On Course With: Jim Ghigiarelli -Published: June 22, 2010 Published by thetimes-tribune.com

Elmhurst's Jim Ghigiarelli

Few watched the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with more interest, as the Elmhurst Country Club president will be going to Pebble Beach in December for the Lexus Champions for Charity. He won the trip by purchasing a raffle ticket to benefit services for autistic children through Allied Services.

Handicap: 9

Low round: 76 at Harbour Town Links, 74 at Elmhurst.

Who was the first pro you really enjoyed watching? In my day, Arnold Palmer was the guy. I used to try to go to some tournaments just to see him play. He was big back when I started playing.

You worked for years at Scranton Counseling Center, working in mental health to help children and adults who are far less fortunate. Think there was any divine intervention in winning? I would like to think so. I believe in all that so I believe that's the case.

You won the trip but never had the ticket in your hand until after the drawing: We go on golf trips, 14 of us, and Eric Wassel plans the whole thing. He said he was selling tickets for a hundred dollars. He told me he buys tickets amounting to that from me throughout the year. Plus, he does all the work planning our golf trip for us. He didn't have the ticket. I didn't have the hundred. I saw him a month later and gave him the money; he didn't have the ticket. I told him not to worry, I'd see him. Finally, I saw him again and he didn't have the ticket. l I jokingly told him he did something else with the money.

When did you find out you won? I was at a golf committee meeting at our club and one of the bag boys came in and said I had an important call from Charles Blewitt, who's coming on the trip with me. I said I hope nothing's wrong. I got on the phone and I couldn't understand him he was laughing so much. I couldn't believe it. The deal was, he bought a ticket and I bought a ticket. If I won, I was taking him, and if he won, he was taking me. It gave us two chances to win.

Best golf destination you've been to before this? I've loved Hilton Head and having the opportunity to play Harbour Town a few times. I can name other places I've gone, but I love Hilton Head.

Myself included, how many guys this week have asked you to take them on the trip? I know it's in triple figures. Everyone at the club. They've been joking with me, telling me to tell Charlie to be careful with the brakes on his car and what he eats.

You haven't been rubbing this in with your regular golf partners, have you? We're watching the Open on TV and I'm telling them to be careful, I'm trying to watch to learn the breaks of the putts because I'm going to be playing Pebble Beach. If I keep it going, they're going to kill me and take my spot.

Three guys you'd like to play golf with? Obviously, and I'm not sure I could even hit one on the first hole, Tiger Woods. My dad died when I was 17 and I still have his favorite club hanging downstairs as my lucky piece. I would have given anything to play a round of golf with him. I think Arnold Palmer would be someone, and he signed an autograph, whom I'd love to play with. But my father would be No. 1.

ON COURSE WITH ... will appear on the Around the Links page all summer. Have an interesting player from your club for this feature? E-mail Marty Myers with some details at mmyers@timesshamrock.com