The 2009 Summer Solstice golf tournament began with the swing of a club and the ping of the ball as they met June 20 at Torii Pines golf course here.
The tournament began just before 6 a.m. and lasted well into the evening. There were 53 participants of all ranks, ages, and gender, and the course was a total of 54 holes to play.
“Each player goes through the course six times,” said golf course manager and Professional Golfers Association Pro Paul Hahn.
There were three sections of the tournament. The first was the Best Ball of Two, second was called Scramble and
third was Alternate Shot.
Prizes for winning a section included a two hundred dollar golf bag with the tournament logo on it, a set of golf balls and $60 gift certificates to Torii Pines golf course.
The purpose of the best ball section of the tournament was to play the best hit ball by a golfer. Golfers were paired up and they played which ever ball had the better position. The golfer who hit the better ball would play, while the other watched.
The Scramble was similar to the Best Ball section except both golfers hit their balls and they would pick which is the better hit and both hit from there. “Alternate Shot is I hit, you hit, I hit, you hit,” said Hahn.
Breakfast, lunch, and pizza at the end of the tournament were available to all participants along with beverages of all assortments.
“We had a good time. If nothing else we always have a good time out here,” said competitor Butch Beltran.
Most of the participants of the tournament were not too concerned with winning or losing, but rather to have a
good time.
“We didn’t add our score card up, we just turned it in and went on to the next section. We are just out here to play 54 holes of golf and survive” said winner of the Best Ball of Two John Helm.
Helm told his daughter if he won any section and received a golf bag he would give it to her.
He stood by his word and did so. Helm and his daughter also competed in the Father-Daughter tournament held
Sunday.
For more information on golf tournaments or the Torii Pines golf course call 253-3402.