Gilchrist to play, not coach

Chili Billies, sunflower seeds and after-the-game pizza parties … what do these all have to do with golf?

Nothing. But consider John Gilchrist and the connection is visible between Little League and that game of 18 holes, varied clubs and a small white ball.

Baseball — or rather Gilchrist’s son, Jack, and his team — is somehow a reason why Gilchrist will be playing the game of golf — specifically the Jones Cup — on Sept. 6 at Big Canyon Country Club.

Here’s the explanation of the connection.

Gilchrist coaches his son’s Little League team and usually that squad would play deep enough into the postseason, so deep that Gilchrist would miss the men’s championship at Santa Ana Country Club.

But this year, the team did Gilchrist a favor, well, a favor in terms of golf.

“I just got hot at the right time and my son’s baseball team ended early,” Gilchrist explained of his qualifying for the Jones Cup.

Gilchrist won the men’s championship at Santa Ana Country Club in June and is one of five golfers playing for the club in the eighth annual Jones Cup. He’ll help his quintet go up against Newport Beach Country Club, Big Canyon Country Club and defending champion Mesa Verde Country Club.

Gilchrist, 42, a Tustin resident, has been a member at SACC for seven years. When he wasn’t coaching Little League, he was trying to refine his game and win the men’s club title. He would play when he could.

He made the semifinals twice, but he broke through this year with more practice time before the event. When he talks about winning the men’s club title now, he downplays the accomplishment.

Gilchrist stresses mediocre scores and the fact that the championship was a match-play format.

That still doesn’t neglect the fact that he came up big in the semifinals in 2007. Playing against defending club champ Rick Herrera, Gilchrist stayed cool throughout. Gilchrist birdied 10, 11, 12 and 15, winning those holes. The latter clinched the match.

The final wasn’t as dramatic, though he played against a friend, Matt Smith. Gilchrist and Smith usually play golf together and have taken on the SACC course on several Saturday mornings.

But this time, it wasn’t for fun. The title was on the line and the opportunity to play in the Jones Cup.

They were set to play 36 holes, but it ended after 35 because Gilchrist clinched it.

“I’m excited about the Jones Cup,” Gilchrist said. “I haven’t really seen it, but I know it’s a pretty big deal.”

Not only is the Jones Cup a thrill for Gilchrist, but it’s also a reunion of sorts for fellow USC Trojans.

Gilchrist went to USC the same time as Will Tipton, the men’s champion at Big Canyon Country Club.

There was a bit of a difference between them, though. Tipton played on the men’s golf team. Gilchrist? He was on the baseball team as a walk-on.

Gilchrist played for two years on the USC baseball team.

He probably could have played longer at a smaller school, but wanted to go to USC because it is such an important university in his family.

“My whole family went to USC,” said Gilchrist, who finished at USC in 1987. “My mom, my dad, my sister, my wife, her father and her grandfather went. I’ve got four cousins who went.”

Gilchrist played baseball at Servite High, contributing as a pitcher and a second baseman. He earned first-team All-Angelus League honors before heading out to USC.

But his game now doesn’t consist of balls and strikes. Well, maybe curveballs.

Gilchrist is in the commercial real estate business. But he said it’s going fine. No curveballs for now, and that goes for his golf game, too.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or at steve.virgen@latimes.com.