Fifty years ago, Rodney Acia knew nothing of golf. Now pretty much everyone involved in the game in Hawaii — particularly the island of Hawaii — knows him.
The 1965 Hilo graduate had just left the Army when he got his first job at Kona Country Club in Keauhou. On his own, he pursued work in golf course and cart maintenance and at the restaurant and pro shop.
“I thought it was something I needed to do,” he recalls, “because I wanted to learn all about the business rather than just one part of it.”
There would be 20 years at Keauhou, where Acia would be head pro and general manager after becoming a PGA member. He was instrumental in founding Kona’s junior golf program and guiding the LPGA Ping Championship and the Kona Invitational.
Since 1989, he has been Director of Golf at Hilo Muni, a course you could happily play every day and never be bored, in spite of its legendary rain and complete lack of bunkers. Acia has fit into the muni’s comfort zone like the perfect putter.
“I like it at Hilo Muni because all of your dealings are genuine and responsible,” he says. “When you are working with transient customers, you see people one day. Working at Hilo Muni … it’s a golf course where everybody you meet will come back again and again and again. It’s important to treat everybody as well as you can and respectfully as you can, regardless of their temperaments or personalities.
“I’ve always said you can’t make everybody happy, but you can try to make 99.9 percent of them happy. I’ve found through the years that was the most enjoyable way to go about working every day.”
Those that know Acia know that statement is genuine and heartfelt, and has been for so many years you almost take him for granted now. But last year, the Aloha Section PGA chose instead to honor someone who is much more comfortable blending in with the crowd.
The ASPGA gave Acia its President’s Award, for his constant and uncommon “dedication and service.”
“The way he impacts the community has never been told,” ASPGA executive director Wes Wailehua says. “He is a very humble person, he wants to promote others. He has gone above and beyond to help the game and the industry and he exemplifies the consummate PGA professional we hope everyone will aspire to be in our section.”
Wailehua characterizes Acia as someone who impacts communities and shows the value of PGA members.
Lance Taketa, who has worked with Acia for more than 20 years at Hilo Muni, speaks of all Acia has given back to Hilo, especially its juniors. Years ago, when there were no golf pros in Hilo, Acia brought some over from the west side to give free junior clinics on the weekend.
That nurturing continues today and Acia, who had Hilo Muni’s driving range built, proudly admits to “blending myself into” Earl Tamiya’s legendary junior golf program in Hilo.
“Growing the game of golf has been a passion for Rodney,” Taketa says. “He has contributed countless dollars and manpower to assist the Big Island Junior Golf Association.”
And lots of others in Hawaii golf. Acia has loved nearly every moment.
“I thought ‘what would I do if I decide to retire,’ ” Acia muses, “and then I thought maybe I’ll get a part-time job at a golf course. I always think that golf defines my life and it gave me a place to be where I could mean something to people besides myself.
“So the game itself is something that I owe my adult life to.”
He took up the game two years after he started at Kona, and was good enough to capture Aloha Section titles and qualify for a few PGA and Champions Tour events. His finest golfing memory happened during a senior event, when he was playing with Walt Morgan, whose wife followed them all day. The memory has nothing to do with Acia’s score.
“As I went into the players tent after,” Acia recalls, “Walt’s wife walked up to me and said ‘Rodney, I need tell you something. I watched you play all 18 holes, every shot, and you can play with the people on the senior tour. You should be out there.’
“It was probably the best unsolicited comment about my golf game I ever had. … I thought then, I’m done, I’m going to quit golf. It was a small thing, but it made me feel really good.”
LU COMES UP SHORT
Moanalua graduate Shawn Lu soared into first on the back nine in Monday’s final round of the 94th California State Fair Men’s Amateur Championship. UCLA’s Devon Bling caught him and won by two shots at the Alister Mackenzie Golf Course in Sacramento.
Bling fired a final-round 67 for a total of 14-under 202.
Lu, an Oregon State junior, went 6 under through 11 holes. Bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14 nullified birdies on the final two holes and he finished at 66—204. Kyosuke Hara, Lu’s teammate at Moanalua and OSU, tied for 28th.
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Ann Miller, Special to the Star-Advertiser
