December 26, 2010

CINCINNATI, OH — Rookie Walter Hetzel signed in November to play golf in the 2011 Carl Spackler Open Championship at Mountain Valley Golf Course in Barnesville, PA. CFO Rick Dosky announced today that the rookie is very excited to be a part of a well-respected championship and such a talented field.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be invited to a tournament with as much prestige and with one that carries such an incredibly talented field as this one," says Hetzel of his rookie appearance. "I expect it to be bigger than the British Open and The Masters combined because of the alcohol allowance. A small internal group of players have been trying to entice me to play in the event for almost 5 years now. Really, it was a timing/money issue with my sports agent, we just couldn't get the appearance fee money down to where the Carl Spackler Open needed it to be."

The reports surrounding the Captains Club suggest Hetzel has agreed to a $6.00 one-year deal to attend.

The 200-pound Hetzel brings a punishing +15.1 stroke handicap into his first major. He is the first player from the metro Cincinnati to participate in a Carl Spackler Open.

Senior member and fellow Ohioan Jason Ridgeway asked, "What kinds of things do you do well on the golf course?”

"Great question Jason. Well, for starters, I can hit a punishing driver that would be on the PGA Tour if it was not a pull. More than likely, my skills with the flatstick are admired by many current tour members, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and John Daly just to name a few. I have been known to go months without three jacking a green. In fact, I may have been the last golfing mortal to actually place my own hands on Bobby Jones' Calamity Jane putter (this putter was used to win 14 majors, but not the CSO!) while interviewing the USGA museum director Rand Jerris two years ago for a golf story I was writing for Golfwrx.com. True story and I even have a picture to prove it! I am hoping to bring Mountain Valley's greens to it's knees. Most importantly, I know how to set up my golf bag so it looks all squared away, military style."

Ridgeway asked, "You have to like someone that tells the truth. In what way does your game suck?"

Hetzel replied, "I would have to say the uncanny ability to create a myriad of errant tee shots in almost any direction including backwards."

The Cincinnati Kid averages 5.0 pars per round, 7.2 bogeys per round, and 4.7 double-bogeys per round. He is expected to receive 1 point for double-bogey, 3 points for bogey, and 4 points for par this June.

Walt continues with his preparations for his first event by practicing on a wide variety of different courses. The rookie played 65 different golf courses this year, which ushed his total to 330 different courses since birth. He played in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and even the diminutive state of Connecticut in 2010.

Hetzel played a round back in August 2010 at Wanango Country Club near Oil City, PA. When asked what prompted a round at Wanango... Walt replied, "If you want to be good, you pattern yourself after greatness. I have read and heard rumors that Jay Dilks developed his golf into greatness at Wanango. A combination of being in the state of Pennsylvania and wanting to see where the greatest golfers have become great was worth the experience. I could visualize Dilks walking those fairways as I played. It was pretty awesome."

Hetzel was asked whether the mountains in Barnesville would be a problem or a blessing this June. "To be honest, I really prefer links golf and the absence of trees," said Hetzel. "Trees really have no place on a golf course. I mean, look at all the courses that were designed in golf's golden age of the 1920's and 1930's, no trees! Some clown who believes in Earth Day/Arbor Day snuck onto all these classic courses and planted trees and over the course of 40 years have grown to immense proportions and ruined these great courses."

Walter Hetzel is the first rookie to put pen to paper and sign for the 11th Carl Spackler Open Championship. There are 10 to 12 rookies expected for the Pennsylvania event and a tournament field between 70 and 90 golfers.