Hilton Head Sports

The best tennis players on two wheels are back on Hilton Head Island this month, when Professional Tennis Registry hosts the Wheelchair Tennis Championship at Chaplin Park Tennis Center and Hilton Head Motorcoach Resort. Cash donations, bottled water, food for lunches, and other items for the players are needed, as are scholarships to help players with entry fees and travel. To donate, contact Julie at 843-785-7244 or email  julie@prttennis.org. To volunteer during the championship or for more information, contact Paige at 843-785-7244 or paige@prttennis.org.

Fall is a popular time for charity golf tournaments on and around Hilton Head Island, and there’s a full slate lined up for September:

• Weichert Realtors-Coastal Properties will host the 12th annual Weichert Charity Golf and Tennis Event in Wexford Plantation on Sept. 10. This year's event will benefit Family Promise of Beaufort County. For more information, call 843-341-3700 or go to www.weichertcp.com/events.

SELF DEFENSE CLASSES BOOST CONFIDENCE

The ability to protect oneself against the threat of harm is one of the most basic and necessary of skills. It isn’t hard to imagine how not having this skill can impact one's self-confidence. The benefits are far reaching and immediate for adults and children alike.  

KITEBOARDING MUSICIAN A FAMILIAR SIGHT

If you frequent the Hilton Head Island music scene, chances are good you’ve seen Jos Vicars on stage. And if you spend much time on the island’s less-populated beaches, you’ve probably seen Vicars pursuing his other passion.

PICKLEBALL IS PICKING UP STEAM IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

The funny name might raise an eyebrow, and the analogy to playing ping-pong on a badminton court might be tough to wrap your head around, but more and more Lowcountry residents are falling in love with pickleball.

While some devoted tennis players are reluctant to embrace the game, others find it to be a great alternative thanks to its smaller court and quick pace. Take, for example, Christine McGrath, a top touring pro who discovered pickleball after playing collegiate tennis.

LOCAL PLAYERS HAVE EYES ON VICTORY AT BERKELEY HALL EVENT

The list of golfers who have won the Players Amateur is impressive, but the list of players who have teed it up in the Lowcountry’s premier amateur golf event without hoisting the trophy is even more eye-popping.

NEW TEAM FINDS THAT PUTTING FANS FIRST IS A HOME RUN

For years, Grayson Stadium sat half-empty most nights during the oppressively hot Savannah summer, even as top prospects and future major leaguers took the field for the Savannah Sand Gnats or their South Atlantic League opponent.

The team’s owners insisted they simply couldn’t draw fans to the aging stadium, which didn’t have the bells and whistles of more modern ballparks. The Sand Gnats asked voters to fund a new downtown stadium, and when the taxpayers balked, they moved to Columbia.

POONA FORD TO GO TO SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

When he didn’t hear his name called during the NFL Draft, Poona Ford was mad “for like 30 minutes.” Then it was time to get back to work.

Ford was prepared for the possibility that no one would pick him during the seven-round draft. After all, he’s heard for years all the reasons why he shouldn’t be able to excel.

REALTORS AND MORTGAGE LENDERS CELEBRATE TOURNAMENT’S 25TH YEAR

A beautiful day set the stage May 7 for area Realtors and mortgage lenders to tee off at their annual golf and tennis tournament, and big money was at stake. But not necessarily for the winners — the top golfers and tennis players earned gift certificates donated by local businesses — but, rather, for local nonprofit groups that work to improve quality of life in the Lowcountry.