April 2, 2008

PERU, IN — The Captains Club announced the "Red Tee Lottery" will return for it's 6th straight year at Rock Hollow Golf Club. Pat Boland, owner of the sweepstakes, held a press conference to discuss the rules for 2008.

The Red Tee Lottery and Distribution is a system devised to promote player strategy, add entertainment, advance pace of play, and help tighten the Tournament Leaderboard. The annual Red Tee Lottery begins on Wednesday Night at Homer's Sports Bar.

"We are driving excellence into our prestigious tournament," says Pat Boland, Vice President of Red Tee Lottery and Participant Cancellations. "For the rookies involved, each player is permitted to play one designated hole from the Women Tees or Red Tees. The hole on Thursday is determined by Lottery. The holes on Friday and Saturday are determined by designated hole difficulty rankings using Pat Boland personal opinion.

The 18 holes can equally be multiplied by 4 golfers per hole to acquire the 72 golfer tournament field. Due to the lottery system and scratch golfers like Jack Schone, there are six holes at Rock Hollow, which will not be used during Round 1 play. Instead, there will be six golfers for each of 12 holes toughest holes.

The 1st hole, a 195-yard par 4, (picture shown) has the largest advantage and was eliminated from the Wednesday night lottery. The 3rd hole, a 397-yard par 5, has the second largest advantage and was also eliminated for Round 1. The 426-yard par 5 10th hole, the 429-yard par 5 15th hole, the 262-yard par 4 5th hole, and the 296-yard par 4 2nd hole are also eliminated from Thursday play.

"We will be using all 18 holes once we establish the worst golfers on Thursday," said Boland. "The last thing we need is Jason Ridgeway hitting 5-iron at the 195-yard par 4 1st hole. If he hacks up Round 1 worse than 68 golfers, I am very confortable with giving him the 1st hole on Friday morning."

Friday's red tee selections are not determined by a lottery system, but a distribution to 72 golfers. The Tournament Leaderboard will be flipped upside down with the 1st hole going to golfers listed 69th, 70th, 71st, and 72nd on the Tournament Leaderboard.

The 3rd hole, a 397-yard par 5, will be distributed to the 65th, 66th, 67th, and 68th golfers on the Leaderboard.

"We will be basically handing points to the most struggling golfers," said Boland. "When you are wearing an outfit or two, you really do not have an excuse."

The top four golfers on the Leaderboard will receive the 334-yard 18th hole on both Friday and Saturday. The 18th is regarding by Indiana golf professionals as the hardest finishing hole in the state with water down the left side from tee to green plus woods to the right.

Pat Boland is expected to have a hat with 72 numbers on Wednesday night at Homer's Sports Bar. "I really love the Red Tee Lottery and Distribution," said Pat Boland. "This is my chance each year to contribute to a great event."

The Red Tee Lottery was introduced back in June 2003 at Thunder Hill. The popularity grew and remains today as a desired part of the 54-hole tournament.

"Some of the guys may forget their designated hole," Boland added. "Others may take a snowman anyway. Slick took at quintuple bogey last year on the 1st hole at the Grande, which was really funny to watch. I love the added pressure to capitalize on a clear advantage. The pressure always contributes to a mental breakdown to someone's vacation."

"The 2008 Red Tee Distribution will provide a tremendous pressure shot right out of the gate on Friday," added Boland. "The par 4 1st hole green is surrounded by rock quarry, bunker, and woods. It will play just 195 yards and given to the worst golfer in the tournament. Can you imagine if he bogeys or double bogeys that hole? Talk about outfit deserving."

The hole-by-hole anaylsis is paper research. Boland could make late changes after his Wednesday practice round.

"The very short holes from the red tees became a concern in 2005," added Boland. "Once we have the first round in the books, it is all fair game. Losing the tournament is most pathetic when losers get tremendous advantages over the field."

Pat Boland will provide the 36 scorecards with red tees clearly marked for each golfer. Each participant is responsible to ensure their scorecard is marked by Boland before teeing off the first hole each day.

"Pat Boland was a friend," says fellow member Jeremy Myers. "He became a great friend with this lottery. It is my only par each year."

The 2008 Carl Spackler Open Championship begins on June 4 in Peru, IN. Rock Hollow Golf Club with remarkable hazard design was selected as the venue to host the major championship.