Cindy Rarick, who represents Waikoloa on the LPGA tour, will be back at her "second home" soon to host the annual Waikoloa Women's Golf Challenge. The event will be Oct. 22 at the resort's Kings' Course and Oct. 23 at the Beach Course.

Rarick is a former University of Hawai'i golfer and five-time LPGA champion. Her advice to women preparing for the Challenge is to work on strength and flexibility.

She suggests working with a swing builder or speed stick, devices that allow golfers to swing naturally but with extra weight.

"Swing slow and gentle and build up," Rarick says. "Then the club will feel like a toothpick and it will equate to more club-head speed."

Rarick goes to yoga and tries to stretch everyday to improve flexibility. Beyond that, she advises watching Annika Sorenstam or Rosie Jones.

"Annika's swing is compact, but there are no extra movements," Rarick says. "Her swing is so repetitive. Rosie makes her half a million every year. She makes a very, very solid living because she's so consistent with her rhythm and tempo."

Rarick hopes to play in both LPGA events here next year — the SBS Open at Turtle Bay (Feb. 16 to 18) and the Fields Open in Hawai'i (Feb. 23 to 25).

The Waikoloa Women's Challenge supports the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Foundation and the Waikoloa Foundation.

For information, call Waikoloa director of golf Dave Pritchett at (808) 886-5172.

GRAND SLAM DISCOUNT

For the first time, a kama'aina discount is being offered on season tickets for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Nov. 21 to 23 at Po'ipu Bay Golf Course on Kaua'i.

Season tickets, providing access to Monday's Pro-Am and the two tournament days, are usually $40. Hawai'i residents can purchase the season tickets for $20 before Nov. 1. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-PGA-TCKT (742-8258), or online at PGA.com.

Daily tickets are $10 for the Pro-Am and $20 for the first or second round. Play begins at noon for the first and second round.

This year's PGA Grand Slam of Golf features Masters and British Open champion Tiger Woods, U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell, PGA champion Phil Mickelson, and alternate Vijay Singh. They will play for a $1 million purse, with the winner getting $400,000.

Woods won this event from 1998 to 2002. Mickelson is the defending champion. He set a course and event record last year with a 13-under-par 59 on the final day.

HANDICAP SEMINAR

The Hawai'i State Golf Association will hold its 13th and final USGA Handicap System Certification Training Seminar on Oct. 29 at Honolulu Country Club, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Any club that would like to be certified to use the USGA Handicap System and offer USGA Approved Handicaps to members must attend an HSGA-conducted seminar before the end of the year. The seminar is free to HSGA members and $35 for non-members.

For more information on the USGA Handicap System Certification Seminars contact the HSGA (589-2909) or visit HawaiiStateGolf.org.

PRINCEVILLE RE-OPENS

The Princeville Makai Golf Course has reopened its nine-hole Ocean Course, which had been partially closed since the beginning of the year for renovations. The Ocean Nine is part of the 27 holes that make up the Princeville Makai Course.

Two Ocean holes were closed in January for repairs, and other upgrades were made the past several months, including drainage improvements, cart path repair and weed eradication.

For more information or to book tee times, call toll free 1-800-826-1105 or direct on Kaua'i (826-3580). Tee times can also be booked online at princeville.com

DWYER MISSES CUT

Kailua's Bridget Keala Dwyer rallied to shoot a 1-over-par 73 yesterday, but still missed the cut at the second LPGA sectional qualifying in Florida.

The Punahou graduate opened with an 82 Tuesday for a 155. The cut came at 152 at the Plantation Golf & Country Club.

A total of 74 will play the last two days. The top 30 and ties advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. The leader halfway is Annie Young of Highland, Utah, at 67-135.

NOTES

The 82nd annual Big Island Amateur Championship has been moved from this month to Dec. 10 and 11 at Mauna Lani's North Course. The Francis H. I'i Brown, Island of Hawai'i, Men's and Women's Amateur Match Play Championships has also been moved — to Nov. 26, 27 and Dec. 3 at Mauna Lani.

The University of Hawai'i-Hilo College-AM tournament will be Oct. 29 at Makalei Hawai'i Country Club in Kailua-Kona. Cost is $60 per player or $240 per amateur team. Each four-person team is partnered with a Vulcan golfer. All proceeds benefit the UH-Hilo golf team. For more information, contact Kevin Ginoza on the Big Island (808-325-6625).

Hilo's Ed O'Hara was one of three winners of Longs' Pro for a Day Sweepstakes. He got to play in yesterday's Longs Drugs Challenge Pro-Am with LPGA Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, at The Ridge Golf Club in California.