November 2011 GottaGoGolf: The online magazine on golf for women and ladies

San Antonio I new rules I yani tseng

Holiday Gift Guide * Your wish list for the season * Golf with the family * The joys of volunteering

November I 2011

www.gottagogolf.com

contents ∑ BIRDIES IN BOWS 10 pages of ideas for your golf holiday shopping — and for your own wish list. 18

Travel

Don’t let the tequila spoil the golf in San Antonio. 28

new to you

For Yani Tseng, 7 is a lucky number — her favorite title so far. 6

Cover Image by Dreamstime

and MORE GLOSSARY: Tastes great, looks bad 12 GUIDANCE: The joy of volunteering 14 OUR GAME: Family dynamics 16 THE POLL: What do we want? 13 STAR WATCH: Golf horoscope 34 2 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 3

“She’s GottaGoGolf” “Essays, articles, tidbits and whimsy for women who play the game for fun.”

An eBook collection of the best of the first year of GottaGoGolf Magazine, with stories by Cori Brett, Katharine Dyson, Susan Fornoff, Emily Kay, Regan McMahon, Gail Rogers, Michelle Smith and Cheryl Stotler, plus illustrations by Cathy Bowman.

Catch up on what you’ve missed, share it with a newbie, show your support for this new woman-owned, woman-sustained golf media venture.

It’s the golf gift of the season, now available for Kindle and Nook.

4 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

GottaGoGolf The online magazine for women who love the game

Susan Fornoff

Publisher and Editorial Director

Cheryl Stotler

Web Director and 19th Hole Editor

Nanette Bisher Creative Director

Anne-Marie Praetzel Art Director

Fred Ellison

Advertising Director

Emily Kay, Gail Rogers Staff Writers

Cori Brett

Contributing Writers

Cathy Bowman Illustration

Jenn Gress

Technical Consultant photography

Getty Images, Dreamstime Contact Online home: www.GottaGoGolf.com; email: feedback@GottaGoGolf.com; phone: 510.507.3249 For information about advertising partnerships and rates, call Fred Ellison at 901.481.1832 or email fellison@GottaGoGolf.com.

welcome

Honey, this makes me look fat A note from the publisher

M

aybe it’s foolish to produce an issue full of great holiday gifts for women. After all, it’s mostly women doing the reading. How are the men going to get the hint and stop buying us clothing gifts?

Happily, my mom has taken the hint and given me some amazing socks, jewelry and other accessories over my grownup years. A certain man in my life practically quivered as he held forth one of my Christmas packages one year, saying “I know I’m not supposed to do this...” It was a soft black cotton shirt perfect for working out, hanging out, maybe even sleeping in, that (he was quick to explain) he had bought in an outlet store at a great price. “I love it,” I told him. “Just remember, you shouldn’t buy me clothes.”

A few months later he stopped at an outlet store that was going out of business and prices had plummeted to a

level so nearly invisible that he couldn’t help himself. I believe he bought me four items, one of which I love and wear. One for four is a very good statistic ... on chips from 50 yards out.

Fortunately, there are endless gift possibilities for those of us who play golf. Clubs, however, ought to be considered as taboo as clothes — unless the recipient has tried them out and written them on a wish list, complete with grip size and length.But that leaves training gizmos, books, accessories and, oh did we mention, jewelry?

We feature some outerwear and shoes in this issue, but no shirts, pants, shorts or skorts. A few moms, husbands and sisters might be qualified to shop for the latter. For the rest of you, trust me: jewelry.

— Susan Fornoff GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 5

short game notes about the game's characters, quirks and gadgets Compiled by Susan Fornoff

In a league of her own?

Yani Tseng’s season peaked with a week-long party last month in her homeland of Taiwan. Even her grandma made it to the celebration as Tseng entered the final round with a two-shot lead and cruised to a five-shot victory at the Sunrise Yani Tseng celebrates victory No. 7 in front of her countryfolk.

6 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

LPGA Taiwan Championship, her seventh LPGA title of the year.

With the LPGA drawing big crowds as it made the rounds in Asia, Tseng had won her sixth tournament of the year two weeks earlier in South Korea and left no doubt about the Rolex Player of the Year award.

So when the tour landed in Taiwan the week of October 24,

PHOTO / getty images

New to you

the LPGA made the Rolex officially Tseng’s. Meanwhile, the big-hitting 22-year-old was making herself more nervous than she’d been with any of her record-breaking five majors on the line.

“This is the tournament I really, really wanted,” said Tseng, who did not try to disguise her passion for winning in front of the partisan galleries.

“I didn’t have good sleep, and I was feeling lots of

j

pressure. But when the tournament came, I felt very relaxed.”

She made a bogey on the first hole and then rode a love wave through the crowds, all the way to the 72nd hole, where

her grandmother made a first-ever gallery appearance.

“Yesterday my mom told me grandma is going to go see you tomorrow,” Tseng said. “ I was like no, no, no, there’s too

many people... it’s going to be crazy. If you want to come, just stay on the 18th hole. I was very happy to see her, because she never took an airplane to go to another country, never in her life. So she

Add a little bling to your golf game or show your team spirit with a Studio J Design!

studio +

j ew e lr y a cce s s o r i e s

Uniquely crafted jewelry featuring sports-themed beads and charms.

Show the love of your favorite game or team with a bracelet, necklace or earrings! Add some sparkle and keep track of your golf score with a Swarovski crystal stroke counter! Great for gifts, league prizes or yourself!

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 7

Check out the full line of jewelry and accessories at www.StudioJ-Designs.com

always watches in front of TV and now she can see real me play on the 18th hole. So I was really, really emotional and very happy.”

Though Tseng dominated the tour this year, she didn’t threaten Mickey Wright’s 1963 record of 13 wins, or even the 11 mark shared by Wright and Annika Sorenstam, whose house Tseng famously bought in Florida.

Realistically, as the tour schedule grows shorter and wider — covering the globe — those numbers appear untouchable. But Tseng still feels she has room to improve, and isn’t that scary?

Inspiration for the Baby Boomers The women’s senior circuit — the Legends Tour

— has been making slow and steady progress, and CEO Jane Blalock expects to announce new events following this month’s Open Championship at Innisbrook Resort outside of Tampa, Fla. “This year was OK,” Blalock said last month.

“But we expect our breakthrough to be 2012 and beyond. We’ll be announcing three to six more events, and with the demographics of the population, we expect the female Baby Boomer to be a big part of our success.”

The tour established a minimum age of 45, five years younger than the men’s seniors (and four years older than Annika Sorenstam). So members including Lorie Kane (46), Liselotte Neumann (45) and Nancy Scranton

photos/ getty images

Rosie Jones hopes to defend her 2010 Legends Open title in Tampa this month.

Lorie Kane is taking a big swing on the Legends Tour.

(50) have waded in while keeping one foot in the LPGA waters.

The competitive fires still burn hot in those relative youngsters, whom Blalock considers Open favorites along with defending champion Rosie Jones, who will turn 52 on

the last day of the Nov. 11-13 event. Fan favorites remain Patti Sheehan (who hosts a Legends tournament in Reno) and Open entries Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley.

Fans are favorites, of course, of the Legends Tour. Tickets are just $20

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 9

short game

Anyone up for prime-time golf?

LPGA players subject to the rain delays in Kuala Lumpur last month sang the praises of the KL Golf and Country Club lights. In fact, none complained about the unusual visibility.

“I was just so thankful we got done,” Brittany Lang said after a late finish to the second round. “The lights 10 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

definitely helped, because that’s an extra two, three hours of rest for us. So I was glad they had the lights and I was thankful they got done. You see a few shadows but other than that they are very helpful.”

Night golf is common in Asia because of the hot days — though unlike in the U.S., players have to pay more, not less, for those night tee times.

Read ’em and sweep It’s not the most glamorous of gifts, but golfers may want to add one little book to their wish lists this season.

Just last month, the USGA and the Royal & Ancient announced that they have unified the Rules of Golf, effective Jan. 1, 2012,

photo /courtesy of the USGA

for adults and free for kids under 17, a “Birdie Walk” guides fans around the most accessible holes, and tee times don’t start until 9 a.m.

Blalock acknowledges that players like the late start, but, she said, “We want spectators too, and we don’t want to ask them to get up to make a tee time at 7.”

short game

through 2015. Apparently their “extensive review,” as R&A Director of Rules and Equipment Standards David Rickman said in the Oct. 24 announcement, resulted in not a very extensive revision.

But there are a couple of changes that may come into

play, and they were revised to go easier on the player. Pro players and Texans love the change in Rule 18-2b that allows them to strike a ball that’s oscillating through no fault of their own. It used to cost a penalty stroke if one addressed the ball to putt and GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 11

short game

it subsequently moved, even if it was because of the stiff Texas wind. Of course most recreational players paid no attention to that rule, but it did cost money for pros Rory McIlroy and Webb Simpson.

And a change in Rule 13-4 seems to actually encourage players to rake up bunkers while they’re waiting to hit, instead of after they’ve hit.

12 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

GLOSSARY

It removes the penalty for smoothing out the sand or removing cigarette butts and so forth before one hits, provided the player isn’t making improvements to the shot to be played.

Both changes could speed the pace of play.

Check out all the revisions at http://www.usga.org/ rules/2012-Rules-of-Golf/.

“Shank” Not the most delicious shot in your repertoire

You may ask for a shank from the butcher. You might consider carrying one on a camping trip.

But on the golf course, you may not even want to utter the word.

That’s because there’s a lot of mystery and superstition about the shank itself. Ask a teacher why your wellconsidered swings are suddenly resulting in shots that are flying low and short and — what, way over there? — and the answer is bound to be something like, “Well, could be a number of things.”

The immediate cause: The club hosel, rather than the club face, is making content with the ball. But this could be a matter of stance, setup, ball position, backswing, downswing — whew, no wonder golfers would rather have the runs than the shanks.

As golf terminology goes, “shanks” ranks right up there on the no-nos list with “yips,” which is a GottaGoGolf glossary for another day. One can only utter so many nasty words in one issue.

Gotta Ask

Put a big green bow around it Santa’s bringing you a golf gift this holiday season. It’s not the bracelet studded with diamond golf balls, sorry. What else would you like?

A. A golf vacation.

B. An outfit that I’ve picked VOTE NOW out.

C. That piece of equipment I wrote on my wish list.

D. A new GPS or laser.

E. Shoes. Always shoes!

F. Anything. It’s the thought that counts.

photos / dreamstime;

Last month’s results In last month’s “Man Issue” of GottaGoGolf, we explored some of the nuances of women golfing with men and women golfing against men. Your answer to our question of the month reflected a core value of so many who play the game.

With whom would you rather play 18 holes this weekend?

62%

I don’t care as long as they’re fun.

6%

12%

Women

5%

11%

A 50-50 mix

4%

I don’t care as long as they’re good.

I don’t care as long as they’re buying.

Men

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 13

guidance

By Gail Rogers

The life-changing, long-giving gift of golf

M 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.

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any years ago I had recently divorced and was raising my son and managing both the apartment building where we lived and the art and office supply store where I worked. I decided I needed to try something new. Why not golf?

I signed up for a series of private lessons and found I always came away happy. The instructor said, “That’s it. That’s better. That swing is what we are after.” All positive affirmations and certainly a lot less expensive than counseling!

In my daily busy schedule I treasured the quiet time of chipping and putting. Recognizing that I liked to measure progress, my instructor gave me games. My favorite was to hit 10 balls to a hole location and see how many I could oneputt: easy math to calculate progress.

When I could finally get the ball in the air successfully, I joined a friend after work to play 9 holes. With him was this interesting gentleman

whom I married three years later. So the first thing golf gave me was a husband.

Joining a women’s golf group gave me new friends who are still part of my life 35 years later.

One of these women, Pat Schultz, introduced me to the rules of golf and tournament administration through volunteering with the Women’s Golf Association of Northern California (WGANC). Volunteering with WGANC gave me the background needed to be hired by the Northern California Golf Association as Assistant Director of Rules and Competitions (NCGA). So golf gave me my next life-changing experience – a new and exciting job.

At this time I was invited to be on the USGA’s Senior Women’s Amateur Championship Committee and then eight years later on the USGA’s Women’s Committee, a group of 13 women who conduct our women’s national championships.

Volunteering at this level has given me the gift of

photo / getty images

A commitment to the game of golf can lead to lasting friendships — and maybe even a hug from Michelle Wie. officiating at both the Open and the Women’s Open as well as our two national Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, and the Curtis Cup. The final gift was to be appointed Chairman of the USGA’s Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. Volunteering on a national and international level has given me many exceptional experiences.

What do you want from golf? Do you want to hone your skills to be a viable contender for your club championship? Or to be a player in state, regional and national competitions? Do you want to learn the Rules of Golf and be the friendly go-to person at your club when a ruling is needed?

Or, do you want to officiate for your women’s golf association? If you love what you are doing as a volunteer locally, magic might just happen and you will be invited to be on a USGA Committee. Golf can change your life. This holiday season examine your goals and give yourself the best gift ever – great golf experiences.

NOTE: You might give yourself the experience of a rules seminar from your state or regional association. Visit their website and look for information, usually to be found in the RULES menu.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 15

OUR GAME: Your viewpoint

The game we love, with the people we love the most By cori brett

F Cori Brett is a Scottsdale-based freelance golf and travel writer. www.coribrett.com

rom bikinis to Spanx, paperbacks to Kindles, our family spans the generational spectrum. We always come together for Thanksgiving week in Palm Springs, California, a tradition dating back to the ‘50s. Family members fly in from as far as Florida, drive from northern California and Arizona, and make the short trek from Santa Monica.

Middle sister secures the perfect rental house. Our wish list is short but non-negotiable: must have a pool, pool must already be heated to 88 degrees when we arrive, must be near a golf course. Last year we added “must be pet-friendly” to the list, to accommodate Miss Scarlette, a tiny but memorable Maltese-Bishon mix. She easily fits in a tote bag.

There’s no quicker way to reestablish connections than to play a round of golf. We always have a ball. Deja, our 16-year-old niece,

16 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

used to be so shy – “I can’t hit, everyone’s watching me!” Now it’s “did you see that shot?!” She recently made her high-school golf team and is outdriving everyone except Uncle Joe, our very own 6-foot-3 Vietnam vet, whose handicap is the lowest in the family.

They bonded when he arranged a golf lesson for her after an especially depressing round at Bel Air Greens.

She still says it’s the best lesson she ever had.

Golf makes great memories, and one of our favorites occurred when Auntie Chris hit a snap hook that just about sent Uncle Don to the angels. She whacked it pretty good.

The ball whizzed through the narrow space between Uncle Don’s nose and the window screen of the golf cart, missing him by inches. That was Thanksgiving 2010, and he still gets rattled when it’s her turn to hit.

And she still insists it was an accident.

Yes, golf is the family sport, and we love it in any form it takes. When we were kids, the family vacation home in Palm Springs was the go-to spot, with the added benefit of a membership at Indian Wells Country Club. Over the years we’ve played many of the desert’s finest courses and probably a few of the worst. Highlights include Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, home of the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, and the formidable Pete Dye Course at La Quinta.

My husband (aka “Uncle Joe”) and I had the pleasure of playing Stone Eagle Golf Club with PGA Legend Al Geiberger, “Mr. 59.”

For the annual family vacation, our priority is sharing the experience. We find that nine-hole courses best suit our diverse group. Less

Cartoon by Cathy Bowman

TIPS for

experienced players aren’t intimidated by a championship course, or tired out by playing 18. So we seek out tucked away, walkable courses. Besides, a short round means that we’ll be back at the house to enjoy afternoon pool

time together.

The challenge is finding ninehole courses that are in good condition, fun to play and reasonably priced. But we have a secret weapon. Family friend Dennis, a former CPA, uses his

laser-like research skills to find some real gems, and sometimes even joins in the fun.

Turkey Day is sacred – no golf – because everyone pitches in on preparing the feast. We all have our talents. One year I contributed a healthful version of mashed potatoes – fresh cauliflower softened up in the microwave, then mashed well and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Savvy niece Kristen, a vegan, shared my enthusiasm, but we were totally outnumbered.

All that turkey serves to energize us for Black Friday. The golf fashionistas among us head for the pro shop at PGA West. It has the latest, coolest golf apparel, accessories and gifts, things that we just don’t see in our own hometowns. On Sunday we hit Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon, north of Palm Springs.

The items that survived Black Friday are marked down to unbelievable prices. With 130 stores to choose from, everyone comes away happy.

We’re already planning the next family holiday. For sure, golf will be a part of it.

avoiding sour notes and creating family harmony on the links • Know your golf etiquette and by all means, keep up.

• Mulligans for all!

• Be generous (yet believable) with praise.

• Resist the urge to comment on shots/swings/club selection unless someone DEMANDS to know, “What am I doing?”

• Feel free to give golf gifts for any occasion.

Regifting is acceptable, as long as it’s not back to the original giver.

• Finally, understand the family dynamics. This can be subtle, especially for new in-laws, whose Family Rules of Golf may differ from yours. For example: A. We do not compete. Even my simple suggestion of a “closest to the pin” contest aroused indignation: “I’m not going to play if you’re going to do that!” B. We are not, have never been, will never be early risers. Expect tee times after 10 a.m.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 17

COVER The GottaGoGolf Gift Guide

Holiday treats for giving and receiving

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hese might be the pages readers want to print and scatter around the house — bathroom maybe? — with key items circled (and maybe shoe size duly noted in the margin). But they also contain ideas for host/hostess gifts, for the friend working on

If the shoe fits

InstaGolf: Shoe converter 18 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

Too often the road-tripping GottaGoGolfer finds herself leaving her tennis shoes at home so that she has room for her golf shoes. The InstaGolf Shoe lets her bring both pairs of shoes without taking up more space

her game, and even for him, in a wide range of prices.

You’ll also notice the names of many women here; their hands and heads have brought so many of these products to market.

Happy holidays, and here’s to a season of golf glee. than one pair would. The plastic shell, complete with rubber spikes, fits over the tennis shoe — or just about any favorite walking shoe — to convert it temporarily for golf. Here’s to anything that lets us pack more

shoes. Around $40 from InstaGolfShoes.com.

“Oh my aching dawgs,” is not going to refer to the feet of the wearer of Dawgs’ Golf Spirit. Two 18-hole trials wearing the white shoe with lime green

Dawgs: Lightweight comfort Chic

trim (a look admired by many) proved them to be worthy of the walk, maybe the most comfortable and wearable shoes in the game.

Definitely the lightest, at 6 ounces or less! An easy gift, they come in full sizes, not half; close would be close enough. And the price is right — $40 from DawgsGolf.com and in some of the more adventurous golf shops.

Ecco’s Street shoe continues to be the hottest thing going, especially for women wanting to be in sync with Freddy Couples. (There are a few, we’ve noticed.) It must be noted that Couples plays impeccably manicured golf courses that suit the low tread profile of these shoes; the Street slips and slides on some of the wet and woolly cow pastures frequented by some of us. So why not go over the top

gift guide

and choose the ladylike Mary Jane, which moves easily from that well manicured course into the dining room and then behind the wheel.

Around $150, EccoUSA.com and in better golf shops.

It won’t be available until Jan. 1, but the cool factor of the retro Nike Dunk Golf for women might warrant a holiday raincheck.

Created as a basketball shoe waaaayyy back in 1985, the Dunk took basketball players to new creative heights as teens customized them to match their uniforms.

Nike has retained the vintage feel of the shoe while offering it for golfers with two sets of shoelaces — one that matches the shoe and one that matches the trim. You’ve already seen Michelle Wie wearing these. $130, everywhere Nike Golf is sold.

Ecco: Comfort with classfrom

Nike: Dunk to the past

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 19

gift guide Need some game?

H

ere’s a stocking stuffer for the player looking to improve her grip pressure — or maybe even just get a clue about that elusive fundamental. (Remember being taught to grip the club with the pressure with which you’d hold a bird? As if most of us regularly hold birds, day in and day out?) The GripSolid — developed by Mike Newman and his GottaGoGolfer wife, Katie — wraps around your glove hand and is easily positioned to facilitate a grip that’s not too tight, not too loose. A training tip: Put it on for three holes, take it off for three holes, and repeat until you get the gist. $19.95 from GripSolid.com.

GripSolid: A training glove

20 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

The player who learns visually might find inspiration to practice with T2Greens, a training aid so basic that it’s sure to help anyone. After all, who couldn’t use a Putter Assistant (adhesive strips to mark the sweet spot), Chipping Assistant (adhesive discs to mark the impact spot) or Swing Assistant (a tool to form a channel with six tees). Then

T2Greens: Three lessons in one

ForeSight: GC2 sees all from Cart Chic there are those of us who could use all of the above — and any help at all to propel us to the practice range. Just $19.99, T2Greens.com.

who believes there’s no such thing as too much information. MSRP $6,495 now, or wait a few years.

ForesightSports.com.

The top-of-the-line trainer of the season is a little bit out of line for most of us right now, but look how fast prices got real for plasma TVs. The GC2 Smart Camera System from Foresight Sports looks like a miniature version of the technology now common at teaching stations, but it’s not much bigger than the old-fashioned rangefinder.

Set it up alongside your ball and get instant feedback on your ball speed, launch angle and all those swingin’ goodies — right there on the golf course. Just the thing for the golfer

The golf gift that keeps on giving? That might be the Halsa Wellness Mat, with its 8,820 spikes to provide therapeutic acupressure. Imagine, after walking 18 holes, soothing that aching back and those tired muscles simply by lying down on the mat for 20 minutes or so. Newbies are advised to start with 10 minutes a day and work their way up to no more than 30 for maximum benefit. Highly reviewed online and available in black, green or purple at $39.95, HalsaMat.com.

Halsa: 8,820 pressure points GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 21

gift guide

She’ll wear it well

H Sunice: The Wind Stopper

22 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

ow sweet to give a gift that keeps the recipient warm and dry, and that would be any of the outerwear from Sunice. Each garment is carefully labeled, its weather-proofing capabilities clearly detailed, and so where the Wind Stopper sweater ($200 for the lined Anniedale) might be perfect for one, a quiet waterproof jacket in Gore-Tex and Flexvent might be the way to go for another. Though everything is fitted perfectly for the golf swing, garments are styled to get all around town. Widely available, see the catalog at Sunice.com.

Give the LeviTee Glove to the golfer with aching, stressed or arthritic hands and feel the love. The LeviTee’s fat between-finger pads ease the pain of the necessary contact between club and earth — and they also encourage reduced grip pressure, stamping out “death grip.” The glove does not meet USGA standards, but just ask a doctor if it wouldn’t be a smart accessory. Doc’s recommendation assures USGA acceptance — not that the latter matters in everyday casual rounds. $19.99 from GetTheGlove.com.

If a sunny golf vacation is in the works this winter, get in the mood with Coolibar’s Sunblock Hoodie. So lightweight it takes up no space in a suitcase, the hoodie nonetheless offers heavy-duty UPF protection of 50-plus, all the while keeping the wearer cool. (It probably weighs less than a bottle of sunscreen, and it will pass security in your carry-on.) Eye-popping in bleached coral or alfresco lime, it also comes in soothing oyster blue or white. Note: sizes run on the large side, XS up to XXL. $64, Coolibar.com.

Please any woman, man or child with the specialty of On The Tee: soft, cushy, pampering socks, conceived by a founder who played eight courses in five days and became sock-quality conscious as a result. Current owner Maureen Shapiro says folks will come to her with an old sock and say “Do you have any more of these?” She probably does, and in more choices of designs and logos than ever. High (80 percent) cotton content and extra cushioning at the bottom make the difference. Starting at $5.50, OnTheTee.com.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 23

gift guide

If it glitters, it might be golf

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his one’s all about the jewelry. The Tiara visor from Legendary Headwear can be worn every day, provided it’s properly accessorized with strands of beads or charms that coordinate with the day’s colors. The visor comes in black or white, medium brim or large, at about

24 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

$16; the strands of beads, stones, charms and what have you fit onto the bill of the visor in singles or combinations, so, at $15 a strand, be prepared to add to the choices for her birthday or the anniversary of her first hole-in-one. TiaraHeadwear.com

gift guide

Navika’s jeweled ball-marker necklaces have made their way around the neck of LPGA star Christina Kim, and a more recent innovation clips the sparkle onto the shoe for easy access. Makes sense when you think about it — the player’s going down there anyway to mark the ball. Here, we show ball markers that double as light-catching, glittering earrings that could be worn just about anywhere. What’s next, shirts with ball-marker studs on each side of the collar?Jewelry for ball-marking and to commemorate golf achievements, $30-$50 from Navika.com.

How many hats do we need? Probably not as many as live in the closet, from various tournaments and charity events. But surely one more — and the elegant choice lurks in the Dolly Mama Designs catalog, which specializes in starting with a quality topper and embellishing it with a design or custom logo in Swarovski crystals. First figure out — visor, baseball cap, Fidel hat or the new floppy sunhat? Then, is she big on bling or more subtle? Prices start at about $44 for baseball caps up to $68 for the popular visor with three lines of crystal, guaranteed not to hide in the closet, DollyMamaDesigns.com.

Find every cute golf slogan imaginable — Golf Diva, Golf Babe, Golf Princess, Golfaholic (with cute martini glass) — emblazoned in sequins on shirts and bags and novelties in the Bling It On collection. Or go for something on the more subtle side of the sparkle spectrum that might actually be worn off the course. How about the Golf Ball Belt, just an inch and a half wide in white, black, gold or silver, with rhinestone discs on it that you will know are golf balls but your disco dance partner will only know are eye-catching. Find it for $58 at TitaniaGolf.com.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 25

gift guide Form, with or without function

Cart Chic: The Cartigan

H

Birdie Babe: Margaritaville 26 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

ere’s a bit of a risky gift, in that it doesn’t have to fit her body but it had better fit her style.

The lightweight, carry/stand bag from Birdie Babe Golf comes in seven designs so wide-ranging, one must be careful not to pick out the “Jungle Jane” (leopard print) if she’s really a “Muffy” (plaid).

So far, the bags are available only online from Jill Beyer’s home shop in Minnesota, but, trust us, they’re quality statements. Around $160 from BirdieBabeGolf.com.

KikiGolf: Inlay on the Fairway

Linda Hartough’s No. 8

Shadys: Artsy sunscreen

ting in and out — but the idea’s clever enough. Singles start at $129, pairs at $199, at Shadys.com.

Danielle Lunger played a bit of golf in college and found she wasn’t the type to house her driver in a stuffed teddy bear.

With KikiGolf, she’s creating such elegant head covers that one might hesitate to shell out $80 for hand-stitched, luxe head covers and accessories with name tags, coin accents and fine details. Not to fear — KikiGolf enhances its fine workwomanship with guaranteed satisfaction and a one-year warranty.

KikiGolf.com.

What’s worse than a sunbaked vinyl cart seat on a hot afternoon? Maybe a chilled vinyl cart seat on a cold morning? Amy Archer has a better idea: the Cartigan, from Cart Chic, portable, slip-on cart seat and back covers that come in a wide selection of durable designs. At last count she

offered 42 prints and packaged the set in a coordinating sack. What a nice present for the pals who keep a cart in the garage and have you out to their club every so often.

Just have a look at their living room pillows for fabric inspiration.

From $99 to $149 a set, CartChic. com.

Another cart customizer serves the sun-savvy player who might pack Shadys for the course as routinely as some of us pack umbrellas. These screens — which range from plain to printed to artfully designed by Kathy Young — come in singles and pairs and clip onto the side of a cart to cool off the passengers. Shadys look as if they’d take some getting used to — consider how many of us bang our heads on the top of a cart even when we’re well practiced at get-

The artful golfer might appreciate a lasting memento of a special golf getaway as rendered by famed golf landscape artist Linda Hartough. Commissioned by the USGA to depict U.S. Open venues, the South Carolina painter picks out a hole or two and spends a week photographing it in every sort of light before putting brushes to work. Shown above, No. 8 at 2012 U.S. Open host Olympic Club.

She’s also painted Augusta National and many of the famed British Courses. Spring for an original, at $50,000 or more, or a range of other choices down to notecards at $15, from Hartough.com.

Shadys: Artsy sunscreen

And finally...

L

et’s not forget “She’s GottaGoGolf,” an eBook collection of the best pieces from GottaGoGolf Magazine, the new digital magazine for women who play the game for fun. Editor and chief writer Susan Fornoff mixes in pieces from a roster of top women golf writers on everything from fashion to travel to, of course, rules and etiquette — and even recipes. Bloody Mary, anyone? $9.99, for Kindle and Nook,GottaGoGolf.com.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 27

28 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

The Westin La Cantara, a sprawling resort west of downtown San Antonio, includes two memorable golf courses.

travel San Antonio Forget 36 holes a day. There’s tequila to be tasted, Riverwalk to be strolled, and a whole lot to learn PHoto: San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau

By Susan Fornoff

L

orena Ochoa, seven months pregnant and no longer playing golf for a living, was on her way to San Antonio to have some fun. And that was good enough for me.

Indeed, what I found exploring this southcentral Texas city just a couple of hours north of the border convinced me that no mere golf vacation will suffice here. There’s absolutely too much fun to be had.

Let’s start with tequila tasting. Well, Lorena didn’t, but I did. After settling in with a contingent of Mexican and American golf and travel writers at La Gloria, a new hot spot on the recently developed north-city

reaches of the San Antonio River, I dubiously eyed the four small glass cylinders lined up on the circles upon a paper mat.

Cheap shooters and deep hangovers flashed back from my college years. Ugh. But then I listened as Ruben Aceves, International Director for Brand Development for Casa Herradura, passionately described the creation and aging of this indigenous libation, and I realized I could no more pass up the opportunity to sample the cylinders than a visitor to Napa Valley would wuss out on its wines. Following instructions, I sipped each of the tequilas, in colors ranging from clear

to deepest bronze, accompanied by the recommended gourmet courses.

La Gloria owner Johnny Hernandez, trained at the Culinary Institute of America just across the parking lot, derived his menu from Mexican street foods, and the dishes were not like any I’d tasted. The Chile en Nogada: Roasted poblanos were flavored with pomegranates and walnut sauce. And the surf and turf that melted in the mouth, Parriadda Mar y Tierra, came with grilled shrimp with toasted garlic and chile Guajillo, and beef tenderloin with tamarindo.

All delicious with the silky sips of tequila GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 29

TRAVEL

Lorena Ochoa, seven months pregnant, prowls the range giving a pretournament clinic at the Las Americas in 30 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf September.

that went down without wreaking havoc.

The next morning at the Quarry, however, it seemed that some damage had been done, and a Mexico-U.S. media challenge didn’t quite come off because some of my South of the Border compadres weren’t morning people that day. In fact, I played on a team with an Austrian, Stephan Guetier, and Mexican editor Alejandro “Alex” Barroeta Sanchez and his father.

They played a different course than I did.

Architect Keith Foster did a beautiful job of creating a shorter challenge for the average woman player, measuring just 4,897 yards with angles that put us in position to access many of the greens in regulation. Sculpted through rocks and stones on the grounds of the old Alamo Cement Plant in 1993, the back nine was especially scenic, and reclaimed water protected the fairways from withering in the brutal Texas drought of 2011.

After an afternoon cooling off at the Westin La Cantara’s pools — which include a quiet spot for adults only — and chilling out at the serene Shops at La Cantara, it was time to see Ochoa, making her first appearance to greet participants in the next day’s Las Americas golf tournament.

That afternoon, Alex said that Ochoa alone had elevated participation among Mexican women, from around 10 percent before her rise

PHOTOs / Susan fornoff (facing page); SACVB/Tim Thompson (right)

to the LPGA Hall of Fame, to around 30 percent today. Though she retired at just 28 to start a family, she continues to maintain a high profile for her “Ayudar es Posible” foundation providing education in her Guadalajara homeland.

That includes the Las Americas tournament, uniting business leaders from north and south of the border at the Westin La Cantara’s two spectacular golf courses outside of town, the Resort Course and the Palmer Course.

Ochoa arrived the night before craving hot wings, which were delivered to her room, then gave an animated clinic (in Spanish) the morning of the event before sitting down with GottaGoGolf.

It turns out she’s more like the rest of us these days than her former colleagues.

“I always play for fun now,” said Ochoa, turning 30 on Nov. 15 and looking fit and vibrant seven months into her first pregnancy. “I never play for business or for money. But it’s something I am actually working on getting used to, playing for fun. I don’t warm up, I go to the first hole, and I start with a bogey and I wouldn’t be usually so happy with that.

“But it’s different. I’m never going to shoot 66 playing with my father and my sister. I’m just The old Alamo Cement Plant left a stunning foundation for Keith Foster’s 1993 Quarry layout.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 31

The Riverwalk winds its way north to the historic Pearl Brewery complex, which now houses the Culinary Institute of America.

32 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

PHOTO /SACVB (left); getty images (right)

laughing and having a sandwich. You have to enjoy, and relax.”

Ochoa has said she’d like to have a house in San Antonio and lead a campaign to bring the LPGA Tour there for an annual event. Not that she’ll play. Ochoa suspects she’ll be like most new mothers and put her golf game entirely on hold for a while — but only for a little while.

“Golf is my passion, I love to do it,” she said.

“Maybe I’ll take three weeks off and then as soon as I can swing a club again, I will go out there. And probably laugh at myself.”

Lorena then headed out to the golf course, where she embraced each player and posed for pictures with each foursome, graciously asking all if they wanted her to autograph anything. We asked if she’d take a shot at the birdie putt all in our scramble foursome had just missed, but she wormed her way out of exposing her rust.

The four-star event went on into the wee hours without Lorena, with a dinner and an electrifying fashion show of Lourdes Chavez designs for Julian Gold, a downtown destination shop for those high on style.

But my destination the next morning was the CIA, where I and some of my traveling com-

panions were enrolled in classes. Mine, it turned out, was pure theater — no donning of aprons or slicing and dicing, just taking in a lively presentation on tuna by chef Cynthia Keller, a 1983 CIA graduate.

The CIA, along with shopping and restaurants, is in the historic Pearl Brewery complex on the riverfront. On Saturday morning, a farmer’s market fills the parking lot, and I find myself eating ice cream at 9:30 in the morning because I know I’ll never again come across the Watson Farms bourbon pecan pie ice cream.

It’s a good thing, because Keller instantly makes us all hungry for her preparations of grilled tuna nicoise salad, seared tuna with edamame hummus, and South Florida tuna tempura roll. And as soon as class ends, I’m downstairs at the Sandbar, another CIAgrad-owned restaurant, for oysters and a crabcake.

Now’s my chance, on this day of no golf and no tequila, to explore the city, and I start down the pedestrian path along the river. All along the 4-mile or so walk are art installations, landscaped gardens and surprises including a lock and dam. Eventually I find lively mercados and riverside cafes. A visit to Market Square, said to be the biggest Mexican market north of the Rio Grande, proves exhausting and I happily settle into

Lorena Ochoa plays most of her golf these days with hubby Andres Conesa.

one of the barges that cruise the river.

It turns out to be the most delightful treat of the tour, as about a dozen of us enjoy a delicious meal from Little Rhein Steakhouse, along with wines and narrative from our driver/guide, a part-time moonlighting comedian we are sure. We cruise by a city celebrating life on an early autumn Saturday night, with al fresco dining and musicians lining our aquapath.

As I left San Antonio the next morning,

I realized I had missed a lot. I didn’t play at TPC or historic Brackenridge Park, or go wine tasting in the Hill Country, or visit the Missions. And when is the last time you read a story about San Antonio that didn’t mention the Alamo?

Start your San Antonio trip planning at VisitSanAntonio.com, which has information on the many hotels in the Riverwalk vicinity and several resorts west of the city, plus golf, the Culinary Institute, restaurants and the delightful barge dining excursions anyone can take starting at around $35 a person.

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 33

golfoscope

By The Golf Goddess

november Scorpio (Oct. 23—Nov. 21)

Capricorn (Dec. 22—Jan. 20)

Pisces (Feb. 20—March 20)

Social Scorpio, it’s your month to book that girls golf getaway!

If you’ve got a swanky resort like Westin La Cantara in mind, follow the morning 18 with maybe an afternoon 19th sampling the Hill Country wines. Just be sure to schedule that next day’s tee time after some spa time (also known as “recovery”).

A girl’s GottaGoGolf, but she’s also gotta take care of herself — so when the sneezing starts in the fairways, don’t assume it’s the mower stirring up assorted allergies. Snuggle up with the Kleenex box, lie low, and revisit GottaGoGolf’s archives of 11 glorious issues — they’re all at www.GottaGoGolf.com/archives.

Your single walk-on status abates and it’s a great time to buy those two-for-one tee-time certificates.

This is love season for the Fish, warranting careful thought for a charitable cause such as the foundation that drives Lorena Ochoa these days.

Pick one that, like those tee-times for two, the sweetie can share.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22—Dec. 21)

Aquarius (Jan. 21—Feb. 19)

aries (march 21—april 20)

Can you dial down that holiday charm just a tad, Sagi? It’s almost as blinding as some of the bling suggestions in our Gift Guide this month — maybe more, and sunglasses aren’t on the shopping list. (If they were, of course, they’d have sequined frames and hang from a thick gold chain.)

Still looking for that first hole-andone? Then be sure to tee off with witnesses on your luckiest days, Nov. 11 and 12. (Cavorting with Capricorns, especially recommended.) Just make sure you’re paid up in the hole-inone pool, and you might be able to spring for all of the gifts in our pages this month. Imagine, no wish list, just a buy list!

Running for the board at your club or association? Keep in mind the power of even the smallest bribe — a bag of tees with the recipient’s name on them, maybe, or a ball marker bracelet, or just about anything from GottaGoGolf’s stellar cast of sponsors. Yes, our vote can be bought, just try us!

34 I November 2011 I GottaGoGolf

Golfoscope

Taurus (April 21—May 21)

Cancer (June 22—July 22)

Virgo (Aug. 24—Sept. 22)

Passion prevails this month, making it a good time to … practice! Yes, get to the range and pursue that elusive goal, be it the 200-yard drive or the breaking of 100. And if self-absorption doesn’t suit your holiday spirit, there’s always altruism. Maybe you can apply your passion to raising funds with a charity tournament.

Other signs may be reveling at the expense of their svelteness, but the She-Crab will take this time to health up and muscle up for the season — be that the holidays or the next golf season. Beware if there’s a Pisces man hanging around; check his scorecard carefully to make sure everything adds up.

The arrival of Mars in Virgo this month infuses energy in all of your activity. Make sure it’s positive energy and carry yourself with a smile, then maybe you’ll be wearing a new Rolex just like that of new LPGA Player of the Year Yani Tseng. Think she’s worried about whether her pink shirt works with her blue shorts? Nah...

Gemini (May 22—June 21)

Leo (July 23—Aug. 23)

Libra (Sept. 23—Oct. 22)

Make sure you’ve got one of the comfortable pairs of shoes featured in our Gift Guide, because you’ll be flitting to and fro this holiday season and will not want to be restricted by foot failure. Not that Gemini wants to be restricted ever, so tee it high and let it fly and see where all that swingin’ will take you.

Follow the “Just Say Yes” plan this month to all of the tee times, golf getaways and 19th holes that are sure to be offered. This is Leo’s month to frolic and play, and not even a bad case of the shanks can invoke work. They’ll go away, probably inexplicably, if you just find something else to think about. Like … your next cocktail!

Watch for gopher holes and resist any temptation to play ice golf! In fact, it’s a fine time to clean house for holiday guests, because you might find a long forgotten treasure — maybe a pile of gold or Grandma’s never-published secret to the perfect putting stroke. Find both and won’t your stroke be golden!

GottaGoGolf I november 2011 I 35

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