September 22, 2005

BUFFALO, NY — The state up north with the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, and neighboring Warren County has been eliminated from the 2006 Carl Spackler Open Championship venue list.

"The location does not have the right touch today," says Greg Long. "The courses and venue appears to be more receptive to 2007 or 2008."

The state includes the city of Buffalo where two courses were studied.  Arrowhead Golf Club and The Links at Ivy Ridge were introduced this summer and exceeded expectations. "Coordination and organizing an event in New York will require another year of research for a large unit like Spackler," says Long.

Arrowhead Golf Club located in Akron, New York is classic Scottish links style. Designed by Scott Witter, Arrowhead will play to par 72 and 6,800 yards with four sets of tees, bent-grass fairways and over 60 bunkers.  The front 9 goes in and out of wooded areas on five of nine holes.  The rest are wide open.

The Links at Ivy Ridge also located in Akron, NY consisted of years of massive earth moving and a meticulous sculpturing of the topography to create true scottish design. The designers left no stone unturned in the development of the 7,002 yard, 205 acre site. Undulating bentgrass greens, up and down mounding, swirling winds, grass depressions, 76 sand traps, and assorted fescue grasses has contributed to our initial research of Ivy.

Regardless, the entire state was eliminated based on lack of sufficient information. "As of today, we are eliminating the state as a possibility," says Long. "We just do not think we can guarantee success for the 2006 Carl Spackler Open."

The 2006 Carl Spackler Open is scheduled to begin on June 7, 2006. A field of 84 players are estimated for the 6th major championship.  Invitations will be available on November 15.