THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506040159
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
He probably won't see the fruit of his labor for years, but Portsmouth's Steve Liebler is about to embark on something critical to future golfers in North Carolina.
Liebler, a former star at Churchland High School and a two-time All-American as a player at the University of South Carolina, has parted company with his alma mater after 10 seasons as its golf coach. At the end of June, he will become the state of North Carolina's first director of junior golf.
``I look at it as an opportunity to give something back to the game for what it's given me,'' said Liebler, who guided all or some portion of eight Gamecock teams to NCAA appearances, a record he says the athletic administration in Columbia, S.C., told him wasn't good enough. ``I thought I had done that at South Carolina; unfortunately, others didn't think things were moving fast enough for them. Now I have this opportunity.''
The Board of Directors of the Carolina Golf Association, concerned that North Carolina wasn't doing enough to introduce youngsters to the game, just recently created Liebler's new job. He will live at fabled Pinehurst, with an office in nearby West End, N.C.
Liebler comes to the job with several ideas he can't wait to implement. For the kid who lives in an environment where there are no golf courses, Liebler has proposed bringing them clinics and one-day camps, enough to whet their appetite. He's also proposed a series of one-day competitions with a point system that would culminate in the winners participating in a state-wide championship each year.
There's also the dilemma of keeping top-notch talent in the state. Liebler proposes coordinating a series of major tournaments, some of which already exist but are held on conflicting dates, to keep the Tar Heel golfer too busy to think about crossing the border.
Liebler will travel quite a bit observing golf associations in other states. One place he certainly will go is Virginia, especially in July. That's when he'll defend the Eastern Amateur title he captured a year ago at Elizabeth Manor.
A GOOD HOOK: Speaking of junior golf, for the fifth consecutive year, the Virginia State Golf Association is sponsoring the ``Hook a Kid on Golf'' program. It's a three-tiered program. Part I is a week's worth of instruction by local club professionals at a range or golf course. In part II, kids are given an opportunity to develop their skills in short putting, long putting, chipping, iron play and driving. At the end of the week, the kids play on a golf course for the first time. Part III takes place after the week of instruction. It's called the Golf Challenge League. Kids who have passed a rules and etiquette test and have met the minimum skills requirements are allowed to play in a team format. The leagues are coordinated by parents and others.
The program will be held locally at the Newport News GC from July 17-21 (contact Joe Battle, 247-8603) and at Norfolk's Ocean View GC from July 25-Aug. 4 (contact Helen Gabriel, 441-2149). In addition, the VSGA is seeking sponsors. Contact the VSGA office at (804) 378-2300.
MONEY MARATHON: The golf marathon has become the latest fund-raising fad among those with a charitable bent. On Monday, May 22, 40 employees of Phillips and Associates played 100 holes each (ital each) in raising $52,000 for Hampton Roads Easter Seals - and pledges are still coming in. They started at 6:30 in the morning at Kiln Creek in Newport News, and didn't finish until 13 hours later. So exhilarated were they at the accomplishment that shortly after they were done, they declared the event their ``first annual'' effort.
OPEN LORE: This story about the Virginia man who tried to qualify for the U.S. Open a few years back is too good not to re-tell, even if it is borrowed from Golf World magazine and the man's name or exact location aren't known.
Larry Adamson, USGA director of championship administration for the past 17 years, recalls with some glee the annual madness that occurs the day U.S. Open applications are due. Seventy percent of this year's total of 6,200 didn't arrive until the last three days.
``One year, a fellow from Virginia called the day before the deadline,'' Adamson told Golf World's Geoff Russell. ``He said he was so confident this was 'his year' that he wasn't taking any chances. He was driving his application up.''
Next day, one hour before deadline, Adamson's phone rang. It was the Virginian.
``He said, 'I was a mile from your building (in Far Hills, N.J.) when my car got a flat tire. Wait for me.' Thirty minutes later, he walked into my office, all sweaty and out of breath, but he had his application. I drove him back to his car and helped him change the tire.''
After all that, naturally the man qualified, right? Wrong. He shot 84. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Steve Liebler will find time out from his new job as N.C. junior
golf director to defend his Eastern Amateur title.
by CNB