Venice Japanese Community Center

Inside the VJCC

5th Annual VJCC Golf Tournament

by Norm Matsubara and Kelvin Uyeda, with glue supplied by Gail Sharp

There is an idea floating around the Internet that some people actually believe the word "golf" originated as an acronym for "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden.” This is SO NOT the philosophy behind the VJCC Golf Tournament. Ladies, as well as their male counterparts, are all welcomed and encouraged to come join the fun.

The 5th Annual VJCC Golf Tournament will be held at Sterling Hills Golf Club in Camarillo on Saturday, September 30. The Tournament will begin at 8:00 a.m. and there will be a continental breakfast and awards banquet lunch included in the fee. In the past we had four divisions: two men’s handicap flights, a Calloway flight, and a women’s flight. There is a separate side pot for the closest to the pins, longest drive, skins, and this year the most accurate drive. Also included in the side pot are the hole-in-one prizes on each of the par 3 holes. We are accepting entries from both VJCC members and non-members. And we would like to see more families participate, especially the youth.

2002 Camarillo Springs - youthful Judo Club foursome having fun

2002 Camarillo Springs - youthful Judo Club foursome having fun: Westly Y., Sensei Tracy Kiyohiro, Justin Y., & Trent N. (being carried).

An example of the fun to be had at the VJCC Golf Tournament is reflected in some of the past awards we’ve handed out at the awards banquet:

Skin of His Teeth award (a set of false teeth) to Hitoshi Shimizu for being on the Tournament Planning Committee and being the last of the 144 golfers to sign up; almost too late to play in the Tournament.
Rattler award (a baby’s rattle) to Ken Sogabe for being deathly afraid of snakes but still braving a course that is known for its rattlesnakes.
Inu award (toy dog) to Trace Nishiyama… just for being Trace.
Rough Cut award (professional grade gardener’s shears) to Art Haraga for holding back a boundary rope just a few feet in FRONT of his golfing buddy who has been known to hit an errant slice now and again. Next time- Please cut the rope, Art!
Snoop Dog award (dog sculpture made from golf balls) to Bob Matsuda who was caught on video searching for his ball in the bushes and finding four, one possibly his.

The good times are not reserved for the golfers, though. The ones that sometimes have the most fun are the non-golfers. Tiffany Yoshikawa and Jolyene Hirota, our most youthful volunteers, have been known to drive their golf carts with abandon while trying to catch on video the golfers at their best. Rob Tang, a skilled golfer who has never golfed in our tournament, has applied his video editing magic to the same day video presentations shown at the awards banquet that immediately follows the Tournament. The volunteer crew has been known to send off our golfers with clappers and cheers, and to ambush a few unsuspecting sun-drenched golfers with a high powered water gun or two.

The goal of the Golf Tournament has always been to have fun. The fact that it raises funds for the Center’s expansion is secondary. The original idea for the Tournament was generated from VJCC Treasurer Sharon Aratani’s general philosophy of sponsoring events that have the goals of building community and having fun.

So, come on out and join the fun! The Tournament is a great place to see friends and others who are involved with the VJCC. The course is always in great shape and it is fun to play. A "tee package" is given to all the players with a variety of wonderful items. And the awards banquet lunch is always good.

Side note: One non-golfing VJCC member was heard musing over the idea of dropping off her golfer husband, heading over to the outlet mall in Camarillo and swinging back for the awards banquet. If anyone is sitting on a fence, I think that idea may be the clincher!

Click here to see highlights from past VJCC Golf Tournaments.

Visions for the VJCC

By Gail Sharp

The VJCC is multi-generational. Golf is multi-generational. The Matsubaras are just one of a number of families at the Center who have participated together in the VJCC Golf Tournament.

Norm Matsubara

Brian Matsubara

Scott Matsubara

Norm Matsubara likes being part of the VJCC Golf Committee that organizes the Annual Tournament because of the opportunity for family, as well as community bonding for players and volunteers. The pace of the game allows for a lot of socializing and networking. And because golf knows no age limit, he sees the potential for three-generation foursomes.

For Brian Matsubara, one of VYC basketball’s graduating seniors, playing in the Golf Tournament with Norm is enjoyable because he gets to play along with his friends and their dads, like Trent and Trace Nishiyama. Brian would like to see more youth golfers participating in the Tournament.

Scott Matsubara is relatively new to golf. I asked him if he was going to play in the Tournament in September, but he is unsure. I say, “Go for it, Scott!” Brian will be away at college in the fall so I know your dad will be looking for a new partner.