February 19, 2009

AMHERST, VA — Poplar Grove Golf Club, the final design of golf legend Sam Snead, was chosen to host the 2009 Carl Spackler Open Championship. On behalf of the Captains Club, Greg Long, Greg Garrett, and Kevin Long, continued to provide the detail surrounding the tournament course.

Greg Long continued through the tournament course with the 14th hole, "Bell's Bunkers", which is a 267-yard Par 4. "The shortest par 4 at Poplar Grove," says Long. "You can hit the 190-yard club to setup par or go for bigger points with driver."

The 14th hole is the third hole at Poplar Grove where the green is higher in elevation than the tee box.

Participants will see a fairway to the left that swings right after 200 yards towards the green. The area directly between tee and green is half rough and half bunker.

"Players need 255 uphill yards to clear Bell's bunkers," says Greg Garrett. "David Simms (from the movie Tin Cup) would most likely hit the 6-iron. Everyone knows what Roy and I would do."

The flagstick can be seen, but the green is hidden and oval. The green is the smallest at Poplar Grove and 30 yards or 90 feet deep from the tee box. It is just 17 yards or 51 feet deep with fairway approach shots. The left greenside bunker is additional danger, but anything hitting the front of this deep green is big points. The green has two levels. The back third of the green (from the tee box) is elevated by 1 foot. The very back of the green is steep enough where balls will turn around and roll back towards the hole.

"The right bunkering will temp golfers to bail out left," says Greg Long. "I drove my ball over the green the first day. It is a tough downhill chip from back there. Then 3-putted for par the second day. I do not like people that laugh at my short game."

There are six sand traps; one large left greenside, one large front or right greenside depending on shot angle, and four right of the fairway on the hill.

"The 14th hole, Bell's Bunkers, is a classic risk and reward hole," says Kevin Long, Jr.. "The distance and design is similar to the first hole at Rock Hollow, however the penalty is less with bunkering and rough instead of water hazard."

SCORE SUMMARY: Slick played the 14th hole even through two days. Double G played +1 through two days. Winger played even through one day. The USGA handicap suggests the easiest hole at Poplar Grove. The Captains Club suggests the 2nd easiest hole with 5 rounds +0.2 strokes over par.

The 2009 Carl Spackler Open Championship will collect player preferences for both roommates and foursome pairings in March. The tournament pairings and rooming assignments will be available in mid-May.