I f you are thinking about playing college golf, or currently competing in a college program, you also might be thinking something else – how over- whelming it all seems. The excitement of the experience comes with competitive challenges, diffi- cult choices and a considerable number of rules and regulations. The good news is, there is help. In the summer of 2011, Carol Fromuth, a golf coach and junior golf adminis- trator in St. Louis for some 40 years, introduced the Accelerated Golf Tour (AGT). A godsend for both players and coaches in the high school and col- lege environment, the tour provides top-notch competition in a champion- ship environment, along with valuable information, for moderate fees. SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCES The AGT features a series of 10 summer tournaments, where young play- ers can refine their skills, develop course-management and decision-making instincts and polish their overall game in the competitive culture of two-day events. “Many kids are interested in playing golf in college, but they have no gauge as to what is possible, or how their abilities measure up,” Fromuth said. “The tour gives them a chance to improve as players, to compare their skills with other golfers at a similar level, to be seen by coaches and learn what they need to know about the process.” Now in its seventh year, the tour is for both boys and girls, with competition separated into two divisions, “Collegiate” and “High School.” The Colle- giate category accommodates players already associated with a college team, or simply attending college. The High School division is for ages 12- 19, with graduating seniors able to choose to compete in either the Collegiate or High School categories. The clubs that have hosted AGT events over the years are among the best in the Midwest – venues like St. Louis Country Club, Norwood Hills Country Club, Forest Hills Country Club, Dalhousie Golf Club, The Missouri Bluffs and Glen Echo Country Club. Together, they have staged numerous USGA, PGA Tour and LPGA championships. Courses are set up at collegiate competitive standards, with 6,600 yards rep- resenting the minimum length for the boys, 6.000 yards for the girls. Yard- ages remain the same for both divisions, which allows high school players to compare and contrast their performances on a college-level playing field. There is no membership fee to join the AGT. Tournament entry fees are $ 175, or $ 150 if purchased three events at a time. Each entrant receives a sleeve of balls (donated by Bridgestone, Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist or Wilson), a USGA Rules of Golf book, two Gatorades per day and a tee gift for the season. ATESTOF GOLF AND CHARACTER AGT tournaments are conducted in accordance with USGA rules and in the spirit of championship integrity. A pace of play policy is enforced and ethical accountability is advanced. Players come to the AGT hoping to get real tournament seasoning, and they experience the real thing. The tour began in the metropolitan St. Louis area, but now includes entries from 13 different states, from California to Florida. Numerous golf course owners and professionals who share in the AGT’s mission to grow the game and encourage young players have made it all possible. Unique to the AGT, awards are presented in gift certificates for the host club pro shop. All awards meet NCAA approval for college players. If a high school player’s state of residence does not allow gift certificates, trophies are substituted. In addition, each tournament holds a drawing for an array of golf-related prizes that have been donated by various golf companies, rang- ing from golf bags to artwork to tickets for sporting events. But it’s not all about competition and prizes. Each year, the AGT sponsors a free college scholarship seminar for high school players. A panel discus- sion is conducted, with coaches from NCAA D-1, D-II and D-III programs participating, as well as representatives of NAIA and junior colleges. Ping’s Dean Frischnecht offers those in attendance a discount on the invaluable Ping Golf Guide. Plans for college and a future in golf are a lot to think about. So the goal of AGT is to make the dream of playing college golf more realistic for players and parents, to help them make the best decisions for themselves and to get them headed in the right direction. For more information, contact AGT Administrator Carol Fromuth at 314-494-6306 or email her at accgolftour@aol.com. Dan O’Neill recently retired as a respected, long-time golf writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Accelerated Golf Tour Offers Competitive Measuring Stick BY DAN O’NEILL TOUR PROFILE June 2017 | 25 Subscribe today at juniorgolfmag.net The AGT enables young golfers to test every phase of their game