Mesa product now a head professional

The man shouted, “Remember the [Costa Mesa] Globe Herald and Bill

Doner?”

I thought to myself, “No, but I recognize the names because I

wrote a story about two months ago on Doner.” During the interview,

Doner mentioned his upbringing, which involved guiding the engraving

machines at the Globe Herald. The Daily Pilot formed when the Globe

Herald bought the Newport News Press.

But enough of the history lesson, on with the story.

McGavack, one of the five golfers in my group for Monday’s charity

fund-raiser at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club, which benefited the Orange

County High School of the Arts, calmly walked up and said he

graduated from Costa Mesa High in 1965.

McGavack, who stands about 5-foot-10 and resembles actor Gary

Sinise, played guard in basketball, shortstop in baseball and

quarterback in football, and earned the school’s Athlete of the Year

during his senior season. His fondest memory was knocking Newport

Harbor out of the playoffs in basketball.

This is such a small world we live in.

Even though the tournament was played in Tustin to benefit the

school, which provides professional training to talented visual and

performing arts students in grades 7-12 throughout Southern

California, ties to Newport-Mesa abound.

Thirty-seven students each from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach,

along with 10 from Corona del Mar and six from Newport Coast are part

of the 1,200-student school located in Santa Ana.

Students sang to the tunes provided by cellos, violins and flutes

as we sat under umbrella-laden tables eating a fantastic lunch of

chicken, steak and Caesar salad provided by Outback Steakhouse.

Quite a start to a memorable day on the golf course -- only the

second time I have teed it up in the past six months.

Sometimes the longer I go without playing actually turns out for

the better since I tend to forget any bad tendencies.

Of course, I made some good shots and some not-so-productive ones

for our team, which finished with a 5-under 67, using a scramble

format. In a scramble, the team decides which shot is best and

subsequently, each hits from that spot. We could even use McGavack’s

drives if we wanted on any hole, just none of his approach shots or

putts since he had to play his own ball because he was competing with

20 other pros for a handy check.

Our group, which also featured Len Zuckerman, JoAnn Martin, who

traveled all the way from Camarillo, and Jim Lewis, finished well

behind the winners who were 13-or-14-under par. Our group seemingly

couldn’t make a seven-foot putt for birdie if our life depended on

it, but we still laughed, exchanged jokes and took in the occasional

tip McGavack provided. He also uttered some colorful language when

stepping up to one tee with a wood in hand following a rocky previous

hole.

“I’ve got blood dripping from my ears now,” he said.

A graphic representation, but one I will remember for awhile.

McGavack, who has taught at several courses prior to being named head

pro at El Toro Golf Course in December, said he wants to concentrate

solely on teaching. If he could teach the shot he chipped in from 15

yards off the front of the green on the front nine, I would be the

first in line at the clinic. My short game is in dire need of a

makeover.

Two holes I will remember occurred on par-3s. On No. 6, I eased a

5-iron within eight feet to the right of the 177-yard hole. After my

three partners had all missed, I walked up to the ball, read the

break (right to left) as best I could, and rolled it in along the

left front edge of the cup for a birdie.

Unfortunately, my putting took a vacation after that, and the

remaining greens acted more like a slick ice rink with unforeseen

curves than a smooth, grassy surface.

Luckily, I hit my 7-iron onto the 17th green to win a coupon for a

free “blooming onion” at Outback, you know, the crunchy appetizer

glossed in grease with a creamy dipping sauce. If I had placed my

shot within a 10-foot circle, I would have won dinner for two at the

restaurant. So it goes.

Speaking of dinner, the chicken in a light cream sauce alongside

rice pilaf and asparagus returned much-needed energy after a warm,

sun-drenched day on the course, made all the better by the company I

was in.

Good luck Dennis, wherever golf may take you.

Appreciation also goes to Madeline Zuckerman, who owns the public

relations company that promoted the event. She went out of her way to

make sure I met the people I did, obtained any background information

and of course, led me to the food.

*

Costa Mesa’s Geoff Cochrane, the head pro at Santa Ana Country

Club and formerly an assistant Mesa Verde under Tom Sargent, shot a

69 on the par-72 Empire Lakes Golf Club in Rancho Cucamonga Thursday

in a U.S. Open Southern California local qualifying round. Cochrane

advances to one of 12 sectional qualifying sites June 2 for the U.S.

Open, scheduled June 12-15 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago.

Newport Coast’s Steve Jurgensen shot an even-par 71 at Newport

Beach Country Club Wednesday to earn alternate status for the next

round of qualifying.

Corona del Mar’s Brian Lindley fired a 3-over 75 at The Santaluz

Club in San Diego in a state amateur qualifier, but did not make the

cut, listed at 71.