June 7, 2004

WINSTON-SALEM, NC — The Championship Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, was the site of the 2002 Senior PGA RJR Championship and now the site of the 2004 Carl Spackler Open Championship.

"This year's design will decide the best player in the field," says Matt Davis.  "It is truely wide open, allows coolers, and really demands short game.  That is exactly what this tournament is all about."

Even though the fairways at Tanglewood are lined with more than 100 pine trees, they do afford generous landing areas for players like Munksgard, Dosky, Bessette, and Caridi. The course is very generous with only 4 water hazards and 75 acres of rough for the poor shots.  

The large greens average 6,200 sq. ft, however, are undulating, tiered, and slick.  "Players better be ready for a serious Championship track", says Jason Watson.  "I three-putted the 1st 5 holes and Brian Long was in 16 different sand traps," says Watson after a practice round in April.

"The winner and loser of this tournament will be decided from the sand.  I fully expect all my approach shots missing the green to be in a bunker."  Watson's comments come warranted.  Hole #6 and #11 are the only two holes with two sand traps surrounding each green.  The rest of the golf holes have a least 3 sand traps surrounding each green with Hole #17 with 6 individual sand traps.  "Hole #17 is unbelievable and quite misleading", says Watson.  "One of the six bunkers around the green is equal to 5 bunkers all by itself.  It is wider than the fairway and 35 yards deep.  There is no where to drive the golf cart inside 100 yards except the cart path."

The greens are also very true and tiered.  A stimpmeter is a ramp that allows for consistent and fair measurement of green speed on a particular course. The distance the ball rolls, in feet, is the speed or "stimp" reading for the green.  The highest allowed by rule is 15 feet.  Despite the summer heat, the Tanglewood greens are expected to be rolling around 10.  "I classify myself as a good putter, but Hole #4 really humbled me quickly," says Greg Garrett.  Garrett four-putted Hole #4 after making a 5 footer.

Tanglewood Park has only two Par 5's with the slightly uphill 11th stretching 467 yards.  Before you consider #11 as an easy test, consider the 11th hole as a Par 4 and the hardest hole on the golf course.  "I have fully tested the 11th with several shots," says Greg Long.  "I plan to hit driver/3-wood and personally challenge any player to get there with iron."

The course is expected to ease the pain of the 48 player field after last year's test in Madison, Ohio.  With that total points are expected to rise considerably.