Daley a Golden senior

Why do we often mention the seniors who play golf in this space?

Because golf is the sport of a lifetime. And there’s something

special to be said about the player whose body is breaking down and

unable to perform at the same level but endures the rough edges and

good walks (or cart rides) with good friends and family members, or

maybe somebody they’re meeting for the first time.

And while scanning the list of winners from the recent Mesa Verde

Country Club Senior Club Championship, I noticed one of our good

friends -- Pete Daley -- had finished first in the 60-69 age

division.

Daley, despite being a “super senior,” captured the regular men’s

club championship at Mesa Verde four years in a row (1998 through

2001). Last fall, he was dethroned by Steve Rhorer, who will receive

an invitation from his club to participate in the fourth annual Jones

Cup this summer, slated to be held at his home club (TBA).

It will likely be the first Jones Cup played without Daley. He was

the only amateur to play in the first three Jones Cups.

Even though his amateur competitors in Jones Cup III last summer

at Big Canyon Country Club were all in their early- and mid-30s,

Daley wasn’t concerned about appearances or length off the tee.

“They’re young bucks,” Daley said. “But I think what happens when

you finally get up to a certain age is that it becomes mental, and

the young guys don’t have the experience. If we’re playing courses

6,600 or 6,700 yards, then I won’t be as long. But mentally, I think

I probably, hopefully, I will play a little smarter than they do and

that’s where I gain an advantage.”

An international competitor in the seniors division, Daley was 62

when he played in his third Jones Cup and still had never taken a

golf lesson in his life and probably never will.

“I think when you get to a certain age, you stay with the swing

you’ve had most of your life,” said Daley, who won the inaugural

Jones Cup in 2000 with Mesa Verde head professional Tom Sargent. “I’m

too old. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Oh, sure, you run

into problems, but you just ask your buddies to help you out. I’ve

been fortunate to find out what’s wrong with my swing when I’ve

needed to.”

Daley is golf’s ultimate late bloomer. He didn’t start playing

until he was 41. Daley won his first big championship in 1997, when

he captured Mesa Verde’s senior club title.

To put Daley’s streak of four straight titles in perspective,

consider that no Mesa Verde member has won more than two in a row

since the club opened in 1959.

Clyde Sarver is Mesa Verde’s all-time men’s club champion with

five titles (1962-63, ‘71, ’73 and ‘77).

The Jones Cup, created by this sports section as part of the

Fletcher Jones Motorcars/Daily Pilot Club Championship Series, is a

pro-am contested in a better-ball of partners format. Each club --

Mesa Verde, Big Canyon, Newport Beach Country Club and Santa Ana

Country Club -- is responsible for selecting their own pro-am team.

The only standards are that the pro is a full-time staff member and

the amateur a dues-paying member at the club. The clubs also rotate

as host site in the Jones Cup.

*

As for the Mesa Verde Senior Club Championship, Dave Irwin is not

related to PGA Champions Tour star Hale Irwin, but he certainly

played like the three-time U.S. Open champion, shooting a 138 with a

70-68 to win the overall gross title. Hank Aihara won the overall net

championship at 65-68--133.

Here’s a breakdown: Low gross in Flight 50-59, Randy Thorne (145),

Dale Willetts (150), Jim Doody (156) and Tom DeGuelle (156); low net,

Rand McDevitt (138), Rick Lloyd (141), Tim Cappel (144) and George

Kyaw (146).

Low gross in Flight 60-69, Daley (146), Corky Venen (166), Larry

Keyser (168) and Dan Toomey (169); low net, Dave Ginns (141), Duke

Perrin (142), Jim Kerrigan (144) and Warren Ringer (145).

Low gross in Flight 70-79, Don Banks (163) and Dave Schweitzer

(179); low net, Ted Asato (147) and Lee Skarin (155). Winning low

gross in Flight 80-89 was Paul Sakaguchi (203), while Bird Cross

(159) won low net.