FROM THE FRINGE & ON THE GREEN HOLE OF THE WEEK.

Byline: - Dave Shelburne

Knollwood CC, par 4, 429 yards

Arguably the toughest first hole of any course in the area, Knollwood No. 1 challenges with length, severe uphill and out-oounds for the entire right side of the fairway, and a hillside hazard that lines the second half of the left side of the fairway. A long drive is a must for anyone hoping to hit the green in regulation, but the drive also must stay in the fairway because the combination of rough and the remaining uphill would make for an exceptionally difficult second shot. A large green, a large greenside bunker and the problem of choosing the correct club for the elevation on the approach shot add to the challenge, which leaves plenty of golfers happy enough to settle for bogey.

BOOK REVIEW

``THE GOLF NUT'S BOOK OF AMAZING FEATS AND RECORDS''

By Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo, with George White 

Ever wonder what was the biggest alligator flipped by a golfer during competition? Who was the highest handicapper to hit a double eagle off another player's shoe? What was the most objects hit by a golf ball during a hole-in-one? If so, this is the book for you.

Published in 1994 by Contemporary Books and written by ``Sports Hall of Shame'' comic-feature authors Nash and Zullo with the assistance of Orlando Sentinel golf editor White, this 173-page paperback describes 146 of golf's wackiest happenings.

For example, when a 6-foot alligator approached his group during the 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School at Disney World Golf Resort in Florida, Andy Bean astonished nervous playing partners by slipping behind the reptile, grabbing its tail and flipping it.

``Ain't nothing but an 'ol gator,'' the Georgia-born Bean said.

Ted Barnhouse might have been as dismissive of his 1981 hole-in-one in Oregon had his shot not first shanked over a barbed-wire fence, bounced back off a cow's head, caromed off a sprinkler head and then again off a lawn mower before banging into the flag stick and dropping into the cup.

Tommy Thomas likely was as conflicted about his only double-eagle. The 18-handicapper never thought he could get close to the green with his second shot on a 497-yard par-5 in 1990 in Alabama but saw his perfectly struck 3-wood bounce off the shoe of another player on the green and then roll into the cup.

``Best shot I've ever hit in my life,'' said Thomas, who admitted he didn't know whether to celebrate or hide.

GOLF TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Competition open to the public

--Thursday- U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier at SCGA Members Club (sign-ups closed Aug. 7)

--Saturday-Sunday- Inland Valley Amateur at Marshall Canyon GC

--Wednesday-! SCGA Senior Amateur qualifying at Desert Princess GC, Candlewood CC (sign-ups closed Aug. 14)

--Sep. 5-! SCGA Senior Amateur qualifying at SCGA Members Club (sign-ups closed Aug. 14)

--Sep. 9- U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier at Redlands CC (sign-ups close Aug. 14)

--Sep. 10- SCGA Senior Amateur qualifying at Horse Thief GC at Stallion Springs (sign-ups closed Aug. 14)

--Sep. 17-18- SCGA Four-Ball Net Championship at Landmark North (sign-ups closed July 31)

--Sep. 23- NFL Alumni Charity Golf Classic in memory of Irv Kaze, at Los Coyotes CC (310-787-1573 or plasticman(at)earthlink.net)

--Sep. 23-24- SCGA Senior Amateur Championship at Alisal Ranch Course (sign-ups closed Aug. 14)

--Oct. 3-4- L.A. City Senior Men's Golf Championship at Hansen Dam, Balboa and Encino GCs

--Oct. 5-6- Oak Tree Partners Best-Ball Shootout at Soule Park GC, Ojai

--Oct. 5-6- Santa Barbara County Championship at La Purisima GC

--Oct. 12-13- Oceanside Women's City Championship at Oceanside GC

--Oct. 22- SCGA Four-Ball qualifiers at Crystalaire CC and SCGA Members Club (sign-ups close Oct. 2)

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

no caption (book: ``THE GOLF NUT'S BOOK OF AMAZING FEATS AND RECORDS'')

Box:

GOLF TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (see text)