'Boomers' enshrined in Hawai'i Golf Hall

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Larry Stubblefield recently won the Mid-Pacific Open. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I was around J.D. Ebersberger when he had the idea of starting this," Garriss said. "To be able to honor all the old guys seemed like a wonderful idea. I never thought I'd be one of the older guys."

He and Stubblefield, both 51, grew up together a few houses apart along Mid-Pacific Country Club. They were part of the first organized Hawai'i junior golf program and played from dawn until far past dusk.

"One-club tournaments in the dark are the best way I play golf," Garriss joked yesterday.

Davis, 52, was born in Lihu'e and started in the game by caddying at Wai'alae Country Club, where he is now an assistant pro. That allowed him to play free on Mondays, and earn enough money to buy his first set of left-handed clubs, from Mayor Neal S. Blaisdell.

Eventually, "Mondays were not enough," Davis said. "When the surf was down or it was windy, I would go to Ala Wai. Thank God for Ala Wai."

There, Hall of Famer Charles Makaiwa became a mentor, along with Davis' father, Dick, and many others. Davis thanked each yesterday, beginning with the five doctors who saved his life on Christmas Day in 1992, and ending with golf great Ben Hogan.

The doctors, all friends now, brought Davis back after he flat-lined twice nearly 10 years ago. Hogan's contribution came in the form of an article Davis read where Hogan admitted he wrote his "acceptance speech" before leaving for every major tournament.

Davis tried it in 1983, putting his thoughts on paper while he flew to the National Left Handers Championship in Washington. He finished his speech after the third round and won the tournament the next day, and the next year. There have been many victories since, including the 1989 State Open and 1992 JAL Rainbow Open.

Davis also qualified for the Hawaiian Open in 1983, while working on Wai'alae's grounds and maintenance crew. The course is home to his most memorable golf moment, in 1986. A 16-year-old South Dakota girl dying of leukemia asked the Make A Wish Foundation if she could come to Hawai'i to "play with the dolphins and play with a professional at the site of the Hawaiian Open."

Davis was the professional. "Just to see the expression on her face and her family's face was incredible," Davis recalls. "They were so nice I took them to dinner."

These "Boomers" are not close to the end of their golf careers. Two years ago, Davis was two shots from qualifying for the Senior PGA Tour. Garriss, who now lives near Sacramento, Calif., has rejoined the PGA of America and is "re-designing" his swing so he can compete again after a 10-year layoff.

Sunday, Stubblefield won the Mid-Pacific Open for the second time in 29 years. "The difference was," Stubblefield said, "in 1972 I was sure that those scores were my normal game. In 2001, I know they're probably not."

Stubblefield's golf notoriety covers a wide spectrum, from winning the first State Junior Golf Championship in 1966 to capturing last year's Aloha Section PGA Senior Championship. He qualified for three U.S. Amateurs and was low medalist at the 1972 PGA Tour Qualifying School.

He also played on the first mini-tour and in Europe, where he enjoyed success but returned to Kailua, began working in insurance and regained his amateur status. When he turned 50, he re-joined the professional ranks.

For the last 25 years, Stubblefield has chaired the original "100 Holes of Golf," which is the primary income source for rehabilitation center Ka Lima O Maui. Five years ago, with his left leg in a walking cast, Stubblefield shot even par over 100 holes at Wailea's Blue Course.

He traces much of his success to those early days of endless golf with Garriss, still the youngest golfer ever to win the MÔnoa Cup. Garriss defeated Stubblefield, Hung Soo Ahn, David "Bones" Bettencourt, Art Fujita and Paul Spengler — all Hall of Famers — to win the state amateur in 1967. He went on to an All-American career at BYU.

Yesterday, he came home to be with his Boomer buddies.

"I was overwhelmed that I would be included in this group," Stubblefield said. "Most of these guys in the Hall of Fame were all older and as I grew up they all, in one way or another, helped me. Most were examples to me. That's just the way golf works. You look up to the guys 10 or 20 years older than you.

"I was a little overwhelmed when I first heard, and I'm significantly overwhelmed now."

SHORT PUTTS: There are now 52 golfers in the Hall of Fame, established in 1988 to "commemorate the history of golf in Hawai'i and honor those individuals who have contributed to the game through their accomplishments as players or through their service to golf." ... The $15,000 Verizon Hawai'i Hall of Fame Championship will be May 6-7 at Kapalua's Plantation Course. A Pro-Am will be held May 5 at 9 a.m. Hilo's Kevin Hayashi will defend his title. Tournament charity is Maui Junior Golf.