March 5, 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 Garrett continued through the tournament course with the 16th hole, "In a Pinch", which is a 490-yard Par 5. The 16th hole is a short double dogleg to a green pushed back behind the corner of the lake. The lake touches the entire right side of the hole from tee to green.

"The 16th hole is as awesome as the 2nd hole," says Greg Garrett. "However, the lack of elevation at the tee or fairway hides the great asthetics."

The 16th and 2nd holes are the only two holes where no players through four rounds will hit a tree, branch, or limb.

Golfers have the opportunity to cut the corner (left bunker) with any drive carrying 240 yards. "There is big risk and reward here," says Greg Garrett. "The wind can be strong and in your face here, but hit a ball over the left bunker and players are looking at birdie or eagle."

Balls hit over the left bunker will bounce off the mound and down into the middle of the fairway setting up approach shots inside 180 yards for double-eagle.

"The approach at the 16th and tee shots at the next hole are very similar," says Greg Long. "Both are shots over the lake to greens to the right."

The 16th hole is designed flat and moves slightly right from the tee box. The hole doglegs left after 240 yards and then turns back hard to the right at the apron around a cove on the lake.

"This hole is similar to all the par 5's at Poplar Grove," says Greg Garrett. "I recommend boring golf again for most players. Hit the 210-yard club unless you can carry the left fairway bunker. The driver is unnecessary off the tee for almost everyone."

There is a very large and deep bunker just like the 2nd hole, but on the right side of tee landing area near the lake. The bunker does its best to prevent sliced tee shots from going in the lake. The 65-yard bunker starts 180 yards off the tee.

"The second shot for any players not already beyond the left fairway bunkers will be one of the easiest shots at Poplar Grove," says Greg Long. "Players need to hit a blind 120 to 150 yards to set up their approach."

'In a Pinch' provides the second opportunity to hit a home. To hit a house, players are required to murder a 3-wood with a pull hook from the fairway. Each player has the opportunity to blast the house owner from the Travel Channel video on the course website.

The green is rectangular shaped and points similar to 12:00 on a clock for all players not approaching it from the apron. The green is 29 yards or 87 feet deep. There is bunkering behind the apron and a front bunker saving lots of balls from the lake.

There are six sand traps; one front greenside, one left back of the green, one behind the apron on the left, one lengthy rightside fairway bunker between the fairway and lake, and two left fairway bunkers at the corner of the dogleg.

"This hole becomes very difficult with wind," says Kevin Long, Jr. "The wind is generally coming in the players face, which makes club selection over bunkers and water hazards quite frustrating."

SCORE SUMMARY: Slick managed to play the 16th hole +2 through two days. Double G played +4 through two days. Winger played +1 through one day. The USGA handicap suggests the 9th easiest hole at Poplar Grove, however the Captains Club suggests the hardest hole with 5 rounds +1.6 strokes over par.

"The hardest hole at Poplar Grove when the wind is blowing," says Greg Garrett. "The 490-yard hole will play 615 yards with out-of-bounds, heavy bunkering, and water hazards everywhere when the wind blows."

The 2009 Carl Spackler Open Championship will begin its annual practice round on Wednesday, June 10. There are 80 players scheduled to participate in the event. Participant Options can be selected during the entire month of March.