Va. golfers coming home

Vinny Giles, Lanny Wadkins, Bobby Wadkins, Curtis Strange and Robert Wrenn are among the best golfers who have called Virginia home.

This is one fivesome the Virginia State Golf Association Foundation will allow on its state home for golf course, Independence Golf Club in Midlothian.

The five greats will come together Oct. 5 for the Virginia Legends of Golf Skins Game exhibition. Tee time is 1 p.m.

The event will benefit the Foundation's junior golf efforts through the Robins Junior Programs at Independence. Thousands of junior golfers have participated in the Robins program's camps and clinics the past eight years.

"In talking with each one of the players, they wanted to give back to junior golf in Virginia, and they said this is one of the ways they thought they could best do so," Jeff Fleishman, a member of the VSGAF board of directors.

Giles, Wrenn and Middle Atlantic PGA section professionals will conduct a junior clinic Oct. 4 at 5:30 p.m. that is free and open to all junior golfers. The clinic will be followed by a caddie auction (sponsors can bid to caddie for each of the five) and reception at the Independence pavilion.

Ticket prices are $100 per person for the exhibition and $100 for the caddie auction and may be ordered by contacting the VSGA at (804) 378-2300 or by visiting http://www.independencegolfclub.com. Sponsorships and patron packages are available by contacting the VSGA Foundation at (804) 378-2300 ext. 21.

The numbers for the fivesome speak loudly: 44 combined PGA and Champions Tour victory; 13 Ryder Cup appearances (Lanny Wadkins and Strange have been captains); 11 State Amateur titles (seven belong to Giles); 10 State Open victories (Wrenn holds the scoring record); seven Walker Cup experiences; four major championships and three U.S. and British Amateur victories.

Strange, winner of back-to-back U.S. Opens in 1988-89, and Lanny Wadkins are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Strange was inducted in 2007. Lanny Wadkins enters officially on Nov. 2.

For information about the event and player resumes, visit http://www.vsga.org. -- Arthur Utley