May 18, 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 10th hole, "Tobacco Row", which is a killer 447-yard Par 4. "One of the most beautiful approach shots at Poplar Grove with good driver accuracy," said Greg Long.

The downhill dogleg right drops from the tee into a small valley and ravine at the bottom. The fairway starts on the other side of the valley and begins to move right where the hole becomes blind. Participants will also see forest on the left and a group of trees over on the right side.

The view from the tee also includes fairway bunkering. The first bunker is a small bunker 170 yards off the tee at the top of the valley on the right. There is a left fairway bunker 252 yards from the tee. The left fairway bunker eliminates the left side as a bailout. The right fairway sits adjacent to a small cliff that drops 30 feet into weeds. Participants who look closely will also see the large fairway bunker on the right side, which prevents balls from dropping off into the unplayable area.

"You must hit the driver at Tobacco Row," says Kevin Long, Jr.. "A power fade starting from the left fairway bunker is stellar. A power fade sliding too far right will be a lost ball unless the lengthly 50-yard fairway bunker grabs your ball."

"The backdrop from 150 yards is very photogenic," says Greg Garrett. "Hit the driver and cross your fingers," says Greg Garrett. "You need a minimum of 240 yards and preferrably 280. Grip it and rip it. The downhill bounce should give you the 15 extra yards."

The hole drops rapidly at the 150-yard stick. It drops 50 feet down to the bunkers and green. There are two poplar trees on both sides of the green plus lake in the backdrop.

"The hole plays very similar to the 14th hole at Cook's Creek in Ohio," says Greg Long. "The only differences would be to flip the hole to a dogleg right and lengthen it."

The green is fat oval pointing similar to 12:00 on a clock. The green is 34 yards or 102 feet deep. The left greenside bunker sets below the green, but the right apron bunker sets above the green. "The apron is very deceiving," says Greg Long. "The apron slopes sharply left towards the left bunker. Approach shots rolling up the middle of the apron will surprisingly roll left into the left front greenside bunker."

"This is the hardest hole at Poplar Grove," says Kevin Long, Jr.. "Tobacco Row is very long and requires a perfect driver, good approach shot, and solid putting."

There are five sand traps; one left greenside bunker, one right apron bunker, one left fairway, one right fairway, and one small bunker at the start of the fairway.

"The 10th hole, Tobacco Road, could be the signature hole for many guys," says Greg Garrett. "It is a hell of an opener for guys teeing the back nine first. Easily the hardest opener in Spackler history."

SCORE SUMMARY: Slick escaped the 10th hole +1 through two days. Double G played an awful +3 during one round, but parred the other round. Winger got lucky and played even through one day. The USGA handicap suggests the 2nd hardest hole behind the 3rd hole, however statistics suggests the 8th easiest hole with 5 rounds +1.0 strokes over par.

"Ignore the statistics," says Greg Long. "We hit long drives and putted out our asses. Tobacco Row will be the most difficult hole."

The 2009 Carl Spackler Open Championship has signed 88 participants for its 9th major event. The tournament field will attend the Lynchburg Hillcats baseball game on Thursday night where a participant will throw out the first pitch in the Carl Spackler Outfit.