Bill Felcyn's yarn about a practical joke among buddies on an Arizona golf course that involved a harmless snake, a six-foot rattler and a karmic turn of events won him entry to play in an epic Wild West golf tournament on Oct. 2 in Northern Nevada.
The 68-year-old retired salesman from Phoenix, Ariz., is the winner of the Divine 9 Media Tour writer’s contest, a paid golf writing assignment where he and other golf writers from around the West will play 18 holes of golf on nine courses in one day between Carson City and Carson Valley, Nevada.
Felcyn's slithering "snakes on a golf course" tale was announced as the winning writing entry on the Sept. 29, 2012 "Hooked on Golf" radio program on KNBR 680 in San Francisco. Partnered with Divine 9, the offbeat writing contest asked hackers and scratchers from all walks of life to submit their best iPhone video or golf story written in 400 words or less.
Picked by a panel of "Hooked on Golf" judges as the best story among 34 entries, Felcyn's snake story won him a $250 writing fee, four nights lodging, entry into the media tour, two traditional rounds of golf at Divine 9 member courses, meals, helpful reporting tips from attending media pros, travel allowance and memories for a lifetime.
Felcyn will be interviewed on the radio program and his story published on the “Hooked On Golf” and Divine 9 websites. He will then join professional journalists and golf scribes from around the country, Oct. 2, for a most unusual writing assignment: the Divine 9 Media Tour.
This Wild West golf outing, sponsored by the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Authority has a shuttle full of media playing two holes at nine different courses in 11 hours.
A sun-up to sun-down round of golf and a nine course primer of challenging layouts coupled with regional history and colorful stories provides various angles for media to tell their audiences about Nevada's Wild West attitude — where anything goes as long as they don’t frighten the horses. A bus packed with golf bags and a stocked ice chest will deliver the group to each Divine 9 course.
Eightsomes are common during play on two signature holes at all nine courses – most being par 3s over water and par 5s with forced carries to provide a memorable flavor of area golf.
Felcyn is no stranger to Northern Nevada golf. The 18 handicapper scored his best round ever of 82 at Divine 9's Sunridge Golf Club in Carson City. He did it as part of a goal to play 52 rounds of golf in 2011. Of those rounds, he played on 42 courses in 11 different states. He said of the courses visited, Sunridge was his favorite because, well, it was the best score he's ever carded.
During last year's Divine 9 Media Tour, Sunridge was the home to the tournament's first hole-in-one, scored by ESPN radio announcer Don Marchand on the par 3, 150 yard, 4th hole. Not trusting himself enough with a new golf ball over a water hazard, Marchand smacked a yellow practice ball with a six iron over the lake and into the hole. Will Felcyn answer Marchand back with an ace of his own? Will Felcyn beat his personal best round of 82? Stranger things have happened, especially during this tournament.
The Divine 9 consists of an array of high desert courses in Carson City and Carson Valley that nestle the Sierra Nevada range: Carson Valley, Dayton Valley, Eagle Valley East, Eagle Valley West, Empire Ranch, Genoa Lakes: Resort and Lakes Courses, Silver Oak and Sunridge.
The Divine 9 lodging partners include Carson Valley Inn, Best Western Carson Station, Hampton Inn & Suites, The Plaza Hotel, Hardman House, Gold Dust West, Carson Nugget, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott – all feature golf packages for individuals and groups.
Information on deals, packages and other Carson City/Carson Valley activities are available at: www.DivineNine.com. Each winter, The Divine 9 offers it’s “Ticket to Paradise,” plan where golfers can play on all nine properties for just $289, a nearly 50 percent savings and considered one of the most coveted golf deals around.