Golf notebook: Jones Cup to debut

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - It was part of a dream three years ago, when the

Fletcher Jones Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series was

created, to include men.

Now it’s a reality.

The Newport-Mesa club golf series that launched the Tea Cup Classic for

women will host the inaugural Jones Cup, a pro-am for men, July 28 at

Newport Beach Country Club.

The Jones Cup, named after the only benefactor the series has had, will

include an amateur and professional from each of the four private clubs

in the newspaper’s circulation -- Newport Beach, Big Canyon Country Club,

Mesa Verde Country Club and Santa Ana Country Club, the oldest club in

Orange County.

Newport Beach, host of the Toshiba Senior Classic on the Senior PGA Tour

in late winter, also hosted the inaugural Tea Cup Classic in 1997.

“Any time the clubs can get together for a nice little outing is great.

We don’t do that enough,” said Jerry Anderson, Newport Beach Country Club

President and a member of the Southern California PGA Hall of Fame.

The first Jones Cup, with a 1 p.m. tee time involving eight players in

two foursomes, will take place two weeks prior to the fourth annual Tea

Cup Classic, hosted by Big Canyon Country Club on Aug. 11.

The decision on which pro and amateur will compete in the Jones Cup will

be left entirely up to each club.

It’s presumed the men’s club champion and the top playing pro from the

club’s staff will form a twosome and represent their club in what is

expected to be an interesting and competitive 18 holes of team competition.

The event, like the Tea Cup Classic, is designed to promote golf in the

area and bring the golf community closer together for a day of fun, which

includes the crowning of a club team champion.

It is anticipated that the still-to-be-completed perpetual Jones Cup

trophy will be displayed throughout the year in the winning club’s trophy

case.

A best-ball format will be used in what some believe is the ultimate

community pro-am, tying in all four clubs in a simple, winner-take-all,

one-day affair.

Similar to the Tea Cup Classic, it is hoped that area clubs will rotate

as host site initially.

For the players participating in what is certain to be a much-ballyhooed,

midsummer community golf tournament, a lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m.

in the Newport Beach clubhouse, then time will be given to warm up before

the 1 p.m. start. A sizable gallery is foreseen.

The Tea Cup Classic, which includes the four women’s club champions from

the same area, draws a total gallery of about 200. The simple format (18

holes of medal play) of the Tea Cup Classic has seemingly taken on a life

of its own in the golf community.