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Rickyglen disc golf event June 17

Fernie Free Press – June 13, 2000

Rickyglen disc golf event June 17

By David Millar

Free Press Reporter

The pros will have to wake up a little bit earlier this Saturday for the Rickyglen disc golf tournament.

“We’re starting at 8 am for the pros,” said co-organizer Betty Spitzer.

The 1999 tournament on the nine-basket, par 27 course drew 146 golfers last year. This year’s seventh annual tournament should be even bigger with at least 175 competitors.

“We were the largest in western Canada last year and we are expecting to surpass last year’s numbers,” said Rick Spitzer, Betty’s husband, course designer, and tournament co-organizer.

Which means starting a little earlier to ensure the golfers in professional, open and novice categories each get their two rounds around the course.

Except for a few changes this year – only the top-20 golfers in each pro and open classes make the cut for a third round – it’s still the same tournament as before.

The $40 registration fee includes two guaranteed rounds of golf, trophies and prime rib dinner.

“They love it. They start coming on Wednesday,” said Spitzer, who admitted the socializing is at least as important as the sport.

Al Herring, a disc golfer from Calgary, agreed.

“It’s pretty much the best tournament, I’d say, west of Toronto,” said Herring, who has competed four years at Fernie’s Rickyglen.

“It’s very challenging. It’s one of the only courses I know of that I think 1 would probably never get a birdie on, let alone a hole-in-one.’

And Herring, who’s company Data Drill Communications is a new corporate sponsor, figures there’s another bonus to play.

“Rick puts on a good show. A few 100 pounds of prime rib doesn’t hurt,” he said. “It’s the day 1 look forward to, as far as golfing, every year.”

Herring scored 109 in three rounds playing in the open category last year. He also runs the Alberta Disc Golf webpage (members.home.com/disc-golf), but still promotes BC’s Rickyglen. “Prominently,” he said, laughing.

Rick Spitzer, who finished second in the open last year and moves up to the pro category, noted Rickyglen is drawing 50 golfers daily. The course is located five minutes west of Fernie at No. 9 Anderson Road.

For more information about the tournament, phone Rick or Betty Spitzer at xxx-xxxx. Pre-registration is between 7 and 8 am on June 17.

Reproduced without permission