In The Wood
WITH MOTHER'S DAY coming up next Sunday, the focus of today's column is on a couple of moms who love their golf. Wight, Jensen are two
moms who love golfToshiko Wight is a little mom who plays a big part in Turtle Bay Resort's golf program.
As Turtle Bay Resort Golf Club's sales and marketing director, Wight, originally from Japan, is facing a major challenge. Oaktree, the new owner of the resort, wants Turtle Bay to become one of the premier golf destinations in the world. Toshiko will dig deep into her bag to come up with the tools to help achieve that goal.
The North Shore resort is off to a strong start in gaining national recognition, landing a Professional Golfers Association seniors event. The PGA Senior Turtle Bay championship will be held Oct. 5-7 on the Arnold Palmer-designed Links at Turtle Bay.
The fall reopening of the back nine of the resort's Kuilima course is another step in the right direction.
Toshiko has been with Turtle Bay since 1990 and was golf operations manager before stepping into marketing.
She and her husband, Rick, are parents of Richard, 22, and Evan, 18. It was Toshiko who introduced Rick to golf. "He said he would never chase that little white ball, but he is now," Toshiko said with a laugh.JUDY JENSEN, a 30-year isle resident who moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., last year, is a national advertising rep for Desert Golf magazine.
Judy and her former husband, entertainer Dick Jensen, are the parents of Summer, a former Miss Teenage Hawaii and a professional hula dancer.
Judy's niece, Barb, 32, married former 49ers star quarterback Steve Young, 39, in Hawaii last year. Steve and ex-pro basketball player Danny Ainge co-hosted a golf tournament April 11 at the Superstition Mountain course in Phoenix. The event raised $500,000 for underprivileged kids. Judy was one of only two women going up against pro athletes and businessmen. Her team, which included former 49er Todd Shell, come in fourth.
Hale Aina winners
top team in the Hale Aina golf tourney at the Hawaii Prince on Monday was made up of Dave Marabella, Mike Lee, Craig Mitchell and Bob Fram with a 46.3 score. Taking closest to the pin honors on a par-3 on each of the three nines were: Richard Viernes, Don Chapman and Denise Anderson. The long drive winners were (men) Tommy Kim, Scott Noborikawa and Mike Dorsey; and (women) Alice Inoue, Emi Anamizu and Alison Nakatani. Mitchell also won the putting contest. Honolulu magazine's John Alves and Tom Mullen of American Express were co-chairs.
Ben Wood, who played his first round of golf at Ala Wai
50 years ago, vows to learn how to play the game well even if
it takes another 50 years. E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com.