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 (photo: Mark Susson) It makes sense that the old guys of professional golf like the old-school layout at Newport Beach Country Club. The site has been a popular place for fans to visit and golfers on the Champions Tour to play the past 17 years during the Toshiba Classic, set this season for March 16-18. Originally designed by William Bell in 1952, Newport Beach Country Club has been enhanced three times since – once by Harry Rainville in 1973 and twice by Ted Robinson, in 1985 and 1998. The par-71, 6,591-yard layout just off the Pacific Coast Highway isn’t long even by Champions Tour standards, but it stands out because of its maturity and tricky nature. The narrow fairways are lined by stands of pine trees, preventing the course from being overwhelmed by long hitters, even the just-turned-50 whippersnappers and their newfangled equipment. Good scoring is contingent upon accuracy off the tee and a delicate touch on the mostly small greens that, according to those in the know, break toward the Pacific Ocean. “The golf course is in perfect shape - great for our style of play,” said last years winner, Nick Price, who opened with a blistering 60 and concluded his three rounds at 17 under to hold off Mark Wiebe, Joe Ozaki, Michael Allen and former Toshiba Classic champions Fred Couples (2010) and Brad Bryant (2006). The Toshiba Classic, the only professional golf tournament played in Orange County, has been held in Newport Beach since 1996. Perry Dickey, general manager at Newport Beach Country Club, said last year that its members agreed to an extension with tournament officials that will keep the event there until at least 2013. “I don’t want it to ever go away,” Dickey said during tournament week last year. “Toshiba seems happy. We were blessed the last two years to be recognized as the No. 1 event on the Champions Tour, and that’s huge. We’re excited about that.” The excitement comes in many forms and affects many people on and off the course. Besides Price and Couples, the champions list for the Toshiba Classic boasts some of the best players in PGA Tour and Champions Tour history, including Bernhard Langer (2008), Jay Haas (2007), Hale Irwin (1998 and 2002), Bob Murphy (1997), Jim Colbert (1996) and George Archer, who won the first event in 1995. Orange County native and popular commentator Gary McCord also had the crowd rocking with his victory in 1999, and the longest playoff in the history of the Champions Tour occurred at the Toshiba Classic when Murphy defeated Jay Sigel in 1997 on the ninth extra hole. The Toshiba Classic also has been recognized as one of the most successful fund-raising tournaments in Champions Tour history, with more than $1 million on average each year being donated to lead beneficiary Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and other Orange County charities. “It’s incredible to be part of something that is so good in so many ways,” Dickey said. “From my standpoint, No. 1 for the community, this tournament brings $27 million to the local economy, which is very good for us especially in these economic times. Secondly, it services the Hoag Hospital Foundation, which is great. Thirdly, what it does for the club to have the membership. We have about 1,000 members, and 750 of them are part of the volunteer committee.” The record-high fundraising has an enormous impact on Orange County residents’ lives in measurable ways. The primary beneficiary of the tournament, Hoag is a nationally recognized hospital that brings cutting-edge health care to the community and is known for its patient satisfaction and clinical excellence by consumers and regulatory agencies. Funding from the Toshiba Classic has enabled Hoag to continue expanding its services to regional residents and has been responsible, in part, for helping the medical center move forward with capital projects such as opening an acute care general hospital with emergency services in Irvine in 2010. As part of Toshiba’s commitment to the community and tournament, the Toshiba Classic Scholarship Fund was expanded in 2008 to award two local high school seniors $10,000 and a Toshiba laptop to assist with their future education. The Toshiba scholarship program has provided more than $200,000 in scholarships and support to local schools and more than $400,000 worth of laptops to deserving schools and seniors. “Breakfast with a Champion” also is a highlight of tournament week. Past guests include Corey Pavin, Lee Trevino, Mark O’Meara, Craig Stadler, Dave Stockton, Fuzzy Zoeller and Tom Watson. Besides offering an opportunity for guests to get up close and personal with a golf star, the breakfast also serves as the annual platform to announce the winners of the scholarship fund and is an important part of the overall fund-raising process. Fans have multiple spots to get a good view of the action or favorite player from numerous parts of Newport Beach Country Club’s walker- and fan-friendly layout. Reminiscent of older parkland courses, many of the fairways run parallel to each other, so spectators have an opportunity to see players heading in both directions while standing in certain spots. Fans who want to see players hit the long ball on par-5 holes have an opportunity to do so from a position between the tee boxes on Nos. 15 and 18. Both holes head toward the clubhouse, and both tee boxes are close together enough for fans to toggle between and watch multiple drives in a small amount of time. The arena-like setting around the 18th green is also a great venue for fans, with numerous seating options on the grass or in skyboxes. The prettiest hole on the course, and one with bleacher areas for viewing, is No. 17, a par-3, 185-yard beauty with a large lake in front of the elevated tee and to the edge of the two-tiered green that has provided a lot of excitement down the stretch in tournament history. Even though many club members are accustom to seeing or playing the course most days of the year, Dickey said the membership doesn’t seem to mind the minor disruption the tournament brings each year, and the majority look forward to seeing some of golf’s past and present greats strolling the fairways. “For the most part everyone is excited about it,” he said. “They totally embrace it. They love to host the best players on the Champions Tour here. It’s just all good. The vibe is very, very exciting.” Ticket Information Daily tickets: $20 before March 11; $25 at the gate on tournament days Daily ticket with clubhouse access: $40 before March 11; $50 at the gate Patron badge with clubhouse access: $100; provides access to the grounds the entire week and clubhouse access Friday-Sunday Group Packages Double Eagle Entertainment: $2,250; includes 100 daily tickets, one VIP parking pass for the weekend and six clubhouse badges Eagle Entertainment: $1,250; includes 50 daily tickets and four clubhouse badges Birdie Entertainment: $750; includes 35 daily tickets and two clubhouse badges VIP Options Partners Club: This is for sponsors who want a hospitality venue but don’t have the numbers to fill a skybox or Pavilion Club table. Sponsors can purchase passes into a villa on the 18th fairway, with a view of the fairway and green at the finishing hole. The Partners Club also provides food and beverages all day. Passes start at $200 per day, with a minimum purchase of four passes and a maximum of 12 passes per day, Friday-Sunday. Players Club: Part of this membership provides access to an exclusive villa on the 18th hole. Pricing details are available online or by contacting the club. For more information on ticket packages or volunteer opportunities, call the tournament office at (949) 660-1001. |
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