The US 2010 PGA Tour season is just around the corner and league sign-ups for Pro Tour Fantasy Golf are now available online:

http://www.protourfantasygolf.com

There are several new leagues this year including a $25 (USD) Majors+1 contest. This contest has a $1,000 (USD) grand prize and unlike our $10 contest, awards a $100 prize to player with the highest score for each tournament. For those who like to play for a higher stakes, we've added a 2nd high stakes contest starting on Jan. 7th ($100 entry fee - $3,000 for 1st place, $7,000 in other prizes). If you're comfortable with the PTFG format, I highly recommend checking out one of our high stakes contests as it offers higher payout percentages due to the larger cash prize pool. We'll also be offering a $25 Fed Ex Cup contest later next year.

We're continuously working to improve our site and during the short off-season we added several new features:
1) The ability to sort the Golfers Used in standings order (season and session)
2) The option to receive a daily summary of Clubhouse message posts via email.

This will be our 3rd year of Pro Tour Fantasy Golf and I have no doubt that this will be our best season yet! If you know you're going to play in a 2010 league, please sign-up as soon as possible. This will ensure we have enough leagues to meet the growing demand, but most importantly, ensure you don't get left out! And don't forget to invite your FISO friends using our Invite A Friend feature.

http://www.protourfantasygolf.com/invite_a_friend

Thanks!

John Hohlen
PTFG Founder

Over the past two years we've had over a dozen FISO members play in our leagues and I think they've really enjoyed the format. I'm toying with the idea of creating a private league strictly for FISO members if the interest is there. We'd have to figure out what the entry fee, prizes, and schedule would be, so I'm throwing this out there for discussion. If we could 20+ participants, maybe a lot more, I think we could have a really fun contest. This would have to be for the US PGA Tour, like our other leagues, as our site is not currently setup for the European PGA Tour Maybe some day

Only thing I couldn't see was when new season begins. What is deadline for entry ?

Did you mean for the PTFG leagues or the potential FISO league? The PTFG leagues start in Jan and as late as April with the last contest beginning with the US Masters.

http://www.protourfantasygolf.com/league_signup

For the FISO league, that's all still TBD based on what the majority would like to do it. It could start in January or as late as the US Masters depending on what tournaments you'd want to play. We limit our seasons to 24 weeks long since you can only use a golfer twice. Plus, a half year is a long haul. Alternatively, we could simply do a majors contest which would be 4 tournaments (5 if you include the Tournament Players Championship).

It looks like there has been another casualty in the fantasy golf world. CBS Sportsline, a big player for US based sports, is no longer offering their fantasy golf (US PGA Tour) or NASCAR. Apparently, it was a budget / economy decision since those are a couple of their free games:

http://fantasyethos.com/2009/12/cbssportscom-abandons-fantasy-golf-and-fantasy-nascar/

Interesting enough, the prior article on <b>Fantasy Ethos</b> was about some of the options on where to play fantasy golf in 2010:

http://fantasyethos.com/2009/12/where-to-play-fantasy-golf/

Most of the observations in the article were provided by Colin Robertson who is a FISO member and PTFG participant.

Well worth a go in this fantasy golf game if you're pining for the start of OFL Golf in April

http://www.league1.protourfantasygolf.com/

Starts 7 Jan and finishes in June with the US Open

Easy payment using Paypal, works out at around £15.50 for 24 weeks of fantasy golfing fun.

Excellently run and a real challenge!

Details:

Last call for PTFG sign-ups as the first round of leagues start late Thursday evening (UK time). League 1 is sold out, but League 5 ($25 USD entry) and High Stakes 1 ($100 USD entry) still have openings. Would love to have some more FISO participants because you guys are a lively bunch -- and great competitors too!

http://www.protourfantasygolf.com/league_signup

Ok so I joined the competition, I'm not saying which league just yet. What are the general tactics for this weekend
Should you pick the best players or maybe go for somebody like Ames or Watney who are quite prominent in the betting market & save some good players for later

Joined League 5, thought I would go for the $25 entry fee while I learn strategy before going for the $100

Changed my mind, 2 in $25 League 5, 1 in $100 HS 1. Looks like 3 FISO in High Stakes League

Peoples and Trotter, thanks for signing up. League 5 is good place to start since it will basically be a feeder league for League 2 if League 5 doesn't fill up. In other words, we'll play League 5 with the anticipated 20-30 entries we get for 4 weeks. There will be the usual session prizes to be awarded but no season prize. On 2/4, everyone in League 2 will get moved into League 2 where a new 24-week contest will start. All your earnings and golfer usages will be reset. So by signing up for League 5, you're getting to play in a 4-week training league with cash prizes. Call it Q-School where everyone automatically qualifies for League 2!

I have liked everything about the look of this comp and decided to "dip a toe". I have just entered Exonian Yank Ryders into League 5

Hi Peoples,

As everyone makes the cut and Ames / Watney appear to be in form they could be ideal picks. Most will go with Stricker, Zach Johnson and Ogilvy I suspect.

Or you could run five teams (4 x League 1 + 1 X High Stakes 1) and select 15 players

Man United's #1 Fan

Pappje's Persuaders signed up for League 5.

Tough one this

Toffee tips (for what they're worth!):

1. Save your best players for the tourns with the highest money pots - you pick the winner of the Players Champ in your orig 3 and you're half way there . I'm not joking here, the top 9 from last year all chose Stenson at the Players
2. Try not to use players for the 2nd time unless you're very confident - sods law says they'll miss the cut then contend the next week when you'll have to burn a Mulligan to bring them in.
3. Try to use mulligans for "sure things" only eg. Joe Bloggs going into last round with a seven shot lead. You have to make big bucks with those 6 mulligans
4. Don't forget your free transfer on Saturday!
5. Dont get demoralised early doors, the winner last year only picked the winner of the tournament 4 times from his 72 original picks
6. Keep an eye on the session (4 weekly) prizes, $50 pays for 2 entries next year

Good luck all

Toffee - those were some great tips from a PTFG seasoned veteran. Here are the official PTFG tips:

http://league1.protourfantasygolf.com/strategy_tips

I may need to make some updates but I don't want to give away all of Toffee's secrets.

In regards to last years Tournament Players Championship, many of the top teams did pick Stenson. However, it should be mentioned that almost 1/3 of the field chose him in their lineup (41 teams to be exact). So Stenson was very popular pick that week:

Chart
http://highstakes1.protourfantasygolf.com/strategy_tips

Results
http://www.league1.protourfantasygolf.com/weekly_results/353

I don't think the entire 24-week season hinges on picking the winner of the TPC. But if you do, it can really help give you a boost in the standings due to the huge purse. But if you don't, I don't think it means your season is over. I think last year was little bit of an anomaly. We'll see what happens this year.

Thanks for the tips guys. I jumped in at the deep end & joined the high rollers league. The SBS actually has decent prize money so I'll probably go with who I think are the three best players.

Thanks for the Mulligan advice Toffee. I'd planned on using two of them on having Woods & Mickelson for a third time given there's two Majors, the Players Champ & a WGC event.

Stuart, Adrian - remember, if you set your Country Club to FISO you can see us FISOers by ourselves via a filter on the Standings page. You can set it via the 'My Profile' link at the bottom of the screen.

Couldn't resist - stuck a 2nd team in a short while ago.

I have also now experienced at first-hand John's excellent service - seems like the positive feedback on here from previous seasons is well justified.

As the first round is underway I'll reveal my selections for this week.

Steve Stricker - ranked 3rd in World, was tied 2nd in 2008, he's favourite for the tournament.

Nick Watney - Tied for 5th in 2008, was ranked 2nd for par5s last year, his long game should suit the course.

Dustin Johnson - 11th last year, ranked 3rd in driving distance & 5th for eagles, with four par5s he should go low.

Peoples, you can check out all the High Stakes line up's this week here:

http://www.highstakes1.protourfantasygo ... ly_results

And a summary here :

http://www.highstakes1.protourfantasygo ... ed/index/1

See Dome Crushers picked Garcia

Good luck for the next 24 weeks

Cheers

Man United's #1 Fan

Cheers for the link, makes easy viewing to see who everybody selected. I thought I'd post why I've selected those players though for people to view. I notice both you & trotter picked Ames so good luck with that.

Well worth having a wander round the Pro Tour site.

Always find this one interesting:



Surprised to see more Watney picks than Sticker, and more Dustin picks than Zach.

Even more surprised to see the 4 golfers that were picked once

Watney maybe not that much of a surprise given their respective 09 form - remember Watney blew out after his early promise while Stricker was much more consistent.

Dustin over Zach you could justify as well on the grounds that the former will benefit more from the enormous fairways given his dispersion off the tee, while the latter again could prove more useful later in the season.

Ahhh.........but I've got you on the Campbell, Couples and Weir selections haven't I

Rollins not doing bad though, currently -3 and TOP of the leaderboard

He didn't just choose Garcia but Tom Watson too.
Also another didn't make any picks at all.
Must have more money to burn than sense !!!

Whereabouts on the site is that chart, Shaun? I'm gingerly working my way round it and not sure where to find stuff like that.

Go to the Weekly Results tab:

http://www.league1.protourfantasygolf.c ... ly_results

Click on the green "Golfers Picked" button. There is also a red "Golfers Dropped" button, but that won't generate any chart data until after the 3rd round starts. I hope that helps.

Don't forget to use your free Sat transfers people - Glover anyone?

Deadline is 7pm.

Wish I hadn't