SOUTHBOUND AND DOWN, that’s right, I’m headed to sunny San Diego and then up to Hermosa Beach for a week of sun, sand, a Washington State football game and . . . golf.
Although its rates are reasonable when compared to other courses like Pebble Beach, I won’t be playing the gem of the San Diego area, Torrey Pines.
I’m leaning heavily toward playing a round at Coronado Municipal Golf Course.
It’s located right along the bay, offers some choice views of the downtown skyline and the best thing for me: I will get to ride on the 2.1-mile long San Diego-Coronado Bridge to get there.
While in the Los Angeles area, I might try my hand at the Los Feliz Golf Course, a par-3 track popularized in the movie “Swingers.”
So no golf column from me next week, enjoy yourselves out on the course.
I know I will.
SkyRidge tourney set
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will hold a three-person scramble tournament on Saturday.
Tee time is 9:30 a.m. for the tourney, which is $30 per player ($90 per team).
That’s a change from my past couple of columns, so please take note.
A honey pot will be up for grabs for an extra $20 a player.
Three drives from each player must be used during the round.
Lunch will follow play, and there will be two drawings for a Las Vegas vacation.
For more information, call 360-683-3673.
Sunglasses at night?
Port Townsend Golf Club will host the sixth annual Sunrise Rotary Driving in the Dark golf tournament on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The five-person scramble format event begins with registration and a $100 putting contest at 3 p.m.
Entry fee is $75 per player or $350 per team.
Teams can sponsor a hole for another $100.
The putting contest is included in the entry fee.
Competitors will try for a $10,000 hole-in-one prize on one of the par-3 holes during the event.
The event also includes a $1,000 stroke play contest with a $500 first prize, $300 for second and $200 for third place.
Players will play nine holes starting in daylight at 4:30 p.m., then take a break for a catered dinner with raffles and prizes, then play the back nine in moonlight with glow-in-the-dark golf balls provided to competitors.
A dessert buffet will follow the moonlit round of golf.
Lots of fun, lots of hijinks out there on the links and some delicious dinner and desserts.
Get it on the fun by calling Port Townsend Golf Club at 360-385-4547 or Curtis Stacey at 360-302-0979.
Elks a success
Port Townsend hosted the annual Elks Lodge Scholarship Fundraiser last Saturday.
More than $5,000 was raised for scholarships for graduating high school seniors.
Assistant pro Gabriel Tonan reports that “There was a large field of players to help support this wonderful event.”
Indeed. I compile the Peninsula Daily News scholarship recognition insert each year and I see how much these funds help students reach their educational goals.
Good job Elks!
Knights tourney set
The Knights of Columbus annual Charity Golf Tournament will be held at SunLand Golf & Country Club in Sequim on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The two-man best ball competition will include categories for men’s, women’s and mixed teams in handicap and Calloway divisions.
Check-in will start at 10:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon.
This year’s tournament is co-sponsored by the Sequim and Port Angeles Knights of Columbus chapters.
There will be putting, closest to the pin and long-drive contests.
In addition, there will be a cash prize for a hole in one on a designated par 3.
The entry fee is $55 per player, $45 for members of Peninsula Golf Club and $25 for members of SunLand.
Golf carts are separate and available.
Proceeds from this tournament have benefited local charities, including Boys and Girls Club, Hospice, Sequim Food Bank, Care-Net, St. Vincent de Paul, Queen of Angels School and many others.
For more information or to sign up, call Mike Schmidt at 360-460-0331 or Bill Wheeler at 360-582-0452.
Peninsula Lady Niners
Sandy Granger checked in to report on the Peninsula Lady Niners annual Red, White and Blue Invitational Tournament.
Under beautiful skies and warm temperatures, 60 golfers from SunLand, Dungeness, Port Ludlow, Discovery Bay, Port Townsend and Peninsula Golf Club participated in a four-person team game utilizing a low gross and two low net scores to determine the winners.
First place team players were Donna Willenberg, Janie Marcus, Lindsey Busch and Pauline Hammond.
Second place were Dona Scarcia, Sheila Kilmer, Kathy Snider and Sarah Myers.
Discovery Bay and Port Townsend were well represented in the “special holes” category with Discovery Bay’s Lynn Pierle earning most accurate drive and Barb Aldrich, closest to the pin.
Port Townsend ladies took the longest drive category with Libby Atkins in Flight A and Linda Deal from Flight B.
This is the final Niner tournament exchange for this season and was a great event for the Lady Golfers.
The Peninsula Lady Niners golf at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.
Wait ’til next year!
The $500,000 Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce Hole In One Challenge wrapped up this past weekend at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in Sequim.
Sadly, no contestant was able to hole out and win the $500,000 prize.
Forty-seven golfers competed on Cedars hole No. 9 in the competition, with 24 advancing through a shot at $5,000 and a new car from Ruddell Auto in the semifinals to the $500,000 finale.
Closest to the pin in the semifinals was Bob Madsen.
In the final round, competitors took aim from 150 yards for a shot at the big money and a new car from Ruddell.
Allen Stewart came the closest.
He was followed by Kevin Russell and Todd Reed.
Good job to all the qualifiers and thanks to Cedars at Dungeness, SkyRidge and Peninsula Golf Club for hosting the competition.
The event was sponsored by 7 Cedars Casino, Ruddell Auto and Elwha River Casino, and was a fundraiser for the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Olympic Medical Center Foundation.
Couples at Salish Cliffs
Fred Couples will be featured during the opening of Salish Cliffs Golf Club at Little Creek Casino Resort on U.S. Highway 101 near Shelton on Saturday.
Couples, a Seattle native and captain of the U.S. President’s Cup team this year, will be on hand for a golf tourney that’s open to the public.
But it’s not cheap. Cost is $500 per twosome, $1,000 per foursome.
It includes lunch and a clinic by the 15-time PGA Tour winner.
To reserve a spot in the event with Couples, call Takara Thale at 360-432-7043.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.