b'GOLF OREGONA Hit, On and Off the AirDennis Nakata didnt expect todays kids to hear him on the radioon the golf course, though, they tune into his messageby Charles Butler U ntil recently, every weekday morning, while most people were just getting to the office or sipping their first cup of coffee, Dennis Nakata was wrapping up his workday, or atFor four decades, Dennis Nakata was a familiar voice as a morning least his formal one. Hed been up since 2:45 a.m., writing andnews anchor on the radio in the Eugene area. rewriting news copy that he read over the airwaves of KUGN, the news and talk station out of Eugene, Oregon. But when he signed off for the final time in December,questions, and then listen to the answer.having left his role as the morning-drive news anchor thatFrom Nakatas rsum, its clear talking, not listening, was he held for more than a decade, he turned to his part-timealways a first love. He was on Oregon radio for more than 40 gig, which will now become his full-time passion. On the golfyears, landing his first commercial job as a 14-year-old when course, Nakata becomes the listener, especially when he ishe began spinning records at KPAM in Portland. Follow-up gigs working with young golfers in the First Tee program that he hasincluded post-game reporting from the Portland Trail Blazers overseen in the Willamette Valley for 19 years.locker room and delivering traffic updates from a chopper First Tee, a national program, is designed to teach kidscircling above the Rose City. and teens the fundamentals of golf along with such life skillsHe came to Eugene in 1989 to do news and later host a as honesty and integrity. Nakatas hope? That the three dozenmorning show, a mix of top-40 hits, birthday greetings, and or so students he works with each season feel comfortablegiveaways. In 2002 he got into golf again, a sport he had picked sharing their stories as much as absorbing his instruction.up in college, and carried a 4 handicap. He took over the First Part of what we do at class is ask kids how their day was,Tee program in 2006, and the fit was perfect.Nakata, 64, explains. I say, Tell me more, tell meSam Mar began at First Tee when he was 11 and more. Then they become the storyteller, andstuck with it for nearly a decade. Now 30, hes back we can build our conversation around that.as an assistant coach. Dennis has been as Case in point: As he walks to the tee boxmuch of a golf coach as a life coach, says at Fiddlers Green Golf Center in EugeneMar, who works in tax preparation. When one recent afternoon, hes asking Mia, aI went to him at first, he helped me with 12-year-old, to tell him about the dancemy swing. Once I got out of college, he classes shes taking when not hittinghelped more in life. golf balls. Minutes later, hes asking twoJosiah Wolf, 18, has been in First novice teen golfers where a ball shouldTee since age 5; hes since competed in be placed in a tee box. They toss outOregon state high school championships. multiple guesses before hitting the rightBut Wolf credits Nakata with imparting one. To me, Nakata says, being a goodskills applicable to other pursuits. Like First Tee instructor is you gotta ask the rightintegrity, says the senior at Sheldon High 14 GOLF OREGON|MAR 2025'