Tough enough

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Driving a ball down the fairway may not be the

toughest part of the Newport Beach Country Club’s golf course. But once

you get to the sloping greens, you could be in trouble.

It’s a fact those in the 78-player field of this weekend’s Toshiba

Senior Classic are reminded of each year.

“The thing about this golf course that makes it a difficult course is

the greens,” Toshiba entrant Walter Morgan said.

The course, built in the mid-1950s, was among the tougher challenges

on the Senior PGA Tour last year, with golfers shooting an average 72.404

score at the course. The course’s deadly par-4 sixth hole ranked as the

fourth toughest hole on the tour, with a scoring average of 4.391.

Yet the course is deceptively simple, said the country club’s

president, Jerry Anderson.

“It’s the kind of golf course that makes you feel like you can play

well,” Anderson said. “This is a very challenging golf course.”

In the six years of the Toshiba event, no golfer has finished better

than 13 under par. That record was set by Hale Irwin at the 1998 edition

of the tournament. Irwin also set the course record that year with a 62,

a full nine strokes under par, in his final round of play.

Allen Doyle won last year’s rain-shortened Toshiba. Doyle held a

one-shot lead over Jim Thorpe when the tournament was called before the

third day of play.

Organizers hope to avoid a return of that scenario this year. Heavy

rain began letting up Tuesday afternoon. Even though the downpour has

subsided, the rain is expected to affect play. Usually known for its

“hard and fast” surfaces, the course is expected to soften.

Jim Colbert, who won the 1996 Classic, said he is looking forward to

getting out on the course.

“This course plays more difficult when it’s hard and fast,” Colbert

said. “When it’s soft, [the ball] stays where you hit it.”

Players such as Jim Dent and John Jacobs could have an advantage,

Anderson said, because they can hit the ball high and far. Both known as

“long hitters,” the two don’t usually drop their ball on the fairway and

watch it roll.

When asked how the country club’s course stacks up against the other

38 Senior PGA Tour events, Colbert balked.

“I’ve never figured out how to compare golf courses,” Colbert said. “I

can only equate it to women. No two are the same.”

BOX

THE TOUGHEST

The courses with the highest average score on the Senior PGA in 2000.

EVENT AVERAGE SCORE

PGA Seniors’ Championship 74.790

SBC Senior Open 74.109

U.S. Senior Open 74.099

The Countrywide Tradition 73.854

Boone Valley Classic 73.030

AT&T; Canada Senior Open 72.981

Nationwide Championship 72.883

MasterCard Championship 72.703

SBC Championship 72.628

GTE Classic 72.526

Ford Senior Players Championship 72.506

Toshiba Senior Classic 72.404

* Source: Senior PGA