Columnist Victoria Sun: Stars flock to Las Vegas for DirecTV event

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

Victoria Sun's golf column appears Wednesday. Reach her at 259-4078 or victoria@vegas.com

During his 20-year career as a professional hockey player, Wayne Gretzky has suffered his share of bumps and bruises.

You tend to get a little beat up when every defenseman in the NHL makes it his mission to stop you every time you get the puck.

Through it all, Gretzky, appropriately nicknamed The Great One, set 61 NHL records, won four Stanley Cup championships and earned every major NHL award more than once.

So the living legend needs a new challenge.

"I always tell people I've played a lot of sports from baseball to hockey to golf," Gretzky said. "Without question, the hardest game to conquer for anybody is golf.

"No question about it. I don't care what anybody else says. It is the toughest game you can ever try to play.

"I've always had great respect for pro golfers. I've always thought that what they do is phenomenal."

Gretzky, three-time Cy Young Award winner and Las Vegan Greg Maddux, legendary Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and NFL coaching great Don Shula were at the Desert Inn Golf Club on Tuesday to participate in the 6th annual DirecTV Charity Golf Classic.

At the conclusion of the event, DirecTV presented $100,000 to the UCLA Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis Research.

While Gretzky, who says he has a 10 handicap, thinks that golf is a supreme challenge, Maddux can think of another.

"Oh, facing Mark McGwire," Maddux answered with a smile.

"I don't care if I hit a bad shot out here. I'm just gonna go find it and hit it again."

Not that Maddux misses much on the golf course.

He took up golf when he was 22 and says he has a 6 handicap.

Maddux and Gretzky are two prime examples of professional athletes who have learned to love golf, although crossover for golfers to other sports is very limited.

"You don't have to be good to enjoy it," Maddux explained. "I think it's a lot like bowling.

"I play with guys that shoot in the 90s and 100s that enjoy the game more than guys that shoot in the 70s. It's something that you can play against yourself. Even though par is 72, for me it's 80. For somebody else it might be 78, maybe 90.

"You can compete on the golf course, I think that's another reason why I like it."

Gretzky and Maddux both enjoy participating in charity events.

Since Gretzky announced his retirement last April 16, he has had more time to spend with his wife, Janet, and their three children. But has also increased his commitments to events like this one.

"First of all, every charity is a great cause," Gretzky said. "There's not one cause that's not worthwhile.

"The problem is is that you can't do them all, especially when you have a family. What I try to do is try to associate ourselves through friends that are involved with certain charities.

"This charity, a good friend of mine, Tom Sherak, his daughter has multiple sclerosis. This is a good opportunity for me to help not only MS, but his daughter."

With his busy schedule, Gretzky still manages to play a round of golf nine or 10 times a month.

When it comes down to it, though, Gretzky plays for fun, not pride.

"I'm not at all competitive," Gretzky said. "People who are my close friends who play with me quite a bit understand and realize I'm not.

"I did all my competing on the ice. My job was to be dedicated and focused and I did that. Now this is all fun for me. Whether I win or come in last, it's not going to change my life so I don't want it to affect my life."

Through golf, Gretzky, Maddux, Scully and Shula will help affect many other lives in a positive way.

* UNLV ROLLER HOCKEY GOLF FUND-RAISER: The UNLV Rollin' Rebels in-line hockey club will be holding the St. Patrick's Day Golf Scramble 2K on March 17 at the Angel Park Golf Club. The four-person scramble will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. and conclude with an awards dinner at 6 p.m.

Entry fees submitted before Jan. 14 are $160 per person and $600 per foursome. Fees submitted after Jan. 14 will be $175 per person and $675 per foursome. The last day to register for the tournament is Feb. 24. All proceeds will benefit the UNLV Rollin' Rebel National Tournament Fund.

Roller hockey is a club sport that receives no funding from the university. For more information call 459-0757.

* REVERE REVERED: Gov. Kenny Guinn and the Commission on Tourism in Nevada recently named the Revere Golf Club at Anthem in Henderson the recipient of the Tourism Development Award.

The award is presented annually to businesses that strengthen the state's tourism appeal and help create additional jobs for the area.

For tee times or more information on the club call 259-4653.