Whitey Rose champions college degree in golf
• 2003 Aloha Section PGA awards
By Bill Kwon
Don't stop reading. Eventually I'll get to David Ishii, Ron Castillo Jr., Kevin Hayashi, Jonathan Ota, Donald Hurter and Michelle Wie, but let's first talk about Whitey Rose, recipient of the Aloha Section PGA's Distinguished Service Award this year.
He's known mostly as the father of Dennis Rose, Mauna Lani Resort's director of golf. But Whitey was the one who introduced his son to the game of golf. And through his years of dedicated service and promotion, countless others have taken up the game as well.
At the moment, Whitey's main endeavor is trying to establish a PGA-certified baccalaureate degree in professional golf management at his hometown University of Hawai'i-Hilo, besides playing golf at least twice a week.
The Aloha Section PGA endorsed this idea that would provide training and skills for future golf professionals. There are 14 colleges and universities now offering four- to five-year golf management programs.
"Currently, anyone desiring a college degree in a golf management career must enroll in one of several Mainland universities that offer such programs," Rose says. "An on-island program means our talented young people could go to school on the Big Island, conduct their internships on the Kohala Coast, and possibly have job opportunities here upon graduation.
"With our year-round golf, this program would also be a magnet for students from out of state. It would have positive economic potential for years to come."
Once a 7-handicapper, Rose is now a 20 at his home course, the Volcano Country Club, just outside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, although he'll play to a 15 anywhere else.
"It shows you how tough that little course is," Rose says in defense of his roaming handicap.
Perhaps another reason is that he plays every Thursday at Volcano — the highest golf course in Hawai'i at 4,280 feet above sea level — with a senior gang.
And the stakes can be pretty high.
Once a year, everyone in the group has to put up the jackpot money the week closest to his birthday. A dollar for each birthday.
"I had to put up 78 dollars when it came to my turn. And I've been paying since I was 50," Rose said.
Former Big Island state senator Richard Henderson, another in the gang that can shoot straight, turns 75 on Christmas Day. Rose and his other buddies, including 65-year-old Donald Yamada, the group's "Taisho" or commissioner, can't wait.
The senior member of the birthday gang is 91-year-old Richard Furtado, who still plays occasionally. They love his money.
Rose once recalled when a 22-year-old guard from the nearly Kilauea Military Camp wanted to join them.
"I told him to come back when he got to be 50. We have a $50 minimum."
Rose, a Michigan native, has become as Big Island as you can get. He was first stationed with the Navy in Hilo during World War II, married a Hilo girl and has lived there since 1947.
Rita, his wife of 59 years, also golfs twice a week and has something in common with her husband and Dennis. They each have one hole in one.
Daughter Pat Jamesson doesn't golf, but her son, Pono, a senior at Oregon State, does.
"One of my most pleasant rounds was playing with my three grandsons at Ka'anapali recently," said Whitey. The foursome included Dennis' two sons, David, who is in the University of Hawai'i's Travel Industry Management school, and Stephen, a sophomore at Sonoma State.
Whitey also will never forget his hole in one about 15 years ago at the Village Course's 15th hole in a practice round before the Kapalua Clambake. Unfortunately, a BMW was the prize at that hole, but only during the tournament.
"All they gave me was a set of keys and it wasn't for the car," Rose recalled.
Dennis, whose only ace came at Mauna Kea's signature third hole when he was an assistant pro there, didn't see his father's shot. "I was looking down and marking his score from the last hole. He went from a 9 to a 1," the younger Rose said.
They're in
Getting back to Ishii and Castillo. They shot even-par 70s to win the two Aloha Section PGA spots in the Sony Open qualifying on Monday to join Hayashi, who got an exemption as the section's player of the year. Ota won the amateur exemption, beating UH-Hilo's Mike Kim in a playoff after both shot 75.
The qualifying was held using the Sony Open yardage and par, instead of the members' par-72 at the Waialae Country Club. And it played long because of wet conditions.
For Castillo, it's his second straight year in the Sony Open after making it as the section's player of the year in 2002.
"I'm going to have fun with it," said Castillo, who has yet to make the cut in either the Sony or Hawaiian Open in five attempts.
According to Castillo, his goal isn't just trying to make the cut. But not to let Michelle Wie, who got a sponsor's exemption, beat him.
Hayashi is also oh-fer going into his fourth Sony try, while Ota will be playing for the second time in three years.
"Playing in a PGA event is an unbelievable experience for an amateur," said Ota. "The first time (for me) was a mind-blowing experience. Hopefully, I'll be more mentally ready this time."
However, history hasn't been too kind to the amateurs. The last amateur to make the cut was Hurter in the 1981 Hawaiian Open won by Hale Irwin.
Hurter, then 20 and a sophomore at the University of Mexico after graduating from Iolani School, shot a second-round 67 to survive the cut and finished in a tie for 36th with a 72-hole score of 280. He ended a stroke ahead of a 23-year-old Brit who later went on to win three Masters and three British Open titles — Nick Faldo.
So imagine what Wie can do — not only for women's golf but for amateur golf in general — if she can accomplish the unthinkable, that is, playing all four rounds.
Outside of Dean Wilson, a Kane'ohe native who is a member of the PGA Tour, the local golfer with the best chance of playing the weekend is Ishii, the 1990 Hawaiian Open champion who missed the cut only once in four previous Sony Open appearances.
There's still one more chance for local golfers to try and qualify for the event. That'll be the four-spot Monday qualifier (Jan. 12) at the Pearl Country Club the week of the 2004 Sony Open.
Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net
• • •
Golf Professional of the Year: Rick Castillo (Wailea)
Teacher of the Year: Randy Chang (Aloha Academy of Golf at Ko'olau)
Horton Smith Award: Dennis Rose (Mauna Lani), for "outstanding service contributions to developing and improving educational opportunities for the PGA golf professional."
Bill Strausbaugh Award: Mark Rolfing (NBC sports), to member who has "caused dramatic improvement in employment conditions of PGA golf professionals."
Junior Golf Leader: Larry Keil (Turtle Bay)
Assistant Professional of the Year: Shane Abe (Oahu Country Club)
Merchandiser of the Year: Resort—Rick Castillo (Wailea). Private—Ray Suzuki (Waialae), Public—Rodney Acia (Hilo Muni)
Player of the Year: Kevin Hayashi, Larry Stubblefield (Senior)
Distinguished Service Award: D.W. "Whitey" Rose
President's Award: Paul Sugimoto, to an "individual outside the section for their dedicated service in the promotion of golf in Hawai'i"
Sales Representative of the Year: Eric Yasunaga (TaylorMade-adidas)
2004-2005 Board of Directors: Greg Nichols (Ko Olina), Andrew Feldmann (Oahu CC), Matthew Hall (Turtle Bay), Michael Castillo (Po'ipu Bay), Brendan Moynahan (Experience at Ko'ele) and Doug Stephenson (Challenge at Manele). Ed Kageyama (Ka'anapali) starts a new two-year term as president/treasurer and Dennis Rose (Mauna Lani) continues as secretary.
