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Show N Covering what matters most T"" \vr E W o 5>— Spanish Fork WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2008 • B3 Paige wins championship Chad Vest STAFF WRITER Jeril Bills / Spanish Fork P<{ews PIMP MY GOLF CART? Preston Palombo shows off one of the customized golf carts created at Retro Rides. Retro Rides goes golfing Jeril Bills STAFF WRITER customers owned Escalade cars), even selling on an international level. "We've sold in virtually Dennis Palombo's Retro Rides, in Spanish Fork, is every continent and over 20 famous for its Camaros, but countries," said Bill. Those lately a new product has countries include Qatar, been receiving attention — Pakistan, Russia and South golf carts. That's right, cus- Korea. tomized golf carts designed About six months ago, to look like cars. Palombo got into the golf : It all started when Bill cart business, including .(who's asked that his real teaming up with Bill to crename not be used) and a ate a new SUV cart. business partner designed "Originally, he was and created a golf cart ver-. painting all my golf carts sion of the Cadillac Esca- for me, and then we partlade five years ago. They nered up and started the had success marketing the [new model]," said Bill. product to Escalade owners Because the Escalade golf (around 90 percent of their cart was patterned after an existing car model. Bill and his original business partner had to gel permission from General Motors to make and sell the Escalade carts, and they had to pay significant royalties on them, requiring Bill and his associate to sell the carts at a higher price. Bill wanted to produce a less expensive cart, so he created a new model that was not patterned after a specific model of car. They can sell this model for thousands of dollars less than the Escalade, because they do not have to pay royalties. When it came time to create what he calls the SUV model, Bill said, "I just drew it." Now, Bill and Palombo have finished one of the new carts and are working on more. The list does not end there. There is also a Smoothster golf cart, patterned after a 1944 roadster. "We have a new product ... coming out that will be featured at the Sema show in Las Vegas in November," said Palombo. It appears this is only the beginning of better things to come with golf carts at Retro Rides. Davis gets hole-in-one at alumni event Chad Vest STAFF WRITER threes and longest drive on several par five holes. First place went to some Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008 recent graduates, which inwas marked on many calencluded four former SF golfdars as an important date, ers, led by Matt Porter. because it was the 19th anThe second place finishnual Spanish Fork Alumni er was the team of Richard Golf Tournament. RecentDavis. Davis and company , ly-hired golf coaches Tim all graduated in 1971 and Braithwaite and head pro at have been playing together the Oaks, Aaron Brown, orin this event for many years. ; ganized the event and were Even more impressive than ; both pleased at another solid a second place finish was turnout on a beautiful day. the fact that Davis hit a hole-in-one on #12. "First of all, the weather Richard Davis was perfect," said Braith"It was pretty neat," said waite. "It was about 84 Davis. "It was a once-indegrees, and second, there in the tournament, which is a-lifetime deal for an old were no backups on the somewhat crouded for that duffer like me. When it course so it went just really I8-hole golf course, since landed, it looked close but 40 teams is at full capacity. we didn't know until we got nice." Numerous sponsors were But, nevertheless, it was a up to the green, and then generous to donate money great opportunity to reunite my friends pulled it out for ; to fund the SF golf program classmates and old friends. me. We were just screaming ; by supporting this tradition- The tournament format and hollering. I don't think al event. Companies who continues to be a four-man it will ever happen again" I sponsored the tourney were scramble, and prizes were A hole-in-one is quite a ! Security Insurance, Western given for the topfinishersat rare feat for anyone, even . States Insurance, Westland the steak dinner following Phil Mickelson and Tiger ' Construction, Agile Prod- the competition. Individual Woods. But Davis menprizes were given for closucts, Synergy. est-lo-the-hole on many par tioned why it was extra speForty-one teams played cial to him. "It was just neat to do it with my class of '71 friends," he said. "What's great about the alumni tournament is the opportunity to play with close friends from your class. Our group played ball together growing up and we had a lot of fun. You know, there have been many good classes but the class of '71 was the best there ever was." That last statement is an argument for another story, but only two men have hit a hole-in-one during the 19year run of this tournament. Amazingly, both are from the same class of 1971. Dave Boyack knocked one down in 1995, so maybe there's some validity to Davis' statement. But one thing is for sure — because of the annual tournament, both alums have a claim to fame at the Spanish Oaks Golf Course thanks to the SF Alumni Golf Tournament. Fall Baseball Instructional League Anyone interested in participating in the Utah Baseball Academy fall'baseball instructional league needs to register before Sept. 8, 2008. Register online at utahbaseballacademy.com, or contact Coach Shoe at 7986740 t or 7984060, or Coach Whites at W^32AQ,^r.79840&2. All players mustcontact one of the above so team numbers can be.accurate, - ^ - W r * * ? ? ^ -^^jy^/r .vv£ 0 , The league is open to players 8-12th grade, Instructional games begin Sept. 13, 2008. Instruction is provided by the top high school coaches, college coaches, and professional players. For more information -check the above mentioned website, or contact Coach Shoe or Coach Whites. The league is highly recommended, but not required for players jnterestedJo playing high school baseball. Forty-nine year old Nelson Paige had returned twice to his stomping grounds to play competitive rounds of golf and rub shoulders with a few locals and young players. In his first outing, he and his teammate took home first prize in the two men best ball tournament which may have been a prelude for a victory surge. But, recently, Paige competed against many talented golfers in the SF Club Championship at SF Oaks Municipal Golf course and took home the grand prize of over $300 dollars in merchandise. Although he currently resides in Orem, he once was a Mighty Don, having grown up just west of 400 North in Spanish Fork. He was a three-sport athlete in high school and excelled on the diamond as a pitcher. Interestingly, it wasn't until the end of his college baseball experience that he picked up the game of golf. Paige caught on quickly because he felt that pitching and swinging a golf club have certain similarities. "It's kind of a wind-up and a release point" [in both sports]," he said. "There's actually a lot of similarity. Controlling the speed and location of a pitch or golf shpL.is perfected through a lot of practice. There's a mental approach to both." Paige also has a son named Nathan, who is entering his senior year at Southern Utah University. While at SUU, his son has enjoyed great success on the school's golf team. He and his father enjoy playing together which has motivated each other to perfect their game. Paige Sr. has played in a lot of PRO AMS and has fared quite well in many. As for a career, he has been in the car business for over 20 years and has played golf on the side. But this year more than any other, he had the bug to get out and play as much as possible. The victory at Spanish Oaks was a shocking thrill for the middle-aged man and he mentioned just where it ranks on his list of feats in the game of golf. "This was number one without a doubt,** said Paige. "Winning the Club Championship there at Spanish is the best thing I've ever done in golf. Nothing even comes close to it." For the tournament, he hit a five under par. He shot a three under for the first day and finished it up with a two under par. Several of the players in the tournament were returning champions and athletes who compete at the collegiate level. With that in mind, Paige didn't have high expectations. "The thought of winning that tournament "My hat's off to him. He did a great job." - Aaron Brown didn't even enter my mind," he said. "I thought, at 49 years old, there's just no way I could beat these young kids. But I just got hot for two days and I had a lot of good things go my way. It was just like it was meant to be. I no more thought I could win that than fly to the moon." Paige realized that he had something big in his sights after the first day, and even though he was nervous, he remained poised and finished with a bang. "I just kept telling myself the same thing," he said. "It's the same thing I tell my son to do. I just told myself to make a good swing and to not worry about the score." Aaron Brown, who is the Head Pro at the Oaks, was impressed with Paige's performance. "There are just so many good players there," said Brown. "There are a lot of young and good junior college players that still play here. So for Nelson to come in and beat 'em all like he did, it was pretty incredible. My hat's off to him. He did a great job." Maple Mt. names student of the month Maple Mountain Martial Arts recently named Becky Burt of Spanish Fork as their August student of the month. Becky was born on Halloween and is the baby of the farnily. She has two brothers, one sister and loves to baby sit her nieces. Becky is in the sixth grade this year. She is a good student, enjoys math, loves to read and easily makes friends. Becky has been studying martial arts for the past five years at Maple Mountain Martial Arts of Spanish Fork under the instruction of Mr. Joe Kelly a 3rd Dan black Becky Burt belt. Becky is currently a senior brown belt and is working towards her goal of earning her black belt. Accelerated Softball 14U The Cyclones Girl's Softball Team is having tryouts for new players (ages 12 -14) for next year's season. Try outs will meet at the Spanish Fork Sports Park; Saturday September 6, 2008 at 9 AM (East Complex). For more information contact Dave at 885-4309. |