Golf column: Aging with grace

Richard Dunn

It is hard to imagine what life was like in 1901, but thank

goodness for history to humble us.

Anything and anyone celebrating 100 years, especially in Orange

County, is old. But one glimpse at the remodeled clubhouse at Santa Ana

Country Club gives the century-old club an amazingly modern, and

stunning, look.

As a tribute leading up to the club’s centennial celebration in

September, we provide you with today’s historical perspective:

A significant moment in club history occurred in April 1923, when it

was announced that Orange County Country Club would move from the

Castaways to a new location, for irrigation purposes, in Santa Ana

Heights at Newport Boulevard.

It was the “Roaring ‘20s” in America and golf in California came right

along, with golf courses converting to grass fairways and greens. Before,

greens were oiled sand and fairways were hard dirt.

For members at Orange County Country Club, the county’s first golf

club, their spectacular site on the bluffs on the Upper Newport Bay’s

west side lacked viable water supply for an irrigation system, so a

search began for a new site that would have water for the turf areas.

It was also announced that the club, which paid $71,000 for its

current property in 1923, would reorganize and be called Santa Ana

Country Club.

Today, it is still one of the few golf-only private clubs in Southern

California and the oldest, by far, in Orange County.

The Junior Amateur Golf Scholars Tour, a year-round tour for boys and

girls 13-18, has scheduled seven 36-hole tournaments with no cut for the

2001 summer.

Membership in JAGS is not a requirement to play, but all players must

meet the 3.0 grade-point average standard. JAGS entry fees include green

fees, range balls, lunch and awards.

Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club will host a JAGS Tour stop Aug. 28-29.

For JAGS details: (562) 493-8416 or (714) 952-3316.

Like father, like son? In the family affair department at Newport

Beach Country Club, Bob Pigman Jr. aced the 143-yard hole No. 4 with an

8-iron, then on the back nine, his father, Bob Sr., made a hole-in-one at

the 158-yard No. 17 with a 4-iron.

Witnesses (besides one another) to the aces were Shirley Pigman and

Kenny Pigman.

The 13th and final year of the Steve Van Horn Memorial Golf Tournament

scramble is Aug. 27 at Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club.

All proceeds of the tournament benefit the Steve Van Horn Memorial

Scholarship at Estancia High and the Steve Van Horn Foundation at

Fullerton College. The Estancia award will go to the outstanding senior

girl and outstanding senior boy student-athlete.

A former basketball great, Van Horn starred at Estancia and Fullerton

College, before he was killed in an accident while on vacation in Mexico

in March 1982. Van Horn is a member of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of

Fame.

His family started the golf tournament in 1989, and, even though 2001

will be the final year of the event, the family will continue to fund the

scholarship in the future.

Tee times are scheduled from noon to 1:15 p.m. on both the Los Lagos

and Mesa Linda courses. A free box lunch and unlimited beverages on the

course will also be provided. Cost is $125 per player. Details: (406)

995-2234.

David Susson of Corona del Mar made a hole-in-one at the Ojai Valley

Inn Golf Course last month. Susson used an 8-iron on the 128-yard par-3

No. 17.

The next stop on the Pacific Golf Players Tour is July 7 at Eagle

Crest Golf Club in Escondido.

Fred Stamey, who lost to Mike Fergin in a three-hole playoff in April

at the Newport Beach Open, finished tied for second in the most recent

Pacific Golf Players Tour at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee.

Richard Dunn’s golf column appears every Thursday.