Columnist Peter Benton: Shooting even par gets it done on Tour

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 | 9:45 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

So, you're a scratch golfer and figure your game is ready for the PGA Tour. Well, not to put you down in any way, but I reckon you should think again, because to play with the "Big Boys" you would need to be, at the very minimum, a plus 3.

Having stated that, if you were a Tour player and had competed on their long courses with the pins tucked just behind sand traps, demanding rough, et al, do you have any idea what shooting par would have netted you last year?

If you played every event (with the exception of the majors), even par golf in every round would have earned you $754,792 for 86th place on the money list which wold have earned you an automatic spot for the 2004 PGA Tour.

Bottom line: Shooting even par or better, surprisingly, ain't too bad.

The Silverstone Golf Club is hosting "A Drive for Literacy" 18-hole scramble tournament on Friday, Feb. 13.

Oscar Goodman -- yes, that's Mayor Oscar Goodman -- along with various NFL players, request your support in assisting Newspapers in Education along with Ed Hartwell's Big Hart Foundation in their ongoing fight against illiteracy.

Your $1,000 tax-deductible entrance fee includes golf for four people, which of course includes cart, lunch with the mayor and other VIPs, plus all sorts of door prizes and awards.

Further entry information for this tournament is available by calling 383-4655.

Another very worthy event coming up in the near future is The Celebrity Super Bowl Tournament to benefit the Cancer Help Society of Mesquite.

This 36-hole, four-man scramble is scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at both the Wolf Creek and Coral Canyon layouts in Mesquite and has an entry fee of $300 per person (which includes accommodation.)

Celebrities from just about every sport you can think of will be competing and, of course, they'll be in attendance at Sunday evening's Super Bowl party, as they will be Friday evening for a silent auction featuring some truly fantastic sports memorabilia.

Please call 346-4646, Ext. 1619, for further details.

For the third consecutive year the Nationwide Tour will tee off its season outside the United States. However, it will not be Australia as in the past, as the opening tournament will be in Panama for the Bell South Panama Championship on Feb. 5-8. Events in Australia and New Zealand will follow with their first tourney in the States being the Chitimacha Louisiana Classic, March 22-28.

For more information on Red Rock's Arroyo course, green fees and for tee-time reservations, please call 258-2300.