GottaGoGolf March 2011 -- The online magazine on golf for women and ladies

rules I dove mountain I gadgets I yoga poses I kiawah

Eat and exercise to play your best get out of the cart healthy snacks clothes that move spa golf treatments

MARCH I 2011

www.gottagogolf.com

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contents

∑ Cover story: Golf for fitness: be fit for golf 6 Cover Image by Dreamstime

yoga:

Five strengthbuilding poses for women 12

Garb:

Clothes that move with us as we walk the course 15

SHOWTIME:

The cool stuff we found at the PGA Show in Orlando 27

and MORE: Our Gang: Sue Fiscoe 20 Gotta Know: Carry a bag safely 26 FITNESS: Rotator cuff care 24 shopping: Health help 46 STAR WATCH: Your golfoscope 50 2 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

GUIDANCE:

How to use the rules of the game to save strokes 30

contents

GOTTA GO:

Dove Mountain destination offers workouts for game, brain and bod 32

REVIEW:

See how Kiawah Island's Ocean Course rates for women 40

19th hole:

The five snack foods that will keep you going for 18 holes 42

CHEF’S special:

Chipotle chicken salad wrap from Cayton's at Dove Mountain 47

our GAME: Michelle Smith shares the secrets to late-life improvement 48 GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 3

GottaGoGolf Susan Fornoff

Publisher and Editorial Director

Nanette Bisher

Creative Director

Cheryl Stotler

Web Director and 19th Hole Editor

Jeanne Louise Pyle Advertising Director

Anne-Marie Praetzel Designer

Emily Kay

Staff Writer Contributing WRITERS

Stacee Brown, Gail Rogers, Michelle Smith-Johansen Contact Online home: www.GottaGoGolf.com Email address: feedback@GottaGoGolf.com Phone: 510.507.3249

For information about advertising partnerships and rates, contact Jeanne Louise Pyle at 425.329.3100 or email jpyle@GottaGoGolf.com

4 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

The online magazine for women who love the game

Staff Susan Fornoff, the founder and voice of GottaGoGolf, has written thousands of newspaper and magazine articles in a journalism career that began at the Baltimore News American in 1979 and proceeded to USA Today, the Sacramento Bee and the San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle. She has had two books published, “Lady in the Locker Room” and “Northern California Golf Getaways.” Fornoff has covered the Masters, several U.S. Opens and a slew of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events. She lives in Oakland, California, and plays golf most Sundays with the Sharp Park Business Women’s Golf Association.

Nanette Bisher, of San Francisco, California, created the logo and look of GottaGoGolf. Bisher most recently was Creative Director for the San Francisco Chronicle. Previous experience includes leadership roles at Danilo Black international design and branding firm, The Journal News, The Orange County Register and U.S. News & World Report.

Web Director Cheryl Stotler, of Calistoga, California, oversees the online presence of GottaGoGolf and supervises 19th hole coverage on food and beverage. She is wine educator on the Napa Valley Wine Train and has a history of success in the hospitality industry, including at Northwest Airlines, WaterBarge Restaurant (which she co-owned with her partner, John Coss), Tudal Winery and Lindblad Expeditions.

Advertising Director Jeanne Louise Pyle, of Seattle, Washington, builds GottaGoGolf’s relationships with partners and sponsors. She established Puget Sound Media Services after a career in publishing that included stints as Publisher and National Sales Manager for Seattle Magazine, Sales Manager for Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine and Associate Publisher for Edible Seattle Magazine. Pyle, a southpaw proud of her booming drives, will be in touch...

Designer Anne-Marie Praetzel has worked in magazine and newspaper publishing for many years, most recently as a designer at the San Francisco Chronicle. Before that she lent her skills to a variety of magazines, including Publish, 10 Percent, PC World, Electronic Musician, and National Parks. She's passionate about sports, especially soccer and baseball, and is excited about exploring the world of golf.

Staff Writer Emily Kay, reigning club champion at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, N.H., tracks women’s golf news and notes for GottaGoGolf. Kay’s Choice Communications takes on writing projects in the business and tech worlds—her masters at American University was in public affairs journalism— and she’s an 11-handicapper who has embraced writing online for Waggle Room, National Golf Examiner, Boston Golf Examiner and New England Golf Monthly.

welcome

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Oiling the machine A greeting from the publisher

requires coordination, balance, Look at the bodies of today’s A few years ago when I was stamina and that great burst of great golfers, and they are alworking on a book, there was lit- power that makes a winning golf most all powerful and fit – particularly the LPGA players, who tle time to play golf and none for swing. know they can score more enpractice. But I made a point of dorsements with great legs and getting up from the desk to do other well-sculpted body parts. some yoga five days a week – and Some are so talented they can what a surprise it was to find that succeed without exercising and when I did get to play how much eating right, but, most of us are my swing had improved. not them.

There are those who say that So this issue of GottaGoGolf golf is not really a sport. Admitis dedicated to fitness. We have tedly, there aren’t many other stories on how to fuel your body endeavors where players comproperly (even though 19th Hole monly drink beer and smoke ciEditor Cheryl Stotler would gars while participating. Softrather be sipping wine), on how ball? Sometimes. Billiards? to shop for a carry bag, and on Certainly. Rugby, yes, but there’s how a trip to the Ritz Carlton at a sport that seems to award Dove Mountain in Tucson can points for drinking. benefit your golf game and your Yet golf burns 1,500 calories or fitness. so over the course of four hours, Katherine Roberts shares five and on weekends at some mustrength-building yoga poses nicipal courses players get what that are great for women who I’ll kindly call a “bonus” hour. It My new friend the reformer.

golf. She knows sometimes we’re too busy for an entire class, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some of yoga’s benefits.

Me, I’ve tried something new this winter: the eight-week Pilates Challenge at a nearby studio. After only two weeks on the reformer, mat and tower, the improvement in my strength was noticeable. During my birthday massage, four weeks into the program, I noticed that not a single muscle in my body ached.

I can’t wait to put my newfound strength into my swing. Fitness isn’t everything, of course, or Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice would be PGA Tour stars by now instead of the beloved exathletes they are. But, as they’d surely agree, golf is definitely a sport. It makes sense to support it with a well-oiled machine.

— Susan Fornoff GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 5

Bags on wheels make for the best scores and burn almost as many calories as carrying.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 6

COVER The healthy equation:

Push your way to better golf and fitness

By Susan Fornoff

Photo / Dreamstime

After Neil Wolkodoff’s last study, I changed my approach to golf. I thought I was burning more calories by carrying my bag rather than packing it onto a pushcart. Wolkodoff’s study confirmed that – but, over 18 holes, I was burning an average of only 6 more calories by carrying the bag (1,442) than I would by pushing the cart (1,436).

I looked at my back nine scores, listened to my aching body. This I was doing for just 6 calories?

You have got to be kidding me!

So last year I started packing the

pushcart without fail. It’s arguable whether my scores improved, but my back-nine disposition most definitely did.

Now Wolkodoff is on the phone talking about his latest study and the book he’s writing – “Physical Golf for Women” – and I sense more changes coming in

my approach to the game that we women say we play mostly for exercise and fun.

“In the world of golf, everybody has something to sell – a DVD, a program – and so things get pushed out without a lot of validation,” Wolkodoff is saying from Colorado, where he is Program Director for the Rose Center for Health and Sport Sciences.

“In 15 years of researching this, I have a different take on it. There are a lot of things that just don’t work to improve your golf game.

If you want to improve your balance and strength, weight training is a more effective way to go than yoga, stretching, Pilates, bosu ball, and all the other trendy programs people are coming out with.”

OK, now here’s the really good part for women: “A guy did a study at a YMCA six or seven years ago having people just do Nautilus machines, two or three days a week, two or three sets, all the usual exercises, curls, extensions, presses (for eight weeks),” GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 7

Wolkodoff says. “And they increased their clubhead speed by almost 7 miles an hour.

With a driver, that’s 20 yards.

“There hasn’t been a functional study that even has gotten close to that with all these other trendy things. If you look at what’s published, you’re probably better off just getting strong.”

What’s cool about this? Wolkodoff is telling women that if we do the things we already know we should do – cardio for heart health, weight training for bone strength and to ward off injury – we should hit the ball farther. Without doing anything more.

Without even, gulp, taking lessons or going to the driving range.

And if that’s not motivation enough to take care of ourselves the way our doctors want us to, pair that with the study on all the calories we’re burning when we do play golf – even riding in a cart, there goes 822! – and it is clear that fitness can result in better golf and golf can result in better fitness.

Win, win – and a kibosh on the old argument that golf is not really a sport, it’s a game where players are mostly just standing around. True, we can wear pink ruffled skorts and drink Chardonnay when we play, but we are athletes. And if you don’t believe 8 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

"You have to have stamina and fitness and strength to get up and around the course," said former soccer star Brandi Chastain. that, just listen to one of the best athletes in the world as she struggles to improve her golf game.

“You have to have stamina and fitness and strength to get up and around the course,” said former soccer star Brandi Chastain. “It’s a long day and a long walk and it takes a lot to be able to focus.”

Chastain, who scored the most famous goal in U.S. soccer history, is undeniably an athlete and dresses for performance. At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where she and partner Billy Andrade finished middle of the pack, Chastain donned Puma gear made without traditional stitching but using a bonding process designed to make garments move better without irritation.

The apparel companies are giving due diligence to accommodating the golf swing and the more than 5 miles of walking done by women, who, it is believed, opt to walk the course more than men do.

Not that there’s any research on this. In fact, there is very little research on the physi-

cality of golf for women. Wolkodoff’s studies involve men; he apologizes, but the 2009 walking/pushing/riding study was selffunded and so he recruited eight men willing and able to meet the study’s demands.

“One of the issues in the world of golf is that the USGA, the PGA, the LPGA, the large groups don’t want to do any of this research,” Wolkodoff says. “You never get to do it the way you’d like when you are self-funded.”

The cart pushers in his study of men had the best scores, and Wolkodoff believes that one reason for that was that the bag schleppers’ heart rates were much more likely to surpass their anaerobic thresholds and need some recovery time.

Wolkodoff suspects that the results of his study, where the subjects averaged 200 pounds, would apply to women proportionately. So a fair assumption might be that shouldering that bag of golf clubs – which tends to weigh the same for women as for men – would take an even greater toll on the game of someone weighing 25 percent less.

“You go anaerobic, you tend to get the yips,” he says. You can raise your threshold

Michelle Wie typically takes a caddie when she plays these days.

Photo / andy lyons / Getty Images

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GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 9

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by doing anaerobic exercises, which require intense activities for short periods of time (commonly referred to as interval training).

Here are a few other interesting findings about golf and fitness that help make the case for women to stay in shape with golf and golf to stay in shape: u A cardiologist studied middle-age golfers and found that walking golfers decreased their “bad” cholesterol.

There’s also some evidence that D helps us lose weight. (Though, maybe that’s related to the fact that when we are outdoors we are probably engaged in some calorie-burning activity.) u Socializing and laughter help us live longer; it’s a good bet that not many of us are playing golf alone or with folks we dislike.

And now, drum roll, the results of Neil

Wolkodoff’s latest study, where he compares a control group with four other groups: one taking lessons, one following the TPI program (flexibility focus), one following the TRX program (mixed focus) and one on Turning Point 4.0 (core rotation).

After four weeks, the mixed focus group had added the most distance, the golf lesson group the least. The core rotation group

u A Swedish study that compared the statistics of its Golf Federation’s more than 600,000 members with the country’s general database found the golfers to be 40 percent less likely to have died than the nongolfer of the same age and gender. It also assigned a lifespan of 5 years longer for the golfer. u Of particular relevance to women, the outdoor activity of golf yields a strong dose of Vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of calcium and thus promotes bone strength.

10 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

Brandi Chastain has husband Jerry Smith on the bag at Monterey Peninsula.

Photo / stuart franklin / Getty Images

u A series of studies by Wayne L. Westcott on senior golfers found measurable improvement in the swing speeds of those who did just three 25-minute weight training sessions per week, and the greatest improvement in those who mixed in some stretching exercises.

Photo / athit perawongmetha / Getty Images

Catherine Zeta-Jones does her calorieburning by cart.

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measured the highest club speed increase, the golf lesson group the least – yet the golf lesson group had most improved its ball speed and the flexibility group measured the least improved ball speed. The control group improved its accuracy the most, while the flexibility group’s accuracy worsened.

“People in golf like to say that flexibility is so important,” Wolkodoff says. “But this tells me that a combined strength, core and flexibility program would be most effective – and for women, it’s true, they are generally more flexible than men and probably would be better off focusing on the strength and core training.”

Which, we know, we should be doing anyway for good health. And which of course stands a chance of making us fitter, slimmer and younger-looking.

And which provides the most powerful motivation of all.

“Women are more likely to exercise if it is related to health, well-being and reversing the aging process,” Wolkodoff says. “Sports performance goals rank lower for women. Really, are you more interested in hitting the ball 250 yards, or in looking and feeling younger?”

Well, honestly… it’s nice to know that by playing golf, doing cardio/interval workouts and mixing in some weight training, we stand at chance at both.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 11

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Strike these poses for a vogue golf swing course of 18 holes. A little bit of There’s no arguing the benefits of yoga for the golf game “Om”ing can do wonders for the – not just the swing, which becomes more powerful from scorecard. the inherent strength and balance training, but the stamiBut it’s a good assumption that readers of GottaGoGolf would na and concentration required over the

1. Bridge Pose On your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor about hip’s distance apart and as close to you as is comfortable. You’re going to inhale and slowly roll your hips up, using legs and glutes to press upward. When you get there, you can wiggle your shoulders around to come up a little farther and hang

12 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

out for a few breathes like our model, or clasp your hands beneath your back on the mat.

Exhale your way down.

“This helps to strengthen the lower body – quads and glutes especially,” Roberts said. Her next four picks flow naturally from one into the other.

rather spend their precious time playing golf than practicing yoga.

So we went to Katherine Roberts, who has worked with Hank Haney on fitness fixes for swing flaws and has her own Yoga For Golfers franchise headquartered at YogaForGolfers.com.

Katherine, we asked, give us some shortcuts to better golf through yoga.

“First of all,” she said, “preparing the body before your round is more important than standing on the practice tee and driving your 3-wood. You need to prepare your body for the explosive movement that’s required in the golf swing.”

To that end, if you’ve got 15 minutes before your round, spend it

on the ground, doing articulated bridge poses (familiar to exercisers as pelvic lifts, slowly up and slowly down, repeated) and window washers (loosening the hips and torso by taking the knees to one side of the body and then the other).

And, breathe. “Breathe and focus, breathe and focus,” she said.

“I would rather have you lie in corpse position for an hour of inhaling and exhaling than see you do one position holding your breath.”

With that, take a deep breath and learn these five yoga positions that especially benefit women golfers. Roberts said she selected them with this in mind: “Women in general have a tendency to be hypermobile, almost too flexible. It’s why they tend to overswing, and sway from side to side, because they are so flexible.

Women can gain a lot from creating strength, and power.”

3. Warrior 2

2. Warrior 1 This standing pose looks like a lunge, with the front knee directly over the front foot, the toes of the back foot turned out at about a 45-degree angle, and hips squared to the front. Inhaling the arms out to the side and up, look up at the hands while sliding the shoulder blades down the back.

“I like this because it creates strength in the feet, it stretches the hip flexors on the back leg and also the glutes and quads on the front side,” Roberts said. “I also like that it strengthens your core because you are always drawing the navel in. I also teach it with a little bit of a back bend.”

From Warrior 1, open the back foot out to a 90-degree angle so that the arch is on a line with the front foot and turn your torso to face the side wall. Lift the arms straight out so they are on the same line with your lower body.

Look over the front fingertips and stay here for a while. Inhale to come up.

“This helps strengthen the lower body and there’s a rotation of the spine that I like,” Roberts said. “The golf swing is a rotation of the upper body over the solid foundation of the lower body. I also have an acronym I use for all of the standing poses: NTR. Navel in, tuck the hips slightly, ribcage long.”

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4. Extended Side Angle Take a good look at the photo here. To get to the position, stand with your feet wide apart and extend the arms, palms down.

Turn the right foot out to 90 degrees and turn the left foot slightly in, aligning the heels. Roll your left hip slightly forward toward the right hip and bend the right knee into what looks like a lunge. Now rest the right elbow on the right knee and reach the left arm overhead, keeping it behind the left ear with the palm facing down. Look up and breathe. “Here, you are stretching and creating an arc,” Robert said. “This pose can teach you to breathe 20 percent more deeply and to stretch your arm 20 percent higher overhead. The first step of putting the elbow on the knee helps to strengthen the shoulder girdle, an area that does not get enough attention.”

Another pose on next page > GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 13

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garb

Golf gear fit for performance

5. Warrior 3 Yes, this is hard, and beginners usually start by a wall or with a chair for security. Step one foot forward and shift your weight onto the front leg as you reach the back leg behind you and up, foot flexed. Meanwhile, lean forward, keeping the hips pointing toward the ground.

Roberts likes to hold a golf club and reaches forward; intermediates stretch their arms behind them and beginners grab on to 14 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

whatever they can find to stay upright.

“I really like this as a balancing pose,” Roberts said. “In the golf swing, one needs to learn to activate the glutes independently, because in the downswing the rear glute is 100 percent active and the left is not.

Warrior 3 teaches that and is tremendous for lower body strength, core strength, and balance.”

It’s hard to imagine an athlete like Brandi Chastain wearing a golf dress. Decked out in Puma golf apparel for the recent AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, she looked fit to perform. “What I like about this Puma stuff and what Nike has been doing recently, it’s technical clothing but it’s fun,” she said.

“I used to think about golf gear as plaids and things my grandma would wear and not very exciting.”

Chastain wore warm and dry sport pants by Nike until the temperature rose, then she unveiled a pair of pedalpushers that matched her striped shirt.

The shiny shoes are another story. In the meantime, here’s just a little trio of the athlete-geared offerings from Puma, Nike and Callaway this spring:

Puma

Calloway

• The bottoms: If

you’re wondering how the pros keep their shirts so nicely tucked in, the Golf Stripe 7/8 Pants hold the secret, a silicone print gripper tape attached to the interior of the waistband. The cotton fabric is put in motion with 3 percent Elastane. Also in green stripe. $65.

• The top: The ¾

sleeve zip mock (also available reversing the two colors) has all of Callaway’s “Dry” technology, including moisture wicking and SPF sun protection of 15+. $62.

• The bottoms:

The convertible capris unroll into slacks, with “microsanded and mechanical stretch.”

Shown in anthracite, they also come in oyster, two sets of bottoms in one. $65.

garb

• The top: Dri-Release Moisture

Wicking has a microbial finish to keep players fresh in this Duo-Swing Mesh Polo, with engineered sleeves to reduce swing friction and an argyle burnout back that lets air flow through while also providing UPF sun protection of 40+. Colorphobes, relax: It also comes in black and white. $65.

Nike •

The bottoms: Nike’s Tech Classic Long Short with a 10½-inch inseam will win an approving nod at any country club, and the wearer will like the stretch of polyester and spandex with Nike’s Dri-FIT technology.

Several color choices, $65.

• The top: The Long Sleeve

UV Polo is fitted with a back center dart, comes in the moisture-wicking, Dri-FIT blend of cotton, polyester and spandex, and offers UV protection of 30+.

Also in white, $65

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 15

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short game notes about the game's characters, quirks and gadgets Compiled by Emily Kay

Captain Jones sets her course Rosie Jones, captain of the U.S. Solheim Cup squad, will announce her team on August 21, following the LPGA Tour’s Safeway Classic. The August 19-21 event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club will be the final event during which players may earn Solheim Cup points, the LPGA has announced.

“The Safeway Classic is a premium tournament on the LPGA schedule and Pumpkin Ridge is a fantastic golf course where players will be put to the test as they try to play their way onto the team or prove themselves worthy of a captain’s pick,”

Rosie Jones

Jones said in a statement.

Ten players earn enough points with victories and top-20 finishes to qualify for the 12-person team.

The captain chooses two additional golfers.

U.S. players started accumulating points at the 2009 Safeway Classic.

Entering this year, Cristie

16 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

Kerr led with 441 points by way of 24 top-20 finishes. Kerr is a five-time Solheim Cup player. Next were: Morgan Pressel (239 points), Michelle Wie (223), Angela Stanford (212), and Paula Creamer (199).

The 2011 Solheim Cup will take place at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland, Sept. 23-25. The U.S. team leads the biennial competition, 8-3, over its European counterparts.

Like Aunt, Like Nephew?

February was the right month to book a flight out of Cape Cod, and LPGA Hall of Famer Pat

Bradley found the perfect excuse: Nephew Keegan Bradley had a slot in the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm on California’s Monterey Peninsula, played in glorious weather on three of the world’s most glorious golf courses.

“Saw the weather forecast on Sunday, booked my flight and landed in San Jose on Monday,” she said.

So there she was in the gallery, sporting her big green “Keegan’s Clan” badge and providing plenty of vocal applause as the tall, lanky and Pat's nephew Keegan

hard-hitting 24-year-old weighed in at 5-underpar in his first round en route to a 15th place finish on Sunday.

“I’m very proud of him, he’s only 24 and he’s holding his own as well as anyone could,” Pat said. “I have five brothers, we all golfed, and Keegan’s father is Mark Bradley, who is the head pro at Jackson Hole.”

Pat wouldn’t take credit for Keegan’s natural talent, but she does see something of herself in his game.

“I do see myself in how he grinds out a day,” she said. “He never gives up. I

photo/PGA Tour

New to you

NEW VENUE FOR PROS? Several LPGA and PGA members are working with national business leaders to expand opportunities for professional golfers. The venture, “America’s Golf Team,” would stage 54-hole pro-am events in conjunction with on-site golf instruction and a charity component to benefit player-development programs.

The field, U.S. players only, would include 60 pros and 60 amateurs, with each professional paired with an amateur in

a two-player better-ball team format. Amateurs would tee it up in the Pro-Am Division, with the top 10 teams advancing to the third and final round.

Tourney sponsors would draft pro players, who would compete for attractive purses. The firstyear, no-cut tournament prize money would be at least $500,000, growing to $1 million within three years, according to the organizers.

The concept grew from “years of listening to the needs” of professional women golfers, college players and coaches, junior golfers about how to develop home-grown talent, Myra Blackwelder,

former LPGA golfer and current chairwoman of America’s Golf Team Production, said in a release.

“Our goal is to assure that golfers born in the United States will be prepared to compete on the global stage.”

Some notables are involved with the venture, including LPGA legends Beth Daniel, Nancy Lopez, and Meg Mallon.

It’s a bold step, although many questions remained unanswered, such as the “drafting” process by sponsors, where and when the tourneys will Nancy Lopez is seventh on the all-time LPGA winners list with 48 titles.

photo/David cannon/ getty inages

believe I have that quality in myself.”

GottaGoGolf I February 2011 I 17

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take place and where would this effort leave the LPGA Futures Tour? Stay tuned.... ready for a night round?

Bill Ranson, a Los Angeles golf pro and staffer with Bridgestone Golf and Whitlam Golf, planned to tee off at 6:30 a.m. on March 7 and golf without a break for 24 hours to help out the Make-AWish Foundation’s Los

Bill Ransom

Angeles chapter.

“The Make-A-Wish Foundation does so many wonderful things,” Ranson told GottaGoGolf of his 24-hour marathon plan.

“I’ve often thought where I would turn if I needed to do something spectacular for my own kids, something they’ve always dreamed about. How would I help them.”

The 44-year-old PGA apprentice, father of three looked to Twitter to sell the idea.

“I was just trying to market myself and decided if I could get 1,500 people to follow me on Twitter, I would play golf for 24 hours to raise money for Make-A-Wish,” said Ranson (@golferBill).

Ranson will use a buddy’s Hollywood-caliber lighting mounted on golf

18 I march 2011 I GottaGoGolf

carts to help him find his shots in the dark, and will tee it up whether he reaches 1,500 followers or not – but he promised that the 1,500th person to follow him on Twitter will win a Natalie Gulbisautographed golf ball.

Joining Ranson on his 24-hour golfing journey will be a 17-year-old girl, Mareon Smit. Smit, a regular on the American Junior Golf Association circuit, works with Ranson’s mental-game coach, Dayne Gingrich, who will join the twosome for the golf-a-thon.

To stay up to date with Ranson’s Make-A-Wish endeavor, check out his website at billransomgolf .com. Ranson also plans to tweet during his trek and may offer a live video stream as well.

Gotta Giggle

“Many women are more faithful to their golf partners than to their husbands and have stuck with them longer.”

— That's our twisted version of an old John Updike quote that came our way recently.

Are you a woman of the year?

Birdy & Grace, the official clothing sponsor of LPGA and Futures Tour golfers, is looking for its second annual “Golf Woman of the Year.”

The winner will model for the company’s Spring 2012 catalog and advertising campaign, while also receiving a custom-fitted

wardrobe, working with a top fashion photographer and taking home a new Sweet Spot putter.

You must be at least 25 to win, and you may enter yourself or your mother, daughter, sister, or friend by following the instructions at birdyandgrace .com. The company will fly the winner to New York City and then transport

photo / Birdy & Grace

2010 Golf Woman of the Year Shannon Hall

her by private car to its Greenwich, Conn., headquarters.

Last year’s winner is a tough act to follow. Shannon Hall of Wilmington, N.C., had qualifications that included community service, a nursing career and surviving cancer.

EWGA sets its golfapalooza The Executive Women’s Golf Association will tee off its

2011 season in April with its Golfapalooza.

The April 13-16 event (which used to be called the EWGA Conference) will take place at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Florida (pictured at right) and promises the opportunity to make new friends, build business relationships, and, oh yeah, play lots of golf.

In addition to all of the above, the EWGA also promises: World renowned golf business leaders, instructors, and speakers; the chance to play with and buy hot new golf gear; a fashion show; and, of course, a gala awards dinner Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort sports 36 holes of championship golf – Oak Marsh and Ocean Links – designed by Pete Dye and Bobby Weed.

Check out EWGA.com for more info and to register.

– Emily Kay GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 19

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OUR GANG

Fiscoe sets a fast pace to break PGA's grass ceiling If you find yourself in a foursome ahead of Sue Fiscoe, you might want to pick up the pace. Better yet, step aside and let Fiscoe and the women in her group school you in speed golf.

Fiscoe, a California teaching pro and business owner with designs on becoming the first woman president of the PGA of America, tees off early on Saturdays with a group of longtime friends. She slams her trunk some three-and-a-half hours later.

“We don’t tarry. We’re ready to go,” said Suzanne Tubman, Fiscoe’s Oakdale (Calif.) Country Club golfing partner of 10 years. “We’re the first women out there and we play through quite a few times. We don’t waste any time.”

With all she’s accomplished and Sue Fiscoe lets one fly during a preround warmup.

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intends to achieve, Fiscoe clearly has her eyes on the prize. You don’t get to be the first woman elected to the PGA board or first female PGA section chief by leaning on your pitching wedge waiting for the guys in front of you to putt out—or by letting the boys win.

“Sue takes my money nearly every week,” confirmed Robert Tubman, Suzanne’s husband and retired investment manager for the E.&J. Gallo Winery. Robert tees it up with Fiscoe in a mixed foursome on Sunday mornings.

They play $5 Nassaus, with presses.

Despite Fiscoe’s penchant for emptying their wallets, her playing partners rave about golfing with her.

GLOSSARY: “Hitting it fat”

position.

Fiscoe, however, is not the only woman eyeing higher office. Suzy Whaley, the New England golfer who earned national fame in 2003 when she qualified and participated in a PGA Tour event, would relish the opportunity to head the outfit.

“If [board membership] takes me down that road, I would welcome it, I would cherish it,” Whaley, a golf instructor at Connecticut’s TPC River Highlands and first-time PGA board member, said in an interview during the group’s 2010 annual meeting in Boston.

Fiscoe, who claimed she and Whaley would not oppose each other, believes the PGA is ready for a woman leader, partly because of PGA chief executive Joe Steranka’s strong support for diversity.

“The PGA male members I have served with have been very supportive and I believe that it could happen,” said Fiscoe.

Should she attain her goal, Fiscoe expects no letup in her golf schedule.

“Playing golf is a big part of our profession so we all take the opportunity to play as much as we can in a business environment and socially,” she said.

“Every time I’m home I’m going to get out there and play with my friends.”

– Emily Kay

photo /dreamstime

“She’s wonderful to play with,” said Suzanne Tubman. “Sue is very competitive but you don’t see it. She’s out there to have fun.”

With a history of Sue Fiscoe breaking down barriers, Fiscoe has her sight set on taking the reins as head of the 28,000-member PGA. “I have considered [running for PGA president],” Fiscoe acknowledged in a phone interview from her Modesto, Calif., office at Creekside Golf Club.

The 2012 election seems an appropriate occasion to break the PGA’s grass ceiling. “It would be timely, right after our 100th anniversary,” Fiscoe noted.

“That’s long enough to wait for a woman to be president.”

Fiscoe, who began playing at age 12, owns Fiscoe Management, which she founded in 1990. Her company operates Dryden Park, Modesto Municipal Golf Course, and Creekside, where she actively supports programs for juniors, women and minorities.

Now, after working her way up from section VP, to president, to district director, Fiscoe is ready for the next step.

Her current spot on the national board could launch her campaign for the top

It’s fitness month, so you sure don’t want fat shots. You hit it fat (or heavy, or chunky—you get the picture) when your club digs up the turf before it hits the ball. The aftermath is not pretty: a divot the size of Rhode Island that covers more ground than your Pro V1x. Hitting it “thin” (essentially, taking no divot and topping the ball) may get you more distance, but it’s not the Rx for the chubby shot.

Hank Haney, Tiger Woods’ erstwhile swing coach, has some tips to help you lose that fat shot. If you’re chunking and slicing it, you probably have too steep an angle on your swing. Haney suggests you keep your front shoulder up and turn your back toward the target, making your swing more level.

Shallow swings bring the club too close to the ground and too far from the ball, causing you to hit it fat and hook the ball. To cure that bit of heaviness, Haney recommends keeping the club in front of you and turning your body through. That way, you bring the bottom of your swing forward so you hit the ball and then the ground. — Emily Kay

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 21

short game

Gadget

Now, even more technology measures up With everything from a free iPhone GPS app to a $500 hybrid GPS rangefinder system on the market, hi-tech maps to the green abound. Here’s what’s new: Bushnell claims its new Hybrid GPS rangefinder, which packages GPS and laser capabilities, provides accuracy to within a yard and at-a-glance distances to the fronts, centers, and backs of greens. The $499 pricetag includes 16,000 North American courses preloaded (no annual fee), the ability to measure shot length, and 5x magnification.

Bushnell Hybrid GPS 22 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

SkyGolf counters with the SkyCaddie SGX, its own “hybrid” solution that the company claims requires no line-of-sight aiming. Just add the course’s ground-mapped pin sheet to the tool and voila! There’s the distance to the flag from any approach angle.

SGX can also zero in on the distance to the flag from aprons and bunkers, and check out false fronts and depths of the green. SkyCaddie SGX retails for $349.99, plus variable annual subscription fees that range from $19.95 to $149.95.

Partnering with GPS developers Navigon and iGolf, Expresso Satellite Navigation offers a different type of amalgam GPS device. “We’re the first and only group to incorporate automotive and golf into the same unit,” company chief executive Michael Aroney says. “It’s unique because it folds up and fits into the cup holder or dashboard of

your car...and it sits well on the shelf of your golf cart.”

Like the other pocket-sized units on the market, Expresso Satellite’s AG1 device, which retails for $219, is small and lightweight enough for walkers to carry or clip to their bags, although the company suggests using it in a cart. About Appitise GPS app the size of a smart phone, its battery lasts three times longer than a typical iPhone, Aroney notes.

Which brings us to iPhone GPS apps, of which there are many. Appitise Inc. offers a freebie, although only for a limited number of courses so far. One of the app’s cool features is the ability to pinpoint the flag on any of the available golf courses from thousands of miles away.

“That’s the biggest ‘wow’ feature,” says Daniel Bingyou, Appitise’s marketing VP.

Gotta Ask

Ready to spring out your game?

Hollytree Country Club in Tyler, Texas, uses the Appitise system to book tee times, push promos, to offer golfers something other courses don’t. “It’s a competitive advantage,” says Hollytree membership director Casey Dirksen. “There are four country clubs in the vicinity and this shows we are on the cutting edge.”

Appitise charges golf courses a one-time set-up fee of $1,295 and $600 annually to host the system, but the app is free to players. Be warned: Cell phone battery life can be an issue for 18-holers.

The simplest and most elegant way to locate the pin may be with Garmin’s Approach S1 GPS wristwatch. Garmin preloads accurate distances to the fronts, backs, and middles of greens for more than 14,000 North American courses into its 1.8-ounce timepiece. Better yet, the $249 suggested retail price requires no subscription fee and the company promises battery life of up to eight hours in GPS mode. —Emily Kay

Some of us like to think we live in year-round golf climates, but after this crazy winter not even Floridians, Texans, Arizonans and Californians can say that.

So, GottaGoGolfers, tell us the truth — now’s not the place to indulge in your "I was born to golf" fantasy.

What's your plan to be ready to tee off in 2011?

A I'll be going to the range and practicing my chipping all winter. I'll be ready.

B I got new clubs for Christmas. I’ll be ready!

C I have been working out hard to strengthen my body. I’ll be ready!

D I’m reading every golf book, tip and lesson I can find. I’ll be ready!

E My golf course bartender makes great Bloody Marys. I’m ready right now!

F I store my clubs, shoes and hats in my trunk. I’m ALWAYS ready!

Vote NOW

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 23

fitness The shoulder is an amazing joint that allows a wide range of motion. However, because it allows such a vast amount of movement, it relies on heavily on muscular support. The rotator cuff functions to stabilize the shoulder joint in the socket, as well as generating rotation of the upper arm. Golf injuries to the rotator cuff vary, but may include strains, tears, tendonitis/tendonosis, and impingement (a painful pinching of the tendons of the rotator cuff). Keeping the rotator cuff strong is one great way to decrease your chances of a cuff injury.

By Stacee Brown, PT, DPT, ATC FORM Physical Therapy brownphysicaltherapy@hotmail.com, www.formpt.com (415) 297-4113 GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 24

strengthen the area of the rotator cuff. Tack them on to your regular routine three times a week for optimal results.

SCAPTION: Start with a light dumbbell in each hand initiating the exercise from your hips. Slowly raise your arms to shoulder height at a 45-degree angle with thumbs pointing upward.

Repeat 15-20 times. As your strength improves, increase the weight of the dumbbells.

photos / Stacee Brown

Avoid hazards to your rotator cuff

On these pages are a few simple exercises to

short game

EQUAL TIME...NOT

The USGA's unlucky number: 13

INTERNAL ROTATION (RIGHT ARM): Using a lightly weighted pulley cable or band at elbow height (top photos), start with your right elbow tucked at your side and bent 90 degrees. Slowly rotate the shoulder joint so the hand moves from midline outward to the end of your motion.

Slowly return to the start postion and repeat 15-20 times.

Turn around to perform this exercise on the left arm.

EXTERNAL ROTATION (LEFT ARM): Using a lightly weighted pulley cable or band at elbow height, start with your left elbow tucked at your side and bent at 90 degrees. Slowly rotate the shoulder joint so the hand moves from midline outward to the end of your motion.

Slowly return to the start postion and repeat 15-20 times.

Turn around to do this exercise on the right arm.

Hall of famer Pat Bradley turns 60 on March 24 but that's not stopping her from hoping for another U.S. Open championship.

Bradley, fit and feisty, was cheerleading for nephew Keegan Bradley in last month’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (he finished tied for 15th). When GottaGoGolf caught up with her at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, she chatted pleasantly for a bit about the family’s 24-year-old star and the five-star weather, and then got serious about her birthday wish.

“I would love for the USGA to finally have a U.S. Women’s Senior Open, just like the one they have for the men,” she said. “In the past, I think maybe they could say the numbers weren’t there, but today there are a lot of us who would like to play, including former tour players and club professionals.

“I won the Women’s U.S. Open in 1981 and I feel I should have the opportunity to win a U.S. Women’s Senior Open. Today’s woman doesn’t just let go because she reaches a certain

age.”

The USGA has had a Women’s Senior Amateur since 1962 (with a qualifying age of 50, unlike 55 for the men’s), and, Bradley pointed out, covers every age group for both genders except for the open category, which includes both amateurs and professionals.

“The USGA has 13 events,” Bradley notes. “That’s an odd number. You’ve got to even it up.”

—Susan Fornoff

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 25

SECTION Gotta Know

Here's one burden you shouldn't have to shoulder I used to walk and carry my bag whenever it was allowed, until I read the results of the study that showed players burn only marginally fewer calories by carrying their bags than by pushing them, and I thought, why bother with the stress and strain.

But there still might be times when carrying makes sense. For instance, some hilly courses are actually easier to navigate by carrying your clubs. You don’t have that push-pull thing to worry about going up and down.

And if you’re trying to play a quick nine, carrying

the clubs expedites access to the proper club at the proper time – no worries about walking across the greens and tees.

A little research on the matter yielded the following tips for making sure your baggage causes no pain:

1

There is such a thing as a woman’s carry bag. “No doubt the color palette is different,” said Sun Mountain representative Steve Snyders. “And the bag is a little shorter, to better accommodate the length of women’s clubs.

We’re only talking an inch difference but more of the shaft will show with

26 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

a woman’s bag.” Women who use men’s clubs most likely would have a better fit with a man-size bag; pink could be problematic.

2

Your height and size make no difference from men’s to women’s bags and straps; straps today accommodate and adjust to all heights.

3

Find a lightweight bag. “The whole goal in our line of lightweight bags is to have the necessary pockets for what you need but without the bells and whistles you don’t need,” Snyders said. “Our carry bags tend to weigh less

than 4 ½ pounds and one weighs 3 pounds; the trick is, if you shave a little weight off a bag in 10 places, you can shave 10 ounces.”

4

Make sure your straps are properly adjusted, so that the bag sits just below the small of the back with the top of the bag positioned slightly higher than the bottom. “A lot of people carry the bag too low,” Snyders said. The idea is to transfer some of the weight from the upper body to the lower body; this lightens the load on those neck and shoulder muscles and also keeps the body more upright.

5

To further distribute the bag weight, consider one of the new hip belts featured on some of the 2011 golf bags. Sun Mountain’s Swift ZG belt adjusts with Velcro from 28 inches to 48 inches.

6

Reassess what’s in your bag. Change out accessories seasonally so a watch cap and gloves aren’t weighing you down in July. And, the USGA limits the number of clubs in your bag to 14, but does not require you to carry 14. If a hybrid has supplanted some of your irons, park those irons in the garage.

—Susan Fornoff

photo /dreamstime

Q A

I like to walk and carry my bag. What can I do to make this easier on my back, neck and shoulders?

PGA SHOW 2011

SECTION

Contrast for your little black dress is on its way

By EMILY KAY

photo / scott halperin/ getty

TaylorMade and Cobra-Puma stole PGA Show 2011— TaylorMade with its “white is the new black” marketing strategy for its R11 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 drivers, and Cobra-Puma with a celebrity-heavy party. But sparkling amid the glitz and glamour of TaylorMade’s whiteout and Cobra’s beer blast (with appearances by teen sensation Alexis Thompson and Blair O’Neal from Golf Channel’s “Big Break”) were products at this year’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., that deserved a bit of notice.

Here are a few of the items that might interest our readers: Golfdotz These little stamp-sized golf ball tattoos may have been the

simplest product among the techno-geekery of the show, but they are possibly the coolest. Just ask LPGA Tour fan fave Natalie Gulbis, an early adopter of the simple peel, press and seal ink for your golf ball or shoe. Forget Sharpies and the sloppy marks they leave on your club face; just remove a Golfdotz from its backing sheet, position it on the ball, and press down with your thumb. The 52 designs include pink martini,

skull and crossbones, American Natalie Gulbis signed autoflag, and Ace of Clubs. You graphs at the TaylorMade booth. may also customize your own the Heavy Putter maker offers a logo, as did Gulbis, who opted full set of irons, fairway woods, for a heart between two swan- hybrids and the Heavy Driver shaped reverse “G”s. USGA (see image on next page). The and R&A-approved. Suggested differently weighted sticks help retail: $5.99 per two dozen players maintain consistent Golfdotz from popular retailers swing planes and maximize their and golfdotz .com. club-head speeds, says Boccieri owner Stephen Boccieri. The Heavy Driver thin-face technology balances You won’t find a glitzy white the weight of the 208-gram driver driver in the Boccieri Golf head with a 5-gram shaft butt. (boccierigolf.com) bag. Instead, GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 27

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PGA SHOW 2011

Golf Ball Finder For high-handicappers who refuse to believe you only rent golf balls, never own them, Prazza Group (prazza. com) wants you to hang onto those orbs forever. The $510 Prazza Golf Ball Finder system features a smart phonesize Prazza Tracker handset and two nonconforming golf balls (about $63 each). Inside each sphere is an RFIDenabled micro-chip that lets you track the balls in the thickest forest or deepest rough up to about 330 yards away. Each ball emits a unique radio signal so you can find it via a beep,

28 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

• “Big Break” star Blair O’Neal

launches one at the Cobra range.

Photo / emily kay

Nothing sexy about the clubs, a set of which adds the heft of about one added club to your bag; just a smooth, fluid feel that seems to launch the ball off the club face. Due in stores March 1, costs are $399 per driver, $199 per 3or 5-wood, $159 per 20- or 23-degree hybrid, and $840 per set of graphiteshafted irons.

SECTION

Natalie Gulbis opted for a heart between two swan-shaped reverse "g"s. vibration, or graphics on the handset.

Contact the Dutch firm for U.S. outlets.

Golf club skins Tired of your black or white club heads? Personalize your weapons with high-resolution red polka dots, tiger eyes, or solid pink — to note just a few of the dozens of self-adhesive vinyl graphics, logos, and colors from BigWigz Skins (bigwigzskins.com), a “best new product” winner. Each $12.99 paint-like “skin” conforms to

USGA rules and adds less than .5 of an ounce of weight to a club. You’ll need damp and dry cloths, a blow dryer and scissors to apply.

Shave strokes The Prodigy Putting System (prodigy putter.com) promises to take strokes off your game by enhancing muscle memory and boosting accuracy on the green. That is, if you can figure out how to align the mirror in back of the putter and bend the shaft to suit your putting stance and level the flat stick. The company suggests you have your club pro do the fitting. The Prodigy Advanced Training System, with trainer and mallet putter, goes for $439.99. The 2-in-1 single-putter version, including a putter, shaft, grip, mirror, and mallet, is $329.99.

• Mirrors and mallets:

The Prodigy Putting training system promises increased accuracy.

• The Heavy Driver isn't sexy but is

said to promise a smooth, fluid feel that launches the ball off the clubface.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 29

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guidance

By Gail Rogers

The well-trained brain can be your best club It’s still sloppy at my golf course but I don’t want to wait until April to improve my game, so I was thinking of studying the Rules of Golf. How can I put them to work in my favor?

It might be raining at your golf course now, or even snowing. But that’s no reason to abandon practicing some stroke-savers. I am talking not about the golf swing, but about understanding some rules enough so that you can make stroke-saver decisions.

To be effective, first you must be honest about your golf talent or skill set and then apply the rule of golf that will get you to a place on the course to maximize your chance for success.

If you normally have a good short game, but accidentally skull a ball over the green and under some low-hanging tree branches where you have only a limited stroke, ask yourself this: “How many strokes am I likely to take from this point to get the ball into 30 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

The USGA Handicap System Manual and The Rules of Golf and The Decisions on the Rules of Golf can be read online at usga.org. Email rules queries to gail rogers. the hole?” Looking at it this way, you might see that it could be better to take the penalty stroke incurred if you declare your ball unplayable and return to the spot where you last played — especially if you are confident you can get up and down in two more strokes with your good chip shot. Review the other options under Rule 28 Ball Unplayable.

Examining options for a lateral water hazard can help save strokes. The final option

under this rule is to go to the opposite margin of the hazard at a distance that is equal to the point of entry into the hazard. You can drop within two club lengths of that point and still have only the one-stroke penalty. That might make the difference between a clear shot to the green and one that has trees in the way. This is Rule 26 Water Hazards. Note, too: Use your range finder to determine the yardage from the point of entry and then find the same yardage on the opposite side. Many times this is not directly across the hazard, but back some yards due to the width of the hazard and the placement of the green.

It is good to understand what constitutes a “stroke” under the Rules of Golf. Be familiar with that definition found at the beginning of the Rules of Golf book.

Sometimes it is better to whiff a shot than to incur a two-stroke penalty. I had this discussion with a player in the U.S Amateur at Baltusrol in 2000. During his backswing his club hit a tree and broke off a part of a

image / dreamstime

branch in the area of his intended swing. If he stopped at that point he would incur a twostroke penalty under Rule 13-2 for improving the area of his intended swing. Instead, he kept going and barely hit the ball. But that poor real stroke was not as costly as the twostroke penalty he would have incurred had he stopped his swing, and the ball would still be in the same poor lie. Now that you understand this concept too, your brain might keep your swing going in similar situations and save you penalty strokes.

Have you ever walked up to a ball in the rough and touched it or lifted it to determine if it is your ball or your partner’s ball? Well, add one penalty stroke to your score (or your partner’s score) if that is your (her) ball. Here, communication is the key to saving strokes. Under Rule 12-2, you need to tell your “fellow-competitor” (stroke-play term) or “opponent” (match-play term) that you want to lift the ball you have found for identification.

Your fellow-competitor or opponent then has the opportunity to come and watch the lifting and replacement of the ball, or they can just tell you to proceed. Either way, use a tee and mark the position of the ball, lift it without

cleaning it and make the determination. If it is your ball, replace it carefully and proceed.

Similarly on the putting green, once you have lifted your ball marker the ball is “in play” and you cannot touch the ball again for alignment or other reasons without replacing the ball marker first. The ball marker gives you “permission” to touch and lift your ball on the putting green only when it holds the position of the ball while you lift, clean and align your ball. Without that marker in place you incur a one-stroke penalty. Rule 20-1.

Read up on these rules. They will improve your score without going to the driving range.

Stewardship of the course hint: When asked, “How do I determine if I have repaired a ball mark on the green correctly?” Juli Inkster replied, “When you are willing to putt your ball over the spot you have just repaired, it is repaired properly.” The same applies to a bunker. If you would be happy playing your next shot from the place where you have just raked, you have done a proper job.

Gail Rogers served the USGA as a rules official for more than 50 events before she retired in 2010. She is now a member of the Northern California Golf Association Board of Directors.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 31

travel Dove Mountain

takes a workout to new heights

By Susan Fornoff

not enough, the fancy cardio contraptions at the Ritz-Carlton’s expansive fitness center might help me justify a fine evening meal.

Little do I know I am in for the most exhilarating workout of all – the kind that exercises the brain and makes one want to linger over that fine evening meal.

I might have gotten a clue about this before the ride from Phoenix began to wind through 32 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

World Match Play Championships. At 7,833 yards from way back there, they comprise one of the longest courses in the United States – although, Nicklaus points out, the altitude of 2,300 to 3,000 feet gives the bigger hitters a distance break of 5 to 10 percent.

But that break was offset by other, less predictable breaks. When Saguaro and Tortolita opened in January 2009, the world’s best players complained the greens undulated too severely. Waah, Jaaack, this

the exotic High Sonoran Desert landscape into the Tortolita Mountain foothills northwest of Tucson. But by the time I step out of the car at the serene, luxury lodge that is The Ritz-Carlton with a well-warranted capital T, I’ve been reminded.

Jack Nicklaus designed the primary nines at Dove Mountain, the Saguaro and Tortolita, The tortalita nine's second hole ofto test the 64 top players in the world in the fers a hint of the views to follow.

photo / steve heit

I’m skipping the early morning hike to play the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, and I’m taking a cart. What the heck kind of a fitness vacation is this anyway? Well, I figure, I’ll still burn 800 to 1,000 calories as long as I go to the range and then make a point of doing some on-course walking. If that’s

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 33

course is too tough.

Nicklaus – considered the No. 1 player in the world for much of his stellar career – returned a couple of months later to soften the challenge. He did however observe: “Thinking is part of the game. I think that’s a fair thing to ask of the pros. I mean, they do make their living at it.”

Now, nearly two years after that opening, the men in my group seem sufficiently intimidated as we head for the first tee. I’m 34 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

careful to stay upwind of the testosterone fallout.

But just a few holes in, I start to remember what I’ve learned about Nicklaus courses.

They always set up thoughtfully from the forward tees. And though Chet Williams, senior designer who worked with Nicklaus at Dove Mountain, tells me later that Nicklaus Design tries to follow a formula that puts the “ladies” tees at 70 percent of the back tee yardage, it’s clear that it’s more than a matter

The spa pool at Dove mountain is an adults-only island of peace.

of sheer subtraction.

“You might be surprised to know that Jack does a lot of this himself,” Williams says in a phone chat from Mexico, where he is working on a course in Campeche. “We just finished a project outside of Austin, Texas, that had a par 5 where I thought the creek that crossed the fairway made that 70 percent mark too

travel travel

photo /chris cypert

It's a carry most women could make — but Who among the short hitters that any of us know wants to look at an arroyo from the first tee? far a carry, so I put the tee on the other side of the creek without asking Jack.

“When he saw it, he asked me why I put the tees there and I told him. He said, but it’s such a pretty shot, I feel that putting the tees up there takes away the opportunity for the ladies… or whoever plays there… to see the hole. “ And of course the tee is now back behind the creek. Yet, generally, the Nicklaus course creates a different looking challenge from the forward tee while eliminating a forced carry for the drive. The first hole at Saguaro is a great example: The drive on this downhill par-4 must carry an arroyo from the first four tee boxes. It’s a carry most women could make – but, who among the short hitters that any of us know wants to look at an arroyo from the first tee?

So a hole that plays 414 yards from the middle tees (that the average male player should use) plays 307 from the front tees on the other side of the arroyo, albeit from a slightly different angle.

“We wanted to eliminate the possibility that It never hurts to have help reading on the first shot of the day, a rolling shot off the greens at dove mountain.

the tee might end up in the arroyo,” Williams said. “We do give this some thought.”

Another good example: the striking par-3 third hole of Saguaro, which has a pond on the right side of the green. Well, from the front tees the pond is on the right; from the “men’s” tees, the pond practically fronts the green. (And, just because you’re on the green, don’t assume an automatic par, especially if you’re above the hole.)

The Saguaro-Tortolita combination that measures 7,833 from the pro tees weighs in at a quite hefty 5,283 from the front. This thankfully falls 3 points short of 70 percent – although the pros continue to get longer, the rest of us really do not.

And, Williams said soothingly, “We think of the skill level of the golfer. You have more challenges in your game naturally when you are not a pro, and you shouldn’t have to face more from the golf course. The game still has to be fun.”

At the end of my first day of fun on Saguaro and Tortolita, I am suitably confused. We were told the greens broke toward the “pyramid,” Pusch Peak up north. Yet the best golfer GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 35

travel

36 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

"Remember, putts break toward the pyramid," i say for the 18th time. but it's not long before we're both sipping pink cocktails together.

And so it is. The next morning, the Saguaro nine begins to make sense to us and some of the breaks are even expected. And we are in love with the Tortolita, which climbs high above the clubhouse with an array ture facial, it’s off to Cayton’s, where thank- of memorable holes. There are arroyos to fully we have enough golfers at the table to carry – but, today, we plan for that. We are justify ordering the large portions of chipotle thinking, perhaps we’ll play one more nine creamed spinach, truffled cauliflower au gra- on the Saguaro (named after the region’s tin and Cayton’s mac & cheese that come as famous cactus, but, we today are thinking, not quite so prickly). side dishes. Meaning, our sides expand?

Oh, but wait, the staff informs us. The It’s all perfect with a prickly pear margarita.

But my new friend Steve and I speculate that Wild Burro nine is open for play. Designed to we will play better the next day, now that be kept for resident play, it has a completely we’ve become attuned to that thinking-man different feel and plays shorter than the Nicklaus model course. (Especially after the other nines from the front and middle tees.

But some of the paths to these greens are not second prickly pear margarita.)

The spa at dove mountain offers a well deserved respite after an outing that includes the saguaro nine. its third hole, right, says it all.

photo /Russell kirk; chriis sypert

in our group, a single-digit handicapper, couldn’t get a putt to drop.

By the end of the day Steve is glaring at me when I say for the 18th time, “Remember, the putts break toward the pyramid.” But it’s not long before we’re both sipping pink cocktails together – prickly pear margaritas at Cayton’s, the wonderfully creative and fun restaurant in the clubhouse.

First, however, there’s a trip to the spa. (So much for the cardio contraptions – maybe tomorrow.) The resort has a beautiful infinity pool with an expansive valley view, but it’s got nothing on the pool inside the spa. Adults only, uncrowded, and with views of ancient rock markings left by the Hohokam tribe long before Jack Nicklaus won a U.S. Open.

Really long before then.

The central pool is coed, but both men’s and women’s areas have an enclosed outside Jacuzzi area with steam room and sauna, plus a relaxation room furnished with loungers and throws where clients seem to love to linger.

After a sauna, whirlpool and the spa’s signa-

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 37

travel

38 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

geocaching? it's a treasure-hunting game played with gps to find caches of goodies out in the desert somewhere. haven’t necessarily missed out on an intensive workout. He paces his morning hikes to suit the folks who show up on a given day, and makes sure he doesn’t lose anyone.

But he could also have arranged a bit of biking, or geocaching. Geocaching, you ask? That’s what I asked too – it’s a treasure-hunting game played with GPS to find caches of goodies out in the desert somewhere.

Fortunately, I’ve found my cache of goodies at Dove Mountain. Without even hiking. planning guide on page 40 > photo /dreamstime

The saguaro cactus is the "huge, big, iconic image" of Arizona, says adventure concierge rick gray.

so clear and we have to drive ahead in our carts to plan strategy.

The Wild Burro is a different animal – one that is expected to someday have company in the form of yet another nine, stalled so far by the economy. In fact, someday the entire course may be open only to resort guests and members; this year, the public can play.

Oh but wait, I realize I have again missed the morning hike.

“We’ve got 30 miles of trails behind the resort now, and they’re putting in more,” said Ritz-Carlton Adventure Concierge Rick Gray, a longtime outdoor enthusiast who has his dream job now. “The two things that strike people the most are the Saguaro cactus, which is the huge, big, iconic image of us here, and the huge canyon the resort sits in. There are lots of javelinas running around, bunnies all over the place. And, depending on the time of year, you may see a few reptiles. I really like that time of year.”

Rick somewhat reassures me that I

Most middle-age weekend golfers need a few holes before their swings can catch up to the ball. The first time I had a pre-round massage, I stepped up to the tee and fluidly pulled a shot off to the left.

So, while the post-round spa treatment discourages aches and pains, consider trying a pre-round indulgence sometime, instead of hitting range balls. Any good therapist will be able to customize a massage to a golfer’s needs, but below is a hardly comprehensive sampling of targeted golf and fitness offerings at some top golf/spa resorts. If your favorite is missing, email GottaGoGolf and tell us about it. u The three-hour Fit Retreat at Kiawah Island Resort’s Sanctuary Spa starts with a session with a fitness trainer, then moves from ow to ooh with an Ocean Fossil Mineral Therapy for detoxification, then a sports massage. $395, KiawahResort.com. u The Boulders Resort in Carefree, Ariz., includes on its fitness class schedule a 50-minute morning Golf Stretch and

Conditioning class. The classes are complimentary – and, om, there are plenty of yoga offerings as well. TheBoulders.com. u Nearby, at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, the Willow Stream spa’s Golf Performance Treatment Massage ($179) incorporates stretching and balance in a unique hour designed with instructor David Leadbetter to focus on the golf swing. The

photo /balfour photography

Getting golf-fit on vacation at the spa

Willow Stream also offers an intensive, 90-minute Golf Facial ($259) that includes massage of the feet, neck and shoulders.

Fairmont.com/Scottsdale.

strategically placed heat packs filling in any gaps. $150, Greenbrier.com

u In Florida, just outside Jacksonville, the Spa at Sawgrass (host hotel of u At West Virginia’s the Players Championship) recently revived caters to athletes with Greenbrier, the 50-minute a specialized Sports Golfer’s Game Saver Massage incorporating sounds like a winner: herbs, heated towels and first, a soak in the famed targeted placement of mineral baths, followed the therapist’s elbows by a massage focused and forearms ($130). The on the hands, arms, golfer can also take home shoulders and back, with a Customized Golf Fitness

Program ($95) after an hour with one of its experts. SpaAtSawgrass. com. u In Palm Springs, the Spa at La Quinta’s 75-minute Weekend Warrior indulges the tired athlete with a dry brushing of the body and then provides serious therapy with a massage administering warming liniment and sport lotion.

LaQuintaResort.com.

— Susan Fornoff

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 39

travel

Course review: photo /balfour photography

Fab, fine or fizzling for women?

Women definitely welcome here The Ritz Carlton, Dove Mountain, is a destination resort, the kind of place one can go and not leave for a few days.

It has four restaurants (oh how folks loved the Bigeye Tuna starter served with Chili Pop Rocks at CORE), a big pool, great golf, lots of activities, and a spa with such appealing facilities that folks like to spend the day inside. The unobtrusive and friendly service gives it that special vacation feel. Just outside of Tucson in the town of Marana, it’s also easily accessible from the Phoenix airport, a little more than an hour’s drive.

Resort rates: Room rates generally start at $289, but they drop to a $189 start in summer. Rates for two that include breakfast and golf generally start at $519, $419 in summer.

Resort contact: RitzCarlton.com/dovemountain, (520) 572-3000.

Golf rates: Published rates, $155 for resort guests and $165 for visitors, with $50 off at twilight.

Golf contact: RitzCarlton.com/dovemountain (click on ‘golf’), (520) 572-3500.

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Kiawah Island's Ocean Course South Carolina, 1991, Pete Dye

South Carolina’s Kiawah Island Golf Resort has five golf courses, and four of them probably rank highly on those other women-friendly lists. We’re talking today about the fifth, which has a woman to thank for probably the most stunning golf vistas on the East Coast. Alice Dye, wife of the signature architect, weighed in during the design phase to suggest that all of the holes offer views. That meant some of the terrain was lifted, and all of it is now vulnerable to the wind, which can blow this way or that way for a difference of as many as eight clubs from day to day. It

might be the most challenging golf course on Earth; conditions can be brutal, yet, there’s no place I would rather play my last round of golf on Earth than the Ocean Course at Kiawah.

It is, like many of the courses reviewed here, an aspirational destination, for honeymooning or celebrating some special occasion…like breaking 100.

photos at left and right corner / Kiawah Island golf Course

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u Course: Even at 5,327 yards from the Carolina forward tees, the average woman player who plots out her shots carefully will feel the length only on the upwind holes; the better player who dares to step back faces 6,202 yards and a course rating of, gulp, 76.7. The other three tee sets are not rated for women, who are perhaps too smart to try them. The seaside drainage means that the fairways usually roll and rarely spatter, and the course appears carved very naturally into the terrain. It is gorgeous. Mansions are visible far in the distance only on a few holes. Fortunately, the green fee ($360 peak) includes the services of a caddie, which is a necessity.

NECESSITY. (I’ve played the course twice under the guidance of one and will make sure I have one next time.) Although the ocean steals the show on every hole, the strategy is not as visible; Pete “Dye-abolical” has a well deserved reputation for caginess and one must devise a plan on every hole. A great example: the 268-yard third

hole, which is reachable in two except that the domed green tends not to hold long approach shots. So the third shot becomes an uphill putt to the green. Yes, a putt – trust me on this. u AMBIENCE: There are months to avoid on the South Carolina coast. The worst are in deep summer; though generally still and calm June through September, it can also be hot, buggy and oppressively humid, and there is nowhere to hide on the Ocean Course. At least the wonderful, 24,000-square-foot clubhouse offers a serene refuge from any elements. The oceanfacing porch has rocking chairs overlooking the 18th green and a gigantic putting green. u VALUE: Kiawah Island requires players who start before noon to walk, and the caddie is included in the green fee. The resulting pace of play is surprisingly good; everyone settles into their slot and the caddies keep things moving along. With unpackaged green

The view of the Ocean Course is as stunning as the view from it. fees peaking at $360, and with a one-of-a-kind golf experience, this value feels like finding a high-end designer dress at Loehmann’s.

beautiful beast of a golf course, with a caddie assisting, and Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course rates a Fab For Women.

— Susan Fornoff

u wOMAN APPEAL: The resort amenities, personable service and scenery alone warrant a Fine rating. Then throw in the chance to play a

Email us for information on how to have your golf course certified by the Women Welcome golf course consultation, evaluation and certification service.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 41

19th hole We interrupt our regularly scheduled wine tasting to bring you...fuel for your game

By Cheryl Stotler

Think about it: You’re out exercising for at least four hours, burning 800 to 1,500 calories per 18 holes, depending on your choice of transportation. And many of you don’t eat at all, or you eat all the wrong things because that’s what the golf course is serving.

And either of those regimens is just so old John Daly. All the GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 42

research tells us that golf is so a sport, and that when the body suffers, the game suffers. The body needs fuel before the round to kick in, food during the round to sustain, and food after the round to recover.

Ideally the food contains lots of the carbohydrates needed to provide energy. And though we want lots of carbs, we don’t want

lots of food – hard to make that turn on a full stomach, or on a gassy stomach, which is why you won’t be hearing much here about salad.

YOUR game plan Several hours before your round, have a carb-rich meal. (If you’re playing in the morning, that’s dinner the night before.) Then about an hour before your round, have a small bite to eat – maybe half a whole grain bagel and light cream cheese, or some oatmeal, fruit and nuts.

If you usually have a cup

Photos / Dreamstime

This month at the 19th Hole, we’re going to play the first 18 the way an athlete would.

And we’re not talking John Daly here (much as we admire his outfits). We’re talking Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer, and the many other superfit women golfers who save wining for dining and wouldn’t touch a hot dog unless it fell on their putting lines.

oatmeal with nuts and berries is a perfect preround meal.

of coffee, have a cup and a little more; recent research is indicating that caffeine can help with alertness and decision making. It also may not be as dehydrating as we’ve always thought.

Then, on the fifth hole, at the turn and on the 14th hole, have one of my five favorite snacks below. At every even-numbered tee, have a few sips of water. See the pattern emerging? Small amounts, but a steady flow of fuel to keep the swing sweet, the legs limber and the joints well oiled.

After the round, treat yourself

to more carbs and even some salt.

If you ever crave a French fry, now is the time you can get away with a few. For best health, keep drinking water; for fun, now is the time for the adult beverage you didn’t order at the turn.

YOUR SustEnance So here come the five snacks you should order up during your round, though at most golf courses you are going to have to pack your own or risk the temptation of the hot dog at the turn.

(See our recipe from Chef Press,

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 43

19th hole

page 47, for a healthier onehanded alternative.)

1

4

3

benefits of full-fat cheeses but with virtually none of the flavor.

Opt for an ounce of a hard cheese and munch on it with an apple or some grapes for a nice light meal.

5

Perhaps the other holein-one on the food card, a hard-boiled egg is sometimes to be found at the turn and outranks every other possibility at the counter. With carbs, protein, fat and micronutrients, this might be the snack to propel you through the finishing holes.

And guess what – studies

Photos / dreamstime

Nuts to you! Remember that peanuts are not nuts but legumes; to maximize the varied benefits of varied nuts, grab a mix that’s strong on walnuts and almonds for keeping your focus, staving off inflammation and elevating your energy. About an ounce (a small handful) should do it — preferably the organic and raw nuts you find in the produce section, not the roasted and salted ones at the golf course.

2

Bananas are one of earth’s your 200-yard approach shot most perfect foods – they all the way into the hole, and come in their own organic the sodium in the celery will wrapper and offer not only help keep you hydrated and immediate energy but prolonged strengthen your bones. And, energy, perfect to go the whole Weight Watchers, no points!

18. Not only do bananas not upset Cheese and yogurt (now the stomach, the fiber helps the more portable than ever with digestive tract. Another plus for women: bananas help the body the squeeze tubes invented for kids but ideal for our game) make absorb calcium. the top five for women because Good individually, celery they are full of the calcium we and carrots perform even need for bone strength and that better in match play, so to speak. also staves off migraines and The carrots will help you see PMS. Low-fat cheeses offer the

44 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

On drinking and Driving

have shown that eggs actually promote weight loss. That would be, eggs in moderation of course. Too much of anything isn’t good for us.

We also took a look at one healthy treat that has been appearing at halfway houses and turn shacks: the so-called energy bar. Our picks in that area: Clif Bar Mini, Luna, Powerbar’s Pria and the LaraBar. Luna and Pria contain soy protein, a healthy choice for women. The LaraBar is all fruit and nuts, a healthy combination, but with more

calories and fat than the other bars. The Clif Bar Mini seems well suited to golf — easy to chew, no coating to melt on the hands, no crumbling, and only 100 calories.

And that’s enough of that health talk. Next month it’s back to the tasting bar for the 19th Hole. Yippee!!

Cheryl Stotler is wine educator for the Napa Valley Wine Train.

She lives in Calistoga, California.

You wouldn’t want to drive a golf cart under the influence of alcohol, and you’re not likely to hit your best drives that way either. We at 19th Hole love our wine, and were hoping to find some research suggesting that we have it while we golf. What we found suggested that each of us needs to consider how alcohol affects us and whether its effects would in any way benefit us on the golf course. If alcohol turns you into a klutz, abstain. If it puts you to sleep, perhaps a small amount will calm your nerves. If it turns you into a rabble-rouser, perhaps a small amount will heighten your intensity.

But, really, if alcohol benefitted golfers, the pros would be drinking and driving.

And they’re not. Annika Sorenstam and Christie Kerr make wine, but they don’t drink it on the course.

Which brings us to another of the earth’s most perfect fuels: Water. It’s free, tastes great, and there’s no better beverage for good health, energy and fitness. — Cheryl Stotler GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 45

19th Hole

Shopping Cart

3

In the old days, the leftover half of a Clif Bar lingered in the golf bag until the next round. Yum. Now, the Clif Bar Mini makes a smart, natural choice for women golfers looking to sustain energy for 18 holes – generally with just 100 calories and 2 grams of fat.

Variety packs come with 18 bars in three flavors, $10.95 to $12.99.

4

The organic, all-natural, cagefree and vegetarian-fed large brown egg from Eggland’s Best packs 6 grams of protein into 70 calories, $3 to $4 for a dozen. For the lazy, at about the same price there’s now a six-pack of hardcooked eggs ready to go to the golf course.

5

The folks at Horizon Organic have figured out a way to make yogurt as edible as a hot dog at the turn, with low-fat tubes in strawberry and blueberry. Kids, not golfers, are the target market, so the tubes hold just 2 ounces – 8-packs at around $4.

The key to in-round nutrition tends to be a bit of pre-round planning. Here are a few items designed to simplify healthy choices in advance.

46 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

1

Keep your miracle beverage cool in Polar’s insulated water bottle. The 20-ouncer from L.L. Bean comes in four colors, insulates for up to 3 hours, and has a carry strap that can hook onto a golf bag. $8.95.

2

Most coolers and insulated bags err on the side of size.

This thermal insulated lunch bag has enough style for the work world but at a compact 8 inches high and under 10 inches wide, it could hold a sandwich nicely and still fit in the golf bag. $14.95 from galleryofworldaccents. com, with color options.

CHEF’S RECIPE

Chipotle Chicken Salad Wrap from Cayton's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club At Dove Mountain in Tucson, Arizona The hot dog has scored big on golf courses because it is so easy to eat while carrying clubs or driving a cart. But, ugh, not the best choice for the health-minded.

Here’s a fantastic alternative created by chef Michael Press, of Cayton’s at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, for the golf course’s elegant turn shack. Full of protein and delicious, it stays intact for as long as it takes to eat.

And, like a hot dog, it tastes good with a beer.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Wrap Yields 4 wraps INGREDIENTS 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1.5 oz. chipotle puree 8 cloves roasted garlic 3 oz. achiote paste Kosher salt ½ bunch cilantro 1 small red onion 3-4 oz. mayonnaise Juice of 2 limes 4 sundried tomato tortillas FOR CHICKEN: Purée roasted garlic with chipotle pepper. Whisk achiote paste with oil, then combine the mixtures. Place cleaned chicken breast in marinade for 12 hours.

Remove from marinade and season with salt. Bake

chicken at 325 degrees in a convection oven for 18 minutes, or until it is cooked through, but not dry.

Remove from oven rack and chill.

FOR WRAP: Once chicken is cool, dice into ¼ inch cubes. Mince one small red onion and the cilantro. Place mayonnaise, red onion and cilantro in a mixing bowl and combine.

Add the diced chicken and season with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper. Warm tortilla in oven for 1-2 minutes, then place 6 oz. of chicken salad on tortilla, fold in sides and roll.

Tips: To carry your own along to the course, use sturdy tortillas and wrap in foil.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 47

OUR GAME: Your viewpoint

Don't give up on finding your own game, in your own way, on your own time By michelle smith

Michelle Smith has been playing golf for about 10 years now and has won nine club titles.

She divides her time between the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California and Scottsdale, Ariz.

Here’s a little inspiration for the amateur golfers who suspect they’d feel less frustration and more gratification if only they were better at the game. I am living proof that it’s possible to ascend from novice golfer to single-digit player, all after age 40!

Make no mistake—it wasn’t easy. But by balancing a commitment to learn basic swing fundamentals with an appreciation for the serenity afforded by golf course surroundings, one can pursue golf nirvana without expending too many hours and shedding too many tears.

Motivation helps. In 2000, I married an avid golfer who suggested I learn enough about the game to accompany him in a golf cart and get out to hit a golf ball every now and then. When my husband purchased my first set of golf clubs at a local Costco and served them to me with a six-pack of beginner lessons, I had no idea what I was getting into.

After only a couple of lessons, my instructor claimed to be impressed with my potential. What she saw in my swing back then, I’m still not sure. With her guidance and with regular practice, however, I learned to get my ball airborne. But I still couldn’t keep it out of ravines

48 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

and the backyards of homes perched perilously close to the fairway. It seemed that no fairway was wide enough for my errant shots and I ended up “quitting” golf three times. But each time, my husband took me back to the range and revived my interest.

Eventually, those lessons survived the test of a reallife golf course. After several so-called “rounds,” my husband pushed me, kicking and screaming, to play in my first ladies group. Terrified to expose my hook-andslice swing and deliver my “oops-I-chunked-thatone” apology to strangers, I instead ended up enjoying that first round with friendly women who overlooked my sporadic whiffs. Later, I unearthed a competitive spirit that steered me into competitions in which I sometimes played to my handicap. Unbeknown to me, I was developing an addiction to golf.

Fast forward to 2005, the year I won my first ladies club championship title and collapsed in disbelief on the 18th green. Not only did I find the nerve to compete in a championship tournament, but I learned that I also had the nerve to win! Though poor play cost me my title the following year, I regained it in 2007—the year I also earned championship titles at two other

our game

Terrified to expose my hook-and-slice swing and deliver my “oops-I-chunked-thatone” apology to strangers, I instead ended up enjoying that first round with friendly women who overlooked my sporadic whiffs. golf clubs.

Despite securing my Triple Crown of championship titles, I was desperate to improve my swing. While my tall stature, long arms and wide swing arc blessed me with distance, I lacked consistency and grew weary of “getting by.” But by now I had shied away from lessons. My scores soared, and I lost distance. I was also slowed by the notion that I needed to perfect what I had learned in my last lesson before moving on to the next. Unfortunately, I ended up practicing and grooving an incorrect swing plane that meant greater difficulty keeping my ball in play.

With trepidation, however, I undertook another series of individual lessons. Swing boot camp was pretty ugly for a while, but I was determined to be a better golfer.

With practice, self-discovery and a little sweat, I managed to overhaul my swing.

While lessons play a critical role in the development of good swing fundamentals, one-size-fits-all does not apply here. It’s important to find what works best for you and your ability, and that means changing instructors, if need be.

Golf has taught me that I’m more competitive and

goal-oriented than I realized. I’m also more patient than I used to be. Although I hit the ball farther and straighter than I ever have, I still fall off the wagon. But those missteps keep me moving forward. Having a bad hole and putting it behind me before moving on to the next one is like learning a life lesson: When the going gets tough, learn from what went wrong and move on.

I’m tempted to use the cliché, “If I can do it, so can you.” But not everyone has the time, money or energy to invest in lowering her handicap to the extent I have.

However, we can pursue goals commensurate with our abilities—goals that, once accomplished, make for a more enjoyable round of golf.

If you want to improve your game but can’t seem to get past the frustration, there is hope. In addition to focusing on swing fundamentals, learn to delight in the beauty of your surroundings. Embrace the babble of that pesky water hazard. Think of the rough as a tee on which to elevate your ball. Greet sand in a bunker as you would when you venture to the beach. Playing with nice folks helps too.

Then, after immersing yourself in the moment, take a deep breath, exhale and swing.

How has golf made a difference in your life?

Submit your story of approximately 800 words to editor@ GottaGoGolf.com.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 49

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golfoscope

By The Golf Goddess

March Aries (March 21—April 20)

Gemini (May 22-June 21):

Leo (July 23-Aug. 23):

Jupiter’s presence heightens your confidence and inspires you to tackle that ambitious fitness plan at last. Turn that hankering for a more committed relationship into an affiliation with a group or club whose joie de vivre you’ll enjoy for 18 holes and you’ll be on your way to a fulfilling birthday round.

Finally, those career fluctuations of late settle down this month and you can begin to sneak out early again for a few well-placed twilight rounds.

Indeed, things may be going so well on the job that you will soon be able to afford that trip to Kiawah Island, or that country club membership you’ve been coveting.

There’s no reason to think you won’t find that swing you’ve lost. Don’t panic, Lioness, just sign up for that lesson six-pack and trust in your tutor— and why not bring along your significant other for an adventure you two can share? Or mentor a newbie— golf needs them and your lessons can do double duty.

Cancer (June 22-July 22):

Virgo (Aug. 24—Sept. 22)

Taurus (April 21—May 21) That Jupiter-in-Aries state of the universe might turn the Bull inward for a time, sending you to the practice range for some solitary sessions. When you do take to the course, pay special attention to the qualities of your companions— it’s your month for compassion and empathy, qualities well suited to golf’s foursomeness.

50 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf

Don’t miss your Toastmasters appointment, it’s good rehearsal for your member-guest championship acceptance speech. Choose your partner wisely and share in the recognition, even though you know that it was your birdie on 18 that sealed the deal. This is no time to test relationships.

Now’s the time to choose your partner for the best-ball championship that’s eluded you in recent years. Pluto finally infuses a bit of harmony that benefits all of your relationships and may have you inclined to vacate the links for the sheets. Put your passion to good use in whatever your venue of choice.

Golfoscope

Libra (Sept. 23—Oct. 22)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22—Dec. 21)

Aquarius (Jan. 21—Feb. 19)

Finally, your crazy schedule begins to yield gaps for an impulse nine here or a putting round with the windmills there. Go ahead and formalize that plan (with powers that be on the job or at home) with a crafty negotiating style that takes advantage of the warm and positive energy you’re oozing.

Getting married? Getting divorced?

Either plan calls for a fantastic golf getaway— maybe like the romantic or nurturing excursion to Dove Mountain in these pages this month. Remember that the devil’s in the details— and all the putts break toward the valley. Really.

The stars have made you more studious than ever about that golf swing of yours, and it’s finally starting to make sense. You actually get why that extended side angle pose that pains you in yoga class so makes sense for your game.

Maybe it’s time you applied the core principles of Pilates to your turn.

Scorpio (Oct. 23—Nov. 21) Emphasize quality over quantity now and find the one great putter that will replace the three you’ve been alternating. Pay heed of this issue’s health and fitness advice and skip that hot dog and beer at the turn that’ll go straight to your thighs, opting for the chicken wrap and the natural power of your water bottle.

Capricorn (Dec. 22—Jan. 20) Look out for Jupiter’s impact on your risk aversion— those 25-cent skins might suddenly seem too small for your big ambitions and dollars may begin changing hands at the 19th hole. More of them could be yours if you’ll just apply some creativity to your game and visualize that chip cozying up to the hole.

Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): Now that Uranus has boarded the golf cart back to the clubhouse, you’re free to giggle about the golf course. Take your birthday bonanza and splurge on one of the fancy new GPS devices so you can find your way to the green, then heed your friend’s advice on that putting line.

She really cares.

GottaGoGolf I MARCH 2011 I 51

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Fitness I Rules I Etiquette I Courses I Equipment I Entertaining 52 I March 2011 I GottaGoGolf