July 14, 2008

LOUISA, KY — Kyle Marti drove 10 hours and fired an incredible 78 points on Saturday evening at Eagle Ridge Golf Course. The 16-over 87 was very good, but became monsterous after considering the front nine 152 USGA Slope Rating.

"Yes," said Marti when asked if the 87 strokes was a career best. "My game was on target throughout the evening and 87 out here is unthinkable for me."

Marti opened the front nine with a 11-over 47. He carded four impressive pars on holes 5, 7, 8, and 9. "You would not believe the difficulty," said Marti. "Thunder Hill is a walk in the park compared to this front nine."

Kyle really got things going after Hole 4. He finished the front nine in stellar fashion and moved over to the 10th hole where he scored birdie. He followed that up with three more pars and a 5-over 40.

Partner Greg Long said, "The course is just 6,100 yards and has a USGA Slope Rating of 142. That looks really tough until you consider the front nine is 3,366 yards and slopes 152." The highest slope rating the USGA distributes is 155.

Long added, "Kyle played pretty strong throughout the round. To break 90 out here at Eagle Ridge is pretty special and one for the history books."

Kyle Marti had never broke 90 outside of northwest PA.

Speaking of Greg Long, he carded a personal best 7-over 43 on the front nine. He finished up his front nine by putting five times from inside 35 yards. When asked why he used putter in the fairway from 35 yards, he replied, "I do not want a snowman here."

Eagle Ridge is located in Yatesville State Park in Louisa, KY. The course is built on mountainous terrain and features dramatic views. Some holes play downhill with 100 to 200 foot changes in elevation. The par 5, No. 4 hole plays from an elevated tee and is flanked by a creek along the fairway. Hole No. 13, a par 4, plays from a 200-foot elevation to the green surrounded by a rock outcropping and a creek.

The 6,630-yard, par 71-course was given No. 3 on Golf Digest's annual "new most affordable" list back in 2005. A nationwide panel of more than 800 golfers selected the winners based on shot values, design variety, resistance to scoring, memorability and aesthetics.

Hidden Cove at Grayson Lake State Park and Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park course were both ranked among the nation’s best new affordable public courses in 2004, at fourth and six respectively. Wasioto Winds at Pine Mountain State Resort Park was ranked fourth in the same category in 2002.

In other related news, Mike Gibson played Hidden Cove at Grayson Lake State Park and Eagle Ridge on Saturday. He returned home to Columbus very late Saturday night and played Cumberland Trail on Sunday.

Gibson fired a career best 8-over 80 and carded a monsterous 77 points. He scored 11 pars and 1 birdie worth 9 points. "I have never seen a course look so easy," said Gibson after his Sunday round. "It was fairways and greens out there today. It was much too easy to even consider it to be a career best. I think Kentucky had something to do with my round today."

The round at Cumberland Trail was six strokes better than his previous career best. It was 12 points higher than his previous career best.