THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606210226
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 51 lines
Seventy-seven-year-old John Fay, the proud holder of the highest handicap at Elizabeth Manor, is going back to being ``just one of the guys'' at the Eastern Amateur.
Fay has been a longtime member of the executive committee for the Eastern and still plans to handle some of his regular chores at the July tournament at Elizabeth Manor.
``But it's time for one of the younger fellows to step in on the executive committee,'' said Fay. Karl Quinn has been selected to replace him on that leadership body. Fay has served for 15 years.
The executive committee is composed of David Whitener, Galen Hill, Lewis Jarvis, club pro Tim Newsom and, now, Quinn. It directs a large group of committees with dozens of volunteer workers in the annual four-day tournament.
``Before I moved onto the executive committee, I handled transportation of players for the tournament. And I expect I will continue in that position,'' said Fay. ``I also will keep my hand in the scoring, where I have helped for the last several years.'' He is one of six official scorers.
Fay moved to Portsmouth in 1954 and became an Elizabeth Manor member two years later. He has long held a board of directors position and served a stint as treasurer of the club.
``Back when George Skinner (the Eastern founder) was heading up the tournament, I helped a little with transportation,'' said Fay. ``It was really different then than it is now. We had some players come in on private planes and we probably needed 30 people to pick up players on commercial flights.
``I continued to handle transportation when Dick Wood and then David Whitener ran the tournament. But there's really been changes. We don't need many to help out because there are only a handful of players who require transportation. A lot of the players drive in.''
Fay has developed friendships with some of professional golf's finest through their visits to the Eastern when they were amateurs. He speaks fondly of Deane Beman, the former commissioner of the PGA and a four-team Eastern Amateur champion, Ben Crenshaw (the 1971 and 1972 champion) and Hale Irwin, who never won an Eastern but ranks among the all-time leading money winners in golf.
And Fay chuckles in pointing out he carries Elizabeth Manor's highest handicap. ``A sparkling 35,'' he says. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Oo-o-o-o-h.''
John Fay, 77, misses a putt on the practice green at Elizabeth Manor
Golf and Country Club. Fay, who has a ``sparkling handicap'' of 35,
is retiring after 15 years from the executive committee for the
Eastern Amateur Tournament. by CNB