Helicopter Golfing in Coronado? Bombs Away at Municipal Course

Helicopter traffic in and near Coronado is most often the U.S. Navy or another federal agency but a helicopter hovered over the Coronado Municipal Golf Course Wednesday to send kids to camp.

About 300 balls were dropped on the fairway of the 15th hole, one of several events at the 30th Annual San Diego Air & Space Museum Charity Golf Tournament to raise money for the museum's education efforts.

"It was definitely something that we hadn't heard of happening around here so we thought it would be a cool offering," said museum spokeswoman Jessica Packard. "The balls are numbered so when the helicopter launches them whatever three balls get closest to the hole win prizes."

More than 120 players took part in the golf tournament Thursday.

The museum in Balboa Park displays a replica of a Curtiss A1 Triad, a sea plane flown for the first time in Coronado by Glenn Curtiss, an aviator whose flight lessons with military personnel in the early 1900s helped earn Coronado the title of "Home of Naval Aviation."  

Naval aviation was inducted into the museum's hall of fame last year as part of their centennial celebration.