Columnist Victoria Sun: Summer league hopes to fill niche

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, April 3, 2002 | 10:16 a.m.

Victoria Sun is a Las Vegas Sun sportswriter. She can be reached at victoria@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4078.

For years Fred Gallegos was frustrated because he felt he didn't have enough options when it came to competing against other golfers and playing different courses.

This year, he decided to do something about it.

Gallegos, president and founder of F & G Golf, has formed a summer golf league called Golf Around the Valley.

Golf Around the Valley is made up of two divisions, a 12-week afternoon league which starts May 20 and a nine-week morning league that begins June 3.

The afternoon league will begin play daily at 4 p.m. while the morning league golfers will tee off at 10:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Gallegos, the former tournament director for American Golf, believes the league provides golfers with a competitive outlet and the opportunity to play different courses for a low cost.

"I know there are so many people in town that would like to have a chance to play different quality golf courses that wouldn't be able to otherwise," Gallegos said. "When I played as an amateur, I was always struggling to find an event to play in.

"I thought, that's crazy because there are so many good golf courses here, but there's really not a set schedule for people to play all the time. This seemed like a unique opportunity to instill a schedule for the average player."

Golf Around the Valley is open to men and women of all abilities.

The afternoon league will be played at Rhodes Ranch, Siena, Legacy, Angel Park Golf Club's Palm Course, Stallion Mountain, Desert Pines, Highland Falls, Palm Valley, Silverstone and all three Pauite courses.

The morning league will be played at Rhodes Ranch, Dragon Ridge, Wildhorse, Las Vegas National, Badlands, Painted Desert and all three Paiute courses.

When a golfer signs up, they designate which day of the week they are able to play and which course they would like to start on. From then on, they will play on that day once a week at a different course for the duration of league play.

Preference of dates and courses will be given in order of entries received. There will be a limit of 40 golfers at each course for league play.

After the league has ended, golfers will be invited to an awards banquet at the golf course at which they started. So Gallegos said it may be beneficial for golfers to select a course near their home to start on, to prevent

a longer drive to the awards banquet.

"I want this to be successful this year so we will be even bigger next year," he said. "The league is very accomodating because everybody can choose what day of the week they are able to play."

Golfers will play a different format each day and be given a drink ticket.

The cost for the morning league is $500 and the cost of the afternoon league is $425.

For league and registration information go to Gallegos' website at www.fg4golf.com or call 641-8419.