Mesa Verde adds style to practice

There will be so many target and practice greens at Mesa Verde

Country Club that one could actually play a nine-hole par-3 course

within the confines of the practice facility.

“We will be able to mow down the target greens and play on them.

You could [play a modified nine-hole round] because they’re close

enough together,” Mesa Verde head golf professional Tom Sargent said.

In addition to the six target greens on the reconstructed,

tri-level driving range, which is scheduled to open to members by

early June, Mesa Verde will add two USGA primed practice greens. One

will have a bunker complex around it, while the other will feature

high-lip bunkers.

Another practice green is two levels and shaped like an hourglass

with some undulation and adjacent grass bunkers.

“You should be able to create just about any shot you want between

the practice tee and practice greens,” Sargent said. “You can even

hit side-hill lies, that kind of stuff. It’s pretty cool. There

aren’t many clubs, to my knowledge -- certainly no club in Orange

County -- with this kind of practice facility. Shady Canyon has a

top-notch practice facility, but I don’t know if it’s got everything

we’ve got. It’s pretty neat.”

Mesa Verde, which opened its remodeled clubhouse at the beginning

of the year, has always resonated as a picturesque coastal Orange

County country club with one of the most refreshing natural elements

-- a cool ocean breeze. But its legacy comes from having hosted a

county-leading 12 professional golf tournaments from the PGA Tour,

Champions Tour (formerly the Senior PGA Tour) and LPGA Tour.

The tree-lined, 6,726-yard golf course with narrow fairways and

plenty of teeth has also played host to a U.S. Open Regional

Qualifier (1973), the U.S. Junior Girls Championship (‘93) and the

Junior Girls America’s Cup (2001).

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The third annual UCLA Orange County Golf Classic, which raises

scholarship funds, will be held May 19, returning for the second time

to Newport Beach Country Club.

Dan Guerrero, UCLA Athletic Director, and Karl Dorrell, newly

appointed UCLA football coach, will be among the golfers and are

scheduled to attend the dinner following the event. Matt Stevens,

former UCLA starting quarterback (1983-1986) and now in his seventh

season as a member of the UCLA football broadcast team, will also

attend.

Chris Roberts of XTRA Sports Radio, and the official voice of the

Bruins, will be master of ceremonies.

The event, which raises scholarship funds for Orange County

students attending UCLA, as well as for the UCLA Fund, has a noon

shotgun start with an 18-hole scramble. Cocktails, dinner and silent

auction begin at 6 p.m.

The cost per player is $200. This includes golf, tee package,

prize drawing, contests, lunch, silent auction, dinner and program. A

dinner ticket is $50 per person.

The one-of-a-kind UCLA truck will be on hand. Chevrolet presented

a new, 1500 LT 4-wheel drive truck to UCLA in May 1999 as a trophy for UCLA’s 1968 basketball team being named by Sports Illustrated as

“The Greatest National Championship Team of All Time.” It is the only

truck of its kind, produced in true UCLA blue and gold and Bruin

graphics designed all over. Legendary former UCLA basketball coach

John Wooden further enhanced the vehicle’s uniqueness when he

personally autographed the Truck’s hood in 2000.

The Bruins Golf Classic is sponsored by the UCLA Orange County

Alumni Chapter, the UCLA Chancellor’s Associates of Orange County and

the UCLA Alumni Association. Details: (800) 825-2586.

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Two Champions Tour players, Miller Barber and Bob Charles, shot

their age last week at the Bruno’s Memorial Classic. Barber (72) had

an opening-round 71, while Charles (67) had a second-round 65.

When Tom Jenkins won last week in Birmingham, he continued two

streaks. One, he was the 12th different winner of the event in 12

seasons and two, he was the 10th different winner in 10 events this

season on the Champions Tour, a record to start the year. The Toshiba

Senior Classic helped with that record with Australian Rodger Davis

winning in Newport Beach.