GOLF BRIEFS
Hayashi, Taketa will try to defend crown

Advertiser Staff

Mauna Kea Resort's Kevin Hayashi and Hilo Muni's Lance Taketa will defend their title in the Big Island Candies Scotch 4-Ball Championship.

The Aloha Section PGA's first major of the year will be Sunday and Monday at Hapuna on the Big Island. The 22 teams will be playing for $8,000.

Mid-Pacific Open set for April 15-18

Regan Lee will defend his title in the 46th annual Mid-Pacific Open, April 15-18 in Lanikai. Guinea Kop, Lee's grandfather, won the inaugural Open in 1956.

The tournament opens with a Pro-Am April 14. There are Professional, Pro-Senior, Championship, A and B flights in the 72-hole stroke-play tournament, which cuts the field in half Friday night.

Entry deadline is April 1. Applications are available at the pro shop (261-9765).

The club recently approved bylaw changes for members who join on or after May 1. Changes include the elimination of the Proprietary Certificate, and designates golf privileges for spouses. There are also new Intermediate (between ages 21 and 40) and Business membership categories.

Rules clinics scheduled

The Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association and Hawai'i State Women's Golf Association both have upcoming rules clinics.

HSJGA members can earn two CE hours for attending any of the four clinics. The schedule is:

• March 28: Kaua'i — Wailua Golf Course.
• April 24: O'ahu — Hawai'i Prince Golf Club.
• April 25: Big Island — Naniloa Country Club.
• May 8: Maui — Dunes at Maui Lani.

The HSWGA will hold a Rules Workshop Saturday, March 27, at Oahu Country Club. It will run from 8 a.m. to noon.

The workshop is designed to help members become comfortable with using the Rules of Golf and Decisions Books, and also to review 2004 changes.

It is open to all HSWGA members and those attending will receive a 2004 Rules of Golf book. Those interested should call 235-3439 or e-mail Graceowilson@aol.com.

State courses receive honors

Princeville Resort and Kapalua Bay Hotel & Ocean Villas are included among the Top 10 U.S. Golf Resorts in Travel and Leisure Golf magazine's 2003 readers' survey. Pebble Beach Resorts, in California, tops the list. Princeville is sixth and Kapalua eighth.

The magazine also surveyed its readers by region. In the Hawai'i region, Grand Wailea Resort came up No. 1 as the best golf resort for a family. In other areas, top choices were:

• Princeville: Best in "terms of course conditions, staff attitude and pace of play," and also "best golf resort" in Hawai'i.
• Kapalua Bay: Best for a "golf-intensive buddy trip in Hawai'i."
• Four Seasons Hualalai: Best in "terms of service, food, rooms, and other non-golf facilities."
• Turtle Bay: "Most under-rated."
• Kapalua Plantation: "Top public course."

SHORT PUTTS: In the season finale of Golf Hawaii on Tuesday, Mark Rolfing talks with Mercedes Championships winner Stuart Appleby. The interview includes a look at Appleby's surfing lesson with Kelly Slater. The show, which will also feature Kapalua Resort, will be re-aired several times on The Golf Channel. ... The next edition of 808Golf TV will feature the Hawai'i State Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and again be presented by Turtle Bay Resort. Its premier will be at 8 p.m., March 27, with repeats to follow. ... Openings are available at the Casey Nakama Golf Development Center at Olomana. The year-round program is designed for beginners through advanced players and includes the Casey Nakama Zone 54 Junior Tour. Call 259-7712 for information.

UH freshman ties for second in invitational

University of Hawai'i freshman Dale Gammie shot a final-round 2-over-par 74 yesterday to finish in a four-way tie for second at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational at the Kane'ohe Klipper Golf Course.

Gammie, who is from Pukalani, Maui, shot a three-round total of 5-over 221. Washington State's Kim Welch won with 219.

Other UH golfers were: Sara Odelius (225, ninth), Tara Chappell (244, tie for 36th), Rene Krause (245, tie for 38th) and Megan McGuinness (251, tie for 43rd).

Hawai'i finished in a tie for fourth with 926. New Mexico won with 889, 29 strokes ahead of runner-up San Diego State.