Fund-raiser is driving for children

Playing a round of golf with two football players quickly proved that

a golf ball can be hit much further than my thin frame is able to

produce.

When Newport Coast’s R.J. Kros and San Diego’s Dokie Williams

swung their drivers, a “whoosh” soon followed and the ball would zip

off the club as if it had just been launched with rocket fuel behind

it.

Watching these soaring drives provided the most entertainment

during the Orange County Chapter of Childhelp USA’s 21st annual

Celebrity Golf Classic -- hosted by former Rams all-pro center Rich

Saul -- held May 22 at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast.

Williams retired in 1988 after spending seven seasons as a wide

receiver with the Raiders and was part of the silver and black’s

Super Bowl championship team in 1984.

The left-hander powered through a golf ball with a torrid turn,

blasting his drives down the fairway, often catching the down slope

to add 20 yards.

We played a shamble format, which allows team members to place

their ball at the spot of the best drive and each play out the hole

from there.

Needless to say we used Williams’ and Kros’ drives almost

three-quarters of the time.

The cart Williams and I rode in contained an electronic yardage

guide, which allows you to see how much further you have to the hole,

or how far a drive sailed.

One of Kros’ drives wound up 294 yards from the tee, a shot that

would easily clear my best by 40 yards. And that would be pushing it.

Where I lacked in driving distance, I tried to make up for in iron

play or around the greens.

After sending my tee shot on our opening hole in the shotgun

format -- the par-3 sixth -- into a weed-covered hillside, I faced an

eight-foot putt straight downhill. I tapped the ball softly and let

it roll into the cup for a birdie for our fivesome, which also

included quarter horse jockey Gary Boag and Mighty Ducks’ radio and

television analyst Brian Hayward.

That putt quickly erased the memory of the 7-iron I shot over the

green moments earlier.

Memories will remain in my mind from this day: from Kros and

Williams reliving the rigors of training camp, laughing at the top of

their lungs about the strain their bodies took, to Boag, who sneaked

behind and shocked Williams in the back of the neck with a toy

“buzzer” the size of a silver dollar.

We shot 11-under on the par-71 Ocean North course, not enough to

win, but a pretty solid round in my book.

A different kind of “shock” surrounded me the entire day. From the

moment I arrived at the course to the minute I left, I was treated

like a celebrity, just like former football greats Deacon Jones and

Vince Ferragamo, or actors Robert Hays and Bob Donner.

Event co-chairwomen Christine Bren and Debra Violette, along with

Eileen Saul and countless volunteers, repeatedly asked if I needed

anything and feverishly worked to ensure I had a group to play in.

The emphasis of the day’s events should be placed on the money

raised to aid abused children.

Eileen Saul said proceeds totaled a little more than $100,000,

similar to last year’s figures.

“Way to go” and a “thank you” to all who made the tournament

possible.