Local golf enthusiasts, professionals converge on Villages to see legend, celebrate anniversary of first win

By STEVE TRIVETT, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — Call it “Daughter of Swing Parade.”

Once upon a time when the traveling circus that was the LPGA Tour would come to town, a pre-tournament tradition was the “Swing Parade.”

Part clinic, part storytelling and full-time good time, the Swing Parade was under the direction of ring mistress Patty Berg.

Something very akin to the Swing Parade will be at 2 p.m. today at The Villages Polo Club when members of the LPGA — past and present — will join the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Nancy Lopez’s first LPGA victory, which came at the 1978 Bent Tree Classic played in Sarasota.

The event is open to everyone; admission is $5 per golf cart and $10 per automobile with all money going to AIM, Lopez’s favorite charity.

There will still be a clinic.

There will still be stories.

Only the ring mistress will be different.

Lopez is going to be the center of attention today.

“I don’t know where those 30 years went,” she said. “I just wish I could play now the way I could play then.”

Unchanged by time

But even for Lopez, herself, some things haven’t changed over three decades.

The smile is still the same.

The eyes that always seem to sparkle are still the same.

The golf swing that was fashioned under the watch of a loving father is still the same.

The charisma, the kind not seen on a golf course since Arnold Palmer, has not changed.

The personality that made you want to be her friend — and told you that she wanted to be your friend, too — has not changed.

Nancy Lopez had — and still has — it all.

Early Monday she walked onto the driving range of the course in The Villages that carries her name — and the names of her three daughters.

She was there to host a demo day for the clubs that also carry her name.

She was also there to do what she does best — and loves to do most.

Be with her friends.

And her friends were there to greet her. The line formed before 9 a.m. There were still people there at noon.

Flock of friends

Everyone wanted to say hi. Some wanted pictures — and they got them. Others just wanted to share what just knowing, watching or meeting her had meant to them.

One such visitor was part-time Villages resident Sandy Grau, who came carrying a homemade quilt under her arm.

“I just wanted to show Nancy this,” she said unrolling the quilt that had an autographed picture of Lopez as the centerpiece.

The quilt had been made for Jan Snyder, a member of Grau’s golf group back in Illinois who was diagnosed with cancer.

“Jan just loved Nancy,” Grau said. “When she got sick, one of the other girls in the group who made beautiful quilts wrote to Nancy and asked for an autographed picture that she wanted to use in a quilt that she was going to make for Jan.

“Nancy not only sent a picture, she called Jan

personally.”

Cancer eventually claimed Snyder’s life, but not before the quilt was finished.

“We pass it around between ourselves now,” Grau said. “I had it this month; and when I heard Nancy was going to be here today, I wanted her to see it.”

She saw it — and it was very evident that the memory it brought back touched her.

What is planned for today will, too.

LPGA players Helen Alfredsson, Val Skinner, Dale Eggeling, Laurie Rinker, Colleen Walker, Annette DeLuca, Rosie Jones, Donna White and Judy Dickinson will come here to celebrate with Nancy.

And while those in attendance might even learn something to improve their golf game along the way, the journey is going to be more of a trip down Lopez’s memory lane.

You can bet there will be laughter — but there are going to be some tears, too.

And there are going to be stories — great stories.

Memorable moments

Stonecrest resident Rhonda Glenn works for the United States Golf Association. She’s been involved with golf most of her life. She was the first woman to anchor a televised women’s tournament. She’s written books about golf. She’s done public relations for tournament sponsors and equipment companies.

And there was a day when she was doing the driving as a young Nancy Lopez was making a personal appearanc e at a sporting goods store in South Dakota.

“We were out in the middle of nowhere, and I missed a turn,” Glenn said. “I made a U-turn in the middle of the road and we almost got hit by a semi that was bearing down on us.

“I thought to myself, ‘Great, I was about to get a superstar killed on a lonely road in South Dakota.’

“Nancy just laughed — and then she was magnificent at the store. There was a young boy there — we knew he had skipped school to come see her — and she looked him right in the eye and told him how important it was for him to work hard at school.”

But not until the pair made another stop did Glenn realize the impact that Lopez had on people.

“We had done an appearance with Judy Rankin and Sandra Palmer at a store in Los Angeles, and not many people came even though Judy and Sandra were two of the best players on the LPGA Tour.

“The next week, Nancy did an appearance in San Diego and there were about 1,000 people lined up before the store opened. The line went all the way down the mall and out the door.

“People just loved Nancy.”

They still do.