Richard Dunn
NEWPORT BEACH - People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan, or so
says the world's financial planners and investment bankers.
While Vinnie Brascia of Newport Beach Country Club might adhere to the
aforementioned proverb, it's unlikely you'll see him tinkering with a
plan to change his golf game.
"I never practice," said Brascia, who won his first Newport Beach
men's club championship in early June, shooting 73-76-72--221 in the
54-hole stroke-play championship.
"My game's just pretty simple," Brascia added, "and it just all came
together (during the club championship)."
After two years of finishing second, Brascia "finally" captured his
title, winning by six strokes ahead of runner-up Jim Whitaker, a
four-time winner.
Still, Brascia isn't about to subscribe to the latest golf magazine,
surf the most hip golf Web sites and watch The Golf Channel on cable,
while trying to come up with the perfect golf swing in his spare time
away from the office and home.
"I enjoy playing golf a lot with my fellow members, and, if I get a
chance to go to the golf course, I'd much rather play than practice,"
Brascia said. "For me, it makes sense. And I'm the king of arriving five
minutes before a tee time."
Brascia, who learned good golf habits growing up, operates his own
financial services business, Brascia Investment Management in Newport
Beach, and lives in Aliso Viejo with his wife, Ann, and 19-month-old
daughter.
"That's why I don't play golf anymore," Brascia said. "If I get out
once a week, that's pretty good. I try to make time every Friday. I force
myself to try to get out there."
A 1-handicap golfer and Newport Beach member for 4 1/2 years, Brascia,
33, said he "developed the right fundamentals" as a kid playing golf at
Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier.
Brascia, who played in the Southern California PGA junior program and
later at Cal State Fullerton, is the fourth different Newport Beach club
champion in four years, following Whitaker (1998), Joe Stafford ('99) and
Bob Kraft (2000), who played in last year's inaugural Jones Cup with
hosting head pro Paul Hahn.
In Jones Cup II, Brascia and Hahn will form Newport Beach's pro-am
team in the better-ball of partners format at Santa Ana Country Club at 1
p.m.
They will face the defending Jones Cup champions from Mesa Verde
Country Club, head pro Tom Sargent and Pete Daley, as well as Big Canyon
Country Club's Director of Golf, Bob Lovejoy, and Ron Maggard and Santa
Ana Country Club Director of Golf Mike Reehl and Gregg Hemphill.
