OTL October / November 2019 ISSUE

FORMULA 1 RETURNS CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

Tony Romo’s Got Game

Palmilla Luxury Golf Community

South Padre Island renewal ups the ante

Sugar Pine in Austin is the culmination of three generations of restaurant experience, innovation, and drive. Richard Arebalo Contents 36 12 26

South

FITNESS

While running is great for cardio, sprinting will not only build a strong heart, but build more muscle.

alternatives in pursuit of greater diversification or

Tesla Model S P100D.

a numbers game. 0-60, 2.5 sec. period.

Golfers frequently deal with dreaded yips. Don’t go to battle alone.

In all athletic movements, you must have some pre-swing motion to generate fluidity, momentum, and power.

Golf in Michigan’s upper peninsula is out of the way, but worth it.

Tony Romo has game but can he take it to the next level?

Seven Bar in downtown Austin should be your new favorite bar. The only F1 stop in the United States. COTA welcomes the world.

Red Wine. Cali-Cabernet will bring new life to your culinary experience.

Glamping versus camping. The camping game has changed.

Enjoy your smoking experience in a cigar lounge with simple etiquette.

From the Publisher T Attitude and Confidence

his letter will have its share of clichés.

The power of “positive thinking,” “attitude of gratitude.” We hear all of them all of the time and you could apply them practically in almost every situation. Golf is a great metaphor for life and both are a mental game. Brech Spradley writes an ongoing column in OTL called Mindgame. The mind can be more powerful than reflexes, reaction and even muscle memory. How does one respond to stress and tension? No matter the choice, it all starts with the mental approach.

Since the last issue of OTL, I have spent more time on the links. I discovered my physical game is still there, but golf exposed my confidence was not very high. Before executing my shot, I found myself focusing on what could go wrong instead of focusing on the shot I intended to hit.

This eroded my confidence and I quickly deteriorated into a headcase.

I could not get out of my own way.

Instead of taking dead aim, I identified where I didn’t want to hit it. Insert cliché here, “In golf, the brain doesn’t hear the word don’t. For example, “Don’t hit it in the water,” translates to “Hit it in the water.”

As I played more shots and rounds, my confidence started to build.

During my last round of golf at the UT Golf Club, I had the pleasure of playing with Mr. Ed Jones of Gulf Capital Bank. I’m notorious for only playing with people I know but every time I play with new people, I thoroughly enjoy the company. Mr. Jones is about to open his new bank. It’s notable that this is the first new bank to open in Houston in 10 years, which is quite a feat.

It appears to me that one of the main reasons for this remarkable accomplishment has to do with his infectious posi-

tive attitude. Jones has a ‘can-do’ personality.

The first thing he said on the tee box after he introduced himself was “Let’s have fun.” Later he said something that stuck with me. One of his golf rules is play with anyone.

In the magazine business. every day brings opportunity and challenges. No matter your job, career or status, you can relate to experiencing highs and lows. The greater the risk the higher the reward. My good friend Donna Jill loves to ride horses. I’ve never asked, but I’ll venture to guess that at some point she’s been thrown more than once. When things don’t go as planned, I’ll take an hour or so to be upset, then like Donna Jill, I get off my butt and get back on the horse.

Someone very close to me often reminds me of the importance of positive and nurturing self-speak. Always be mindful of how you communicate to yourself. We monitor how we talk to others why should you lower the bar when you talk to yourself. Also take an inventory of the background noise in your life. Be aware of what those who are close to you say. That negative background noise will seep into the foreground and affect you. I intend to play more rounds with my friend Pat. He sees more birdies and eagles than bogeys and double bogeys. Your friends and family should uplift you and not bring you down for sport.

Words matter. Do better.

Relationships, life, business and golf require a positive attitude, confidence, strength and fortitude.

In order to hit the perfect golf shot, you have to swing free and trust it. The perfect shot is not bred of control and tension. The moment you trust and let it go, you are rewarded with the feeling of Nirvana, in golf and life.

On occasion we will hit an errant shot. When it goes bad and it will, you’ve got to reload. Most importantly, you have to keep playing.

Trust yourself.

/OnTheLinks

@otl_golf

PUBLISHER

Sedric Walker

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tony Dean

ART DIRECTOR

Leticia Galarza

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Natalie Kalbas

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR

Carl Mickelson

FEATURES EDITOR

Richard Arebalo

TEACHING PROFESSIONALS

Brech Spradley, Buck Mayers

CONTENT SPECIALISTS

Joel McColl, Stephanie Hawley, Brent Klauss

otlgolf.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kevin Chin, Andrew Ferguson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michelle Keller, Leslie Sosa, Kelly Vohnn, Tara Lee Maloney, Mike Bailey, Tony Schlotzhauer, Harry Jarvis, Art Stricklin

11

UPTHEANTEFORRENEWALINSOUTHPADRE

STORYBY MICHELLEKELLER

The state of my mind is simply “renewal” as I listen to the call of the seagulls in the early morning before sunrise. I glance over my shoulder and the creature of the sea seems to say, “Welcome to my world. Come on in, the water’s fine.” Waves are crashing lightly in the distance and my mind relaxes as the constant chatter softens. My thoughts become calmer as I plan my excursions for the day here on Texas’s best beach and your new spot in which to recharge,-South Padre Island.

We began our journey into South Padre with a quick one-hour drive from Harlingen Valley International Airport. Also just 30 minutes from Brownsville, TX, we arrived for the duration of our stay at the Sapphire Condominiums Resort. The Sapphire accommodations are naturally equipped with views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre Bay that will take your breath away. Prepare to be dazzled by the beach and bay views from

inside the condo alone. Earning it’s jewel accreditation name, the Sapphire is a true gem. A Texas two-step through the lush landscape leads you to the pristine shoreline and views of the Gulf of Mexico. Neighboring to the left is the Pearl South Padre Resort, where guests can indulge in bar facilities and amazing food at the Beachside Bar & Grill.

South Padre Island is the place where oceanside refuge for your mind, body and soul begins my friends.

Hosted by the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Marketing and Communications Manager Alisha Workman and Marketing & Communications Specialist Jamie Wells, we dined at the Painted Marlin Grille. A bright, colorful and tropical experience, this restaurant will please every taste bud on your palate. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried an avocado fry appetizer. A bayside spot, offerings include entrees such as the “Swimmin’ Barbie Combo,” a combination of garlic butter redfish with bourbon barbeque gulf shrimp and oysters. For dessert, the locals

call it “Padre Pie,” the menu calls it “Mango Key Lime Pie,” but if divine came in a slice, this would be it. With hints of coconut, mango and key lime, this pie is an explosion of tropical flavors that said “I do” before they became a pie.

If we maximize our time during the work week, we should also get the most from our time off. Get up early and hit the links at South Padre Island Golf Club located in Laguna Vista. The third green looking east over the Laguna Madre Bay must be felt. This course needs to be experienced first-hand, through sight, sound and smell. Around every bend and behind every hole at South Padre Island Golf Club, you’ll find the reasons this course is one of the best in the Rio Grande Valley.

Surrounded by nature, the course at SPI Golf Club is everything you need for relaxation and a perfect game. Whether you are a professional or a novice, this course is a pleasure for golfers of any skill level. The golf course will challenge you

while providing a relaxing, picturesque backdrop. Test your accuracy with fairways, water hazards and sand traps; SPI Golf Club has everything you need to challenge you and improve your game. Director of Golf Operations Bracy Wilson said, “Our goal is to provide golfers with a quality experience that includes exceptional service and a comfortable atmosphere.”

Wilson also noted that during the last year and a half new ownership has put $750k back into the golf course with major expansions and improvements. One of those expansions is a new $80k restaurant which will be open by the time this article is published. This golf club is no stranger to celebrity appeal with former NBA San Antonio Spurs point guard Johnny Moore and former Texas Longhorn quarterback Vince Young both scheduled to stay and play in the coming months. Current professional basketball player, Mike Daum for Monbus Obradoiro of the Liga ACB, is also a homeowner on the course.

SPI Golf Club’s tagline, “Stay for a night, or stay for a lifetime,” is absolutely appropriate with rental homes available for a brief stay and permanent real estate open for purchase for those who choose to make this world-class atmosphere their new home.

PHOTOS BY SPI CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

Butterflies, birds and alligators started our adventure off peacefully at the South Padre Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary. A beautiful guided bird walk is the perfect way to start any day, let alone a vacay day. Experienced guides took us on a peaceful tour down the boardwalk where we learned about the unique coastal habitat and its wildlife. If gators and reptiles are of interest, daily Gator Talks, photo ops, and experiences are available at the Alligator Sanctuary. They’re not as slick as you imagine — alligators are actually quite dry creatures. Naturalist Javier Gonzalez informed us that the shine we see on any reptile for that matter is a result of special oils that reside in their scales, and has no sensory feeling of slick to the touch.

Keeping in the reptile family, our next stop was at Sea Turtle, Inc. This non-profit organization’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured sea turtles, educate the public, and assist with conservation efforts for all marine turtle species. The facility serves as a hospital for sick and injured sea turtles. Our guide Jeff George told us that more than 100 sea turtles are rescued each year with the goal of returning them into the wild once their health is restored. “We monitor about 50 miles of beach from April to July searching for nests. The nests are relocated and protected in a special corral until the turtles hatch and are ready for release,” he explained.

Among the sea turtles receiving care in the hospital is Allison. “Allison is the first sea turtle with a prosthetic flipper,” George said. Allison survived an attack in 2005 with only one flipper remaining. For years, Allison could only swim in circles. In 2009, a Sea Turtle, Inc. intern designed a prosthetic device to help Allison swim. Allsion has been featured in

People Magazine, as well as on the Discovery Channel and the Today Show.

As the old saying goes, and in this case it’s spot on, there’s something for everyone onSouth Padre Island. Make no mistake, sandcastle building is for kids — especially the kid inside every adult. We built a six-foot sandcastle with the help of Sand Castle Lessonsowner and instructor Andy Hancock. A whimsical Austrailian native, Hancock is a captivating artist/instructor certain to entertain a crowd of even the stiffest businessmen and women. Perfect for group activity, couples, girls’ day out and corporate team building, an Andy Hancock sandcastle lesson will leave you with a skill that not only leaves an impressive mark on the beach, but also leaves a smile in your heart. “If you’re building a sandcastle, you’re not thinking about your troubles,” he said. “That’s a big part of what we do here.” Sandcastle building is serious business on the Island and many of Hancock’s sandcastles and woodworking products can be found outside local restaurants and shops. I confess, that while we were building our intricate sandcastle, I lost track of time and only thought of the details I was creating. Hancock’s tagline, “We Don’t Do Boring,” is exactly why you should schedule a lesson before you come to the Island.

Just 25 miles north of the Mexican border, South Padre Island is famous for its year-round subtropical climate and moderate temperatures. Plenty of sunny days and an average temperature of 74 degrees allow every day to be a water activity day. Our CVB host Alisha Workman said South Padre Island attracts many snowbirds, or “Winter Texans” as they call them, because of the year-round warm climate.

With a fleet of six vessels, each offering a different kind of cruise, Osprey Cruises is ready to show you around the Gulf and the Laguna Madre Bay. Established in 1976, Osprey offers a unique range of water-based activities from fishing, sight-seeing, dolphin/bird watching, pirate adventure cruises, and dinner cruises.

At Pier 19 we took in a dolphin sightseeing cruise where we viewed several natives in their marine environment as the guide brought them in by bucket and allowed us to handle them. When was the last time you held a moving starfish? I have one word thrilling.

There are many outdoor adventures waiting on the Island. Thrillseekers and adrenaline lovers will make lifelong memories mastering the art of flyboarding. This jetpack watercraft literally lets people fly out of the water. Wakeboarding; surfing ; windsurfing, paragliding; skateboarding and sailing are all rolled into one in a kiteboarding experience. If you’re looking for that ‘big’ fish, deep waters are where they roam. There are plenty of spots for bay and offshore fishing for the experienced angler or first-timer.

Just under a 10 minute drive from the main strip in South Padre is Port Isabel, TX. The Port Isabel Lighthouse is a quick trip that you must take. Constructed in 1853, this brick tower was topped by a stationary light that could be seen from a distance of more than 15 miles at sea. With its current mercury-vapor light, the tower is still marked on sea charts as a navigation aid. Out of 16 lighthouses along the Texas coast, Port Isabel is the only one open for visitors. An insider tip — be prepared to hike a steep winding staircase

that many don’t complete. The attendant told us that several tourists will attempt the staircase but few make it passed the halfway point.

From sunrise to sunset, South Padre Island’s dining options will keep your tastebuds pleased. Yummies Bistro was a perfect spot for our morning cup o’ Joe and my obligatory newspaper hunt. (Picking up a local newspaper is a small tradition I’ve set for my travels). This quaint and cheery spot is the place to find exquisite avocado toast and glorious oatmeal with fruit and nuts. Breakfast can’t get better, unless you go all in with Ernie’s Bacon Waffle, a waffle stuffed with guess what? Bacon. I’ll say your confession for you in advance.

The biggest and best burger on the Island was found at Dirty Al’s. With several other menu items to choose from including seafood fare, the Dirty Burger is a mouthwatering bite that will make your mouth say “hmmm.”

If modern cuisine with a coastal flare is what you’re after in a fine dining experience, then F&B SPI is your spot. This open and airy setting immediately envelops you into a crisp, luxury dining experience. Starting off with Mixed Seafood Fritura, the best of all worlds are combined with local red snapper, calamari and gulf shrimp. The Lobster Tagliatelle as a main course should be savored to the last bite. F&B speciality cocktails are incredible and did I mention they’ll make a private batch of freshly baked cookies if you ask? The perfect nightcap and ending to our South Padre Island excursion, “Adult Cookies & Milk” is served with chocolate chip cookies and Mozart white chocolate liqueur.

Catch Me If You Can

STORY BY LESLIE SOSA

It is a common misconception that being fit means you have a certain body shape, number on the scale, or size in clothing, but there is so much more than what social media bombards us with that makes us healthy and fit. According to experts, the five main components that one must have to be considered physically fit are cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. If you’re anything like I used to be, you may get comfortable in a certain routine at the gym and as monotonous as it is, you stick with it because it works for you, or so it may seem.

Changing up your routine and getting to a track to run sprints is a great way to break free from your rhythms and get some fresh air while waking up those fast twitch fibers. Make sure to come prepared to work; although sprinting is very short lived, the quick bursts will rapidly exhaust every muscle. The idea behind sprinting is to build muscle, enhance your cardiovascular endurance, increases stamina, gives a boost to your metabolism and saves time. While running is great for cardio, sprinting will not only build a strong heart, but build more muscle instead of losing it since your muscles rest in between sets, they have time to recover and will get bigger and stronger. Sprinting may seem similar to HIIT workouts, and while they do share the commonality of heavy cardio, sprinting saves a vast amount of time. About one hour of high intensity cardio is equal to 10 sprints in a 15 minute time span.

If running sprints sounds a bit intimidating, start off with a few, but keep your time so you can watch your progressions as you get faster, and stronger. Start off with running 5 sprints of 40-50 yards and dedicate 10-15 minutes total, including rests and sprints. For example, if your first set took you 10 seconds, rest for two minutes and go again, repeating the rest periods until your sets or time is up. Each new day at the track, add one to two more sets of sprints as your heart, body, and mind gets stronger.

Perhaps speed isn’t a goal of yours, or sprinting causes pain and irritation to your muscles and joints, focus on staying active and caring for your heart by swimming or a brisk walk. It is far more important to allow your body time to achieve your goals, so take the time you need and enjoy each victory, big or small.

Alternative Investments

STORY BY AUSTIN ASSET

Investors, both institutional and retail, often invest in alternatives in pursuit of greater diversification or risk reduction; however, alternatives might fail to reliably accomplish these goals.

Portfolio Construction

Typically within a diversified portfolio, stocks outperform bonds, high-grade bonds reduce volatility, and alternative investments that behave unlike stocks and bonds can improve portfolio diversification. This article focuses on alternatives, which includes real estate, hedge funds, private equity, managed futures, and others.

Correlations and Diversification

The common assumption is that alternatives improve diversification because they have low correlations of returns with stocks and bonds. However, investors should also understand what is driving this because low correlation is not the same as diversification. Real estate investment trusts derive value from the underlying real estate, and associated income. As an investment vehicle, this generally has low correlations with diversified stock and bond portfolios. However, some alternatives have low correlations because they concentrate holdings in a few stocks, which is clearly not diversification. Finally, alternatives might appear to have low correlations because

they are valued infrequently, creating illusory price stability when calculating correlations.

Additional Risks

Investors should also consider additional risks associated with alternatives, including:

• Less Transparency: alternatives typically have fewer accounting, custodial, and regulatory requirements than other publicly traded investments.

• Lower Liquidity: many alternatives require lock-up periods, reducing flexibility and increasing the risk of selling other investments at the worst times.

• Leverage: alternatives might use leverage to boost returns, which substantially increases the overall risk.

• High Fees: fees are frequently around 2% of assets in addition to upside sharing.

• Insufficient Return History: Researchers have studied decades of returns for stocks and bonds to determine statistically significant drivers of returns. However, for alternatives, current data sources may be incomplete and/or survivor-biased.

Conclusion

Investors should evaluate their alternative investment to understand their true impact as it is likely very different than what they have been led to believe.

The Tesla brand is growing stronger with more of its eco-friendly electric vehicles hitting the streets. Tesla has also redefined the stereotype that electric vehicles are just dressed up elaborate golf carts. Electric vehicles are now more than just energy efficient and environmentally conscious. These modern-day marvels are providing enthusiasts with exhilarating performance wrapped up in sleek and sexy packaging.

The 2019 Tesla Model S sets new standards in the evolution of mass-production electric vehicles. This exotic performance ride offers everything from neck snapping acceleration to mind blowing driving range and stateof-the-art-technology. Forget everything you believe you may know about electric vehicles and prepare yourself to meet Tesla’s answer to providing power and performance all on a charge rather than a tank of gas.

The Model S has a very sporty exterior with a hatch back, seating for up to five adults and subtle design cues that exude modern elegance. Everything about the Model S feels like it should be there. All the different parts working harmoniously together creating a work of art on wheels. Unlike many production vehicles that share parts that sometimes really don’t blend well but create different models for the same chassis.

The performance of Tesla’s 2019 Model S is extraordinary. The most potent being the P100D trim. In Ludicrous Mode it can go from 0-60 in less than 2.5 seconds. The 75D is the less expensive slower trim that covers the same amount of road in 4.2 seconds. Either one will put a high school grin on our face with a top speed of 155 mph. That’s because these electric vehicles have instant acceleration. There is no buildup of power like in a gasoline engine. You mash the accelerator

and BAM! The world as you knew it is instantly in your rearview mirror.

All Model S trims are capable of charging with Tesla’s network of superchargers on a pay-per-use basis. Supercharging can add about 170 miles of range in half an hour. A full charge will get you a range of about 370 miles in the base models. There are more than 10,000 supercharging stations worldwide.

One of the coolest features is autopilot which is part of Tesla’s suite of semi-autonomous driving assistance technology. This option is well worth the money if you spend a lot of time on the open road or just like experiencing the future of driving without driving.

Inside the Tesla Model S there is plenty of room and a minimalistic feel except for the huge 17-inch portrait touchscreen that dominates the dashboard and replaces all but a handful of physical buttons.

This fixed tablet can adjust everything from climate control and audio, navigation and the hands-free phone, to things like the headlights and sunroof. The Model S hatchback body style provides 26.3 cubic feet of cargo space out back and a separate storage area 5.3-cubic-foot in front called “frunk,” that is just right for a medium size suitcase.

For 2019, Tesla Model S prices start at $79,990. The Tesla P100D or Model S Performance starts at $99,990. This vehicle is well worth a test drive and serious consideration if you are after something different. There are so many positives and very few negatives when looking at integrating electric technology into your daily life on the road.

DRIVERSIDE VEHICLE REVIEWS

Austin’s New Japanese Style

STORY BY RICHARD AREBALO FEATURES EDITOR / OTL MAGAZINE

Sugar Pine, a smart new Japanese Café in north Austin, is the culmination of three generations of restaurant experience, innovation, and drive. Coowner Joyce Yang’s parents I-Chien and Chu-Tzu were the owners of the popular Hunan Palace restaurant on North Lamar back in the 1990s, and it’s there that Joyce first got her feel for the restaurant business.

Branching out in 2000, Joyce was the first to introduce “bubble teas” to Austin at her unique Taiwanese cafes ‘Coco’s.’ At the time, the novel tapioca “pearl” drinks were hugely popular in Asia but were still relatively rare in the U.S. Nearly two decades later, two Coco’s locations are still thriving, one near the UT campus and the other in north Austin.

Interestingly, on my last trip to Taipei, I was surprised to see just how current the Cocos concept is to its Asian counterparts. The bright colors, design, and overall feel of the Research Boulevard location would be perfectly at home in an upscale Taipei shopping district or mall.

In June of 2019, together with Architect husband Madhu Phillips, Joyce opened Sugar Pine, this time with their teenaged kids Calvin and Lilia in tow.

Sugar Pine is located on the busy frontage road of Hwy 183 near Ohlen. The building housed a ‘River City’ doughnut

shop for many years but received a beautiful redesign inside and out. Though not large, the space has tall ceilings and is filled with light from the floor-to-ceiling front windows. The tables are covered with tiny orchids or succulent arrangements, and the space is further brightened by metal chairs in vivid yellow. The outside patio features a beautiful wall fountain, and the enclosure is topped with a striking array of flowering and creeping plants.

The idea for the restaurant started with the family’s love of Japanese food, but since Sushi was already well represented in Austin, they decided to focus on a different popular culinary treat…

“Onigiri” or stuffed rice balls, like so many Japanese concepts, have a history that can be traced back for thousands of years. Historical references even allow for the dating of the evolution of the recipe, i.e., when seaweed started to be used for easier handling (Edo Period - give or

take 300 years). Purportedly, rice balls even featured in documented Samurai preparedness as they were portable and quick to eat.

Though often mistaken for sushi ‘nigiri’, onigiri is considered a separate culinary form. The prime difference being that onigiri is made with plain cooked rice while sushi is made with cooked rice in styles that vary by the proportions of vinegar, sugar, and salt added. (Edo, Tokyo-style / Osaka, Kansai-style, etc.)

Evolution has continued with onigiri, and today, though still quite portable, they are more often triangular in shape. (ostensibly a 1980’s modification)

At Sugar Pine, in addition to being beautiful, these little creations come with a variety of delicious centers; spicy tuna, salmon, steak, chicken, ume shiso, pickled vegetables, spicy tofu, and even avocado are available.

Along with the onigiri specialties,

Sugar Pine’s menu also features a variety of ‘small plates’ including chicken Karaage, (think true chicken nuggets), Japanese style Fish & Chips, Shrimp Tempura. My particular favorite, however, is a bit of a rarity in Austin, Soba noodle. These buckwheat noodles are served cold with a very flavorful kelp/seaweed dipping sauce. The sauce here is vegetarian but also comes with a side of traditional bonito flakes.

The hardier options on the menu include excellent pork, or chicken Katsu (pankobreaded, pan-fried cutlets) served plain or with a curry sauce. Grilled steak and salmon plates round out the menu, all of which are accompanied by a variety of sautéed vegetables, steamed rice, miso soup, and house-made pickled vegetables.

Beverage choices are limited but wellconsidered. A good value Sake - Eikun Junmai-Shu Water Lords really stands out. The wine sections include a nice rosé, four reds and five whites plus a popular Red

Mead. Madhu, however, a craft beer fan, was the drive behind having a nice sampling of local draft beers featuring Live Oak, Circle, Austin Beer Works, and Thirsty Goat.

The youngest members of the Phillips family had a strong influence on the desserts featured at Sugar Pine.

As you enter the restaurant, the first food case contains a very popular selection of unique ice cream and sorbet ice flavors. The ice creams are rich house-made “spun custards” in amazing flavors like Miso Caramel, Black Sesame, and White Chocolate Tai Tea. One must-try sorbet ice is the fresh Watermelon Thai Basil.

Sugar Pine is a great place for an easy lunch, dinner, or just a snack at any time of the day. The crowd varies from young high school or college kids to parents and grandparents seemingly brought by their kids.

Sugar Pine truly hits a sweet spot between convenience, style, and high quality.

COLD SOBA NOODLES . I learned to love these on trips to Japan. It was commonly served as a snack.

Short Game “Yips” – Technique

STORY BY BRECH SPRADLEY, PGA DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION BARTON CREEK GOLF ACADEMY

Over 25 years of teaching, I have seen many golfers with short game issues. Often, they proclaim, “I have the yips!” Yips are one of golf’s most perplexing challenges. Some players even give up playing altogether when the game becomes no longer fun. Research suggests that the “yips” can add approximately 4-5 strokes to affected golfers’ score in an 18-hole round. The cause and treatment of yips are still widely debated amongst golf instructors and sports performance specialists yet are not limited to golf. Players in other sports like baseball, archery, shooting, darts and others have similar issues. The yips can include involuntary tremors, freezing or a jerking of the hands during a golf shot, such as putting and chipping. I have also seen a form of the yips in the lower body (legs and knees buckling).

“Yips” actually refers to a very real condition called “focal dystonia”. Dystonia is a neurologic disorder characterized by involuntary movements or spasms of small muscles. Sometimes these symptoms are seen in professional musicians and others who

repeatedly perform movements requiring fine motor skills. In golf, the use of fine motor skills is more prominent in putting and chipping and the yips may occur when there is an overuse of these muscles. Many other cases of the yips are born from poor technique leading to poor results that then leads to a lack of confidence and performance anxiety prior to the next shot. We all know that golf is a mental game. This becomes even more evident when pressure is applied. When a player demonstrates sub- optimum technique, they can have moderate success when little to no pressure is applied, but when the pressure is elevated the technique becomes more important to be able to handle the stress. Sometimes we confuse what we think is the “yips” with just poor technique which creates poor results, especially when the tension scale rises.

My experience has shown then that an improvement in technique can ultimately lead to a reduction in the occurrence of the yips. Everyone can hit good putts and chips with sub standard technique but if the fundamentals are not sound it can break down quickly. Golf is like a link chain with all these links. Each link represents an arena of play and the pressure associated with it. When we are not ready or prepared for that arena then the weak link will break.

If you have been struggling with your putting and missing short putts with a dreadful feeling of the twitch, you may be too frozen over the putt. One common suggestion is to use the bigger muscles and try to stay connected as you feel your shoulders and torso vs. hands and arms. This may help to an extent, but the one thing you may be lacking is a trigger, such as a forward press to start the stroke. The forward press seems simple, but it can be what allows you to make the putter flow more and create the rhythm in your stroke. When you watch the best putters, they have a routine that is in constant movement and never frozen over the ball.

I believe the best combination in putting is to a have a trigger involving the hands and arms yet engage the bigger “dumb” muscles (shoulders, torso, back) as the engine of the stroke. We hold the putter with our hands, so they are still the command posts. Use them correctly as opposed to “not at all”. The best putters in the world tend to balance the use of

hands, arms and body and create the best roll of the ball with the absolute best rhythm. So, after you establish good posture and set-up, try adding a little forward press to your stroke if you are lacking a trigger that creates flow.

Yips can also be seen in chipping and pitching. But I have fixed more players short game with just a better understanding of the mechanics and set-up for the shot. One of the most common issues I see with player’s chipping is they set-up with too much trail side tilt which lowers their trail shoulder and gets their trail arm too bent and under the lead arm. From this set-up, it is very difficult to create a consistent angle into the ball employing the use of the bounce of the club. Because of the poor set-up angles, clean contact is very difficult. It may result in a hit or handle “drag” impulse to avoid crashing the ground behind the ball leading to poor distance control and many thin or fat shots. This “reverse K” set up is good for longer clubs in the full swing but that set-up with short game is a disaster except maybe on a very uphill slope. The short game technique is a balance and harmony of steep and shallow angles and getting these to balance out is super important. Make sure in your short shots that you work on leveling out your shoulders, which will feel like you are raising your trail shoulder higher and lowering your front shoulder. This is necessary to create a steeper body angle that allows you to center your hand and arm hang or have them slightly forward at address. In turn, it creates more spacing for the arms and a shallower angle of attack with the club delivery to create a good balance of angles. This combination will be a good starting point to allow you to move through the ball with a good angle toward the ground. You must not just strike the ball well but also strike the ground well. This what the best short game players do. They can strike the ground consistently well (low point control) for the desired shot, which starts with a good set up.

Make sure you get rid of the dreaded tilted shoulder set up with hands pushed too forward and you will be on your way to clean crisp short shots. Although “yips” can come in many forms and require improved mental game strategies, I have rarely found anyone that I could not help with better technique. Good golfing!

Find your Trigger

STORY BY BUCK MAYERS

In all athletic movements, you must have some pre-swing motion to generate fluidity, momentum, and power. All great baseball, tennis players, and golfers avoid being too static to create proper rhythm, tempo, and balance. What is the trigger? A slight press of the hands, tilt of the chin, kick in of the knee, or lifting a heel all would be considered triggers.

Many swing faults occur from starting the club in motion from a static position. Quick or jerky takeaways, poor sequencing of the arms and torso, shortened back swings, starting down before you finish the backswing, etc. all

will influence your club face, path, speed, and the solidity of strike.

To reiterate, you must have some preswing movement leading your takeaway. Keep this preliminary movement as simple as possible. Too much activity can be just as disruptive to the timing and rhythm of the change in direction and ultimately destroy the speed and power in your swing. The intention of creating speed out-front is always our goal. Find your trigger!

Buck Mayers is the Director of Instruction at Escondido Golf and Lake Club in Horseshoe Bay, Texas www. buckmayersgolf.com.

LUXURY-LADEN PALMILLA BEACH COMMUNITY

STORY BY MARC HALL

Being from Central Texas, our family knows Port Aransas well. It’s our easy drive-to beach getaway. The kids love everything about, so that means we love it. So much about the venerable coastal town is so unspoiled and unpretentious, we always know what we’re getting out of a Port A trip. We’ve got our regular favorites now like the homemade fudge from Winton’s Candy Company, fresh shrimp and fish from Paul’s Seafood and relaxing times at La Playa, where Mexican cuisine and mariscos live in harmony.

Mostly, though, we’ll settle into a beach rental that’s located a short walk from the sand and make it our home base for as many days as we can be away from the rat race and put a premium on relaxation. Increasingly, we’ve noticed that the rentals in Port A are more like HGTV Dream Homes than they are utilitarian fish-camp bunkhouses. Even after the widespread devastation of 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, property owners rebuilt and brought an architectural panache and contemporary design approach to many of the beach houses in the town’s most desirable beachfront locations.

Conventional sentimentality would hope Port A is always a destination that embraces the everyman and has a getaway option for every budget. Increasingly, connoisseurs of luxury lifestyle vacation properties and amenities are finding more premium vacation options than ever in Port Aransas and Mustang Island. Nowhere is that more evident than inside the Palmilla Beach Resort and Golf Community. Built on the “new urbanism” concept in which all the conveniences of your own high-end small town exist within the cobblestoned confines of the community and the homes exudes a posh, pleasing aesthetic, Palmilla Beach is raising the standard in luxury real estate

and lifestyle on Texas’ Gulf Coast.

From luxurious 1,800-sq-ft Signature Cottages and two-level “Duets” to 2,300-sq-ft Poolside and “Wild Indigo” Townhomes to expansive (I mean downright huge) custom homesites, every real estate offering at Palmilla Beach is currently selling like wildfire. The community, which currently includes the residential community, the golf course, clubhouse (with two pleasing dining options) and great lawn and a swimming and amenities center, is starting to take shape.

Greg Carr of McCombs Enterprises (Palmilla Beach’s ownership) says a small hotel near the Gulf of Mexico could be a possible addition to the community along with additional shopping and dining. In time, expect Palmilla Beach to put a resort community on the map that will be the kind of upscale coastal travel destination that draws guests and potential homebuyers from far and wide.

Presently, the quality of life is already high. All amenities, including the pool and fine dining at the Black Marlin and casual patio dining and cocktails at Red’s, are within walking, biking or golf-cart-ride distance. Palmilla Beach has its own private access to the beach (on a bridge that glides over the ancient dunes) and a private section of cabanas and beach chairs that can be reserved with the concierge staff.

More than three dozen homes (of various sizes and floorplans) have already been constructed post-Harvey with a few phases left in the original residential footprint. What remains to be seen is what will be done with the land where a large portion of Palmilla Beach’s original golf course once sat. Harvey devastated the 2007 Arnold Palmer design which was the only true championship links course in Texas.

First opened as Newport Dunes in 2008, the 6,821-yard, par-71 layout elevated the quality of public access golf in the Gulf region near Corpus Christi. With a washed-out course, the McCombs company and course management aficionados were faced with a challenging puzzle. Rebuilding the course in a way that best fits the land and the clientele became a priority.

Identifying their core customers as families and tourists with some locals and avid golfers sprinkled in, the team put together a plan that would put fun at the forefront of the golf experience and let golfers get around the layout quickly and easily.

It was a revelation when someone at the table declared ‘we’re not a golf course with a restaurant. We’re a restaurant with a golf course,’” Carr says.

“If you’re coming to Port A, you don’t have that many days where you can spend four to five hours away from your family or group,” says director of golf Bradley Boyd. “We took cues from emerging trends in the golf industry and put our best nine holes into a routing, maintaining the signature stretch of seaside holes of the original golf course (holes 4, 5 and 6) and creating a layout that skilled avid golfers, kids and beginners can enjoy equally in a timeframe that still leaves plenty of time in your day for the beach, fishing or touring the old, classic areas of Port A.”

“It was a revelation when someone at the table declared ‘we’re not a golf course with a restaurant. We’re a restaurant with a golf course,’” Carr says. “We put a lot into having the very best, guest-pleasing food and beverage operation possible and make the golf course as fun as possible.”

Now just nine holes stretching to 2,431 yards from the back tees plus three pitch-and-putt holes known as the Loop, featuring holes that range from

80 yards to 115 yards. Future plans might include an 18-hole putting course to keep with the fun and accessible theme. The practice areas are still in the same place, across the highway from the golf course, but upgraded with the same Platinum Paspalum grass on the greens and Seashore Paspalum that cover the teeing areas and fairways on the golf course.

With an entertaining collection of five par-4s and four par-3s, the par-32 course is largely wide open to start with an ever-present wind coming off the adjacent Gulf. The round starts with three manageable “fast-start” holes: a 332-yard par-4, a 150-yard par-3 and a 282-yard par-4 with no forced carries and generous landing areas. Then comes that signature stretch where the dunes and golf are visible and the dominant design trait. The par-3 fourth is postcard beautiful, playing directly toward the Gulf with a green guarded by native grass and framed by dunes. Bookend narrow par-4s that both stretch over 400 yards each look intimidating off the tee and demand accuracy tee to green.

The key to enjoying your round at Palmilla Beach is choosing the right set of tees to match your skills. The back set is the “Palmilla” tees. The middle set of “Beach” tees presents hole between 127 yards to 287 yards. The forward “Fun” tees, with holes 81 yards to 256 yards, make for an enjoyable time.

“We want this course to be accessible and inclusive of everyone. Juniors, women, bachelor parties, corporate groups and even beginners who just want to try something new on their beach vacation,” Boyd says. “Our fleet of GolfBoards gives people another way to enjoy the round. It’s not uncommon to see people playing barefoot. We stress intently that this place is meant to be fun.”

Even if you’re not a golfer, the Black Marlin Grill is reason enough to make your way to Palmilla Beach. And the locals do. In droves. Chef Gail Huesmann and her staff make tremendous use the readily-available local seafood with inventive dishes and pairings. The food and in the cocktails at the Black Marlin and the outdoor patio spot for casual dining, Red’s have made Palmilla Beach one of the hottest spots on the island.

Over time, expect more homes to be built and for the ownership to add more exceptional lifestyle amenities within Palmilla Beach. If you’re looking to enjoy a coastal getaway, don’t look past the luxury offerings in Port A’s most refined address. Visit www.palmillabeach. com to learn more.

Golf in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is way up north BUT WORTH IT A VISIT

STORY BY MIKE BAILEY

If you ask Michiganders where stuff is located in their state, they usually raise the right hand as a de facto map. For example, Detroit is at the base of the thumb and Petoskey is near the tip of the middle finger. But nowhere in that hand is the Upper Peninsula, a sort of forgotten piece of geography that’s often overlooked when most people think of the Wolverine State.

Perhaps that because the UP doesn’t even look like it’s a part of Michigan. You can’t point it out on the hand, unless you hold the other hand over your right. It looks more like an appendage of Wisconsin than Michigan, and it’s really far north, hundreds of miles northwest of Windsor, Canada, for example, in between Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Most people in the United States can’t name a town in the Upper Peninsula, but if you’re familiar with Green Bay, Wisconsin, you’re actually pretty close. Winters are long; summers are coveted.

Though the golf season is short (June to early October really), course developers really made an effort in the UP, not only for the locals, but especially for those in the hot Southern states like Texas who might want a break from the oppressive heat. It’s also a bargain with green fees and accommodations often south of triple digits. You just have to figure out how to get there.

At the center, perhaps, of UP’s golf tourism is the Island Resort & Casino in Harris, Mich., which is owned and operated by the Hannahville Indian community. Located just 12 miles from Delta Regional Airport - where you can easily connect from Chicago’s O’Hare - the resort originally had just one golf course, the exceptional Sweetgrass Course, home of the Symetra Tour’s Island Resort Championship. Designed by Michigan native Paul Albanese and Chris Lutzke, and ranked among the top 20 public courses in Michigan (which is saying a lot since Michigan excels in golf), it’s certainly one of the best two or three golf courses in the UP.

First off, it’s suitable for all golfers. With six sets of tees, the course plays anywhere from around 5,000 yards to more than 7,200 yards. But what really stands out is its beauty and conditioning. With its wispy sweetgrass billowing around the numerous water features and pure fairways and greens, this is a luxury golf experience. The practice facilities are all that, too, with an expansive perfect grass range with course quality targets, pristine short game area and perfect bentgrass practice greens, which mirror the

putting surfaces on the course. Basically, the course is first-class in every imaginable facet, including the brats you can order in the halfway house.

To complement Sweetgrass, however, the resort added another more intriguing test in Sage Run, which is designed by Albanese. Opened in 2018, the course, which Albanese said was inspired by Northern Ireland’s Royal County Down, is also beautiful, but a definite roller-coaster ride. Sage Run hosted the inaugural Island Resort Intercollegiate in August. Michigan State’s James Piot posted rounds of 68-70-69 (207) to slip past a trio of 210s posted by Nick Dentino and Joe Weiler of Purdue and Kieran Vincent of Liberty.

Built on a natural drumlin, which is an elongated hill or ridge formed by glaciers, golfers not only have to find the fairways, but the correct side of the fairways to set up ideal scoring opportunities and avoid the thick rough. There are also scores of bunkers embellished by thick fescue. The golf course showcases exceptional variety including holes, like the par 3 seventh, which plays significantly uphill or the short par-4 14th which dares you to take on an uphill shot to a blind

landing area. In short, Sage Run is beautiful and challenging and built in a thrilling natural setting.

While golf at Island Casino could certainly be enough, especially considering the gaming, excellent dining, entertainment, spa and affordable accommodations, if you make your way to the UP, you might as well venture a couple of hours north to play the Mike DeVries-designed Greywalls Course at Marquette (Mich.) Golf Club, which is truly one of the most memorable experiences you’ll ever half with a set a clubs.

Set on the hills above Lake Superior, this is a strong test as well, which is why the starter recommends that most players don’t try to bite off more than around 6,000 yards (our group of single digit players took on a combo set of around 6,400 yards). Greywalls showcases lots of elevation change, challenging table-top greens and rock outcroppings that will do plenty of interesting things to your golf ball if you’re not accurate. Best of all, though, the views never stop, from the opening elevated tee shot to the dramatic views of Lake Superior beyond the ninth green, to last elevated tee shot.

And if you have time, be sure to play the other course at Marquette Golf Clubthe Heritage Course, which has nine holes designed by the legendary William Langford.

Another good golf option is Timberstone Golf Club, located at the fun Pine Mountain Resort in Iron Mountain. The course is plenty fun as it winds up and down hills and through the woods. At nearly 7,000 yards, it can be a test for top players, but there really is a set of tees for every level of player.

One of the best things about visiting Timberstone, though, has to be having lunch or dinner at the resort’s Famer’s Restaurant, which houses the UP Sports Hall of Fame. Not only is it interesting to browse all the memorabilia, but the fare and atmosphere rock, especially the appetizers. And if you’re from Texas, this might be the time to try cheese curds, a staple in these parts that are their own food group. They go well with pretty much anything, especially a pint or two of the local craft beers or ales.

TONY ROMO Q&A

BY ART STRICKLIN

STORY

Tony Romo went from being an undrafted free agent from a small college in the Midwest to a record-setting starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He went from no television commentary experience to one of the most lauded new NFL commentators on TV and helping to broadcast the last year’s Super Bowl last from Atlanta.

Now, he’s gone from an avid recreational golfer to advancing past the first stage of PGA Tour qualifying in an unlikely bid to make it as a member of the PGA Tour, playing with the most accomplished professional golfers in the world. He’s been given multiple chances to tee it up with best, including he’s recent round at the Safeway Classic where he fired and impressive 70 in the first round before missing the cut with a nervous 78 in round two.

While it’s too early to tell how his latest endeavor will pan out, it’s also far too early to bet against Romo the golfer.

Especially after he has hired a PGA Tour golf instructor, Plano’s Chris O’Connell, who has worked with some of golf’s best professional players, including Matt Kuchar and Hunter Mahan, to aid his long-shot quest of earning a living in a sport he has loved his entire life.

Romo achieved his biggest golfing success last fall when he advanced to the first stage of a PGA Tour Web.com qualifying tournament by finishing in the top 30 in the field against 86 professional golfers at Lewisville’s Lantana Golf Club.

“I think it’s incredible that he wants to do this and is willing to put in the

time to do it,” said multiple PGA Tour winner Rickie Fowler. “One thing about pro golf and qualifying school is that there are no exemptions, you have to earn your way in and that’s what Tony did in the first stage.”

“I’m a huge Tony Romo and NFL fan and it’s awesome that he would want to compete at the highest level,” said PGA Championship winner and 2017 Player of the Year Justin Thomas. “You have to remember he’s an elite, trained athlete and if he puts in the work and competition there is no reason that he can’t do it.”

Romo won his second nationallytelevised Celebrity Pro-Am at Lake Tahoe, Nevada in July, considered the top celebrity Pro-Am in the country with a host of top current and retiring golfing athletes and movie stars. He played on a sponsor’s exemption at the PGA Tour Fall Series event this fall in Northern California.

Here, Romo discusses his love for golf, competition and football, plus TV on where he sees his golf career going:

OTL: You have been hugely successful as an NFL starting quarterback, earned big praise as an NFL commentator, what’s the attraction for being so serious about a possible golfing career?

Tony Romo: When I’ve out playing golf by myself it just me and the game and that’s what I like. I’m always trying

to get better trying to improve my game and not worrying about others.

OTL: Most athletes enjoy golf or some other activity as a fun diversion or off day activity, when did you really get serious about it?

TR: I’ve always been interested in golf, seeing the competition, seeing if I can better. It’s day to day, week to week, exciting about playing the challenge. To me it’s about improvement, you know it’s going to be difficult. Against everybody.

OTL: So far, you have played in four professional tournaments, two on the Nationwide Tour (now Korn Ferry) and one on the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship and lastly at a Fall Series PGA Tour event in California. Are you discouraged by the results, encouraged or taking a wait and see attitude?

TR: Playing against the PGA tour I know I’m not very good, but I want to get better and get out on the practice field and hopefully I will continue to get better. I think expectations are there are all of us, but for me and golf I just wanted to get better. I think my ceiling is high, and tenacity and continued improvement will

give me a chance with my agility and ability

OTL: Now you’re in the middle of the NFL season with top games every week with Jim Nantz, does that affect your golf practice and playing schedule?

TR: Now, I get out of bed, I have a routine, and I grind it out to get better. I just want to see how good I can be. I think we could work something out (with CBS). Its competition, I’m a competitor and it’s the closest thing to football.

OTL: I know you’ve played a lot of golf with Dallas PGA Tour superstar Jordan Spieth at your home course Trinity Forest and are working with Tour teacher Chris O’Connell, how does that help you?

TR: You have to commit yourself to do the work. I just enjoy the competition of being on the course. I love the fact I can try to produce something and the fact people don’t think I can do it.

OTL: Is there some player or some other sports star which influenced you to continue to perfect your golf game?

TR: I just enjoy competing. I’ve see what (NBA Star) Step (Curry) has done and what I’ve done in the Web.com Tour and it’s competing,

just wanting to get better. That’s what I’m about.”

OTL: How would you describe your game?

TR: I’m a feel player. I try to practice while I play and just try to improve from one nine holes to another nine. Then I head to the practice tee to work on my mistakes and try to always get better.

OTL: Where there things in football which can help you in golf now?

TR: Sure. Part of what allows me to be successful in everything is my competitive nature to do my best and try to lead others. Some guys go backwards when they get towards the lead. I go forward no matter what sport I’m playing.

OTL: So a birdie putt can be like a touchdown pass?

TR: The more you’re under pressure situations, the better you respond. I have an understanding of the game and what it takes to win and be successful. Like on the golf course, when it is and is not the time to be more aggressive.

OTL: Now that you are on CBS, how does that mix with your golf?

TR: I’m an (TV) analyst so I always have to be ready and prepared to do the games, but this is competition for me. I’ve had some very good summers and have just gotten better and better. I want to see how this goes and how good I can do.”

OTL: Do you wish you could take it more seriously earlier on in your career so you could have more success? Maybe after you retire (from football), and play on the Champions Tour?

TR: No, not really. I just know I enjoy the competition and I’ll always play in something like this. I never really put in the effort to get really good when it was playing football, but now I do.

OTL: What about other sports?

TR: Hockey guys can rip it forever, but in golf you have to get up and down and you’ve got to hit it and put it in the hole. That’s the difference. It’s fascinating to see the inside of another sport and see what they do. You can always try to do what they do, they don’t try what I do.

OTL: Have you played with a lot of PGA Tour Players in the PGA’s Tour

Byron Nelson along with some fall series events and nationwide tour, what did you notice?

TR: They are more consistent, they don’t miss a shot. This is a game where one shot can be a huge difference. I’ve played with some Nationwide Tour guys and they are good, but for some reason, they are not at the PGA Tour level yet.

OTL: Are you concerned about playing in the Texas State Open or other events and about coming out here with little or no success in front of a gallery?

TR: It’ s great to see people out to watch me, they may not always been there, but they are here now. I’m done caring about how people perceive me, I just want to be the best I can be. I quit caring about what people thought about me a long time ago in golf, football and now TV.

OTL: You played in the Sonoma Fall Series Event during a CBS football televising week, are your concerned the two new careers might conflict?

TR: I think we could work something out. It’s competition, I’m a competitor and it’s the closest thing to football. The great thing about my new (golf) career is golf is a game where you can suck today, but you’ll try again tomorrow.

Seven Grand should be your new favorite bar

STORY BY HARRY JARVIS

What’s your idea of a great bar? Is it a place where you can drink a beer while listening to your favorite tunes on a jukebox and playing pool, or is it smoking a fine cigar while lounging on brass-studded leather furniture enjoying a rare single malt served by a bartender wearing vest and tie? Or is it perhaps enjoying something made closer to home and discussing the nuances of the mash-bill of a local craft whiskey with a tattooed hipster mixologist?

even Grand, the single-spirit-concept whiskey bar at 405 E 7th St in downtown Austin, is all of those and more. To say it’s an unusual concept might be pushing it, but it’s not a stretch to say they take the fine/ funky whiskey bar to a fine new level.

The original Seven Grand, aptly located at the corner of Seventh and Grand streets in downtown Los Angeles, was inspired by The Stags’ Head in Dublin. Cedd Wilson, founder, and Los Angeles based serial saloonkeeper, was inspired by the warmth, friendliness, and ambiance he experienced and decided to replicate it in LA. That included the hunting trophies on the wall, the dark stuffed leather booths, and the focus on whiskey. Seven Grand took that focus to its extreme and dedicated itself exclusively to whiskey. To some people, that sounds like heaven. To others, it’s intimidating as hell. Facing a thirty-foot-long bar fronting shelves with over four hundred different whiskeys CAN be daunting.

So how do you make a wall of bottles with unpronounceable names friendly, warm, and inviting? Deftly, through the passion, dedication, and attitude of the management and staff. Their ownership group’s name, Pouring with Heart Hospitality, gives a strong clue to their commitment to making their bars a place where people love to go and can even feel at home.

According to Tom Koerner, Spirit Guide (already an unusual management title for a bar) at Seven Grand Austin, “Our main goal as an organization is community, and our core values serving those goals are taking care of each other as if we are friends and family. So, we

start with the people we work with and then extend that across the bar to whoever walks in the door.”

At its core, Seven Grand is just a bar. The cocktail menu is centered around five core whiskey cocktails, Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Rye Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and Mint Julep, but their staff is trained to make you just about anything. They have local Texas beers on tap, house red and white wines, and if you must have a gin and tonic, they can accommodate you, but for those that want to explore the wall, there is the Whiskey Bible, the full catalog of available whiskeys. Steve White, general manager of Seven Grand and her adjacent sister bar, Las Perlas Mezcaleria, says the guiding principle behind what they carry is a balance between opinion, price, and interest. “While there are some very cool and interesting whiskeys out there, and we as a Seven Grand team seek them out to enjoy, more often than not, the general public couldn’t care less. On the other hand, they do look to us as a resource and guiding light to steer them towards something they will enjoy. That, above all else is paramount: will the guest enjoy it.”

Steve and his team make sure they can stand behind any whiskey they include “because if we all understand and appreciate the intricacies of the spirit and the effort that goes into making it, then it is an easy winwin suggestion. I want to put something in front of somebody that is delicious AND affordable - though it doesn’t have to be affordable. OK, Delicious first, then affordable. I would like something for everybody, and that also includes the guy who insists on Macallan 25.”

Steve notes that the customers keep them on their toes, too. “The public is aware of a lot. Like, all of it. All

the time. People ask for things even I didn’t know existed. I try to keep up, but there is a new whiskey released every day it would seem.”

Mainly his focus is on expanding lineups from the current distilleries they know and love. Chances are, a company that has been producing whiskey for decades, is going to put out some good juice in their new and innovative expression, so I fill the empty spaces with those first. Lastly, there are what I like to call “street cred” bottles or “baller” bottles. These are the whiskeys we can’t pass up because they’re just too good, too rare, one-offs, LTOs, or unicorns, etc. It’s the bottle that when someone sees it, they say “whoa! You guys have that?!”“Those are always fun to seek out.”

A big part of Seven Grand’s community building is education. With so many whiskeys on the wall, it can be hard to know what to ask for first. The staff wants you to feel comfortable asking your bartender for suggestions – they’ll be delighted to share their knowledge but won’t push it on you. “It’s always a conversation, never a lecture.”

If you want to go for deeper knowledge, attend some of their Whiskey Society events (you can book the inexpensive tickets through their website). These are informal tasting and speaking series occurring at least once a week and frequently more often.

Tom Koerner uses his extensive connections in the industry, getting distillers, blenders, and brand ambassadors from around the world to come to Seven Grand and spend a couple of hours sharing and tasting their whisk(e)y (all spellings welcome here) with groups of customers. They range from exclusive tastings of rare Japanese whiskeys to

blind tastings of screw-top bourbons and anything in between.

Tom really shines, though when collaborating with Texas whiskey makers. “It’s been so fun to work with the Texas whiskey producers. “We’re not just the LA whiskey bar. We’re here in Texas because Texas loves whiskey, and we love whiskey, so as we connect with the guys that are doing some amazing stuff, we want to be a mouthpiece for them and get them the exposure they deserve.”

Not surprisingly, the four Seven Grand bars (LA, San Diego, Denver, and Austin) share a look and feel borrowed from the original location. They all have the same teastained bird-hunting-themed wallpaper. They each have a proprietary tartan design used somewhere boldly in the bars. They all have taxidermy on the walls, and they all have a diorama at their entrance. Austin’s tartan is used in their carpet, and the wall-mounted trophies include a few jackalopes. Their diorama is a bird-hunting one featuring pheasants. Austin’s Seven Grand also shares a patio, food counter, and point-of-sale system with its sister bar, Las Perlas, next door. You can open a tab in one bar and close it at the other one. Recently, they began

offering live music on the weekends.

At Seven Grand, they take ‘community’ seriously, and it’s true throughout the Pouring with Heart group. They want their staff to feel like part of a growing company with a personal future and a career within it, not just a hop from bar to bar making tips. Additionally, every location has a special cocktail that donates money to homeless charities.

The original bar was purposefully located in a downtrodden part of downtown LA in 2007 to contribute to its now-successful revitalization. Seven Grand Austin’s location - less than a block from the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless - was not an accident, but a continuing commitment to trying to revitalize the city center.

Though it’s only one block over from Austin’s famous 6th Street bar zone, the vibe is much more real than the neon, and the crowds there would have you believe. A sad reality is that downtown Austin isn’t a party for everyone. Seven Grand is aware and wants to help build a community that can make a difference. Amazingly, they would like you to be a part of it.

As difficult as it is to even think about red wine in a Texas summer, we need to talk about some alternatives to that ubiquitous steakhouse Cali-Cabernet that will bring new life to your culinary experience!

If you’re like me, variety and freedom are a huge part of a dining experience. So, when at a great restaurant, why not give the wine list just as much love as the menu? I can guarantee, some alternatives that will open a world of flavor that will enhance the overall enjoyment. A little exploration will impress friends, and possibly even save some cash from the usual ultra-extracted, extra-oaked fruit bombs currently in high demand.

Starting off, a thin-skinned varietal seems a good way to go... thicker skins = higher extraction = more tannin (typically), which can lead to palette fatigue. With a few rare exceptions, the juice of a grape, no matter what color the skin, comes out clear. The way red and rosé wines get their color is a process called maceration. As the juice ferments, one of the by-products is heat... as the juice heats up, it leeches the pigmentation, or anthocyanins, out of the skins. With rosé, there is very short contact before the skins are pulled off, giving the pink, rather than the various shades of red.

Branching out Getting to love the list RED WINE

STORY BY TONY SCHLOTZHAUER

The most common thinskinned variety of red grape is Pinot Noir. California produces some of the most popular, fruitdriven Pinot Noirs that exist, with some of the best coming from the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Santa Barbara. Oregon Pinot Noir, however, may be the perfect bridge to recognizing the structural components of a very finicky grape that generally prefers a cooler climate. Here, the fruit is lush and beautifully ripe,

benefiting from the extra hours of daylight indicative of the region. The cooler Oregon climate also helps boost the acidity necessary to balance the textural components. These wines will age far better than those that lack this balance.

The storied region of Burgundy is the home of this noble variety, with some believing that the Celts were growing vines there since the Romans conquered Gaul in 51 BC. The most structured and beautiful Pinot Noirs wines in the world are made here. In general, these winemakers believe that creating a sense of place and time is the key to the allure of these wines, as opposed to making a product that tastes the same from year to year. For a good value, try a Bourgogne Rouge, or if you want to try, in this writer’s humble opinion, the best wines that exist, venture to a Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny or Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Just south of Burgundy is the small region of Beaujolais, famed for the other red Burgundy grape variety, Gamay. I like to think of these wines as “Thanksgiving Wine”; they can pair with almost anything on the dinner table.

Gamay based wines are unique in that they are often fermented, by semi-carbonic maceration. The grapes are put into large, closed vats allowing the natural weight to crush the bottom grapes. When the juice from those start to ferment, the carbon and heat emitted cause the rest

to explode or intercellularly ferment. This process gives Beaujolais a fruity, bubble-gummy expression.

The categories of Beaujolais include the simple Beaujolais Nouveau, created to celebrate the end of harvest, Beaujolais Villages, which is more complex and more structurally advanced, and Cru Beaujolais, which can only come from one of ten selected villages that express a unique terroir. Cru Beaujolais have the most versatility and complexity of the three.

Another notable lighter-hued wine is the Italian Nebbiolo. These come from the Piedmontese regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, and in contradiction to their appearance, have massive tannins and acid structure. While the dried floral aromatics will captivate you (the complexity is incredible), the ageability is phenomenal –these wines simply get better and better with time.

Sangiovese wines from the Tuscan regions of Chianti and Montalcino are the perfect mate to pizza, pasta, or other tomato-based sauce recipes, without exhausting the palette for the ambitious eaters out there.

Moving to the medium-bodied category, and possibly the best new-world cabernet drinkers alternative, the Rioja region of Spain, maybe the best value in worldclass wines. The Tempranillo-based wines here are the great conduit out of fruit-bombs, and into red-fruited, creamy coconut bliss. Many Rioja wineries have their own aging facilities, where they mature their juice in

Appalachian Oak, sometimes over five to ten years before release. Do yourself a favor and taste what a perfectly aged, structurally sound wine can express. A bonus here is that American Oak often runs half the price of French, so the costs associated with these, coupled with a quite modest economy in Spain, can save you a heap of money.

Other medium-bodied gems include funky, green and red noted Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley of France, and notably the Chinon region. This variety is also fantastic from Virginia and The Finger Lakes region of New York.

The Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre based blends of the Southern Rhône region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be a versatile catch-all for your chef-inspired, ingredient-heavy meals or just a really good burger. They can include up to thirteen different grapes varieties within the blend.

Finally, there are the big boys. Napa Cabs are king on this side of the pond, and I’m all for the hometown love. However, there’s an entire world of incredibly made full-bodied wines that would turn a seasoned Silver Oak lover into an international oenophile.

Outside of Bordeaux, there are a handful of French full-bodied reds that can compete in that category. One stand-out in particular is Syrah. This savory, brooding wine that can be blended even

with white varieties to give it a lift. Black pepper and beef jerky are fun descriptors when discussing these wines. Try a Côte-Rôtie for a delicious take... it’s typically Syrah, co-fermented with a small percentage of Viognier. There are also Cornasthese are 100% Syrah and powerful as can be. Syrah is also made with differing characteristics in Australia (Shiraz) and is even made in a riper style in the USA.

Though a completely unrelated grape, Petit Sirah is used to create an even inkier, dark wine in California. If you want a mouth-coating bruiser, there’s nothing better (or bigger).

Red Zinfandel is another incredibly fruitforward, high-alcohol red that can have a ton of peachy-vanilla oak characteristics. You’ve probably already unknowingly enjoyed this one if you’ve ordered Prisoner red in the past. Lodi, CA is a classic appellation for this variety.

In the deep red category, let’s not forget that dark-fruited, black pepper bomb, Malbec. Mostly grown in Argentina these days, Malbec is a Bordeaux varietal that is still made in a structured style called Côt in southwestern France.

Finally, the red that outweighs them all is from Italy. In the DOCG appellation of Valpolicella (Veneto region), Amarone Della Valpolicella is a wine that comes from a unique process called appassimento. In this process, the Corvina and Rondinella grapes are laid on straw mats and are allowed to dry out for several months. This concentrates the juice to the point of having massive sugar content. The resulting alcohol levels can be up to 17% at times. Amarone is perfect for anything from a Ribeye to Blue Cheeses with its residual sugar content.

For benchmark producers, look for Quintarelli. They produce a traditional easy-drinking style with more neutral oak and less extraction. For a mouth-filling more modern style, try a Frenchoaked styled, Dal Forno.

These are just a touch of what can be included on a world-class wine list and can be an amazing alternative to the California Cabernets. After all, there’s a reason Sommeliers work so hard to build a massive base of knowledge… it’s there to enhance the culinary experience every time you dine.

CHEERS!

ABOUT TONY SCHLOTZHAUER, ORIGINALLY FROM ORANGE COUNTY/LOS ANGELES,TONY HAS BEEN A SOMMELIER FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS. HE CURRENTLY WORKS FOR JEFFREY’S IN CLARKSVILLE.

Circuit of The Americas Brings F1 to Town

STORY BY BY MICHELLE KELLER

Little can compare to the feeling of the rumble in your throat when the rubber meets the road at a Formula One (F1) United States Grand Prix. The need for speed is undeniable for drivers who travel across the world to race in this mega international circuit. Austinites along with many travelers are about to experience that rush as F1 comes to Circuit of the Americas this November.

F1 is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950.

Circuit of The Americas is a champion destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the U.S. On 1,500 acres of rolling hills outside downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music since 2012. At its core is a 3.31-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world’s most stringent competitors all while providing an extreme thrill experience for spectators.

A 20-turn, counterclockwise ircuit around an aggressive 133-foot hill at Turn 1 must be seen to be believed. This track is home to the only F1 and MotoGP race in the U.S., the United States Grand Prix and Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas--and has played host to ESPN’s X Games, the FIA World Endurance CHampionship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Pirelli World Challenge and so much more. Austin360 Amphitheater is located within the track.

The largest permanent outdoor amphitheater in Central Texas, Austin360 has hosted some of the biggest music and entertainment names including Texas icon Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, KISS, Nine Inch Nails, Kanye West, Maroon 5, and many others.

This dynamic event expects to draw a crowd of more than 200,000. F1 provides hospitality experiences that are unparallelled. On track you’ll see spectacular scenes as drivers take-off up towards Turn 1. Off track, feel the explosion that happens when F1 and the US collide.

At the center of this collision is hospitality Paddock Club.Here you’ll rub shoulders with F1 legends as they prepare for lights out. You’ll have the opportunity to walk the pit lane to marvel at the race-ready cars. Every beast roar can be felt past the grid as you watch hectic pit stops in world-class hospitality.

According to sources, Paddock Club is where some of the world’s greatest business partnerships, deals and agreements have taken place. Previous attendees say there may be something in the air. Officials say it could be the extravagant champagne or simply the luxurious hospitality in a stunning location with a world racing event happening in their presence.

Every detail is obsessed over to ensure the perfect conditions at every circuit to enable legendary business writing. Experiences only available at F1 offer a laid back atmosphere in the middle of the world’s fastest thrill sport. Historically, legendary business has been written in this very spot.

Included in F1’s experiences are the opportunity to meet with some of the biggest names from the F1 world

in a personal setting on Saturday or Sunday of the race weekend. During an executive Q&A session guests will have the opportunity to learn the inner workings and day-to-day operations. Spectators will have more than just memories to take home as exclusive gifts are included along with a race program that details all of the events during the race weekend.

“Wow! What can I say, what a tremendous success from start to finish. Thank you to all the F1 Experiences staff-my kids and I loved every minute of it,” a visitor of the 2019 British Grand Prix said. Another said, “Thank you to all the staff that made our experience at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix a once in a lifetime. We had a fabulous time in Montreal and would do it again in a heartbeat.”

In Austria a guest commented, “My husband and I had the most incredible experience. I can’t stop raving about the overall experience. The Paddock Club staff were AMAZING! There was not one employee that was not smiling, which says a lot when catering to that many people/personalities and still carry on with a smile.”

PiNK! and Imagine Dragons will both honor the Amphitheater and make their mark performing during F1. Grammy-winning superstars, both acts will be featured during the F1 United States Grand Prix. Imagine Dragons will play on Friday, November 1 with PiNK! following on Saturday.

With a double-platinum 2000 debut album “Can’t Take Me Home,” Pennsylvania native PiNK! Has sold more than 40 million albums across seven releases, with chart-topping singles. A new album “Hurts 2B Human” is set to release in April of 2020.

Las Vegas originals, Imagine Dragons are Grammy recipients for Best Rock Performance with “Radioactive” from their 2012 debut album “Night Visions”. Performing during halftime of this year’s NCAA football championship game in January, the band also played Austin360 Amphitheater in August of 2018.

Private suite options at Circuit of the Americas include Turn 13 Trackside Suites; Turn 13 Skyboxes; Main Grandstand Suites; and the Main Grandstand Loge Box.

For more information visit www.f1experiences. com or www.circuitoftheamericas.com.

Camping Vs. Glamping

STORY BY KELLY VOHNN

Ilove the outdoors and often find myself longing for the moment I can take a breather and escape from reality for a night or two amongst nature. To go somewhere that allows me to still check messages but not be glued to my phone. Somewhere that I can go hiking and enjoy a camp fire. My carefree spirit yearns for camping but what does that even look like nowadays?

As a child, we would go on camping trips often and it seemed like it was a huge ordeal. Our tent was massive and the attached label boasted it slept 10 men so there was plenty of room for my parents, myself and my two younger siblings and our Malamute, appropriately named Rebel. Erecting this tent with 3 young children must have been interesting for my parents. Each mealtime was a huge task of preparing, then cooking over fire and or Coleman stove, eating with plastic cookware and the washing and drying afterwards. Washing meant we had to boil water over the fire or stove to have sanitary, soapy water in one tub to clean with and another with clear, hot water to rinse.

Things have come a long way since I was a child with collapsible cookware and freeze dried, dehydrated foods that are easily stored and transported for convenience especially when portaging. My boyfriend has three different cooking devices that range from a 4 burner stove to something the size of a mug to heat a one serving portion of astronaut food which he claims

“does the trick”. Backpack camping has become more popular for avid hikers so consequently everything you need can be folded to miniature sizes and lightweight for easy transporting.

Or there’s the ever so popular cottages aka cabins that are usually found nestled in the woods or on a lake filled with similar luxuries of home but you still get to enjoy the great outdoors which could classify as Glamping. Glamorous camping also takes on many forms as does camping. Both of these originated in the UK. Camping became popularized in the 1880’s on River Thames and the first recorded version of “Glamping” happened in 1520 during a diplomatic summit in Northern France involving 2,800 tents and fountains running with red wine. Although the word “Glamping” first appeared in 2005 in the United Kingdom some 500 years after its first journey.

So the question is Camping or Glamping? I think both are fun and can be equally adventurous and done pretty much anywhere in the world. Take out your maps and plan your next destination and let us know which you prefer.

CIGAR LOUNGE ETIQUETTE

STORY BY TARA LEE MALONEY

The lounge is a great place to make friends with people who may or may not share all of your interests but shares at least one, cigars. There may be some who like whiskey and others who enjoy rum. There will be those who like running or rowing or sitting on a couch. You might meet a neurosurgeon or an auto mechanic. I will promise you, no matter what, they will be interesting and well read. This is a place to relax and enjoy conversations or read a book, therefore, there are unwritten rules.

Conversations will run the gambit from religion to sports to politics. These topics can be fun discussions with those you know but can become heated conversations with those you don’t know. Always be aware of your surroundings and tone. In my lounge, we have many views so we don’t always agree on the bottom line. We all agree there are different opinions on a lot of topics but we are all polite and listen to each other’s opinions and in the end agree to disagree and walk away friendly. This has worked for many years. How do I know it works? The next time they are in the lounge together they laugh, drink, watch a game and smoking together.

We all remember kindergarten rules; treat others as you want to be treated and share. If someone sits and then realizes they don’t have their cutter or lighter, offer yours. Please just remember when using someone’s else’s cutter, don’t lick your cigar before cutting it. Seriously. If you have a bottle of whiskey or other alcohol, offer those near you an opportunity to have some. If you partake, always remember to take a small amount or make sure next time bring something to share. Almost all of us have phones these days and a lot of us do some work while at the lounge, so

if you have to take a call, remove yourself from the lounge area. I hate being a captive audience to someone else’s conversations. This all goes back to treat others with respect.

Respect for the business is important. How do you show respect? BUY A CIGAR!

I go to a lounge in Florida which is a bar with a small humidor. I always check the humidor for something to smoke, even though they have told me I can just buy a drink. When you go into a lounge, the business owner is providing you a comfortable place to smoke inside; we all know there are not many inside places to smoke any longer. The margins on cigars are pretty small, so when you bring one from the outside you are taking money from the store. And please don’t tell me, “It is a Cuban. I can’t get that here.” We know this. There are plenty of fine cigars to choose from in the humidor. This is why you have come to this lounge. This is the bread and butter of the industry and the owner and employees livelihood.

I enjoy going to cigar lounges all over the United States. You will enjoy them even more if you remember some simple rules of etiquette.

1 Avery Ranch Golf Club

512-248-2442

www.averyranchgolf.com

2 Harvey Penick Golf Campus

www.harveypenickgc.com

512-926-1100

3 River Place Country Club

www.riverplaceclub.com

512-346-1114

4 The University of Texas Golf Club

www.utgolfclub.com

512-266-6464

5 Barton Creek Country Club

512-329-7999

www.omnihotels.com/hotels/ austin-barton-creek/golf

6 The Hills of Lakeway 512-261-7200

www.clubcorp.com/Clubs/ The-Hills-of-Lakeway

7 Falconhead Golf Course 512-402-1558

www.falconheadaustin.com

8 Grey Rock Golf Club 512-288-4297

www.greyrockgolfandtennis.com

9 Austin Country Club 512-328-0090

www.austincountryclub.com

10 Onion Creek Club 512-282-2150

www.onioncreekclub.com

11 Cimarron Hills 512-763-8700

www.cimarronhills.com/golfcourse

12 Balcones Country Club 512-258-1621

www.balconescountryclub.com

13 Jimmy Clay & Roy Kizer Golf Course

512-974-4653

www.austintexas.gov/golfatx

14 Morris Williams Golf Course

512- 974-8333

www.austintexas.gov/golfatx

15 Lions Municipal Golf Course

512- 477-6963

www.austintexas.gov/golfatx

16 Great Hills Country Club 512-345-6940

www.greathillscc.org

17 Spanish Oaks Golf Club 512-421-8530

www.spanishoaksgc.com

18 Blackhawk Golf Club 512-251-9000

www.blackhawkgolf.com

19 Forest Creek Golf Club 512-388-2874

www.forestcreek.com

20 Teravista Golf Club 512-651-9850

www.teravistagolf.com

21 Twin Creeks Country Club 512-331-5900

www.twincreeksclub.com

22 Georgetown Country Club 512-930-4577

www.georgetowncountryclub. net

23 Lake Cliff Golf Club 830-798-0695

www.lakecliff.com

24 Boot Ranch Golf Club 830-997-6200

www.bootranch.com/golf

25 Wolfdancer Golf Club 512-308-4770

www.wolfdancergolfclub.com

26. Landa Park Golf Course 830-221-4350

landaparkgolfcourse.com

27 La Cantera Golf Club

www.lacanteragolfclub.com 210-558-4653

28 The Quarry Golf Club 210-824-4500

www.quarrygolf.com

29 Golf Club at Briggs Ranch 210-670-9400

www.briggsgolf.com

30 Dominion Country Club 210-698-3364

www.the-dominion.com

31 Canyon Springs Golf Club 210-497-1770

www.canyonspringsgc.com

32 TPC San Antonio 210-491-5800

www.tpc.com/sanantonio

33 Cordillera Ranch Golf Club 830-336-3571

www.cordilleraranch.com/ cordillera-golf-club

34 Tapatio Springs Resort & Conference Center 830-443-9681

www.tapatioresort.com

35 Escondido Golf & Lake Club 830-598-7800

www.escondidotexas.com

36 Horseshoe Bay Resort 877-611-0112

www.hsbresort.com/activities/ golf