2011 spring edition

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WGC - Cadillac Championships Defending Champion Ernie Els captured by Pro Photographer Peter Broach with a Nikon D90 and provided by Michael Berenger. Els will be back this March to defend his title at Doral.

Fernando Solorzano, VPGAFort Lauderdale, FLChairman Publisher

Manuel ContrerasMiami Beach, FL

Editor

Michael Berenger, PGACarlsbad, CA

Editor

Mark McBride, PGARichmond, VA

Editor

Peter BrandonNew York, NY

Wine Connoisseur

Ryan HeimanSaint Paul, MN

Independent Golf Reviews

Connie SolorzanoFort Lauderdale, FLMarketing Director

Advisory StaffHector Zapata, PGA; Larry Levow, PGA; Ivan Mayor, PGA; Umberto Bernardini, Pablo Perez Barreiro, Nicolás Pereira

Year 1 Number 4 Quarterly March - May 2011

The South Florida Golf is a publication of VT USA, Inc all rights Reserved 2009 - 2012

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Our Cover Page

Get out the balloons: SFG’s 1st anniversary…It seems incredible that The South Florida Golf Magazine could have become what it is to-day in just 12 months. It started as an idea back in June – July 2009 and our first issue was finally launched in Feb 2010. Our web page is only 4 months old and already boasts 2K plus hits per day. I have to give thanks to our dedicated, highly professional base of writers and contributors, who strive to provide the best product on every single issue and of course our ever growing fan base. Over the year we’ve developed our layout, both in printed and on our website. We have made some important changes to improve the site structure and the quality of content. Our articles have become more structured, our research more profound. However, the main idea behind SFG has never changed. To provide information and quality golf content to every South Florida golfer. From our first issue we have devoted our efforts to the interests and concerns of the golfers and the golf industry in South Florida. Online, we try to deliver the best possible informa-tion about a given topic and present it in the most comprehensive and usable way. Whether we succeed in doing so or not is not our decision, but the decision and comments you are making with every post we publish. We’ll do our best to deliver quality material on regular basis. To do this, we need your support and your input. Please visit sfgmagazine.com and give us your feedback.Our first anniversary issue includes a look at the top tournaments in our Area, the WGC – Cadillac Championship, the Allianz Championship, the TLA (Tour de las Americas) Q School, a special interview with Butch Harmon and inside look at the PGA Show in Orlando. Thank you South Florida and keep it in the short grass…

Chairman Publisher

Editorial

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@SoFlaGolf

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SFG goes one-on-one

with Butch

Harmon

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By: Fernando Solorzano

Butch Harmon, the first golf coach to shape Tiger Woods’ swing for the strenuous job as a PGA Tour professional and current coach of Phil Mickelson, shared Some Insightful information with SFG

Seven years ago I had an opportunity to speak with Butch Harmon at a golf conference inside the PGA Show. Back then he seemed to be the most intense golf

coach I have ever met. In fact, he is considered by many the most influential coach Tiger ever had.

This new Butch Harmon is anything but intense. He was more relaxed, smiling, and often broke out in laughter. He admitted to SFG he is a very busy person with his golf academy, interviews, training videos and a brand new campaign involving WINN Grips.

Harmon was Tiger Woods’s swing coach for eight years before Woods fired him in 2002. We spoke about his support for our U.S. soldiers via Winn Hero TM Grips and of course we spoke about the new generation of players coming from the Nationwide Tour.

SFG: Coach is a real pleasure speaking to you, I heard you a couple of weeks ago on XM radio speaking about Tiger Woods.

Harmon: Look Fernando, I believe Tiger is obviously out of synch mentally and struggling to rediscover a way to play golf like he did before, his private life was upended by revelations of multiple affairs, I believe there’s no doubt about that. That’s obvious. Anybody that plays golf can look out there and see that, he’s not Tiger Woods. But until he gets his head on straight and he gets his things in his mind settled, with some professional help I would add, I think it’s going to be a while before we see the old Tiger Woods.

SFG: And today you are here at the PGA Show supporting a great cause

Harmon: Last year WINN Grips announced their product line for 2011. Winn Hero TM Grips are made in three different firmness types: firm, medium and soft. Proceeds from the sale of these grips will help our brave men and women in uniform. Winn’s camouflage green/khaki Hero grips combine high performance with a worthy cause. Available in firm and soft for woods and irons, these grips harness WinnLite grip technology to lighten club weight for faster swings and farther distance. The Hero line also offers putter grips in Medalist and Midsize pistol models. A portion of all Winn Hero TM grip sales proceeds will go to the Troops First Foundation to recognize, honor, and support our U.S. soldiers who have risked life and limb for this nation.

SFG: In the past there have been issues and players have complained about the durability of these grips

Harmon: WINN Technology has really evolved over the past year. But everything comes back as to how you care for the grips. Professional players who used their clubs everyday change their grips 4 to 5 times a year. Amateurs must change

grips at least twice a year. I had students showed up to our school with grips that were at least 2 years old. You have to take care of your equipment and a good grip should be priority one.

SFG:We are really happy to see that the Nationwide tour is infusing the PGA Tour with the much needed young talent.

Harmon: I still remember 5-6 years ago rookies coming from the Nationwide Tour would struggle and then they will go back and lose their PGA Tour cards. Today is completely different; the quality of players has increased dramatically. We see young guns like Tommy 2 gloves Gainey and Jhonny Vegas who come right out of the get go and compete at the highest level. In my opinion the level of completion on the Nationwide Tour has dramatically increased over the past 4 years and this is the reason why we see the immediate success of most players.

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The PGA Merchandise Show is traditionally a barometer for the business of golf in the year ahead and this year’s event established an enthusiastic tone with increased participation levels across all segments and an uptick in business conducted. This indicates that the golf industry is riding a wave of positive momentum into the 2011 business cycle.

Inside the Ropes


Nearly 42,000 PGA Professionals and in-dustry executives from every U.S. state and 88 countries filled nearly 10 miles of

aisles while previewing the latest products and writing orders from nearly 1,100 golf companies and brands, Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 27-29, at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlan-do, Fla.

All of golf’s best names in golf manufacturing joined with its brightest stars for equipment intro-ductions, product testing, fashion presentations, industry announcements, a series of education seminars and networking special events to set the tone for golf business in 2011.

With every major equipment, apparel and ac-cessory company exhibiting and writing orders, early attendance figures for the 2011 Show indi-cate a 3.5 percent increase in overall attendance and a 7 percent increase in PGA Professional attendance. Attendees came from around the

world with the top five countries (outside of U.S.) represented in attendance being Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea and Germany. The top five U.S. states represented in attendance were Florida, California, New York, North Carolina and Georgia.

“We are pleased with the overall increased at-tendance and especially the seven percent in-crease in PGA Professional participation,” said PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions Senior Vice President Ed Several. “The packed aisles, in-dustry enthusiasm and increased order writing reported by vendors are all solid indicators of a strong business cycle for golf in 2011.”

The energy on the floor of the 58th PGA Mer-chandise Show was apparent from the beginning of the first day, Jan. 27, when Grammy award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis treated attendees to a jazz set prior to the official open-ing of the Show. Following a heartfelt rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” from Marsalis and

a ceremonial tee shot from 2010 Vardon Trophy win-ner Matt Kuchar, PGA President Allen Wronowski proclaimed, “The 58th PGA Merchandise Show is officially open for the business of golf.”

Once the doors opened, the aisles were packed and the exhibits were full of buyers writing orders. The business of golf was also brisk in terms of ma-jor announcements including a first-day, standing room-only event in the PGA Equipment Forum where PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka and a group of industry leaders unveiled a new partnership between the PGA World Alli-ance, China Golf Association and PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions, with endorsement by The PGA of America and the GCSAA, to produce the PGA Merchandise Show-China Golf in Beijing and a the PGA Merchandise Show-Asia in southern China with PGA Merchandise Show branding. The new PGA Merchandise Show–China will be held March 18–20 in Beijing, while the PGA Merchandise Show–Asia will be held Oct. 20–22 in Guangzhou. The announcement was followed by a keynote address from renowned competitor and international busi-

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ness leader Greg Norman, who was then joined by well-known PGA Professionals and television personalities Hank Haney and Michael Breed for a panel discussion on the Asian golf market-place.

“The potential for growth in China and throughout Asia is tre-mendous, and the 10 most-developed PGA Associations that drive an economic engine of $90 billion annually are committing their expertise and resources to teaching, promoting and helping the game move forward in that important part of the world,” said Joe Steranka, CEO of The PGA of America. “The excitement and en-thusiasm for golf in China is as great as anywhere in the world, so this is a significant step toward helping develop the game in Asia.”

In addition to the busy marketplace, Show days were full of professional learning opportunities in the PGA Show Education Conference, at the PGA Equipment Forum industry presentations and within a full schedule of events at the PGA Show’s Fashion Gallery stage.

Attendees found an energetic Show floor featuring exhibits, hundreds of vendor Show specials and promotions, plus some 47 equipment testing bays at the Indoor Demo Days; multiple New Product Centers to centralize the latest introductions for buyers; a new Inventor’s Spotlight Pavilion for patented products not yet available at retail; numerous specialty exhibitor pavilions includ-ing fitness, training aids and golf travel; plus the second annual PGA Merchandise Show Career Fair.

PGA Merchandisers of the Year and influential retailers voted on the best overall new products among hundreds of vendor products in the New Product Zone and Apparel New Product Center. The top three new products in the New Product Zone were Big Wigz Skins, Golf Essentials and SKYKAP LLC. The overall best new product of the Apparel New Product Zone was Visor Versa. Addi-tionally, the Inventor’s Spotlight Pavilion, produced in partnership with the United Inventors Association, presented three awards as voted on by UIA officials. The Inventor’s Spotlight best new overall product was BandZorb by Inventor Terry Zebouni. The Inventor’s Spotlight best market research product was Concep-tive Solutions LLC by Inventor David Kardos. And, the Inventor’s

Spotlight best product concept was Golf Grip Raincoat by Inventor Adam Barnett.

“All of the new products and tech-nology at this year’s Show indicate the needle is moving in a positive direc-tion,” said PGA Professional Ed LaPi-erre of PGA Tour Superstore in Naples, Fla. “The support of so many compa-nies and the presence of so many celeb-rities have made this the best Show in many, many years.”

Each day offered a full calendar of special events and each night, attend-ees could participate in and network at special industry events including the Association of Golf Merchandis-ers Product Preview and Reception, the prestigious PGA Awards Night, and the entertaining Elations “Rocks the Joint” Industry Concert featuring Lou Gramm, formerly the lead singer of For-eigner.

Earlier in the week, PGA Professionals and invited golf retailers tested the latest innovations in golf equipment, training aids and accessories during the ninth annual PGA Merchandise Show Out-door Demo Day on a breezy-but-beautiful Wednesday (Jan. 26) on the 42-acre practice facility at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla.

As the world’s largest professional golf-testing event, more than 90 companies used the event to unveil a variety of new drivers, irons, putters, fairway woods, hybrids and wedges across the 200 hitting bays, five practice greens, New Product Preview area and the vendor village to showcase a litany of new golf products.

“This is my first Demo Day at the PGA Merchandise Show, and it’s amazing to have all of the great golf brands together at the same facility,” said Mike Owens, PGA head professional at Coun-try Oaks Golf Course in Thomasville, Ga. “I have been able to hit every club I’ve ever dreamed about hitting, and I was able to compare products side by side. This has made my ordering for 2011 very easy.”

Additionally, golf’s top instructors and teaching took center stage early in Show Week when the 12th Biennial PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit was added to the PGA Merchandise Show calendar of events, Jan. 24-25 at the nearby Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott. Hosted by PGA Professional Michael Breed of Golf Channel fame, the Summit’s schedule of presenters included World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame member Bob Toski; coaching legend Lou Holtz; and PGA Teacher of the Year recipients Dr. Gary Wiren (1989), Mike Bender (2009) and Todd Anderson (2010).


The original Broken Sound Club, now affection-ately known as the “Old Course”, was founded in 1978 and designed by Joe Lee. Gene Bates com-pleted a redesign of the Old Course in January 2004. The Old Course features an abundance of

trees unique to South Florida and rolling fairways that give it a feel similar to courses in the Pinehurst, NC area. It in-cludes the largest stand of natural Florida maples trees in the county.

This year the Allianz Championship featured a myriad of new attractions to draw a larger audience, boost the city’s economy as well as provide limitless opportunities for non profits to raise money, organizers said. “Due to the high in-terest and success of our first annual Golf & Wine Experi-ence last year that featured varietals from the private wine collections of PGA’s top pros, we have expanded the golf experience this year with more spectator, Pro Am, social and business networking, and charitable offerings,” said Ryan Dillon, director of the Allianz Championship Tournament. “Since we saw a soaring increase of families come out last year when we introduced free admission to the tournament and received a number of requests for a women’s golf expe-rience, we are pleased to deliver these new opportunities in 2011.”

Tom Lehman provided the final excitement as he birdie on the par-5 18th hole on Sunday to win the event. “I do know I am one of the top players out here — there’s no doubt about that,” Lehman, 51, said. “I’m not saying that to be cocky, I just know if I play well I’ll have a chance to win.

Broken Sound, home of the Allianz Championship a Champions Tour Event, is considered by many one of the premier golf course communities in Palm Beach County, FL.


The concept of an organized golf tour for professionals in Latin America has been around for decades. An older generation still has vivid memories of watching young prospects full of potential compete in various Latin American countries on the former “Caribbean Tour”

(Gira del Caribe). Played in the late 70’s and early 80’s, this tour served as a battleground for golf stars such as Curtis Strange, Ber-nhard Langer, Nick Faldo, Sam Torrance, and Sandy Lyle among others.

In the early 90’s, the concept of a South American Tour was re-vived by a few stalwarts who believed in the future of golf in their continent. They decided to schedule their respective national tour-naments in sequential weeks so as to accommodate to the traveling needs of players and therefore attract better fields. In 1991 the new South American Tour was launched with a schedule that included the Los Inkas Peru Open, the Barquisimeto Open in Venezuela, the Litoral Open in Rosario, Argentina, and the Prince of Wales Open in Chile. A year later other countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina decided to add their national opens to the schedule

In 1999 the World Sport Group acquired the commercial rights of the South American Tour and formed the Tour de las Americas (TLA), a professional golf tour that now covered all of Latin Amer-ica and the Caribbean. The TLA stages tournaments throughout the entire region, from Mexico to Argentina. The key to the newly formed TLA was the multi-media coverage that the tour could provide, a concept highlighted in a one hour TV show originally aired on the Pan-American Sports Network (PSN). The show then moved on to ESPN Latin America and is currently broadcasted by The Golf Channel Latin America. This factor, plus a pro-active web page and close relationship with the media in every country, allows each TLA tournament significantly increased regional and international exposure.

History in the Making

Big Break X - Hugo León

Alfredo Adrián - Venezuela


Tour de las Americas (2007 to the present)A major step was taken at the beginning of 2007, as the PGA

of the Americas (PGALA), which owns and manages the Tour de las Americas under the direction of Commissioner Hen-rique Lavie, reacquired the exclusive commercial rights of the Tour de las Americas from the London-based Parallel Media Group (PMG).

Great news kept coming as the International Federation of PGA Tours announced on July 30, 2007 that the Tour de las Americas had joined the Federation under the Associate Mem-bership category. Speaking on behalf of the Federation, PGA Tour Commissioner Timothy W. Finchem said, “It is a pleasure to welcome the Tour de las Americas to Associate Member-ship in the Federation. The TLA continues to make significant strides in developing a very solid competitive schedule and is producing an increasing number of outstanding players. The Federation looks forward to this new affiliation for TLA.”

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Vince Covello - USA

Sean Shahi - USA

Diego Venegas - Colombia

Rafael Campos - Puerto Rico


honattan Vegas, the first Venezuelan golfer to earn a PGA Tour card, is already making a pretty strong statement in the race for 2011 PGA Tour rookie of the year. But who is Vegas anyway? Aside from the thrills he provided on TV a couple of weeks ago I had to go and re-source on this young promising star. His father was a well known caddie who helped Jhonny with his early game. Jhonny is tall and strong, at 6’3’he would have been more suitable as a baseball player and in interviews he always refers to people who often criticized his love for the game, a game that has no love in his native country

Born in Maturin, Venezuela (an oil rich area) Vegas was raised by his parents around a golf course inside an oil field. You see, back in the early ‘50s when Venezuela had its oil boom there wasn’t any type of recreation for personnel who worked in these remote areas of the country. The oil companies began building golf courses in order to provide the much needed recreation to all these employees. But with the turn of the century a new factor came into the picture. Hugo Chavez and its Bolivarian Revolution came into power and he hates everything that relates to capitalism, democracy, freedom and of course “golf” got somehow in the mix.

But there is an unwrit-ten history behind all this. For those of you who live in South Florida and have Venezuelan friends, there is an internal joy every time something goes opposite to what Hugo Chavez plans. Without getting too politi-cal, just a couple of months ago, Hugo Chavez had plans to use the land occupied by golf courses to built housing for the poor. No, Venezuela is not running out of land like Monaco or any other small country in Europe. It is Hugo Chavez’s way of portray-ing Robin Hood saying “I’m taking from the wealthy and giving it to the poor”.

Unofficial sources from DirecTV Venezuela reported an increase in audience from viewers during the Bob Hope Classic, the tournament he

won in a tight playoff. Needless to say, Jhonattan may have won the hearts of many Americans with his smile and his modest demeanor; but the immediate result in his native country was that “Jhonny may have saved golf in Venezuela”

“I’ve been playing great golf,” Vegas said after the Farmers Insurance Open. “I’m enjoying the moment, and enjoying everything about the PGA Tour so far. It’s been a dream come true. I’m just loving it, having as much fun.”

I’m not saying he is going to be the next Tiger Woods, but I enjoyed watching him play and for the good of the game he is going to bring a much needed infusion of new blood to the PGA Tour.

JhonattanVegas

J


The WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral


The Cadillac Championship is a true global summit of golf, where the world’s best golfers test their skills against each other, provid-ing us with thrilling competition

each and every year. In 2010, Ernie Els end-ed a career-long, two-year victory drought by defeating a fellow South African – and protégé whom he helped groom for such a stage – in Charl Schwartzel. Els played the final 23 holes without a bogey on TPC Blue Monster at Doral and closed with a 6-under 66 for a four-shot victory and his second World Golf Championships title.

“I just want to enjoy this victory. This took so much work,” Els said. “A lot of people have said that the older you get, the tougher it becomes to win, and that’s very true. I’m 40 years old, and it feels like in my 20s I had so many chances and I didn’t quite take them.

“Now that you’re older, you don’t get as many chances. ... So this is nice. I’ll have a bit more confidence now, I’m sure. But I just want to keep working hard.

“Just to be back kind of in that group of players who are really performing well: I feel honored to be back in there.”

Els pulled away from Schwartzel, the son of a friend who grew up idolizing the Big Easy in their native South Africa, on the back nine. The up-and-comer who got up-close-and-personal with his mentor in the final group later said Els’ bogey-free round of 66 Sunday was nothing short of “flawless.”

Els had hosted the 25-year-old at his home in Jupiter, Fla., last week and will do it again for the next seven days before both play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.

“If I’d beaten him, I probably would’ve had to buy a tent, but now I think I’ll be al-lowed in the house,” Schwartzel said with a grin. “He was definitely staying in the gar-den,” Els joked.

Alvaro Quiróz

Paul Casey

Bill Hass

Kevin Na


The tournament also enjoyed some “comeback” success this fall as The PGA TOUR, on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, and Cadillac announced a multi-year agreement whereby Cadillac becomes title sponsor of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and an umbrella sponsor of the World Golf Championships.

“We are absolutely delighted to once again partner with Cadillac, which has a long-standing history with profession-al golf,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem at the November announcement. “We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Cadillac back through this sponsorship with the World Golf Championships. We believe that the World Golf Championships will provide Cadillac with an effective and valuable marketing platform that will provide an excellent return on its investment.”

The World Golf Championships umbrella sponsorship provides Cadillac with a high-profile global marketing plat-form, including extensive branding and advertising across the four-event global series, as well as opportunities to con-nect with customers and dealers. Cadillac also will have ve-hicle display programs at events and throughout the year at Doral Resort, as well as initiate dealer and lead-generation programs.

“The World Golf Championships are all about the highest level of performance on a global stage and fit well with Ca-dillac’s theme as the New Standard of the World,” said Don Butler, Vice President for Cadillac Marketing. “As a global series, it provides us with an ideal marketing partnership for Cadillac to efficiently and effectively reach our target audi-ence. We could not think of a more fitting way to bring golf back to Cadillac.”

Introduced in 1999, the World Golf Championships-Ca-dillac Championship features an elite field comprised of the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Ranking, top 30 from the previous year’s FedExCup points list, top 10 from the current FedExCup points list, top 20 from the previous year’s European Tour Race to Dubai, top 10 from the current European Tour Race to Dubai, and the top two players from the previous year’s Order of Merit on the Japan Golf Tour, Australasian Tour, Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour.

Padragh Harrington

Retiff Goosen and Alvaro Quiros

Adam Scott


Jacaranda has long been considered to be one of the top golf course facilities in Broward County, a true gem. Recently, after a 10 Million Dollar renovation, it has become one of the top golf courses in the State of Florida.

Jacaranda boasts two beautiful championship golf courses, a spa-cious targeted grass range, short game area with sand bunker, plus large practice green. Outside, The 19th Hole Bar and Grill; The Grille Room, a more formal restaurant, and clubhouse facilities including a nicely stocked pro shop, wonderfully appointed locker rooms with showers for men and women, banquet/outing facilities, plus a restau-rant and lounge with outdoor patio.We toured both tracks and found them in immaculate condition. The East course, frequently used as qualifying home of the Honda Classic and several US Open Qualifiers, features 5 sets of tee boxes that are quite evenly stretched. The layout gives golfers a great opportunity to choose a set that matches your game. The tips measure a formidable 7247 yards/133 slope, while alternate sets play to 6891 yards/128 slope, 6376 yards/122 slope for men and 142 for women, 5747 yards/119 slope for men and 125 for women, and 4923 yards with s slope of 110 for men and 118 for ladies.At 6,778 yards from the tips, the West Course remains a shot maker’s course. There are lagoons to avoid, canals, doglegs to challenge,

bunkers that tighten landing areas and fast undulating greens that will challenge every caliber of player. The outward nine is more forgiv-ing with receptive green complexes and short-cut areas. The inward nine is more challenging, particularly with the more boldly contoured greens and their surrounds. Shot-making, creativity around the greens and patience are key components to negotiating the inward holes.

Hidden Gem’sJacaranda Golf Club


Amazing

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Thailand, also called the Land of Smiles, is the most popular tourist destination in South-East Asia due to its wealth of natural beauty, culture and history, gorgeous islands and beaches and the mouth-watering food.


In the North you will find breathtaking mountain ranges with waterfalls and fast flowing rivers for trekking and rafting, eth-nic tribal groups with unique customs and clothing and people famous for their courtesy and hospitality. The North-East, or Isan, is one of the country’s most intriguing destinations with

many Stone Age and Bronze Age dwellings and artifacts, and seve-ral significant temples and national parks. The central plains and the east coast are dotted with national parks, seaside resorts and islands.

THAiLAnd OvErviEwThere are five regions of Thailand: North, Northeast, East, Cen-

tral, and South, which are divided into 75+1 provinces, each geogra-phically distinct from the others; each Thailand province contains unique cultural, historical, and natural attractions from the northern peaks (replete with wildlife and home to exotic hill tribes) and the central plains (the “Rice Bowl of Asia”) to the northeastern plateau (stretching to the Mekong River border with Laos) and the specta-cular beaches and islands of the south (including both Phuket and Samui).

HiSTOryDating back to the Neolithic civilization situated at the modern-

day UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ban Chiang, the history of Thailand is long, proud, and fairly well documented. Over the early centuries of the Common Era, tribes of Mon, Khmer, and Tai peoples established realms within the borders of modern Thailand; the Mon speaking Buddhist civilization of Dvaravati in the first millennium giving way to the Khmer empire of Angkor by the turn of the second millennium.

However, the history of Thailand as we know it began when the kingdoms of Lan Na (Chiang Rai/Chiang Mai) and Sukhothai, the first truly independent Thai Kingdoms, established highly develo-ped societies in the North and Central regions of Thailand in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya, which was heavily influenced by the Khmer’s of Angkor, eventually conquered neigh-


boring Sukhothai and dominated the region for the next several hundred years of Thai history. Unfortunately, first Chaing Mai and then Ayutthaya were overrun by Burmese invaders, who occupied the Lan Na capital for several centuries and sacked Ayutthaya, forcing the central Thai kingdom to relocate farther south, esta-blishing a new capital in Thon Buri near Bangkok. After the short lived Thon Buri Period (1767-1772), the capital was moved across the Chao Phraya River, and the first of the current line of Kings, Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty, established the modern capital of Bangkok to commence the Ratanakosin Period of Thai history. The adroit diplomatic leadership of Kings Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910) were responsible for maintaining a remarkable 700 year Thai history during which the kingdom was never officially colonized by foreign powers; a turbulent 20th century witnessed the transition to a system of constitutional monarchy, currently overseen by Head of State, King Bumibol Adulyadej (1946- present), is King Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty and a tenuous but functional democracy has exis-ted under the regency of this much beloved king.

GOLF in THAiLAndDuring the PGA Show we had the unique opportunity to speak

with Santi Chudintra – Director of the Americas Market Division Tourism Authority of Thailand, an avid golfer handicap 7, who gave us an inside look at golf in Thailand.

A perfect tropical climate all year around and with ample green space and a reputation for first class service, Thailand was a natu-ral choice for developers and designers to build some premier golf

clubs and courses. The average green fee price fluctuates bet-ween $15 up to $100 and your caddie service (performed only by ladies) is about $20 to $40. It is definitely a great bargain and Europeans have been taking advantage as they amount to about 65% of our visitors and this figure has been increasing in the past few years. Players of all calibers benefit from reasonable prices, while experienced golfers enjoy the spectacular weather and challenging courses, including the hilly Santiburi course on Koh Samui.

A mere thirty minutes from Bangkok, Chonburi is home to more than 30 courses, and Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin feature world class courses just a few hours further from the capital. Thailand contains courses designed by Nick Faldo, Jack Nic-klaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player and featuring settings including the mountain surrounded greens of Chiang Mai and the beach views of Phuket considered by many one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Nowadays even the most exclu-sive golf clubs in Thailand, such as the Blue Canyon Country Club, are freeing up tee times for non-members to play. Golf

packages are more common than ever and Thailand is increa-singly becoming a top destination for travelers looking for great courses, great prices, and great service.

For more information please visit http://www.tourismthailand.org/


This D.O.C (Denominación de Origen Controlada) is made from Malbec sourced solely from Luigi Bosca’s Vistalba vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo. It is a stunning wine with some-what more depth, intensity and character than the standard Reserve Malbec. The result of 14 months in French oak

lends the fruit a denser, jam-like integrated richness, but even so the tannins and acidity promise this wine will continue to age gracefully for years to come - if you can keep your hands off it for that long.

The wine is above my $15 per bottle price not for every-day drinking, but fair value and hard to top if you really want to impress your friends at a dinner party. The wine’s medium-full body taste remind us about the Kankana del Elqui Solar from Chile but this wine is a bit different. Dense, berry fruits on the front palate with lots of spicy pepper and tobacco. This wine is very well balanced with good acidity. Fine but robust tannins give excellent structure from the front right through to the long finish. You can taste the additional oak complexities of vanilla and pencil shavings in every drop.

Salud!

Luigi Bosca Reserva D.O.C.Today we are going to the other side of the Andes Mountains in Argentina to a place called Lujan de Cuyo, in Mendoza, home of one of my favorites Malbec wines the Luigi Bosca Reserva D.O.C.

By Peter Brandon, Wine Connoisseur


Larry LittleCelebrity Classic

at Inverrary Country Club


Last month we had our first ever visit to The Club at Doral night life event. If you don’t know what JET SET is then you are definitely missing out. The Club at Doral is more than a golf club. People are familiar with the 5 world class golf courses, spa and children recreational activities. We were not aware of the sumptuous night life. Friends and family spend time together enjoying social events, entertain-ment and other great Member-only traditions. Our congratulations to the staff at The Club at Doral for their hospitality during our visit and we will definitely be back for their upcoming Wine tasting.


2010 Newport Collection Keri golf’s luxurious and distinctive bags and accessories have long been a staple among leading LPGA Tour players, such as Christina Kim, Se Ri Pak and Brittany Lincicome. Through its partnership with leading equipment manufacturer Adams Golf, the brand now offers the 15-piece Keri sport Inte-grated Set. Available in several color combinations, the set includes Adams’ Speedline Driver and the easy-to-hit Idea a7OS clubs, along with an exception-ally stylish Keri golf cart bag. For women seeking a stand-alone bag option, the Keri golf Newport Collec-tion combines hues of navy, white and poppy red with geometric prints in a contemporary, chic aesthetic. Accented with pops of contrasting color, patent leather trims and gold hardware, the uniquely feminine line’s latest offerings include cart and stand bags, totes and head covers.We interviewed Keri Murschell who started Keri golf in 2003 with an eye to-ward combining her passion for golf, travel and fashion. Ultimately, her goal was to create a feminine golf bag with classic appeal and rich accents. SFG: What is the competitive advantage of your product?Keri: I started Keri golf 8 years ago because there were not designer golf bags in the market. Two years ago we partnered with Adams golf and now integrate premium golf sets and golf bags. We design sport golf bags, travel bags, stand bags specifically for women with a touch of fashion.SFG: So your main focus will be on the details?Keri: Yes, definitely! We integrate golf shafts, hybrids, headcovers and bag covers to match the colors and shades of our bags. Customers can purchase the product online or they can purchase the equipment in most high end retail golf shops.Keri golf’s bags and accessories, including totes and headcovers, are widely available at the finest pro shops and golf-specific retailers in North America and Europe, including world-renowned resorts and clubs.For more information on the product please visit http://www.kerigolf.com/

keri golfwww.kerigolf.com

On our 2nd day of the PGA Show we visited KENTWOOL– the world’s premier textile innovator and maker of premium, performance socks specifically engi-neered for golfers.

Worn in competition by Bubba Watson and made exclusively in the USA, announced that the KENTWOOL line will be expanded to include lime green, light blue and purple for women, along with navy blue, khaki and charcoal for men. These introductions fol-low the company’s successful pink sock line benefitting the Breast Cancer Research As-sociation.Mark Kent, President and CEO of KEnTwOOL

“The response from our green grass partners and golfers worldwide has been unbelievable since our first PGA Show in 2010, and some of the biggest demand has been for colors that really stand out,” says. “The market is really recognizing the comfort and performance benefits that come with investing in a great pair of socks that will last for years, not just a season or less.”

Crafted using “WINDspun” air-infused technology and a proprietary blend of fine merino wool and high-tech fibers, KENTWOOL Golf Socks cre-ate an innovative, micro-climate system for superior moisture man-agement, wicking and odor control. Each pair features enhanced cushioning at strategic micro-stress points along the foot to maxi-mize comfort, increase energy levels, reduce the risk of injury and boost on-course performance. Gil Patrick, director of Golf development

“This is our 2nd year with this line of products and we took the approach that we felt it was necessary and we decided to develop the product ourselves, this sock is the result of those 2 years, at the moment we are in about 50 pro shops nationwide and the number is increasing, our sales on line are doing quite well because of the quality of the product as well as its ambas-sador Bubba Watson. Any golfer who tries our product can feel the difference in comfort and durability”

Founded in 1843, KENTWOOL continues to be one of the nation’s longest-running, family-owned textile companies. KENTWOOL is the only company in the western hemisphere — and one of 50 in the world — to receive the Usterized Quality Certification indicating the high-est level of quality assurance in yarn production

For more information on the product please visit www.kentwool.com



South Florida Golf Magazine Golf DirectoryMIAMI DADE COUNTY

Course NameBiltmore Golf ClubBriar Bay Golf CourseCalusa Country ClubCosta Greens Golf ClubCountry Club of Miami Crandon Golf - Key BiscayneDeer Bay Yacht & Country ClubDoral Golf Resort & Spa Fairmont Turnberry Isle ResortGranada Golf ClubGreynols Park Golf CourseHaulover Beach Park Golf CourseIndian Creek Country ClubKeys Gate Golf and Country ClubKillian Greens Golf ClubLa Gorce Country ClubMelreese International LinksMiami Beach Golf ClubMiami Shores Golf ClubMiami Springs Golf ClubMiccosukee Golf and Country ClubNormandy Shores Golf ClubPalmetto Golf CoursePresidential Country ClubRedland Country ClubWestview Country Club

Address 684 Giralda Av, Coral Gables9375 SW 134 Street, Miami, FL9400 SW 130 AV, KendallNW 41 ST and 102 AV Costa del Sol, Doral6801 Miami Gardens Dr, Miami Lakes6700 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne13605 Old Cutler Rd, Miami4400 NW 87 AV, Doral19999 West Country Club Drive, Aventura2001 Granada Blvd, Coral Gables9375 SW 134 Street, South Miami10800 Collins Ave, Miami Beach55 Indian Creek Village, Miami Beach2300 Palm Drive, Homestead 9980 sw 104TH st, Kendall5685 Alton Rd, Miami Beach1802 NW 37th Ave, Miami2301 Alton Road, Miami Beach10000 Biscayne Blvd, Miami Shores650 Curtiss Pkwy, Miami Springs6401 Kendale Lakes Drive, Kendall2401 Biarritz Drive, Miami Beach9300 SW 152 ST, South Miami19650 Northeast 18th Ave, North Miami24451 SW 177th Ave, Homestead2601 Northwest 119th St, Miami

holes - type19 - public9 - public

18 - public18 - public36 - public18 - public18 - private90 - Resort36 - Resort18 - Private9 - public9 - public

18 - private18 - public18 - public18 - private18 - public18 - public18 - public18 - public27 - public18 - public18 - public18 - public18 - public18 - private

Driving Rangeyesnoyesyesyesyesyesyesyesnononoyesyesnoyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes

Phone305-382-3930305-235-6667305-386-5533305-592-3300305-829-8456305-361-9129305-256-2500305-592-2030305-932-6200305-460-5367305-949-1741305-940-6719305-866-1263305-230-0362305-271-0917305-866-4421305-633-4583305-532-3350305-795-2366305-882-1918305-382-3930305-868-6502305-238-2922305-933-5266305-247-8503305-685-2411

BROWARD COUNTY

Course NameBonaventure CCCarolina CCClub at Emerald Hills Cooper Colony CCCrystal Lake CCDeer Creek GCDeerfield CCDiplomat Country ClubEco Golf CourseFlamingo Lakes GolfGrand PalmsGrande Oaks Heron BayHillcrest Golf and Country ClubHillsboro Pines GCHollywood Beach Golf & Country ClubInverrary Country ClubJacaranda Golf ClubLago MarOrangebrook Golf ClubOriole Golf ClubPalm Aire Golf ClubPembroke Lakes Golf ClubPlantation Preserve GolfPompano Beach Golf ClubTPC at Eagle TraceWestin Diplomat Golf Weston Hills Country ClubWoodlands Country ClubWoodmont Country Club

Address 200 Bonaventure Blvd, Weston3011 Rock Island Rd, Margate4100 N. Hills Dr, Hollywood5050 Sw 90th Ave, Cooper City3800 Crystal lake Dr, Pompano Bch2801 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd, Deefield Bch50 Fairway Dr, Deerfield 501 Diplomat Parkway, Hallandale Beach1451 Taft St, Hollywood701 sw Flamingo W. Dr, Pembroke Pines110 Grand Palms Dr, Pembroke Pines3201 W. Rolling Hills Cir, Davie11801 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs4600 Hillcrest Drive, Hollywood2410 Century Blvd, Deerfield Bch1650 Johnson St, Hollywood3840 Inverrary Blvd, Lauderhill9200 W. Broward Blvd, Plantation500 NW 127 Av, Plantation400 Entrada Dr, Hollywood8000 w. Margate Blvd, Margate2600 Palm Aire Dr, Pompano Bch10500 Taft St, Pembroke Pines7050 W. Broward Blvd, Plantation1101 N. Federal Hwy, Pompano Bch10800 W Sample Rd, Coral Springs501 Diplomat Parkway, Hallandale Beach2600 Country Club Way, Weston4600 Woodlands Blvd, Tamarac7801 nw 80 av, Tamarac

holes - type36 - Public18 - public18 - Private

18 - executive18 - public18 - public18 - Private18 - resort9 - public

18 - public27 - Resort18 - Private18 - resort18 - public

18 - executive18 - public36 - Public36- public

18 - Private36 - public18 - public36 - resort18 - public18 - public18 - public18 - Resort18 - resort36 - Private36 - Private18 - public

Driving RangeyesyesyesnoyesyesnoyesnoyesyesyesYesyesnonoyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesYesyesyesyesyes

Phone954-389-2100954-753-4000954-961-4000954-434-2181954-943-2902954-421-5550954-427-6326954-883-4444954-922-8755954-435-6110954-437-3334954-423-0897954-796-2000954-983-3142954-421-1188888-895-6695954-733-7550954-472-5836954-472-7044954-967-4653954-972-8140954-975-6244954-431-4144954-585-5020954-781-0426954-753-2930954-883-4444954-384-4600954-731-2500954-722-4300

2011 spring edition

Documents

south florida golf magazine

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south florida golfer

golf industry

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anniversary issue