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Tough Times: Forsyth Invitational entries way down
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Published: July 21, 2008
The cost of gas, time constraints on committing to three days of tournament golf and other factors have contributed to what's expected to be a low turnout for next week's 61st Forsyth Invitational.
Dick Butler, the tournament director since 2004 who has worked with the tournament since 1989, says that less than 100 golfers had signed up by late last week. The tournament, which will be held Aug. 1-3 at Reynolds Park, Winston Lake and Tanglewood Park, has a capacity to accommodate a field of 240.
"This might be the lowest amount of entries at this point that I've ever seen," Butler said. "But I'm not really surprised because with the price of gas the way it is I think a lot of people are cutting out things and golf is one of them."
In the last 10 years Forsyth County has had three courses close (Hillcrest, Grandview and Pine Tree) and that also might have something to do with the lack of participation.
From 1990 until 2004 the tournament enjoyed great success with full fields. There was usually a waiting list as well, but that's not the case anymore.
In 2005 there were about 220 players who entered and it declined to 210 in '06 and around 200 last year when Richard Giles won his first Forsyth Invitational.
The cost of the tournament, which is sponsored by the city's recreation department, is $50 but each player is also responsible for cart and green fees at each course. Butler said that it's about a $200 investment to play in the 54-hole tournament.
While a lot of the low handicap golfers faithfully return each year Butler says a lot of the higher handicappers are not playing anymore.
"I guess if there was a trend it's the golfer with the 12 to 15 handicap that just doesn't play anymore," Butler said. "That's one thing I've noticed in the last few years."
There are other reasons golfers have stayed away. With such big fields the rounds can sometimes take five hours or more, something that hasn't been the case the last two years because the fields haven't been full.
"It does take a little longer because you have to putt everything out," Butler said. "It's not like the Saturday gangsome when the tap-in putts are good and you are playing with your buddies."
One suggestion to perhaps increase participation in the tournament was to open it up to residents of Davie County. Butler didn't want to have anything to do with that suggestion.
"We've done just fine over 60-something years in keeping the tournament for Forsyth residents," Butler said. "And I would bet you that guys who have played in our tournament for years want the trophy to stay in this county."
Ralph Galliard, the head pro at Winston Lake since 2003, says that there are a number of reasons why the Forsyth's numbers are down.
"I think a lot of the guys are aging out of the Forsyth and are in their late 50s or 60s and just don't want to have that grind of 54 holes for three days," Galliard said. "And you look at the younger guys playing in their 20s or 30s and some of them have two jobs now and they don't have time to play or aren't that good to compete in the Forsyth."
Galliard and Butler also agreed that there is a lot more for families to do these days.
"Kids are playing in every sport imaginable and it's year-round so parents are strapped for time," Galliard said.
The deadline for entry is Friday, and Butler hopes that he can get the field to at least 200 players.
"There's really no remedy for it," Butler said. "But there are just a lot of factors involved."
Fazio's Hasentree is top notch
Golf course architect Tom Fazio has so many great designs in North Carolina it's no wonder his most recent has gotten rave reviews. Fazio, who lives in Hendersonville, has built 18 courses in the state with some of his most well known being Old North State Club and Wade Hampton.
Hasentree, which is located in Wake Forest just north of Raleigh, has been open since October and has matured very nicely. One reason is the course was able to grow for a year before membership play.
Several majestic homes have been built in the Hasentree community, with the most expensive costing $5 million. Villas start at $800,000, with homes ranging from $1 million to $5 million.
So far there are around 160 members with Carl Pettersson, a PGA Tour pro and former player at N.C. State, being the most well known. Other members include Rod Brind'Amour and Eric Staal, who are star players with the Carolina Hurricanes.
"I love Tom Fazio golf courses and this one is no exception," Pettersson said. "There are just some beautiful and challenging holes at Hasentree."
The par-71, 18-hole layout can be stretched to 7,074 yards, rolling through a mature forest. Fazio has included 88 bunkers, but with five different sets of tees each hole can be played a variety of ways.
One unique feature is the first hole, which is one of the hardest on the course. From the tips it plays as a 466-yard par-4 that really gets your attention.
Around the green
Bermuda Run's Brodie Baker won the overall title in the National Association of Left Handed Golfers championship held in Albuquerque, N.M. It was the 73rd championship for the NALG and Baker, who is 69, shot 78-72-78-79 to win by six shots against a field of 100. "I play a lot and I just keep changing stuff and I've been working at it," Baker said about winning another major tournament for left handers. "The courses we played were at close to 7,000 yards and that's a little long for me but I was able to hang in there...."
Sedgefield Country Club will be tweaked for the PGA Tour players by adding length on holes No. 14 and 15. The Wyndham Championship, which will be held Aug. 14-17, will be played at the Donald Ross design for the first time since 1976. Kris Spence renovated the course last year. The 30 yards added to both holes will make a slight difference in yardage. The par-4 14th will play 526 yards and the par-5 15th will play 572 yards. With the added length the course can be played from 7,190 yards….
Mount Airy's Kyle Wilson advanced to the finals of the Carolinas Amateur Championship but lost to Ben Kohles of Cary 3 and 2 at Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington. The tournament was held earlier this month. Wilson, who will be a freshman at Western Carolina, won four matches to reach the final. Kohles, who will be a freshman at Virginia, was two down early in the final but came back to even the match after nine holes. Kohles picked up wins on holes Nos. 10, 12 and 14 to take control….
Larry George and Paul Dickens of River Landing Country Club in Wallace won The Jerry Purdy Cup in the Pro-Assistant Championship held in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The two combined to finish 13 under during the two days (66-64). John Faidley, the head pro at Forsyth Country Club, and assistant pro Luke Lovell shot 69-66 to tie for third. Jim Brotherton, the head pro at Willow Creek in High Point, and assistant Adam Bowles shot 68-68 to tie for fifth….
Pfafftown's Victoria Allred shot 82-78 to place second in the junior division of the Women's Carolinas Golf Association Junior Girls Championship in Santee, S.C. Taylor Dodson of Aiken, S.C., won the division with a 77-76. Another local junior player in the tournament, Hannah Craver of Winston-Salem, wound up shooting 94-87 to finish fourth. The tournament was open to girls in North and South Carolina who will graduate in 2011 or later.
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
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