Extreme golf getting a new gig

BRYCE ALDERTON

Watch out UC Irvine and Orange Coast College. The latest in extreme

sports could soon be coming your way.

Students, ever thought about joining a golf tour on your own

college campus where you hit a drive over the student patio toward a

statue of the school mascot while a bunch of friends watch from a

dorm room?

This could all be reality beginning as early in the fall with the

production of a new practice golf ball.

A Santa Monica company has patented a ball, made of synthetic wine

cork, which weighs one-quarter of the weight of its regulation

counterpart and travels a maximum distance of 100 yards. This is

perfect for smacking the ball around the local college along with

aiding both juniors and adults who want to work on their game

somewhere off the golf course.

Whether that be the local park or school field, you will have to

clear it with the proper law enforcement first.

I am all for having fun playing sports and the idea of a “mini

tour,” if you will, for those students who want the outlet of

competition combined with a friendly atmosphere is appealing.

But nothing compares to hitting a real golf ball, on a real

course, with real conditions.

Once you get to a certain point, hitting a practice ball, whether

it be Whiffle or whatever, just doesn’t cut it.

Nothing compares to hearing that “ping” of a well-stuck drive or

figuring out the right way to hit a shot on a dogleg par-4.

John Leonard, head professional at Newport Beach Golf Course, has

only read about the new technology, but said there is a limit to who

will jump on this ball’s bandwagon.

“It might be fun for someone starting out in golf, but for people

who have played awhile, they stick to tradition,” Leonard said.

The makers of this new ball claim that players can devote more

time to the game since they don’t have to trek to a course or range

and they are right.

But the range and course are necessary elements to developing

one’s game.

Those just learning the game can practice drives in their

backyards instead of holding up play on a course and physical

education instructors at schools could bring the sport on campus,

undoubtedly reaching even more students.

“Most kids don’t learn to play golf until they are 14, when they

can then go to a course and be taught,” Rob Peterson, the ball’s

founder, said. “A lot of kids don’t live near a golf course. This

will allow a teacher at a school to teach the game. We want to grow

the game of golf by developing skills and building on it.”

Twenty five schools in Los Angeles of the 350 campuses nationwide

-- most are in Florida -- have added golf to their curriculum. Plans

for at least 50 colleges to host these tournaments will be finalized

come May with play beginning in the fall.

The earlier you learn this game the better, so golf in schools is

a fantastic idea, if administration can keep costs down and make it

affordable to as many students as possible.

My only question with this whole plan is if kids learn to play the

game using what they learned in school, isn’t the goal to make a high

school or college team and won’t they have to spend more time at the

range and on the course?

I guess these ultimate Frisbee-types of tournaments traversing

through college campuses are more suited for clubs than teams.