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Stallworth's contract terminated
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KSU Notes – February 9
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NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
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Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
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Garfield at Buchtel basketball
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Palin At The Tea Party Convention
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Republican Pre-Conditions
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Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
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Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
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Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
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Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
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Track HR Research
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Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
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Do IT this week: Layering
Happy Golfer drives the nation
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Wednesday, May 20, 2009
KENT: Nick Karnazes is on a journey of a lifetime that will have a physical end but not a mental one.
Karnazes, 73, a resident of San Clemente, Calif., was in Northeast Ohio on Tuesday as part of an ambitious plan to play two 18-hole rounds of golf in each of the 48 contiguous states during a 96-day period.
His round at Maplecrest Golf Club completed the Ohio portion of his schedule — his 33rd state — on a venture that began March 22 in Arizona and will end June 25 in California.
''It is something that I have wanted to do and the time was right,'' said Karnazes, who worked in the wholesale grocery business before retiring in 1991. ''I thought it was a good idea. It's been a great experience, seeing this beautiful country, playing golf, meeting people. It is something I will always remember.''
Karnazes said he was motivated to try it because his oldest son, Dean Karnazes, is an accomplished distance runner best known for completing 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days three years ago.
His wife, Fran, and son Dean were not overwhelmingly in favor of the endeavor, but younger son Kraig urged him to do it.
''He said, 'You love golf. You have played golf for 55 years. You should get your clubs and do it,' '' he said. ''It is a challenge, I know that, but I wanted to see if I could do it.''
Karnazes began planning the trip early this year. He wrote to courses all over the country, asking about availability and being able to ride on carts. He then put together a three-page itinerary, detailing the courses and the days he wanted to play them.
It helped that he had a contact at Calloway Golf, which provided him with golf bags, clubs, equipment and five dozen golf balls.
He then set out alone in his 24-foot Winnebago for a trip of 13,000 miles that
will cost about $13,000. He sleeps in the vehicle, or the houses of relatives and friends. In Akron, he stayed with his second cousin, Pete Rizopulos.
If he finishes — and he is determined to do so — he would become the first golfer to accomplish the feat. Others have played 48 courses in 48 states in 48 days, but he is doubling the record.
As a gimmick, he calls himself ''the Happy Golfer'' because he enjoys the game and his life so much.
''Why shouldn't I be happy? I live in the greatest country in the world. I have the greatest wife in the world, the greatest family,'' he said. ''Kraig suggested the name because he said I have a good disposition and I am a positive person.''
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound Karnazes showed his happy side at Maplecrest on Tuesday when playing with Rizopulos and two of Rizopulos' friends, Ed Watts of Tallmadge and John Anthe of Akron.
When his approach shot hit a tree, he quipped: ''I hit a perfect shot. The tree is planted in the wrong spot.''
He also shared some of his favorite golf sayings, such as, ''As you walk down the fairway of life, remember to play well. You only get one round,'' and ''Golf does not build character, but reveals it.''
Karnazes had a handicap of 4 in his prime and is now a 14. He has been scoring in the mid-80s on his trip, but had two sides of 39 at Maplecrest to finish at 7-over 78 — and looked fresh doing so.
''I think what he is doing is terrific,'' Rizopulos, 66, said. ''I can't believe how much energy he has. I would be done in a week.''
Immediately after finishing his round, Karnazes set off for Michigan, his next state.
''I am holding up very well. I am feeling fine,'' he said. ''Only 15 more [states] to go.''
And the memories that go with them.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
KENT: Nick Karnazes is on a journey of a lifetime that will have a physical end but not a mental one.
Get the full article here.
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