MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA - APRIL 16: Usain Bolt and Christina Kim of the United States pose for a photo during the semifinal matches of The Mojo 6 Jamaica LPGA Invitational at Cinnamon Hill Golf Course on April 16, 2010 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Who do you think of as THE ambassador of golf? There have been and are many.
I have chosen Christina Kim this month as an example. Kim said to me during an interview on "The Golf Club", she didn't have time to be anything other than who you see when she is on the course. I understood that to mean: what you see, is what you get. Indeed. Actually, Kim is more than what we get to see.
During some tournaments, Kim makes it a point to introduce and remember the name of each person who volunteered and worked at each of the holes she played during a tournament. She reaches out to her fans at events, and from the events via social media, during the ups and the downs of the game.
She is an open book on the course. And she has written a book about her way to the top of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, the LPGA. It's called "Swinging from my heels". I suggest you give it a read.
Christina Kim shares her love of the game with everyone she come in contact with.
Danielle Tucker broadcasting “The Golf Club” show from “Share the Joy Of Golf” at Ko Olina Golf Course (Photo by Rick Gray/TheGolfClub)
Do you enjoy playing catch with a good friend, a child, your buddies? Whether it’s a baseball, football or a Frisbee it really doesn’t matter cause you’re spending time with someone you enjoy and it’s outside. That’s what it’s like if you like to play golf and you’d like to share the experience with a friend.
Your friend probably says they don’t know how to play the game and would be a drag to have around, for a hole of golf, let alone for a round.
You think just the opposite. You’d be able to share your favorite pastime in your favorite “park”, aka your favorite golf course, with your friend. You really don’t care whether they’re going to be good at it. It very well could turn out that your friend really enjoys the experience and they take up the game, seriously or not.
Greg Nichols, General Manager and Director of Golf, Ko Olina Golf Course, joins me in the clubhouse to share his brainchild “Ambassador Program” at Ko Olina
I like to think that’s how Greg Nichols came up with “Share the Joy of Golf” Ambassador Program. I had a chance to talk with Nichols, Ko Olina Golf Club’s General Manager/Director of Golf, during the “Share the Joy of Golf” day at Ko Olina. As he put it so succinctly, “the premise of this program is that the best way for someone to fall in love with the game is through actually playing the game of golf and not necessarily beating balls on the driving range. And the most conducive atmosphere for a beginner’s first time experience is playing with good friends or family.”
So the “Share the Joy of Golf” Ambassador Program will recruit a core group of loyal Ko Olina golfers to serve as Ambassadors. Each Ambassador will be able to bring out up to 3 beginner golfers each month for a free nine hole golf experience.
Ko Olina Golf Course – a beautiful way to find out what playing golf is all about (Photo provided by Ko Olina)
The Ambassador’s guests get a 10 minute lesson by one of Ko Olina’s PGA Professionals and receive free rental clubs and rental shoes for their round.
They won’t walk away empty handed. They’ll get the “goodie bag” with information about the game, with rules, etiquette and tips plus some specially discounted learning programs like “Get Golf Ready”.
“Share the Joy of Golf” included a demo day where you can try before you buy the new clubs. (Photo by Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
During the “Share the Joy of Golf” day at Ko Olina Golf Course, the grand prize drawing was for a JW Marriott Ihilani Golf Getaway.
It’s the perfect choice for families who all enjoy golf, or for those whose interests vary.
The golf course is spectacular.
The hotel and it’s staff wonderful.
From our room at the JW Marriott Ihilani, the pool and the beach with the beautiful lagoons. (Photo by Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
The pool sublime and the ocean just a few steps down from the veranda.
There are fish feeding events when you can actually hand feed the baby hammerhead sharks and manta rays. Hand feed. Seriously. You see the one above. Just a baby.
THE WINDY MID PAC OPEN
I was sheltered from the storm, thankfully, ensconced in General Manager Tim Dietrich’s office but I’ve given you the view of the Koolau mountain range. (Photo by Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
It was the 54th Mid Pacific Open at the Mid Pacific Country Club in Lanikai, between the Koolau mountain range and the spectacular blue Pacific Ocean. The weather was great – for flying kites. For playing golf, it was challenging to put it mildly.
Jason Amoy, talking story about course conditions and setting up the pin placements plus the art of selecting grass that thrives in harsh environments. (Photo by Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
Since Mid Pacific Country Club Superintendent of Golf Jason Amoy likes his greens en par with Augusta, and the pin placement at least as difficult as the US Open, the boys – young and old – were in for four days of defense.
On the first day, amateur Bradley Shigezawa, shot the low round of the day, a 69, a whopping 3 under par. A very good score, given the conditions that first day but it didn’t get any easier.
David Ishii checking in for his tee time. Ishii dominated Hawaii golf with over 17 Open titles including the Hawaii State Open three times and the Hawaii Pearl Open six times. Ishii competed on the Japan PGA Tour, where he became the first foreigner to win the Tour Money Title. Highlighting his career, Ishii won the 1996 Chunichi Crowns title in Japan and the 1990 United Airlines Hawaiian Open (now the Sony Open in Hawaii) a PGA Tour event.
In the field, PGA Tour champions Dean Wilson and David Ishii. Lance Suzuki, who won it a record 8 times and Regan Lee, three consecutive years.
PGA Tour champion Dean Wilson and Hawaii’s amazing Kevin Hayashi during the Mid Pac Open at the Mid Pacific Country Club. (Photo courtesy Mid Pacific Country Club)
But in the end it was a 23-year-old professional, and PGA Tour Q School contender, Makawao Maui’s Sam Cyr who took home the trophy.
Sam Cyr lines up his putt on the 15th hole during the final round with his caddie, Kapalua’s Jerry King. I’m looking forward to talking with the two of them on “The Golf Club” in the near future, hopefully the final weekend this month. (Photo courtesy Mid Pacific Country Club)
It was Cyr’s putting that saved him from Dean Wilson, who was so close to taking it all away but just couldn’t squeeze past for the lead. The birdies were too difficult to catch.
As Superintendent Amoy told me on “The Golf Club”, he was taking all of the luck out of the game and forcing the guys to hit crisp irons and perfectly placed putts. Luck had nothing to do with Cyr posting a tournament total of 4-under par 284 and earning him the $14,000 first place check. Wilson finished second. The low amateur in the end was Lorens Chan, who tied for third with former Nationwide Tour player Nathan Lashley.
Nick Mason (77-297), who was second in February's Hawai'i Pearl Open, took fourth.
Nick Mason in the Mid Pacific Country Club pro shop (Photo Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
Louie Lee in the Mid Pacific Country Club pro shop (Photo Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
Nick Mason checking in for his tee time, above, and Louie Lee, below, took time out of their routine to talk on “The Golf Club” while Superintendent Amoy was on the air. You can hear how much they admire Amoy’s work here:
From the 1st tee at the Mid Pacific Country Club, Superintendent Jason Amoy says he doesn’t think anyone will beat Lance Suzuki’s 8 Mid Pac Open titles because the course plays longer now. (Photo by Rick Gray/The Golf Club)
Stan Souza won the senior championship played over the first 36 holes. Souza shot rounds of 72-73-73-79 and tied for fifth overall with David Ishii (75-298). Paul Kimura (76-76-152) won the senior's low amateur title. The A Flight winner was Rocky Reed (80-316) and Clifford Nishikawa (86-343) won B Flight.
MY NEW HERO – BRIAN DAVIS
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC - APRIL 18: Brian Davis of England celebrates his birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Verizon Heritage at the Harbour Town Golf Links on April 18, 2010 in Hilton Head lsland, South Carolina. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
I couldn’t write this better. Thank you Jay Busbee. Follow Yahoo! Sports' Devil Ball Golf on Facebook and Twitter.
“Imagine standing on the edge of achieving your life's dream. You make a small mistake that will cost you your dream -- but if you don't say anything, you might just get away with it. Would you own up to the mistake, or would you keep quiet and hope for the best?
Brian Davis isn't the best-known name in golf -- or even the hundredth-best-known -- but after Sunday, he ought to move up the list a few notches. Davis was facing Jim Furyk in a playoff at the Verizon Heritage, and was trying to notch his first-ever PGA Tour win. Davis's approach shot on the first hole of the playoff bounced off the green and nestled in among some weeds. (You can see the gunk he was hitting out of in that shot above.)
When Davis tried to punch the ball up onto the green, his club may have grazed a stray weed on his backswing.
So what's the big deal? This: hitting any material around your ball during your backswing constitutes a violation of the rule against moving loose impediments, and is an immediate two-stroke penalty. And in a playoff, that means, in effect, game over.
Okay, you can think that's a silly penalty or whatever, but that's not the point of this story. The point is that Davis actually called the violation on himself.
"It was one of those things I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye," Davis said. "And I thought we’d check on TV, and indeed there was movement." Immediately after the shot, Davis called over a rules official, who conferred with television replays and confirmed the movement -- but movement which was only visible on slow-motion. Unbelievable.
Jim Furyk is fitted with the winner's jacket and celebrates with his wife Tabitha (C) son Tanner (R) and daughter Caleigh (L) after winning the 2010 Verizon Heritage at the Harbour Town Golf Links on April 18, 2010 in Hilton Head lsland, South Carolina. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
As soon as the replays confirmed the violation, Davis conceded the victory to Furyk, who was somewhat stunned -- but, make no mistake, grateful for the win. "To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I wanted to win," Furyk said. "It’s obviously a tough loss for him and I respect and admire what he did." Furyk took home $1.03 million for the win. Davis won't exactly have to beg for change to get a ride home; he won $615,000 for second place. And he may have won much more than that by taking the honorable route.
To be sure, this isn't quite in the same category as J.P. Hayes, the golfer who disqualified himself from qualifying school after learning -- in his hotel room, all alone -- that he had played a nonqualifying ball; or Adam Van Houten, who cost his team an Ohio state title when he admitted signing an incorrect scorecard. For starters, Davis's shot was on television, and while he could have "not noticed" the movement, the TV cameras still did, and someone might have called him on it later on.
But the bigger deal is this -- the guy gave away a chance at winning his first-ever PGA Tour event because he knew that in golf, honesty is more important than victory. It's a tough lesson to learn, but here's hoping he gets accolades -- and, perhaps, some sponsorship deals -- that more than make up for the victory he surrendered.”
GREEN WILL NOT SURRENDER
Ken Green is back playing golf. This is the same man who, just a year ago, lost his leg in an automobile accident that killed his girlfriend, Jean Marie Hodgin, his brother William and his dog. And in January, his son Hunter, died of an overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol, according to an autopsy.
Green has returned to the game, maybe survived these most horrible of times, because of the game. Shortly after doctors told him he would have to give up his leg or his career, Green chose his career and made it clear he was coming back.
He played in the Legends of Golf with Mike Reid. The duo shot a best-ball 71 to finish at 12-under 204, tied for 26th out of 33 teams at the Champions Tour event. Green was weighing whether to play in the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic. "I've got to learn to play those courses again. I'm just not sure the time is right now."
Green also wants to play an upcoming individual 54-hole event, the Dick's Sporting Goods Classic in Endicott, N.Y. "If the nerves (in my lower leg) settle down and I can make the changes I need to make in my swing, I can do this," he said. "And I desperately want to do this."
LORENA WANTS FAMILY TIME
It was a very difficult meeting. The top female golfer in the world, Lorena Ochoa, on the one side of the room and the media on the other side. Her decision: to retire, or step away for now, from the game of golf. The decision was not an easy one but one she knew she had to make.
Ochoa played in Mexico the end of April, beginning of May, and didn’t rule out playing at least once a year, maybe more, but right now – family comes first.
I think this is going to be a natural progression for many of the young golfers coming into their own in the next ten to 15 years. Most of them have been playing golf since pre teen years and most will be ready to devote the same force of energy they gave to golf, to their next passion. I don’t think they’ll ever “abandon” the game. Annika Sorenstam hasn’t. But there is a season for everything.
OH, YEA, TIGER’S BACK
Someone who has absolutely no other interest in the game of golf said to me yesterday, “I’m glad he’s playing again. I like watching Tiger play.” It’s cliché right. People who don’t like golf will watch golf when Tiger Woods plays.
Sorry. No matter how much you dislike Woods, for the myriad of reasons people have disliked him even before his extra marital affairs were exposed, he attracts people to the game of golf. And we have come full circle. I began this column talking about becoming an Ambassador for the game. Check out the Ko Olina Golf Course.
Ko Olina Golf Course (Photo provided by Ko Olina Golf Course)
For the next weeks, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are competing. The “Dream Team” rivalry – the scenario that is supposed to generate the huge TV ratings anyone in the business of golf is hoping for – may be playing out. That depends on how well Woods plays after his 5-month absence.
When Woods returned, playing his first competitive golf at the Masters in Augusta, he seemed to sullenly accept his 4th place finish to Phil Mickelson’s victory.
Tiger Woods, in pre tournament interview at Quail Hallow, says he is trying to come to terms with his “rusty” game
Phil Mickelson celebrates with his wife Amy and family after his three-stroke victory after winning the 2010 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2010 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Mickleson told the media room at Quail Hallow, how special the Masters win is:
So who is the up and coming in the world of golf? How about this young man from Italy.
Augusta National Chairman William Porter "Billy" Payne presents the Silver Cup to Low Amateurr Matteo Manassero of Italy during the green jacket presentation after the final round of the 2010 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2010 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Matteo Mannaserro, who became the youngest to play the U.S. Masters, will be making his pro debut this month. He has come a long way from the time when golf courses tried to forbid his father from allowing the child of three to play. Manneserro turned 17 in April. “I started when I was three and on some courses they wouldn’t let me play because they said I was too little.” That’s going to change.
That’s it for now. You can always catch “The Golf Club” on line at http://www.radiogolfclub.com/. The show is live PLUS all the shows are “archived”, like a library, and you can listen to past shows any time you want.
And we are on the air on Oahu on “The Jewel” at 99.5 FM Saturday morning from 7am until 8:30am. On Maui, you can listen on KONI FM, 104.3, on Kauai, KTOH 99.9 FM and in Hilo, on KPUA AM 670.
Prefer a podcast? Pick us up at iTunes. On your smart phone? Get the StitcherRadio application and listen in.
It’s gonna be a big summer. Thank you for your Mana, and may you hit the sweet spot every time.
Aloha, Danielle
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Danielle,
Christina is one of the new fun faces of The LPGA. She brings out the fun and friendship that add to golf.
Thanks for the tip, Demo Day was a blast at Ko Olina. Got to actually use clubs in an outside environment. With the new 7 iron, I hit more balls high straight and where I was aiming, than I ever thought possible. You can't do that into a net.
Thanks for all you do...
CKUNIOY — Monday, May 3, 2010
Great articles. Keep up the good work.
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