Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Friday, May 21, 1999

GOLF WATCH

Golf guru shuts shop

SAY it isn't so. After more than 20 years at its Sheridan St. site, Allan Yamamoto's Golf Inc. pro shop is closing at the end of the month.

"Definitely," said Yamamoto, who is the guru of all aspiring golfers locally.

The closing is the result of a number of factors, according to Yamamoto. Maybe the biggest reason is that the proliferation of golf equipment every year made it difficult to maintain an up-to-date inventory. The downturn in the Japanese economy didn't help.

"The profit margin was just too small," Yamamoto said. It was a decision he was going to make sooner or later, and sooner came sooner.

Too bad. Besides being a guru to local golfers, Yamamoto helped many by providing jobs at his shop and giving them time off when needed to play in tournaments.

Just check out the number of golfers who worked at his shop at one time or another - Damien Jamila, Beau Yokomoto, Jerry Mullen, Mark Takahama and Robbie Murakami.

"It was a two-way street," said Yamamoto. "They did a lot for me, too."

Unlucky 13th

There was a lot of excitement at the 13th hole at the Ala Wai Golf Course yesterday.

First, two thieves tried to steal a golf bag before they were apprehended. They picked on wrong guy.

Golfer Mike Botelho, who had his wallet with a lot of money in the bag, chased and caught up with the culprit across Dole St. Botelho collared the guy, nailed him good with a couple of punches while holding him in a headlock, and retrieved his bag and valuables.

Like a true golfer, he didn't wait for the police to make their report, which would have interrupted his golf game. Instead, he and his partners played on.

While that was happening, the foursome in front of them at the 13th green saw one of their carts go up in flames because of a faulty fuel line.

I ought to know. I was driving the golf cart.

Speaking of golf carts ...

A federal judge declined to back Ford Olinger in his suit against the USGA, in which Olinger sought to ride a cart in qualifying rounds for the U.S. Open, invoking the Casey Martin Rule.

"The point of athletic competition ... is to decide who, under conditions that are about the same for everyone, can perform an assigned set of tasks better than (not as well as) any other competitor," Judge Robert Miller ruled.

To those who think it isn't an advantage, they just don't know what they're talking about, believe me. Walk one round, let alone four rounds, and if that doesn't affect your golf tempo because of a fatigued factor, you're in a bad state of denial.

Which brings me to a letter I received from Harold Chang of Honolulu. He's glad that the City's Ewa Villages Golf Course is finally allowing the use of golf carts, so that he can finally play there.

Chang goes one step further. As a senior citizen who's more than 70 years of age, he wonders out loud why can't other courses - which charge for golf carts but won't let you leave the cart path unless you're handicapped - allow those who are of his age or older to drive to their ball.

A change in policy would increase play, Chang said.

More than putt-putt golf

The Hilton Waikoloa Village recently opened an 18-hole putting course that plays to a par 36.

The fun seaside layout was designed by Robin Nelson, architect of a number of outstanding local courses, including, most recently, Coral Creek and the Dunes at Maui Lani. Water hazards and sand traps make it more than mere putt-putt golf.

Hualalai pros John Freitas and Duane Otte defeated other Big Island pros in a putting contest during the opening ceremonies.