Golf: Ace among men

Richard Dunn

Jake Paine, a 3-year-old South County boy who made a hole-in-one

last summer, apparently already has a PR agent, who is touting him as

“the nation’s youngest celebrity golfer.”

While those words might apply a degree of pressure to young Paine’s

development in the game, he’s about to play 18 holes for the first time

Monday in a charity tournament at Newport Beach Country Club.

Since scoring an ace on the 66-yard hole No. 6 at the Lake Forest Golf

and Practice Center, Paine has appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America”

and “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” but has yet to play 18 holes on a

real golf course.

Using a scuffed-up Snoopy driver, Paine aced the uphill par-3 at Lake

Forest while playing with his father, Bill.

The latest edition of the Guinness Sports Record Book, published in

1997, shows the youngest person with a hole-in-one as being 5 years old.

Since then, newspapers around the world have reported other 5-year-olds

making a hole-in-one, but none younger. The father has said he will

submit Jake’s hole-in-one to Guinness.

Tiger Woods made his first hole-in-one at age 6, according to his

parents.

Jake Paine will play Monday with his father and three of his father’s

friends in the inaugural Friends of Novaland Golf Classic at Newport

Beach.

“Being that our nonprofit serves youth, and believes in making dreams

come true, it was a natural for us to ask Jake to play in our

tournament,” said Tamera De Gennaro, tournament chairman.

Nova Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Newport

Beach, works with urban youth after school through the Novaland Learning

Centers and aims at helping students succeed in school, seek higher

education, build confidence and excel in life. The golf tournament is

expected to raise $50,000 for the foundation.

Spooky Golf, sponsored by Cal’s Caddyshack in Costa Mesa, is coming

Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The unique, Halloween-based format involves golfing

in total darkness, with the exception of the glow-in-the-dark balls and

lighted flags at the Back Bay Golf Course. Costumes are required and

limited space is available.

Also, Spooky Kids Golf is at 3 p.m. Saturday. Prizes are awarded on

every hole. The cost is $10.

Spooky Golf for adults is $45. Spooky brew, food and prizes for best

costume are included in the event at the Hyatt Newporter’s pitch-and-putt

layout. Details: (949) 646-7714.

The Ladies’ Member/Guest at Mesa Verde Country Club, which was

originally canceled after the Sept. 11 tragedies, will be played Tuesday

as a fund-raiser for the relief effort in New York.

Byron Nelson filmed a commercial recently for Cleveland Golf at Mesa

Verde Country Club.

“There’s one shot of (Nelson) hitting a wedge shot to the eighth

green, and you can see the (Mesa Verde) logo and flag,” Mesa Verde head

professional Tom Sargent said.

The commercial is shown mostly on The Golf Channel. Newport Beach

resident Greg Hopkins, the President of Cleveland Golf, is a Mesa Verde

member.

LPGA member Judy Carls is hosting the fall Costa Mesa Junior Golf

clinics at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club.

A four-week program includes instruction in full swing, putting, short

game and course management. Classes are from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on

Tuesdays. A cost of $50 includes range balls, equipment, course play and

instruction by Carls and Joan Reedy. Details: (714) 846-6798.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.