the winner have been added. The second major is at GreyStone Golf Club in Dickson, Tenn., from June 19-22, and an event in early August at The Patriot at Grand Harbor in Ninety-Six will likely become a third major.

For events near Monday qualifiers for PGA or Web.com tour events, the SwingThought is allowing late entry from qualifying participants without penalty or will reimburse entry fee for those who qualify for an event on the larger tours. “We want to afford them the opportunity to play with us if they don’t qualify,” Dores said.

At Compass Pointe, 18 meals – three per day for six days – entertainment and host housing for $100 for the week are included in the entry fee. “Anything I can bring or have something taken care of on-site that doesn’t cost players money, we’re trying to do that,” Dores said.

An event at The Patriot at Grand Harbour from July 31-Aug. 5 will likely be the third major and the fourth is being discussed. Each major has a minimum of $4,000 added to the winner’s purse.

Perks for the winners of each major include a trip to the headquarters of tour sponsor Bradley Putters in Oregon to receive a custom-fitted putter and take excursions.

The tour will have use of the TPC Myrtle Beach for six days from Dec. 12-17 for its tour championship. “I think it’s a great venue for our tour championship. I would like to have our tour championship in the Myrtle Beach area every year,” Dores said. “The headquarters is here and I think the area deserves it. There are a lot of great venues here and there would be other things for the players to do here.”

In addition to the SwingThought national Series, a Qualifying Series features seven 36-hole tournaments near Monday qualifiers on the two days that follow them, and State Series are in the Carolinas, Florida and California. Arizona and Georgia may be added in 2018.

The Carolina Series features more than 10 events throughout the Carolinas, including several in the Myrtle Beach and Charlotte areas, beginning with a tournament next week at Monroe Golf Club in Monroe, N.C.

Events are scheduled for the Myrtle Beach National King’s North Course in late May, TPC Myrtle Beach in mid-June, Lion’s Paw Golf Links and International World Tour Golf Links in July, and the Grande Dunes Resort Course and TPC Myrtle Beach in September.

The state series have primarily 36-hole events with some 54-hole tournaments. Entry fees for the Carolina Series are based at $600 for members and $700 for non-members.

The SwingThought national tour has had four tournaments this year, and the largest field was 40 players.

“Last year we had more than 100 players in some fields. We fully expect to get back to that by the middle of the year,” Dores said. “It’s a matter of putting out a good product and the players will come back. If the guys hear we’re doing the right things they will play with us.”

The tour is competing for players with the PGA and Web.com Tour’s system of feeder tours in Latin America, Canada and China, and is also trying to regain player trust after being unable to deliver on some of its goals last year.

Tour and SwingThought founder Michael Rush of Charlotte sent players a letter of apology and explanation for the way some things were handled last year.

“We’re trying to get away from some of the things that happened last year that may have caused an issue with players,” Dores said. “There were some changeover issues, and some of the things that happened did fall toward the players. We’re trying to resolve all those issues now. I can ensure while I’m on board those issues won’t happen again.”

One 2017 SwingThought member has already enjoyed an elevated level of success. Former Alabama golfer Robby Shelton earned his first pro win in the SwingThought season-opener in early February at Southern Hills Plantation in Florida and has since played in two PGA Tour events – the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Puerto Rico Open.

Junior Day at center

The South Carolina Golf Center at Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club is hosting a Junior Golf Day on April 13 that is free to children of all skill levels ages 6-17.

The event is from 4:30-6 p.m. and will include games, contests, drinks and snacks for participants. Parents or juniors can call the center at 843-369-3112 to register. The event is a kickoff to the spring season of the center’s junior program.

S.C. Golf Center instructor Nathan McDonough said he hopes golfers will bring friends who don’t play to introduce them to the game. “We’re trying to make golf more cool,” McDonough said. “A lof of kids think golf is boring so we’re trying to change that perception.”

CCU’s PGM excels

Students in Coastal Carolina University’s PGA Golf Management Program put their talents on display this past weekend by hosting the Carolinas Cup at the General James Hackler Course.

CCU’s PGM Program fired a two-day, six-player team score of 883 to win by 31 shots over runner-up Campbell. Other PGM Programs in the six-team field included Clemson, Methodist, Maryland Eastern Shore and N.C. State.

Coastal Carolina’s Tyler Gracon took medalist honors with rounds of 68 and 77 for a 145. Other notable Coastal scores were Jake Vaiknoras and Ross Seaman at 146, Jay Newcomb at 147, Morgan Deneen at 148, Eric Schroeder at 153, Ian Marr at 157 and Jake Kramer at 159.

CCU’s PGM Program is one of 18 in the nation accredited by the PGA of America and is in the E. Craig Wall College of Business Administration.

Four-Ball vols sought

The Dunes Golf and Beach Club and United States Golf Association are still seeking about 40 volunteers for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship, which will be played at The Dunes Club from May 27-31 at The Dunes Club.

The event’s operation requires approximately 200 volunteers, who are being placed in one of 12 subcommittees.

The Four-Ball is a national championship consisting of 64 two-women teams that will compete in 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying before three days of best-ball match play determines a winner.

Volunteers can register through the Golf tab at www.thedunesclub.net, where there is also a link to a USGA webpage detailing the event.

USGA changes events

The USGA is adding the U.S. Women’s Senior Open next year to its list of championships, and last week it announced the retirement of the Men’s State Team Championship and Women’s State Team Championship following the completion of the 2017 competition calendar.

The USGA will conduct 14 championships in 2018.

The USGA State Team Championships were first conducted in 1995 as part of the organization’s centennial celebration and were originally intended to be one-time events but continued on a biennial basis because of their initial success.

In each competition, each state was represented by three non-collegiate amateur golfers determined by state and regional golf associations and the best two stroke-play scores counted each round.

The first U.S. Women’s Senior Open will be held at Chicago Golf Club.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 8:53 PM with the headline "Under new leadership, SwingThought Tour making changes to lure aspiring golfers."