Florence, Lathrop headline honorees

The South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association honored a couple of hall of famers for their contributions to the game during the local chapter's meeting this week at Wild Dunes Resort.

Terry Florence, now the general manager at Bulls Bay Golf Club, and Happ Lathrop, the executive director of the South Carolina Golf Association, were recognized for their service to golf during lengthy and outstanding careers. The two have been involved in the golf profession for more than 80 years combined.

Pine Forest Country Club in Summerville was named as the Charleston Golf Course Owners Association course of the year while Paul Helle, an assistant professional at the Links Course at Wild Dunes, was named the employee of the year.

Florence, 59, recently was selected as the 39th member of the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame. He also is a member of the Gardner-Webb College Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame.

Florence missed out on qualifying for the PGA Tour by one shot in 1974. He started out as an assistant pro at Charleston Municipal and in 1980 was hired by Wild Dunes as the resort's first golf professional. He remained at Wild Dunes for 20 years before moving to Bulls Bay.

Florence has played in four PGA Championships, four Senior PGA Championships and two U.S. Senior Opens. He has competed in two PGA Cup Matches (the club professional's version of the Ryder Cup). He also has won two South Carolina Opens, four South Carolina PGA Championships and numerous pro-pro, pro-assistant and other team events.

He has been extremely active in the Carolinas PGA section and in 1992 was the Carolinas PGA Professional of the Year.

Lathrop was inducted in August into the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame. He also is a member of the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame. Lathrop, a native of Hampton, won the S.C. Amateur as an 18-year-old in 1968 and became one of the University of South Carolina's top golfers.

He became the first full-time employee of the South Carolina Golf Association in 1976 and has overseen its growth into an organization that represents more than 300 clubs and more than 70,000 golfers.

Under his direction, he also helped create the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, which earlier this year was recognized by Golf Digest as the country's top junior golf program.

Double eagle

George Read made a 2 on the 521-yard, par-5 sixth hole at Patriots Point Golf Links on Monday. After using a driver, Read holed his 4-iron from 200 yards for the double eagle. His witnesses were George Read Jr. and Jim McLuen.

Tradition Four-Ball

Elizabeth Thompson of Charleston and Torey Johnson of Moore finished second in the girls' 14-18 age group in the Tradition Four-Ball South Carolina Junior Golf Association Tournament played at Pebble Creek Country Club in Taylors. Thompson and Johnson combined for scores of 72 and 71. Reona Hirai of Summerville and Nathalie Lezcano of Hilton Head finished second in the girls 11-13 age division, shooting 38-40—78. Richard Hubbard of Mount Pleasant and Jackson Moore of Isle of Palms placed third in the boys 13-14 age group, shooting 72-71—143.

Upcoming

The Golf League is holding night golf tournaments November through February. The first Mondays of the month will be played at Patriots Point while the third Fridays will be played at Charleston National. Two-person teams compete, with an entry fee of $39 per player. Contact Tom Koenig at (843) 425-3779 or visit www.thegolfleague.us.

The Charleston chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) will hold a scramble benefiting Lowcountry Orphan Relief Thursday at Wescott Plantation. Information is available at www.aitp-charleston.org or call Sherry Deese at (843) 830-8432.

The Cuthbert Cup tournament to benefit the Tommy Cuthbert Scholarship Fund presented by the Dorchester Free School Board will be played Oct. 25-26 at Miler Country Club.

The Chucktown Sports Golf Shootout, benefiting the Charleston Braves youth baseball team, will be played Oct. 25 at Charleston National. The entry fee is $80 per player. Contact Wendy Thomas at (843) 709-7793, Alke Alvanos at (843) 991-9211 or visit chucktownsports.net.

The Lowcountry Food Lion Charity tournament, benefiting the Charleston American Cancer Society Hope Lodge and Charleston Lowcountry Food Bank, will be played Oct. 29 at Wescott Plantation. The entry fee is $125 per player or $450 per team for the four-man captain's choice event. Contact Herman Meetze at (843) 209-1635 or Dave Wilson at (843) 276-4340.

The 12th annual Citadel Baseball golf tournament will be played Oct. 31 at Legend Oaks Country Club. The entry fee is $100, with proceeds going to The Citadel's baseball budget. Contact David Beckley at (843) 953-5285.

The City of Goose Creek Fire Department will hold a tournament benefiting Carolina Children's Charity Nov. 1 at Crowfield Golf and Country Club. The entry fee is $65 per player. Contact crhoads@cityofgoosecreek.com, or information is available at www.cityofgoosecreek.com.

The Grateful Golden Retriever Rescue of the Lowcountry will hold the Tee Off for Goldens tournament Nov. 6 at Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Oak Point. The entry fee is $100. Call (843) 971-9483 or check online at www.ggrlc.org.

The 18th annual Citadel Homecoming Golf Tournament will be played Nov. 14 at Charleston National. The entry fee is $85 per player for the four-man captain's choice event. Contact Jay Ward at (843) 727-6682 or e-mail jward@rpwb.com.

The 2008 North Charleston Open Championship will be played Nov. 15-16 at Wescott Plantation. The entry fee is $125. The 36-hole stroke play event is open to golfers 16 and older and will include gross, net and seniors divisions.

The Johnny Adams Mixed Team Championship will be played Nov. 22-23 at Charleston Municipal Golf Course. Teams consisting of one male and one female will compete with each partner driving, then playing the second shot with the other's ball. After that, a choice is made as to which ball to finish the hole with using alternate shot. The entry deadline is Nov. 14, and the entry fee is $150 per team. Call (843) 795-6517.

Reach Tommy Braswell at (843) 937-5591 or braswell@postandcourier.com.