Golf: Stakes high

Richard Dunn

Sure, it’s no doubt a tremendous experience for an amateur golfer

to play in the Toshiba Senior Classic Pro-Am.

With the course at Newport Beach Country Club in almost perfect condition

and the awe-inspiring sky boxes and hospitality tents surrounding the

fairways and greens, there’s nothing quite like it for an average duffer.

But, for you fortunate amateurs who are teamed with a member of the

Senior PGA Tour in the two-day pro-am filled with the shiniest bells and

whistles money can buy, listen to the marshals and obey the traffic rules

while zooming around on your golf cart.

It became serious business Wednesday as an amateur tried to drive his

cart under the ropes.

It didn’t work.

He was knocked unconscious at the 12th hole and taken to Hoag Hospital,

which, coincidentally, happens to be the managing charity of the Toshiba

Senior Classic.

The player reportedly suffered lacerations to his head, after the rope

was stretched and snapped his head back.

According to volunteer scorer Dick Clark, the rope “pulled out a (metal)

stick, and that’s when it came back and hit him in the head.” The amateur

also reportedly hit his head against the steering wheel of the golf cart.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Larry Ziegler, the senior tour

pro in the fivesome. “The way it snapped, I thought he broke his neck. It

was spooky looking. It scared me.”

“It scared us all,” added Clark, who said he was surprised the group

wanted to continue playing after the freak accident.

Warning to the amateurs: Do not attempt to drive your golf cart under the

ropes, which are set up along the course for this weekend’s Toshiba

Classic.

“This rope is like nylon,” volunteer marshal John Slobom said. “It

doesn’t break. It could be like a knife.

“I saw someone earlier go under (the rope in a cart) near the 18th green,

and I told him not to do that. But he just looked at me like I was nuts.”

Unlike what the pros drive, the golf carts used by the amateurs do not

have roofs.

According to eyewitnesses, the amateur who got injured was unconscious

when the paramedics arrived.

“The stake hit the cart and the rope snapped him back,” Clark said.

Toshiba Senior Classic co-chairman Jake Rohrer said the tournament’s

first-aid crew responded quickly and the Newport Beach Fire Department

also came on the scene swiftly. The amateur was conscious when he was

taken to Hoag Hospital. The hospital declined comment on the incident.

The spectacular setting of sky boxes and hospitality tents at Newport

Beach CC includes an interesting ambience at the 17th hole, which features five hospitality tents behind the green one that is actually

built over the lake.

Sysco Food Services, Lincoln Mercury and Frontier Medical share the most

unique corporate arrangement on the course, with the walk-on-water sky

box. The Frontier Medical location is situated at the farthest point on

the lake.

According to Lincoln Mercury executive Bob Tarlton, his company was not

allowed to use their signage, because of Cadillac’s involvement with the

Senior PGA Tour event. But that’s OK, Tarlton said, because Lincoln

Mercury got “a little (price) break” on the sponsorship, and, after all,

“we wanted to support Hoag and be a part of the community.”

Another interesting spot is across the water from the 17th green, where

there are three hospitality setups, including two with stairs leading

down to a beautiful platform with tables and umbrellas on the edge of the

water. As you walk back up the stairs, fans can see the action on the

16th green, as well as the 17th.

There are five, two-sided hospitality tents between the 15th and 18th

fairways, close to the greens, which also rank as some of the more

fascinating designs. Fans can watch players hit up on either side. The

MFS Mutual Funds tent is nearest to the greens.

Those in charge of creating this year’s hospitality tents and sky boxes

have scored an ace.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.