The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) NorCal golf championships
will be held Monday, May 22, at Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club, and the CIF
couldn't have picked a more rested site.
The private course is still drying out from January-February rains and is
not officially open, although members have periodically been giving it a go.
''We should be down to the normal fairway height in a week or so,'' says
pro Val Verhunce, who in recent weeks has endured the agony of looking out the
clubhouse window at a course that looks so green and beautiful, but in truth
is too wet to be properly conditioned.
The NorCal championship, which moves around from year to year, has never
been in Sonoma County, so this is a coup for Verhunce and the club and a
chance for golf fans to come out and see some of the best young talent in the
country.
There will be 13 schools competing plus the top individuals from NorCal
sectional qualifying. Verhunce says both the boys' and girls' defending champs
are back this season and should qualify for the competition here.
The 18-hole team competition will start at 8 a.m., the same as the 36-hole
individual tournament. According to Verhunce, the final 18 holes will feature
the top individuals plus the top 10 players out of the team competition.
The public is invited to watch at no cost. Verhunce says he's encouraging
his club members to come out and support the event, and parents of aspiring
young golfers might give some thought to having their future Tom Watsons or
Beth Daniels take in the event.
MILITARY COUP: CourseCo, Inc. a golf course management and development
company based in Petaluma, has announced its selection as the management firm
for Mather GC in Sacramento.
The selection by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors brings a
five-year contract to operate the former military course. The championship
layout was designed in 1963 by Jack Fleming.
CourseCo president Tom Isaak said his group was selected over such
prominent firms as the Arnold Palmer Group and American Golf. CourseCo takes
over May 1.
According to Isaak, the contract makes CourseCo ''one of the first private
management firms to handle the transition of a military course into civilian
use'' following the Pentagon's downsizing.''
NIKE UPDATE: Although the Sonoma County Open is staged in one of the tour's
smallest population centers, the event ranked sixth overall in attendance on
the 30-event circuit, according to tournament boss Shaw Kobre.
''We estimated 30,000 (last year), the PGA said more like 20,000 and we
settled on 25,000,'' says Kobre, on the prowl for a major sponsor because the
purse goes from $175,000 to $200,000 with the local group forced to put up
half because Nike is locked into $100,000.
I've said it before and probably will again, but Nike is getting more than
its money's worth and should help out the shining lights such as Windsor,
especially the so-called smaller markets like Sonoma County.
Kobre says the tournament is also looking for more committee help. As is
usually the case, too few people are doing too much of the work. If you'd like
to help out, call 838-1865 and leave your name.
SOMETHING FISHY: There are still some tee times left for golfers who want
to play in the Bodega Harbour Golf Links Fisherman's Festival Tournament April
22-23.
Entry fee is $75, which includes green fees (18 holes), cart, tee prize and
lunch at the festival. Proceeds benefit Bodega Bay public service agencies.
The tournament is open to men and women. Call 875-3538.
SUMMER SCHOOL: Windsor GC is once again offering its popular summer program
for kids.
The sessions -- one-hour classes each Thursday for six weeks -- are open to
boys and girls ages 7-17 with grouping by age and ability.
Cost is $35 with additional siblings $20. With 80 spots open, Windsor is
requesting applications in advance.
Call 838-7888 for details.
CADDY UPDATE: April 30 is the deadline to sign up as a possible caddy at
Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club.
Applicants can call or come to the club and pick up an application. When
the form is completed and returned, the prospective caddy will take a written
exam.
For details, call Joe Rivera at 546-6617.
GO FOR THE GOLD: The second annual Raley's Amateur Gold Rush returns with a
total of 1,200 golfers expected to play in four flights, scratch to high
handicapper.
The format allows amateurs with verifiable handicaps a chance to qualify at
their own club for an opportunity to play in the U.S. Bank Pro-Am Monday, Oct.
9, during tournament week at the Senior Gold Rush at Rancho Murieta.
Any club scheduled to hold an 18-hole event for its members between April
15 and Aug. 6 can qualify its members for the Amateur Gold Rush. The second
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