THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210524
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBRA GORDON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
T.J. Maroon anxiously approached the first tee at Broad Bay Country Club. This was his first golf tournament and he was nervous.
About a dozen onlookers watched silently as he took a practice swing, loosening the tension in his shoulders. Then he swung his club and - SMACK! - the ball sailed toward the fairway.
``Gosh, it's right down the middle,'' his mother said, grinning proudly.
It's not every tournament player whose mother tags along to keep score, but then T.J. is only 6. And one of his partners in the foursome, brother Christopher, is only 8.
This two-day tournament, which started Thursday at Broad Bay, was just for kids - in more than one way.
Called ``Kids Play Fore Kids,'' the junior tournament was expected to raise about $10,000 for Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk. It was sponsored by Circle of Hearts of the Norfolk City Union, which raises funds for the hospital. Most of the money was raised through corporate and private sponsorships.
The event might be a first. Frank Heinen, who works for the California-based company that owns Broad Bay, said he'd never heard of a kids-only charity tournament.
``It's a great idea,'' he said. One that he plans to pass on to his company's other 28 golf courses.
For the kids, it was mainly a great excuse to play golf.
Jason Copeland, 17, of Norfolk, had been one of about 30 golfers on the tournament's waiting list. He called the organizers every day for the past three days begging for a spot. Finally, Thursday morning someone dropped out and he was in.
T.J. played for fun. He was so excited he showed up two hours early to hit some practice balls on the putting green and driving range.
A Virginia Beach boy with a sunburned nose, T.J. has been playing since he was 5. His favorite part of the sport? ``I like to hit the balls.''
For some, there was a more personal reason to play.
Heather Jeffries, 17, of Chesapeake, had a hole in her heart repaired at King's Daughters when she was 4. She doesn't remember the surgery, but the operation was one reason she decided to play. Her father, who still grimaces when he thinks of the operation, tagged along behind, jokingly bemoaning her mediocre play Thursday.
John Armstrong, 11, of Norfolk, had his tonsils removed at King's Daughters last year. ``It was pretty cool,'' he said, especially since he could take his baseball glove into the operating room. He liked the idea that the $25 entry fee would help other kids. He still remembers the boy he met at the hospital who was so sick he'd flunked a year of school.
The tournament, advertised on such national cable-TV channels as Nickelodeon and Discovery, lured 108 kids from as far away as Maryland.
Anna-Marie Laura, 11, of Virginia Beach, was decidedly nervous as she hit balls on the driving range before her tee time. She's been playing a year or two, she said, and likes the sport ``sometimes'' - when she's not frustrated at her poor play.
Meanwhile, back at the clubhouse, the mothers clustered, concerned over whether their kids could play by the rules.
``We usually don't play with any rules,'' confided one mom. ``We usually just cheat.''
Not to worry. All golfers 14 and under had adults along to keep score and check that the rules were followed.
Other adults just watched, providing color commentary.
Said Dr. Jim Carleo, as he watched four teenagers tee off: ``These kids are so good. They're doing better than their fathers.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
T.J. Maroon, 6, watches his putt Thursday at a junior golf
tournament to benefit the Children's Hospital of The King's
Daughters.
Photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Benji Nowak, 9, left, and Matthew Saxton, 10, practice putting at
Broad Bay Country Club. The day's event was expected to raise about
$10,000 for Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
by CNB