ORANGE COUNTY GOLF NOTEBOOK / MARTIN BECK : Location Lets Newport Beach CC Swing Deal

For some time, Jerry Anderson has believed Newport Beach Country Club would be an excellent location for a Senior PGA Tour event. For the last 9 1/2 years, his job has been to help the course live up to its potential.

Apparently, the time has come.

Monday, Anderson, the club’s vice president and general manager, signed an agreement to play host to a Senior Tour event for the next two years. The second Toshiba Senior Classic (its inaugural run was last March at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa) will be contested the week of March 11, 1996. Anderson hopes to continue the relationship.

“We want to make this a long-term arrangement,” he said.

As any Newport Beach real estate agent can tell you, this deal was closed because of location. Wedged between Pacific Coast Highway and Fashion Island, the club offers ample parking and easy access to John Wayne Airport and some of Orange County’s most luxurious hotels.

Coto de Caza, another club that was considered by International Sports and Event Marketing, which is managing the event, has only one hotel within eight miles.

Coto de Caza has two 18-hole courses, including one that was completed this spring, and a reputation as one of the tougher courses in the county.

“They’ve got a newer golf course, a newer facility, but when you really weigh things out, I just think we have a lot more to offer,” Anderson said. “Maybe, I shouldn’t say it that way.

“I think Newport Beach has a lot to offer the tournament.”

But what about the course?

Like Mesa Verde, Newport Beach is a traditional tree-lined course built in the 1950s. The Irvine Co. opened the club in 1952 as the Irvine Coast Country Club. About 10 years ago, it was bought by the parent company of the Balboa Bay Club.

Soon after, Anderson was hired. He found a course that was a bit run down by country club standards and began sprucing it up. An automated irrigation system was installed. Concrete cart paths were build around greens and tee boxes. Three holes were rebuilt from tee box to green and one green was rebuilt.

Anderson says the net result is a course in excellent shape. It plays 6,698 yards at par 71. (Mesa Verde played 6,307 at par 70 for the tournament in March).

Anderson says it plays longer because the fairways don’t allow for much roll. The greens are small with subtle, hard-to-read breaks.

“It’s not an extremely difficult golf course, but it’s challenging,” Anderson said.

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The club has some experience with professional tournaments, having played host to the two-day Newport Classic for its 21 years. Anderson said the network of volunteers already in place will make it easier to undertake the task.

Anderson said the best Newport Classic score is 64 (the course record is 63).

“The course has held up pretty well,” Anderson said, “although I’m sure when we get the Arnold Palmers--we hope we get him--and the other great senior golfers out here, we know they will shoot some good scores. But that’s fine. It will add to the excitement.”

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Coto de Caza’s Kellee Booth began her second U.S. Women’s Open by shooting four-over-par 74 and improved the next two days by one stroke, until struggling a bit on her final round. Her 74-73-72-77--296 tied her for 57th and second, with Wendy Ward, among amateurs.

Booth, a 1994 graduate of Santa Margarita High, was one-over through seven holes Sunday, but she double-bogeyed the eighth. And after a birdie on No. 9, she triple-bogeyed the par-4 10th.

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County Drives

Here’s a look at the features that make one golf hole in Orange County stand out: * Course: Tijeras Creek Golf Club * Hole: No. 17 * Yardage: Blue, 399; White, 376; Red, 311 * Description: Tijeras Creek runs the length of the fairway before cutting n front of the green on this demanding par 4. The two-tiered green is elevated, and the hill between the creek andthe green is embedded with rocks. The large fairway bunker punishes those who try to cut he dogleg, but those going too far right find a eucalyptus tree locking their shot at the right side of the green. * Hint: If you have any doubt that you can hit the green with your second shot, lay up. There is little margin for error. “I’ve played with some decent players who have had to lay up. The hold probably plays a bit longer than posted.” --Doug Booth, head professional