Isle courses No.1 in Golf Digest book
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i's golf courses rank No. 1 in North America, according to the newest edition of Golf Digest's Places to Play, published by Fodor's Travel Publications.
The book profiles more than 6,500 public and resort courses. Sites were judged by more than 20,000 Golf Digest readers based on overall golf experience, value, standard of service, overall conditioning and pace of play.
Each course earned a star rating from one to five. Hawai'i's average star rating was 3.680. Colorado came up second (3.332) and New Mexico third (3.286). Florida and California were not in the Top 10.
Custom fitting at Hapuna
Custom fitting, prize drawings, advice and a shot at $1 million will be available Saturday at Hapuna Golf Course on the Big Island.
The event starts at 8 a.m. There will be vendor tents lining the range, hourly prizes and representatives from Nike, MacGregor, Callaway, Zevo, Taylor Made, Srixon, Ping, Cobra, Body Balance, Hogan, Titleist, Cleveland and Oakley.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Links Worldwide.com Tournament Services will sponsor a $10,000 Putting Contest, followed by a $1 million Hole-in-One Contest. It is open only to amateurs, with an entry fee.
Admission is free. For more information, call Hapuna at Mauna Kea Resort (880-3000).
Hall of Fame tournament
The 12th annual Verizon Hall of Fame Pro-Am and Championship will be May 11-13 at Kapalua Plantation.
The Pro-Am Saturday will be best-ball format with 28 pros joining four-person amateur teams. The 36-hole tournament Sunday and Monday includes a senior division. Kapalua pro Doug Bohn is defending champion. Hilo Muni's Rodney Acia won the seniors.
The tournament is run in conjunction with the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Lance Suzuki and Dan Nishimoto will be inducted Monday at the Hawai'i Prince Hotel in Waikiki.
For tournament information, call 669-8871 on Maui. For Hall of Fame information, call the Aloha Section PGA (593-2230).
Kama'aina deals at Wailea
Wailea Golf Club will begin two kama'aina specials on May 6.
The Four-for-Three special allows four Hawai'i residents to play for the price of three ($180 per foursome at Emerald and Gold courses, $165 at Blue). Tee times must be booked as a foursome.
The second special offers kama'aina a $45 rate at the Blue Course, after noon daily.
Tee times can be made up to seven days in advance by calling 875-7450 on Maui.
Tournament deadlines
Deadline for Hawai'i's first local U.S. Women's Open qualifying is Wednesday. That is also the deadline for the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links.
Players must have a handicap index of 4.4 or less for the Open, which will hold its local qualifying May 20, at Waialae. The national championship is July 4-7 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.
There is no handicap requirement for Public Links. Local qualifiers will be held at Ala Wai (May 11), Kapalua Bay Course and Pua Kea (both May 18). The national championship is June 18-23 at Sunriver Resort in Oregon.
Championships can be entered on-line at usga.org.
Dates have been changed for the men's U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open qualifiers, to eliminate conflicts with other tournaments. The U.S. Open qualifying has been moved to May 6 (Waialae) and the seniors will play June 6 (Honolulu Country Club).
Shoji Invitational
The third annual Dave Shoji Invitational will be May 10, at Ko'olau Golf Club. The tournament generates funds to support Rainbow Wahine volleyball's summer tuition assistance program, spring transportation and other expenses not covered by the budget.
Tournament format is three-person scramble, with an 11:45 a.m. shotgun start. Cost is $400 a team. Deadline is May 8. For more information, call 956-2506 or 778-7787.
52nd Jenny K. set
The 52nd annual Jennie K. Wilson Invitational will be May 17-19 at Mid-Pacific Country Club. The event — one of three Hawai'i women's majors — is open to female golfers with handicaps of 21 or less. Players of any age with single-digit handicaps are eligible.
Michelle Wie, who won last year at the age of 11, will not defend her title. Wie has received a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's Asahi Ryokuken International the same week in South Carolina.
Championship flight tees off from 9-9:30 a.m. in Sunday's final round.
Junior World qualifier
Members of the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association who have passed the 2002 HSJGA Rules Test by May 10, and met scoring criteria for their age division, are eligible to play in the Junior World State Qualifier.
The qualifier will be June 13-14. Juniors ages 7-12 play at Hawai'i Country Club. Those 13-17 will be at Makaha Valley Country Club.
Qualifiers advance to the 35th Junior World Championships in San Diego, July 16-19. Deadline is May 10. For applications and more information, call the HSJGA (532-0559).
