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Not your father's golf game By SARAH LEMON Golfers finally got a chance Saturday to toss aside course etiquette and play through. Some 30 participants in the first David James Frost Memorial Open at Stewart Meadows Golf Course in Medford showed their support for cancer research by daring to combine two sports - golf and running. In this Xtreme Golf event, players ran between shots and holes to earn a combined total of their score and their course time. Golfers are only allowed three clubs and leave five minutes apart. The possibility of lapping another golfer on the course is all just part of the game. The idea of an Xtreme golf tournament in the Rogue Valley originated with Diane Vineyard, a running enthusiast. When her younger brother, David Frost, died of brain cancer about three years ago, she wanted to keep his memory and love of golf alive. At the valley's first ever Xtreme event, she raised around $3,000 to donate to the Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center for pediatric cancer research. The first man to tee off in this first-time event, Marshall Holman of Central Point, proved running and golfing can be successfully combined. Holman - a member of the professional bowling Hall of Fame, who said he's more of a golfer than a runner - hit a 200-yard drive on the first hole and then booked it down the fairway. But after parring the first hole, he jokingly moaned, "Help," on his way to the second. Still, Holman managed to pace himself through all nine holes, clutching his three clubs in his hand and pumping his legs in a steady rhythm that was only broken when he passed his ball on the eighth hole. Loping into the finish line, Holman at first refused the plastic cup of cold Budweiser waiting for him. "Beer?" he asked. "I think I'm gonna pass out." Although Holman said he felt light-headed at times standing over the holes, he shot 42 on the par-35 course using just a 5-iron, a 3-wood and a pitching wedge. Clocking in at 24 minutes and 31 seconds, his combined time-score of 66:31 he captured first place. Second place in the individual category went to Medford resident Nate Swan with a 74:07 total. But golfers who didn't want to run the whole course got the chance to relax a little in the tag-team category. Partners shared a golf cart and alternated holes; one driving the cart while their partner shot and then ran to meet up on the next hole. First place in the tag-team category went to Russ Legel and Ron Goff with a score of 69:13. Representing the Ruch Country Store, the duo high-fived and cheered at lapping another team on the eighth hole. The team made up of David Frost's 16-year-old son Kyle and professional golfer Kim Thurman of Redding, Calif., captured second place with a score of 72:10. But posting a good score didn't compare with the feeling of supporting the charity event, golfers said. The husband and wife team of Joe and Sallie Parrnelli of Central Point posted the slowest time in the tag-team category but didn't look a bit disappointed. Avid golfers, the Parrnellis broke with their normal sporting routine to support the Frost family. Joe said although he usually plays golf to relax, he would like to try his hand again at the Xtreme variety. "It was all about keeping my brother's name alive," said Vineyard. "And look at all the people who are affected." "We're trying to make tragedy into a good thing," said Frost's wife Sandy. "I'm sure he would be excited." Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.