Issuu

JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn resort & Spa

Luxurious Fun in the Sun

Club f l o G a r i v i u ito & Q n o B o l b e u P Duo: c i m a n y D cape s o E b n Ca a e b i r r af A Ca t s u G l r a C e Le r è i r r a B l e t Hô rse u o C m a h O’od s ’ k c i t S g Talkin

Volume 1, Issue 3

FEATURES 12

HÔTEL BARRIÈRE LE CARL GUSTAF

PLAYING RESTAURANT

Exquisite sunsets, a gentle ocean breeze, enticing cuisine and tropical gardens entice you explore this hidden gem of the Caribbean. Leslie Stevenson Instead of dining out, you can flex your culinary skills at home. Showcase recipes that have been handed down, all made with love. Richard Arebalo

JW MARRIOTT CAMELBACK INN

125 acres of Pueblo Revival architecture nestled in a desert valley surrounded by mountains with luxury to spare is an amazing feat in the middle of a major metro area. Richard Arebalo

TALKING STICK, O’ODHAM COURSE From humbling views atop mountain trails to rapturous cotton candy sunsets over jagged peaks, there are so many things in the Valley of the Sun that one simply must experience firsthand. Carl Mickelson

TIARA 43 LE REVIEW

The Tiara 43 LE combines high performance and luxury that will leave both guests and owners completely thrilled with overnight jaunts as well as extended travel adventures. DSR

JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn resort & Spa

Luxurious Fun in the Sun

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ira Golf Club Bonito & Quiv c Duo: Pueblo Cabo Dynami an Escape taf’s Carribe e Le Carl Gus Hôtel Barrièr rse Cou m k’s O’odha Talking Stic

ON THE COVER JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn is a luxurious throwback with modern flair.

Contents COLUMNS 18

FITNESS

YOGA

PUTT FOR DOUGH

DRIVE FOR SHOW

GOLF TECH

Having a strong core allows you to generate more power in your golf swing.

More core to score. Keeping working on your core to improve accuracy and increasing or maintaining distance.

Home sweet home. Take it to the open road with Luxury Motorcoach travel.

TRAVEL

Cabo’s finest duo, Pueblo Bonito Resorts and Quivira Golf Club.

Give the graduation gift that keeps giving, contribute to a Roth IRA.

BUCKS TIPS

Practice with purpose. Good golfers understand that you learn what to practice from how you play.

ON YOUR GAME

The next big thing is here, PGA Tour player Will Zalatoris.

WINE

French wine. Where is grows, it shows. Explore the origins and learn what to expect with your wine choices.

CIGAR

How to pick and puff. Plus a few other tips to know before to light up.

New game improvement wedge system from Cleveland Golf. Dial it in.

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From the Publisher

One for the ages Just when you’ve thought you have seen it all, wonders never cease. A few weeks ago, Tiger Woods makes an astonishing comeback to play in The Masters. I’ll be the first one to admit, that when I first saw images of his crash, it seemed probable that we had seen the last of him. The mangled car looked as if no one could have survived the wreck. After more information about the accident surfaced that included details of the speed at the time of impact, it seemed even more improbable that he should not survive the crash. But, after months in a hospital, and numerous surgeries, somehow Tiger was on the mend. During a press conference in December, he admitted that not only would he not play full-time golf again, but there was a chance he was done playing professional golf. Enter young Charlie Woods, son of the legendary superstar. Charlie and Tiger had played the father-son PNC event back in 2020. It was young Woods’s introduction to the golf spotlight. The world immediately saw there was a young “Tiger” on the prowl. No doubt Tiger wanted to get back on his feet to perhaps compete in the 2021 event. Not wanting to disappoint his son, somehow Woods recovered enough to swing a club and commit to the event. With everyone speculating on what this meant as a comeback, Woods trampled down expectations and said this was not a tour-type event. He said he would be riding in a cart and to him, it was like playing in an exhibition. We all tuned in to get a glimpse of Tiger, his swing, his walk, and his right leg which sustained the most severe injuries. Woods along with his doctors all said there was a real chance that he would lose it after the crash.

And what do you know, although he and Charlie didn’t win, they stole the show. Team Woods placed second only two shots behind John Daly and his son. Charlie had improved since we last saw him and his dad could swing a club at full speed. He still had his short game and he could walk. This was nothing short of a miracle. Fast forward a few months to April. Could the impossible happen? Could Tiger Woods return to Augusta for the 25th anniversary of his first Masters win? Surely he couldn’t come all the way back from the crash 13 months ago. Certainly, he couldn’t play in the Masters without a warm-up event. Woods flew into town to play a practice round a week before the event saying he wanted to see where his game was and if he felt he could win. He’s always said he wouldn’t play in an event unless he thought he could win. Well, the unimaginable happened, Woods played. On Thursday, April 7, Tiger Woods teed it up and was back competing in a major. Against all odds, he posted an under-par round. He would go on to make the cut and eventually finish in 47th place. By Sunday, it wasn’t about the scorecard, it was about Tiger’s return. Scottie Scheffler maintained his number one ranking and played marvelous golf to win his first major. Tiger once again showed us that anything is possible. His game and fortitude will forever inspire us to dare to dream and try the impossible even when all the odds and experts tell us it can’t be done. Enjoy the issue.

Sedric Walker • Publisher

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@otl_PHX

OTLPHX.com

@otlphx

PUBLISHER Sedric Walker

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR Carl Mickelson

ART DIRECTOR Leticia Galarza

TEACHING PROFESSIONAL Buck Mayers

FEATURES EDITOR Richard Arebalo

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kevin Chin, Leah Gruber Dillon Weishuhn

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katie Soltas, Allison Loots Leah Gruber, Leslie Stevenson, Art Stricklin, Nicole Pinter, Dr. Jeff Luke Michelle Keller, Mike Bailey INTERNET & DIGITAL Mario Rossi

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OTL_PHX magazine is published bi-monthly by Pristine Media, Inc. Executive, editorial,and advertising offices are located in Round Rock, Texas. Advertising rates furnished upon request. Advertisers warrant and represent that the descriptions and depictions of the products or services advertised are true in all respects. All advertising is subject to approval before acceptance. OTL reserves the right to refuse any ad for anyreason whatsoever. ©2022 by OTL. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the express written consent of OTL is strictly prohibited. Editorial queries and manuscripts should be directed to the editor via email, editor@otlgolf.com. All letters and their contents sent to OTL are sole property of OTL and may be used, printed, and published in any matter whatsoever without limit, obligation and liability to the author thereof. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and artists and not necessarily those of OTL or its advertisers. Manuscripts should be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. OTL assumes no responsibility or liability for the return of unsolicited artwork, manuscripts or pictures. Printed in the USA.

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Hôtel Barrière

Suite

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Exquisite sunsets, a gentle ocean breeze, enticing cuisine and tropical gardens are just a few of the countless experiences you will encounter when you explore the hidden gems of the Caribbean at Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf St Barth. Located Southeast of Anguilla, St Barth not only offers a unique location but also an opportunity to reconnect with nature and disconnect from the distractions of daily life.

Le Carl Gustaf STORY BY LESLIE STEVENSON

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unique historic address nestled on a hillside overlooking the island, between Caribbean land and sea, this getaway offers the story of a vibrant and iconic 80s hotel that is reinventing itself and writing a new page in its legendary history, enhanced by the prestigious interior design firm Gilles & Boissier.

The intimate Le Carl Gustaf offers 21 keys to its guests. Bungalows, suites, loft, and villa. On a gentle bluff that gives it the look of an anchored yacht’s prow and bridge, the Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf’s rooms, suites, and bungalows spread across a colonial-chic property overlooking the buzzing city. An elegant colonial house where you’re doing more than just visiting, you’re taking endless pleasure in making yourself at home. Whether you’d like a sea view, a quiet terrace, or both, you will not be disappointed upon arrival at the luxurious suites and villas.

THE ‘O’ ISSUE 2022

What better way to enjoy a vacation than partaking in fine cuisine and smooth wine? At Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf, guests are offered two unique dining options as well as a separate bar. At the Le Fouquet’s Brasserie, Chef Pierre Gagnaire has three Michelin stars with his only Parisian restaurant on Balzac Street. He was elected Best Chef of the World by his starred peers. The menu has a wide variety of options including starters such as Duck Foie Gras Terrine, Grilled Octopus in Sauce Chien, and vegetables with spring flowers and shoots accompanied by sweet wine jelly. Main dishes include pasta options, seafood, Prime Beef Filet, Grilled Lamb, and even a Cheeseburger. Finish off your meal with a selection of homemade sorbets and ice creams, a chocolate tart or if you would like to be adventurous, perhaps the Pineapple Carpaccio with basil, champagne, and Vodka granita. Whatever your pallet, Le Fouquet’s is sure to satisfy.

destination

Suite.

Just across the sandy pathway, Greek head chef Yiannis Kioroglou offers a whole range of tasty dishes that will give you a glimpse of a new culinary culture; simple, light, and generous recipes at Shellona. Dishes with attractive colors and flavors, ballets of cold and warm mezzes served on big turquoiseblue plates, all while enjoying the discreet refinement of a table in the shade. From the sweetness of Amalfi’s lemon trees to the rich flavors of the Cyclades and the iconic grills and marinades, the thoughtful cuisine is delicious, healthy, and flavourful.

T he Fouquets.

The Bar is no ordinary place to be, offering exclusive Signature Cocktails. A saffron Caipiroska, a sage Margarita, a chamomile Negroni, a Bloody Majestic. With a unique view of the serene lights of Gustavia’s little port, Fouquet’s Bar and its Signature Cocktails by Emanuele Balestra set the scene for the night, facing the Caribbean

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Sea where the jet-set sail their yachts. No need to fret, if cocktails are not your fancy, Caipiroska also offers delicious tapas. Caipiroska offers an intimate setting accompanied by the gentle ocean breeze and the sound of palm trees fluttering in the quiet evening. Named in honor of the woman who embodied French beauty: lovely, elegant, refined, at the Spa Diane Barrière the stage is set. You’ll enjoy a haven of refined wellness for a new experience of natural, pure and innovative treatments. Multi-sensory stimulation, personalized holistic care, or custom sculpting massage: take advantage of excellent care to soothe body and mind. Enjoy the benefits of products from the cosmetics brand Biologique Recherche. These pure, raw products are unlike those used in traditional cosmetology, featuring high concentrations of active ingredients obtained through high-quality extraction. After a visit to this charming spa, one is sure to leave feeling renewed and refreshed.

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Many vacation with a deep desire to see the world with fresh eyes, discover the untouched beauty and nature our world beholds, and at Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf, there are plentiful options for the adventurous and docile. Peddle to wild beaches or the iconic cobbled streets of Gustavia. Discover the island just the way you like while staying close to nature. The hotel offers guests free electric bikes to explore the island with ease. Perhaps planning a romantic day date is not your forte. Golden Key Head Concierge is available to organize your perfect day, picnic baskets are arranged so that you can enjoy a beautiful day on one of the many heavenly beaches dotted along the island’s coast, under the exclusive guidance of our Golden Key Head Concierge. Our Chef will be on hand to help you design your menu, based on your tastes and the season’s finest products. Saline, Gouverneur and Colombier beaches can also be discovered from the sea with the rental of

Destination

T he Fouquets.

a sailboat, catamaran, or motorboat.

ture a glimpse of it to take home.

Guests are welcome to explore more of the island outside of the hotel grounds, as the island of St. Barths is a haven for some spectacular marine fauna, such as the turtles that can be seen in Colombier Cove. Stunning plants blossom there too, as seen in Carl Gustaf ’s gorgeous garden, and the brilliant flowers and verdant palm trees that line the island’s roads. The deceptively chaotic-seeming architecture in Gustavia’s streets is just as beautiful to behold, as are the strong yet simultaneously delicate lines of the Carl Gustaf ’s façade (now over a hundred years old, and a survivor of the 2017 hurricane and many more before it). A colonial aesthetic seems to have seeped into the stone itself here, a sense of ancestral tradition spectacularly preserved. No guide is needed to enjoy these lovely sights, so be sure to bring a camera to cap-

Natural pools are within reach on the island as well. Go hiking to discover more, explore the wild paths, and admire the natural rocks. Hidden from the tourist routes, they are well-preserved gems. Accompanied by a guide, you will go for a bucolic walk along the wild coast, exploring its beaches and coves before climbing to reach the ideal spot with the perfect view. A few meters below you’ll see fifty shades of blue, where you can enjoy a swim in the welcoming, translucent waters. It is a breathtaking spot surrounded by rocky walls and gentle waves. Often it is uncomplicated to book a vacation to your favorite spot or arrange travel plans for a quick weekend getaway, but this year, dare to explore the Caribbean in a whole new way. Indulge in the finer things at Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf where relaxation, adventure, and new experiences await.

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Twisting Core STORY BY LEAH GRUBER PHOTOS BY DILLON WEISHUHN

Create a strong swing by creating a strong core! Having a strong core means you can generate more rotational power during your golf swing, meaning you will hit the ball further. To create a stronger core for your golf swing, not only do you need to work your rectus abdominus, but your obliques too. You can do this by incorporating twisting motions in your core exercises. Adding twisting core exercises has four primary benefits:

Side Plank with Rotation 3 sets of 8 each side Either on your feet or knee push up into a side plank position. Try to keep your hips high, squeeze your glutes, and push up through your shoulder. Slowly rotate your top hand under your bottom arm pit and then back up, feel your core twisting and bracing. You might find that your balance is really challenged in this position. (If you keep falling make the rotating movement smaller or put a knee down.)

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Benefits: 1. Stability 2. Generating more power 3. Protect your lower back from Injuries 4. Allows you to transfer your bodyweight properly through your swing Below is a twisting core routine to do a few times a week.

fitness

Russian Twist 3 sets of 20 Start by sitting tall and leaning back until you feel your abdominal muscles engage. Clasp your hands together, roll your shoulders back, and lift your chest up. Rotate from side to side slowly. Focus on rotating your upper body and not just your head.

Bicycle 3 sets of 20 Laying on the ground bring your shoulder to your opposite knee and switch sides. Hands behind your head gently supporting your neck. Make sure your shoulder blade is off the ground, abs pushing down, and knee at 90 degrees.

Bird Dog 3 sets of 8 each side Starting on your hands and knees extend your opposite arm and leg. Find your balance. If you feel good here we are going to add some movement by crunching your elbow and knee towards each other and then extending them out. Try to keep your head neutral, squeeze your glute, and push your abs in so you don’t arch your back. Focus on form and keep your abs pulled in! Create a strong swing by creating a strong core!

O T L G O L F. C O M OTLPHX.COM

Core to Score STORY BY NICOLE PINTER

Every golfer’s goal is to increase accuracy and distance and the best way to do it is to work on physical performance. Core strengths are the key to better distance. Working on your core can cre-

ate a more powerful golf swing. Instead of buying a new driver or spending money for lessons sometimes, just a simple workout can change your game.

The following yoga poses great to increase core strengths.

Bird dog OTLPHX / YOGA

Bird dog starts down on all fours and requires you to extend one leg out behind you until it’s parallel with the floor while extending the arm on your opposite side out in front. You may feel a little shaky at first since this is working your glutes and hips in addition to your core

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yoga

Bridge pose Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body, palms facing downwards, pressing into the floor. Bend your knees, planting the feet into the mat, hip width apart. Between your glutes and your ankles should be the distance of one handbreadth. Press firmly your feet into the ground, engage thighs and glutes.

Side plank Begin seated sideways on the floor with your right hand below your right shoulder and feet stacked. Lift your body into a side plank position so legs are long, keeping your abdominals engaged and your feet stacked. Hold for desired amount of time.

Plank Draw out your chest to the front coordinated with a big inhalation. Let your arms come perpendicularly to the floor and shoulders positioned at a point right over the wrists and the torso maintained parallel to the floor. Repeat these exercises daily and get your game to the next level.

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Give the Graduation Gift that Keeps on Giving Contribute to a Roth IRA

OTLPHX / PUTT FOR DOUGH

STORY BY BY ALLISON LOOTS, FPQPTM WEALTH MANAGEMENT TEAM, AUSTIN ASSET

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Graduates will soon be showered with gift cards and cash, according to an annual survey on graduation gift spending from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Overall spending on graduation gifts in 2018 was $5.2 billion, and the average gift-giver spent $102.51. Before shelling out cash on the latest Apple accessory for your child, niece or nephew, consider a more lasting gift. Seed a child’s retirement by making a contribution to a Roth IRA. Why give the gift of a retirement account? A $100,000 gift for just $1,000 down? Deposit $1,000 in a Roth IRA for a 15-year-old today and by age 75 they could have more than $100,000, assuming an 8 percent annualized return. If a child has earned income, money received from someone else can be used to fund an IRA. It doesn’t matter if the child is a teenager with some part-time income or a graduate with a full-time job. The only stipulation is that your child must have earned income -- not investment income -- that was at least equal to the amount of the contribution. A W-2 from an employer would show proof of income. Alternatively, if the child earned income from non-W-2 sources (babysitting, shoveling snow, etc.), be sure to keep precise records of how much they made. Worried about tying up funds that a child might need for future purchases, like a house down payment or furthering their education by attending graduate school? A Roth IRA offers the account holder a unique tool for accessing money in a pinch. You may withdraw your contributions (not earnings) from a Roth IRA at any time and any age without owing any income taxes on the money you take out. The reason: You have already paid taxes on the money you deposited. The earnings would continue to grow tax-free for retirement. Once the child sees the account grow, he may elect to leave these funds set aside for retirement and find another way to make that down payment. Applying for financial aid? Good news – the Free Financial Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) does not consider the value of a Roth IRA account as an asset the student or a parent is expected to spend to pay for education expenses. It’s important to always be mindful of the current year’s IRS contribution limit as these may change from year to year. You have until April 15th to contribute to your Roth IRA for the previous year. The Roth IRA contribution limit for 2021 is $6,000. The IRS limits are the same for 2022. If this appeals to you, the next step would be to open a Roth IRA with a reputable, low-fee financial services firm. If your child is 18, they will be able to open their own account. If they have not yet turned 18, you will need to open the account for them.

Home Sweet Home Take it to the Open Road, Luxury Motorcoach Travel STORY BY MICHELLE KELLER

OTLPHX / DRIVE FOR SHOW

The way we travel and the way we live is changing. Masks in public and six feet of distance isn’t a trend, it’s the new normal, at least for now. With cleanliness and safety being at the top of everyone’s list, I can think of no better way to see the world than in the comfort of your own luxury motorcoach or recreational vehicle. Don’t confuse my plan with cousin Eddie’s (Randy Quaid) “tenement on wheels” in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation my friends. Just as travel plans have changed, the world of RV’s has received magnificent transformations. Think more in the direction of Jack Byrnes’ RV (Robert Deniro), in Meet the Parents’ second film Meet the Fockers. Refined and practical with fantastic class, let’s talk about the motorcoach of your dreams. Awarded ‘Best Flightless Private Jet,’ by British GQ, Marchi Mobile’s eleMent and MMpro series is mobility that is tailored to your needs. If you’re looking for a VIP shuttle or an upscale motorhome, Marchi Mobile is the elite. With precise, state-of-the-art materials combined with detail and functionality, this operation combines motor-sports, luxury yachting and aviation, which is notably a first in the land of automotive. In an innovative design, science fiction literally meets reality in the Marchi Element Palazzo. The futuristic exterior design combined with the sharp interior and cockpitstyle seating will make you feel like the most important person on the planet. Crafted from marble over 60 mm thick, the outer layer weighs enough by itself to justify the Volvo motor that sits atop the Volvo chassis. Ultimately the best available RV at a cost of 3 million, the latest model includes sensored sliding doors for effortless entry, a rooftop deck complete with expandable dining furniture and every indoor luxury you can visualize. A 600 HP engine, the Newmar King Aire has a fully equipped interior that is a carbon copy of a palatial home. This unit offers everything from a completely furnished living room to a kitchen equipped with the latest appliances and a bedroom supplies the ultimate in luxury bedding. Newmar presents four all-new options for its full-paint Masterpiece™ finish, an industry-exclusive exterior graph-

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ics treatment that is carefully applied in-house. You also have your choice among four brand new interior décor palettes and four wood cabinetry stains, which feature a stunning ultra high-gloss finish. With a Harmon Infinity audio system, the sound of music or audiobooks is crystal clear in this motor coach. Wireless charging pads are outfitted in the cockpit along with an additional navigation center on the passenger side. Also a worthy mention is the Samsung notebook that controls the lights, shades, other electronics and many other functionalities. The point of any vacation and/or mini getaway is to relax and be entertained. The King Aire has a list of entertainment options guaranteed to entertain even cousin Eddie’s kids. (I only promised we wouldn’t arrive in a 1972 Ford Condor. Whether or not your family’s cousin Eddie and the kids guest star is your own little red wagon.) An expandable 4K LED Samsung TV will allow you to watch your faves in high definition with a Bose® Bluetooth compatible soundbar that offers. A second Samsung TV is also aboard for multiple viewing, and of course, internet connectivity comes with every package. Side awnings, LED lighting and an outdoor entertainment center including another Samsung TV make relaxing outside while Cousin Eddie’s kids and yours torture each other, a relaxing experience.

drive for show With just over 50 years of experience building high-quality recreational vehicles Newmar handcrafts each of its coaches individually. “We never designed RVs according to what we thought was best. We built the RVs our dealers asked for, based on what our shared customers were asking for from them,” CoFounder Marvin Miller said. “It’s lessons like these that will continue to shape our next half-century, one we will realize with help from each of our carefully selected dealers, highly skilled employees, and incredibly loyal customers.” Now that we’ve toured some examples of your permanent mobile getaway, let’s talk about where you’ll go. The differences between an RV Park and an RV Resort are many, my friends. In 2006’s film “RV”, pressured by work, Bob (Robin Williams), tries to mask a work trip with an adventurous RV trip to the Rocky Mountains with his family. Bob rents an RV from a questionable dealer, which starts a series of hilarious events that Bob must maneuver to keep his work trip a secret from his family. (Don’t be like Bob.) The RV park in the film is just that, a park. On a broader scale, an RV resort offers amenities such as luxury pools, cafes, dining hot spots and much more. In Buellton, California, you’ll love the modern and trendy twist at Flying Flags RV Resort. Attached to the registration office is a cafe with a patio featuring a huge fire pit and cozy environment. Around the corner are a luxury pool and spa with cabanas and beautifully renovated bathrooms. Aside from these great amenities (and there’s even more – a stage with concerts, yard games, dog park, etc.), Flying Flags has spacious and scenic RV sites, but also cute cottages, vintage trailers, and Airstreams for rent. Located in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, it’s surrounded by breathtaking views, a plethora of wineries, and a short drive to many popular attractions and destinations. Breckenridge, Colorado is an RV destination you can visit any time of the year. It’s one of the few Colorado mountain towns that have a year-round RV resort. Tiger Run RV Resort is only a nine-minute drive from the slopes, so for all you ski enthusiasts, get your snowshoes ready and hit the road. If skiing isn’t your cup of tea, you won’t run out of trails to explore, mountains to climb, and awe-inspiring views. Other mountain towns are at arm’s length, such as Frisco, Copper, and Keystone. A 12-minute drive and you’ll arrive at Dillon Reservoir, where you can paddle and boat in the summer or ice fish in the winter. The fall-changing aspens and clean, crisp Colorado air will be good for your skin and your mood. Tiger Run RV Resort’s location is undeniably everything you’ll need for your visit to Breckenridge. An indoor pool, two indoor spas, a common campfire area, a workout room, a cozy club room, a business center, and a game room assure your stay in complete comfort. Friends, these are certainly only a few of the places you can travel to aboard a luxury motorcoach.

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Playing Restaurant STORY AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD AREBALO

I have a very cherished food memory from when I was about ten years old. I’ve told it to folks many times over the years, but at a book signing recently, a local chef gave me a completely different perspective on it. I had the great luck of being born into a family with terrific cooks – my mom’s food was amazing; even my grandfather and dad were pretty adept on a BBQ grill, but some of my best memories were of my grandmother Santos’s cooking. grew up with excellent carne guisada, charro beans, deeply flavored with salt pork, and amazingly fragrant, garlicky Spanish rice, among many other dishes. But my grandmother was also particularly good at Southern cooking. She would prepare delicious panfried pork chops with mashed potatoes and pork gravy (served with a salad with French dressing,) her meatloaf recipe continues to make converts to this day, and she made an excellent fried chicken. But a dish I particularly loved was her chicken and dumplings. I liked that dish so much I wanted to share it. So one day I invited several friends from school, home to try it. Though we ate very well, my family was not into fancy food presentation – the good china gathered a lot of dust in the highest cabinets in the kitchen. For my friends though, I wanted everything to look special. I dug out some of the seldom-used china and set a nice table for them. I’ve always thought I was just doing what I saw on television, the fancy spread on all those family shows. When I told the story to the chef, he smiled widely and said, “you were playing restaurant!” I honestly felt bowled over. All my life, I thought I was just sharing good food. It never occurred to me that as a kid, I was already playing restauranteur. Fast forward a few decades, and I’m still “playing restaurant” for friends, but the difference is I get to have a lot more fun with the atmosphere, the table settings, and even the music.

Caviar ser vice.

Together with the help of a few very talented cooks and an actual chef or two, I’ve had the pleasure of putting together some really memorable dinners. As a souvenir, I even have the printed menus for some sixty-five dinners hosted since the late 1990s. To put a little extra context to my food mania, I have a relatively large collection of fine and vintage cookbooks. The collection includes many works by Michelinstarred chefs, rare cookbooks from the Grand hotels of the last century, and books from the chefs of the great Atlantic Ocean Liners. A treasured find a few years back was a 1912 first edition of Auguste Escoffier menus. (Chef to kings) I love sharing the experience of a fine meal, and I really love the idea of food as a kind of time travel. In 2012, one hundred years to the day, I recreated the last dinner on Titanic, making ten of the thirteen courses for twenty-four friends. They did me the great favor of dressing in white-tie (food aside, the ladies had more fun playing dress-up). I’ve recreated the inaugural dinner from the 1935 French Ocean Liner, Normandie, and treated friends to a meal I had on the Orient Express many years ago. In each case, I learned how to make things that are not very common anymore; clarified stocks, consommés, long-forgotten sauces, and rare desserts involving making my own flour. So, I guess I don’t mind a good challenge. A recent New Year’s Eve dinner allowed me to make something I’d wanted to try for a very long time. The recipe was from a special twelve-course dinner at the

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famed Le Cirque restaurant prepared by Chef Daniel Boulud for the food critic of GQ magazine sometime in the 1980s. Although the full dinner menu sounded amazing, it would have to stay on the back burner along with other Herculean tasks like “Babette’s Feast.” What had caught my attention was a beautiful picture of a dish called “Scallops in Black Tie.” It was a kind of scallop Wellington. I decided to tackle that as the challenge and build a classic menu around it as my NYE gift. For dinners like this, I like to go at least a full seven courses, and I try to make the visuals really shine. Since much of the meal would be Frenchinspired, I opted for Bernardaud porcelain. While

Fr esh Italian Winter tr uffles.

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B e e f Te n d e r l o i n and Sauce Bordelaise.

the large place plates are simple cobalt with splashes of gold stars, all the ancillary dishes focus on Parisian monuments. The dinner plates individually feature the architecture of twelve different world cities. A full complement of Christofle and vintage Cailar Bayard silver finished the table nicely. In some of the very old menus I have, I kept coming across the phrase “Hors d’oeuvre Lucullus.” They didn’t seem to be a specific thing, but more of a category. I learned that the ancient Roman general ‘Lucius Licinius Lucullus’ was so famous for his banqueting that the word “lucullan” now means lavish, luxurious, and gourmet. So, appetizers Lucullus meant anything over the top. I decided on small Petrossian blinis with sour cream and French caviar, toast points with truffled duck pâté, and smoked salmon topped with dill. The first course was served with a favorite Henriot Champagne. From the famous Lutèce restaurant in New York, I got the soup course. I’ve been making Chef André Soltner’s Shrimp Bisque for many years now – it’s a bit lighter than the traditional lobster version and is so much better with its garnish of sautéed shrimp. I paired the soup with a 12-year-old Don Zolio Amontillado. This particular sherry drinks beautifully and complements the cognac used in the soup. The fish course was the (happily successful) Scallops in Black Tie – Chef Boulud had taken large sea scallops and cut them horizontally. The layers are then filled with shaved black truffle. The whole is wrapped in blanched spinach and then in puff pastry cases. The scallops are then baked to a golden brown and served with a chicken jus reduced with truffle and vermouth. Chef Andy at Soto in Austin procured large, fresh Hokkaido scallops for me, and I had sourced fresh Italian truffles from D’Artagnan in New York. The truffles were a decent size, but most importantly, very fragrant. The trick seemed to keep everything very cold. As soon as the pastry warmed too much, it was nearly impossible to make the neat little packages, and using spinach as wrapping paper will not happen again soon. The results though, were worth the wait and effort. The scallops were picture perfect and a brilliant combination of flavors. Since we had started with Champagne, I paired the scallops with a 2016 Patient Cottat Sancerre. The gooseberry and grapefruit

Scallop in Black Tie.

acidity in the wine was a nice counterpoint to the scallops and the rich butter in the puff pastry. The main course was a little less creative, but it’s hard to beat a well-made beef tenderloin with a bordelaise sauce. Fondant potatoes cooked in chicken stock, butter, and thyme, and sautéed asparagus made for excellent sides. For the wine, I chose a 2006 Chateau Lagrange, Saint-Julien. The most common description for this third growth Bordeaux is “finesse.” Medium weight with black fruit, pencil shavings, and the smallest hint of vanilla, it was a great wine with the beef. I remember reading that the American custom of a salad before dinner was a restaurant invention in the mid-1900s. Restaurants needed something to keep customers busy while their food was being prepared, and so the salad was moved ahead of the main course. For our dinner, we had a small, simple salad after the main as a perfect palate cleanser. For dessert, I selected another recipe from Le Cirque. Many years ago, the New York Times printed their popular crème brûlée recipe, and it’s the one I’ve used ever since. (it’s straight forward, but from experience, not forgiving of shortcuts.) In Sommelier training about a decade ago, I learned

that you can pair sweet wines with sweet desserts and not yield too sweet an effect. To that end, I paired the lovely custards with a 2014 Chateau Doisy-Vedrinés Sauternes. The wine had aromas of honey and orange zest. The palate had enough acidity to brighten the sweetness, and the flavors of lemon, honey, and orange peel were wonderful. A French tradition I like very much is to serve fruit at the end of a meal. Though it may seem like too much, bit by bit, grapes are eaten over long conversation, cherries, and sometimes peaches vanish just the same. We finished our meal with a 1977 Sandeman port and coffee, and with just a few minutes to spare, we toasted the New Year with an “André Clouet 1911” Champagne. We finished our evening with some dancing and a bit more Champagne – I like to think that the ten-year-old me would have been over the moon. So now I’ve been “playing restaurant” for the better part of forty years. My friends kindly indulge me as sometimes the work can be a little overwhelming, but in the end, when we’ve enjoyed an extraordinary experience, some fine wine, and a great food memory was made – it makes the work so worthwhile.

OTLPHX.COM

SMART MOVE:

New game-improvement wedge system from Cleveland Golf OTLPHX / GOLF TECH

STORY BY MIKE BAILEY

About 25 years ago, I actually had the privilege of having none other than David Leadbetter himself assess my game. That’s when my handicap was its lowest, around 4 point something. In fact, shortly after the lesson, I recorded my lowest round ever, a couple under par, but it was a result of ball-striking that day, not my short game.

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golf tech

“You have the long game of a 1 or a 2,” he told me, “and the short game of an 18.” He might have been generous on the latter, although back then my woes were pretty much relegated to chipping and pitching (I was actually fairly comfortable in bunkers then). Now, I’m finally really focusing on short game. It hasn’t been easy. There are a lot of scars. Recently, I checked out the new Smart Sole 4 Wedges from Cleveland Golf ($120-$130 each). They were developed for high handicappers, and even though I’m still single digit, they spoke to me with their claims: “Smart Sole 4 is a straightforward game system for the everyday player. There’s no tricky swing changes or open faces. Just grab your wedge, square up to the ball, and take a swing. Embrace Easy: it’s a short-game enjoyed.” Could that possibly be true? The short game could be easy? Even enjoyed? I wanted to find out even though I already own a lot of nice wedges. If there’s a way to make this easier, I’m all in, even if these are game-improvement wedges. I’d like to be done with the dreaded miss a green, bad chip and three-putt double-bogey.

What makes the Smart Sole 4 System different? These aren’t the first game improvement wedges on the market, nor the last. Remember, the Alien wedge, for example, or the more recent C3i wedge. Those are a little out there, but not without merit in their design. They really were pretty easy to hit out of the sand, and if you don’t fight the design, not that difficult around the greens and from the fairway. And then there have been all kinds of chippers, like the Square Strike, for example. “If you can putt, you can chip” with the Square Strike, is the claim. But the Square Strike chipper has this bright plastic green insert in the clubhead. It screams how bad your chipping has to be to carry one. And the Alien Wedge and C3i seem to send that message as well. The Cleveland Smart Sole 4s are sleek, even though they have huge soles and a ton of bounce. And get this, one of the clubs in the set is actually a chipper. And it’s probably the best looking chipper you’ve ever seen. In fact, I played three rounds with it, used it on several occasions from off the green, and not once did anyone I play with say anything about it.

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Casey Shulz, product manager for Cleveland Golf, says the Smart Sole 4 chipper design is more “wedge-like” than other chippers because it features milled wedge grooves, and it can be used with either a putting stroke or a chipping stroke. “Interestingly, we have found some like to use the C as a pitching wedge alternative as well, with the length and loft combination working well for some players in approaching the green from a bit further out,” Shulz said. “With that in mind, the C, G, and S can also be featured together as a reasonably well-gapped set of wedges for longer shots as well when in the bag together.” Indeed, the chipper in the set has a shorter shaft at 34 inches, but it has 42 degrees of loft, which is similar to a pitching wedge. The gap wedge is 50 degrees, and the sand wedge is 58 degrees. Because they have wide three-tiered soles and lots of bounce, these are not the type of wedges you’re going to lay open. But then again, if you’re looking for something to make your short game a lot easier, you’re probably not doing a lot of that anyway. And yes, there are some things you should keep in mind with a wedge set like the Smart Sole 4. “As these are designed for players who likely struggle with their short game, emphasizing hitting down through the ball with a square face should help,” Shulz said. “The extra-wide sole and rounded leading edge are designed not to dig, so that added forgiveness on strikes behind the ball will greatly reduce chunking.” But are they foolproof? No, nothing is. You still have to have some clue to technique. A good setup with nice balance and tempo works well with any short game; this just gives players who struggle a bit a little more confidence. And that was the case with me. Here’s what I learned:

Hitting down with these clubs is the thought you want to have. Because of the bounce, even if you hit them a little heavy, the clubhead still seems to glide into the ball. The sand wedge is fairly easy out of the bunker if you don’t fight the design. With a square club face, it will come out with plenty of height and spin. If you’re going to err on the side of caution, hit behind the ball a little more rather than close to it. The ball also seemed to jump out of the bunker faster than with my regular 58-degree wedge, so I definitely didn’t have to swing hard. And I found the gap wedge to be easy to hit out of the fairway. It had a boring trajectory with a lot of spin when it hit the greens. It was definitely more forgiving than my regular gap wedge. And finally, all three clubs were good around the greens for chipping or short pitches. It took me a while to get used to making a putting stroke with a chipper, but now that I’ve got it down (I think), I’m wondering why I didn’t do this a few years ago. Of course, now that I get to pay senior rates at a lot of courses, I’m no longer embarrassed if anyone notices that I have a chipper. Most of all there’s no shame if I’m the one at the end of round collecting instead of doling it out because of it saved me a few shots.

SMART SOLE 4 WEDGE SPECS MODEL

LOFT

LIE

LENGHT

STEEL SW

GRAPHITE SW

42°

66°

34”

50°

64°

35.5”

58°

64°

35.25”

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JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa STORY BY RICHARD AREBALO OTL FEATUES EDITOR

Pueblo Revival or Santa Fe style draws inspiration from New Mexico’s ancient Pueblo architecture and the later colonial Spanish missions. Large and small structures typically incorporate smooth rounded walls made of adobe brick and feature wood-oriented elements like heavy doors, exposed wood beams, and awnings.

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Edward Loomis Bowes designed the Inn in the Pueblo Revival style and included Native American art in some of the interiors. The various “casitas” (Spanish for “little house”), typically on multiple levels, were built of adobe brick and had various exposed wood features. Though the current Inn is now much larger, the original project contained only seventy-five units spread across the large desert property. The grand project was financed by industrialist John C. Lincoln who owned the picturesque land between Camelback Mountain on the south and Mummy Mountain to the north. A fascinating gallery of vintage photos is located in the “Lincoln” Restaurant to the left of the main lobby. It gives an extraordinary visual history of the Inn as it evolved.

Pool Ca bana.

hile it’s not unusual to find Pueblo Revival architecture in Arizona, finding a hundred and twenty-five acres of it, nestled in a desert valley surrounded by mountains, in one of the nation’s largest cities is still a pretty good trick. A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of staying at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn, which confusingly is located in the very prestigious town of Paradise Valley. Though once a somewhat remote suburb of Phoenix, “PV” is now geographically central in the greater Phoenix area and is considered the wealthiest municipality in Arizona. The small town is well known for its luxury real estate, exclusive golf courses, high-end shopping, and great restaurants. The original Camelback Inn was founded in 1936 by Jack Stewart. The sportswriter and publicist from Nort Dakota was looking to build a western retreat but reportedly wanted an architecture distinct from the mostly “ranch style” options common at the time. Architect

J W C a m e l b a c k I n n B a r.

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Lincoln Patio.

While “Dude ranches” from Montana to California were hugely popular with wealthy northeasterners in the 1920s and 30s, the Camelback Inn was an early darling of the rich and famous from Hollywood. Famous and frequent guests included Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, and Bette Davis. Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower was a fond guest of the Inn, as were wealthy families like the Marriotts and Stouffers. A trove of the great family memories at the Inn actually inspired the purchase of the Inn in 1967. Ironically, the entry into the resort market was opposed by J. Willard Marriott Sr., who thought the price for the property was too high and felt their company lacked experience in the resort business. J. Willard “Bill” Marriott Jr., whose idea it was to buy the property, has loved it ever since. Of the thousands of possible Marriott locations worldwide, he has happily celebrated his birthday at the Camelback Inn for nearly fifty years. Because of its relaxing beauty, celebrity guests continue to visit the property. More recent guests of the Resort have included President George Bush and his wife

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Barbara, Cindy Crawford, and Bobby Flay. In a brief chat with the local Marketing Director for JW Marriott, she mentioned that Arizona’s long success has been based on the five “C” s; Cotton, Cattle, Citrus, Copper, and Climate. Interestingly climate and citrus were on particular display on our short visit. We arrived on a stunning, cloudless Tuesday morning. The temperature was in the upper 50s and peaked at about 72 degrees. Typical of the Phoenix winter, our whole visit had that died-and-gone-to-heaven, air-conditioned outdoors feel. Because the property is fairly spread out and many units have front door parking, the property seems a bit like a small town. Its neighborhoods, compact collections of casitas in various designs. In all, there are 453 units which come in over a dozen room configurations; multiple sizes, number of beds, and number of bedrooms plus other amenities allow for comfort to anywhere from singles to extended families. The twenty-six lavish suites come in various plans and sizes as well. Options range from various one and twobedroom suites to large, home-sized, 2,095sqft Deluxe

Pool Suites, a 1,866sqft Manor House, and a 1,526sqft Jackrabbit suite. The largest suites feature separate dining rooms and living rooms and have private swimming pools. My room was one of the coveted Sun Deck casitas. It had French doors leading to a small balcony facing the south and French doors to the west, which opened onto a 1,000sqft private terrace. The amazing space had tables and chairs, a jaw-dropping view of Mummy Mountain, Camelback across the valley, and an expansive vista with complimentary, pink sunsets every evening. The room was comfortable with wood beam ceilings and modern/native American-inspired furniture. To be honest, the time I did not spend outdoors, I spent lounging in bed reading and luxuriating in the cool breeze wafting through the gauzy curtains. Centrally located, I was just a short walk to the pool, main Fitness Center, and even the Spa at the property’s northern end. The tennis courts on the far southwest corner were a bit of stretch, but a fleet of golf carts were available to guests with a quick phone call. Though beautiful, the pool never seemed particularly crowded during our visit – the wide availability of patios and private decks might account for some of that. (As would the fortunate guests with private pools.) That said, relaxing on one of the many lounge chairs facing Mummy Mountain with Hoppin’ Jacks drinks and food close by has its merits. The historical reason for coming to the west for a vacation involved horses and getting to play cowboy, but modern western resorts have replaced much of that with prestigious golf courses, tennis courts, oasis-like spas, and modern fitness centers. The JW Marriott Camelback Inn shines in all of those areas. The property has two championship 18-hole golf courses. The 7,225-yard Ambiente Course was designed by the worldrenowned Architecture Firm of HurdzenFry, which designed the 2017 U.S Open in Erin Hills, Wisconsin. The 6,868-yard Arthur Hills designed Padre Course offers sweeping mountain views, multiple lakes, and abundant bunkers. A thirty-six thousand square foot clubhouse serves both. Again in strong Pueblo Revival, the beautiful building comes complete with a large

Lincoln Chefs Patio.

Exterior Front.

Bar Fire Place.

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Pool Mummy Mountain.

Pro-Shop and the sleek Acacia restaurant. The facility also has event space for groups of up to 300. The Resort has six tennis courts and currently two pickleball courts. Our tour guide told us that the pickleball court number might increase as more guests seem to favor the game. Coming from Texas, Pickleball was a bit of a mystery. The game is essentially a racket/paddle sport started in Washington state in the late 1960s. It’s a combination of several other racket sports, with two or four players using solid paddles to hit a light perforated ball over a net. Its popularity comes from its rules being very similar to ping pong and needing far less space than tennis. Because of the beautiful weather, a hike seemed a perfect way to spend some time outdoors. “Tyner’s Hiking Trail “ is just to the north

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of the Spa building (beyond the Old West Town facsimile) – these are a pair of hiking trails on resort property. We seemed to have climbed up a third of Mummy Mountain in a very short while, but according to Hike Arizona, the summit is reachable but emphasizes that “there is no trail.” Getting to the top may seem workable given the first third, but it definitely required more experience than I have. The part we did was enjoyable and allowed for some amazing panoramic photographs. Beyond the Resort’s natural beauty, the most popular feature of the JW Marriott Camelback Inn is the wonderful Spa. The facilities here are excellent and have an extensive menu of treatments available for both men and women. The Spa building also hosts its own restaurant, fitness center, and pool area. I spent one amazing afternoon getting a Swed-

ish massage (which helped the after-effects of my hiking adventure) and a very relaxing facial treatment. Being very scent-oriented, I quickly bought several of the lovely Babor products at the Spa shop. The Spa proper has very well-kept locker rooms and showers, and our attendant made the stay very comfortable and easy. Pre/post-treatment facilities include a steam room, dry sauna, and various whirlpools. Between treatments, I could lounge in a private patio that had drinks service from the restaurant bar. The few meals we ordered from Sprouts Restaurant at the Spa were delicious. Early dinner plans prevented sampling too much of the fare, but what we had had great flavor. I found the staff at the Spa very welcoming. There was a noticeable warmth that started the relaxation from the very beginning. In addition to Sprouts and Acacia, the Resort has a popular bar-restaurant called Rita’s and a fine dining Restaurant Lincolns. We had several breakfasts at Rita’s – made-to-order omelets and various buffets of breakfast meats, pastries, breads, and fruit made skipping breakfast difficult. Part of Rita’s is outdoor seating, and on beautiful mornings it’s a perfect spot. Live music in the evenings also makes Rita’s a terrific spot to visit in the evenings. Lincolns Restaurant at the front of the property was the first steakhouse in the JW Marriott chain. It has a casual/elegant feel and phenomenal views of Camelback Mountain through the many floorto-ceiling French doors/windows. Still, an outside

Pool Spa.

table reservation is a must on particularly beautiful days. The many fine steaks (from area farms) on the menu are prepared in a Josper Charcoal Oven. The specialty cross between a grill and an oven sears meat at over 1200ºF on imported hardwood charcoal, giving them a uniquely-flavored crust. Add-ons like King Crab Oscar or Maker’s Mark Green Peppercorn make for a fantastic experience. On a tour of the facility, we were shown the beautiful Ball Rooms/Conference Center. The venue features several beautiful rooms that can be opened to stunning vistas along the long hallway. One notable feature of the Conference Center is a beautiful collection of fine paintings handpicked from Mr. Marriott’s personal collection. (I can’t remember a business conference anywhere with a fine arts gallery access.) Given all there is to do at the Resort, one simple thing doesn’t require a reservation or even very strenuous activity. The Resort’s grounds are beautifully planted with native cactus and an abundance of flowers. The orange trees mentioned above dot the property, and the fruit is indeed edible. A stroll through the property is a pure pleasure in itself. There are fountains and native American bronze statues by renowned artist Dave McGary throughout the property that further enhance the experience. Hummingbirds and flocks of Gamble’s Quail can also be found on your stroll. There is so much to do at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn, but sometimes doing very little can still be just as rejuvenating.

Rita’s Dining.

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OTLPHX / BUCKS TIPS

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PURPOSE IN PRACTICE STORY BY BUCK MAYERS

Good golfers understand that you learn what to practice from how you play. Start from the hole and move backwards. Putting is by far the most critical area in scoring and often the most neglected. If it’s not putting, how’s your up and down percentage? Scrambling around the green says volumes about your chipping, pitching and bunker play. What’s important here is to learn from your inability to score from the area that needs the most work.

Many golfers take a lesson and expect immediate results. There is no magic dust or holy grail. If you really aspire to become a better golfer, you must be willing to practice consistently with a purpose. Remember, your poor shots come from a bad habit and fortunately habits can be changed. Many golfers hit a lot of range balls on the range and do not become better players. Every practice session should have a goal in mind.

Here are some guidelines: • Master the basics • Make a commitment to become a better player • Schedule time to practice and play • Be realistic on how long it takes for lasting improvement • Be willing to make changes in all areas of your game • Believe in instruction and trust it • Every swing on the range has a target • Change your club and target often • Only work on one thing at a time • Practice only as long as you can stay focused • Practice simulating on-course situations • Have fun while you work – you will practice longer Remember, train when you practice – Trust when you play. Buck Mayers is the Emeritus Professional at Escondido Golf & Lake Club in Horseshoe Bay, TX. He can be reached at (512) 695-2270.

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Pueblo Bonito Resorts & STORY BY MARC HALL

very golf getaway is special but the truly great destinations, their windswept views and their unforgettable vistas, stay a part of your forever. Not to wax too sentimental, but once you’ve walked the oceanside cliffs at Quivira Golf Club, the experience gets stamped into your golfing and adventuring DNA. Situated at the tip of the Baja Peninsula along a dazzling 2.5-mile stretch of beach fronting the Sea of Cortez, the Pueblo Bonito family of resorts (artfully set within

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Pacifica Oceanfront Massage. the upscale residential community of Quivira Los Cabos) reigns as one of the premier luxury vacation getaway in Mexico. For golf travel aficionados, the main attraction at this exclusive 1,850-acre hideaway, tucked in a mountain valley 10 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, is Quivira Golf Club. Built by golf legend Jack Nicklaus on one of the most stunning sites in the world, Quivira’s spectacular 7,085-yard, par-72 layout is marked by sheer granite cliffs, huge windswept dunes, and rolling desert foothills. From start to finish, players are treated to

Quivira Golf Club:

Cabo’s Finest Duo

C o u p l e s V I P Tr e a t m e n t Ro o m . breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind challenges. In a destination revered for its unique mountain-desert-ocean ecosystem, Quivira offers more oceanfront exposure—and more unforgettable thrills—than any other course in Los Cabos. Little wonder it has been voted to Golf Digest’s roster of the “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.” According to Taber Anderson, Quivira’s Managing Director, “The land where our course is located is very raw, rugged, and wild, with spectacular cliffs high above the Pacific. No other course I can think of boasts

La Nao Daily Theme Nights.

its terrain or its incredibly close relationship with the ocean. And while we consistently maintain high-level course conditions, Quivira was purposefully designed to celebrate an incredibly wild and natural setting that is truly at Land’s End, kilometer zero. It is a feast for all the senses.” Created as an exclusive amenity for guests of Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts and Quivira residents, the golf club offers complimentary food and refreshments (including regional Mexican specialties) at four comfort stations spread around the course.

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Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Ar monia Spa.

F a m i l y a t P o o l B a r.

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5 Green Coastline Quivira.

After the round, players can relax at the thatched-roof, open-air beachfront clubhouse or fine-tune their games at a double-ended practice facility located steps from the rolling surf. Where to stay? Golfers gravitate to the adults-only, all-inclusive Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort located five minutes from the course. This lovely beachfront hotel ascended into the ultra-luxe category in 2016 with the debut of The Towers at Pacifica, a sumptuous “resort within a resort” that features beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites with private terraces and personalized 24-hour butler service. The hotel’s culinary jewel is Peninsula, a sophisticated restaurant and lounge specializing in regional Baja cuisine. Golfers traveling with families can opt for the nearby Sunset Beach Golf & Spa Resort, a magnificent allinclusive property terraced down the face of an ocean bluff. The largest hotel in the Pueblo Bonito portfolio, Sunset Beach offers an array of spacious, well-appointed suites, all with ocean views. Its signature restaurant is LaFrida, which offers a gourmet dining experience in a candlelit room dedicated to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. More dining options? The Market at Quivira, a bustling food hall attached to Sunset Beach, welcomes diners to an enticing array of eateries, from Asian to Italian. The Market’s newest outlet is The After at Quivira, a stylish sports bar with an ocean-view terrace that features a dozen oversize flat-screen TV’s, 16 different artisanal beers on draft, and superb hand-crafted cocktails. For those who don’t wish to leave, the real estate offerings at Quivira Los Cabos continue to outpace the competition. Fanned out along desert bluffs is Copala, a fullownership home and condominium community with hacienda-style charm that honors the region’s colonial Mexican heritage. Also available is Coronado, a premier community set on a desert ridge high above the sea, its richly appointed four- and five-bedroom homes overlooking the ocean and the rolling fairways at Quivira Golf Club.

OTLPHX / ON YOUR GAME

STORY BY ART STRICKLIN

Dallas’ Will Zalatoris, the latest in a long line of seemingly never ending great Texas golfers, has achieved something no Lone Star Golf Star has accomplished. A solo second place finish in his first ever Masters appearance, as the only player in the field with four rounds of par or better.

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on your game

While Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama became the first Asian golfer ever to win a Masters title, Zalatoris won the hearts and minds of the golfing public. Those that had known him forever in Texas golfing circles and those getting their first look at the lanky 25-year-old Texan who was an All-American golfer at Wake Forest University playing on the Arnold Palmer Scholarship. After his Masters tour de force, which even got him notice from Hollywood star Adam Sandler for his close resemblance to Sandler’s caddy in the movie, Happy Gilmore, he followed that up with a T8 at the PGA Championship the following month along with a T6 in the U.S. Open. Combine that with a US Junior Amateur title won at the Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, two Trans-Mississippi amateur titles at The Olympic Club and Southern Hills Country Club, respectively, and it’s clear Zalatoris is the next Lone Star Golf Star. Now he wants to do what his other Texas golf contemporaries have already done, win a PGA Tour tournament, a major golf championship and a world No. 1 ranking like friends Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler, wouldn’t be bad either. After his first ever Sweet 16 Appearance in the World Golf Championship World Match Play recently at Austin Country Club and in his first quarterfinals appearance against the world’s best, Zalatoris knocked off match play specialist Kevin Na in 22 holes in a dramatic televised match at ACC. He has already won the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors along with the TPC-Colorado Open on the Korn-Ferry Tour. During his time in Austin, Zalatoris was surrounded by his longtime mentor and coach David Price, the former head professional at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, along with his new full-time coach Josh Gregory and his girlfriend soon to be wife Caitlin Sellers, whom he is marrying later this year. He was happy to spend time talking to OTL senior writer Art Stricklin about his solo second in his first Masters appearance, his coming Masters plans, and his painful loss at the Farmers

Tournament in San Diego this year plus his future golfing goals as the next great Texas golfer. OTL: You really burst into the pro golf landscape with your solo second place in the Masters last year, what was that like? WILL ZALATORIS: It was a great week for me, I loved the course and setting. I felt really comfortable there and had plenty of support. I’m disappointed I didn’t win. If I had only done better on the par 5s, I could have done it. That’s what cost me, but I will be back. OTL: What was it like on the celebrity front with well wishes from fans and celebrities and even a twitter call out from Adam Sandler? WZ: It was wild. I go into the same store or shop that I’ve been to six months straight, and now every person there knows my name or what I do and wants a picture or to say something. OTL: Did you almost feel like Tiger or Phil Mickelson or Jordan following the Masters? WZ: They had been groomed to do it their entire life. I was just thrust into it. It was….interesting. OTL: Was it enjoyable or tiresome? WZ: This is what I wanted to do my entire life and I’m continuing to gain confidence. I’m excited to see the next step where my golf journey will take me.

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OTL: Along with the highs at Augusta, you also had the lows in San Diego this year when you missed a short putt on 18 on national TV which would have won your first PGA Tour event. How did you handle that? WZ: It was a pretty amazing experience to be honest. If you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen. I got a lot of texts and messages from my friends and family and people I didn’t even know. Probably the coolest thing I got was a letter from Amy Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s daughter, telling me about the many times he failed and still kept coming back and told me I could do the same thing. That meant a lot. OTL: Speaking of Arnold Palmer. Most people know you were a star at Trinity Christian Academy and won plenty of Texas amateur events. Why did you decide to go out of state to Wake Forest University? WZ: Art, there is only one Arnold Palmer scholarship at Wake Forest and they offered it to me. I wasn’t going to turn down the King. No way. OTL: In May, you’re headed back to Southern Hills Country Club where you won a Trans-Miss amateur title and recently made a scouting trip, what will that be like? WZ: Southern Hills is a bit of a throwback, in that many of the pros may not think it’s that hard tee to green, but I can tell you that that third hole (a sharp dogleg left) is diabolical and the 10th (a dogleg right with a two-level green) is nasty. The par threes have less rough, but a lot more runoffs and you can make a mess out of many holes in a hurry. If you hit a mediocre shot to the greens during the PGA you can make double bogey in a flash and wonder what just happened. It was certainly a good memory when I won there, I would like to do it again. OTL: What’s it like starting your PGA Tour career in Dallas, where you grew up and got your start playing junior golf? WZ: It’s been great with so many friends and family there. DP (coach David Price) will

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always been No. 1 for me. The way he took a small junior at Bent Tree and worked to mold my career. I will never forget that. But I like working with Josh Gregory and the many friends I’ve got there. OTL: With the other Dallas-area PGA Tour pros, there must always be someone to play and practice with when you’re home? WZ: We’ve got a lot of people and get in a lot of games when I’m home with Scottie or Jordan or other Tour players. I played a lot of golf with Tony Romo as well. He loves to play and is really good and hardcore when it comes to playing and practicing. Sometimes I get more nervous playing Tony than I do Tour players. OTL: You know about the many great players who have come out of Texas or are still playing there, so what do you think when people write or say you’re the next great Texas golfer? WZ: Why would they want to talk to me? I haven’t won anything yet. That’s the way I look at it. OTL: Thanks for your time and good luck in 2022. WZ: You’re welcome.

Talking Stick’s Popular O’Odham Course STORY BY CARL MICKELSON

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From humbling views atop mountain trails to rapturous cotton candy sunsets over jagged peaks, there are so many things in the Valley of the Sun that one simply must experience firsthand. Given my shamefully narrow world view, though, so many of those things happen to involve either golf, art, nature, food or additive-free tequila. And, I might be embellishing on a few of those, because, mostly the things I like witnessing for myself these days involve a small white ball against the canvas of a rich blue sky and a sea of grassy green.

he biggest mystery in my mind when it comes to the Scottsdale golf scene involves Talking Stick Golf Club, a property that is home not one, but two golf courses designed by the legendary duo Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw – The O’odham and Piipash courses (formerly dubbed the North and the South). So many of the designs in this estimable team’s portfolio are modern masterpieces. Increasingly, Coore and Crenshaw are becoming not just a prevalent presence on every Top 100 Golf Course list, but a dominant one.

Sparks Conversation

So, what this easily-distracted golf addict from Texas has long wondered is ‘Why isn’t Talking Stick mentioned in the same breath with other destinations where standout Coore-Crenshaw creations call home, places like Bandon Dunes, Streamsong or Kapalua?’ Are there glimpses of the creative artistry you’d see at Friar’s Head, Cabot Cliffs, or even We Ko Pa? In a golfing mecca like Scottsdale, shouldn’t the place with a pair of presumed Rembrandts be the talk of the town? Having queried golf writers, course raters and a couple of dozen 50-round-a-year diehard locals, O’odham is repeatedly called finely maintained but a touch uninspiring. In truth, Coore and Crenshaw have set the bar high with so many of their designs, it’s unfair to assume they’ll all look and play like Ryder Cup venues.

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PHOTO LEAH GRUBER

Nevertheless, being so enamored with so much in the C and C portfolio, I had to get over to Talking Stick and make my own (however inconsequential judgments. What I liked about this golf course instantly is that it gets you off and running easily. Good for pace of play. Good for scoring. The first hole is an open 394-yard par four that swings gently from right to left. A mid-iron approach to a wobbly pancake green is all you need to shake those earlyround jitters. The second hole is equally generous off the tee. The ample par five plays to a spread-them-out yardage of 552 yards. These two early scoring opportunities are a refreshing respite from some of the white-knuckle targetgolf rounds I’d played earlier in the week. The ample landing areas off the tee I can be regarded

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in the number of ways. I instantly thought of pure Scottish link style golf in the mold of the Old Course at St. Andrews. There, you will not mistake wide and generally flat topography with easy or overly simple golf. Savvy golfers know that certain portions of the fairways on the course will feature speed slots that generate more roll out if you play drives on the appropriate line. Generous fairways also lend to keen strategy in setting up approach shots. On a smart design like this, there’s always going to be a good, better or best way to angle in your second or third shots from the fairway. The fifth hole is a great example of this. I got a little extra on my left-favoring tee shot and a speed slot got me an

extra 30 to 40 yards past my paying partners. I’d like to tell you I converted the birdie putt after a gap-wedge approach. I mean, I’d like to tell you that… The sixth is a 200-yard par 3 that’s nicely framed by native desert vegetation and with a green protected by sand traps on either side of the green. The character of this golf course really starts to kick in on the second nine. After a lengthy par four and a long par three you reach the clever par for 12th. It’s this hole, perhaps more than any other on the course, that reveals the stunning potential this golf course has to challenge, intrigue and delight golfers with creativity as well as temptation. Rocky wash (we might call it a dry creek bed back in Texas) splits the fairway down the middle, allowing golfers to choose a straightforward but narrow path down the left side that affords a short approach into the green or a conservative poke down the more-generous right side that leaves a slightly longer approach that still miss carry the wash. It’s a fun hole and one of the best on the course. At this point in the round we’re basically as far from the clubhouse as any other place on the course and we find a quintessential peaceful desert setting framed by semi-distant mountains on three sides. A trio of interesting par fours follow the 12th starting with the manageable 13th which plays 356 yards from the middle tee. It’s a nice scoring opportunity before the brawny 14th and 15th which showcase a little bit more height, bulge and roll in the fairways and plenty of run out if you play shots to the correct side of the hole.

PHOTO LEAH GRUBER

The last par three of the day is a picturesque medium-length hole with a nice desert expanse framing the hole. At 582 yards from the back tees, the 17th hole sounds brutal, but it’s a manageable three-shot hole that sort of plays uphill/downhill and offers a reasonable chance at a late birdie. The 18th hole plays straight away and long, as most good finishing holes should. I finished my round at dusk with a Canadian professor/research scientist who was in town for MLB Spring Training doing a study on the wear and tear of baseball players’ arms. We agreed this was a totally enjoyable golf course in superb condition and with greens that look big and benign but whose subtle deceptions require a careful study.

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PHOTO LEAH GRUBER

I thoroughly enjoyed this golf course and maintain that it possessed some Old Course at St. Andrews sensibility as its wideopen fairways and. subtle ripples still provide unique challenges and great chances for the golfer to use creativity. However, I do get how some golfers could call this layout boring.

from Fairway to rough more eye-popping like other courses, but I don’t think that’s really necessary. O’odham delivers an excellent playing experience and plenty of natural beauty along the way. Even in peak season, the playing conditions were first rate from tee to green.

And I don’t think it’s the fault of the architects. What enthralls so many golfers about golf in the desert is the visual contrast of emerald green fairways against the jagged, raw, Rocky, cacti-strewn landscapes. So many of these great courses resemble living art, a private subgenre of portraiture beautiful to even the most casual beholder. The edges beyond Talking Stick’s fairways and the pieces of land that cut in to the fairways on many holes more resembles hard pan than lush vegetation or classic desert boundaries that add to the charm on many area courses. Design wise, however, the course marries brilliantly with the land. It’s possible Talking Stick could do a planting program that made the contrast

Despite having different owners, Talking Stick Golf Club and Talking Stick Resort combine for a truly enjoyable golfrelated getaway. There’s always something entertaining happening at the well appointed resort and it’s ever-buzzing casino. Just down the road from Topgolf and Scottsdale’s OdySea Aquarium, this spot is attractive as ever for day trips long weekends and the ample tourism these properties see.

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I encourage you to play O’odham and make your own conclusions. Regardless of where you put it in the pantheon of great golf course designs, I think you will find the course fair, fun and well-suited to the land on which it sits.

2 0 Tiara 22 43 LE Review 62 THE ‘O’ ISSUE 2022

The 20 22 Tiar a 43 LE opport unity f presen o to upg t rade th r yachting en s an excitin g thusia eir wat sts loo er exc king ursion experi ences. The Tia ra 43 L perfor E mance combines h igh and lu both g x uests ury tha a nd ow thrilled t will le n a e w extend ith overnigh rs complete ve ly ed trav t jaunt s as w el adve ell as ntures .

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The Tiara 43 LE sport styling is impressive with bold lines producing a very balanced visual profile. From the bow to the stern to below deck you’ll find some of the best on-deck features on the market including overnight capabilities for up to five people and a chaise lounge sun pad in the bow. The aft deck features a rotating lounge with multiple locking positions along with a built-in footrest and a table. Plus, a folddown terrace that expands the cockpit and brings you even closer to the water. There is also an electric grill located behind the seat. No swim ladder needed on the Tiara 43 LE. Flipping down the portside terrace provides unfettered water access. This also improves the view and increases the milling-about space for dockside events. There is also a transom door to starboard and generous platforms on both sides of the outboards. Having the power to move about is also important to a successful day or weekend outing on the water. The Tiara 43 LE provides more than enough to handle most reasonable water-ways efficiently. You can choose triple 425 hp Yamaha V-8 outboards, twin 600 hp Mercury V-12 outboards, or the triple 450 hp Mercury Racing V-8 outboards that pushed our test boat to over 60 mph. Once out of the sun and below deck passengers discover the teak and driftwood bedecked cabin. The midcabin berth has standing headroom at its entrance. The forward stateroom offers a queen pedestal berth. The hull-side windows and an overhead hatch provide light and natural ventilation. The head offers a shower stall, more solid teak flooring, and a vacuum-flush commode. There is a mid-cockpit galley with twin dual-voltage drawer refrigerators with access to a hot-and-cold faucet. Pricing for the 2022 Tiara 43 LE that’s equipped with the stout triple 450s starts at $1,194,900. Anyone looking to enjoy the open waters in true comfort and style should have the 2022 Tiara 43 LE on their short-list to check out. Driverside Vehicle Reviews

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OTLPHX / WINE

French Wine

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Whenever wine comes up in a conversation or a thought, we often find ourselves thinking of where the wine came from. If you study the name of the wine, such as Burgundy or Champagne, you will find a log about the origin of the wine. Burgundy for instance, we all known comes from France, same as Burgundy. There are many wines out there - several of which come from France. In the times of the old, wine in France was made by peasants, who drank it themselves. Wine is very old in France, which is really no surprise as French wine is some of the best in the world. New world wines have the ingredients that were used in the label, while French old world wine is labeled with the location. In doing so, the French have left a bit of a romantic message when you purchase any of their wine. A lot of wine enthusiasts all over the world consider French wine to be the best. Wine lovers from all over the world prefer French wine over any other. There are several different kinds of French wine available, giving you plenty to choose from. This way, you can experience and compare wine based on aroma, taste, and even the texture. There are thirteen different regions in France with literally thousands of vineyards that produce wine, making the possibili-

ties for French wine endless. French is also known for having the ideal location for growing grapes, including the perfect soil conditions and vineyards that are very close to the water. The climate in France is always good, making it one of the best locations in the world for wine. French wine varies from the most common types that you can find virtually everywhere that sells wine, to the rare variants, which can be very difficult to come across. If you are looking for one of the more rare types of French wine, your best bet would be to use the Internet. You can find hundreds of thousands of different types of wine, including rare French wine. Rare vintage French wine can be extremely hard to find, even sometimes so online. You can always look at wine forums as well, including the many different wine websites. All in all, French wine is a cut above the rest. Although other wines may use the same ingredients and methods in production, they do not taste the same as those made in France. When you taste a wine that was made in France – you will know it. Even though other wines may be preferred by some, French wine has a taste and aroma like no other. Wine that comes from France is all about quality - and a taste you will never forget.

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OTLPHX / CIGARS

How to Pick and Puff Wondering how to choose the perfect cigar? If you’re a newcomer to the world of cigar smoking, here are a few tips to choosing the best cigar. First, note the texture of the cigar. Squeeze it gently. Is very soft, or rigid? Ideally, the cigar should give slightly, but not too much. Very gently, squeeze the length of the cigar to check for lumps. A good cigar will have a consistent texture. Next, inspect the cigar for flaws. Any cracks or discolorations are the signs of a lower quality cigar. The cigar’s wrapper should be wrapped smoothly. Finally, look at the ends of the cigar. Pay particular attention to the exposed end where cigar is lit. If you’re new to cigars, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the tobacco. The simplest way to judge the tobacco quality of a cigar is to inspect the color of the tobacco. If you note any abrupt color changes, this may indicate that the tobacco leaves were not laid out properly. Look for a cigar with a smooth blend of tobacco

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Tips for Lighting a Cigar For new smokers, lighting a cigar can seem as daunting as learning to choose a good single. Here are four tips to guide you in lighting a cigar for the first time.

1. Use cedar matches, if possible. If you prefer to use a lighter, make sure it’s butane lighter to avoid strong odors. 2. Warm the open end of the cigar (aka ‘the foot’ of the cigar) slowly over the flame, without touching it to the fire. Let a black ring form around the end. 3. Place the cigar in your mouth and draw in slowly. Hold the cigar over the flame, about half an inch above it, again without touching. Continue to draw in until the cigar draws the flame. 4. Once your cigar is lit, take it out of your mouth and observe the burn you have established. If the burn appears to be uneven, simply blow on the unlit sections to draw the burn, and then take one or two draws from the cigar to reestablish an even burn.