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    News

    TourQuest Joins Team QED Style

    Four men chasing their dreams of making the PGA Tour, that is the essence of TourQuest. While golf brands have "teams" that consist of players who wear their gear or use their equipment, TourQuest is actually a team of guys who have banded together to support each other. Founded by Sam Goulden, the goal of TourQuest "is to give players with the desire, drive, and determination to succeed at all costs, the opportunity to do so while promoting the “grind” and love of the game which is synonymous with high level competitive golf.

    While instant success stories like Jordan Speith captivate us, they are extremely rare. For most professional golfers, the PGA is the result of years of hard work, travel and living on meager budgets. Having twice sold all of his possession in order to finance his golf career, Sam Goulden knows firsthand how difficult the road to the PGA is.

    "The idea of TourQuest was a result of my meeting guys who, like me, were committed to the game. Even though golf is an individual sport, there is a lot to be gained by creating a team of people who share common goals. It is my hope that as a team we will be able to support and push each other which will ultimately make each person a better player."

    Sam Goulden - TourQuest Founder

    In 2014, Sam Goulden, Paul Imondi, Chris Gilman and Yves Nicollier, will play in nearly every PGA Monday qualifier as they prepare for the Web.com Q-School next fall. While this approach may not be conventional, Sam believes that the experience they will gain playing against this high level competition will ultimately prepare them for the grind of going through the three stages of Web.com qualifying.

    Over the next 10 month, the TourQuest team will be sharing the inside world of Monday Qualifying and life on the road. We will be posting updates on our blog but you can also follow the TourQuest team on Twitter and Instagram as they will offer a rare look into life inside the ropes. You can also read more about the TourQuest team on Sam Goulden Golf website.

    Andy Pope Finishes T11 at Web.com Finals

    Six brutal days at PGA West is what 154 players would have to endure as Final Qualifying wrapped up play on December 17th for the 2014 Web.com Tour. Split between the Nicholas and Stadium courses, this final event represented the culmination of 3 1/2 months of qualifying. Over 1,100 players participated in the qualification stages, and now those who remained would be battling for position for the 2014 season.

    Web.com qualifying began at the 1st Stage for Andy Pope as he was exempt from Pre-Qualifying due to his prior year’s status. In the 1st Stage, Andy took medalist honors and carried that momentum into the Second and Final Stages. In the Final Stage, Andy got off to a quick start by shooting 68 and 65 on the first two days. After a -1 71 on Saturday, he made a charge by carding a 66 on day four. After Round 4, Andy (seen wearing a Periwinkle Logan Polo), spoke about the event and reflected on his play through the weekend.

    Moving into the final two days, Andy was inside of the top 10 but fell to T11 on the final day as birdies were elusive. Still, over the course of the 6 rounds, Andy carded 2 eagles, 22 birdies, 77 pars and just 2 bogies.

    The 2014 Web.com season kicks off Feb 6-9 at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City. Keep up with Andy and all of the QED Style Team members on our Team Page.

    Anatomy of the Alpine Pants

    We sat down with QED Style Founder and lead designer, Mike McRae to discuss the inspiration for the Alpine Trousers and to find out what makes them so special.

     

    When you began the process of designing the Alpine Trousers what were you trying to accomplish?

    Growing up in Utah, I have learned to enjoy the outdoors and an active lifestyle.  I wanted to design a pair that was both functional and comfortable in any environment. That and they had to look good. I mean, how much do you love your favorite pair of pants? I simply wanted to design an active guy’s favorite pair of pants.

    Was there anything specific from your past that you used for inspiration?

    Yes, the fabric was taken from my favorite pair of pants growing up. They were a turquoise green pair of Tiger Woods Nike pants. They had a polyester spandex fabric that I hadn’t seen in other pants. I loved how I could bend down to read a putt without the fabric pulling or bunching. The spandex made the pants incredibly comfortable and versatile in many positions. With the Alpine Trousers, I chose the same fabric composition, but I decided to go with nylon rather than polyester. Nylon is a better all-around performance fabric.  It has a tougher and stronger feel to it.  I didn't want a stretchy pant that would feel like it might tear or break, so the nylon spandex fabric we chose was perfect. Once we chose the fabric, we wanted to elevate it even more. All of our pants' fabric is applied with a water, stain, and wind resistant coating before it is cut. This would make our pants viable for all weather conditions on or off the golf course, any accidental spills, and added warmth in cold weather. The resistance coating sits on the fabric fibers, not in between. This allows for air to still travel through the fabric and be breathable.  Perfect!!

    Tell me about the construction of the pants as it is quite unique compared to most other trousers.

    It starts with the articulated knee which all QED pants have. You will notice stitching and seams that appear on the front and back of each knee cap. An articulated knee design allows for the leg to bend without having the bottom of the pant to rise. In other words, you could do a squat in our pants and not have the fabric around your ankles rise up. An articulated knee allows for this to happen. In most other pants the fabric in the upper leg will naturally pull and the let bottoms will rise up. Why have this? Again, this allows you to bend your leg in a variety of ways without having the pant leg rise. Not only does this allow for comfort but also helps in keeping socks dry and clean during rainy or muddy conditions and creates an overall better looking and better fitting pant in all positions.

    Both the Alpine Trousers and Park City Trousers have zippers on the cuffs. Why did you feel it was important to add this feature?

    I wanted to put zippers on the hems of our pants to further increase versatility and function. The Alpine trouser has a 6'' zipper hem on the outside of each pant leg which allows for putting on the pants without changing or taking off your shoes. The zipper hem also allows for a much better fit and look when the pant leg is resting on shoes. Additionally, the zipper hem is also lined with a gusset (fabric lining) to maintain closure in the pant leg when the zipper is completely opened. The gusset also prevents mud and water from touching the sock.

    Having played competitive golf your whole life was there anything that just seemed to be missing in today's pants that you wanted to make sure you worked into your design?

    Absolutely. Specifically, the waterproof zipper pocket: As a player, I hated when my scorecard or yardage book got wet. We put a waterproof zipper pocket above the back left pocket on the Alpine trouser. The zipper is lined with a completely waterproof tape, and the zipper head enters a garage when completely closed to prevent any chance of water entering the pocket. The waterproof tape is also reflective because we wanted to keep commuters, bikers or any other night activities in mind when making these pants.

    You mention that you wanted the Alpine Trouser to be the most comfortable and versatile pants someone will own. From your own experience how do you think they have met that challenge?

    Let's see, I have played over 50 golf rounds in the same pair of charcoal alpines. I have worn them to the office most days for 18 months now, and I am still on my first pair of prototypes I received two summers ago.  I have even worn these to a couple formal dinners. Don't hesitate to rock them with a button down shirt and a nice matching pair of belt and shoes. Plus, they are called Alpine for a reason.  They are my go to skiing pants. They are perfect for skiing because they're waterproof, they stretch, and the zipper hem closes over the ski boot. Honestly, I could go on and on, as I wear them fly fishing, hiking and for any other outdoor activity our Wasatch mountains have to offer.

    Choose your pair of QED Style Pants.

    Guide to Understanding the Web.com Tour

    For the casual observer, the Web.com tour is an afterthought and home for no-name golfers. Thanks in part to changes in the structure of the Web.com tour, these events are now loaded with talented golfers who will absolutely be playing on the big stage as it is the road to the PGA Tour. As it stands now, the season ending top-25 Web.com money winners along with the top-25 finishers in the Web.com Playoffs have earned 2014 PGA Tour cards.

    This means that somewhere between 25-50 Web.com players will make it to the PGA Tour each year. Why not a full 50? Because the Web.com Playoff field also includes many PGA Tour players who are trying to win back their card for the following year. Remember, every player on the PGA or Web.com Tour is either fighting to keep their card or move up to the next level. This movement between tours is where hopes and dreams are made and lost as players must compete to move up or hang on.

    So, let’s say you are an aspiring pro who wants to play on tour. What exactly is the process for making the Web.com Tour? Before we dive into that subject, a quick note about tour status. Tour status is a player’s sitting position on a given tour.  This status is a measure of a players past finishes that can be used to gauge his "overall rank" against other players within and across tours. Tour status has a significant effect on everything from Monday qualifying to event acceptance and tee time priorities. In terms of the Q school process, tour status has a major effect on how many of the 4 stages you will compete in. First timers will likely need to play in all 17 rounds of Q school, while players who have lost their PGA Tour card will likely only need to play in the Final Stage.

    Back to our aspiring pro... it all starts with Pre-Qualification and an entry fee.

    Pre-Qualification

    Location: Players may enter 1 of 6 events located across the country

    Cost: Between $2700 and $3500 depending on when you sign up

    Prize Money: None

    Format: Three rounds with roughly half of the field qualifying and moving on to the First Stage.

    Exemptions: Players become exempt from pre-qualification if they have made a cut in a world tour event (i.e. Canadian Tour, Web.com, PGA Tour, Asian Tour, European Tour) within the last calendar year or were a full card member of PGA Tour or Web.com Tour in the last calendar year.

    Number of Players who make Web.com from Pre-Qualifiation: In 2013, 429 players entered Pre-Qualification. 228 made it to the First Stage, 58 to the Second Stage and 13 to Third Stage. Only 3% of players who began at Pre-Qualification will get Web.com status

    First Stage

    Location: 12 different venues located across the country. Players may choose their location but priority is determined on a first come, first serve basis with previous PGA Tour and Web.com card members having site preference priority.

    Cost: $2500 for those who are coming from Pre Qualifying stage.  $4000 - $6000 for those entering Q school (cost depends on signup date).

    Prize Money: None

    Format: Four rounds with roughly half of field qualifying and moving into the Second Stage.

    Exemptions: Players may be exempt from the First Stage if they exceed the required previous year's money earnings on the PGA Tour or Web.com Tour, or if they hold a required World Ranking.

    Number of Players who make Web.com from First Stage Qualification: In 2013, 585 players entered Q-School at the First Stage. 256 made it to the Second Stage and 72 to Third Stage. 12% of players starting at the First Stage will get Web.com status.

    Second Stage

    Location: 6 different venues located across the country. Again, players can choose their location, but it's based on first come first serve basis. Again, players with previous year PGA Tour or Web.com cards have site preference priority.

    Cost: $4000 - $5000 (only for players exempt to Second Stage who have not already paid Q school entry fee)

    Format: Four rounds with roughly top 25% of the field qualifying for the Third and Final Stage.

    Exemptions: Players may be exempt from the Second Stage if they exceed the required previous year's money earnings threshold. Players who are exempt to Final Stage are typically those who just missed getting their PGA Tour card, top finishers in select International Tours and PGA Tour players who lost their card.

    Number of Players who make Web.com from Second

    Stage Qualification: In 2013, 123 players entered Q-School at the Second Stage. 23 made it to the Third Stage. 19% of players starting at the Second Stage will get Web.com status.

    Third Stage

    Location: Single venue

    Cost: $3500 - $4500 (only for players exempt to third stage and have not already paid Q school entry fee)

    Prize money: $25,000 to winner. Total purse of $550,000 paid out to top 45 finishers

    Format: Six Rounds with the Top-45 finishers and ties earning full Web.com tour cards and top priority for next year's tournament schedule. All other players will gain Web.com status but will have no guarantee to make the field at any given event.

    Field: The Third Stage is made up of approximately 155 players. 70% of this field will come from 2nd Stage qualifiers. The other 30% of the field will be players who just missed out on getting their PGA card in the prior year Web.com season,  players who have just lost their PGA card or international players who have the required finishes in their respective tour.

    Odds of Making the Web.com Tour

    In 2013 there were approximately 420 players who competed in the Pre-Qualification stage. Of those players, 13, or about 3%, made it through to the Final Stage. Unfortunately, life does not get easier for these players. Not only will they will have to compete against the other 95 players who made it through the qualification stages (remember many players are exempt from the first few stages) but also against nearly 50 top professionals who had solid Web.com and international tours (not to mention those who just lost their PGA Tour card).  So while nearly every player who makes it to the Final Stage will gain Web.com status, only 45 of the approximately 155 will have guaranteed acceptance to every event. So while having Web.com status is great, the majority of the Final Stage field will be playing for tour rank and priority status so they can actually play in tournaments. To make matters worse, some of those playing spots will be taken by PGA Tour players who did not make the field on their respective tour.

    Who plays on the Web.com

    Getting Web.com status is incredibly hard but getting to play week in and week out is even more difficult. There will be over 150 people with a Web.com tour card, yet full field events only allow for 125 spots. Just because you have Web.com status does not mean you have the green light to play in each event. Keep in mind that the field is set based on tour priority. The only people who are guaranteed a spot are the top-45 finishers from the Third Stage. The rest of the field will be filled with:

    • Players with Web.com status gained from the Third Stage. Priority will be given based on tour status (a combination of performance during the Third Stage and prior year’s results)
    • PGA Tour players who did not make the PGA Tour field that week but do want to play in an event. Yes, PGA Tour players do compete in Web.com events.
    • International players who have sufficient world ranking and tour status
    • Players who are given a sponsor exemption
    • Players who Monday qualify. These could be Web.com players with low tour status or non-Web.com players 

    In the End

    Most people understand the level of talent on the PGA Tour.  Hence the motto "these guys are good".  But if you tune into the Web.com tour you will also find a slew of fresh faces eager to make a name for themselves. At QED Style, we understand the desire and dedication it takes to make the tour and we want to congratulate Andy Pope and Clay Odgen for reaching the Final Stage.  We wish them luck as they compete and look to fulfill their dreams on December 12-17 in La Quinta, California.

    QED Style High School Uniform Program

    QED Style is pleased to announce our High School Golf Team Uniform Program. With our affordable pricing schedule, QED Style is making it easier than ever for your High School Golf team to look their best. Whether you choose the hip Eureka or Francis polo that feature double breast pockets or the solid Holden or Logan polo, your players will be thrilled to trade in their boring uniforms for the bold new look of QED Style.

    High School Teams who join our program will be able to choose from any of our available styles and still take advantage of our discount pricing program. Additionally, we can custom embroider all shirts and deliver them directly to you. For pricing, embroidering and delivery questions please contact us.