June 21, 2007

PITTSBURGH, PA — The best amateur players in the world have waited long enough. With a swagger to his step, Captains Club member Matt Davis reaffirmed the date of the 2008 Carl Spackler Open.

"On behalf of the Captains Club, I am pleased to announce that the 8th annual Carl Spackler Open Championship will take place on the 2nd weekend of June 2008. This is June 5-7, nine days after Memorial Day and one week prior to Father's Day."

A date sounds simple and without thought," said Davis, a.k.a. Pokey. "But a lot of guys will make excuses in December if the date is not stationary and announced nearly a year in advance."

Pokey continued to read the press document. "The club picked the 2nd week of June again for its 5th straight year", said the very confident Yeungling specialist.

With his replacement hat in display, he began reading the club statement from memory, "Although, we did like running parallel with the United States Open in 2003, too many conflicts surfaced regarding Father's Day." Father's Day weekend is traditionally the 3rd Sunday of June.

With Cooper-like arrogance, Pokey continued, "More importantly, be proactive and mark your calendars. Everyone can mark their calendars moving forward including our 25th annual tournament. The 25th tournament in 2026 is scheduled for June 4-6.

The only conflicts known with the date continue to be a few spouse birthdays and possibly future high school graduations.

We love our bermuda grass very green and our northern oaks in full bloom. 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 Open in 90-degree temperatures in Williamsburg, Virginia during mid-April. The championship moved to its current home in June 2003 when the tournament was held in northeast Ohio."

The date of choice ensures incredibly hot temperatures are avoided in the south while Michigan and New York have a confortable summer feel. The date also is devised to avoid rusty swings, football season, weddings, mid-summer vacations, wedding anniversaries and April showers.

"This gives our group complete focus outside their families on the tournament, golf, and Golden Jacket," said Davis.

"In closing, the Captains Club is looking forward to it's 8th major championship." Pokey then departed with his Yeungling to a local pub to discuss the "stroke-and-distance" rule.

The Captains Club now moves their focus to a 2008 tournament location. The major championship is expected to make a move directly south to eastern Kentucky with the slim possibility of Buffalo, NY or Binghamton, NY. Carl Spackler has been trucking around in search of the perfect golf experience. Carl understands the importance of a quality track, services, and local entertainment. A decision on location is expected in 100 days.

The Red Zone Alert will return for its 5th season in 45 days. At this time, there has been no talk of pregnancy with the business office. Jay Dilks, the 6-time member of the Captains Club, became a father just one day after the 2007 Carl Spackler Open. "It was a Tiger-like birth," said Jeremy Myers of the newborn. "One day after the Open is quite common these days."