Great speakers at the Heartland Golf Expo

Contact: Ken MacLeod, 918-280-0787 or ken@southcentralgolf.com

OKLAHOMA CITY - Some of the top teaching and playing professionals in the nation will be sharing their insight at the Heartland Golf Expo presented by WinStar Golf Course this Friday and Saturday at the Centennial Building at State Fair Park.

Friday's lineup includes former PGA Tourist Jim Woodward of Oak Tree National followed by long-time PGA Tour and Champions Tour stalwart David Edwards, one of the original Oak Tree Gang members. E.J. Pfister, a top 100 teacher who teaches at both Oak Tree National and Gaillardia, will be on hand Saturday.

In addition, long-time favorites Sean "The Beast" Fister, a three-time world long drive champion, teaching legend Marshall Smith of Miami, Okla., putting guru Andy Dillard of Oklahoma City and perhaps a special special guest or two will be on the stage. Other PGA professionals will be giving free lessons throughout the show in the 100 foot hitting net, where golfers will also be able to see the latest in equipment from such vendors as Cleveland, Wilson, Adams, Nike, Tour Edge, Ping, Callaway and Titleist.

New this year is a Friday Night Party from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $5 during the party. We will have $1 beers while they last, snacks, courtesy of Emerson Biggins, live music by guitar virtuoso Mark Galloway and special contests, including your chance to outdrive The Beast, all with great prizes. A fun place to start your Friday night.

The $10,000 putting contest returns, with the winner receiving a year's membership at the tremendous Fairfax Golf Club along with a chance to putt for $10k. Winners will also receive a new Slotline putter. The Long Drive contest winner will receive a year's membership to SilverHorn Golf Club in Edmond, among other goodies. Anyone who competes will receive a two-ball sleeve of Bridgestone Golf Balls, the official golf ball of the Heartland Golf Expo. There is also a Birdie Ball contest and a Closest to the Pin contest for some great prizes.

All Expo attendees can sign up for a year's subscription to Golf Digest and receive a free green fee to SilverHorn Golf Course as well as a new South Central Golf Directory.

General admission tickets are $8 available at the door. Seniors 55 and over are $5 and all attendees to the Friday Night Party from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. are $5. Children 17 and under are free with a paid adult. Discount coupons can be found at www.southcentralgolf.com/expos.

In addition to presenting sponsor WinStar Golf Course & Casino, the Expo is sponsored by WWLS The Sports Animal, The Oklahoman, Cox Media, Golf Digest, Southern Journeys, Fairfax Golf Club, SilverHorn Golf Course and Emerson Biggins.

Heartland Seminar Schedule set

E.J. Pfister

E.J. Pfister played professional golf for 13 years. He has been recognized as one of the top 100 instructors nationally by Golf Magazine and he works at both Oak Tree National and Gaillardia Golf Club as well as organizing golf instruction and seminars for corporate clients.

Fister's passion is teaching players of all ages and abilities. His secret to successful instruction is the ability to explain the golf swing in a way that everyone can understand. His natural teaching style has been enjoyed by many notable golfers, including Bob Tway, Tom Pernice, Scott McCarron, David Edwards and Dudley Hart.

Sean "The Beast" Fister

Little Rock's own Sean "The Beast" Fister won the Long Drivers' Association Re/Max World Long Drive Championship as recently as 2005 and three times overall (1995, 2001). An entertaining and informative speaker, Fister became the oldest person at 43 to win the world championship. His longest recorded drive is 515 yards and his highest recorded swing speed is 171.2 miles per hour.

Marshall Smith

An Oklahoma legend, Marshall Smith has been teaching the secrets of the game to the greats of the game and the rest of us for more than 60 years. His latest book, "A Lifetime of Lessons" details decades of swing tips from the master.

Smith has worn a lot of hats in his career, that of banker, insurance agent, part-owner of the Tulsa Drillers, a motivational speaker, author of three books and a dedicated worker for children's charities. He has been the golf instructor for such luminaries as Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, Walt Zembriski, Craig Stadler, Glen Day and Matt Gogel and Todd Fisher. One of Mickey Mantle's best friends, Marshall raised thousands of dollars for the Oklahoma Make-A-Wish Foundation through the Mickey Mantle Charity Classic at Shangri-La, which brought hundreds of famous professional athletes to the state. Marshall's philosophy of KISS, keep it simple, stupid, has helped golfers from the PGA Tour to the kid next door make sense of this sometimes indecipherable game.

Andy Dillard

A 21-year professional, Andy Dillard still shares the record for consecutive birdies in the U.S. Open, making six to start his round in the 1992 Open at Pebble Beach. Born in Tyler, Texas, he was a three-time All-American at Oklahoma State from 1981-84. He was the runnerup in the 1982 NCAA Championship, turned pro in 1984 and played on the PGA Tour for three years, the Nationwide Tour for six years and around the world on various tours for 11 years. He is now an instructor and has a golf talk radio show in Oklahoma City.

Jim Woodward

Woody, as he's known to his friends, has been one of the state's best players for decades. After a stint on the PGA Tour, he came back to Oklahoma as the head professional at Gaillardia. Meanwhile, he became one of the dominant players in the PGA South Central Section. He now works as an instructor at Oak Tree National while still playing at a high competitive level in USGA or Champions Tour events when he gets the opportunity. Woodward is a dynamic and informative speaker who weaves instruction in with stories from the tour and his golf life.

David Edwards

Won four times and had 65 top 10 finishes in a PGA Tour career that began in 1980, has also won one tournament and more than $2.6 million on the Champions Tour. He led the tour in driving accuracy in 2008 and the ability to drive the ball straight has always been one of his trademarks. Edwards is currently debating whether to continue his career due to a chronic hand injury. He is always a frank and honest speaker who will give you his opinion on any tour issues of the day as well as instructional tips.

2010 Heartland Golf Expo
Seminar schedule
(all times subject to change)

Friday
Noon, Sean Fister
1 p.m. Jim Woodward
2 p.m., David Edwards
3 p.m., Marshall Smith
5-7:30, Live music from guitar virtuoso Mark Galloway

Saturday
11 a.m., Andy Dillard
Noon, E.J. Pfister
1 p.m. Sean Fister
2 p.m., Marshall Smith
3 p.m., TBA
4 p.m. Sean Fister