Travel to Drop by 21%
July 27, 2006
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Captains Club announced today the Carl Spackler Open Championship is likely to see a significant plunge in travel time across the entire field as the tournament moves toward 2010. A detailed projection included 21% by June 2008.
The press release was made available Wednesday morning.
The initial focus will target the 31 senior members (golfers with 3+ years of attendance), however will include all 53 junior members (golfers with 2+ years of attendance) in its analysis.
"The first week of June was selected several years ago to open doors for northern climates, drop costs and move towards the peak of the annual golf season," said Tom McCauley, Vice President of the Golf Swing. "We have met these goals, but looking for additional financial efficiencies to better establish our tournament into an incredible value."
The senior members of the 2006 Carl Spackler Open Championship drove an average of 15.6 hours round trip. The highest commute since the initial tournament in Myrtle Beach 6 years ago. The tournament direction is expected to drop the ballooning North Carolina average by 10.5% each year through 2008.
"We would like to get the average below 12 hours prior to 2010," says Captains Club Jason Watson. "That would be the best time to return to Myrtle Beach and start developing a traditional rotation of venue."
A southern Michigan venue would drop the total driving distance by 3 hours per senior member and 20 minutes when considering both senior and junior members. A Kentucky venue will also drop the distance, but by 4 hours per senior member and 60 minutes when considering all members. A future western New York venue would drop it to another record low under 11.75 hours round trip.
"The decreased time is expected to drop total driving distance by 16,120 miles through 2008," says a very Mike Trojanowski of Buffalo, NY, who presently has the most miles recorded in Spackler history. "Our senior members are also slated to save $1,381 in fuel costs by the end of the decade. This includes Watson in Texas and Boland in Atlanta attending and driving each year. Adding junior members would blow guys away."
The least traveled Spackler in history occured in northern Ohio at Thunder Hill. The average round trip was 7.68 hours. "That one will never be matched," said Mike Davis. "The good old days."
Chris Milam of Charlotte, NC had a different, but upbeat thought. "Looks like I need to get a frequent flyer account," said Milam. "There is no way I am missing another Spackler."
The initial trip was the most traveled. Myrtle Beach was attended by 9 Captains Club members averaging 19.8 hours round trip.
The 2007 Carl Spackler Open Championship invitation will be available on November 15.