Inside Sports for Wednesday — January 11, 2006

• Golf brings them together

Golf brings them together

By Duane Shimogawa Jr. – The Garden Island

They come from all walks of life to play the game they all have come to love.

But when the clubs are tightly packed away in their respective bags and the score cards are tallied up, the group finds a way to get together for some fellowship and fun.

The 1-2 Golf Club, Kaua’i’s oldest golf club, recently gathered in Niumalu after its first tournament of the 2006 season.

In the early 1950s, the club was started by Lihu’e businessmen, who all shared the same interest in golf.

Over 50 years later, the group remains as strong as the currents at Kalihiwai.

Members such as Paul Endo, Mike Furukawa, Milton Ozaki, Dennis “The Ace Menace” Nakahara, Randy Nishimura, Carol Uohara, Calvin Murashige, and Mike Oride were just a few of the golfers who took in the spectacular view and setting at Niumalu on Sunday.

“It’s the golf that keeps us together,” Nishimura said.

The group seems like a big family when together and you can tell that they truly enjoy each other’s company.

For one, no member got down on Ozaki for getting lucky both on the golf course and at the social gathering.

Ozaki said he received numerous breaks, after hitting some of his shots in the trees and at the after party, he also wound up with the most prizes.

The club is made up of 30 individuals, including two women who don’t feel at all intimidated by the men.

“They are just a bunch of really nice guys,” Uohara said.

When interviewed, most agreed that they all got together because of golf and it turned into a social gathering.

The 1-2 Club has gone through a couple of hurricanes (‘Iniki and ‘Iwa), Hawai’i statehood, the Vietnam War, and numerous individuals who have stayed with the club throughout the 50 years of its existence.

They meet twice a month and play against one another, but sometimes they go up against their main nemeisis, Club 36.

“We haven’t beaten them yet, but we’ll cheat if that’s what it takes to win,” Nishimura said.

Many who enjoy the game of golf dream of being apart of something that the 1-2 Club has found. And when asked why they joined, almost all of the members mentioned that they genuinely love coming out to be with the other members, who make the game fun to play, even if they had a bad day on the course.

That’s because the after party makes it all worth it — just ask Nakahara!

• Keep on the lookout for a more in-depth story and photos of the 1-2 Golf Club, Kaua’i’s oldest golf club, in an upcoming edition of The Garden Island.

• Duane Shimogawa Jr., sports editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or kauaisports@kauaipubco.com.