Butler Co. Golf Tour Features $1-Million Prize

Pennsylvania's Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau is giving golfers a lot of green this summer. That's because the group's 2007 golf tour features a $1 million hole-in-one prize at the tour's final invitation-only tournament.

The Tour consists of six tournaments (best ball or scramble) that will be played at various Butler County golf courses beginning April 28. The top seven teams from the first five qualifying tournaments will be invited to participate in the final tournament at Oakview Golf Club in Slippery Rock, Pa. on Sept. 15. The tournament is open to all golfers (men, women and juniors), and a golfer's handicap is not required. Butler County is conveniently located just 20 minutes north of Pittsburgh along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 79.

How the Tournament Works

Qualifying Tournaments

Two-player teams can register now to participate in any or all of the first five tournaments. The top seven teams from each of those competitions will receive an invitation to participate in the final event. A maximum of 144 golfers will be permitted to play at each tournament. Individuals who wish to play will be paired with another golfer.

Final Tournament

The invitation-only event will include the seven winning teams from each of the five qualifying tournaments held throughout the summer. More than 75 spots will be randomly chosen from the pool of all golfers who participated in the first five tournaments.

Stay in Butler County and Increase Your Chance to Play for $1 Million!

Golfers who play in any of the five qualifying tournaments are eligible to win one of the more than 75 random spots in the final tournament. Players can increase their odds of being selected by staying overnight at Butler County hotels and bed and breakfasts between April 15 and Aug. 26, 2007. For each verified overnight stay, an additional entry will be placed in the random drawing. For example, if a golfer plays in two qualifying tournaments and stays overnight at a participating Butler County hotel three nights during the qualifying dates, that person will receive five entries into the random drawing.

2007 Tournament Schedule and Entry Fees

Qualifying Tournaments

April 28 Cranberry Highlands Golf Course, Cranberry Township, Pa., $75

May 12 Aubrey's Dubbs Dred Golf Course, Butler, Pa., $59

June 30 Hiland Golf Course, Butler, Pa., $54

July 28 Saxon Golf Course, Sarver, Pa., $54

Aug. 25 Suncrest Golf Course, Butler Pa.,$59

Final Invitation-Only Tournament

Sept. 15 Oakview Golf Club, Slippery Rock, PA. $75

Fees for each tournament include 18-hole green fee, shared cart and a lunch at the turn.

Butler County 2007 Golf Tour Prizes

At each of the six tournaments, a minimum of the top 30 percent of players will win at least $1,000 in merchandise gift certificates from each of the host golf courses with a full field. Other prizes also will be awarded.

The final tournament will offer the chance for each golfer to win $1 million with a hole-in-one on a designated Par 3 hole. Other exciting hole-in-one prizes will be available, plus more than $5,000 in team cash prizes including:

-- $1,500 closest-to-the-pin team prize on the $1 million hole;

-- $1,000 for the first-place finishing team;

-- $750 for the second-place finishing team;

-- $500 for the third-place finishing team;

-- $500 for the team with the longest putt;

-- $400 each for the teams with the closest-to-the-pin on the second shot on both the front nine and back nine.

How to Register

The Butler County Tourism 2007 Golf Tour is being coordinated by Pittsburgh Golf Events and the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau. To register for any of the tournaments, learn more about each of the golf courses and to see the list of participating hotels and bed and breakfasts, visit www.visitbutlercounty.com.