MATCH OFFERINGS REQUIRE SOME GREEN.

Byline: Stacy Brown Daily News Staff Writer

At most professional sporting events, you can find an array of concession and souvenir stands. From hotdog vendors to T-shirt peddlers, from beer sellers to peanut hawkers, spectators often are given a variety of choices.

Golf, however, offers a little more of a mixed bag for your buck. Walk from the clubhouse entrance at the Valencia Country Club past the practice tees and you will encounter Sue Oi and Kengo Kawano sitting in a tent beneath a sign which reads ``Find your favorite golf pro here and how he's doing.''

``You won't see a sign at Dodger Stadium saying, `Find your favorite Dodger,' '' said Stephanie Briggs, a fan at the Nissan Open.

A line of spectators form in front of Oi and Kawano, all eager to find out where Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, John Daly and others are putting.

``We try to show them on a map where they can find the player they're looking for and give them their score, too,'' Oi said.

``The thing about these people (golf spectators) is that they come knowing exactly who they want to see and once we tell them where he's playing, off they go,'' Kawano said.

The idea of this and other tents set up at the club is to appease all and allow for a good time, officials said.

Assistant golf pro Dan Hernandez said the entire Santa Clarita Valley wanted to put its best foot forward for the world to see during the tournament.

``This is a chance to put us on the map,'' Hernandez said.

About a quarter-mile down the walkway between the 17th and 18th holes, another tent plays host to a golf pastime: cigars for sale.

Dave Coleman bought three stogies for himself and his two guests as they followed Daly's every swing. ``I don't know that you can say it's a golf thing, but the ambience of the cigar is what I buy them for,'' Coleman said.

Vendor Sonny Todd, who works for Romany Cigars, said many of the fans are players themselves who like the enjoyment of a Dominican or a Nicaraguan cigar while relaxing on the course with their buddies.

``It also helps the guys who can't smoke around their wives. They go play golf with friends and find its the only time they can light up,'' Todd said.

At anywhere from $6 to $12, the cigars can be had and Todd will even carve a ``plug cut'' with his miniature golf-club cigar cutter.

``It's fun because it is one of the few events where you're out walking and drinking and just having a good and relaxing time,'' Todd said.

So while the players count birdies or retreat to the exclusivity of the clubhouse, spectators can grab a $3.50 hot dog, a $3 soda, find out where their favorite player is in the standings and light up a $12 cigar.