We’re inching closer and closer to one of Fort Wayne’s most exciting sporting events this summer. We’re talking about the 2013 Hotel Fitness Championship, of course.

As Indiana’s biggest and best golf tournament this year, the Hotel Fitness Championship is expecting to draw fans from across the Hoosier state and many from across state lines. If you haven’t purchased a ticket yet, you can buy them here.

Visit Fort Wayne had the opportunity to speak with someone very familiar with professional golf and the state of Indiana – Hoosier native and VP of Business Affairs for the PGA TOUR Tim Benton. Benton, a native of Richmond, Indiana,  spoke to Visit Fort Wayne about several interesting facets of the Hotel Fitness Championship, Sycamore Hills, Fort Wayne and why the PGA TOUR chose Fort Wayne to host professional event over several hundreds of cities and golf courses.

Tim Benton

There are hundreds of golf courses in America. Why did the PGA TOUR select Sycamore Hills as one of the four Web.com Tour Finals sites?

Benton: Sycamore Hills is an outstanding, highly competitive golf course and will look superb as we televise the Hotel Fitness Championship around the world. We’re thrilled the ownership and membership is hosting this event, and we’re excited to showcase such a great course to a worldwide TV audience. We think the TOUR players will thoroughly enjoy the course, and the fans will get a great opportunity to see TOUR players up close and personal.

Explain the Web.com Tour, its history and close ties to the PGA TOUR.

B: The Web.com Tour is owned and operated by the PGA TOUR and is a key part of our organization. It was the vision of former PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane Beman who brought the concept to life when the first event was played in 1990. Since then, we’ve grown into one of the best Tours in the world with 3 out of 4 players on the PGA TOUR today having come through the Web.com Tour.

For golf fans and non-golf fans, why should someone attend the Hotel Fitness Championship? What will they expect?

B: First, this is one of two official events of the PGA TOUR in Indiana (the other is in Evansville), so this is a chance to see and experience PGA TOUR level golf. This event will attract PGA TOUR players ranking No. 126-200 on the money list playing alongside players No. 1-75 from the Web.com Tour. Fans will see world class golf and support an event that provides net proceeds to a variety of charities.

The Hotel Fitness Championship is offering individuals a chance to volunteer during the tournament. What are the benefits of working a golf event?

B: A volunteer gets an “insider” view of the golf tournament, working with the Tour team and helping in a variety of ways from scoring, to marshaling and helping players as they come to Fort Wayne for the first time.

Who are some of the famous Web.com Tour alumni?  

B: Considering that 3 out of every 4 PGA TOUR players are alums, there a lot to choose from, but Webb Simpson,  Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner and Richmond, Ind. alum Bo Van Pelt come to mind. Ernie Els, John Daly and many others have all played this Tour over the years, as it has a special place in the career path of many players.

Talk about Fort Wayne as a community. What do you enjoy about the city?

B: So far, I’ve been pretty focused on the business of the event,  but have found time to visit Chop’s restaurant a few times. What stands out, though, is the good old fashioned Hoosier hospitality and the great people that make Fort Wayne such a warm and enjoyable place.

You’re an Indiana native. What makes golf special in this state?

B: Yes, I grew up in Richmond and graduated from DePauw, so I’ve seen a lot of this state over the years. There are so many great courses in Indiana, and we’re glad to have played some of the very, very best with TOUR events in Evansville at Victoria National; Indianapolis at Crooked Stick; and now in Fort Wayne with the Hotel Fitness Championship. I have to say, though, that the course in Richmond, Forest Hills CC, is a lot of fun to play and our kids have loved playing there when we visit family.

Anything else you’d like to add?

B: The PGA TOUR is very appreciative of this event coming together. In particular, we’d like to thank Bruce Dye for his commitment to making this event so strong, the Western Golf Association for working closely with us on all aspects and Sycamore Hills for all they are doing to prepare for this event. It is a team effort and we’re glad to be part of such a great team in Fort Wayne. We’re hoping the fans will enjoy the show!

2013 Hotel Fitness Championship Website
Buy Tickets
Volunteer Registration
Sycamore Hills Website

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Fort Wayne’s Trek the Trails is back for its fourth year and is now offering “tasty” fare!

Free, guided community bike rides are still the main attraction of Trek the Trails, but new walks and food events have been added this year.

Trek the Trails is jointly planned and organized by the City of Fort Wayne Greenways Department and Fort Wayne Trails and offers rides at 6 p.m. every Tuesday beginning May 7 through October 1.

Several events will incorporate Trail Mixers with food available after the ride offering a chance to grab a bite to eat while getting to know other trail users.

Trek the Trails will take bicyclists through all parts of the community – along the Rivergreenway, the Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, the Aboite Trails, the Pufferbelly Rail-to-Trail and the Salomon Farm Trail and even to New Haven’s Moser Park. The rides are 6-8 miles long, and walks will be included on each event that includes a Trail Mixer. There are also longer Saturday rides for more experienced riders. This season will also offer a 1-2 mile walk on the trail at the same time as the bike ride.

At all Tuesday rides, participants can enter to win a free bike from Trek and Summit City Bicycles & Fitness.

A full schedule of the Tuesday night ride locations can be found at the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation page.  Rides may be cancelled due to unsafe weather.

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This post is one in a series of Fort Wayne’s favorite celebrities: the Bad Apple Dancers! Click here to meet the rest of the bunch!

Tyler Baker, a Bad Apple Dancer for the Tin Caps.

Hopefully you’re making plans to attend a Tin Caps baseball game this summer. In case you need more incentive, here are some personal answers from Tyler Baker, one of the team’s famous Bad Apple Dancers, about his favorite likes of Fort Wayne.

Hometown/State:  Columbia City, Indiana

Years working for the Tin Caps:  2013 will be my 5^th year with the organization and my 4^th as a Bad Apple Dancer.

1. Favorite Fort Wayne restaurant: Ziffles Rib Bar
2. Favorite place to relax in Fort Wayne: This usually involves my making a trip to Lowe’s to get supplies for projects around the house.
3. Favorite thing to do in Fort Wayne—other than dance on Parkview Field: Anything that involves spending time with my new wife.
4. Favorite store/shop:  I’m not really sure. I like to spread my money around to everyone in the economy!
5. Favorite Fort Wayne park:  Lakeside Park
6. Favorite Fort Wayne summer festival:  RibFest
7. Favorite place to go for a burger and fries in Fort Wayne:  Don Hall’s Big Buster
8. Favorite concert venue in Fort Wayne:  The Embassy
9. Favorite place to go for ice cream in Fort Wayne:  Atz’s
10. What do you like most about Fort Wayne?  I enjoy the small town feel even though Fort Wayne is a big city.

To order tickets for Fort Wayne TinCaps Baseball at Parkview Field call 260.482.6400 or learn more here.

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Did you know that the month of May is National Bike Month? In conjunction with the 2013 National Bike Challenge and the League of American Bicyclists, Fort Wayne is encouraging cyclists of all ages and riding levels to get out and pump the pedals!

National Bike Month aims to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the variety of reasons people ride. Whether it’s biking for fun, exercise, helping the environment, saving time and money, etc… getting involved in National Bike Month is a great way to enjoy the beautiful Spring weather, while also championing the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons to get out and take a ride!

To go along with this month-long celebration of the bicycle, there are a variety of bike-related events that you can join in, whether it’s on your own or with a group! Even though it is already the middle of the month, there are still PLENTY of opportunities to get involved! Some of the highlights include:

• National Bike Challenge -all month: Log ALL of your biked miles in Fort Wayne on the National Bike Challenge website. On June 1st the top individual and top team who logged the most miles across the city in May will be announced. Join in on the opportunity to put Fort Wayne on the map as a City of Cyclists!
• Movie Night: Breaking Away – May 24: Bike to Cinema Center and get a member discount! Bicycle friendly Fort Wayne will watch your bike while you relax and enjoy a movie. Breaking Away is an Academy Award winner (1979, screenplay) that cycles high on comedy as four friends come to terms with life after high school. Filmed in and around Bloomington, it’s a Hoosier classic!
• Fort4Fitness Spring Cycle – May 25: Join the 2nd annual Spring Cycle tour of Fort Wayne. Participants can choose from three different touring distances ranging from 17-43 miles. There will also be a family-friendly ride. Make sure to stick around after the tour to watch the Twilight Criterium. For more info, check out http://www.fort4fitness.org/spring-cycle.asp
• Bike to Coffee Day – May 31: Meet up with fellow bike commuter over a cup of joe and breakfast at the Dash-In. If you can’t make it, don’t fret! This group meets on the last Friday of each month at the Dash-In between 7am and 8am.

Hop on your bicycle and help Fort Wayne celebrate National Bike Month!

In addition to these great events, there are plenty of other opportunities to get involved in National Bike Month and the Fort Wayne community. Every Sunday is Sundays on a Bike, where riders are encouraged to get out and take advantage of the lighter traffic and easy pace while exploring the city. There are also a number of  Trek the Trails events going on throughout the month.

For more information on how to get involved with National Bike Month, and any of the events going on, you can visit nationalbikechallenge.org, The League of American Cyclists, or Visit Fort Wayne. You can also contact the River Greenway (260-427-6228) or Bike Fort Wayne (bikefortwayne@gmail.com).

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One of my favorite things about Fort Wayne is that regardless of where you live, there is likely a trail nearby, and accessible. I recently moved to southwest Fort Wayne. Having lived in downtown for several years, I was unsure how that might affect my biking habit. To my surprise, there is a lovely (and scenic) route that takes you right into downtown!

Here’s how you can discover it for yourself. Start at the Engle Rd. Trailhead (1 block south of the intersection of Engle and Jefferson). Along the way, you will encounter some beautiful sights, so have your camera on hand! Eagle Marsh, home of the Little River Wetlands project, is a 716-acre wetland preserve located on the southwest border of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Eight miles of trails allow hikers to access the preserve’s varied habitats of shallow-water wetland, sedge meadow, prairie, mature forest and young trees. Be prepared to see some critters! My favorite part is crossing the bridge over the wetlands.

Get close to nature on the Towpath Trail.

Not far from the preserve is a drinking fountain and bench, ideal for taking a breather. From here, follow the trail northeast to Rockhill Park.

Insider’s Note: This is a very flat bicycle ride with only a few but very slight elevation gains.

There are restrooms and a drinking fountain available at Rockhill Park. Rockhill Park is also equipped with a basketball court, baseball field, small playground and picnic tables.

Insider’s Note:  There are several sections of the trail currently closed, largely between Engle Rd and Covington Rd.  Please be aware, during rainy times portions of the trail may be muddy and/or slippery. Please slow down and use caution especially on boardwalks.

If you’re looking to appreciate the trails with other enthusiasts, you’ll enjoy the Trek the Trails series. Join other bikers on May 21st for a group ride on the Towpath Trail. Meet at the trailhead in Rockhill Park near 1400 Catalpa St., east of the intersection. or W. Jefferson Blvd and Freeman St. All rides start at 6 pm.

For updated information about closures, visit the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation website.

And, you can find more rides like these on our Trail Ride Itineraries page!

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