August 15, 2016

KATY, TX — The Carl Spackler Open has been held for 16 years in 13 different states with 349 different players. The 4-day event has been held in mid-April, mid-May, and mid-June for the past 15 years. The Captains Club announced the 17th annual event will move to the 3rd weekend of July. This is July 12-15, 2017, which is 8 days after the 4th of July.

"A date sounds simple," says Captains Club member Greg Long. "It is not. This July change will not work with everyone and is expected to produce absences, however our new date is expected to release stress from our very busy June calendar and add overall participation."

The 2017 event will be a Wednesday through Saturday event. The location is unknown, but a decision on venue is expected after negotiations conclude. The Captains Club expects to make that decision before Labor Day.

"The July date should be considered temporary with overall attendence being the driving factor to future stability," added Long. "May was not good. June is not good either, but better than May. We are exploring July after careful consideration from nearly one-hundred people."

The inaugural tournament was held in Myrtle Beach in a very cold March 2001. The tournament immediately pushed towards a summer classic by holding the 2002 Carl Spackler Open in mid-April. The championship moved to its traditional home in June 2003. It has remained there for 11 of 16 years. The 2010 event was temporarily moved to April for a once-in-a-decade golf trip to southern Texas. The event date moved twice in the past 3 years as it attempts to move from its traditional June date.

"In closing, the Captains Club is looking forward to it's 17th major championship," said Jay Dilks, the winner of the 2011 Carl Spackler Open. "Our event has tradition, but not about tradition. We change when we see ways to better the event." Dilks then departed with Jason Ridgeway to a local pub to discuss the highly controversial 'long-putt' rule.

There are 70 to 80 participants expected for the 4-day national championship. Registration will open shortly with a February 28 deadline. Golfers who register can communicate their intentions to hundreds of potential players across America.