May 12, 2023

CHOCOWINITY, NC — The Carl Spackler Open has been a 72-hole amateur golf event held for 22 years in 15 different states with 410 different players. It is a 4-day handicapped golf competition with players posting scorecards from local play throughout the year.

The 21-year old Captains Club was proposed an option to increase simplicity at future Carl Spackler Open events. Rid itself of competition. The 2022 proposal would eliminate golf rules, posting scorecards for handicapping, some awards, tournament tees, and time required to score its event.

“Our event has always been an individual golf competition, which quite frankly is a huge effort from 80+ golfers and volunteers,” said Chairman of the Captains Club Greg Long. "I proposed letting everyone tee where they want, play golf however they wish, and enjoy themselves. The proposal would simplify the event substantially for everyone involved.”

The Captains Club dismissed that proposal. The club voted unanimously for the Carl Spackler Open to remain a competitive handicapped golf tournament. The Carl Spackler Open now begins its transformation that includes engaged participants who want to participate in a competitive golf tournament.

In this series of news articles, we are going to explain our six basic golf rules in the simpliest form. This article, White Stakes, will define OUT OF BOUNDS. We also will provide the penalty.

Let’s begin. Your home has property lines. The golf course has property lines. The purpose of a white stake or white line is to mark the property line.

You are often trespassing on someone else’s property to look for, identify, or claim a golf ball beyond a white stake. Your golf ball is “out of bounds”.

“Think about the purpose," says Jason Ridgeway. "White stakes are often found near houses, roads, farmland, and areas the golf course doesn’t want golfers to enter,” says Jason Ridgeway. "Its quickly identified and the golfer proceeds with their penalty."

Balls cannot go out of bounds without first crossing the boundary line. Where did your ball cross the boundary line? Stand there and estimate your distance to the flagstick. Return to the nearest fairway edge no closer to the hole. You are penalized two strokes.

What does two strokes mean? You tee up. You hit a ball out of bounds. You add two strokes as a penalty. You are hitting your 4th shot from the nearest fairway no closer to the hole.

“Once the ball is declared out of bounds is where most golfers tend to make a mistake,” says Jason Ridgeway. “The player will typically drop a ball somewhere and add one stroke to their score, and the proceed to play from there. You’ve just broken the rules.”

"The USGA and Carl Spackler Open provides a second option," says Jason Ridgeway. "Hit another ball from the original spot. Golfers take a one-stroke penalty, but remember to play from the original spot.”

What does one stroke mean? You took a stroke from the tee box and bounced a ball down a road or hit a house. You add one stroke as a penalty. You are hitting your 3rd shot from the tee box.

Cypress Landing Golf Course is the site of the 2023 Carl Spackler Open. The golf course will present new challenges including trees, out of bounds, and large greens. There are 84 golfers expected to participate in the 22nd annual event.