LITTLE ROCK — In this time of nearly nonstop football, there's a lot going on in Arkansas golf this week.
There are four events in four parts of the state that are worth taking notice of.
It starts with the Arkansas Hickory Open, moves on to the Arkansas Women's Golf Association awards dinner, then to the LPGA Legends Tour and on to the PGA South Central Section Championship.
The Arkansas Hickory Open is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Stonelinks in North Little Rock, but the festivities will tee off Friday.
There will be a hickory club demonstration at the First Tee of Central Arkansas in Little Rock at 4:30 p.m.
Friday and children are invited to attend. They'll also be able to try out some of the hickory clubs.
It starts to get serious at 6 p.m. at the First Tee when they will hold what might be a first: A hickory golf longdriving championship. To make it even better, one of the participants is scheduled to be three-time world longdriving champion Sean "TheBeast" Fister of Little Rock.
Yes, he'll be using the hickory-shafted clubs. And with his massive clubhead speed at the point of impact, it is going to really test the strength of those clubs.
Having tried them out last year, I can tell you that the hickory shafts are solid. But I'd still like to see what happens when Fister really lets one go.
The tournament begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at Stonelinks. The past two Arkansas Hickory Open champions, the past two United States Hickory Open champions, two former Arkansas Senior Hickory Open champions and three Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame members are scheduled to be in the field.
This isn't your normalgolf tournament. Most of the players will be wearing 1920speriod clothes. That means knickers, neckties and hats all around.
Also Saturday, the Arkansas Women's Golf Association will induct Fort Smith's Tanna Richard into its Hall of Distinction at an awards dinner at Red Apple Inn in Heber Springs.
This is a lifetime achievement award and Richard will join former inductees like Ed Dell Wortz, Lou Miller, Martha McAlister, Pam Spikes, Mary Perrin, Dot Germain and Jane Whitmore Chronister.
The AWGA will also honor Russellville's Julie Oxendine as the 2009 Player of the Year, Richard as the Senior Player of the Year, HotSprings Village's Jean Mowry as the Super Senior Player of the Year and Conway's Summar Roachell as the Junior Player of the Year.
Going a little farther north, the LPGA Legends Tour will have the second annual Horseshoe Bend Invitational at The Course on Turkey Mountain on Saturday and Sunday.
The field looks pretty similar to last year. Those scheduled to participate include Kathy Whitworth, Cindy Miller, Cindy Figg-Currier and Jane Blalock.
On Saturday, there is a putting challenge hosted by Whitworth at 1 p.m. and a clinic hosted by Sandra Haynie and Miller at 3 p.m. The pro-am takes place Sunday beginning at 10 a.m.
If you go, make sure to check out Kathy Whitworth's golf bag. Stitched on the side is a rather large No. 88. Whitworth holds the record with 88 professional golf victories, surpassing the totals of Mickey Wright and Sam Snead, who each have 82.
The event is in the second year of a five-year deal to play in Horseshoe Bend. All proceeds from the tournament benefit Arkansas Children's Hospital.
And, Monday and Tuesday, Texarkana Country Club will host the PGA South Central Section Championship. This event features quite a few of the local PGA professionals at courses in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Southern Kansas. They'll play 36 holes Monday and 18 holes Tuesday.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/24/2009