Can a song be the next great golf invention?

Singer/song writer Vicky Peterson is hoping judges on Golf Channel's new reality show, "Fore Inventors Only," think so.

The Westlake High graduate is among a group of 103 inventors who are taking part in this new series, which is seeking to uncover America's top golf invention. The show debuted Tuesday night and will run each Tuesday night through Sept. 4, when the winner will be announced.

More than 1,000 inventors displayed their products for judges at regional auditions from around the country. From that pool, 103 were chosen to be part of the show.

While most of the contestants will try to impress judges Fulton Allem, Stina Sternberg and Bill Harmon with the next great golf shoe or club, Peterson's invention was a compilation CD of golf songs that includes her own original single, "Fairways and Greens."

Peterson, 38, admits she's always tinkering with ideas for new products, but even she was surprised when she got the call from Golf Channel officials telling her she had made the cut.

"I actually showed them two products; the other one is an awesome shoe idea, and when they called me back I thought it was for the shoe idea," Peterson said. "I was a little shocked when they said they wanted the song.

"When I went before the judges for the first time I opened up by telling them I was probably just as shocked as they were that a song was in the running for best golf invention."

Jay Kossoff, executive director for Golf Channel, was one of the judges who helped choose the 103 finalists.

While the idea of a song being an invention might sound a little different, Kossoff said it meets the criteria based on Webster's definition of an invention which states an invention is something contrived, produced, devised and made; something constructed by the originator that did not exist before; something framed by the imagination.

"Vicky did a great job during her presentation and we felt she deserved a chance to be among the 103 finalists," Kossoff said.

The winner gets a one-year contract with Golfsmith to have his or her invention in the store and Golf Channel will also produce and air an infomercial.

"I can honestly see Vicky's golf compilation CD sitting on a shelf at Golfsmith and having golfers see it and buy it," Kossoff said.

The topics for most of Peterson's songs are written about her passions.

As an avid golfer, it's not surprising that one of Peterson's songs deals with the game she has learned to love over the last three years.

"Fairways and Greens" is Peterson's ode to the game, a song that describes how golf has invaded her dreams, how the thought of lowering her score and playing that next 18 holes keeps her up at night.

"When I first began golfing, I also began dreaming about golf all the time," Peterson said. "From those dreams, a song emerged."

While she's an avid viewer of Golf Channel, Peterson said she never saw any ads for the show or the tryouts. Instead it was one of her friends who suggested just two days before the auditions she should consider getting involved.

The tryout was held at a hotel down near Los Angeles International Airport. When Peterson got there, she was surprised by what was taking place.

"It was like an American Idol' audition," Peterson said. "There were people lined up down the block. I was the last person to audition.

"By the time they saw me, I think they were so tired of seeing the same things that they got excited because the song was so different."

After getting selected, Peterson got to spend five days at the Ginn Resort in Florida, where she and the other contestants went before the cameras to make their pitches.

Peterson wanted to pre-record her song with a full orchestra accompanying her, but the Golf Channel folks asked her to sing it live, using just her voice and trusty guitar.

Since she only had around 2 minutes for her presentation, Peterson said she felt a little rushed as she tried to give the judges a little background on herself and then do the song.

"I think it turned out all right," Peterson said. "I fumbled one time and I'm sure they will focus on that during the show. But I felt OK about it."

Peterson enjoyed getting a chance to hang out with the other contestants.

While everyone was there to win, Peterson felt the atmosphere was very supportive.

"Everyone pulled for each other," Peterson said. "It was fun being around so many interesting and brilliant people."

Peterson plays locally at places like the Elephant Bar in Simi Valley and Azar's Red Robin in Newbury Park.

While music is Peterson's first love, she enjoys inventing. If her song does not win the ultimate prize, she would consider entering her shoe invention for the next segment of the series.

"I'm always coming up with ideas," Peterson said. "My dad was the same way. And I'm sure there will be more golf songs. Music and golf go hand in hand, so it seems natural."