Short Hops Dec. 25

Kona Horseshoe Pitchers Club season begins Jan. 10

The Kona Horseshoe Pitchers Club will kick off the league season at 4 p.m. Jan. 10. The format will be a weekly doubles round-robin tournament at the horseshoe courts behind the Old Kona Airport Park tennis courts. Players may also play singles.

Contact Al at 322-7085 for more league information. Entries are limited, so sign up soon.

There will also be open play for Kapuna at 9 a.m. Wednesdays.

RBI girls softball registration Jan. 13

RBI girls softball registration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 13 at 700 Manono Street in Hilo. For more information, call Coach Tracy Miyashiro at 936-3681.

Free aikido classes offered in Kailua-Kona

The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation, along with Aiki Kai O Kona, is offering free aikido classes for both children and adults.

Instructors Sharon Gilbert and Bill Stockton have taught aikido in West Hawaii for more than 24 years. They have more than 70 years combined experience in aikido.

Aikido is a Japanese martial art that teaches self-discipline, blending, harmonizing and defensive techniques in a noncompetitive atmosphere.

Classes are held Mondays and Wednesdays at Hale Halawai in Kailua-Kona. Classes for 6- to 14-year-olds start at 6:30 p.m. Adult classes, for those 15 and older, follow at 7:30 p.m.

For more information or to register, call Sharon or Bill at 325-7501 or Marshall at 327-3565.

Big Dog Resolution
5K Run/Walk

The Big Dog Resolution 5K Run/Walk will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday at the Coconut Island parking lot. The registration fee is a canned good or $5. All proceeds go to the Hawaii Island Food Basket.

For more information, call Wayne Joseph at 969-7400.

M2 Fitness to hold clinic for kids

M2 Fitness will hold a three-day clinic for keiki from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 and Jan. 4 at Old Kona Airport Part. The event is open to children ages 9 to 12, and the registration fee is $50.

For more information call Mary Mullahey at 443-9239.

Youth Sailing Days
this week, Dec. 31

Big Island Sailing Foundation and Kona Sailing Club junior sailors will hold Youth Sailing Days at Honokohau Harbor. The event will be Wednesday through Friday and Dec. 31.

There will be land and water activities each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants should be at least 12 years of age or experienced sailors over 10 years. Attendees must be able to swim, and be comfortable on a boat and in the water. Boats used will be from 12 feet to 24 feet. U.S. Sailing Certified instructors lead the program.

The registration fee for the four-day camp is $100 for KSC Juniors; the new member fee is an additional $20. Scholarships are available from BISF. For more information, call Alicia at 325-5529 or email to bisf@earthlink.net.

Beginner golf classes for women Jan. 12

Golf professional Rob Wohlgemuth will offer a five-week series of beginner golf lessons for women at Makalei Golf Club beginning Jan. 12.

The classes are open to all women interested in the basics of golf. Classes meet five consecutive Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m.

The cost for all five classes is $50. To enroll, call Wohlgemuth at 937-0130.

Kona Elks Hoop
Shoot Jan. 12

All free throw shooters ages 8 (by April 1, 2013) to 13 are invited to Kekuaokalani Gym on Jan. 12 for the Kona Elks Hoop Shoot.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., and competition starts at 10 a.m. Age groups are 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13.

The Elks will give trophies for first and second places in each group with separate competition for boys and girls. Each contestant gets 25 shots at the hoop from the free throw line (the 8-9 year age group shoot from 4 feet in front of the line and with the smaller ball) with 15 additional shots if a tie breaker is needed.

The boy and girl in each age group with the highest scores may advance through four tiers of competition to qualify for the national finals at Springfield, Mass., set for April 18-21.

Kona Elks Lodge 2616 provides for transportation of winners along with one parent for out-of-state competition.

All children who reside in West Hawaii are invited to participate.

There is no registration fee or early registration. For more information, call Joe Reynolds at 334-0077.

Hilo to Volcano
50K held Jan. 19

The Big island Road Runners will hold the Hilo to Volcano 50K Ultra and the 31 mile relay Jan. 19. Runners can choose between running the 50 kilometer (31 mile) course from Coconut Island to Cooper Center in Volcano Village as an ultra-marathoner or as part of a three-person relay team.

In the relay event team members take turns running two mile legs up the mountain. The ultra runners start at 6 a.m., and the relay teams start at 6:30 am. The registration fee for either event is $35 until Jan. 6. After that date, the fee is $40. Big Island Road Runner Club members get a $5 discount.

The registration form is online at bigislandroadrunners.org/html/htv_50k.html. For more information, call Steve Pavao at 430-0267.

Softball tourney
Jan. 25-27

There will be a slow-pitch softball tournament Jan. 25-27 at Old Kona Airport Park. There will be separate tournaments for men and women, with a co-ed home run derby on Jan. 26. Prizes will be awarded for the top three finishers in the tournament.

The registration fee is $300, and there is a minimum deposit of $100 due by Jan. 19. For more information or to register, contact Jamieson Taketa at 938-8664 or Shane Alani at 640-0824.

Golf discussed
on Emily T. Gail Show

This week’s Emily T. Gail Show, which is available under “lineup” at espnhawaii.com and as an iTunes podcast, will feature a look back at the Mauna Lani Resort Aloha Section PGA Hawaii State Open.

Guests include PGA Tour player Dean Wilson, who won the professional men’s title, and Big Islander Tammy Surtees, who made her professional debut by winning the women’s professional title. Kevin Hayashi, also from the Big Island, was the senior professional winner.

Other guests this week are Big Islander and professional golfer Sean Maekawa, who finished in fourth place, Wes Wailehua, executive director for Aloha Section PGA, Nao Tamashiro, assistant golf professional at Mauna Lani Resort, and Takashi Yamakawa, the president of Mauna Lani Resort.

For information on the Emily T. Gail Show, contact Gail at emilytgail@emilys.org. Past shows are available at facebook.com/emilytgailtalkstory, iTunes and espnhawaii.com.

Weekly golf
tourney results

Na Wahine O Waikoloa

Thursday’s results

c A flight low gross scores: 1. Kay Bryant 99; 2. Willie Ryan 102

c A flight low net scores: 1 Shelley Sanders 79; 2. Dee Dee Kosa 81

c B flight low gross scores: 1. Sandy Price 112; 2. Nancy Powell 122

c B flight low net scores: 1. Trish Kimball 77; 2. Audrey Hamilton 81

c Low putts: 1. Kay Bryant 32; 2. (tie) Mo Brown 36; 2. Mary Desisto 36

c Chip-ins: Trish Kimball (9)

c Birdies: Kay Bryant (12)

c Closest to the pin: Pat Cassel (3); Mary Desisto (6, 16); Mona Peck (12)

c Note: Members played “low gross/net/putts.”

Lea Lea Women’s Golf Club

Thursday’s results

c Results: 1. Wanda Goldscharek; 2. Penny Knowles; 3. Jeanene Dickenson

c Low putts: Debbie Mitchell; Penny Knowles

c Closest to the pin: Penny Knowles (5); Ailota Nesheim (14 tie); Penny Knowles (14)

c Chip-ins: Debbie Mitchell; Sara Ito

c Note: Members played “low net plus two blind holes.”

Keauhou Kona

Men’s Golf Club

Saturday’s results

c A flight low net scores: 1. Len Fellez 66; 2. Al Sullivan 70; 3. (tie) Marlin Ahl 72; 3. Sid Yanabu 72

c B flight low net scores: 1. Bill Andrews 68; 2. Tom Lullo 70; 3. Oli Olsen 73

c Closest to the pin: Ted Field (3); Sid Yanabu (5); Marlin Ahl (12); , Jason Zadig-Ra (17A); Arvid Bjornton (17B)

c Low gross score: Len Fellez 76

Big Island Country Club

Saturday’s results

c Scores: 1. Swen Willadsen/Beau Willadsen/Al Droscoski/Rick Dvorak 31 under; 2. Steve Rickard/Roger Sudnikovich/Judy Sudnikovich/Blind draw 21 under; 3. Barb Millslagle/Darlene Peters/Ron Nelson/Don Wood 20 under

c Low net scores: 1. Rick Dvorak 65; 2. Ron Nelson 66

c Closest to the pin: Dick Peters (5); Bob Raatz (8); Jim McCully (13); Al Droscoski (17).