TOLUCA LAKE : Ford Remembers Nixon at Charity Golf Event

Less than three weeks after attending the funeral of the man he replaced in the Oval Office, former President Gerald R. Ford, looking tanned and hale, swatted a golf ball around 18 holes here Monday to raise money for abused and neglected children.

Ford, who has attended the annual benefit for the Children’s Bureau of Southern California since its inception in 1982, said he is still saddened by the loss of Richard M. Nixon, who died April 22 at age 81.

“It’s been a very emotional time for me,” said Ford, who turns 81 in July. “My wife and I knew the Nixons since 1949. We’ve known their daughters since they were young. I hated to see such a good friend go.”

Nevertheless, the former chief executive appeared in good spirits as he polished off a barbecue lunch platter and headed for the first tee of the Lakeside Golf Course.

“I enjoy the opportunity to participate in a worthwhile charity,” Ford said between handshakes with other golfers. “It’s very appealing to me to do this and be able to play the game I love at the same time.”

About 150 golfers--mostly top business executives from Southern California and their guests--participated in the event that was expected to raise $200,000 to provide services for foster care, counseling and other services for abused and neglected children.

Ford is perhaps best known as a golfer for a series of mishaps in which his tee shots went awry and injured onlookers.

But, after practicing three times last week for the tournament, the former President hadn’t lost his sense of humor about his dexterity with a club, noting that he was scheduled to tee off first.

“I haven’t hit anyone for a long time,” Ford said. “They all know it’s safer in back of me than in front.”

Ford’s first tee shot went straight but veered right, ricocheting off a tree into play. But it endangering no one since there were no spectators along the fairway.