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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

Friday, October 12, 2001

Golf guru to swing
through local clubs

Talk about finding one's niche. Paul Callaway was the PGA Tour's first director of physical therapy in the 1980s, working with the biggest names in golf to enhance their health and fitness and help prevent injury.

He turned his health and fitness program into a golf- and physical-therapy-related business franchise in 1997 and now boasts more than 100 Body Balance for Performance locations across the country.

Next weekend Callaway will be on Oahu for two presentations, one of which is free and open to the public, although reservations are required.

Hosting the Oct. 20 presentation at the Honolulu Country Club is Milton Kurashige, president of both Hawaii Physical Therapy Inc. and Body Balance for Performance Hawaii Inc., both on Kapiolani Boulevard. The latter is accepting reservations by phone, with an Oct. 18 deadline. The Saturday event opens with refreshments at 11:30 with Callaway to make his presentation at 12:30. The other presentation will be for members only at Waialae Country Club.

Body Balance for Performance receives referrals from local golf professionals such as Parris Ernst, the teaching pro at Waikele Golf Club.

"Body Balance does not pay for referrals," Ernst said. "The people I recommend for this program are more the folks that are going to take golf to the professional level, or to get a single-digit handicap -- it's not for everyone," he said.

Both Ernst and Golf Action Academy proprietor Ross Cabildo have been through the Body Balance program.

"As we develop the skills we do with the teaching portion," Cabildo said, "we have utilized them to position and strengthen (students). We needed their expertise in shaping the golf swing."

To say that golf is big business may be the understatement du jour. The "Franchise Opportunities" link on the Body Balance for Performance Web site, www.fitgolf.com explains, "the typical golfer is willing to spend significant money each year to play the game."

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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com