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Coastal Cup Golfers Tour Launches

Tee Times General Manager Jeff Ward was looking to partner with a local golf tour and found one run by a fun-loving couple in Alma and Keith Pieczynski.

Keith Pieczynski, owner and Tournament Director of the Coastal Cup Golfers Tour set to debut in South Florida in March 2021, has been working in the golf industry for more than a quarter of a century.

Pieczynski dresses in a colorful, Payne Stewart-inspired look complete with multi-colored patterned pants. Stewart, who tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 42, was known for his flamboyant wardrobe.

“It is not meant to be a tour for serious competition like the FSGA or PGA Section events, but for rather serious fun,” said Pieczynski, who runs the tour with his wife, Alma. “Some people are going to take it seriously, but all are going to see if they can win prizes, gift certificates and trophies. Non-amateurs can compete for cash.

“We will only take tournament scoring after the handicaps have been established. It eliminates sandbagging and will be the fairest format of golf out there today.”

Pieczynski is understandably very excited to launch.

“With The Tee Times coming on as the title sponsor this year, we will be one of the only tours that will have a regional golf magazine following us around, taking photos and writing articles.”
Keith Pieczynski

“The difference between our Tour and others is that we will have from scratch to 30-handicapper golfers playing against each other, depending on turnout for any particular event,” Pieczynski said. “It’s exciting because we involve other cities – it’s not just the tour in South Florida. We’ll also have Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Chicago. They go to Orlando every year in November and they bring 25 players from each city, a good 100-plus golfers meet for a three-day National Tour Challenge.”

Pieczynski said the CCGT will have events from as far north as Port Saint Lucie and as far south as Miami. The Tee Times magazine – which covers the area – will serve as the title sponsor. Pieczynski anticipates having between 20 and 60 golfers per event. Eventually, expect an affiliation with the Myrtle Beach World Amateur.

“It is a true traveling tournament,” Pieczynski said. “It will be a family friendly atmosphere, so when you come out you are going to start knowing people and shaking people’s hands. After the round, many participants have drinks at the bar and grab a bite to eat together. This was built to excite the whole golf industry, as far as the sponsors and the golf courses. A lot of our members own businesses, and we allow them to advertise on our Tour. It is just a blast.”

“With The Tee Times coming on as the title sponsor this year, we will be one of the only tours that will have a regional golf magazine following us around, taking photos and writing articles,” Pieczynski said. “It gives that person the feeling of being a professional. Most people don’t ever make it to the PGA. This is their Tour and I want them to understand that. The one-day events will be open to men and women. We want to literally offer the world to the golfers.”

Pieczynski’s golfing career began as a cart boy, moving onto maintenance and groundskeeping, and eventually to general manager and tournament director. He has worked with multiple traveling tournaments similar to the CCGT throughout his career, including helping grow the Pittsburgh Golfers Tour in 1997. That tour continues today.

“When I started with them, I tried to bring some life to their events and we are hopeful of bringing fun and excitement back to the amateur golfers,” said Pieczynski, who then moved south and created the Southern Cup Golfers Tour in southwest Tennessee.

Pieczynski anticipates having 35 to 50 events in South Florida from March through December, and he added that, as it grows, it can host events all year. The season will conclude with a tournament of champions, where winners will get crystal trophies.

Alma Pieczynski handles promotions for both The Tee Times and the tour. Part of the The Tee Times’ sponsorship is to have a “green screen” set up where golfers can pose with their trophies on a Tee Times and Coastal Golf Tour free souvenir magazine “cover.”

“It’s an exciting thing! It brings people together,” Alma Pieczynski said. “It helps people! It brings smiles, knowing they’re having a good time. We are not just playing golf and offering prizes, we are having fun with it – and that’s what it’s all about! The balance between fun and competition brings happiness to more people, and that is our goal!”

Ward said he had talked to numerous local tours during the past 18 months, seeking a level of enthusiasm and excitement with them, and said the Pieczynskis delivered over and above.

“The main focus that I wanted to get across to Keith when we first started talking was the fairness. It has to 100 percent eliminate the people who are just trying to make a quick paycheck.”
JEFF WARD

“Keith called me on a Saturday morning, when I was headed to play golf and it was literally 15 minutes before I could get a word in,” Ward said. “He was that passionate about this golf tour and how he could bring something so exciting to South Florida.

“As I reached out to other area golf tours and spoke to them, it seemed like I was a burden or a distraction to them and Keith made me feel like we were going to be completely involved,” Ward added.

“Alma and Keith were not only going to be the face of the Tour, but represent The Tee Times as well. We are the title sponsor for the Coastal Cup Golf Tour in its initial year and we are proud to be involved with such great people.

“The main focus that I wanted to get across to Keith when we first started talking was the fairness,” Ward said. “It has to 100 percent eliminate the people who are just trying to make a quick paycheck. We addressed the sandbagging issue, which is pretty prevalent on some of the tours and that turns people off … We want to be a social thing more than anything else. The prizes are secondary, although friendly competition is great fun as long as everyone knows we will be protecting them as much as possible against any sandbagging.

“The thing I like most about it is that Keith wants to make this like a PGA Tour for amateurs,” Ward said. “Results and photos will be posted on the tour website, maybe even get your picture in The Tee Times. You get to play some great golf courses and most of all meet new folks with a passion for golf and fun.”

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