John Ashworth completes "100 Hole Hike" for Goat Hill Park
27 Jul 2015
by Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com
SHARE:
courtesy Goat Hill Park G.C.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (July 27, 2015) -- John
Ashworth
cares about Oceanside's Goat Hill Park - enough
to
take over the lease and breath new life into a
course
that looked destined to be turned into a for-
profit
soccer facility. Nothing against soccer, but losing
an
affordable course in a community that needs
more
outlets for underprivileged youth doesn't sit well
with
the well-known golf apparel entrepreneur.
"I've been lucky," Ashworth told KUSI
News after the round. "I've been in the golf
world my whole life, and we need more places
like
this."
The unpretentious facility has already seen
it's
clubhouse get a makeover, while becoming the
home
base of North County Junior Golf. Clinics have
attracted young golfers that likely couldn't afford
to
play other places. Prior to the "hike"
Ashworth relayed the story of several young
people
caught vandalizing the targets on the range.
Rather
than call the police, they were offered the
chance
to
come by and try a Saturday clinic. One of those
golfers went from never holding a club to
shooting
3-
over-par. You can't make this stuff up!
On Monday, July 27, Ashworth started at
daybreak and played 108 holes (Thus the name
"108 Hole Hike") over the course of 13 1/2
hours. That's six full rounds, and Goat Hill didn't
get
the name for being flat. Donors were
encouraged
to
pledge a dollar amount per hole, or a flat fee.
And
even if you missed out on making a pledge (we
didn't)
it's not too late to visit the website
and do so now. Check out the video below to see
Ashworth in action on the links.