There are so many subtopics here that we could follow but I want to focus on just one – why him and not ‘her’?  I will say that Whan does have sports marketing experience and golf industry experience with Taylor Made which his predecessor Carolyn Bivens did not.  That right there adds a small bit to my comfort level but what happened to the women that were in the running or perhaps should have been in the running for this all-important position??

Donna Oreander chose to remove her name from consideration stating she was happy at the WNBA.  OK, that makes sense.  She is top dog there and is doing a fine job.  Why take on the headaches associated with an organization that is struggling to find its own identity and maintain its existence??  Guess that challenge is too risky and too much for some.

My personal hope was that Zayra Calderon would be named to the position.  Zayra helped build the Duramed FUTURES Tour from a fledgling, scrape by the seat of your pants wanna-be into a tour that captured the sponsorship of the Duramed Pharmaceutical Co and the attention of the LPGA as its official developmental tour.  She is revered by the players, tournament owners and directors, as well as the sponsors of the tours 20+ stops.  After selling the Duramed FUTURES Tour to the LPGA, she was named Senior Vice President, New Business Development and Worldwide Sales, in addition to retaining her role as CEO of the Duramed.

When Ms. Bivens was unceremoniously ousted buy the rank and file of the LPGA, Zayra was elevated to the position of Executive VP of Tournament Development and Worldwide Sales – translation…Zayra was asked to lead the charge to shore up severely damaged relationships left in the wake of Bivens ‘bull-in-the-china-shop regime.

That tells me that she not only understands the product, but has the business savvy to get things done. Was she seriously considered or even interested in the top spot?  My gut tells me as much as she loves the tour and all that it means to those that make a living playing it and to those that love the women’s game she would have taken the helm without hesitation.

Of course, this is only my opinion but the real issue here is what will happen next?  Is Mr. Whan truly is the right person for the job?  Why wouldn’t the most prestigious women’s sports organization in existence today not think that the right woman would be a best fit and actively search for such a female to lead this wonderful organization??  You can’t convince me that there isn’t a woman that has the same experience in business, marketing and golf as Mr. Whan somewhere out there.  How far did the search really go?

Until then, I am hoping that Mr. Whan and the fine staff that he will inherit (including Zayra) can take the LPGA out of the abyss it was thrown into with Bivens mistimed attempts to take the LPGA to the next level.  There is so much at stake here and there is no room for error.  Time will tell……………

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  What do you think about the LPGA’s choice?

Have you heard of the Handa Cup?  No, not HONDA Cup – HANDA CUP.  If you have, you are definitely in the minority.  The Handa Cup was formed by the LPGA in 2006 so it hasn’t been around that long.  The key point is that up until this past week I never saw anything in print about it.   I don’t live under a rock so I don’t believe it’s because I wasn’t paying attention… even though that is always suspect when it comes to my attention span .  Literally the only reason I stumbled across it because I was curious as to how many ‘Cup’ events were held in the game of golf.  In doing my research I saw an entry for this event that seems to be a very well-kept secret – unfortunately!

Here’s the scoop…The Handa Cup is an international competition pitting the Senior Women Golfers from the United States against the International Team of Senior Women much like the President’s Cup.  It is for players age 45 and over.  It has to date been played in the US at the World Golf Village, Squire and Slammer Courses in  St. Augustine, FL. Like the President’s Cup and the Solheim Cup there are 12 players per team and a non-playing captain.  Unlike the Solheim Cup players from outside Europe are eligible.

Players on the Legends Tour such as Patty Sheehan, Pat Bradley, Beth Daniel, Sandra Haynie, Joanne Carner, Rosie Jones, Jan Stephenson, Amy Alcott, Alison Nicholas and many others read like a who’s who in women’s golf and can be seen up close and personal in the Handa Cup. What a treat for fans of women’s golf- Hall of Famers everywhere!  What’s really great about this event it that it gives golfers who were not eligible for the Solheim Cup during their prime years or because they were born outside of Europe or the US a chance to compete in international competition using a match play format and most importantly play for their team and their respective countries.

The format is match play like all of the other golf cups in men’s and women’s golf.  It includes foursomes (alternate shot) and four-ball (best ball) formats along with a finishing round of singles. However, this Cup is played over a 2-day period versus the four days of play with the regular tour Cup events.

This year the event will again be played in St. Augustine. FL on Dec 5-6th.  The US Team has a commanding lead going into this year’s staging but don’t count on this to be a blow-out.  Like most match play events it all comes down to the last day singles events.  If you live near St. Augustine or are free to travel please take this opportunity to see these awesome women compete.  Ticket information may be found at http://www.thelegendstour.com/tickets.htm.

As a disclaimer, I am in no way connected to the Legends Tour (even though I am a legend in my own mind ) and I receive no compensation for my writing of this article. Simply put I am a fan of women’s golf and want to do everything in my power to promote, recognize and enjoy the talents of these amazing women golfers.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Please take the time to learn more about The Legends Tour and share this with your friends.  Personally I would like to see this tour quadruple the number of events they have on their schedule so even more golf fans can enjoy the experience.  See you on the next tee!

How do you convince yourself that going to the driving range is a good thing when all you want to do is go out to the course and PLAY?? It’s the age-old battle of practicing versus playing your favorite sport.

It goes without saying that practicing is needed to hone your skills, develop muscle memory and instill a sense of confidence that should translate to the golf course when you go to play.  Of course, practicing for practice sake isn’t the end-all here.  What I mean is if you are just on the range to put in time but not plan the best use of that time you are simply wasting your time!

There are many methods offered up by golf gurus that are worth trying.  Making sure you hit every club in your bag at some point during your practice time can be beneficial.  If all you want to hit are 7-irons you could ‘master’ the 7-iron on the range but find you only need to use that club 3 or 4 times on the golf course.  What about the rest of the clubs?  Unless you plan on playing an entire round with just one club make sure you work on getting the feel and the average distance of each club in your bag.

Another technique suggests that you play an imaginary round while on the range.  To do this you take a score card from a course you normally play or one you plan to play.   You look at the yardage from hole to hole and the par score.  Pull out the club you would use on the tee box for the first hole, figure or guesstimate the distance it traveled and then choose your next club based on the yardage remaining.  Do this all the way to the green and ‘move’ to the next hole.  Putting practice will take place later in your practice session over at the putting green.  This gives you an ‘on-course’ experience at the range.

Of course, there are specialty practice sessions where you are only working on one aspect of your game.  For instance if you are struggling with a certain shot or with a specific club it does make sense to spend more time on that particular element.  Of course, it is always advisable to have a golf professional point out areas for you to work on and provide you with targeted drills designed to improve your performance.  Let’s face it!  As amateurs we typically have tons of things to work on.  Don’t overload

your brain or your body.  Make a plan and track your progress before adding more thoughts or drills to any one practice routine.

Something to avoid is standing in the same spot and hit ball after ball like a machine without taking a break and stepping away for a few moments. Repetitive motion over a prolonged period of time can do more damage than good.  The range is a good place to work on your pre-shot routine, your alignment and your balance.  Back-off, pick a target and line yourself up are ways to give you a break from continual swings and possible injury.

The common sight at most driving range is seeing golfer after golfer pounding ball after ball with their driver until they have exhausted their bucket of balls.  Occasionally they may switch off to a 3-wood or even pull out a hybrid but you rarely see them spend time with their irons or wedges.  Granted some driving ranges do have ‘set-aside areas’ designed to practice the short game complete with bunkers and rough-height grass along with a green.  But even on the driving range it is a good idea to include hitting short irons and wedge shots aimed at intermediate targets.   What’s that old saying “Drive for show and putt for dough”??  You’ll never get your scores lowered if you don’t work on your short game.

My one word of caution is to make sure you don’t become a driving range golfer.  That is someone who can hit great shots there but can’t seem to take it to the course.  The whole purpose of the range is to improve your confidence and help you to enjoy the game by reducing tension, frustration and mechanical swings.  Keep your expectations in check.  If you are not earning your living playing golf, cut yourself some slack.  After all, it’s just golf!!

There are many other approaches to making the most of your time on the range.  You just need to find out what works best for you.  If you are just beginning this is a great way to ‘get your groove on’ under guidance of your favorite golf professional.  No matter what your level of play is the bottom line is to enjoy the game and don’t overlook some of these techniques to make the game even more fun.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to our site in the upper right hand corner.  We’ll even give you a FREE gift just for becoming one of our regulars.  Until our next tee time………

Top Athletes Bare it All

This week there have been two events in LPGA-land that have the potential of tipping the scale of public opinion in terms of being helpful or hurtful.

First up, ESPN the Magazine releases its Body issue, a Celebration of the Athletic Form,  featuring a number of male and female athletes in the ‘semi-buff’ and ‘buff’ (cleverly posed to conceal certain body parts).  Three LPGA members were included in this issue: Christina Kim, Sandra Gal and Anna Grzebien.

The photos that I have seen online prior to the Body Issue release are tastefully done and do exhibit the beauty of the athletic body.  Quite a few sports are represented, including baseball players, a female fighter, a tennis pro, a surfer, some of the US Women’s Softball team (including a pregnant one) and somewhat obscure sports like Sumo wrestling and table tennis in addition to the LPGA golfers.

The question is how this issue is received in the minds of the public, i.e.the fans of these sports.  Will there be fallout over this from those who fail to see the beauty of the photos OR will this be taken in a positive way to ‘show another side’ (no pun intended) of these athletes and the work they put in to excel in their respective sports?

Perhaps an even bigger question will be “Will the women be perceived differently than their male counterparts in terms of the public reaction?”  You know, that sexist thing that rears it’s ugly head time and again!  We shall see very soon…the magazine hits the newstands tomorrow.

LPGA Adds Surprise Candidate for Commissioner

On a totally different subject but one that has some serious consequences for the LPGA is the recent addition of a new ‘surprise candidate for the LPGA Commish’ search.  Jonathan Ward, a senior adviser at Kohlberg & Co, an investment firm was announced as a possible finalist along with U.S. Golf Association chief business officer Peter Bevacqua.

The issue at hand here is that Ward, like the ousted former LPGA Commissioner, Carolyn Bivens, has no golf experience or professional sports experience.  He does not have the ‘ideal experience’ as defined by the headhunting firm Spencer Stuart, also responsible for bringing Ms. Bivens to the LPGA.

Are we seeing a ‘deja vu all over again”?  Granted there were interviews with Mr. Ward that seemingly impressed the search committee but what happened to their mantra of seeking the best ‘golf insider’  for the position?   Perhaps Ward does bring the right package to the table.  From the outside it appears that the search committee is not 100% sure of the background they feel will be the best fit.

The bottom line is that there is no room for error here.  I do applaud the LPGA search committee for taking their time on the selection for Commissioner as it was first rumored the decision would be made by early October.  Now it is suggested that it will be in November.  Let’s just hope that the person selected has what it takes to move the LPGA forward. There is no going backward!  Where is that crystal ball when you need it???

Thanks for spending time with us at Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  If you haven’t yet joined our subscriber’s list in the upper right hand box, please do so.  We’ll send you a FREE gift as a thank you!

Today turned out to be a very special day for me.  It was rainy and cool, not at all conducive for enjoying the game of golf.  At least that’s what I thought when the day began but something special was in store for me today.  I had the privilege of spending almost 2 hours with a woman whose background spans decades in women’s golf.

It was close to 10 years ago that I first met Carol Johnson.  I was taking a group clinic with her at a local course in my hometown in Cincinnati, OH.  Immediately, I fell in love with her teaching style and her use of visual aids.  I was only 3 years into the game myself so her instruction was invaluable to me and the progress of my game. Little did I know where this woman had walked and with whom she took those steps.

Carol is a virtual golf historian with memories of golf dating back to before I was born.  What struck me today is that I have had the good fortune to play side by side with her and didn’t have a clue to what her real value is to the game today.

Preserving Golf’s History

The real story here is about preserving history, specifically the history of women’s golf.  I am not going to write about Carol’s background and her wonderful stories in this article.  There will be a series of interviews with Carol and articles beginning in 2010 in the next phase of this golf website.

What I want to impress upon you, the reader, is that we need to be cognizant of the real roots of women’s golf, the origins of the game itself and the part that women have played.  Sure there are a few books on the subject but think about how many women in their late 70’s and 80’s and older that started playing at a very young age are still around playing golf today or involved in the game in some other way .  They have memories that I would dare say are …priceless.  Why not seek them out (or perhaps you are one of the ‘grande dames’ of golf yourself) and ask them to recount their treasured stories.

Share Your Stories

My invitation is to ask you to share those stories with us here at Ladies on the Tee and with the younger generations coming up so the rich history stays alive for decades to come.  If you are interested in doing so feel free to email me at ladiesgolfblog@gmail.com.

As always….thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  I hope to hear from you with stories from the past!

Shake, shake, shake! Dance, dance, dance! I made it through LPGA Qschool Sectional Qualifying! After a 79 in the first round, the rest of the week was a full out battle to fight back  into the top 30. It was horrible, aching, and mentally exhausting, but an experience I will never forget.

We have all been there before. You play excellent for weeks and then all of the sudden BAM! I seem to be hitting a little fade. Oh, now a slice. Oh no! Push slice! I made six straight cuts on the Duramed Futures Tour and never felt better about my game. I even shot -2 in the first round of LPGA Qschool in Palm Springs. Unfortunately, I followed it up with a spirit-breaking 82 to miss the cut.

I tried to not lose my cool. I might have thought about getting a ‘real’ job for like ten minutes, but then remembered that I had one more shot to make it in Venice, Florida! After playing eight tournaments in 10 weeks, I was exhausted. My family practically used our last $5,000 to go to QSchool, and I couldn’t give up yet. My mom, dad, and I drove 16 straight hours and put eight hours of practice in everyday. Hit balls, chip, putt, play, hit more balls, yell at each other, make up, hit balls again!

During the first round I was privileged to play with Vera Shimanskaya. She has three gold medals from the 2000 Olympics in Gymnastics. She is six feet tall, long blonde hair, not one ounce of fat. THIS is an athlete! Unfortunately, she struggled with a high score, but had only been playing golf for three years. Was I impressed! If I practiced gymnastics moves for three years, I might be able to pull of cart wheel…might.

Even with all our practice, it was still not coming together. I shot 79. I felt like my dreams had been shattered. But my game felt so close! We didn’t give up. I played better and better throughout the next couple days. I had early tee times, so we practically lived on the range ever night. Tension was high as my dad and I tried to not point fingers at each other (although we both slipped a few times). I shot 73 to make the 36 hole cut right on the number. Then another 73 when the conditions were windy. I went from 85^th to 65^th to 49^th place. One more day.

We calculated that I probably needed to shoot -3 to make the top 30. It was business time. My dad and I didn’t say one word to each other throughout the whole round.

Just, “130-8iron” “170-5iron”. I was -2 after four holes. OMG! I think I’m going for it!! Try not to get excited, just play your game, Carling. Then the winds kicked up high and the pin placements got tougher and tougher. Every hole I would get to I would think, “Oh wow, birdie isn’t possible here today, and I’d scratch in a beautiful par.” After 11 straight pars, I felt like I was running out of holes. Just one more birdie, you can do it! Then when my par putt lipped out on hole 16, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. NOOoooOOo!!!

I had 180 yards into the 17^th hole and made a fantastic 2 putt from 45 feet. I was seriously panicked, but then my dad said, “Keep your cool, sweet 2-putt, let’s finish this thing.”Last hole…I figured I was off the pace, but in the back of my mind I thought, “I’ve played some of my best golf today to be -1, maybe…just maybe…other people are struggling too.” So I didn’t do anything stupid on the long par five. Driver-5iron-8iron to 25 feet, and then two-putted my way to a very classic par. I walked out of the ropes feeling slightly disappointed, but then I saw the most beautiful sight in the world. From across the way my mom gave me a “thumbs up,” and I know what that means…

It turns out the conditions were even tougher than I thought, and the whole field was high. I made it! I made it! I had the second lowest score of the day! I’ve never been so happy that I never quit fighting. I’ve never been so grateful for my dad to pick the perfect club all day long, he was hot…and turns out I needed to save every single stroke. I didn’t want to be dorky, but I couldn’t help myself! I danced all over the clubhouse and took pictures of my name on the leader board. I might have called like everyone I know. ‘Hello, Judy? Yeah this is Carling, um Carling Coffing. My mailman is your like nephew in law…well anyway, I made it!” Haha, it was almost that bad.

Well the season is over, and I’ve got 2 months to get ready for the second stage in Daytona Beach. I’ll be doing the P90x intense exercise program to get into shape, and moving down to Florida when the weather turns cold. Wish me luck!….I’m still in shock by the way…seriously, can you believe I made it!????

Yes, Carling…we can believe it and are totally excited for you moving one step closer to your dream of an LPGA Tour card.  You have allowed us access to your world this golf season and what it’s like to live the grind form week to week.  All of us here at Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com wish you all the success in the world!  We’ll be pulling for you in December!!!

What to do when the warm sunny days of summer start to morph into the cool (sometimes cold) rainy days of fall and beyond? For die-hard golfers this is nothing more than a nuisance but for those of us that are more concerned about our physical comforts while on the course, this is a very serious issue.

Here are 5 things to do to take the sting out of the colder weather:

1. Pay attention to the weather forecast

…or better yet, walk outside the morning of your tee time and check things out as they really are. Is there frost on the ground? If so, plan for a delayed tee time. Course management will not let you play while there is frost on the ground to avoid damaging the turf, especially the greens. Check with your course to see if they are under a frost delay.

2. Be prepared!

Do the weather gurus predict a major temperature swing during the day? If so, dress in layers that are lightweight, loose-fitting and comfortable. You can’t swing well if you are encumbered by too much clothing. On the other hand, make sure you have enough warmth in your layering to keep you from freezing. It is very hard to swing when your body is stiff from the cold. Adding a pair of cold weather golf gloves to your bag is also a good idea. This gives a degree of warmth and gripping power for both hands while swinging. Storing a rain suit in your bag is also recommended. It’s one thing to be wet when it’s 90 degrees in the shade. When it’s in the 60’s or below, that rain might as well be snow if you don’t keep yourself dry.  You might consider changing to a ball with a softer feel to avoid feeling like you are hitting rocks all day long. Just a thought!

3. Warm-up and stretch…

before teeing off. This is true for all kinds of weather but an absolute must for those cooler days. Even with a frost delay you can still plan on arriving at your regular time and spend more time warming up and stretching. The worst thing to do is

to step up to the first tee box stiff and cold and swing away. Many a golfer has torn a muscle or at the bare minimum, strained a muscle due to an improper warm-up causing them to either quit before the round is over or play hampered by their injury. ‘No pain, no gain’ is not what we are going for here!! Give your body a break!! Ease into that first swing.

4. Keep a close eye on the flight of your ball.

In areas where the leaves start to fall as the temperatures drop, it is so easy to lose a golf ball in the piles of leaves on the course. It is amazing how a white golf ball can become virtually invisible when it is covered by or lying in the middle of hundreds of beautiful yellow, orange, red and brown leaves. Fall golf can become very costly if you don’t pay attention to where your ball comes to rest. By the way, be sure to look for some sort of ‘key’ identifier for the area where your ball stopped. All of a sudden the trees and piles of leaves you spotted from the point of your last swing all look the same as you travel towards them. Eagle Eye is the prescription for this challenge. Also keep in mind that when the air cools the ball does not travel as far as when it is hot and dry so don’t forget to adjust your ‘distance factor’ when looking for a stray ball.

5. Last but not least, enjoy the absolute beauty of nature.

You will be playing, in most areas of the country, amidst a kaleidoscope of colors that make the greens of the course stand out against the paintbrush of nature. The crispness in the air is invigorating (unless you are like me and really enjoy the hot, humid days of summer). The days are shorter so maximize the time spent outdoors chasing that little white ball around the countryside.

If you don’t buy into that load of BS, keep in mind that when all else fails just break out the hot chocolate (with peppermint schnapps, of course) and warm your hands, your body and your soul while you keep asking yourself, “Why didn’t I move south?”.

Here’s to enjoying golf in all seasons! Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. Come back soon and ‘sit around the fire’ with us and swap some stories.

We have spotlighted one player from the Duramed FUTURES Tour and her quest to gain her LPGA Tour card and move to the next (and highest) level of women’s professional golf. That player is Carling Coffing who has delighted us with her great articles sharing what it’s like to compete on tour from the player’s perspective. We can’t thank Carling enough for the time she took from an already very busy schedule to take us ‘inside the ropes’.

However, there is so much more to the Duramed FUTURES Tour than this one player.  Let’s take a look back at where it all started, who has come through the ranks and where it is today…

Back in 1980, Eloise Trainor, had a vision to help aspiring golfers like herself gain the competitive experience professionals need to hone their games. It wasn’t an easy start as she scheduled 12 events back then and no one noticed or participated until the 12^th of those scheduled events. That was the beginning and it was then called the Tampa Bay Mini-Tour.

From that time until 1999, Trainor recognized the need and value of this type of tour for young female golf professionals and orchestrated the scheduling with her staff.  The tour name was eventually changed to the FUTURES Golf Tour in 1983 to showcase the future talent of women’s golf. Trainor retired in June of 1999 and handed the reins over to Zayra Calderon, President and CEO. It was at this time that I had the great fortune to connect with The FUTURES Tour and Zayra Calderon personally.  A lasting and rewarding relationship has ensued.

Zayra was on a mission to gain corporate sponsorship, have the tour closely linked to the LPGA and improve the on-course experience for the young women participating and their fans. My company, Tee ‘M Up Enterprises, was hired to set-up hole-in-one prize packages that would reward the golfers during competition with a cash prize if they scored a hole-in-one in any of the tour stops. This was a first for the FUTURES Tour and a new way to try to add more money to the winnings of the players. Prize money wasn’t

and still isn’t great on this tour. That is not what it is all about but Zayra recognizes the financial struggles of her golfers and does everything possible to bolster the player’s earnings and keep them playing.

Zayra’s larger vision was for the positioning of the tour as ‘part of’ the LPGA Tour and to acquire a corporate sponsor. In 1999, she entered into a licensing agreement with the LPGA to make The FUTURES Tour the ‘Official Developmental Tour of the LPGA’.  The sponsorship quest came to fruition in 2006, when Duramed Pharmaceutical Company signed on as the tour’s Title Sponsor.

During Zayra’s tenure the number of member golfers increased (over 500 Tour Alumnae have moved onto the LPGA), the number of events increased and the amount of prize money available also increased. Most important though is that from 1999- 2002, the top 3 FUTURES players each year were granted access to the LPGA by earning their Tour cards enabling them to start playing with the ‘big girls’. That number increased in 2003 to the top 5 tour players granted LPGA cards and today the top 10 money leaders on the Duramed FUTURES Tour receive their cards for full to partial exemption status on the LPGA Tour.

They’ve come a long way baby!!

In 2007, the LPGA acquired the rights of the Duramed FUTURES Tour thereby solidifying the relationship between the 2 tours. Zayra has remained as CEO with oversight responsibilities still in her control.

This tour is so instrumental in helping young golfers learn what tour life is all about. It is a grind and a business that needs to be taken seriously to be successful. The past players on the Tour are like a veritable who’s who in women’s golf with names like Penny Hammel, Tammy Green, Meg Mallon, Dottie Pepper, Michelle McGann, Karrie Webb, Laura Diaz, Kelli Kunene, Michelle Redman, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Christina Kim, Lorena Ochoa, Grace Park and so many more.

The value of the Duramed FUTURES Tour is priceless when it comes to making the LPGA a more viable product and increasing the fan base of women’s golf with the very approachable settings offered at every tour stop. Young people everywhere (boys and girls) get a close-up view of what the game of golf is all about and the talent these young women possess.

From its fledgling beginnings in 1980 with Eloise Trainor at the helm to the leadership of Zayra Calderon this tour is truly ‘The Road to the LPGA’ for countless young women worldwide. Hats off to these visionaries and what they have done to elevate the world of women’s golf!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. To learn more about the Duramed FUTURES Tour please go to http://www.duramedfuturestour.com.

Author, Steven R. Lundin, has crafted a delicious story that is set against the historical events  of 1943 involving the war effort and the only year the PGA’s entire season was canceled.  Wrapped around these events is a plot that keeps you reading well into the night.

Shooting an Albatross takes us into the lives and conflicts of the Army’s 170th Field Artillery Battalion, specifically with Private First Class Evan Wilkins and Major Floyd Akerly.   The Battalion has been camped at the El Rancho Golf Course in Los Angeles and it serves as the backdrop for an Army-Navy Golf Challenge, a budding romance and a jealousy that rages out of control.

Lundin shows his remarkable literary talent in the way he introduces and blends his characters into the plot.  You sense every movement and sensation that pulls the main characters together and the conflicts that ensue fueled by passion, hidden agendas, deceit, jealousy and rage.

For those that are not golfers, Lundin takes the time to explain the game as it relates to the story line.  However, this story is not about golf.  It is about love in the midst of war, character, discipline and what happens when one man loses it all and the consequences of his actions years after the fact.

Personally I loved Shooting an Albatross as much for the love story as for the Army-Navy golf challenge that sparked it all.  There were times that I thought Lundin went a bit overboard with his analogies and descriptive phrases but in the end that was not a factor in my overall opinion of this book.

This book is worth reading especially if you want to journey back to an era that is all but forgotten!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Stay tuned soon we will be opening our Pro Shop where products like this one may be found.

A review copy of this product was provided for me to read and review.  This review is solely based on my opinion of the product.

I just finished what felt like the quickest and the longest six months of my life. I just finished my first full season as a professional golfer, the first of many years to come. A year I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Sometimes I still say to myself, “Wow, I’m a professional golfer.” And people still tell me daily that I have “the best job in the world.” I’d like to share my favorite moments of the year in little clips and phrases. Some may be inspirational, funny, weird, or even sad. Nonetheless, this is what proof I have of my life as a professional athlete. Feel free to smile, laugh, or cry. Seriously, just let it out…

I was stuck next to a tree, and I tried to hit a ball left-handed. I can still remember the crowd’s “gasp!” when I completely whiffed it….twice.

My dad and I have been practicing my flop shot since I was literally 12 years old. I will never forget the angry look in my competitor’s eyes when I got up and down 11 times in one round at The Lost Marsh Golf Club in Hammond. It should have been an 85, but I squeaked out a 72. I’ll take it!

I decided to share a hotel room with my friend Carmen Bandea when we were playing in Harrisburg, PA. She busted a hole in her coolant tank in her car, so I car-pooled us all over town throughout the week. Then while on the way to our Saturday 7am tee-time, I managed to get a flat tire! We counted down the minutes while being stranded on the side of the highway. The tow truck driver dropped us off at 6:45 am…just in time to show up to the tee relying on only our mental game! I shot even par. Thinking about hitting this strategy more often!

I’ll never forget working with my mom&dad. He is always coming up with new strategies! He’s the guy you see at the airport practicing his “air” golf swing with one arm. We always believe that professional golfers will make it on tour if they continue to improve. You wouldn’t believe how many players are out here satisfied with their game and are just sitting around, waiting for their next big break. Not us. We’re searching. We’re on a mission. Here are my successful swing mechanics throughout the season.

Don’t slide your right shoulder back. No ignition move (twitching your hands at the beginning of the swing). Keep your right elbow in front of your body. Keep your left leg bent at all times. Finish short. Keep chest facing downward. Don’t get tight. Feel sturdy with your legs at set-up. Don’t slide hip forward, move left. Get upper body over left foot on downswing. Swing back with your back, swing forward with your back. Keep the club in the middle of your body at all times! Master all of these techniques and you will be ready for the LPGA, promise

Did I struggle in the middle of the season? YES! Was all of this mechanical work worth all of the struggling? YES! I think I may just peak at the perfect time. I just made six straight cuts in a row, moved 30 spots on the money list, and I’m on a plane to LPGA School RIGHT NOW. Thanks mom&dad!

I made so many friends. I remember signing up for the practice round the first week and just put myself on a blank hole. I didn’t know anyone. But after playing all of the events, I can’t wait to laugh, joke, and maybe even gamble a little during a practice round! I always bet 5% of my earnings for the week so they have the chance to win like 8 bucks haha! I can’t wait to visit all of my new friends from all over the world!

I’ll never forget the tournament where my awesome boyfriend came to caddy. It rained, and rained, and rained some more! We teed off at 2:30pm, 6:30pm, and 6:45 am. Oh yeah ! I’ll never forget finishing on Saturday and having to tee off like 9 hours later! Haha!

I’m so proud that I played every single event this year. That’s right, all 17. The toughest part was going 6 straight. I went from city to city, fast food joint to other fast food joints, and constantly practiced the whole time! I was so exhausted by the last Sunday round that at one point I actually stepped in Michaela Cavener’s line (she was cool about it!), stepped on my OWN ball mark, left my putter on the practice green, and yelled at dad (he was cool too!). I can’t believe I made it!

So as you can see, it was a scratchy start, but a tiger finish. Its $5,000 to go to LPGA QSchool, and it’s a tough decision to make for most. It wasn’t for us. We’re ready to hit ‘em “Coffing style” next week. I’ll keep you posted and wish us luck!!

Carling

Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com would like to congratulate Carling Coffing on her rookie season as a full-time professional golfer on the Duramed FUTURES Tour.  We look forward to following Carling on her quest through QSchool to gain her LPGA Card.  “Chasing the Dream”.