Smart Adapting by The Gateway Tour

Affordable opportunities to play golf are pure gold for developing pro golfers. In response to tougher economic conditions, I’m seeing unusual changes.

When I first started out as a pro in 2006, I enjoyed competing in jam-packed, three-day Gateway Tour events in and around the West Palm Beach area. It was a great way to work on my game without having huge travel expenses.

Now, it’s not the same. Fewer golfers have booked into the seasonal series and the ongoing events due to cost concerns. That has meant smaller purses for the effort and fewer opportunities. To keep moving ahead, many of us have turned to existing one-day and two-day events and the odd Monday qualifier here and there. It’s a bit of a scramble.

Fortunately, the guys at Gateway did some brainstorming and came up with a product to fit the times---its own version of one- and two-day events, Gateway Tour Lite. Suddenly, we’re back in business in West Palm Beach!