Shock and anger mixed with confusion as Hawai'i's golf community began to realize the reverberations from the news that Kaua'i's Mary Bea Porter-King would not continue on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Golf Association after February.

Porter-King, also President and co-founder of the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association, was told at the Metropolitan (N.Y.) Golf Writers Association banquet June 21. It is where the annual Mary Bea Porter Humanitarian Award is presented. The award honors Porter-King's heroic act of saving a drowning boy (Jonathan Smucker) while playing a 1988 LPGA event.

The news spread quickly after a recent Golfweek story unofficially announced that the Nominating Committee voted Porter-King and Paul Caruso Jr., of Montana, off the committee as of the annual meeting early next year. The USGA later confirmed the story, and said Bruce Richards, from Washington, was also out.

Of the 12 people remaining on the volunteer executive committee there is one woman. Three people will be named to replace the outgoing members. The Golfweek story named two, both East Coast males. That leaves just three members from west of Texas.

The mission of the organization is "to act for the good of the game on behalf of all golfers," according to a USGA spokesperson. The committee makes all decisions for the game's governing body. The USGA conducts 13 national championships annually, writes and interprets the Rules of Golf, funds various maintenance projects and supports grassroots programs through its "For the Good of the Game" initiative.

The magazine story characterized Porter-King as "one of the most popular members of the Executive Committee" and quoted an unnamed USGA committee member as saying, "I cannot believe what is happening. People are really upset about this. Some are mad as hell. Everybody loves Mary Bea."

Two weeks after she heard the news, Porter-King responded to questions by email. She took the high road.

"I am disappointed my time on the Executive Committee is coming to an end, but grateful for the opportunity to give back to a game that has given me so much in my life," she wrote.

She added that her "three greatest accomplishments" in life thus far are giving birth to her son Joseph, saving Jonathan Smucker and serving five years on the executive committee.

"Only one I wish did not have to end!," she wrote. "My term will be over in February 2006 so until then I will continue to serve the USGA proudly and enthusiastically.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would have the opportunity to serve the game on the USGA Executive Committee. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve over the last five years and when it is over I will continue to serve the game in every way I am able."

Those involved in the game here, and familiar with Porter-King, found it harder to be diplomatic. All those The Advertiser spoke with said they were "shocked" initially. Many, like those on the Mainland, were "mad as hell" at the treatment Porter-King received after five years of what they perceived as "selfless" dedication.

She is an official at many of the organization's major events and travels all over the globe at her own expense. Porter-King is passionate about her position as a "guardian of the game."

"She is the epitome of championship golf when it comes to Hawai'i," said Kapalua's Mark Rolfing, an NBC golf announcer. "She loves it, she breathes it, she lives it, she dies it. I'm so disappointed I can't even put it into words."

"To me it's a step backwards," said Matt Hall, Turtle Bay's Director of Golf. "If you look at the committee makeup now ... it is not getting a voice from all of the United States.

"Anyone involved in golf who knows Mary Bea has the utmost respect for her. She has done this to promote golf in general. Her playing days are done. She's not doing it to get her kid into anything or anything like that. It was the whole initiative to growing the game and getting more involvement. She has tangible evidence that she had an impact on an entire state and region."

Porter-King gives Hawai'i a USGA voice for the first time and works tirelessly to close the "ocean gap." Her most striking accomplishment here is to get Hawai'i its own U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open local and sectional qualifiers.

It took her years to convince the committee that prohibitive costs were keeping gifted Hawai'i players from competing in major amateur championships. In 2003 she broke down the expenses of a Kaua'i player attempting to qualify for the Open. Her conservative total was $5,829.

By 2004, Hawai'i had its qualifiers. Those are now in danger.

"Whatever Mary Bea does, she gives her all," said Donald Hirata, the Aloha Section PGA Tournament Director. "She got the short end of it. It's going to hurt Hawai'i a lot. There will be no force here now to do anything major. We're going to go back to square one and we'll be nobody."

The USGA gave Porter-King no reason for her termination. Porter-King doesn't expect one and she's not alone. Hal Okita, president of the Hawai'i State Golf Association, which is affiliated with the USGA, said his organization discussed asking for a reason. It rejected the idea, figuring "nobody was going to tell us."

"I thought she was doing a great job," Okita said. "She should feel good for what she did — not just for Hawai'i but she did other good things across the board. She should hold her head up proud. I'm just flabbergasted."

The USGA is moving on. Marty Parkes, its Senior Director of Communications, said in an email to The Advertiser that the three outgoing members "all have been wonderful people and volunteers and the USGA appreciates all that they have done. Their contributions are numerous and the nation's golfers have benefited from their service to our Association."

He added, "It is envisioned that most executive committee members will serve for three or four years. Mary Bea, Paul, and Bruce have served for at least four years. Thus, they are being rotated off to create spots for new volunteers who will bring other perspectives to the executive committee."