Rarick in Waikoloa Women's Challenge

Advertiser Staff

Something always brings Cindy Rarick back to Hawai'i. This weekend, it is the second annual Waikoloa Women's Golf Challenge.

The tournament was designed to appeal to female golfers in the work force, providing a weekend of golf, networking and socializing in a resort environment. The schedule includes parties each night, meals, a spa treatment and a clinic with Rarick. In between there is golf, played Saturday at the Kings' Course and Sunday at the Beach.

There are 32 two-woman teams participating. Proceeds benefit the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Foundation.

Rarick, a former University of Hawai'i golfer, is Waikoloa's touring pro. Her first LPGA victory came in the 1987 Hawaiian Ladies Open at Turtle Bay. Her fifth — and last — came in 1991.

At 44, she has won more than $2 million and is contemplating retirement, but still plays as often as she can and spends lots of time at corporate outings like this. At most, she is surrounded by men. This weekend will be different as she works with one of golf's most valued new markets.

"This clinic will be more about how to manage your game, cut strokes with the small amount of time they are able to put into golf," Rarick says. "Business women don't have a couple hours a day to spend on their game. They might only have a couple hours a month."

Rarick plans to enjoy the rest of the weekend and hopes Hawai'i, where she won state match and stroke play championships in the late 1970s, will help her perspective.

Her last top 10 finish was three years ago. All the work she has put into her game the past 18 months has not helped.

"I've kept my fitness level up and it's not my length that's killing me, it's my inconsistency," Rarick says. "My swing has a couple of quirks."

Now she's with a new teacher who lifted her spirits even before she returned to the one place that soothes her soul.

"I feel I can do it," Rarick says. "It's not like I've lost total desire. There's still a lot of money on the table in the LPGA tour to be won. I'd just like to play at a consistent level, make some cuts, get a few top 10s and have a chance to win every once in a while."

Tourneys at Mauna Kea's Hapuna: This year's Prince Resorts Hawai'i State Open will be at Mauna Kea's Hapuna Golf Course, Nov. 14-16. The Oakley Pro-Am is Nov. 13. Total purse is $50,000.

The field will be made up of 84 in the men's division, and 18 each in the women's and senior divisions. Those eligible are professionals or male amateurs with a 6.6 index or lower and women with an index of 10.1 or lower. Entry deadline is Oct. 28 for exempt entries and Nov. 4 for non-exempt.

For more information, call 593-2230, or (877) 742-6248 outside O'ahu, or visit aloha.pga.com.