Par for the course

ANDREW GLAZER

NEWPORT BEACH -- Converting three floors of office space into an

elaborate miniature golf course may not be the most conventional

fund-raising technique.

But it’s a fun one -- and effective at drawing attention to an

important cause.

Employees of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear -- a law firm specializing

in intellectual property -- did just that Wednesday night to raise money

for the Race for a Cure breast cancer charity.

“It was a great morale boost and helped raise the company’s awareness

about breast cancer,” said Kathy Collins, a legal assistant and breast

cancer survivor who helped organize the event.

Collins will run with roughly 40 other office mates in September’s

three-kilometer race. The office has already raised $2,400 for the

charity, which uses the donations for breast cancer research and to

promote awareness. The mini-golf tournament, which cost $5 to enter,

added an additional $425 to the pot.

Firm employees designed and constructed the elaborate course, which

included a grassy recreation of Pebble Beach, a moonscape and a

mustachioed Darth Vader.

A hole called “Golf Like an Egyptian,” which featured a pharaoh and

pyramids, won the award for best hole.