Beattie is one of an energetic group of senior men who know the nuances of the outdoor version of racquetball, particularly at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki.

Beattie, a corn and soybean farmer, said he used to play indoor racquetball on the Mainland and finds the outdoor game harder.

"Because in the indoor game you have four walls instead of one and you can hit it off any wall and the ceiling if you like. But this is really more fun being outdoors."

Many of the Fort DeRussy players come from the Mainland and claim they have come to Hawai'i for years because of the daily ongoing game.

In Hawai'i's outdoor game, there is a front wall about 15 feet high with fencing surrounding the court. There are usually two teams of two for doubles. Singles can be played, too, but that takes quite a bit of energy since the game goes so fast.

Dave Chapnick

Chapnick says he likes the closeness and banter on the court.

After playing, Chapnick takes a few steps to the ocean for a swim. "Life doesn't get much better than that," he said.

Just by listening, one can tell the speed of a racquetball coming off of a wall. There's one sound for a soft hit and a different one for a harder hit.

That's what makes this fast-paced game exciting: its change of pace. Hit the ball soft and the opponent has to hustle to the wall to return it, and run the risk of his foe smashing it hard over his head.

The server must stand in a set of parallel lines that run across midcourt. The front wall must be hit and then the ball returned by an opponent. It continues until the ball goes beyond the lines that surround the court or the opponent can't return it. Scoring is like rally scoring in volleyball — every serve results in a point, until the winner reaches 31.

There is a constant rotation among the eight or more who show up to play each day at DeRussy. If you win you stay on court one; lose and you're relegated to court two.

Ross Fillipono, 82, is somewhat of a ringer. He played in a national racquetball tournament in Los Angeles last year and took the gold medal in the 80 to 85 category. Recently, he went to Paris for the World Tournament and took the gold there in his age category.

Fillipono has been coming from Vancouver, British Columbia, where he was a restaurateur for 35 years. He said the people at the daily racquetball game are like a second family.

"It's a great bunch of guys and by playing this game we really get to know each other," he said.

Chapnick said that he and the rest of the group would be delighted to teach anyone how to play the game.

"We like anyone to come and play even if they're beginners. These are military courts, so the only restriction is the military has priority," he said.