AK-CHIN SMASH IN THE SUN STAY & PLAY PACKAGE COMBINES
TOP-100 GOLF WITH EXCITEMENT OF WORLD LONG DRIVE EVENT
In conjunction with the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun World Long Drive Association event, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club is offering the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun Stay and Play package. The package combines luxury accommodations at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort Casino, golf at the top 100-ranked Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, and seating at the nationally televised World Long Drive Association’s Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun on Tuesday, April 16.
For the second straight year, the Ak-Chin Indian Community has partnered with the World Long Drive Association (WLDA) to host the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun. The Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun will take place Friday-Tuesday, April 12-16 adjacent to Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort Casino on a natural grass golf range (with stadium seating). The culmination of the event will be televised live on Golf Channel on Tuesday, April 16, featuring the Open (men’s) and Women’s Divisions as they crown respective champions.
The Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun Stay and Play package includes:
- Three nights lodging at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Resort – check in 4/13 and check out 4/16
- Two rounds of golf at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club
- Seating at the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun World Long Drive Association event
The Stay and Play package starts at $399 per person, per night and is subject to availability. Rates include applicable tax and resort fees. Promotion excludes group bookings. For more information on the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun Stay and Play package, visit:https://www.akchinsoutherndunes.com/WLDstay/.
The Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun event will feature a 54-man field competing in the Open Division based on World Long Drive rankings, along with a Women’s Division field of 16 competitors. Qualifying rounds will narrow the field to eight men and four women advancing to take part in the televised portion of the competition on Golf Channel. As part of the WLDA tour event festivities, there will be two-days of open qualifying on Friday-Saturday, April 12-13. Also on Saturday afternoon, the World Long Drive Masters Division (age 45+) competition will be staged following open qualifying earlier in the day.
The Ak-Chin Indian Community is located adjacent to Maricopa, Ariz., a half hour from Phoenix-Sky Harbor Airport. Enterprises that make up the Ak-Chin Indian Community destination include Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Ultra Star Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle and theTroon Golf-managed Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club is ranked as one of the Top 100 courses in the country by Golfweek and Golf Magazine.
For more information on the Ak-Chin Smash in the Sun, visit www.akchinsoutherndunes.com/WLD/.
ABOUT WORLD LONG DRIVE ASSOCIATION
Originating in 1976, the World Long Drive Association is an organization that brings together golf’s longest hitters from around the globe. Emerging as one of golf’s most popular grass roots competitions, World Long Drive was named a finalist at the 2018 Cynopsis Sports Media Awards in theLeague of the Year for a Breakthrough Sport and Live Coverage of a Breakthrough Sport categories. The broader sports industry also has taken notice, including ESPN proclaiming that long drive has “recently started to enter the mainstream of golf;” Men’s Journal noting “with the sport’s ascendant profile and ever-growing prestige,” fans should “buckle up for more high-octane action;” Golf Digest saying the World Long Drive is “on the upswing, gaining traction;” and Golf.com claiming it as “an eye-opening experience”. Sanctioned WLD events are open to amateur and professional golfers. The 2019 WLDA season consists of events across the United States and around the world, culminating with the Volvik World Long Drive Championship, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, from WinStar World Casino and Resort on the Texas / Oklahoma border, where competitors will convene under the lights for the world title on Golf Channel. In 2018, 8.3 million unique viewers watched at least some portion of World Long Drive events (live and replay), +23% year-over-year, and the most-viewed season of World Long Drive on-record according to data released by The Nielsen Company.
ABOUT THE AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
The Ak-Chin Indian Community is nestled into the Santa Cruz Valley of Southern Arizona. The Community lies 35 miles south of Phoenix in the northwestern part of Pinal County. Ak-Chin is an O’odham word translated to mean “mouth of the wash” or “place where the wash loses itself in the sand or ground.” Ak-Chin has an enrollment of more than 1,092 tribal members and a land base of just over 22,000 acres. The Ak-Chin Indian Community has a variety of business enterprises including Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club, UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle and Santa Cruz Commerce Center. For more information, visit www.ak-chin.nsn.us
Media Contact:
Rob Myers, Troon / Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, 480.477.0506, rmyers@troon.com
