There are some great memories of the two years I spent in Hawaii from March 1970 to March 1972. The first year I was single so I played a lot of golf. Dorine and I married on December 26, 1970 so my second year was our first year of marriage – what a treat being able to spend our first year together in Hawaii. We didn’t have any money but we sure had a good time.

Main gate leading into the Kaneohe Base

13th hole at KBAY Golf Club

The first 12 holes are away from the ocean and on relatively flat ground. You don’t notice the ocean is there because you can’t see or hear it as it’s protected by steep hills between most of the golf holes and the three ocean holes.

I’ll never forget the first time I walked out onto the 13th tee at KBAY Golf Club. It was breathtaking from the elevated tee with the deep blue Pacific Ocean lining the hole and the Ko’olau Mountains filling the background. This par-5 could play very short with prevailing right-to-left wind. I remember we  aimed our drives out over the edge of the beach and let the wind help draw the ball back into the fairway. A great tee shot could leave you with just a wedge to the green.

14th hole at KBAY Golf Club

The 14th hole is another good ocean hole on the KBAY Course. The green has a severe slope from back to front. In a KBAY Men’s Association Club tournament I shut out Joe Capri on this hole because he 3-putted. He had a long putt from front of the green to a pin located in the back and he literally putted his ball off the green. We joked, “Caddie, , , bring my wedge!” as the ball rolled down the steep slope off the back of the green. After the hole Joe broke his Otey Crisman putter and threw it away as we walked to the 15th tee, , , I got it reshafted and still have it.

Arial view of Mokapu Peninsula and Kaneohe Hawaii Marine Base

Golf photos at KBAY Golf Club – 1970

Notice the “high and tight” Marine Corps haircut, , , worked well when the wind was blowing like you see on #10 green. Quality of our film photos back then was not so good.

Dorine and me right after our honeymoon and the day I left to return to Kaneohe.

I returned to Hawaii after my 2-week leave expired to find us an apartment. Dorine would join me a month later.

Harold Estes, a retired Navy Chief was extremely helpful to us. He helped me find an apartment in Waikiki (just happened to be the same one his 75-year old Mother lived in). The senior Mrs. Estes became a great friend and she would visit Dorine often when I was at work. Mr. Estes, a successful entrepreneur, hired Dorine as his Executive Assistant which helped us out financially, , , he even found us a great car that we purchased from one of his friends.

The 1967 Mustang Convertible Harold Estes found for us – perfect for Hawaii

Dorine and me at Karen and Randy Watson’s home on our last day in Hawaii
March 1972 – Kailua, Hawaii

As I mentioned earlier, we didn’t have much money at the time but we sure did enjoy our first year of marriage in Hawaii plus the special friends made while we were there. I married a great looking girl, didn’t I?