VH-1 presents ‘Fairway to Heaven’

Friday, Oct. 24, 1997 | 11:40 a.m.

VH-1's "Fairway to Heaven" has quickly become a favorite pro-am event on the industry and PGA calendar. Once again, the tournament boasts a top-notch roster of musicians, celebrities and professional golfers including: Cindy Crawford, Bill Murray, Vivica A. Fox, Matthew McConaughey, Chris O'Donnell, Peter Gallagher, Robert Wuhl, Willie Nelson, Branford Marsalis, Tiger Wood's caddie, "Fluff" Cowan, Tico Torres and David Bryan of Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Huey Lewis, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Glenn Frey, Little Steven, Darius Rucker, Dean Felber and Mark Bryan of Hootie & The Blowfish, Adrian Young of No Doubt, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Alice Cooper, and Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon. Pro golfers include: Fred Couples, Scott Simpson, Tommy Tolles, Peter Jacobsen, Payne Stewart, John Daly, Davis Love III, Paul Azinger, Roger Maltbie, Tom Purtzer, David Graham, Jim Colbert, Jan Stephenson, Olin Browne, Hollis Stacy, Jay Delsing, Mark Lye and Cindy Rarick.

On Sunday evening, VH-1 welcomes all "Fairway to Heaven" participants to a pairing party where the competing teams will be chosen and announced. The following morning, Monday, the players tee off in shotgun format and play a full round of 18 holes. Immediately after the 18-hole tournament, players will attend a awards dinner and ceremony and then a VH-1 concert at the Hard Rock hotel-casino's The Joint. This year's concern features opening act Jake Trout & The Flounders Band composed of pro-golfers Peter Jacobsen, Mark Lye and Payne Stewart. The Brian Setzer Orchestra will headline the show. A limited number of $10 tickets will be made available to the public for the concert only, the proceeds of which will go to the "Fairway to Heaven" charities. Doors to the concert open at 9:15 p.m. and the concert begins at 10 p.m.

"Fairway to Heaven" is always a fund-raising event and this year's tournament donation will support the Squeeky Medlen Charitable Foundation benefiting leukemia research and "VH-1 Save the Music."

The Squeeky Medlen Charitable Foundation was formed by Medlen's widow, Dianne, who caddied with Nick Price and who succumbed to leukemia earlier this year. The purpose of this foundation is to help leukemia patients and their families with medical expenses, help fund leukemia research toward finding a cure and to assist others in the golfing profession with medical and related expenses.

VH-1 Save the Music is a program whose mission is restoring music education to America's public schools by raising money to purchase musical instruments and increasing awareness of the academic value of music education. The program was piloted in New York City this spring and raised more than one million dollars worth of musical instruments for the city's public schools. VH-1's Save the Music will launch nationally in January 1998 with a public service campaign and simultaneous musical instrument drives in 15 cities across the country. Locally, VH-1 will partner with Prime Cable of Las Vegas to restore a music education program in the Clark County School District.

This year's national sponsors which include Honda, American Express, Wendy's and Michelob will each have ownership of a golf hole at the "Fairway to Heaven" golf tournament. At the par 3 17th hole, players will shoot for a hole-in-one to take home a 1998 Honda Accord EX V6 Sedan. Michelob's on-course involvement will highlight its current "Gimme Guy" national advertising campaign and have signage at the par 4 8th. Wendy's and American Express will also be participating on-course (the par 4 12th for Wendy's and the par 5 10th for American Express) and at the event with signage.