This event is the first of its kind in the Northwest.

Entree fee is $75 which gets you both a tournament entry – AND a FREE round of golf at one of the two championship courses – Eagle’s Talon or Coyote Creek.

First place in the event is a new set of Taylor Made irons courtesy Willows Run and Taylor Made golf.

Future emails will feature new golf events the Seattle Golf Show is launching this year. Among those events: Northwest Par 3 Championship, The Seattle Golf Show Road Trip, The Puetz Prestige Tour, Palm Springs Amateur and more.

Look for all this and more at www.seattlegolfshow.com

LA QUINTA, Cal. – The first year was a huge success at the Palm Springs Amateur. Over 125 golfers enjoyed 74-80 degree weather and great golf at PGA West and La Quinta Resort.

Players came from 16 states and two provinces for the first event. This year promises to be bigger and better.

Play is limited to 330 players and early bird registration is available online at www.palmspringsam.com.

Patterning itself after the successful Pacific Amateur in Bend, Oregon, and Mesquite Amateur in Mesquite, Nevada, the Palm Springs Amateur have added a few twists of its own that make this event a must-play.

What sets this event apart from other amateur events is the fact that golfers will be playing premium courses during the prime season with great weather. Average temperature in Palm Springs the first week of January is 74-degrees. This is the first week of the high season in the Palm Springs area and courses will be in pristine condition.

The entry fee is $595 if registered before Nov. 30, 2010. Entries received after Nov. 30 will be $645.

Through a partnership with Lumpy’s of La Quinta and Cathedral City, each player will get a $100 gift card with a paid registration. This can be used to purchase anything at the store. Players will also receive a tournament golf shirt and cap, plus a variety of other goodies provided by event sponsors. Daily contests will be played out on the golf course as well.

Palm Springs has long been a golf mecca with golf courses from every major designer including the Nicklaus, Palmer, Norman and Dye designs that will be a part of the Palm Springs Amateur. Regularly ranked among the top golf destinations in the country

The event is open to any player with an approved USGA handicap. (For more info on this log on to www.palmspringsam.com)

Palm Springs Amateur Info Sheet

EVENT NAME

Palm Springs Amateur

Hosted by La Quinta Resort and Club (Photos available)

COURSES:

PGA WEST – Nicklaus Tournament and Stadium courses (Photos available)

La Quinta Resort & Club’s Dunes and Mountain course (Photos available)

EVENT WEBSITE

www.palmspringsam.com

DATE: – Jan. 6-9, 2010

FORMAT

• 54-hole individual stroke play competition

• 18-hole championship to include top two from each flight

• Number of divisions and flights to be determined by total player entries

• Flights will not exceed 24 players

• Amateurs will play at their lowest USGA HDCP of 2010

• Optional practice rounds available Monday through Wednesday (3^th – 5^th) or a post tournament round Sunday (9^th) at a discounted daily rate.

TOURNAMENT ENTRY INCLUDES:

• Entry fee is $595 per player if purchased by Nov. 30, 2010. Entry after Nov. 30, 2009 is $645.

• Every player in the Palm Springs Amateur receives a $100 merchandise card from Lumpy’s Golf in addition to all other gifts and prizes!

• All golf related fees for three tournament rounds (carts and range balls).

• Tournament players’ discount at the PGA WEST and LA QUINTA pro shops

• See web site for additional details and added benefits

Resort Packages Available:

Resort and hotel packages are available. More info at www.palmspringsam.com

Stay at the La Quinta Resort and Club for as low as $125 per person per night (double occupancy – taxes additional). Resort daily fee included – You have access to all resort amenities and pools.

For Media Inquiries contact:

John Tipping

Pacific Northwest Golf Tournaments, Inc

206.818.4653 or john@seattlegolfshow.com

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP AT MILL CREEK COUNTRY CLUB

Snohomish, WA – Davis Halle has been selected by The First Tee Snohomish County to become a junior member at Mill Creek Country Club. The scholarship award pays for a one-year junior membership, a new category established by Mill Creek to promote junior golf in the area.

Halle, a junior at Edmonds-Woodway High School, has been involved with The First Tee for three years. He has been a volunteer coach and student mentor for the past two years.

“Golf is a great way to continue to develop my leadership and life skills,” explains Halle said. “Having the chance to play a great course like Mill Creek is really cool. It will challenge my golf game, and I hopefully will become a better player and a better person because of this great opportunity”, said Halle.

A Mill Creek member donated $1,200 to cover the cost of the annual junior membership. Juniors ages 12 to 21 are eligible for the program. Contact Mill Creek for more information about these special junior memberships.

“Our club believes in the life skills curriculum and values that The First Tee teaches, and our board of directors wanted to recognize and sponsor a deserving student golfer,” said Ric Crowther, membership chairman.

The First Tee Snohomish County CEO, Jeff Cornish, said there are many opportunities for local students to apply for scholarships. Beside the junior membership at Mill Creek, The First Tee offers programs like playing Pebble Beach in the Champions Tour event, four-year college scholarships, and a one-week intensive golf and life skills academy program. Thousands of The First Tee students apply for these programs nationwide.

“This scholarship adds an exciting local experience for students just in Snohomish County”, Cornish said. “We are thrilled with Mill Creek Country Club’s vision and generosity to make this happen, and we hope to add other similar opportunities for our local The First Tee students.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jeff Cornish, 425-422-9527

local_knowledge@msn.com

Under a cloudless sky – the predominant weather pattern at Tobiano – Michael Grenier, President of Pagebrook, Inc. and developer of Tobiano, presided over the Official Opening Ceremonies on April 11^th marking the culmination of years of dreaming, planning, and creating. That Opening Day saw the first of more than 20,000 golfers tee off on the dramatic first hole in a season that would see Tobiano being named the Best New Course in Canada by the nation’s premier golf publication, SCOREGolf Magazine.

“We were confident that we could offer great golf and a superb facility, but reaction in the market in year one exceeded our expectations,” said Michael Grenier. “The superb work and dedication of Thomas McBroom, Director of Golf Miles Mortensen, Superintendent Terry Smith, and our entire Tobiano staff have allowed us to present this high-quality product to golfers here in the Thompson Okanagan and from around the world.”

Indeed, Tobiano has already attracted the attention of golfers from far and wide, including National Hockey League stars like Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi, and Shane Doan among others. Some members of the cast of the Cirque du Soleil got in a few rounds, as did Country and Western music’s Dirks Bentley.

But few celebrities play as often, or as well, as rock star Alice Cooper. An avid golfer who often plans his global concert tours around great golf courses, Cooper played Tobiano this summer and after the round said: “It is in my Top 10, for sure. You will never putt on better greens!”

Cooper has already made plans to play Tobiano again next year when his Circus Tour comes to Kamloops.

“The reaction from guests and the positive feedback we have received from golfers, the media, and professionals in the golf industry, has been very gratifying,” said Tobiano General Manager and Director of Golf Miles Mortensen. “And the ‘Best New Course’ recognition from SCOREGolf is a tribute to the vision and dedication to Tobiano of Michael Grenier, the brilliant design by Thomas McBroom, and the tireless efforts of our entire staff.”

Complemented by the truly innovative clubhouse design by Andreas Kaminski of a|k|a architecture + design, and the outstanding culinary creations of chef George Moutsos, Tobiano has already become an area focal point. As the residential and resort components gradually enhance the project – the marina on Kamloops Lake will open next spring – the sprawling 18,000-acre site of the famed Six Mile Ranch will become an even more vibrant and integral part of the Kamloops area landscape.

Ideally located in the semi-arid climate 20-minutes west of Kamloops, Tobiano is just a three-and-a-half hour drive from Vancouver and less than two hours from Kelowna in the heart of the Thompson Okanagan region, renowned for its wineries and year-round vacation destinations.

“It was a tremendous opening season, in every way,” said Mortensen. “Like Alice Cooper, our many returning clients, and all the golfers now making plans to play here for the first time, we can’t wait until next season.”

For Tobiano rates, tee time information, and reservations visit www.tobianogolf.com , call 1-877-373-2218, or email info@tobianogolf.com

Paul Ramsdell has spent the last four years as editor and lead writer for Pacific Northwest Golfer and Golf Northwest Magazine. He is currently manager at Kitsap Country Club. Other past highlights include his time as editor of ESPN.com, and stints at the Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune.

“Paul has been a leader in promoting golf in our region and was instrumental in the growth of the Northwest Golf Media Association during his tenure as president,”  said current NWGMA President Guy Generaux. “I salute all of our worthy candidates who were nominated this year.”

Those additional candidates include Jim Moore and Dan Raley of the Seattle Post Intellegencer, Craig Smith of the Seattle Times and longtime PGA Tour golfer  Ken Still.

For more on the Northwest Golf Media Association, log on to www.nwgma.org.

Sculpted into this one-of-kind landscape is Palouse Ridge Golf Club, which at first glance appears airlifted into the undulating hills. Surrounding the course and its pine-dotted ridges are rolling farms that change in color from bright green to golden amber to the textured browns of autumn.

While native prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the U.S., the golf course was routed to preserve a significant riparian corridor that gives players a feel for what the pre-agriculture Palouse once looked like. Flanking the right side of the third, fourth and fifth holes, this 30-foot-tall hedgerow, a scrub mix of alder, hawthorn and native fescue grasses, shelters a wide variety of wildlife. Hawks (both redtail and harrier) glide overhead. Coyotes, raccoons and badgers are commonly seen in and around the corridor. In addition, a pair of ponds and low-lying wetlands attract waterfowl to the course.

Following the round, golfers as well as non-golfers traveling in their company can explore a wide range of cultural, recreational and sightseeing options in and around Pullman.

The Palouse Scenic Byway radiates out to the region’s rural towns and magnificent rolling hills. Among the points of interest is Steptoe Butte State Park off Highway 195 north of Pullman. Visitors can drive or hike 3.1 miles to the top of the 3,618-foot-high butte for a stunning panorama of the Palouse.

Closer to Pullman off Highway 27 is Kamiak Butte County Park, which covers 298 acres and is home to more than 130 bird species, 170 plant species and numerous mammals, including resident moose. From the summit of the 3,641-foot butte, Oregon’s Blue Mountains loom into view.

For active-minded visitors, the trails and pathways of Pullman link the downtown area, Washington State University, residential areas and the neighboring town of Moscow, Idaho. The Pullman Parks and Recreation trail system encompasses nearly eight miles of paths, including the recently completed Downtown Riverwalk. These pathways also connect to the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, a seven-mile byway that connects Pullman and Moscow via beautiful rolling hills. The trails are ideal for walkers, runners and cyclists.

For a truly memorable adventure, the Palouse is convenient to two of the world’s most renowned white-water rivers. Hells Canyon on the Snake River and the legendary Salmon River, the two deepest river gorges in North America, lie due south of Pullman. White-water rafting trips on both rivers as well as thrilling Hells Canyon jet boat tours are available. For more casual excursions, Boyer Park and Marina, a full-service dock and marina located 20 miles west of Pullman, offers easy access to the Snake River, where swimming, fishing and water sports are popular.

Brick masonry buildings built from 1905 to 1940 into the hillsides of the Palouse are a campus highlight at Washington State University in Pullman, the state’s only land-grant university. WSU’s eclectic architecture reflects various revivalist styles, from Georgian to Classical. A must-see is the Lewis Alumni Centre, originally built in the 1920’s as a barn and later renovated and remodeled. In the school’s Food Quality Building is Ferdinand’s Dairy Bar, where the ice cream is rich and delectable. Within the same building is the WSU Creamery, which produces award-winning Cougar Gold cheese, a nutty white cheddar packed in a can (a tradition since World War II).

Sporting events at WSU, notably football and basketball games, are major occasions. For ticket information and schedules for WSU Cougar Pacific-10 Conference athletics, call 800-GO-COUGS.

Natural history buffs gravitate to Conner Museum on the WSU campus. The museum contains the largest public collection of birds and mammals in the Pacific Northwest. On display are mounted moose, caribou, bison, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, cougars, and more than 700 other species.

Culture is alive and well in and around Pullman. The WSU Music Department presents or co-sponsors over 200 concerts and recitals yearly. Performances at the school’s 400-seat recital hall include madrigal singing, march and stage bands, chamber music and jazz performers.

The Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum in Pullman, with 12,000 seats, is one of the largest performing arts centers in the Inland Northwest. Top-name rock, jazz and country-western stars along with ballet and opera companies, symphonies and soloists perform throughout the year. In addition, the Regional Theatre of the Palouse presents an annual summer musical at the Coliseum.

For an extra-special side-trip, head to Big Meadow Creek Alpacas, located 20 miles east of Pullman in Troy, Idaho. The farm specializes in lustrous Suri Alpaca, the “Mercedes” of alpacas. A variety of alpaca products, from throws, capes and sweaters to plush, handmade teddy bears are available.

For more information about activities and events in the region, contact the Pullman Chamber of Commerce at (800) 365-6948; www.pullmanchamber.com.