Maddux chips in to help raise money for youngsters

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

Greg Maddux said he never played golf much before he made it to the big leagues back in the late 1980s.

"It was too expensive for me before that," said the four-time Cy Young Award winner for the Atlanta Braves from Valley High School.

But Maddux, who plays golf four to five times a week in the off-season, is among those helping to give inner city Las Vegas kids a chance to get started in the sport a whole lot sooner than he did.

Maddux was one of the celebrities who braved chilly 40-degree temperatures to participate in the Fletcher Jones Lexus seventh annual Celebrity Golf Classic at Stallion Mountain Country Club on Wednesday morning.

The event, organized by Maddux's older brother Mike, is the major fund-raiser for the Southern Nevada Inner City Youth Golf Association, which provides scholarships and golfing opportunities for youth from eight Clark County inner city middle schools.

The organization, which is scheduled to merge with the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association at the start of the year and become the First Tee Program of Southern Nevada, has provided assistance to about 600 inner city youth over the years. One product of the program, Christine Hentzner of Bishop Gorman, earned a scholarship to play golf at UNLV.

"This is our major fund-raiser that we do every year," said Jim Hart, SNICYGA director of operations. "It's really been the lifeblood that keeps this program going. ... We stress that golf and education go hand in hand."

Organizers were hoping to raise about $65,000.

"It's always a good thing when you can get a chance to do what you enjoy doing and at the same time help others," Maddux said. "It's all 100 percent (Mike's) gig. I'm just showing up here today. If it helps raise a little bit more money by me being here, then I'm happy to do it."

Maddux said his handicap is "between four and eight. It varies.

"When I first started playing, it was just once or twice a week. I liked it, and then it turned into three or four times a week. Now it's whenever I get the chance.

"Golf is strictly a recreation for me. I just go out there just for fun and to have a good time. I've had days where I shot 90 and had more fun than days I shot in the 70s."

With talk of possible contraction and maybe even an owners' lockout this winter, it's possible Maddux could have even more time to work on his golf game this off-season.

"Obviously, (contraction) could happen," Maddux said. "Hopefully it doesn't. Hopefully there's a way that both sides can get it worked out and we can start spring training on time."

The 35-year-old right-hander, named the top pitcher in Braves franchise history by AtlantaBraves.com on Wednesday, still has one year remaining on his contract. He went 17-11 with a 3.05 ERA in 2001.

"I really don't know how much longer I'll play," Maddux said.

"I'm on extra credit right now. This game has given me more than I ever thought it could or hoped it would. I enjoy the competition. I still enjoy pitching. As long as I can do that at a level that satisfies me and the team I play for, then who knows how long I'm going to do it. I enjoy it more now than I did 10 years ago and I'm looking forward to going back to spring training."