In an effort to celebrate the state's shared love of baseball and golf, the University of Hawai‘i baseball team is ready to host 'Masters Weekend' at Les Murakami Stadium for its upcoming series against UC Irvine.
The Masters Weekend initiative was spearheaded by the UH athletics marketing department and coincides with the Masters Tournament, which runs from Thursday to Sunday in Augusta, Ga.
Over at Les Murakami Stadium, Hawai‘i will host UC Irvine for a three-game series from Friday to Sunday. The first 250 fans at each game will take home a free, limited edition golf towel featuring UH's H logo, courtesy of Hawai‘i Pacific Health. Once fans enter the stadium, they'll be greeted by members of UH's golf teams, who will interact with fans and will be available to teach young fans about some nuances about the sport, such as how to hold a club.
"This idea actually rooted mainly in the marketing staff being golf fans," Caitlyn Lok, a recent UH-Mānoa graduate and marketing staff member, told Aloha State Daily. "It started out as an idea and wanting to overlap with Masters weekend. But also it makes a lot of sense, because not only are our baseball fans also fans of golf, but our players are fans of golf as well."
Golf remains a popular method for the world's top athletes to unwind, a separate pursuit that names such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James immerse themselves in even during their playing days. It's no different at the college level. Multiple members of the UH baseball team say the sport is a preferable way to take their minds off the rigors of the season.
As part of Masters weekend rollout, four Rainbow Warriors held a chipping contest from the stands at Les Murakami Stadium.
"I would say a good amount of us really like to golf. I think it's really cool. I love to golf, so I thought it just a pretty cool thing we're doing," starting third baseman Tate Shimao says of the golf promotion.
When asked if he's a golf guy, Hawai‘i head baseball coach Rich Hill says he's not able to hit the links as frequently, preferring to spend time in the water on his surfboard. But with an appreciation for the sport, and the through line as it pertains to fans of golf and baseball, he already believes the promotion will attract more fans.
"I think it's awesome. Yes, I am a golf guy. I don't get out as much anymore. It takes a lot of time, and I could use that time on the phone trying to get recruits, or on the field, trying to make guys better, or in the waves trying to make myself better out there," Hill said. "I used to teach golf at Cal Lutheran and I love golf.
"The marketing team here, I was shocked at how good they were, coming from where I came from. No disrespect there, but man, Caitlyn Lok, Eric Mathews, they do a phenomenal job. And any fans that are listening, it is a great place to come and have fun. It is an entertainment value, not only a great baseball value, but just entertainment. I think all of the promotions that we do here are first class, just like our fans across the country. It's a top rated marketing department, and another great marketing promotion this weekend."
Hawai‘i baseball fans have proved they'll stand in line for a good promotion. Prior to Les Murakami Hall of Fame Night on Feb. 20, fans braved heavy rain and winds in order to line up for free Les Murakami commemorative caps, arriving to the stadium hours before first pitch.
"Our fans at baseball, the environment is already great, and we always have our dedicated fans are lining up at the gates before we even open," Lok said. "But when we get the community together and we see how excited they are about the themes, our giveaways and just supporting the team, it's always great to see. We're always running back and forth, setting up before gates open, and just seeing the crowd out there excited, especially all the kids, it's great. Especially in marketing, a lot of what I find gratifying about this job is giving to the community and seeing them come together to just support UH athletics and enjoy a good game."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
