Irwin Gives Course’s Greens a Mixed Review

Hale Irwin sounded more like a greenskeeper than a professional golfer Thursday as he talked about the putting surfaces at Newport Beach Country Club.

Irwin, the leading money winner on the Senior PGA Tour this year, had just completed his final practice round before the start of the Toshiba Senior Classic today.

He quickly brought up the poa annua greens, which are in bloom this time of year. Irwin, using his outstretched hand to illustrate how the grass grows and flowers, said the ball bounces as it rolls.

The grass is perfect when first cut but after a few players, the greens quickly become bumpy and some pros get cranky about it.

“I think good putting and bad putting is going to be pretty much the same this week,” Irwin said. “I think we are going to be all thrown in the mix on that. It’s going to come down to who is really striking the ball well. . . . The ball spends more time in the air than on the ground and it’s hard to read air.”

Irwin has had little trouble reading greens so far this year.

He already has won two official events as well as the Senior Slam.

He starts the week with $345,960 in official money. David Graham ($269,920) is second and defending Senior Classic champion Jim Colbert ($226,433) is third.

Irwin has taken two weeks off but hopes to come back strong; last year, he finished third here.

Still, Irwin isn’t too concerned about money or where he finishes on the money list.

Evidence of this came last year when he finished second despite playing in only 23 tournaments, compared to Colbert’s 32. Irwin averaged $70,250 per event and Colbert $50,871. Colbert took the lead on the last hole of the last event last year.

“That’s not my focus,” Irwin said. “I don’t want to have that drive my life. I want to be driving the things in my life . . . If it comes I would be happy with that, but the money title is the cherry on the dessert and I’ve already had a lot of dessert.”

Irwin splits his time between his golf course design company--which is currently building two courses and has three more ready to start in the spring--and playing. He and his wife, Sally, are also in middle of building a house in Phoenix.

“We’ve got so many things going on right now,” Irwin said. “I’m just so happy with the way things are going. I’m just trying to stay current with my game . . . Time management is my biggest challenge.”

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Fan stands: One of the major complaints by fans at last year’s event was the lack of viewing areas for the general public near the 18th green. The green was surrounded by corporate grandstands.

But this year there is a medium-sized grandstand along the right side of the green. There is also a 30-foot space between two corporate boxes near the back of the green.

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Fund-raiser: The tournament has come up with a unique way to raise money for charities associated with the event.

People can pay $2 to take a test drive in the Planet Masters 120 electric golf cart, which has a retail value of $14,000.

Spectators can also pay $2 to putt on a practice green. It they make any of three putts, they are entered in a drawing to win one of the Planet Masters golf carts.

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Terry Dill, who led the Senior Tour in driving distance last year with an average of 287 yards, was the low pro in Thursday’s pro-am with a six-under 65.