Golfgal

Big Break Disney 4: Sean rides the Disney rollercoaster to elimination

2009-11-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

This was probably one of the most nerve racking Big Breaks for me in a long time. While the guys were playing flop shots, my stomach was doing flip/flops as I watched Kevin and Blake inch their way towards elimination. But thankfully they both survived to live another day. Whew!

Unfortunately Sean's luck ran out today as he slowly chipped (or should I say chunked) himself off the show.

But given he hasn't got the experience of the other guys he should hold his head up high knowing that he played some pretty clutch shots during his 4 episodes. The last risk/reward hole in episode 3's elimination comes to mind.

Tonight I had the pleasure of interviewing Vincent and Blake together on the phone. What a treat that was for me! They were with Blake's family, enjoying watching the show and having even more fun watching Blake's family squirm in their chairs...these boys are cruel ;)

Kevin avoided elimination tonight by the skin of his 3 wood. Ouch! I just had to ask him about that. HaHa! Maybe I'm a little cruel too!

Lesson learned...never hit a soft anything, especially when nervous. Club down, use the natural adrenaline the nerves give you, and grip it and rip it!

Haven't caught up yet with Tony or Mike. Perhaps they're busy with Q-school. But I'll keep trying. Meanwhile, I'm heading to Maui for almost 3 weeks of golfing in paradise. But I'll plan my tee times around the Big Break so I won't miss a shot.

Golfgal

Golf Sketch solved my problem of finding that special gift for my golf buddies

2009-10-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

It's rarely that a day goes by that someone isn't looking for golf bloggers to promote their latest golf-related product, book or service. Don't get me wrong I love doing product and course reviews, but I want to see it, feel it and try it before I'll write about it.

So when Nick O'Connell wrote me (and some other bloggers) and asked us to check out his site, GolfSketch.com, I was a bit reluctant. But I liked the idea of a golf calendar full of links hole sketches, and so I took a look. I am so glad that I did.

Flipping through the pages of Nick's calendar I was reminded of how much I love links golf. Having only played 2 "true" links courses in my life (Chambers Bay and Kings Links), I feel I've missed out on so much of the tradition and history of golf by sticking to my comfort zone of parkland courses.

Nick and his site GolfSketch.com reminded me that I am long overdue booking a golf vacation in the UK to play courses I've been longing to play for so long...

Courses like Ballybunion - the end of the road for Tom Coyne in "A Course Called Ireland".

Or Royal County Down. Tom Watson called it, "a tremendous test of golf and the outward half especially is as fine a nine holes as I have ever played."

Or Wale's Royal Porthcawl - some say the truest test of links golf you'll ever find.

Never one to accept anything at face value I decided I wanted to learn more about Nick, his work, and the direction he wants to take GolfSketch.com. So, as I've been known to do...I called him last week for a chat...

I just received my calendar and cards in the mail today and they are everything I'd hope they would be - elegant and beautiful. I can't wait to give some to my friends this Xmas.

Golfgal

Big Break Disney 3 - "Skip to my Lou" Kmax gets dunked

2009-10-27T17:40:00.001-07:00

It was one of those happy/sad episodes for me on Big Break Disney this week. First I was really happy that Kevin Erdman escaped his second elimination challenge (Although I think he's trying to give me a heart attack!), but I was sad to see Kevan Maxwell, better known as KMAX, leave this week's show.

If ever someone needed a big break, it is probably KMAX - a highly passionate golfer who works as a caddie by day and delivers pizzas at night to scrape together money to pursue his dream. And it doesn't hurt that he loves his dog a lot too - I am a huge dog lover! :)

But as sad as it was to watch him leave so early, something tells me that KMAX will "be back" as Arnie would say. You can't put a golfer down with that much confidence and passion. So Kevan, I wish you all the best!

Meanwhile, we had a jam packed show tonight with lots of great challenges and tension filled drama between Andrew and Blake. And who was in the middle of that drama, but our friend Vincent. How fun was that Vincent?

Note to Gayle...watch where Vincent sits (or doesn't sit) next week on the bench ;)

Now on to Blake....Besides being happy about escaping elimination, I wonder what he thought watching the show tonight. I am sure we only saw a tip of the iceburg in terms of the tension between himself and Andrew. It looked like a long day, starting with breakfast where Mike tried to get some peace and quiet, but Andrew was having none of it, and Blake had had enough of Andrew...

Looks like even more tension next week. Don't you just love it! ;)

Now there were a few people who seemed to disagree with Erdman's decision to lay up after Maxwell put his first shot in the water, but as KMAX said in his exit interview, he would have taken out a putter if he'd seen either Sean or Kevin drown their first shots. And it is hard to argue with those decisions given both of them are going to be on next week's show. It's not like Kevin isn't prepared to "go for it" - we saw that in the last challenge - 230 yards with his hybrid. I wonder what he thought about all those comments...

Ah...now it makes more sense. Producers are tricky devils, aren't they?

Mike Perez joined me this week and shared his thoughts on the challenges, the drama and the "not so special" guest, PGA tour pro, J.B. Holmes. Gotta love Mike - always has honest, shoot from the hip comments. Haha...Thanks Mike!

Tony will join me Wed night for his interview this week. So come back to hear what he had to say about this week's excitement.

Golfgal

Mike Perez shares the inside scoop on The Great Golf Ball Race

2009-10-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

In last week's Big Break Disney post I shared a stunt the Golf Channel did with contestant Mike Perez. It was a pretty cool race between a golf ball Mike shot down a track and a stock car with 600 horses under the hood. If you haven't seen it, check this out...

As I watched this video, a number of questions came to mind, so I decided to ask Mike what that experience was like and, of course, what we didn't see that ended up on the cutting room floor. Wow!...you have to listen to this...

Interesting don't you think? I'd sure love to see some of those outtakes!

See you Tuesday after the next Big Break Disney.

Golfgal

Big Break Disney 2 - The curtain falls for Andreas

2009-10-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

They say in show business, "Break a Leg" instead of "Good Luck" because superstitious actors believe that saying "Good Luck" will only bring them bad. I wonder if maybe someone whispered those two deadly words in Andreas's ear as he headed into day 2 of Big Break Disney.

The son of actress Susan Lucci certainly didn't win any Emmys' or Oscars tonight for his performance. But golf is a fickle game - probably not unlike show biz in many ways.

It was too bad we didn't get to know him better. In two shows we have gotten to know some players quite well, but Andreas wasn't one of them. A quiet and unassuming golfer, he really didn't get a chance to show us his stuff (except for that 175 yard shot last week which was impressive). Sorry to see you go Andreas. But happy you have the resources to make it on your own, unlike some of the others who really need a big break.

Actually, I'm pretty happy tonight because my 4 picks all stayed in the game. However, two of them certainly made me sit on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. Let's start with Vincent, who wow'd us with his home runs, but too many near-misses sent him into the dreaded elimination...

And then there was Blake - the self proclaimed hothead. I was expecting worse in terms of temper from him tonight, but no clubs were broken in this week's episode. So happy to see Blake stay in the game and see him fight another day...

Kevin had it easy this week - no elmination for him. But remember for him it was just yesterday he was facing "going home" like the 5 guys today did. I wonder if being "benched" ever felt so good.

Finally the home run king himself, Tony Finau. Wasn't it great watching him hit those 22 balls over the wall? I bet that was almost more fun than winning the $5K and immunity - almost :)

Great show tonight don't you think? Golf Channel did a terrific job with the competitions and editing. And they did something else recently that was pretty darn cool if I do say so. Or perhaps I should say, it was hot! Really hot at Walt Disney World Disney Speedway where Big Break Disney Golf contestant Mike Perez (brother of PGA TOUR pro Pat Perez) teed up a ball on a straightaway, ready to bomb it down the track racing against a stock car racer with 600 horses under the hood. Over 300 yards, the car and the ball race toward the finish line – who will win the race? Check this out...

Gotta love a good race. I'll be talking with Mike Perez tonight about this whole event and get the inside scoop on it, so check back for that.

I can't wait until next week to see the glass breaking challenge and the special surprise guest. Any idea who it might be? Pat Perez would be an obvious choice, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Golfgal

Golfers just keep on giving (and not just on tour)

2009-10-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

You can always tell when the golf season is winding down. First, Tiger is no where to be seen. Second, the defending champions for the final 5 tournaments of the season are the people we haven't seen on a leaderboard in the last 6 months and, Third, we have tournaments named after charities and celebrities. Like this week's Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in one of my favorite cities in stay, play and gamble of course ;) - Las Vegas, Nevada.

Now, unlike many who consider the fall season almost silly, I love watching the final events of the year. The fact that I am not too familiar with many of the players is not a downer for me. It's an awakening to the fact the golf is not just a sport for the rich and famous, but a career where many have to struggle year after year for their livelihood.

How many times have we seen bubble boys make or break their PGA Tour status on one putt? It's no picnic out there and watching players grind it out is as exciting for me as watching Tiger hole another downhill, left to right, 40 foot putt with more breaks than Las Vegas's 2-time National Champion B-Boy squad Knucklehead Zoo.

The fall season rocks!

This week's JT event for Shriners will be fun to watch as always. But this week, it has special meaning for me and friends of mine because it reminds us of what golf is really all about - it's about giving back. Consider this...

According to Golf Digest, sponsors of the PGA Tour donated $124,000,000 to charities in 2009 - that's a lot of zeros. What's even more impressive...their overall total since they began is $1.4 billion! And it's not just the boys....since 1981, the LPGA and its sponsors has donated nearly $200 million.

Impressed? I know I am. But what really impresses me is when average golfers adopt the same attitude and find ways to give back through golf. Let me tell you a story of a young man who is being touched by his golfing angel...

In March of 2009, Xander Howe entered this world with tetrology of fallot (4 heart defects that inflict about 5 out of every 10,000 babies) AND pulmonary atresia (also extremely rare congenital heart defeat) where a solid sheet of tissue forms where the heart's valve opening should be. Because of this defect, blood from the right side of the heart cannot travel to the lungs to collect oxygen.

So at the ripe young age of only 4 days, Xander underwent surgery to install a shunt that would enable his heart to pump the oxygen rich blood he desperately needed through his system. Check out this picture of his mom, Dee, with him after the surgery. Now that woman looks like she's got her hands full, but what a wonderful smile.

6 months later, Xander was back under the knife again. The surgery was successful, but the stress on that little boy's body was severe. Both surgeries required Xander to be put in complete hypothermia, stopping his heart, while a bypass heart and lung machine took over as the surgeons did their magic.

But the story isn't over yet. Xander's coronary artery runs right across where the surgeons needed to make their incision and so the doctors had to use conduit instead. The problem is, that as Xander grows up, he will outgrow that conduit, and back into surgery he'll have to go. His parents are hoping he'll get to the age of 5 before he needs his 3rd surgery, but there are no guarantees.

Imagine living with those fears, not to mention the worries of how to pay the ever growing medical bills. I have no idea how I would handle something like this.

But one thing I do know is this...family friend, Ray Carey, with a heart big enough for himself and Xander combined, won't sit on his laurels waiting for someone to step up to lend a helping hand.

Ray has already started planning his own charity golf tournament to raise money for Xander's family- The Fight for Xander Golf Tournament - a beef and beer, plus golf outing on May 18th of 2010 at the Riverton Country Club in Riverton New Jersey. It may not be as big an event as Justin's, but it will be huge in terms of the heart and soul that goes into its organization.

I met Ray through Facebook earlier this year and it struck me that this man will do whatever it takes to care for the ones he loves. Dee and Xander are special to him and I believe he'll work his butt off to raise as much money to support them as he can.

Ray asked me to share Xander's story and reach out to you to see if you could help him in this cause. There's lots you can do - play in the event, volunteer your time, donate to Xander's care or spread the word of this tournament and cause through your network. Ray is working on the tournament's facebook/cause page as I write this, but until then he can be reached on his personal Facebook page and by email.

I may not be able to play in the event or ever see Xander take his first steps, but I will support Ray in his quest to give back to others through golf. I hope you'll join me.

Golfgal

Big Break Disney 1 - Ed couldn't quite do it

2009-10-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Finally, after months of waiting, Big Break Disney is finally here! Is it what you've been waiting for? I certainly found myself glued to the TV tonight. And as always, there were some surprises waiting for me. It was great that the Golf Channel started the competition off with some serious competition. That first immunity challenge was quite the opening, don't you think? Here are my three thoughts on the first 20 minutes:

I liked the fact that the players had to choose their shot right off the mark - strategy from the getgo!

I was glad that they did not know until the end of that challenge who was immune - suspense is a wonderful thing.

I think the two immunity challenges definitely "tested" most of the players - and those players are considered some of the best Big Break has seen to date!

Ask Ed Moses...a two time Olympic medal winner (silver and gold in swimming). Look how he struggled. Now....Ed is obviously an amazing athlete, but that wasn't enough to survive the first episode of Big Break Disney. For probably once in his life, "Ed couldn't do it." Golf is like that. Even the best can be beaten. It was hard to argue with Ed when he called himself, "one of the world's greatest athletes", even if it did rub me the wrong way, just a bit ;) Yes, Ed Moses is a champion and that is something that he will always be, Big Break or no Big Break.

But what about the rest of the competitors? How did they feel about their first day and tonight's rendition of that?

Well, I had the pleasure of chatting right after the show with Vincent Johnson. You may recall that Vincent was first recipient of the Charlie Sifford Exemption in 2009, which allowed him to play in PGA TOUR’s Northern Trust Open. Although he missed the cut by a smidgen, he obviously showed he has game and demonstrated that tonight for us with that amazing shot to the green from 192 yards with a 7 iron - Ouch! Let's hear what Vincent thought of tonight's show...

Next up, Kevin Erdman. Now, one might think Kevin likes to live on the edge, with his first episode ending him up in the elimination challenge. But I think maybe tonight's scare might have resulted in Kevin's A game showing itself just in time. I wonder what Kevin was thinking watching that tonight...

Caught up with Blake Moore (our Big Breaker with a temper, so he says) early this AM to find out how easy-peesy Big Breaks really are ;)

And speaking of an easy day, Tony Finau (who doesn't want to be remembered just as Gipper's big brother) joined me today to talk about that first and only shot of his and what happened after the first episode with one less Big Breaker at dinner.

Well, one down, 10 more to go! Looks like a great series. See you back here next week where the fun, drama and tension really get going!

Golfgal

Meet Big Break Disney's Kevin Erdman - if he's as good a golfer as he is a husband - Watch out!

2009-10-05T17:50:00.001-07:00

Only 1 week until Big Break Disney airs its first episode. Are you as excited as I am? The competitors look very impressive. And this will be my first chance to interview an all male cast. Woohoo!

To kick off the series, I thought I'd introduce you to one of the contestants that really deserves his big break - Kevin Erdman. Check out Kevin's bio on the Golf Channel site and then you'll know why.

Kevin put aside his pro golf career to caddie for his wife, Big Break Ka'anapali's Courtney Erdman, on her quest for her LPGA card. Wow. I don't know too many people who would do that for their spouse. Courtney and Kevin have sacrificed a lot to chase her dream, travelling the country in their "love shack" and sleeping in parking lots to save pennies.

It's been a tough road, but when you talk to them, they sound like they would do it all again. Yes, Courtney and Kevin are an amazing couple (Maybe Greg Norman and Chris Evert should take marriage counselling from them!). I wish they had competed together on Big Break Michigan as a team. That would have been awesome to watch.

Anyway, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kevin about his experience on Big Break Disney last night....

It sounds like Big Break Disney will showcase some pretty interesting characters for us, along with some unusual challenges. I can't wait to see the competition at the non-golfing venues like Main Street U.S.A., Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex and the Walt Disney World Speedway. It will be like "Big Break meets Highway 18". How cool is that!

So meet me back here next week, when I'll be interviewing Kevin again and a few of his rivals after the show's debut to hear their first reactions to Big Break Disney.

Golfgal

Walking in the Footjoys of the US Amateurs at The Home Course

2009-09-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was priviledged to play one of the best courses in the US (and possibly the world) - Chambers Bay in Washington State. If you read my review on Inside Golf Magazine, you'll probably come away with the distinct impression that I was quite taken with Chambers Bay :) But I'm not the only one...I'm in good company - the USGA has chosen it to host the 2015 US Open.

That's a big deal, especially given that Chambers Bay is a muni. Yup - a govt run golf course like the "affordable" ones we played when we were learning the game. Except...Chambers costs about $160 to play it - Ouch!!!!

Anyway, golf magazine readers like me already knew about Chambers Bay and the US Open, but did you know it is also the host of next year's US Amateur Championship? Not only that, did you know that only 1/2 hour away lies another great course that will co-host those same amateurs as they compete for the prestigious Havemeyer Cup August 23-29, 2010?

Check out The Home Course, a lovely new course south of Seattle, with panoramic views of Puget Sound, The Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier.

I was lucky to play The Home Course the day after I played Chambers Bay. And although I didn't find them all that similar in style/design (and price - The Home Course was 1/3 the price of Chambers Bay), the Home Course does have that "links" feel on a number of holes where the Sound comes into view. And yes...there is a lot of fescue.

At the beginning of our round the starter told us we could take a "free placement" in the fescue if our ball landed there (which it did - more than once). There are some rocks in that long grass and the placement rule is there to protect your clubs. I liked that rule!

I also liked the course, even if the dynamite that marked the tee boxes was a bit "telling" about some of my scores.

It is a very walkable course, but don't make the mistake of thinking this course is a cake walk. It has its challenges for sure - especially the greens. But at the same time, I didn't feel beat up either. I think The Home Course would appeal to all levels of players. Naturally, the USGA wouldn't have picked it unless it offered a serious challenge for the top US Amateurs, but even from the forward tees, there were interesting elements (hazards and such) for high handicappers to "enjoy". ;) So often you play a course where the forward tees look like they were an afterthought. But I didn't find that to be the case at The Home Course at all.

One thing I did find a little bit strange was the use of gas powered carts. Why not electric? For a new course, you would have thought they'd invest in electric (quiet and green) transportation. Hmmm...oh well. You want quiet and green? Then walk!

Also... don't be put down by the lack of facilities. What the course gives up in a fancy club house (it was under construction when we were there), they give back in quality. The course was in immaculate condition. The first cut of rough was nicer than most fairways I play. The fairways themselves rolled and meandered towards greens that would challenge even the best PGA players. Thankfully the starter gave us some very useful tips before we teed off that saved our bacon more than once.

For example on the par 4 third, whatever you do, don’t be long with your approach shot. You cannot imagine how much of a backdrop there is behind the green. Trying to come back from there is brutal because the green slopes so severly back to front.

We watched two gents behind us make this fatal mistake, landing their shots on our tee box over their green. Thank goodness they had senses of humor or we might have seen wedges fly as they tried to get up and down!

And then there's the par 4 seventh. You should drive your cart up to take a look at the green before you tee off.

You'll see that you don't really want to be any closer than about 140 yards from the pin (it's the only flat spot out there). From there it's all downhill to the water in front.

I like starters who give tips like that. It's not often I've received that kind of help. Usually starters look at me and the first thing that comes out of their mouths is where the washrooms are on the course. Haha... NOT that bathrooms aren't important, but I can usually find them when I need them. What I want to know is "local knowledge" that will help shave strokes off my game.

Now let me share some memorable holes...

The 2nd hole was lovely with the water behind the hole, a nice wide fairway and not a sound of civilization - just chirping grasshoppers and a warm breeze.

The 6th hole was beautiful to look at as well, but it eats Pro V1s. Seriously....I hit a great tee shot that unfortunately came up a bit short. My golfguy and I saw it land in the front bunker, but when I went up to hack it out, it was gone. I looked everywhere....no luck.

I even looked in the hole :). In the end, I gave up the hunt, scratched my head and watched my husband par the hole. To this day, I am convinced that my ball plugged itself into the side of the bunker and then sand rolled over it to hide it. The bunker looked like no one had touched it all day. But if I had had a shovel, that pristine sand trap would have ended up looking like "Ground under Repair".

No. 14 is a pretty par 3 with water down the right and a huge bunker on the left - lots to distract you ;). You can see that construction is already underway on a new building.

Not sure if this is the new clubhouse or not. I read that The Home Course will be the permanent home of the PNGA and WSGA, so perhaps this is an office building for them. I guess I'll find out next year when I go back.

The 17th was my favorite hole on the course. When you drive off the tee, you feel like your ball heading straight for the ocean...

And the green on 17 is a real treat - haha! NOT!!! It's sloped severely front to back, so make sure you get your ball over that ledge, or be prepared for the putt from double diamond ski slope territory! I actually got lucky on this hole and my ball trickled down close to the hole (which is why it is my favorite). Had that not happened? I might have put this under the category of beautiful but deadly. I can't wait to see where they put the pin on this hole for those Amateurs.

The Home Course is one I will definitely play again. In fact, that whole area in Washington State just south of Seattle is full of great courses I have yet to try. So I will be back next year to see the US Amateurs compete and then spend some time exploring other clubs close by.

And of course, I will also enjoy the beautiful city of Seattle, with so much to do. It's one of my favorite weekend getaways, especially when the Mariners are playing. Check out these Travel Guides and search on Seattle to discover more.

Golfgal

PS: BTW...if you are playing the 6th hole and find a Pro V1 with two "Gs" on it, play it where it lies and then tell me what I might have scored ;)

For a romantic golf getaway - Check out Alderbrook in Washington State

2009-09-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

After two weeks vacationing with the kids this summer, my golfguy and I wanted a getaway just for ourselves - somewhere where we could golf, but also enjoy being pampered with luxury accommodations, fine dining, and a spa - all on the water, of course.

And as luck would have it, I received, out of the blue, an email promoting a resort just SW of Seattle that fit the bill for us - Alderbrook Resort and Spa.

I had never heard of Alderbrook, but the website sounded like it was made for us. And their Ultimate Golfers Escape looked like a really good deal. Starting at only $309/person you get:

- Luxury overnight accommodations
- Bottle of Wine
- $50 Dining Credit at the Restaurant at Alderbrook
- Two Rounds of Golf at the Alderbrook Golf Course
- $50 Calloway Gift Card
- One Under Armour Scramble Golf Bag (retail value $125)
- Valet Parking

Not too shabby, eh? And when we arrived there, this sign told me we'd arrived at the right place!

Haha...this was my kind of resort! And what was even better, the place is pet friendly - we saw all kinds of dogs and even some cats. Funny, I didn't see any children at all. I guess the signed worked ;)

We had a lovely 2 room suite overlooking the water. It was so quiet and peaceful. We slipped on the courtesy bathrobes and enjoyed a glass of wine while looking out at the canal. It was hard to believe we'd just been in I5 gridlock an hour before. The miles just fell off our bodies.

The restaurant/bar was buzzing - seems we hit the season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the bar was jam packed with fans. I was surprised no one was watching the Mariners (I'm a baseball fan, not a football fan). Apparently, that was on in the kitchen. We almost asked if we could dine with the chef ;)

After a lovely meal (highly recommend the open faced ravioli), we strolled through the resort. The lobby is gorgeous with high vaulted ceilings and a rustic charm that makes you want to grab a good book and just sit by the fire and relax.

The next day we checked out the other amenities. There are tons of areas outside on the grounds to sneak away during the day and relax, or you can enjoy water sports at the end of a very long dock.

I enjoyed standing at the end of it, looking back at the resort. It was as beautiful looking from the water as it was looking at the water - A truly picturesque setting. I heard a rumour that Bill Gates owns property next door (shhh, it's supposed to be a secret). I wouldn't doubt it after seeing how beautiful the whole area is.

Now, I'm not really a lake/ocean swimmer, so I was looking for a pool, hot tub and spa. They weren't hard to find.

I saw a woman coming out of the spa as I was heading in. She looked very very relaxed. After some pretty brutal massage therapy at home to fix some golf-related issues, I was looking for something a bit gentler here. So I walked in and said to the receptionist, "I want whatever she had!" haha...

Of course golf was high on our agenda so we headed out to check out the course. It's across the street from the resort, about a 5 minute drive high up in the hills. I knew as the car climbed higher that we were about to face some ups and downs that day.

The first "up" was the clubhouse. It only just opened in the spring and it still had the "new" smell to it. I felt bad walking in with grass on my golf shoes.

The course was in very good shape - very well maintained and quite beautiful. Unfortunately we arrived when the greens were being aerated. In fact, we actually watched the maintenance guy sand the 17th hole as we were coming up on our approach shots. This happens a lot to us. Memo to Gayle - "Check aeration schedule before booking tee times!" Oh well, it just gave me lots of excuses for my putting. ;)

There are a lot of trees and houses on the course (AKA watch out for the OB stakes). The fairways are very narrow, making the front nine tricky. And the severe sloping of fairways like #4 and this one on #6 made keeping it in the short grass a challenge. But who wants an easy course, right? Ummm...me??? ;)

Our very friendly starter, Mark, told us that the back nine plays about 9-10 strokes easier. Apparently the two nines were designed by different people - sort of a Hyde/Jekyl thing going on, I'd say.

But to be fair, the course really is beautiful. There were moments when we just stood there and looked around at the towering trees. It felt almost like being in a cathedral - I swore I heard an echo.

On one hole, my golfguy was chipping up from the rough onto the green. He was quite a bit below the putting surface, and as he was doing his practice swing the sun was peeking through the tall trees behind him. The brush of the grass sprayed the dew in the air and it looked like he was bathed in a sun shower of crystals. It was quite stunning and reminded me that it was time to look around and appreciate the beauty of this course and forgot my score card for a while.

The fairways and rought are rye grass and the greens bent grass poa. And in the morning with the dew's dampness the rough was really rough. The ball had a tendency to settle down inside the grass, making escape even a problem for Houdini.

Now the 8th hole is one I won't forget. A par 5 where the women's tees are maybe 10 yards ahead of the men (not the women-friendliest of holes), this is known as the "Z" hole. You have to aim for the hill on the right and let it roll left. Then on your 2nd shot, aim left and let it roll right. This is the first hole I ever played where Army Golf was a good thing. I felt like I was playing PONG. LOL! It actually was a lot of fun.

The 10th hole was one of my favorites. A short dogleg left, it was beautiful looking forward up the fairway, but even better looking back towards the mountains.

I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be with the snow on them in the spring.

Now I mentioned there were houses on the course. And usually I hate that, but they were nestled nicely into the trees and frankly, it was like no one lived in them. It was soooo quiet. The only time I heard any signs of civilization was on #13.

I had such a hard time on that "funnel" hole. You look at it and are convinced that all balls will roll to the centre of the fairway. And...I expect they do when the rough is dry. But when it's wet, like the day we played, oh my! I had the worst uphill and downhill lies on that hole!

And when I finally made it to the green, I couldn't read it for love or money. As I dragged myself off the green,I heard a baby start to cry. It was perfect timing - someone to share my pain!

Funny how golf is. Just when you want to give it up, the gods of golf give you a birdie. I loved the 16th hole!

18 was pretty special too - a great closing hole that awards you vista views of the sound as you head to the green.

They even have a telescope at the tee to either look for golfers ahead or just check out the scenery. Cool!

At the end of our round, we watched the one of the Fedex Cup playoffs at the bar and had some lunch. The bartender was very friendly (actually all the staff were great) and I was very happy they had my post-round drink of choice - champagne splits.

Alderbrook Golf Course is one I will definitely play again - partly for revenge, I must admit. It may be a resort course, and it's not that long at only 6338 yards from the tips, but it's not easy with its elevation changes, blind shots and difficult rough. I heard rumours they are trying to make it a championship course. I expect all it needs is some length - they got the hard part down pat I'd say!

The time flew by at Alderbrook. That's what happens when you're having too much fun I guess. But it just made me want to come back again to take advantage of some of the water activities. Next time I think we'll try the cottages. They have full kitchens and the staff will even deliver groceries to your door. We love to cook, so that's right up our alley.

Alderbrook really is a hidden gem in Washington State. The only advice I can give you - try and avoid rush hour traffic on the I5 to save an hour or two and a few grey hairs on your way there. (Now...is that even possible?).

Golfgal

Private Golf Courses No Longer Off Limits

2009-09-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

As a "public golfer" I occasionally get to play at private clubs where friends of mine have memberships, but most of the time, private country clubs and courses are off limits to me and my golfguy.

It's not that I don't love public courses. There are a ton of them that are great - just look at Chambers Bay - it's not only public - it's a muni! And let's not forget Torrey Pines.

But there are so many private golf clubs out there that I would love to play, but just can't find a way into them....until now. I just discovered Boxgroove.com.

For a nominal annual fee of only $49, Boxgroove.com offers anyone the opportunity to play at private clubs in the USA (they are working on some in Canada as well). I only heard about Boxgroove recently, but I'm already planning some golf trips in the spring where I will use it to see how "the other half" plays.

As some of you know, when I find something new I can use, I have to go to the source to find out the whole scoop. So I decided to talk to founders, McRedmond Morelli and Mike Hall, to learn more about how Boxgroove started, how it works for clubs and players, what makes it different and where it's going...

So...Tampa in January, Arizona in February (can't wait to try out Greg Nash's Bella Golf Club and Pete Dye's Red Mountain Ranch Country Club) and Palm Springs in April. Sounds like a plan for the spring.

Now what about summer...Hmmm...Looks like there will be some great WA courses to play and if I get lucky, maybe a few in Vancouver BC. Maybe I'll spend my summer vacation at home next year. That would be a treat.

So...Get to work boys! I need Vancouver's Marine Drive, Point Grey, Shaughnessy and Capilano on your site by June!

Golfgal

My Favorite Bobby Jones Golf Tips

2009-09-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the 2009 Fedex Cup is almost over and the golf season is winding down. Where did the time go? I feel like it was just yesterday we were watching The Masters and talking about the legendary Bobby Jones, as we do every year when the azaleas are in bloom.

Well, this year, we get to remember him twice because this year the Fedex Cup ends its season at East Lake, the oldest course in Atlanta, where Bobby Jones started his golfing career at the age of 6, and ended it at the ripe old age of 28.

Mike Southern at ruthlessgolf.com thought it would be fun to have a bit of a blog-a-thon about Bobby Jones during the Tour Championship. Cool idea, don’t you think? Check out all these great posts from fellow bloggers!

Art Murphy from LifeandGolf gives us ...We Play the Ball Where It Lies, a collection of miscellaneous quips and quotes about golf and golfers from Bobby Jones.

Mike Southern at Ruthless Golf wonders Could Bobby Jones Have ‘Cut It' Against Today's Pros?, and shows us what science and Jones's own notes have to say about the debate.

Vince Spence from The One-Eye Golfer writes about An Affair to Remember - Bobby Jones and St. Andrews, as he looks at the affection of the champion golfer for the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland which started in 1921.

Greg D'Andrea at From the Rough talks about Golf's Proper Place. "Bobby Jones played competitive golf only three months of the year, always keeping in perspective the game's original intent - 'a means of obtaining recreation and enjoyment.'"

Charles Boyer from Me and Old Man Par has chosen Bobby Jones' Competitors: Many of Them Were Good, One Was Great. "It is often thought that Bobby Jones showed up and crushed his competition on the way to another victory," Charles says. "The truth is that he had many worthy competitors and one, Walter Hagen, stood above all the others as Jones' most worthy competitor."

Michael Green at Aussie Golfer tells about Searching for Bobby Jones, where a search for Bobby Jones in Australia finds remarkable similarities to modern day golf.

Jon Blackburn from The Common Golfer looks at Bobby Jones: Golf's Original Common Golfer. It's a celebration of Bobby Jones' life, and what made him unique amongst his golfing peers.

Apryl DeLancey at Women Like Sports features in her weekly Wild World of Wednesday post about how good friends Alexa Sterling and Bobby Jones continued to play golf during WWI in order to raise money for a good cause.

And Ryan Ballengee from Waggle Room sends us a vlog from East Lake about how Jones' spirit influences the club and community today.

At first, I was wondering what to write about, but it didn’t take me long to remember how much I enjoyed watching his series on TV (filmed in 1931) “How I play golf”. I have watched all 12 episodes and am still in awe of his fluid swing and uncanny ability to make golf look easy.

Now, many of his swing techniques would not be considered “proper” these days (e.g. turning his lower body too much, lifting his left foot so high, coming inside quickly on his backswing, and his unorthodox re-gripping of the last 2 fingers of his left hand on his transition from backswing to downswing), but there were some gems in his TV shows that I still remember today and try to apply to my own game. Here are just a few…

1. Forget your right hand – only think of the left. If you try and use your right hand to “help” the ball, you’ll probably hook it. Yup…happens every time! I remember Camilo Villegas saying something similar in this month’s Golf Magazine. “Keep your left wrist flat when you strike the ball.” CV says that’s his all time favorite swing tip. It’s mine too.

2. Tuck your right elbow close to the body on the downswing. This is one I have to really think about when I practice. I’m not sure why, but I have a chicken wing problem that needs constant attention. And when that wing tries to fly, Shankerella rears her ugly head.

3. Get your left hip out of the way. Although I don’t like to lift my left heel on the takeaway like Bobby did (I lose all control if I do that), I do think about smacking my heel down in my shoe to help me start my downswing with my lower body. It’s really more of a weight shift trigger for me, but it started by watching Bobby Jones’ left foot on his downswing. If I don’t do this, I tend to use my arms too much, blocking my hips and getting a big fat slice.

Two other traits of Bobby Jones’ swing I’d love to copy are his tensionless body and his balance. Those two goals are still a “work in progress” for me – especially the tension. By the 18th hole my left forearm is often in pain because, in my effort to keep it straight, I end up creating enormous tension. Bobby Jones’ left arm had a curve to it. He didn’t lock it stiff like so many of us are told to do when we first start playing. It is very hard to have a straight arm without tension. Actually it’s very hard to play golf without tension, period!

And then there is the mental tips/quips…
Bobby Jones was quoted as saying, “Some people think they are concentrating when they're merely worrying.” Boy, did he have that right! How many of us think we are focused, but really, we just have too many swing thoughts in our heads. How many of us walk up to a ball in fear? Bury my ball in the sand and my concentration will turn to worry in very short order.

He also said, “Sometimes the game of golf is just too difficult to endure with a golf club in your hands.” Haha…isn’t that the truth? Yup, even the great Robert Tyre Jones Jr. understood that as easy as he made golf look, it just isn’t. Nope…as my golfguy always says, “Life is easy – Golf is hard”. Something tells me even for the greatest golf legend of all time would probably agree with that.

Golfgal

Big Break Disney - The countdown begins...

2009-08-29T09:43:00.001-07:00

Tick tick tick...only 45 days left until the first episode of Big Break Disney hits the air on Tuesday, October 13th at 10 p.m. ET only on Golf Channel.

The cast is an interesting one - all male, with some "celebrities" in the mix, the brother of a PGA player and, someone I'm excited to watch - Kevin Erdman - the caddie and husband of Big Break Kaanapali contestant Courtney Erdman. I enjoyed following Courtney and Kevin at the CN Ladies event held here in the spring.

I interviewed Courtney for Inside Golf Magazine in May after the Canadian CN Event and still remember her telling me that she and Kevin were not allowed to billet together on the FUTURES Tour, even though they are married. You must be joking! Sometimes you wonder where organizers come up with these archaic rules. Luckily we have more modern views of married couples "sleeping together" in Canada - ;) Anyway, Kevin put his own pro career on hold to support and caddie for Courntey and now it's his turn. I sure hope he does well and I hope I'll get to chat with him throughout the show.

Here is the rest of the cast...

Andrew Giuliani (New York, N.Y.) – Son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Donna Hanover, Andrew is looking to make a name for himself in the game of golf. Andrew actually just won his first event as a pro - the 94th Met Open Championship held on Aug. 27. Hmmm....impressive. Looks like we might see some good play from Andrew on the show. I wonder if he wins - he did get some media coverage right after the taping in July, so one would think he made a pretty good showing on the Big Break.

Ed Moses (Hollywood, Calif.) – A gold and silver medal winner as a member of the United States swim team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Moses’ goal is now the PGA TOUR. A member at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., he once shot 64 on the course that hosts the TOUR’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Andreas Huber (Scottsdale, Ariz.) – Actress Susan Lucci’s son, the former Wall Street broker left the color of money to seek his fortune on the green.

Gipper Finau (Lehl, Utah) – Joins Tony as the first brother duo to play in the same Big Break series. Blessed with the long ball, Gipper, who turned professional at 16, once drove a 520-yard par 5.

Tony Finau (Lehl, Utah) – Hits the tee ball longer than his brother – or at least that is what he says in the spirit of sibling rivalry. Finau turned professional when he was 17 and made a cut on the PGA TOUR the same year.

Mike Perez (Scottsdale, Ariz.) – After playing the Nationwide Tour, Perez is looking for the chance to join brother Pat on the PGA TOUR.

Vincent Johnson (Portland, Ore.) – Received the Charlie Sifford exemption to play in the 2009 Northern Trust Open where he flirted with making the cut in his first PGA TOUR start.

J.R. Reyes (Omaha, Neb.) – With tattoos covering each arm, Reyes is not your typical golfer. While not looking the part, he has the talent to fit in on the PGA TOUR.

Kevan Maxwell (Charleston, S.C.) – Aspiring golf professional by day, pizza delivery man by night, “K-Max” will do whatever it takes to play on the PGA TOUR.

Blake Moore (Monrovia, Calif.) – Friend of former Big Break competitor and PGA TOUR rookie James Nitties, Moore is a threat to win Big Break Disney Golf if he can control his inner demons.

Sean Kalin (Delray Beach, Fla.) – A junior standout who gave up golf for 20 years after being kidnapped, he is looking for a second chance in the game.

I'm really happy to see Vince Cellini and Stephanie Sparks hosting the series - although I have always liked Stina and thought Charlie did a great job on Big Break PEI.

I hope you will join me each week when I interview some of the contestants. I am not sure who I should interview yet - any recommendations?

Golfgal

Wales offers much more than just the Ryder Cup in 2010

2009-08-23T21:24:00.001-07:00

Wow! I just watched the Solheim Cup finale and I was in awe. I love watching match play – there is no more entertaining way to watch golf than players teeing off against each other – Mano-a-mano.

It brought to mind the Ryder Cup, one year away, where the best of the best from Europe and the USA will face-off in one of my favorite places in the world – Wales. I love Wales. I’ve been there many times – but always on business, working for a company in the 90’s that was founded by the richest man in Wales, Sir Terry Mathews – owner of Celtic Manor – the home of the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Now, I’ve never played golf in Wales - I was a late bloomer to the game. And my stint at Mr. Matthew’s company was during my pre-golf era. But I have a lot of friends who live there or are from there that tell me regularly that golf on Wales is as good as anywhere in the UK.

I love hearing about the sheep that cut the grass on the fairways and how they put up electric fencing around the greens to keep the sheep “in their place”, as it were. However, the sheep do not take it to the rough to do their business, so be prepared, as my buddy was, to “play it as it lay” in the carcasses or droppings of the 4-legged crew that maintain the course. Ye shall get no relief from these creatures – alive or dead. Ick! Or Haha…not sure which expression I should share with that piece of knowledge ;)

So… this week, after reading Chicken Soup for the Soul – The Golf Book, I thought...Hey, I can write about golf in Wales without ever having played a single hole there because of the great stories my friends have shared with me. I can live vicariously through others who have experienced the beauty, wonder and Wo-is-me factor of golf in Wales.

So...let me share one story in the words of a golfer who is both my colleague and my friend…

"It was 2004 and my annual 4 ball buddy trip was headed again for Wales, now home of the 2010 Ryder Cup. Okay, okay… it may not be the Celtic Manor, but we still took our yearly trek to Nefyn, the final stage for our North Wales Championship pretty darn seriously. Mum did too. Every year we would end up on her doorstep, looking for a place to crash, chowing down huge breakfasts she generously prepared at the most ridiculous hours in the AM (we started early as we played 36 holes every day). Mom was not only a gracious host, she also took very seriously the honor of presenting the trophy to that year’s winner.

Nefyn was the pinnacle of our personal Ryder/Solheim Cup.

Why did we choose Nefyn? Well, it was one of the best courses in the area and rated as one of the UK’s top 100 courses. But to be honest, it was also one of the few local venues available to visitors on Saturday mornings. Members, hmmm…you’d think they owned the course! ;)

Now Nefyn’s location is both good and bad. It is remote and tough to find, but well worth the trip (Hey, I am from Wales and I couldn’t find the course 3 years running!). But when you do finally get there and step out of your car, the feeling of the sea breeze sweeping around the car park is just wonderful!

Yes, Nefyn is a blustery golf course, not unlike the links of Scotland and Ireland, but in all the times I’ve played there, I’ve never felt a drop of rain. The gods of golf have always shone fondly on our 4-some.

Nefyn is also a totally integrated environment – friendly to both men and women - a vacation area where every day you see couples out playing golf. Nefyn is geared for mixed golf and post round relaxation. The food is excellent in a simple pub food way, with reasonable prices. And the clubhouse is a wonderful haven from the strong winds that whip around the course.

Okay, back to the course itself… the 7 holes on the spit are amazing - offering a combination of the freshest air you'll ever breathe and some of the scariest golf holes you’ll ever play. You are surrounded by craggy rocks and crashing waves.

They added an extra 8 holes by converting adjacent farmers’ fields about a decade ago, and while that offers golfers different options (spit or inland), it has probably diminished the overall feel of the place. My clear advice to any first time visitors would be to play the original 18 with holes 11-17 out on the spit.

You have to love a golf course where your favorite hole is the first. I love #1 because you tee off towards the Irish Sea and the optical illusion caused by a false horizon makes you believe that you could actually drive right into it. But in reality even Tiger Woods on angel dust could not get near the water. It's an awesome way to start a golf game.

But of course, for every great hole, there’s always that nemesis, and for me, that was the second hole on the spit (#12). It starts with a totally blind tee shot into a right to left sloping fairway. There is also a massive crater in the fairway that gathers any and all weak 2nd shots. And to top it all off, the hole ends with an elevated, and totally unpredictable, green. It is a hole that even after many attempts I have yet to par and am always absolutely delighted to walk off with a bogey 5. I hate this hole, but can’t wait to play it again to show it “who’s boss!”

Now, there are a few quirks about Nefyn, or perhaps I should say the Nefyn clientele/members. We played after a “society” once which hosted over 50 local golfers, and when we reached the clubhouse we discovered the showers and soap were bone dry – not one person had felt the need to seek soap and water after 4 hours of golfing grind. Hmmm…what can I say about that, except…let’s grab the Purell, then shake hands and call it a day. :)

As for other memorable moments, we had two (count em) two…. holes-in-one on the same tough Par 3 (9th) two years running from different members of our party. In fact, we've had holes-in-one with provisionals on the 9th! Bizarre!

And then there was that temporary green on the spit one day…

The maintenance staff had cut a huge hole over 18 inches wide on a bumpy, sloping patch of fairway and called it the “hole”. Despite the massive target I managed to misread my putt and missed a three footer for par by an embarrassing margin. My partners’ response? ...Picture 3 guys lying on their backs laughing helplessly like over turned turtles. Grrr…

Ah...but I had the last laugh. Wales has always been good to me and I often came out the trophy holder at our annual championship there, relishing in a year of bragging rights. Funny...my buddies didn't enjoy those years as much as I did. I guess that's why they insisted on changing venues for future championships - courses closer to their own back yards. No problem for me... over the past 6 years, we've played in some of the best golf courses in the world including St. Andrews, Turnberry and Birkdale. But I'll never forget my mum handing me the coveted prize in my home country, announcing me as that year's North Wales Trophy Champion. It just didn't get any better than that."

Golf in Wales is generally not polished and organized as it is in Golf in the US of A. Some good advice…play the original holes and dress warm no matter what time of year. It’s not about pleasure – it’s about experiencing golf as raw and elemental as you will ever find.

Go with the flow and if the greens are unpredictable and the rough is unfair, then so be it. The gains are clear to behold in the views and the wonderful overall experience. Where else can a right handed golfer slice his tee shot into the sea on three consecutive holes at the start of his round and still win the day!

For those of us who are used to playing $300 US for a round of resort golf in the USA, golf in Wales is pretty appealing. Let me say this bluntly…golf in Wales is cheap! But…at the same time, it is golf at its best. The Welsh Golfing Union established in 1895 is the second oldest in the world and in terms of golf courses, Wales has more than 150 from which to choose.

Wales may not share the same notoriety as Scotland and Ireland, but it has as many of the charms, challenges and champions as those countries. Let’s not forget that Welshman, Ian Woosman captained the winning 2006 Ryder Cup Team which won 18½ to 9½ points over the USA. It may have been played in Ireland, but the heart of that Cup was from Wales.

I love golf and I love golf courses. I wish I could play every one in every country, but alas, that is not possible. But what I can do is talk to golfers worldwide who have experienced the joys and heartaches of the game in places I can only dream of playing.

Golf is universal, bonded by players that share a passion for the game and a love for a sport that has no boundaries, custom officials or border checkpoints.

Thank you David for sharing your experiences of golf in Wales. Once again, my bucket list of golf courses to play overfloweth…

Golfgal

Photo Credits:
1. stephanelag
2. Golf North Wales
3,4,5: Mark Ellis

Michelle Wie - a Sure Thing for the Solheim Cup?

2009-08-14T19:03:00.000-07:00

We all know, there are no guarantees in life. And...there are even fewer in golf. Certainly Michelle Wie learned that lesson the hard way, living in a world of unrealistic expectations, and dare I say, exploitation, by adults who were supposed to take care of her.

But Michelle was not alone. Others paid dearly for jumping on the gravy train - banking on Michelle like that she was the next card at the blackjack table - coaches, caddies, agents - greed drove them to her and greed busted them.

Michelle Wie experienced more highs and lows as a teenager than most of us face in a lifetime. Her story is fascinating and has recently been chronicled by journalist and author, Eric Adelson in "The Sure Thing - The Making and Unmaking of Golf Phenom Michelle Wie"

The story is not a new one, but Adelson, who first interviewed Michelle when she was only 10, does an excellent job of compiling what we already know of Michelle's life in a well written, compelling story, and adds to it some very interesting comments and insights from those closest to her.

I really enjoyed The Sure Thing, but I must admit I experienced every emotion possible as I read it - love, hate, excitement, frustration, hope, dispair, joy and fury. I had trouble reading it at times, but also had trouble putting it down.

I wondered if Eric Adelson felt the same way as he was writing it. I also wondered how he felt now about Michelle's future, given her recent successes at Q school, on the LPGA and being chosen as a captain's pick at the Solheim Cup. Luckily I was able to talk to Eric this week and get those answers:

I am excited about Michelle's future and I hope that she shows everyone who thought she was a has-been that her story did not end in 2007...that in fact, her life and legacy are just beginning at the ripe old age of 19.

Golfgal

Photos of Michelle © Photogolfe... Dreamstime.com

Q&A with Kratzert and Byrwa on golf's last major of 2009 - The PGA Championship at Hazeltine

2009-08-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a first for me. Although I haven't been blogging about golf for too many years, I've never seen the PGA or USGA reach out to the blogging community for content and then turn around and give something back.

But for this year's PGA Championship, the PGA has tried something new and I like it...

Earlier this week, the PGA sent out a call for questions to a bunch of us golf bloggers for a Q&A they were doing with Billy Kratzert; TNT Golf Analyst/PGA.com and John Byrwa; Managing Editor, PGA.com.

Matt at The 20th Hole, Neil at Armchair Golf Blog, Gregg at Lefty Links and I all submitted our questions and within 24 hours we had the answers sent to us that we could share with our readers.

I thought, okay...but I'm sure these questions and answers are already posted on PGA.com right and so we'll just be reposting? Well, apparently not. This content is just for us. Now, I think that's cool.

Oh sure, PGA.com gets us talking about the tournament and linking to their site, but hey..wouldn't we do that anyway? No, this is a good idea and I hope the PGA continues to grow their relationship with bloggers, ask us for input and help us share unique content with our readers. I hope the USGA follows suit.

Anyway, here's what we asked Billy and John...

Q: Other than Tiger, who are the top names on your radar for winning this week?

John: Obviously, number one, especially given his performances over the last two weeks, is Tiger Woods. It’s kind of like it’s Tiger Woods and everybody else. Some more big names that others are talking about – Vijay [Singh], Padraig Harrington, as we saw in his performance last week at Bridgestone, seems to have gotten his form back at the right time. He played really, really well except for the 16th hole last week and he has the experience with the three majors that he’s won. He’s always a possibility. And, the usual suspects like Jim Furyk. Those are my three guys, right there.

Billy: Jim Furyk or Steve Stricker or I would also look at Lee Westwood. His name keeps coming to mind. He’s never won a major championship, but he has the game. Look at the way he played the Open Championship. He’s out of the playoff by a shot and he bogeyed on the last 4 holes. Yes, had a birdie in there on the 71st hole, a par 5, but he should have a major championship on his resume already. He’s one guy we should take a good, hard look at. Or, maybe it’s a young guy - a [Camilo] Villegas, Sean O’Hair, or Anthony Kim.

Q: Do you think there will be a potential "dark horse" at the Championship this year? If so, who do you think it will be?

John: I can see it happening. Who that might be, well, that’s why they are called dark horses because no one knows who it’s going to be, but I’ve got a feeling about a couple. I think Brian Gay has played great this year with a couple of wins. It’ll be interesting to see how he does. A couple other names that are in my head, for no real particular reason, are Charles Howell III if he can drive it up the fairway I think has a good chance. I also like Paul Casey and I like Matt Kuchar for some reason. I don’t know why, but his name is sticking in my head.

Q: At 7,674 yards, Hazeltine is brutally long. In your opinion, do the short drivers with otherwise excellent games have a chance, or are they just too handicapped by the distance this week?

Billy: A lot of people think the longer player has the advantage. But given the fact that of the par 5 holes where a player like [Tiger] Woods or [Phil] Mickelson should capitalize, only one that is reachable – the 7th hole. The other three are not reachable so the long hitters are not going to have any more advantage on those. When you’re looking at a guy hitting with a 7-iron or a 5-iron, a Tim Clark or Brian Gay or Jim Furyk might be as affective with a 5-iron as the longer hitters are with a 7-iron. I’m not discounting the length of the course, but I’m not placing the shorter hitters off to the side.

Q: How do you assess Rich Beem's chances?

Billy: Where he fits into the equation is this is where he won his first and only championship, I think that plays a big part. I think he gets an energy and confidence boost once he steps on the property. What are his chances? I’d say they are very slim [laughs] especially given the fact that Tiger Woods and other highly-ranked guys are playing well at the same time. To win here again, it will take a bigger strike of lightening than what happened the first time.

Q: Billy, do you have any advice for handling first-tee nerves (and nerves in general)?

Billy: Everyone handles it differently. A lot of these sports psychologists today say athletes handle nerves with a routine. They tend to block out the fact that there’s extra people on the tee watching them tee off, and focus on their routines. The more that you can go to your routine, and just hit the shot you normally hit, the better off you will be. I think people get in trouble when they think, “Well, I just hope I can put it out there.” Think of your plan – if you want to hit a hook or a draw, and try to get the shot. If you hit it, fine, and if you don’t, it’s not a big deal. Never try to do anything from a negative to get a positive.

Q: Billy, if you were still playing, what would your game plan be this week?

Billy: I would really concentrate on distance control and, by that, I am referring to the par 5 holes that you can’t reach. Also, the par 3s that are over 200 yards. The 8th hole and 17th hole, they are in the 175, 180 range. Because the rough isn’t that penalizing from what I’ve seen, a lot of it would be distance control. The more times you can put it flag high or just underneath the hole, you’ll benefit from it.

Q: What about Ernie Els? He played well last weekend, was 8th at the Open, but hasn't done much else this year. Do you think he will win another major?

John: I think he can because at 40-years-old he’s hitting that point where it’s now or never. He’s getting up there, I still think he has the game. I think he’s got to overcome his putter, which is what has let him down. Particularly at the Open, he missed a couple of short putts that could have turned the tide for him. Whether he does it here or not remains to be seen. Personally, I would love to see him do it because I like Ernie a lot.

Billy: If Ernie Els was in contention early, I’m not sure if he could sustain it. He really hasn’t done anything as of late, and he’s gone through the swing change. I just don’t think that all of sudden Ernie is going to be able to turn it around. There’s a lot going on with Ernie and I don’t think his golf game is there right now. I’d give him a slim chance this week.

Q: What do you think of the chances of young players like Camilo Villegas and Rory McIlroy?

John: I think it’s only a matter of time before Villegas wins a major championship. He’s got loads and loads of talent, great charisma, and the fans love him. Where he can do it and on what type of course? I’m going to say Augusta National. I can really see him doing something at Augusta National. It’s a little more forgiving for swashbuckling players like he is. So that’s my pick – Augusta National.

As for Rory, I can see that happening very soon. Rory is an unbelievable talent for his age. He won a European event when he was 19-years-old. He seems un-phased coming out on this stage, which is totally different than anything young players have ever been exposed to before. Where could I see him winning? I think the best place, where he would have the most experience and where his game would be made for, would be the Open Championship. I like him at Augusta, too. I don’t know why. Here at Hazeltine – it’s possible. We’ll see. He definitely has the length. He’s one of the longest players on the tour, so it’s a matter of how all the breaks fall into place, which is true for ever player. You have to get the break to win any major championship.

Billy: Both are good players. Villegas has played well on several occasions this year. He’s young. I saw him at the championship this year, along with [Ryo] Ishikawa, I thought they both showed their rookie sides of it. They saw their mistakes and didn’t take advantage. I felt that they were playing by the seat of the pants. But, McIlroy is the real deal. He’s going to be a good player for some time. Fundamentally, mechanically, when it comes to the golf swing – he’s as good as it gets. He drives it relatively straight and long. He’s a nice young man. I think he’s a great putter, even at a young age. He’s so young that I would say early in his career, he’s off to a start we anticipated when we first saw him a couple of weeks. He has the length this week. To win a PGA championship, people need the breaks. That’s the unknown right now – who’s going to get the breaks.

Q: Phil Mickelson has had an interesting year both on and off the course. Last week, his play was up and down - is he ready for this last major?

John: A lot of folks here are actually picking him to win. He played so great at the U.S. Open. It was such an emotional return for him there, and of course he is going to have the same emotion here. I saw him warming up on the range, and the crowds were unbelievable – the support for him and how appreciative fans are to see him here. I think it’s all going to come down to what kind of start he gets off to this weekend. If he gets off to a strong start, he could be there. If not, I think with of all the emotion of what he’s going through could make it tough for him to come back. I think a good start is critical for his chances this week.

Q: John, what are your top goals for PGA.com during the tournament this week?

John: Obviously, our goal, as it is for every tournament and major we do, is to provide the best coverage of the tournament that we can. We have a stable of world-class writers that will be providing daily stories and updates on PGA.com.

We are also really excited about some of the new features added this year. We have updated our design, and users will find when they log on to the site, our main story section now includes up to five stories in one slot. We now have the ability to play video right there on the homepage, which is very exciting for us. It’s going to be exciting for readers to stay on the homepage and play video right there. Our player operates exclusive videos that no one else will have, which is very important to us.

On top of video coverage, we have our PGA Championship Live, which is exclusive, streaming coverage of the tournament. We will have the simulcast streaming of TNT’s broadcast available right on our site. We also have our Marquee Group Following where we’ll be following one group in the morning and one in the afternoon. We will be following Tiger’s group with Rich Beem and Padraig Harrington both Thursday and Friday. One new feature we’ve added is a poll where we are asking users to tell us which other group they want us to cover with our Marquee Coverage, so we’ve got a choice between a few other threesomes so users can go onto our site and cast their vote. The group the fans vote for is the one we will be covering.

Then we’ve got coverage of the par 3 holes. We also have four different windows of coverage that will be on-demand, instructional and have other features from our video coverage. We’re really excited about everything we’re offering this week. I think our users are going to find a new experience and it’s going to be one unlike that they’ve found for coverage of any other major championship.

----

I think maybe that last question was a plant by the PGA.com folks :), but I'm okay with that. I know how much work it is to set up interviews and then transcribe them - I sure glad they did all the heaving lifting for us.

Thanks PGA.com! Now I'm off to watch the Championship and cheer for some underdogs. It's just too easy to cheer for Tiger.

Golfgal

Links meet Luxury on Prince Edward Island

2009-08-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

It’s not very often you find a links style course in Canada. So when I had the opportunity to play The Links at Crowbush in PEI, a sister course to Rodd Mill River, home of Big Break PEI, I jumped at the chance.

Crowbush is on the north shore of PEI and is a perfect combination of links and luxury.

I can see why this 5 star resort was chosen to host the Export Skins Game with Mike Weir, Mark O’Meara, Fred Couples and John Daly in 1998, and Making the Connection Legends of Golf with Mike Weir and Vijay Singh in 2007.

We arrived at the resort for an early morning tee time, not quite sure who our playing partners would be, and not quite sure what to expect from the Thomas McBroom course that was awarded 4.5 starts from Golf Digest Places to Play and ranked as the #2 public course in Canada by Score Golf Magazine.

We arrived at the resort for an early morning tee time, not quite sure who our playing partners would be, and not quite sure what to expect from the Thomas McBroom course that was awarded 4.5 starts from Golf Digest Places to Play and ranked as the #2 public course in Canada by Score Golf Magazine.

I was very excited and a tad intimidated by its reputation, but ready for the challenge. Golf is all about attitude, and although the sky was overcast (as it was long the entire eastern seaboard that week), we weren’t discouraged. This was going to be a great day, no matter how many bunkers I found or balls lost in the 11 holes where water comes into play.

We started the day with a tasty breakfast in The Links restaurant on the top floor of the club house. It was a great way to relax and enjoy the surroundings and views.

I also learned that it was not the ocean we were looking at from the 2nd floor of the clubhouse, but the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Sure look liked ocean to me!

After breakfast, and a warm-up at the practice facility we were ready to face the day, the course and our playing partners.

Now I’m used to playing golf with lots of different people and 99% of the time, they are nice, friendly and polite golfers. On very rare occasions, however, we’ve been paired with absolute jerks and so I’m a bit “Once bitten, twice shy” when I’m about to meet the twosome I’ll spend the next 4.5 hours with.

Well, I couldn’t have been more pleased to walk up to the first tee to find Tim Arnold (General Manager of the resort) and his lovely wife, Laurie, ready to show us how to golf The Links at Crowbush. I was thrilled that we were playing with a married couple. There is nothing I enjoy more than playing golf with a couple who loves to play together. And when I shared my apprehension about playing such a challenging course, my butterflies flew the coup when Tim grinned and said, “It’s not about the quality of the game – it’s the quality of the companionship.” I knew then that this was going to be a great day.

The Links at Crowbush is a very walkable course, but be careful to keep pace of play. More than once I wanted to stop just to take in the vistas and tranquility around me as we played. But with the GM playing with me, I wanted to be on my best behaviour, so I snapped a bunch of pictures and video and kept moving.

Every one of the 18 holes had something memorable to share, but I’ll just highlight a few that I hope will entice you to check out the rest…

The first four holes seem to be set up to create confidence in ones game with handicaps running 15, 17, 7 and 11. After these few holes, one might even start to think that they’ve got the course licked. Haha…NOT!

Welcome to #5 – a daunting and demanding 567 yard par 5 (from the tournament tees) and the #1 handicapped hole on the course.

Off the tee you must keep it left of centre – the last thing you want is to end up in one of the deep bunkers on the right.

Walking up the fairway you start to wonder if there is a flat lie anywhere on this course – the undulations are not saved for the greens – this course is hilly!

Once you get to your 2nd shot, you face the risk/reward lay up or go for it shot to the green. Now this is where the fun really begins. There is a large pond right in front of the green that you have to carry and then quickly stop your ball from running into the strategically placed bunkers in the back.

You know that a bunker is deep when there are ladders in the bunker. And you know this hole has taken its toll on you when you’re tempted before noon to sneak into the clubhouse for a pint before heading to the 6th tee.

The 7th hole is where you start your trek along the north shore of PEI, with its beautiful views of the beaches and shoreline. It looks a bit scary off the tee, but the carry is really only about 150 yards or so. But, as you can imagine, wind is a big factor on this hole and you’ll need to be careful to keep your tee shot left to avoid the rough and marshland on the right.

And don’t go long on your approach shot – there’s a “no access” area behind the green which is actually a beach. That’s out of bounds for you, unless you strip down like Henrik Stenson and pretend to blend in with the beach bums ;)

Speaking of water, check out the 8th hole – a fair par 3 from the tournament tees (161 yards), but very challenging for the big hitters from the tips at 219 yards. All carrythis hole is made even more daunting by the very strong winds, which were right in our faces. Definitely need to take an extra club or two.

The forward tees at 88 yards are a chip and a putt away from the green, so I’d be tempted to play from the whites on this hole. Hey, I like to “go for it” too! Hand me my water ball.

The 10th hole is the #4 handicap hole, probably because of all the pot bunkers in the middle of the fairway.

Very tricky off the tee – you need to hit a strong drive to avoid them. Did I? Well, as my mother always told me, “If you haven’t got anything good to say, say nothing.” Mums the word!

On to a hole I can’t say enough about – the 11th. Even if you aren’t PGA calibre, you must climb up the steps to the PGA tee box with camera in hand. We were told that this is the highest point on PEI and you can see the whole Island from up here. The views are breathtaking!

The 11th hole, itself is also quite beautiful with water coming into play on your approach shot. It’s a wise golfgal/guy who lays up on this par 5.
There are two very strategically placed pot bunkers between the water and the narrow elevated green which are sure to cause you some grief if target golf isn’t your forte.

The 15th hole is another camera opp, with the gulf straight ahead of you. You need to keep left to avoid the large waste bunker on right and going long on your approach means going going gone! Lots to get you into trouble behind the green.
Oh, and did I mention wind?

The 18th is a great closing hole. The number 2 handicapped hole on the course, it actually doesn’t look all that difficult. But don’t get to cocky. It is chocked full of bunkers on both sides and when you get to the narrow green protected on both sides by very deep bunkers, you’ll be facing a swale that will make you eat the “Hmm...doesn’t look too bad” words you voiced on the tee.

The Links at Crowbush is not for the faint of heart; it is for the golfer who doesn’t want to commune with Mother Nature, he/she wants to beat Her at Her own game. With the ever-changing elements She throws at you, I bet this course never plays the same way twice. And as we traversed the fairways, we felt like it we had been transported to Ireland. If there had been a rainbow out that day, I might have started looking for leprechauns and pots of gold.

After our round, we headed over to the resort where we were very pleasantly surprised to walk into our large king suite, complete with cosy bathrobes, a Jacuzzi, Mike Weir wine, a cheese plate and beautiful views of the course and north shore. I thought I had died on gone to golfgal heaven.

I could also see the 1 and 2 bedroom cottages from our room. My mind started working, thinking how great these would be for golfing getaways with our friends who recently returned from a golfing holiday in PEI and were anxious to return.

Venturing through the resort, we discovered the Spa, with an indoor pool, hot tub and work out facilities close by. It didn’t take me long to book a massage and wallow in self indulgence for an hour. Now, how can I describe that experience? Ooo...aaah...hmmm...sigh... (That’s all I remember, until I fell asleep. :-) )

That evening, we joined Tim and Laurie in Crowbush’s lovely restaurant where we were once again spoiled rotten by great food, wine and company. To top it all off were some homemade truffles that melted in your mouth. I snatched a few on my way out and savoured them on our flight home.

A special thanks to Tim and Laurie for a fabulous stay – it was sweet, but oh so too short. In my golf diary, I keep a list of places I want to re-stay and replay and Crowbush is definitely on it.

This year we’re taking the kids to the Okanagan for their summer vacation, but next year, I’m going to do my darndest to book our family vacation in Maritimes, just so I can play this course again and maybe (just maybe) walk away with more pars than scars on my score card. And when I'm done, I'm heading to Brudenell Dundarave - now that course owes me big time!

Golfgal

The hardest thing in golf is...

2009-08-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

I was listening to Phil Mickelson yesterday at the Bridgestone talk about his up and down day (or should I say down and up day) and what he said really hit home personally.

"I got out to a shaky start," said Phil. "I didn't commit to a lot of shots - I didn't play aggressive - I didn't make aggressive swings and I was three over at the turn."

Then Steve Sands asked what turned it around for him.

Phil said, "I think when you get into playing a little bit you realize that you can't play swinging afraid or swinging tentative. I started to trust my swing and I started to make more aggressive shots and ended up giving myself a few birdie chances and made those."

Swinging afraid. Phil talked about fear? Hard to believe that a pro of his stature and experience would use the "F" word when describing his swing. I was impressed he admitted that.

I live in fear over my golf ball these days. In my efforts to get better, my coach has made some pretty significant changes to my swing. Perhaps significant isn't the right word - more like a complete overhaul from the ground up would be a better way to describe it. The only thing he hasn't changed is my grip (because he did that the last time ;)). In fact, the only thing he could have done to make my swing any different would be to get me to play left handed - haha!

I am not unhappy about the new changes - they are all good (and desperately needed) - stand up taller and closer to the ball. Cock early, then rotate my left shoulder. Start my swing with my feet/legs using my weight shift (without swaying) and then finally let my arms follow through what my weight shift has started. Finish standing tall, and balanced, w/o leaning forward (I used to look like I was about to come out of my Footjoys to follow my ball down the fairway. :))

Sounds sooo simple doesn't it? NOT! It's hard - really really hard. But I know it's the right thing to do so I'm working hard to make it "my new swing". Every second day, I'm on the range with my video camera working working working to get it right. And on the range I'm doing pretty well - I almost look like a real golfer out there (Almost is the operative word ;)).

But then there's me on the course. I used to feel naked on the first tee - now I feel naked over every shot. I have no idea what's going to happen. I'm afraid - very very afraid.

So I start with the deep breathing, self-talk routine as I walk up to my ball, saying "You can do this - think range game." Of course, that never helps me - I'm still terrified. And when people are watching, I have this incredible urge to revert back to my old trusted baseball swing that looks awful, usually results in a pull, but works waaay better than the wiff I'm about to make (or dare I say the "S" word? - Yup, those are pretty standard when I screw up my new swing).

Trust your swing. Those 3 little words are harder for me to do than saying "I was wrong."

How do you trust something that is as fickle as the wind at Turnberry? My golfguy always says to me, "Life is easy - Golf is hard." Yup, he's got that right!

I was watching the Senior Men's US Open last weekend and saw Joey Sindelar shank a chip shot. The commentator said Joey'd recently changed his chipping stroke and when he stood over his ball, he really didn't know what was going to happen. So I guess this isn't a problem for us duffers, but one that faces even the best players in the world (okay, maybe not Tiger - he's never afraid of anything, but then again, is he human?). Oh to have that confidence!

Anyway, I'm heading to the range again this AM. I figure if I just keep at it, at some point my new swing will become my only swing and then I'll have to start working on my putting.

Hey! All it takes is patience, hard work, hours of therapy and a few good stiff drinks after every round, right? Well, I've got the drinks down patt - hard work I can probably handle - therapy I can buy - and patience??? Oh oh...Patience is NOT one of my virtues. And according to The King James Bible, "tribulation worketh patience". Yikes! I can already see a lot of tribution in my future and I expect to be asking God for FORE-giveness for a few choice words I expect to share on the golf course over the next few months. Sigh...

Oh well...I'll just take it one step/shot at a time. Trust my swing - Be patient - Forgive myself and start all over.

I'll call it my 3 step never-ending program to a better golf swing. Think it will work? I guess I'll never know until I try. Wish me luck!

Golfgal

Give a child some Fresh Air and... that "come back tomorrow" shot

2009-07-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Last year I wrote a post about a very special program called The Fresh Air Fund. Although the program isn't even in my home country, I believe in what this program does for the youth of America. I wish we had a similar program in Canada.

Every year, The Fresh Air Fund gives thousands of inner-city children the priceless gift of fun – and opens the door to a lifetime of opportunities. Whether it's a two-week trip to visit a volunteer host family, or a fun-filled and educational stay at one of their camps, FA programs make for unforgettable memories – and open a world of new friendships and fresh possibilities.

In 2008, The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

Although this summer is almost over, there is still time to help Fresh Air Fund children experience the summer they deserve. The program is still in need of host families for the month of August. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and home to a child from the city to give them a Fresh Air experience that can change lives.

So if you have some extra room in your home and in your heart, why not host a child in August. Teach them how to golf and let them experience that "come back tomorrow" shot that will get them seeking out a First Tee program in their community.

Or donate what you can to help make a child's summer, a summer to remember.

Golfgal

Golfing with the Gals for the Gals

2009-07-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than golfing on a great course...on a great day...with great golfgals... for a great cause. Of course, any day on a golf course is a great day, but there is something very special about playing golf with women who give back to other women and children in need. And for the past two years I have been very lucky to play in an event that just keeps on giving - the 23rd Annual Shaughnessy Women's Charity Golf Tournament.

My good friend Linda (far right), who I met about 5 years ago on the first tee of a local golf course, chaired this year's tourney and invited me to join her team (Rohays - left, Lorraine - centre left).

After last year's experience, I couldn't wait to participate and thought about it for weeks before the event. I even took a lesson the day before to "tweak" my swing - WRONG! What a mistake that was! But that's a whole other story...

The charity tournament was a two day event - the first evening being a cocktail party, silent auction and live auction. I was amazed at the many dozens of contributions made by club members, volunteers, local sponsors and organizations who generously donated their time, money, products and services to this event.

One such organization you probably already know about through my blog - Sweet Spot Golf. You may recall that Sweet Spot donates money to breast cancer research for every club they sell. It's one of the reasons I use their clubs - their 4 hybrid is my favorite club in my bag -bar none. I can hit it a mile!

This year, when I told President Brian Allman who the recipients would be for this charity event, he shipped up a Sweet Spot pink putter for the silent auction from the states without a second thought. Gotta love good neighbours like that!

The auctions brought in a lot of money, with people often bidding higher than the value of the donation to help Kate Booth House - a crisis shelter for women and their children fleeing from domestic violence. I was shocked to learn that in Canada one in four women has experienced violence by the man in her life. In 2004 alone, more than 95,000 women and their children sought refuge at domestic violence shelters like Kate Booth House.

Since 2000, Kate Booth House and Esther's Place (a second stage continuum of care), have protected over 5,000 families. They do amazing work, but are often over capacity from the need of so many. The Shaughnessy Women's Charity Golf Tournament has been helping Kate Booth House for many years - providing funds for expansion, outreach programs, education, staff recruitment, summer programs for children and basic living needs for those who seek shelter at the house.

I'm not sure how much money Shaughnessy raised this year, but it must have been a lot. Here's one example of the generousity of the bidders at the auction...Chef Peter Crook and Lisa Smith of Shaughnessy donated a dinner for 12 in the home of the successful bidder. That one item alone brought in well over $6,000!

Of course, I had to get in on the action - bidding and winning a week's stay in a gorgeous 3 bedroom home in Palm Desert, donated by a very generous club member, Suzy Weeks - it was the perfect birthday gift to bring home to my husband.

The next day, I headed out early to practice at probably the best facility in Vancouver. I love Shaughnessy's practice area. And their course ain't no slouch either ;) I can see why it's been chosen for the Canadian Open so many times (it's coming back in 2011). What a gorgeous place!

The weather was perfect - around 27 degrees C (~80 F) with a slight breeze. The course was in immaculate condition. Club members (women and men) were working at almost every tee, handing out goodies, tracking KP contests and the like, and even raking out bunkers after we played. I loved that part, considering I hit 13 bunker shots that day (did I mention it was a mistake to take a lesson before a tournament? :)).

Even the grounds keepers and gardeners put out a special surprise for us - a beautiful tree (the Shaughnessy symbol) sculpted right in the middle of the 11th fairway.

I can't remember having so much fun. Lorraine, Royhas and Linda were wonderful teammates. Lorraine and I discovered we share the same golf coach and she, like me, took a lesson just before the tournament. Naturally we had to text our coach to share our good, bad and ugly shots all through the game - the ugly shots were his fault, of course ;).

At the 17th hole, we were all treated to massages as we looked out over the beautiful par 3 facing the ocean.

I felt so good after that neck rub, I didn't even mind hitting what I thought was the perfect shot, only to discover it had rolled into the bunker behind the green. Took me 3 tries to get out - GRRRR - but then I rolled in a 30-40 foot putt, so life was good again. Golf is such a fickle game.

A fabulous luncheon ended the perfect day. Although we didn't win the tournament, we didn't care. The only winner we cared about was Kate Booth House. It felt so good to watch Major Marjory Peddle get up and share how the funds raised by this tournament would help so many. I must admit I got a bit chocked up hearing her speech.

I want to send out a very special thank you to my dear friend, Linda, for letting me share in such a wonderful event. And to Lorraine and Rohays for the laughs and good times we had from tee to green.

They say if you give, you receive tenfold. That certainly was true for me last week. I gave so little and received so much - not the least of which was meeting other women golfers who I'm proud to call my new friends.

Golfgal

Andrew Giuliani is Going Fore it on Big Break Disney

2009-07-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

No sooner does one Big Break end and the next begins! And this one is expected to be even more "interesting" than the ones that came before - this next Big Break is star-struck. Joining Rudy's offspring is Andreas Huber, son of TV soap celebrity, Susan Lucci.

Andrew, who turned pro just this year has been in the news a bit already, with some run-ins with Duke University. It's reported he's a bit of a hot head. I wonder if his temper will flare on a show known for pushing the limits of patience of its contestants.

I, for one, am always up for shenanigans, so I am really looking forward to this new series. But it looks like the rest of the cast is still being kept under wraps for now. Hmmm...I guess it's time for me to start snooping around.

As soon as I learn something, you'll be the first to know!

Golfgal

Rudy’s son shoots for reality golf title
By MAXINE SHEN
New York Post
23 Jul 2009

Fresh from scoring a bogey in court, Andrew Giuliani is hoping to launch his professional golfing career by winning a reality show. The ex-mayor’s 23-yearold son — who turned pro at the beginning of the year — is at Disney World competing in the Golf...read more...

Related:
TVThursday Going fore it

There are golf jobs....and then there are golf dream jobs...

2009-07-21T08:01:00.001-07:00

THIS is my golf dream job! Check this out.

YourGolfTravel, which is well known for arranging the ultimate golf holidays, has recently announced the Ultimate Job in Golf.

According to their website, YGT is "looking to liberate a weekend golfer who is sick and tired of the rat race and give them the ultimate job in golf, spending a year travelling the world to sample and review some of the globe’s most desirable golf destinations."

Wow! Could I learn to love that job!

Okay...what's the catch? This sounds too good to be true.

Well, apparently none...

So make the short list, you need to:

1. Be "redundant" - haha...who isn't these days?
2. Have a handicap less than 14 - time to get out and practice practice practice!
3. Send in a 500-1000 word article about your best golf holiday and share why you are the best candidate for the job - Oh, I have a ton of stuff for that - my problem will be keeping it under 1000 words LOL!

Once they sort through the hundreds of thousands of applications (I sure don't envy HR's job on this one!), the top 18 candidates will play an 18 hole scratch tournament to find out who is the winner of the ultimate dream job.

Amazing! I can't imagine a more perfect way to spend the next year - travelling the world, playing and writing about golf. Unfortunately, my handicap is a tad higher than 14, but my writing is a 10 handicap. Why aren't they measurting that? I write waaaay better than I play.

Oh well, whoever wins, here's an open invitation to be your caddie. Just pay my expenses and I'm there. I'll walk, write and publish stories about every course and resort you visit. All you need to do is stay and play. What could be better than that.

Call me!

Golfgal

Turnberry Ailsa - Where golf memories are made

2009-07-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Claimed to be 'the finest links golf course in the world' by Colin Montgomery, Turnberry Ailsa finally returns to centre stage this week hosting the British Open for the 4th time since its "coming out party" in 1977. And what a coming out party it was.

I can't count the number of times I've watched footage of Tom Watson holing that 60 foot putt on the 16th hole to tie Jack Nicklaus, and then go on to beat the Golden Bear by 1 stroke and capture his 2nd Claret Jug (his first was at Carnoustie Golf Links in 1975).

That Duel in the Sun will be remembered forever, but what about Turnberry itself? Since I really didn't take up the game until a few years ago, I wasn't as familiar with Ailsa as I was with other, more resent, Open venues, so I decided I'd talk to my friend and colleague, David from the UK - a 14 handicapper who's played Ailsa twice. After hearing from him about the first time he set his eyes on that course, I feel like it's become a memory for me as well...

It was not long after the last British Open was held in Turnberry that David and his golf buddies (regional winners of a British Telecom golf competition) set off to play the Ailsa course with some pretty high stakes - they were one of 40 teams vying for 6 spots to play the finals in Sotogrande Spain, all expenses paid.

They arrived to find themselves in in what David calls "golfing majesty". Not a stranger to playing other famous Open venues (he has played Hoylake, St Andrews Old Course and Royal Birkdale), David described his feelings at Turnberry as being "in awe". Not only was the hotel a 5 star treasure, the course was in fantastic condition, with breathtaking vista views.

Perhaps it was that sense of wonder that that caused him to perform 'awe-fully' on the practice range before his round. What made it even worse was that he had an audience behind him - European PGA tour pro Malcolm Gregson was standing there watching and couldn't help but speak up as David headed to the first tee with these words of comfort, "It's going to be a long hard day for you today if you are going to hit the ball like that." Gee, thanks Malcolm!

Well, despite Mr. Gregson's less than encouraging send off, David had one of those wonderful experiences where he woke up on the first tee and drove his ball straight down the fairway, delighting himself, his team mates and especially his caddie who watched him duff shot after shot on the warm up tee, thinking it was going to be the longest day of his life. A short iron into the green and suddenly life was very very good.

They had a marvelous day, despite the steading downpour of rain. And when they reached the 9th hole, they were ready for the much-talked-about views of Ailsa Craig - a volcanic rock that rises over 1,000 feet from the middle of the Firth of Clyde.

At this point, David's caddie stepped up to give his little speech, "If you can see Ailsa Craig, it's about to rain; if you can't see it, it's already raining." I wonder how many times he's said that over the years ;)

Anyway, no amount of squinting, could bring Ailsa Craig into view for the team so they sadly moved on to the 10th tee.

Now, the 10th hole has changed quite a bit since David played. The redesign was intended to bring the coastline further into play and create more of a risk/reward shot for players looking to cut off the corner of the fairway.

Today it requires at least a 200-yard carry off the tee. I sure hope that was from the tips or I'd be packing my bags for home by now.

Some say this stretch of holes 8 through 10 is Scotland's Pebble Beach, but with its spectacular untamed landscapes untouched by civilization, and its romantic history, I'd say Turnberry has it one up on the home of the 2010 US Open. But of course, I haven't played either, so I better hold my judgement until I can compare them first hand. Let me just make sure they are both on my bucket list.

Regardless of the many lost balls in knee high rough and having to slog their way through the links, the team was doing pretty well until the 17th, where David described his performance as very 'keystone cop-like', "I jammily escaped the bunker on the hillock 100 yards short right of the green only to find it lodged above the bunker leaving me an impossible stance. My clumsy swing at it only succeeded in dislodging it so that it ran back into the bunker swiftly followed by yours truly and my clubs." Oh how I wish I had a picture of that!

Regardless of the "cock-up" at 17, David's team was quite excited dripping their way into the clubhouse with a final score of 91. Now in the Stableford (best 2 ball) format they were playing, that was a pretty good score and they were fairly confident they would be in the top 6. But the magic of Turnberry seemed to be focused on a different foursome that day who carded an incredible 102. Commentator, Peter Alliss, who was giving the after-dinner speech, was quite nonchalant about the score saying, "Look, it's not that difficult to do this. All you need to take is 4 single handicap golfers and play them as 18, 19, 20 and 21 and your job is done!" Haha...say no more - say no more!

Almost twenty years later, David still vividly remembers the course, the views, the clubhouse, the hotel and every shot. He's played Turnberry since that eventful day, but the memories of his first time on Scotland's coastal wonder have burned themselves into his brain and his heart. I guess what they say is true, "It's never quite as good as the first time."

I can't wait to experience for myself one of Scotland's golfing treasures for the first time. And they do say, 3's a charm, so... Haste Ye Back, David, and I'll meet you at the first tee!

Golfgal

Live Vicariously through Tom Coyne's Golfing Adventure: A Course Called Ireland

2009-07-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Every now and then you come across a book that touches you in a way you didn't expect. Recently, I was introduced to a book about golfing in Ireland and thought to myself..."Okay, my grandfather was from Ireland. I just finished a series of posts about PEI, to where many Irish people emigrated. I haven't been to Ireland yet, so...it might be worth quick perusal."

So one night before bed, I cracked open the cover and started to read, expecting it to lull me to sleep in a few minutes. I was wrong.

Here's how the book started...

"The dog was going to be a problem.

I had already faced off against a gang of galloping livestock, gone toe to hoof with a mountain goat, and narrowly escaped the nip of a mother swan. I had climbed my way out of sandy pits and thorny ditches, scrambled up stone walls, splashed my way through deep and icy waters. I had felt speeding cars brush the hair on my knuckles. I had lowered my chin into a month-long rain, peeled the blisters off my blisters, watched my feet turn to piles of soggy porridge. I had chafed. Over the last four months, I had encountered quick and flying fists, smelled the sour breath of a hundred lost men, fought my damndest not to become one of them. I took on the British Army. I dodged the police. And I felt the despair of every man who ever chose to walk alone, then found himself dreaming he could go back and choose differently.

But with just a few hours to go, and just a few paces left on my journey, I met a growl in the middle of a quiet country road, and it sounded just like the last thing a person might ever hear.

The dog was tall as a Harley with paws the size of pancakes. His skin was taut and caked in mud as if he'd been resurrected from a bog, and a winding scar cut up his face like a map. A redness leaked from his eyes, and in his stare I recognized a disquieting certainty about how the next few minutes were going to proceed. This wasn't an animal I was looking at, I told myself. This was an inevitability."

Now THAT didn't sound like a boring golf travelogue to me, so I kept reading, and reading and reading for more than 2 hours to discover that "A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint and the Next Tee” is a delight!

So much more than a book about golfing in Ireland, A Course Called Ireland is an adventure story of a man (many thought was crazy) who embarks on a quest to walk and play the longest golf course in the world - that course being the entire perimeter of Ireland, ending in Ballybunion.

Over a 4 month period, author Tom Coyne walked over 1,000 miles and played 990 holes (par 3,895) of links golf on 56 courses. The adventures, or should I say misadventures, he and his golf buddies encounter along his journey are hilarious; the people he meets, unforgettable; and the golf courses he describes make you want to grab your clubs and catch next plane to the Emerald Isle.

The book is a great read made all the more entertaining by Coyne's captivating writing style which makes you feel like you are on the journey with him. Tom is a wonderfully entertaining storyteller.

As you can tell...I loved this book. Every night I would read a few holes (that's a clever way Tom divides up the chapters) and I don't think there was one evening when I didn't elbow my husband, while laughing out loud, saying, "Hey, listen to this!", and then proceeded to read out loud a funny anecdote or phrase.

By the end of the book, I had dog-eared more pages and highlighted more quotable quotes than I could count.

This is definitely NOT a book I can regift...Haha...but I wouldn't want to. This is a book I will reference again and again. And if I ever get a chance to visit Ireland, it will be my bible of where to play and what to bring with me.

After reading A Course Called Ireland I just had to talk to Tom about walking where no man had walked before....

I won't ruin the book for you by giving away any more excerpts, but I can tell you that when Tom writes about a golf course, it's not the typical hole by hole description you'd normally see on blogs like mine. I learned something about writing course reviews from Tom - Don't tell people about the holes, yardages and hazards - make them feel the wind on your face, the wonder of the landscape and the fears, frustrations and fun that they can expect to feel when they play the course.

If you are still wondering what motivated Tom to take on such a brutally difficult challenge, check out this podcast on Smarter Golf.

Then go out and buy A Course Called Ireland. And from the warm and safe comfort of your bedroom or study, live vicariously through Tom's journey, complete with 38 days of horrid rain, man-eating canines, full Irish breakfasts that could convert most carnivores into vegetarians, blisters on blisters, traffic nightmares and the wild and wonderful golf courses he played along the way.

A word crops up from time to time in Tom's book...'Craic' (pronounced 'crack'), which means "fun, enjoyment, abandonment, or lighthearted mischief". I guess that really sums up Tom Coyne's adventure and his book - it's just great craic!

Golfgal

Big Break PEI Finale: Gillespie Grabs the Gold!

2009-06-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! $100,000 for 14 days work!

Hard work, mind you, and definitely work that required years of training and practice, but still...that's a lot of do re me! And in US $ too!

Congratulations Derek!!!!

It almost feels like a first place purse at a PGA Tournament - NOT! Need at least 1 more zero to come close to that. :)

But something tells me that Derek is going to hit the big leagues very soon. This is just a taste of what is to come. He's got game, he's got guts and now he's got the gold!

It seems like only yesterday that I talked to Derek before Big Break PEI even aired, for a "20 questions" interview for Inside Golf Magazine. Being the only Canadian, I thought it would be cool to let Canadian IG readers know about the only Canuck in the mix. Little did I know that he would go home the champion. I'll say it again...Well done Derek!

Last week after watching Blair play the first 9, I started to believe it was anyone's championship. And then after Blair's amazing birdie on the 10th hole, I think more than a few people were wondering if it was time for the underdog to win. But as Blair said...she played her best, but it wasn't quite good enough. Derek played better. Derek deserved to win.

But Blair never gave up - her putt on 12 showed that. As Stina said, Blair had nerves of steel after 3 putting the previous green. It was so great to see her battle to the very end. Her composure was amazing.

Before we get into the interviews this week, I want to share with you my three part series on Rodd Mill River, home of Big Break PEI. I had such a wonderful time playing there and after seeing the contestants play the 18 holes over two weeks, I felt like I had walked the fairways with them. I hope you enjoy them and give PEI and its 30 golf courses a try for yourselves. It is a golfer's playground...

Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - The Resort
Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - Mill River Golf Course - Front Nine
Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - Mill River Golf Course - Back Nine

I started tonight with Michael Michaelides from Big Break X. He had some very interesting comments about playing it safe versus playing it smart when I asked him about Blair's remarks on 15...

Next up was Brian. He gave me some insights into that day and the players, but mostly he left me with a better understand of what it means to be a big breaker, what he learned from the experience, what he would do differently if given the chance again, and how much he cares for the people he came to know over the 2 weeks.

Brian may have appeared to be "The Villian", but he is actually a big softie with a big heart. I hope he does well in his chosen career as a pro golfer. His website BrianSkatellgolf.com should be live soon - be sure to check back for that.

Well, the man of the hour had a busy night being on a live chat session with the Golf Channel. They said it was supposed to be half an hour, but it's almost 2 hrs later and Derek's still there answering questions. That's impressive. But what really impressed me was that he still made time for our weekly interview. Money hasn't gone to this champ's head...

Wow, pretty cool about the Nationwide event and that sponsor exemption from Mr. 99 himself. Very very cool!

Caught up with Blair today - my what a busy woman she is! She may not have won the $100K, but something tells me Blair is about to find her own big break as a result of her strong performance on the show...

I hope Blair enjoys her week at the 5 star Rodd Crowbush Golf and Beach Resort. With all the events and travel she's been doing, I bet she'll need the rest and that's a great place to relax and enjoy 5 star pampering. I just finished up my article on that golf course/resort and will publish it later in July. The Links at Crowbush is a "must try" experience - it looks like it was plucked straight out of Ireland.

Well, it's time to say goodbye. I want to thank all the contestants who took the time to chat each week with me. What a great bunch of people! I can't wait to do it again for Big Break 12. I think it's time for another reunion don't you?

In closing, a big congratulations goes out again to Derek! And Brian shared in his interview, "The right person won."

Golfgal