THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9606020197
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 72 lines
Joanne Dixon not only dreams of a women's amateur tournament that evolves into one of the biggest events on the local golf scene, she believes she has the vehicle to make it happen.
It's the annual Virginia Beach Women's Amateur championship, which commences for the second time June 12 and 13 at Honey Bee Golf Club in Virginia Beach. Dixon, a member of the hosting Honey Bee's Women's Golf Association, has an entry deadline of June 5. She's hoping for six flights, totaling 70 to 90 contestants.
``We need a little support from the public so we can keep the entry fee down,'' Dixon said. ``It has the potential to grow into one of the area's best events.''
The entry fee is $70, more than reasonable as it covers both rounds of golf, lunch both days and prizes. Local Karla Roberson of Longwood College is the defending champion and will be back; also in the field is Chris Epperly of Virginia Beach, state senior women's champion.
All you need is a USGA index (similar to a handicap), verified as of May 1, and a couple of days to play. For more information, call Dixon at 486-1351 or Honey Bee pro Brett West at 471-2768.
YOUNG LOVE: T.J. Young grew up with two career choices in mind, basketball coach or golf pro. Holding a variety of positions with the Old Dominion basketball program - team manager, 12th man, junior-varsity coach - only made the fairways and pro shops look more inviting. After graduation, Young moved to West Palm Beach, where he worked with his brother at the chic-sounding Emerald Dunes Golf Club. Then it was back to Virginia Beach and a stint as head pro and general manager at Broad Bay. Recently, he took over as head pro at Cedar Point Country Club in Suffolk, which has the feel of someplace he'd like to be for a few years.
``I spent five years working day to day with a college basketball team,'' says Young, whose uncle Tom was Monarchs coach at the time. ``Other than game nights or practice sessions, which were fun, the rest of the job was really overwhelming. Kind of a turn-off.
``Now, I give a lot of lessons, play some golf with the members, play in some pro-ams. I love the day-to-day operations of a golf club.''
Cedar Point, which a couple of years ago hosted some state amateur qualifying, is enjoying a growth spurt. Membership has risen to about 340, just 10 shy of the maximum goal. And the best part of that for Young, the once would-be hoops coach?
No recruiting.
``Obviously, I talk up the club whenever I can,'' Young says, ``but the members and word-of-mouth information have been most effective at contributing to our growth.''
YOUNG SCHOLARS: Applications are now available for the 1996 Chrysler Junior Golf Scholarship program, which last year awarded 19 young women and 21 young men $1,000 scholarships. You must be between the ages of 12 and 18. It isn't necessary to be a star player, but the rules state applicants should be enthusiastic about the game and planning to attend college. Tom Kite is the program ambassador, heading a panel that includes University of Virginia sports psychologist Bob Rotella. For more information, or to request an application, contact; Chrysler Junior Golf Scholarship Program Headquarters, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10019-6908, or phone 1-800-856-0764, or e-mail: chryjrgolf(AT)aol.com is the address.
INSIDE THE LEATHER: Cedar Point will soon discuss whether to ban steel spikes on its course. Several companies manufacture rubber or plastic spikes that do far less damage to the greens than the traditional metal spikes. Among Hampton Roads clubs and courses, only Bayville in Virginia Beach has a spike-less program in effect. . . . Congratulations to Portsmouth's Galen Hill. The USGA has selected him to be a rules official for the upcoming U.S. Open at Oakland Hills CC. It's the second straight year Hill has been selected to work the national championship. . . . Golf World magazine chose a breathtaking photo of the third hole at Williamsburg's new Stonehouse GC for the cover of its Architecture '96 issue, which hit the stands on May 24. They wrote: ``Forget Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Pinehurst and all the other usual suspects: (Williamsburg) could end up being the hot golf destination of 1996.'' by CNB