February 13, 2011

BARNESVILLE, PA — The Captains Club announced Friday the plans for the traditional 4-man Scramble during the Carl Spackler Open Championship. The optional event will be played on Saturday afternoon teeing shotgun style in eightsomes.

The event will take place at the tournament course, Mountain Valley, for several reasons including price, control of format, lack of transportation time, course quality, lack of bag transportation, and beverage prices.

The scramble will tee in eightsomes and two four-man teams per hole.

The tee will play from roughly 6,500 yards. Chris Milam was asked about the baseball bat used in June 2007. Greg Garrett replied, "Good question. We have eliminated the baseball bat until we have a really short course again."

The same reporter asked about the "throw" from last year's event. Greg quickly replied, "Are you kidding? Of course that will return. That idea is legendary because it adds strategy and team camaraderie."

A throw allows each participating golfer one chance to advance any best team shot by throwing it, tossing it, or rolling it. It is not a stroke, but an advancement of a team ball. A throw cannot be voided regardless of what happens to the ball.

"We hope our eightsome format continues to bring camaradrie throughout the evening," said Garrett. "The key will be pace of play as always."

The 4-man Scramble is expected to return with a point handicapping system, which equally matches teams regardless of size or skill.

"The handicap system will allow our single 3-man team to compete against our rare 5-man teams," said Jay Dilks. "This is a critical improvement with 5-man teams winning the stroke event in 2005 and 2006."

The handicap system does not consider long drivers and great putters, but does use golfer stroke handicap to establish target scores. "As an example, four Jason Ridgeway's are expected to shoot 19-under par," says Flanagan. "A team of four Rick Dosky's is expected to shoot 6-over par. The system converts these projected team handicaps to a set of usable points. It looks pretty good on paper."

The optional round will be offered inside the participant options next month (March 2011) for 36 holes on Saturday. The second round will cost each participant $15.00. The activity is scheduled for a 2:30PM EST shotgun start.

Dan Hagg asked, "Mountain Valley has 36 holes. Which course will be played?" Greg Garrett replied, "Not sure yet. We will be playing both courses twice if you participate in the 54-hole tournament and 18 hole scramble."

The Rock Hollow Golf Club was cancelled due to a thunderstorm. Participants did not finish at Poplar Grove due to darkness. Chris Price, Jeff Tatum, Mark Wray, and Pat Boland won the 2010 event in Texas shooting 14-under par. They were considered a -9.24 stroke handicap.

The 2011 Carl Spackler Open Championship is scheduled for June 11 in Barnesville, PA. The 4-man Scramble will be played shortly after Round 2 is completed.