Golfing With The Nazarenes

Windward Church of the Nazarene will host its inaugural Bay View Golf Tournament Oct. 11, featuring an 11:30 a.m. shotgun start, a putting-and-chipping contest and much more at Bay View Golf Park.

Entries were due Sept. 11 to play in the tourney, but Pastor Jerry Appleby said there may be a few spots left, and non-golfers still are welcome to reserve

a seat for the dinner and silent auction. The “Dining Experience” is presented by Bay View Grill and Catering, the church’s onsite restaurant, and the silent auction is open to tourney guests from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Awards, prizes and drawings also are planned. For fees, sponsorships and reservations, call 247-0451 or email Richelle Kim at rkim@windwardnazarene.c om.

Format for the 18-hole tournament is a four-person scramble with adjusted handicaps.

The church purchased the ailing golf course last December and plans to house a new high school on the property in about five years, pending a zoning change and a series of planning permits, according to Appleby. “The zone change will allow (the non- profit) Pacific American Foundation to purchase

Waikalua Loko Fishpond with a grant they already have for that purpose,” he explained, noting that proceeds from the golf tournament will be used to complete the long and costly school planning effort as well as the fishpond transfer. The fishpond is part of the Bay View property and PAF has been its steward for many years.

Meanwhile, the church has opened Bay View Grill, which serves breakfast and lunch daily except Tuesday, and has hired Billy Casper Golf to manage and improve the grounds and greens. Both moves have drawn praise throughout the community and among golf regulars. The church, which moves its offices and Sunday services to Bay View Golf Park, operates Windward Nazarene Academy (grades K-8) on Pua‘ai Road, across Kaneohe Bay Drive from the golf park.

The golf course, driving range and mini-putt course remain open to the public, and community use is encouraged — and part of the church mission.

“We don’t normally do golf tournaments,” Appleby said, “but this is a good way to introduce the community to the course and to show them how it’s turned around, 180 degrees. It’s our coming out party.”