Golf / Shav Glick : Vines, Oakley Named to Area Hall of Fame

Ellsworth Vines, former world tennis champion who later turned to golf as a lifetime career, and Bud Oakley of Palos Verdes are the two latest inductees into the Southern California PGA Hall of Fame.

Vines, 73, and Oakley, 76, were honored at the association’s annual past president’s banquet Wednesday night at Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach. They joined Paul Runyan, Joe Novak and George Lake, who were charter inductees last year.

Oakley retired in 1974 after 35 years as head professional at Palos Verdes Country Club. He was SoCal PGA president from 1956-58 and was twice named the section’s professional golfer of the year. He served as national PGA vice president from 1961-63.

Vines, a former Pasadenan, capped his tennis career by winning the Wimbledon singles in 1931 and the U.S. singles at Forest Hills in 1931-32 before turning pro in 1934. After switching to golf, Vines won the California Open in 1954 and 30 years later competed in the 1984 State Open at Olivas Park in Ventura.

He was SoCal PGA president in 1955 and worked at Wilshire, Tamarisk and La Quinta CC before moving to La Quinta Hotel Resort Golf Club in 1980, where he is still active as a professional.

Golf Notes Rod Funseth, former L.A. Open champion; Sandy Tatum, former U.S. Golf Assn. president, and Gene Andrews, former Walker Cup player, were inducted into the California Golf Hall of Fame at the California Golf Writers Assn. dinner at Monterey. Also honored were Tom Watson as player of the year, George Archer as comeback player of the year, Lee Trevino as ambassador of golf, Coach Jerry Vroom of San Jose State, who received the Golden State Award for his 22 years of service, and Joe Sargis of United Press International, who was given the Hayward-Newland media award.

Three SoCal courses, Riviera, La Quinta Hotel and Vintage Club, were selected by the American Society of Golf Course Architects as among the 130 best-designed courses in the country. . . . Hall of Famer Paul Runyan will conduct a series of five lessons starting Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Brookside clubhouse in Pasadena, to benefit the Pasadena Guidance Clinics. The schedule: Feb. 11--putting and chipping; Feb. 13--pitching; Feb. 18--full shots, all irons; Feb. 20--fairway and driver woods; Feb. 25--sand traps; Feb. 27--uneven lies.

Big Bill O’Connor won his third Riviera club championship. He also won in 1980 and 1981. . . . Former SoCal PGA champion Rafe Botts is working at Desert Falls CC, one of the many new courses popping up in the Palm Springs area. . . . The 11th annual 552 Club’s Crosby Southern Pro-Am is set for Saturday and Sunday at Irvine Coast CC. Seventy-two pros and 72 amateurs will be paired in the $40,000 event. Proceeds will go to the Hoag Memorial Hospital.

Defending champion Gary Koch heads entries for the Feb. 13-17 Isuzu Andy Williams San Diego Open at Torrey Pines. San Diego Open qualifying will be held Monday at Bernardo Heights CC and Feb. 11 at Stardust CC. . . . The new Golden State senior tour will open Monday at Yorba Linda CC, with a second event Feb. 11 at Vista Valley CC. . . . The Golden State Pro series will end with a 54-hole event starting Wednesday at Shadowridge CC in Vista.

Actor Claude Akins defeated Dan Chambers on the first playoff hole for the Hollywood Hackers club championship after both had shot 78s at Rancho Mirage CC. Akins also won in 1971. . . . Former Riviera senior champion William Retchin was re-elected president of the U. S. National Senior Open Golf Assn. . . . Beverly Cox, who works the Roosevelt and Los Feliz courses, is the first woman to become a senior starter in the L.A. city golf system. . . . Marion Schuster is president of the Industry Hills Women’s Golf Assn.