fl golf central magazine v11 i4
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Florida's Golf Travel and Lifestyle MagazineTRANSCRIPT
W W W . F L O R I D A G O L F C E N T R A L . C O M
Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin
WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG. WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG.
* Specials do not include lodging or tax. Valid March 3, 2011–May 8, 2011. Two-day package: Ross Bridge available at rack rate. Three-day package: Ross Bridge available at 20% off rack rate. Specials cannot be combined with other discounts. Specials do not include play at Lakewood Golf Club. There is a $10 surcharge for each round on the Judge at Capitol Hill. Juniors ages 17 and under play for 50% of rack rate ($40 for 18 holes at Lakewood G.C.). Packages must be paid in full and booked with reservations at least 48 hours prior to play. Some restrictions may apply. Offers subject to change.
WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG.The opportunity to play Alabama’s beautiful Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in the springtime is something to be relished. And with the cost so low, there’s just no reason not to claim your place on the fi rst tee. Hello, sunshine. Choose your spring special and book today!
For more information, please call 1.800.949.4444 or visit us on the web at rtjgolf.com. facebook.com/rtjgolf twitter.com/rtjgolf
»» ENJOY ONE, TWO OR THREE DAYS OF “EVERYTHING-INCLUDED” GOLF FOR A FANTASTIC PRICE «« *INCLUDES 36 HOLES OF CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF, CARTS, LUNCH & FREE RANGE BALLS EACH DAY. OFFERS AVAILABLE AT 9 TRAIL LOCATIONS.
PLAY 1 DAY FROM $135 PLAY 2 DAYS FROM $260 PLAY 3 DAYS FROM $375-OR--OR-
RTJ375BigSPRING_FLGolfCentral.indd 1 12/8/10 12:55 PM
WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG. WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG.
* Specials do not include lodging or tax. Valid March 3, 2011–May 8, 2011. Two-day package: Ross Bridge available at rack rate. Three-day package: Ross Bridge available at 20% off rack rate. Specials cannot be combined with other discounts. Specials do not include play at Lakewood Golf Club. There is a $10 surcharge for each round on the Judge at Capitol Hill. Juniors ages 17 and under play for 50% of rack rate ($40 for 18 holes at Lakewood G.C.). Packages must be paid in full and booked with reservations at least 48 hours prior to play. Some restrictions may apply. Offers subject to change.
WE SAID PLAY BIG, NOT PAY BIG.The opportunity to play Alabama’s beautiful Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in the springtime is something to be relished. And with the cost so low, there’s just no reason not to claim your place on the fi rst tee. Hello, sunshine. Choose your spring special and book today!
For more information, please call 1.800.949.4444 or visit us on the web at rtjgolf.com. facebook.com/rtjgolf twitter.com/rtjgolf
»» ENJOY ONE, TWO OR THREE DAYS OF “EVERYTHING-INCLUDED” GOLF FOR A FANTASTIC PRICE «« *INCLUDES 36 HOLES OF CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF, CARTS, LUNCH & FREE RANGE BALLS EACH DAY. OFFERS AVAILABLE AT 9 TRAIL LOCATIONS.
PLAY 1 DAY FROM $135 PLAY 2 DAYS FROM $260 PLAY 3 DAYS FROM $375-OR--OR-
RTJ375BigSPRING_FLGolfCentral.indd 1 12/8/10 12:55 PM
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Publisher: Terrie L. Purdum
Editor in Chief: Shannon Coates
Managing Editor: Dave Daubert, USGA
The Green One: Tonyia Fulghum
Executive Editor: Joel Jackson–Director of Communications
for the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association
North Florida Regional Editor: Stephen Trendler
West Coast Regional Editor: Chris Karamitsos
Photographers: Lynn Pelham, Brion Price, Peter Hakansson
Tres Fenton, Dennis T. James, Mike Coonan
Senior Correspondent: Rick Harris, Sr.
Executive Correspondent: Dennis T. James
Contributing Writers: Jay Golden, PGA; Marc Ray, CMAA;
Greg Wise; Ashley Prange
Glenn Makin– Publisher of East Tennesee Golf News
Media Muse: David E. Bailey
Digital Media Manager: Jason Philo
Digital Video Producer: James Lee
Director of Sales and Marketing: Jason Keesling
Business Manager: Debbi Westbrook, [email protected]
Graphic Design: Melahn Cable, [email protected]
Website Design/Network Support: ryjo.com
Magazine Printing:Sundance Graphics
9580 Delegates Drive, Orlando, Florida 32837 • 800.617.5532
Florida Golf Central Magazine is published monthly by:Sand Hill Publishing & Public Relations
1549 Warrington Court, Winter Springs, FL 32708
phone: 407.971.4336 • 407.971.4337
fax: 407.971.4306 • toll-free: 877.208.5972
E-mail: [email protected]
One year (12 issues) subscription price is $42.99
©2010 Florida Golf Central Magazine. No portion of this publication
may be reprinted without the prior written permission of the Publish-
er. Editorial contributions are welcome, but Florida Golf Central Maga-
zine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited proposals, manuscripts
and photographs. All materials submitted not accompanied by a self-
addressed stamped envelope will not be returned. Mailing, electronic
mailing or faxing of contributions constitutes an expressed warrant on
the part of the contributor that all material is original and does not
infringe on the rights of others. Florida Golf Central Magazine retains
all reprint rights and reserves the right to edit any submitted material
to meet our specifications for publishing and or use in advertising or
promotion. The Publisher and staff are not responsible for any loss or
grievance by any person or persons whatsoever, due in any way or in
part to the content of this publication. The Publisher reserves the right
to refuse to accept any material deemed inappropriate or in bad taste.
Volume 11, Issue 4
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
2009 North Florida PGA Amateur of the Year
Flowin' and Ebbin' in
“20 Eleben”have to tell you, my
loyal readership, I am so
psyched to “swing-in” the
New Year! We closed out
the year on an awesome high at the NFPGA Annual meeting,
which included a gala with the guest of honor, the “King”
himself, Mr. Arnold Palmer! There wasn’t a dry eye in the
house as he was inducted into the NFPGA Hall of Fame. His
speech was one for the ages! My second biggest thrill of the
night was getting to see Jim Cocchi cry like a big baby when
he accepted his award for Professional of the Year, Wah...
Wah. Congratulations, Jim and to all the wonderful PGA
professionals who won awards this year. Of course I had to
relinquish my crown as Amateur of the Year to Bill Gilkes
but I can’t think of a more worthy recipient. Way to go, Bill.
So what’s in store for us this year as we kick off our 12th
year as Florida’s only golf magazine to survive this long?
Well, we have so much to look forward to. Some of our local,
favorite courses have new ownership and a lot of energy is
being poured into them. Our magazine is thriving, thanks to
all of you, and we are so excited that Arizona Golf Central
has now launched and is receiving excellent reviews. The
“Florida Swing” of the PGA Tour is just around the corner
and that means we will get to witness great golf on great
tracks and I’ll get to show off the hot new golf attire that I
find at the show. Maybe some Fairway and Greene?
Speaking of green, “The Green Hornet,” stars the ever
so adorable Cameron Diaz, who I was happy to learn, is
addicted to golf. I heard this from listening to Morning Drive,
my favorite new show on The Golf Channel. I predict in 2011
Cameron will call me for a game of golf, so if anyone knows
the cutie patutie, put her agent on the line and I’ll hook a
sista up!
I can’t wait to see all my friends at the PGA Merchandise
Show (aka Grope Fest) and the Ace Group Classic. Let’s all
bring as many new golfers to the Flowin’ and Ebbin’ in 2011,
I’m committed!
I Me and “Baby Lou” aka Bobby Reed
Join us for a cup of coffee ... and a second opinion.During volatile and confusing markets, we understand that even the most patient investors may come to question the wisdom of the investment plan they’ve been following. We’d like to help – and we can start by offering a cup of coffee and a second opinion.
By appointment, you’re welcome to come in and talk with us about your investment portfolio. If we think your investments continue to be well-suited to your long-term goals — in spite of the current market turmoil — we’ll gladly tell you so, and send you on your way. If, on the other hand, we think some of your investments no longer fit with your goals, we’ll explain why, in plain English. And, if you like, we’ll recommend some alternatives.
Either way, the coffee is on us. For a free consultation, please contact us and let us know if you prefer milk or cream.
Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2009 Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC. All rights reserved. 0809-4437 [79507-v1] A1434
Is it time to invest with caution or seek out new opportunities?
Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value
Find out what we think.Read our free midyear report to find out more about our forecast for the rest of the year.
Call today to order your copy of our “2009 Midyear Outlook.”
FA NameCompliance-Approved TitleAddress and Suite NumberCity Name, State Zipxxx-xxx-xxxx • 8xx-xxx-xxxxWeb or E-mail Address
FA NameCompliance-Approved TitleAddress and Suite NumberCity Name, State Zipxxx-xxx-xxxx • 8xx-xxx-xxxxWeb or E-mail Address
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2009 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0709-0792 [77921-v1] A1354
Brad Breuer, AWMA Managing Principal 4767 New Broad St., Suite 308 Orlando, FL 32814 407-764-5101 • 877-702-3687 brad.breuer@wfaf net.com i
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Departments 4 Letter from the Publisher 8 Golf Central Station 10 Club Managers Association of America 26 Golf Fitness 34 Thinking of Golf 36 Live Golf 44 Competitive Spirits 50 Duffer Dan 52 South Florida PGA 54 North Florida PGA 60 Golf Channel 62 First Coast 64 Platinum Coast 66 Treasure Coast 68 Shankmeister 70 Product Showcase 72 Aces & Eagles
19th Hole 16 Tilted Kilt
Cart Girl 14 Aley Tallman
Celebrity Corner 30 Patrick Warburton
Feature 38 The Concession Golf Club
Fore Your Health 56 Ed Brockhausen
Golf Bachelor 12 Evan Ford
Golf Business 46 Timucuan Golf Club
Golf Travel 18 Ritz-Carlton Lodge
Grippin' & Sippin' 22 Cork & Olive
Improving Performance 32 Tiger Shark
Leader on The Links 42 Brett Martineau
On Course 28 Tom Hoch
Stay & Play 24 PGA National
What's New 26 Miura
Young Guns 20 Future's Tour
floridagolfcentral.com
Volume 11, Issue 4
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 48
THE PLAYERS offers new ticket program: “Chip in for Youth Sports”
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – Tournament officials announced today a new ticket program, Chip in for Youth Sports, by which the event will allow area youth sports organizations and qualified middle and high school athletic programs to sell an “any day” ticket to THE PLAYERS and to keep $25 from every ticket sold. The remaining proceeds will be donated to The First Tee.Organizations from the five-county area (Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns) can sell these tickets between January 10 and April 3, 2011. The “good any day” grounds ticket will be sold for $40.Organizations can sign up to participate at the new Chip In website and fans can purchase tickets to support this program at www.chipinfory-outhsports.playerschampionship.com.“THE PLAYERS Championship and its charities have long supported area youth sports,” said Executive Director Matt Rapp. “Our new Chip In for Youth Sports program will allow organizations across the five-county area to align themselves with one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world to assist in their fundraising. We look forward to supporting these youth sports organiza-tions in every way possible and are excited to see how this new program benefits the area.”THE PLAYERS Championship generated a tourna-ment-record $4.8 million for local charity in 2010, bringing the total in charitable giving to nearly $40 million since 1977, when THE PLAYERS moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.THE PLAYERS will also continue its youth policy for 2011, where children age 18 and younger are admitted free of charge with a ticketed adult. Any ticketed adult can bring multiple children age 18 and younger to the event. For example, a Little League coach could bring his entire team.THE PLAYERS military policy, which invites all active duty, reserve and retired members of the armed forces and their dependents to attend the event free of charge, will also continue in 2011.For tickets to THE PLAYERS, go to www.PGATOUR.COM/theplayers, or call 888-401-8000.
TaylorMade Golf Company to Give Away 20,000 Burner® 2.0 6-Irons in 2011
CARLSBAD, Calif.– Last year, TaylorMade Golf launched a unique and exciting product seeding initiative unlike any in the company’s history with the introduction of “Project Burner,” a campaign that put free Burner 6-irons in the hands of 20,000 eager consumers. Although a high amount of registrants were anticipated for the remarkably successful and groundbreaking project, few
would have predicted the incredible response from everyday golfers around the country.With that in mind, TaylorMade Golf is pleased to announce that the company has launched the second iteration of this unique seeding program, with the 2011 campaign set to give away 20,000 Burner 2.0 6-irons. The second-generation Burner 2.0 irons are individually engineered to deliver legendary Burner distance and more playability, while the refined vibration-management system promotes improved sound and feel.To register to receive one of 20,000 Burner 2.0 6-irons, consumers are encouraged to visit our new campaign microsite at http://www.taylor-madegolf.com/burner and complete the sign-up form. For more information on the new Burner 2.0 irons and 6-iron seeding program, please visit the Tay-lorMade Golf website at http://www.taylormade-golf.com.
New Ideas… New Tournaments… and a Renewed Commitment to Partners
DAYTONA BEACH, FL– The 2011 LPGA Tour season will feature new, ground-breaking ideas for tournaments; new events in the U.S., Taiwan and China; and a renewed commitment to its existing and long-term corporate partners through a unique qualifying format for its season finale and a season-long celebration of tournament title sponsors called the “Countdown to Titleholders.” The 2011 LPGA Tour schedule was unveiled du-ring a TV appearance on Golf Channel by Commis-sioner Michael Whan followed by a conference call hosted by Whan and 2010 Rolex Player of the Year Yani Tseng. “Our 2011 schedule reflects the key strategic initiatives of the LPGA: Global – new events in the U.S. and abroad; Partnership – consistently increasing the value to our current business partners; and Responsibility – embracing the history of the LPGA and making a commitment to the future of the women’s game,” Whan said. All three of these elements will be showcased at the inaugural RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, a tournament designed to honor the LPGA’s pioneers, showcase the world’s greatest female athletes of the present and, most importantly, build a strong and robust future for women in the game of golf. “The heart and soul of the LPGA
association is embodied by its gifted and engaged players, who to this day still embrace the same primary responsibility established by the LPGA’s Founders: To leave the Tour better than how they found it,” Whan said. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via: www.LPGA.com, www.facebook.com/lpga.official, www.twit-ter.com/lpga, and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo.
Formation of Maters Tournament Foundation
Augusta, GA- Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, today announced the formation of the Masters Tournament Foundation, which is designed to annually invest in development programs for the game of golf worldwide. “The establishment of the Masters Tournament Foundation is central to fulfilling our responsibi-lity of supporting the game’s continuous growth around the world,” Payne said. “This tradition, shaped by our Founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, is the cornerstone of the Foundation’s important commitment.” The Foundation now serves as the vehicle whereby the Masters will further support its golf development goals and reach a broader audience. Efforts already include the creation of the Junior Pass Program, televising the Par 3 Contest, advancement of digital technology offerings on Masters.com, the co-founding of the Asian Amateur Championship and sustained significant monetary contributions to The First Tee and major golf organizations around the world. To add to this list in 2011, Payne also announced that the Masters Tournament will be featured in EA Sports’ next iteration of its award-winning Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 golf game franchise. The Masters will be available in stores March 29. As a result, Payne said that 100 percent of the Augusta National’s proceeds will be contributed to the newly created Foundation.
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
By Jennifer Jollycm
aa
ince this is the issue of golf
conferences (GIS, Golfest and the
PGA Show), I thought it might be nice
to spend a little time educating our
readers on the CMAA World Conference
on Club Management and The Club
Business Expo. This year will mark the
CMAA’s 84th World Conference … what
an incredible tradition and history
of education, professionalism and
networking!
The World Conference fulfills CMAA’s
mission to provide a variety of unique
education opportunities that reflect the
latest trends in the club industry. This
week-long series of education features
Pre-Conference Workshops, seminars,
management clinics, round-table
discussions, student programs and
keynote addresses by distinguished
speakers. CMAA members truly profit
from the variety of opportunities
available at the World Conference and
the many hands-on topics that can be
easily put into practice back at their
clubs.
One such topic, a student program,
is one of my favorites … “The Club of
the Future.” Building on the success of
last year’s inaugural presentation, “The
Club of the Future” provides an award
program that gives student members
the opportunity to propose what they
foresee the club industry looking like
five, 10 or 15 years from now. The
students are challenged to look ahead
and think about trends and innovation.
All student chapters are encouraged to
take this opportunity to showcase their
ideas, insight and vision. The winners,
in each of five categories, present their
concept during a 90-minute manager
education session on Saturday,
February 26.
This year the conference will be held
right here in Florida … from February
24 through February 28 the Orlando
World Center Marriott will be bustling
with brilliance … there is an immense
amount of knowledge and experience
wandering the conference floors with
nearly 5,000 club industry professionals
from the United States, Canada, Mexico
and abroad attending the conference
each year … making it the association’s
most visible event!
The Florida Chapter of the CMAA
has the honor and privilege this year
of being Host Chapter. Our Chairmen
are FLCMAA Past Presidents Michael
McCarthy, CCM and Michael Seabrook,
CCM. Both have served the Chapter
at the local and national level while
continuing to serve as extraordinary
assets and mentors to those of us (like
me) who are working our way toward
the heights they have already attained.
Michael McCarthy, CCM, was voted
“Club Management’s Club Executive of
the Year” in 2010 and is now running
for the National Board. Voting
Curious what the “CCM” stands
for?? Well, as a recent recipient of my
own CCM, I can tell you it stands for
“Certified Club Manager”. The CCM
designation has been the hallmark of
professionalism in club management
since 1965 and is the cornerstone of
CMAA’s member recognition program.
It is a valuable and widely-respected
mark of a manager’s commitment
to professional development and
the club industry. Along with 200+
credits in the nine core competencies
of club management and a minimum
of five years of service to the
organization, attendance at one of
the World Conferences is one of the
requirements. Hope to see you at
the World Conference in Orlando …
and don’t forget to vote for Michael
McCarthy.
Jennifer Jolly is the Food & Beverage
Director at Sawgrass Country Club in
beautiful Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Jennifer graduated from Michigan State
University in East Lansing, Michigan
with a Bachelor of Science degree and has
actively participated in the Club Managers
Association of America’s Business
Management Institute programs obtaining
certifications in “Leadership Principles”
and “General Manager as Chief Operating
Officer.” She has further served the
professional association as Regional Chair
in both Communications and Technology as
well as State Chair for Technology.
For more information:
www.sawgrwasscountryclub.com
CMAA’s 84th World Conference –
Bustling with Brilliance!S
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
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Where were you born? Did you grow up there?-I was born and raised in Massachusetts, however over the past 2 years I have lived in Hoboken, NJ, Rogers, AR, and now currently in Naples for 2 months.
Is “acting your age” over rated?-Absolutely. I think it’s very important to be professional in your daily life; however there is ALWAYS room for playful jokes, sayings, and humor.
High school group you hung out with the most; nerds, jocks, stoners, preppies? I primarily hung out with the jocks in high school. I played golf and was a lacrosse goalie for four years (I know what you’re thinking, and yes I am crazy enough to stand in front of a hard rubber ball moving 100mph with minimal padding).
What do you do for a living? I am an Operations Manager for our Global Events Division. I am currently working on the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Florida!
Whom do you most admire for their inner and outer beauty? This is definitely a loaded question, so my answer is simple: MOM!
What’s your take on “cuddling”? I’m a “seasonal cuddler”: two thumbs up in the winter, two thumbs down in the summer.
Steak, chicken, or seafood? All of the above, preferable on the same plate with rice pilaf, vegetables, and a pint of good beer.
What do you find to be the most annoying habit people demonstrate on the golf course? When someone launches their ball 60 yards into the woods, needs a machete to get to it, and still for some reason spends 10 minutes looking for it.
What three people would you most like to play with in your fantasy golf foursome? My Dad, my brother, and my mom (who doesn’t even play but is always down for driving a cart and getting some sun).
Relaxed evening at home, or nightclub and cocktails? Relaxed evening at home…and I would even cook!
Last time you spewed something through your nose from laughing so hard? When I got an email saying that I was going to be Bachelor of the Month…speaking of that, do yall have insurance to replace my damaged keyboard?
Last book you read? -Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive by Harvey MacKay…good book to start the new year.
Phot
os b
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ack
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February 14 - 20, 2011
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cart
girl
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Where did you grow up? Wichita, Kansas.
What is your favorite sport to play? Favorite to watch? Favorite sport to play is definitely volleyball. Favorite sport to watch is volleyball and/or basketball.
Do you enjoy playing golf? Are there any golfers in your family? I enjoy playing golf very much now that I am learning some technique. Majority of my family likes to play golf.
What do you feel makes this club special?Hawk’s Landing is special because our staff works very hard to make sure the course and our guests are provided great service. It is a gorgeous, very well maintained, challenging course with great scenery!
What is your favorite part of being a cart girl? What is your least favorite part? My favorite part about being a cart girl is interacting with the guests! My least favorite part is the chilly mornings.
What is the funniest thing you’ve ever seen on the golf course? The funniest thing is when the guests discover I have an identical twin sister who works on the same property as our golf course.
What type of music do you prefer?Country and hip-hop.
What hobbies do you enjoy?Playing sports, traveling, shopping, and texting. :)
What is your idea of “the perfect date”? “The perfect date” would be for the guy to make the entire date a surprise.
Favorite comedian?Chelsea Handler
Favorite type of movie?Comedy or action.
Favorite charity to support?Susan G. Komen
What else would you like for us to know about you? 2010 Graduate and Volleyball student athlete for the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Ale
y Ta
llman
14
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rom the moment you enter the gingerbread and hot apple cider infused lobby, you realize there’s
going to be something extraordinary about your visit to the Ritz Carlton Lodge during the holiday season. There’s something about the Lodge’s atmosphere which stimulates your sense of smell and sight, and actually makes you want to sit in front of the huge fireplace and gingerbread house to share stories with all of the guests gathered in the immense lobby area. The dark wooden accents (materials not speech), along with the fragrance of
the real wood burning fireplace, make you feel right at home from the moment you enter the doorway. As with any Ritz Carlton experience; you feel immediately welcome and special based upon the incredible service from each and every staff member. We experienced the luxury and attention to detail at every turn (literally) within this great hotel, by spending our weekend on the Club Floor Level during our stay. When I say attention to detail, I honestly mean it. Upon checking in, I
helped myself to a cup of their delicious hot apple cider, and returned to my car to retrieve an article I left behind. We had already made our way down to the elevators, when I heard my name being called from the valet attendant; walking briskly after us with the cup of hot apple cider I left sitting on the top of my car (I never said I was the brightest bulb in the fixture). We thanked the attendant, and mentioned that he didn’t have to go to that much trouble, and without hesitation his response was “well of course I did”. I realized at that moment that I had arrived at a Ritz Carlton property once again! The walks on the shore of Lake Oconee by the Lodge were both inspiring and memory evoking, as you enjoy the smell of wood-burning fire pits, the fragrance of food wafting from the restaurants, and the sensational sunsets over the lake. There are numerous seating areas around the property, and where you find yourself wanting to relax and experience the view and ambiance from every angle. We had several fun filled experiences from this trip, many of them stemming from the staff and other hotel guests we met on the Club Floor Level dining room. The weather outdoors was particularly cool that weekend, so most of the guests including ourselves, decided to stay warm as we ate, drank, and played games in front of the Club Floor fireplace. The Executive Chef and the Pastry Chef visited our table one afternoon while we were dining, and shared interesting as well as informative conversation, regarding
their backgrounds and experiences at Reynolds Plantation, in addition to other Ritz Carlton properties where they have honed their skills previously. Once again; the staff members working in the Club Floor dining room were incredibly gracious and professional, and attended to our every need. We requested a board game to involve other guests as they arrived, and we were provided with Taboo. Now I’m not saying that any cheating was going on, but it seemed as though the well-used game cards may have been in the hands of the Club Floor staff quite frequently. I say this only because every time a staff member walked by during the game, they would just casually blurt the answer to questions that most of us would struggle with (remember I divulged my own mental limitations). In closing, the parameters of this article limit my ability to describe in adequate detail, the complete experience of visiting this property and meeting the wonderful people who work there. From the front desk personnel, to the bellmen, valet, chefs, dining room staff, and service personnel, this is one of the best experiences I can recall, and I advise everyone to visit, experience, and remember the Ritz Carlton, Reynolds Plantation as soon and as often as possible..
The Ritz Carlton Lodge, Reynolds PlantationOne Lake Oconee Trail, Greensboro, GA 30642 www.RitzCarlton.com/Reynolds
Real Georgia LuxuryBy David E Bailey
Media Muse
F
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
youn
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shleigh Albrecht of Murrieta,
Calif., earned the amateur ex-
emption into the LPGA Futures
Tour’s season-opening tournament.
Albrecht’s victory at the 56th annual
Harder Hall Women’s Invitational won
her a spot in the LPGA Futures Tour’s
Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. That
event will be held March 25-27, at
Lake Region Yacht and Country Club
in Winter Haven, Fla.
A sophomore at the University of
Kentucky, Albrecht carded scores of
63-74-69-72 for a 10-under total of
278 at Harder Hall Country Club in
Sebring, Fla. She birdied the final two
holes to win by one shot over Wake
Forest University’s Cheyenne Woods.
Last year, the LPGA Futures Tour
awarded its 2010 amateur exemption
to the Daytona Beach Invitational
to the winner of the South Atlantic
Amateur, better known as “The Sally.”
Amateur Jessica Korda was the winner
of last year’s “Sally,” staged in nearby
Ormond Beach, Fla. Korda qualified for
the LPGA Tour last December at the
LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
For more information,
www.lpgafuturestour.com.
Ashleigh Albrecht Earns Amateur
Exemption
A
Ashleigh Albrecht is with the Harder Hall tournament director, Carol Semple Thompson
21Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
With the Score Counter/Bracelet from
Glamorous Golfer, you don’t have to
choose between dazzling and discrete.
Women golfers love this subtle, easy-to-
use score counter, which converts to an
eye-catching bracelet with a quick click.
A single strand of luminous cat’s eye fire-
ball beads, handmade from the highest
quality fiber optic glass in-laid with crys-
tals—so you’ll always know your score.
www.glamorousgolfer.com
22
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
gripp
in' &
sipp
in'
can be done. Make this Valentine’s Day the most memorable ever! A date night,
a nice dinner and then, how about enjoying a late evening with a nice dessert for just the two of you? A glass of wine for your valentine paired with an exquisite chocolate. Whether you are pairing a delicate white chocolate, a sweet milk chocolate or a lively dark chocolate with wine, here are a few pairing tips to keep in mind.
To Successfully Pair Wines with Chocolate remember the following:#1: Know the person you are giving it to, i.e. what kind of wine and chocolate does your valentine like?#2: The wine should be at least as sweet, if not sweeter, than the chocolate you are serving it with. Otherwise, the pairing will not work.#3: Match lighter chocolates with lighter wines and stronger chocolates with more intense, full-bodied wines. #4: Let your wine guide do the pairing for you.
Let Lake Mary cork&olive help you choose from a collection of wines. We will get the wine of your choice dipped in the right flavor of chocolate. This custom created one of a kind dessert will be a special treat for your valentine (next day pickup). It will also show that you went the extra mile.
Wine Suggestions for Milk Chocolate: “Villa Rosa Mosacto D’ Asti” is a white sparkling wine, with aromas of a Bouquet of roses and taste like peach nectar. This wine will pair great with milk chocolate. “Sweet Baby” is another sweet red wine that tastes similar to the Moscato D’ Asti. “Casa De La Ermita” is yet another sweet desert wine that will be the perfect gift for your valentine. Lastly, consider a nice Port wine with your milk chocolates.
Wine Suggestions for White Chocolate: White chocolate tends to be more sweet and buttery in flavor. Sweet bubbles, like “Castel Del Mago” is a great choice. Your goal is to elevate the creaminess of the chocolates, and accent the fruit tones on the senses. “Pearly Bay” is a sparkling wine from South Africa that will pair great with white chocolate. “Rutherglen Estate Muscat” is another great choice for chocolate pairing. You can also go for the contrast pairing approach, that can be exceptional and very satisfying. Consult with your Wine guide at Lake Mary cork&olive. We are always here to help you make the best choice.
Wine Suggestions for Dark Chocolate:Dark or bittersweet chocolates need a wine that offers a roasted, slightly robust flavor itself, with perhaps a hint of its own chocolate notes. Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandels have a history of perfecting the dark chocolate match, resulting in an unparalleled tasting combination. A Cabernet Sauvignon like “Joel Gott”, “Mettler”, or “Layer Cake” from California is a good choice. The Washington Cabs like Revelry and 14 Hands are softer but great choices too. The California Zinfandels
like “Plunderhead”, “Seghesio” and “Rombauer” will more than fill your chocolate pairing expectations.
Alternate choices:“Cocoa di Vine” a chocolate wine made with natural chocolate and “Trentadue Chocolate Amore” a chocolate port, are great choices for your chocolate lovers.
At Lake Mary cork&olive we can create custom gift baskets with your selections. We can ship them for you all across the USA. Free local deliveries are also available. Website: CorkAndOliveOnline.com. Phone: 407.323.0555
Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Antoney Manipadam is a Certified Sommelier and Owner of Lake Mary cork&olive.
Chocolate and wineThe two are entwined
Beguiling and delightingNow then, pair them right
And your valentine will be enticed.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
It
Black Bear Golf Club is a quintessential P.B. Dye designed championship links course stretching over 7,000 yards. It is truly a fun test for golfers of all skill levels. Unlike most typically flat Florida courses Black Bear pres-ents a unique challenge with its undulating fairways, elevation changes and fast, well manicured greens. The course has some of the most dra-matic bunkers you will ever experience in Florida as well as some of the biggest elevation changes. P.B. Dye lived up to his reputation as a de-signer of championship courses when he built Black Bear.
The focus at Black Bear is pure golf. The club boasts one of the best prac-tice facilities in Central Florida. With a double ended 400 yard range, 40,000 square foot short game complex, 6,000 square foot practice green and 19th hole - shoot out hole, Black Bear is the place to be if you want to improve your game. Shaun Webb, Hank Haney certified golf instruc-tor makes Black Bear his home. Black Bear hosts several professional tour events annually as well as being home to select PGA and LPGA players.
Play a tournament quality championship course for $50 or less and rub shoulders with a few LPGA or PGA pros. That’s nearly impossible any-where else in the Orlando area.
Black Bear Golf Course is about a 30 minute drive north of downtown Or-lando. The course is set in Florida ranch country. The drive from the city is easy and relaxing. It is more than worth the few extra minutes drive both for the golf experience as well as the great value offered.
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24
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
stay &
play
ew destinations have a golf pedigree as storied as PGA Resort & Spa and its Champion Course. The legend-
ary South Florida vacation spot’s vaunt-ed resume includes hosting the 1983 Ryder Cup, 1987 PGA Championship, and nearly two decades of the Senior PGA Championship. Currently, PGA National hosts The Honda Classic, one of the PGA TOUR’s premier events and the first stop on its famous “Florida Swing.” Recent tourna-ment winners include elite TOUR play-ers such as Camilo Villegas, Ernie Els, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington. Harrington, the 2005 champion, says that outside the majors, The Champion at PGA National is “the best course we play on TOUR.” PGA National is also home to the trifecta of holes named “The Bear Trap” on The Champion – holes 15, 16 and 17 where designer Jack Nicklaus famously said, “It should be won or lost right here.” Why so hard? Water, water and more water. In the 2010 Honda Clas-sic, winner Camilo Villegas played the three-hole stretch in even par over four rounds. The field tallied 352 over-par scores. Play them at your own risk. For those wanting the Full Monty of a real TOUR experience and trying to tame the mighty Bear Trap, PGA National offers its “PGA Honda Classic Experience” stay-and-play package year-round. In addition to staying in the resort hotel where the majority of the fields stays for the event, the TOUR experience begins with a photo-op on the first tee of The Champion. To enhance the challenge, PGA TOUR tour-nament green speeds are kept at knee-buckling, double-digit Stimpmeter readings along with Honda Classic hole
flags. Garmin GPS provides pinpoint yardages and caddies are available wearing Augusta style jumpsuits. It’s as close to a PGA experience as one can get without going through Q-School. Additionally, PGA National boasts four other excellent layouts. The Palmer – an Arnold Palmer signature course with a subtle nod to the game’s Scottish roots. The Haig – designed by George and Tom Fazio with no forced carries over water hazards, thus offering a true resort-style play-
ing experience. The Squire is a tough test of accuracy and preci-sion, and dubbed, “the thinking man’s course.” The Estates is designed by Karl Litten and is a quick drive from the resort grounds. The Es-tates is flat-out excellent and regularly hosts the Monday Qualifier for the Honda Classic. For those who don’t yet play like a pro, the PGA National Golf Acad-
emy is home to the country’s best golf instruction. On-site programs from both the David Leadbetter Golf Acad-emy and the Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, along with tour level custom club fitting from the PGA National Club Fitting Lab, are available. The whole locale is a one-stop golf heaven. After a round, indulge in one of more than 100 treatments offered by The Spa at PGA National, lounge in the magnifi-cent zero-entry pool, or enjoy one of the nine on-site restaurants and loung-es highlighted by the Ironwood Grille’s fresh seafood, juicy steaks and an array of fine wines even including selections from the vineyards of Greg Norman, Ernie Els and David Frost. The classy iBAR in the lobby is the perfect spot to recount your fortunes or misfortunes
on The Champion’s Bear Trap or one of the other championship courses. If you’re a traveling golfer, PGA National Re-sort & Spa is just about as good as it gets. For more informa-tion on the PGA Honda Classic Experience, or to make reservations, visit www.pgaresort.com, or call (800) 533.9386.
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26 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
golf
fitne
ss
awn Lipori, M.S.P.T., Licensed Physi-
cal Therapist and founder of the Li-
pori Manual Physical Therapy Cen-
ter in Orlando, applies her principals of
body mechanics to improve anyone’s
golf swing in her new book Body 4 Golf:
Getting Into the Swing available now at
Body4Golf.com and Amazon.com.
Body 4 Golf explains the synergy
between the golf swing and the human
body. Lipori explores how the body
works and what it is capable of to help
distinguish between the two main
causes of a sub-optimal golf swing:
flexibility problems (your body does not
move that way) and technical issues
(you need golf swing training or prac-
tice).
“I love every aspect of what it takes
to be a successful professional golfer,”
says Lipori, who has a
Master’s of Science in
Physical Therapy from
the University of Miami,
one of the top ranked PT
schools in the nation. “I
am incredibly enthusias-
tic about breaking down
the body’s role in the
golf swing so all golfers
can play injury-free for
as long as they wish.”
Lipori has repeat-
edly observed where
and why golfers’ bodies
break down and what
range of motion is
needed for the swing
they desire. In Body 4
Golf: Getting Into the
Swing, Dawn helps golfers learn and
understand the fundamentals to hit the
ball farther, have more accuracy, and
play into their golden years.
“Even though we have a pretty good
idea which muscles are most impor-
tant for golf, it’s not enough. Building
stronger golf muscles won’t help you if
you are lacking mobility and stability
throughout your body,” said Lee Janzen,
two-time U.S. Open Champion. Janzen,
who is a client of Lipori, wrote the
forward to Body 4 Golf. “I have known
Dawn Lipori for over 10 years. She has
shown me exercises that have been
helpful and I trust her knowledge of the
human body.”
As a Licensed Physical Therapist, Li-
pori has been immersed in the profes-
sional golf world, working with more
than 100 professional golfers from
every tour, including the PGA, LPGA,
KLPGA, Korean PGA, Nationwide, Nike,
Futures, Hooters, Senior and European
Tours, in addition to the nationally
ranked Long Driver, and collegiate and
junior players. Her clients go beyond
golf and span the world of professional
sports, including professional athletes
from the NBA, MLB, professional foot-
ball, and water skiing.
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The Golden Years
D
Dawn Lipori, M.S.P.T
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» Get a FREE round of golf at Westchase GC
Cart fee required. See Web site for details.
» Try and buy the latest equipment
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» Enjoy special Golfest retail discounts
Visit Golfest.com for schedule and details.
FEB. 19+20
A portion of the proceeds will benefit All Children’s Hospital of St. Petersburg & The Future Champions Golf Tour.
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 428
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eron
cours
e
What are the advantages of clubhouse renovations over actual golf course renovations for a club and its golfers? We understand timing played a big part in your recent renovations at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club.
One major advantage is clubhouse renovations do not
mean a course closure or the rerouting of holes. Golfers can
still come enjoy the golf portion of the experience as though
nothing has changed. Those courses open year-round can
take advantage of shoulder seasons to complete wholesale or
spot renovations.
At Falcon’s Fire Golf Club in Kissimmee, we fast-tracked our
work and completed renovations in just three months over
the summer, reducing the economic impact and minimizing
disruption to golfers. By working during the summer
months, and utilizing a concurrent design-build process, the
clubhouse interior at Falcon’s Fire was complete well before
the peak season began.
For a club’s operator, it is much less expensive to remodel
a clubhouse than it is a golf course. If a club is in search of a
way to restore its brand, retain members or daily fee golfers
and attract new players, -- but doesn’t have the budget for a
full golf course renovation – an interior renovation is a cost-
effective way to accomplish these goals.
Talk about how avoiding design trends and fads can be beneficial for Florida clubs, such as Amelia Island Plantation.
One of the biggest mistakes a club can make is trying to
create a trendy interior. Whether it is a private or public
course, the clubhouse and 19th hole should be a reflection of
the club’s character and membership.
Trendy is often confused with contemporary, and stodgy
with traditional. It is important to understand that interior
architectural elements can be traditional, but they can
also be fashionable, especially when they are set off with
contemporary artwork or accessories that are juxtaposed
against a traditional design. That juxtaposition has a popular
place in design, and club owners and operators want focal
pieces that reflect the traditions and history of the game.
Ideally, these pieces will also provide a sense of place tied to
Golf Clubhouses by DesignA Q&A with Tom Hoch, President, Tom Hoch
here is nothing like golf. A typical round requires about 4½ hours. However, the actual
golf experience can be a five-, six- or even seven-hour affair that involves not only
the great outdoors, but also the time spent “under roof,” in 19th holes, golf shops and
locker rooms, all of which are integral parts of a clubhouse’s atmosphere, thus integral
parts of the total golf experience. Tom Hoch, President of Tom Hoch, a leading design-
build firm based in Oklahoma City, has been working in the interior design business for
more than 20 years. His personal passion for golf, combined with his profession, led him,
and his firm, to plan, design and build memorable, timeless golf club interiors.
T
Tulsa Country Club, Tulsa, OK
Tom Hoch
Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marana, AZ
29Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
the area, or reflect a prevalent architectural motif.
Amelia Island Plantation, just north of Jacksonville, is truly
one of the most beautiful settings on the East Coast. Right now,
Tom Hoch is working on the resort’s Long Point Golf Shop and
The Ocean Club, the members only lounge. Because they’re
located in such a special location, it is important that the
facilities’ interiors convey the beauty and charm associated
with Amelia Island Plantation, not the latest design trend
sweeping the country.
Without question, the bar is the centerpiece of the 19th hole. What are some ways clubs can make their 19th hole a showstopper? And what are some other items or accessories that generally help make a 19th hole stand out?
I think great food makes a great 19th hole. Views are
important; also, great style and character is paramount. If you
look at all the great pubs across the country and in Scotland,
those places have great design style and character. So they tell a
story and they’re rooted in the history of the story.
This is particularly relevant in the Southeast and Florida,
areas of the country rich in tradition and history. It is a point
of emphasis for many of the clubs we work with out of our
Charleston, South Carolina office. By replacing historic design
elements with trendy design, not only do clubs run the risk of
having it become outdated, but they are also stripping the club
of its history and identity.
For a new upscale private club, it’s a no-brainer as to why they need a 19th hole. But for an older club, it makes perfect sense for them to refurbish or update theirs, yet they don’t. Why is that?
When I deal with clubs facing those difficult decisions, I
always ask the members what they are thinking about when
their spouse wants to have dinner at the club. Are they excited
about it? Do they have reservations about going to dinner at the
club? Because people are so into the casual lifestyle, the 19th
hole has to be inviting, warm and relaxing. It has to be a place
you thoroughly enjoy visiting and hanging out. That’s what I
stress to those clubs wavering on updating their 19th holes.
Is there a rule of thumb or a way you go about designing a 19th hole for a private club versus designing one at a public facility?
Not really. For a private club the membership and committees
design its 19th hole to be a cool hangout place, like it’s their
own local pub. And I would take that same concept to a daily
fee. Everyone is looking for a nice, casual place to hang out and
tell a story. It is vital the ambience, design and character of the
place invite you to tell a story.
Tom Hoch is the President of Tom Hoch, a leading design-build firm based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with an East Coast office in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1963 by his parents Tom (senior) and Joanne Hoch, Tom Hoch Design specializing in club, resort, hotel, restaurant and recreational spaces. Tom Hoch has revolutionized the category via its “revenue-based design” model, a space planning, sizing and mapping process for retail-driven spaces such as golf shops and food- and-beverage operations. For more information: www.tomhoch.com.
Quail Creek Golf and Country Club, Oklahoma City, OK The Ridge at Back Brook , Ringoes, NJ
Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marana, AZ
head
er
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 430
celeb
rity c
orner
avid golfer, Patrick can often be found teeing off at some of his favorite golf course in Los An-
geles and refers to himself as having a “pretty serious golf habit.” Well known around the celebrity golf circuit, Patrick plays in such tournaments as The Cal-laway Golf Foundation Challenge and The Annual Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Patrick’s “Golf For Kids” Tournament will be held at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, CA. Celebrities and pro-golfers alike will come together to support the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where proceeds from the celebrity tournament will go directly to help it continue its mission. Patrick is currently in the midst of filming the 5th season of CBS’s top-rated Monday night comedy “Rules of Engagement’s” alongside costars Oliver Hudson and David Spade. He is known to many as the busiest voiceover artist in Hollywood for his many characters and lends his voice to the 9th season of Fox’s Emmy nominated “Family Guy” as the paraplegic and over-zealous cop, Joe Swanson. He is also widely known for the character of “Puddy” on the hit series “Seinfeld,” and has had suc-cessful runs on “News Radio,” “Dave’s World” and the live-action adaptation of comic-book cult classic “The Tick.” Facebook.com/warburtongolf.
Puddy PuttsPatrick Warburton hosting
his inaugural “Golf For Kids” Celebrity Tournament the
weekend of March 4-6, 2011
An
Patrick Warburton
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32 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
always fun for us to search out
the new products that will be
on display at the PGA Merchandise
Show that we think may be a game-
changer in the industry. The product
we are most excited to see at the PGA
Show is a unique new driver design
from Tiger Shark Golf and the
mind of renowned golf
inventor Jim Flood.
The PowerPod II
Driver is a super
game improve-
ment technology
driver that features
a patent-pending
shape that promises
to be the world›s first
true oversized slice proof driv-
er. You heard us right; it’s SLICE
PROOF! Its design is based
on the same technology
that Flood employed
25 years ago with
the original PowerPod driver, which
was a huge hit on the PGA Tour and
sold over 100,000 drivers in 9 months.
It was a design ahead of its time that
cured thousands upon thousands of
slices and now it’s been made with the
all the advancements of today’s tech-
nology, including a SP-700 Titanium
cup face design, reduced toe weight-
ing, a jumbo sized face and one-piece
casting integrating the face and hosel
with a forged body.
Flood, who has been called
the Thomas Edison of
modern golf, has
developed over
50 golf-related
products in
the past 35
years that have
revolutionized
the game of golf
forever. In 1972,
Flood developed and
introduced the first graphite
golf shaft and founded Aldila Inc.
In 1990, he founded Odyssey and in-
vented the White Hot insert. With his
latest creation, the PowerPod II, Flood
has designed what he is calling his
best invention yet. We’ll take a hard
look at the PowerPod II driver at the
show and report back our findings in
the February issue.
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
impro
ving p
erfor
manc
e PGA Show Equipment Preview It’s
By Preston Purdum
33Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 434
think
ing of
golf
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
By Ed Gilbert, Head Thinker
I am supposed to be this
marketing guru. The publisher
says I am like some character
on a TV show named Ari in “Entou-
rage”. Since I am older, why isn’t he
like me? I was here first. WTF? The
fact is I have been around hospital-
ity, golf, hotel and resort marketing
for over 35 years. #$%@ it seems like
yesterday I just started. The reality
is I have spent, with the exception
of a year and a half, my entire career
in the hospitality industry.
The highlights are: I was the
youngest person to manage the
Florida Tourism Department in
its history, Director of Market-
ing for the PGA of America, VP
Marketing - Sandestin Golf &
Beach Resort and personally
have directed marketing, ad-
vertising and public relations
programs for practically every
major golf resort in the State
of Florida. And finally, (before
they could do it posthumously)
I was inducted into the Florida
Tourism Hall of Fame in 2006.
Should you be reading what
I talk about? Absolutely. Why
not? I have certainly learned
what not to do in 35 of marketing
goods and services. If you don’t, you
are a shmuck.
The internet; supposedly created by
Presidential Candidate Al Gore (I still
don’t believe he said that! No wonder
he lost his own home state) goes all
the way back to 1958 and the US Gov-
ernment.
Forward to the last 15 years and
you have an informational infrastruc-
ture that is utilized daily by billions
of people throughout the world. Over
200,000,000 people in the United
States alone have home computers for
daily use. How do you reach a large
enough percentage of these people in
order to sell them your crap or a golf
product of some kind?
Depending who you talk to, (un-
less it’s me) there are many answers.
Pay Per Click campaigns, Cost Per
Click campaigns, print ads, radio ads,
outdoor ads, Search engine marketing,
social media, e-blasts, television com-
mercials, direct mail, public relations
programs, mobile marketing, banner
advertising, your wife’s gossip group
and so on. The answer is yes to every-
thing based on your budget, what your
goals are against that budget and how
big your kahoonas are!
Baby Boomers (1947-66) and a
funeral director’s primary target audi-
ence, Generation X (1967-1981), Y or
the Millennials (1982-1995) all react
differently to messages. Baby Boom-
ers still read (until the cataracts take
over), Generation X reads and surfs
the Internet while the Millennials text,
tweet, socialize, surf constantly and
never actually talk to you in person.
Today, PPC or Pay Per Click Cam-
paigns are a necessary component of
an advertising and/or marketing pro-
gram. Let’s say you have a golf course
or golf resort in Central Florida. If you
want to own Florida Golf as a search
term it will cost on average $1.58 on
Google. Orlando Golf Package - $3.69.
Orlando Golf Vacation - $4.15 and
Orlando Golf Resorts - $2.24. All on
average. Some days more and
some days less. Do you have
that size budget? Florida Golf
has 165,000 average monthly
searches globally. At $260,700
you could own Florida Golf for a
month to reach 165,000 people.
Your kahoonas have now ex-
panded!
What about Arizona which
has a similar climate and golf
audience? Arizona Golf aver-
ages $2.22 a click. Scottsdale
Golf - $2.51, Scottsdale Golf
Packages - $4.47 and Arizona
Golf Resort $4.66. Arizona Golf
on average has 60,500 searches
monthly at $2.22 a click totaling
$134,310 to reach 60,500 people.
If you were listening to me, you
will create multiple messages for the
golfer by using multiple mediums for
on average less money. Let’s consider
reaching 50,000 golfers multiple times
for under $1500 with a full page print
ad for $.03 each instead of $1.58+ each
on a PPC campaign.
Keep reading my articles every oth-
er month and by the end of the year, I
promise you will have more marketing
savvy than you do now. Maybe you
will even make your numbers and get
a bonus.
Golf Marketing In The New MilleniumSo
35Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
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Killeen Castle
September23-25, 2011
rosie_jones_v1.indd 2 12/20/10 5:22 PM
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 436
not often that I write just about particular golf
courses, usually I’m telling you about how turf maintenance is conducted and how and why. But in this edition of Live Golf I’d like to talk about three gems I discovered up on Florida’s northwest Emerald Coast which runs from roughly Panama City to Pensacola. The three courses were developed by the St. Joe Company, and are managed by Troon Golf. The three courses are: Camp Creek G.C. designed by Tom Fazio; Shark’s Tooth by Greg Norman and The Origins by Davis Love III. One thing they all have in common besides their excellent conditioning by Larry Livingston, CGCS and his team are that they are all certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP). Another feature common to all of them is that they are not crowded by residential areas. They wind through the ample woodland forests of the panhandle, although each is easily
accessible right off U.S. 98 in Lake Powell and WaterSound, FL. There’s nothing like playing a round of golf in
the woods and enjoying the outdoors while in search of par.
Camp Creek and Shark’s Tooth are excellent, challenging layouts but infinitely playable as long as you tee it up from the markers that actually fit your handicap. Play from the tips at your own peril. Then there’s the grand scenery and abundant wildlife wading, swimming and roaming about. Shark’s Tooth is located along the shores of Lake Powell which I learned is classified as a “coastal dune lake”. These are essentially just coastal estuaries that have been cut off from the Gulf of Mexico by the shifting sand bars across the mouth of the lagoons. Every so often powerful storms breach the barriers and the lagoons (lakes) are filled with salt water to mix with the fresh water flowing from wetlands and creeks. There are almost 20 of these dune lakes along the Emerald Coast.
Of course along the beach itself you will find those famous white sand beaches and a little more development with the Water Color community, condos and other hotel accommodations if you ever decide to get away from the hustle and bustle of peninsular Florida. If you do travel Florida’s Northwest Territory keep in mind the peak season is spring and summer. Fall is the best time to go, but mild winter days are great too. The crowds thin out after summer and there’s easy access to everything. There are several beach front restaurant/bars in the area that offer super sunsets while dining. The Origins course is a great family golfing venue for the more relaxed golfer. It is a unique layout consisting of 6 regulation holes and 10 Par-3 holes. Some greens are double greens sharing pins for both the Heritage and DLIII courses. It’s harder to explain in words, but it’s self-evident when you tee it up. A fun, real golf experience for a quick nine holes especially those not ready to tackle the big monster courses just yet.
live g
olfBy Joel Jackson, CGCS, FGCSA Executive Director
Photos by Joel Jackson
Three Gems on the Emerald Coast
Nesting box behind the 1st green on the Camp Creek Golf Course.
It’s
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4 37
The Par 4, 6th hole at Shark’s Tooth borders Lake Powell one of the Emerald Coast’s many coastal dune lakes. The best time to golf on the Emerald Coast is in the fall after the spring and summer crush of visitors.
The unique and original layout of The Origins G.C. includes 6-regulation holes and 10-Par 3 holes. Several holes have double greens sharing pin locations for the Par-3 Davis Love Course and the regulation Heritage Course.
The South Florida GCSA raised $22,500 for the National Foundation of Missing & Exploited Children at their Annual M&E Tournament held at The Carolina Club in Margate. Statewide, tournaments like this raise over $312 million for Florida charities.
Living in the “Sunshine State” golfers have the opportuni-ty to play some of the finest
private clubs in the country like Semi-nole, Jupiter Hills and Black Diamond. Quickly rising into that elite group is a relative newcomer, The Concession Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course designed in association with Tony Jacklin.
The Concession was conceived in commemoration of the 1969 Ryder Cup singles match between the two where Nicklaus conceded a putt to Jacklin. That gesture, known as “the conces-
sion,” rendered the two teams in a 17-17 tie. The United States retained the Ry-der Cup having won it in 1967. That mo-ment marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the two men and inspired one of America’s great golf clubs.
The Concession, which holds one of the highest Course and Slope Ratings by the USGA in the United States, of-fers every amenity associated with the world’s most privileged golf clubs.
The Concession features an 18-hole par-72 golf course set on 520 acres of ruggedly pristine land dot-
ted with massive oaks and majestic pines. Complementing the 7,470-yard championship golf course is one of the country’s largest private practice areas recognized by Golf Digest as one of the “75 Best Practice Areas in the United States.” The vast 23-acre practice facil-ity features a dual-ended driving range, which includes an elevated tee area, a 10,000-square-foot flat and undulating putting green and a 14,000-square-foot flat and undulating chipping green. Both the putting and chipping greens
The Concession Golf Club Come enjoy a slice of paradise
2006 Golf Digest Best New Private Golf Course (#1)2007/2008 Golf Digest Best in State - Florida (#5)
2008 Golfweek Best Modern Courses (#45)2009 GOLF Magazine Top 100 Courses in the U.S. (#88)
2009 Golf Digest 75 Best Practice Areas (#69)2011 Golfweek Best Residential Courses (#18)
The Concession Golf ClubA testament to unwavering quality
(See story Page 40)
Jan Concession.indd 2-3 1/17/11 6:34:53 PM
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 438
featur
e
Living in the “Sunshine State” golfers have the opportuni-ty to play some of the finest
private clubs in the country like Semi-nole, Jupiter Hills and Black Diamond. Quickly rising into that elite group is a relative newcomer, The Concession Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course designed in association with Tony Jacklin.
The Concession was conceived in commemoration of the 1969 Ryder Cup singles match between the two where Nicklaus conceded a putt to Jacklin. That gesture, known as “the conces-
sion,” rendered the two teams in a 17-17 tie. The United States retained the Ry-der Cup having won it in 1967. That mo-ment marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the two men and inspired one of America’s great golf clubs.
The Concession, which holds one of the highest Course and Slope Ratings by the USGA in the United States, of-fers every amenity associated with the world’s most privileged golf clubs.
The Concession features an 18-hole par-72 golf course set on 520 acres of ruggedly pristine land dot-
ted with massive oaks and majestic pines. Complementing the 7,470-yard championship golf course is one of the country’s largest private practice areas recognized by Golf Digest as one of the “75 Best Practice Areas in the United States.” The vast 23-acre practice facil-ity features a dual-ended driving range, which includes an elevated tee area, a 10,000-square-foot flat and undulating putting green and a 14,000-square-foot flat and undulating chipping green. Both the putting and chipping greens
The Concession Golf Club Come enjoy a slice of paradise
2006 Golf Digest Best New Private Golf Course (#1)2007/2008 Golf Digest Best in State - Florida (#5)
2008 Golfweek Best Modern Courses (#45)2009 GOLF Magazine Top 100 Courses in the U.S. (#88)
2009 Golf Digest 75 Best Practice Areas (#69)2011 Golfweek Best Residential Courses (#18)
The Concession Golf ClubA testament to unwavering quality
(See story Page 40)
Jan Concession.indd 2-3 1/17/11 6:34:53 PM
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4 39
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 440
featur
e
Sr., owner of The Concession Golf Club. “I’m extremely con-fident that we can increase our membership to 300 over the next few years.”
Cassidy’s confidence is paying off as membership was up over 20 percent in 2010 despite a vicious economy.
Members and guests enjoy The Concession because it is built around the same spirit of compe-tition and camaraderie associated with the Ryder Cup. Recently The Conces-sion hosted several interclub tourna-ments against teams from the U.S. and Great Britain. The teams played a modified Ryder Cup format competing in alternate shot, better ball and match play.
“Not only the golf course, but everything else about the event was first class,” said Blue Bell Country Club captain Joe Sosnowski, who was part of five teams from the Philadelphia area that competed in the inter-club matches. “The staff, the meals, the clubhouse and the ac-commodations in the Nicklaus Manor homes all were among the finest we have ever experienced, and many in this group have been traveling the world for 15 years playing in high-level
offer several bunkers, giving members the opportunity to recreate every shot on the golf course.
The golf course is meticulously maintained. It features a subterranean climate control wireless computer system that manages irrigation, drainage and pH balance beneath all the greens. It is one of only a few courses with Ad-vanced Aer sensor technology.
It also features an elegant and stately 33,000-square-foot Palla-dian-style clubhouse with Ryder Cup memorabilia, golf shop, formal and casual dining, private dining rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms and card rooms.
The Concession offers a variety of membership plans including corporate and international. Membership at this pre-mier, private club is limited to 300.
“A lot of people who visit the course tell me it’s the best course they’ve ever played, and these individuals have played their share of courses around the world,” said Bruce Cassidy,
“The staff, the meals, the clubhouse and the accommodations in the Nicklaus Manor homes all were among the finest we have ever experienced ...”
Joe Sosnowski
Blue Bell Country Club
Continued from Page 38
The beautiful setting at The Concession is a perfect back-drop for special functions such as weddings, private func-tions and business events.
The 7,000-square-foot men’s locker room features a full bar and flat screen TVs.
The exquisite 33,000-square-foot clubhouse with Ryder Cup memorabilia, golf shop, formal and casual dining, private dining rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and card rooms.
41Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Weddings & Special Functions
If you’re planning a wedding, private function or business event and looking for a unique destina-tion venue, The Concession and the Sarasota area provide the perfect unforgettable setting.
For more information, call 941-322-1922.
Bistro at The Concession
Members and their guests can experience fine dining that fea-tures the world’s best Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon along with Southern Comfort BBQ Shrimp, Gulf Coast Bouil-labaisse and Honolulu Butterfish, as well as a connoisseur’s choice of exquisite wines sure to complement every person’s palate.
Hole #8 sets up for one of many risk-reward choices that will test every club in your bag.
The Jonathan Yarwood Golf Academy is a state-of-the-art teaching facility that offers members and guests on-site golf lessons – including video swing analysis sessions. Yarwood, a
former instructor at the Leadbetter Academy for 9 years, has on multiple occasions been named one of Golf Digest’s “Top 20 Teachers Under 40 Years Old.”
Jonathan Yarwood Golf Academy
competitions. This will certainly be one of the most memorable.”
Another tournament was against Stoke Park Country Club and Resort from Buckinghamshire, Great Britain. Stoke Park is one of London’s premier clubs and has been featured in two James Bond movies, “Goldfinger” and “Tomorrow Never Dies,” as well as the hit film “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Stoke Park is also home to the Jonathan Yar-wood Golf Academy in the United King-dom. Yarwood, a former instructor at the Leadbetter Academy for nine years, has on multiple occasions been named one of Golf Digest’s “Top 20 Teachers Un-der 40 Years Old.” Yarwood’s U.S. acade-my is a state-of-the-art teaching facility located at The Concession.
Concession Member Ray Bromark, who also participated in the interclub tournament, added, “The events played at The Concession reinforced a number of things, including the fact that golf is a ‘gentleman’s game’ enjoyed by nice people all over the world. The friendly
competition made me proud of our opponents, members of The Concession team and The Concession itself. I can now better understand why events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup are so popular.”
Golfers know that a championship golf course is the key component to any great golf facility, but a cornerstone of premier clubs is the dining experience. At the award-winning Concession Golf Club, the Jack Nicklaus Signature design is matched by the world-class cuisine of Bistro at The Concession, which fea-tures food by Sean Murphy, owner of Anna Maria Island’s Beach Bistro, which boasts Zagat’s highest rating for food and service in the state.
Not only is the food exquisite, but if you’re planning a wedding and looking for a unique destination venue, The Con-cession and the Sarasota area provide the perfect unforgettable setting.
For more information about The Concession, call 941-322-1922 or visit them online at www.theconcession.com.
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 442
head
er
ith the regional golf economy
being squeezed by the recession,
Brent Martineau, Assistant Sports
Director at Fox30/CBS47 Action News of
Jacksonville, brainstormed with friends
and fellow Action News co-workers to
develop an on-going weekly series to
help boost First Coast golf. This project
wasn’t a job assignment but an effort
to help his community through his
TV presence. The Dream 18 was thus
born in 2008 to showcase and televise
some of the best 18 holes on the First
Coast golf region. One hole per week is
featured using major sports and local
personalities in each segment to play
a hole.
Brent solicited the help of Jack
Aschenbach,of the North Florida PGA
Chapter, PGA Professional Len Mat-
tiace and golf analyst Mark Spencer to
help select the best holes to use in the
series, and to contact golf clubs to get
permission to use their property for the
Dream 18 episodes.
Each episode includes an Action News
member, the pro of the course in the
segment, and an “America’s Guest”
which has included Jim Furyk, Fred
Funk, Jaguars players, Artis Gilmore
and Sam Jones of the NBA, gold medal-
ist Shannon Miller and Jaguars mascot
Jaxson de Ville. A winner of the Edward
R. Murrow award for sports reporting
and the New York State Broadcasters
Award for best sportscast, Brent utilizes
his stellar reporting expertise to weave
a tremendous on going story through-
out the series about the high quality of
First Coast golf.
The 2010 series was nothing short of
a smashing success and a 2011 series
has been scheduled to start in April.
Not stopping there, golf flags were
purchased to be autographed by those
personalities playing in the Dream 18
segments. They will be auctioned off
to raise money for The First Tee of St.
Johns County and Jacksonville and for
Dreams Come True. Arnold Palmer and
Davis Love III joined the ranks of the
Dream 18 project by providing intro-
ductions to some of the Dream 18 holes
along with autographs for the framed
flags to be auctioned.
The plan in 2011 is to add area media
members and kids from the First Tee
Program to the foursome playing the
holes. Brent’s goal is to feature par 3’s
this time around and build the charity
facet of the project. You can watch the
2010 Action Sports Dream 18 at www.
actionnewsjax.com and see the 2011
version on Action Sports 360 Saturday
and Sunday’s at 10:30pm on FOX30.
Brent hopes this project helps cre-
ate dreams for those in need with his
charity work while helping the cause of
First Coast golf.
leade
r on t
he lin
ksBy Stephen Trendler
Brent Martineau Helping First Coast golf and charity with “The Dream 18”
WOlympic Gold Medalist Shannon Miller and Fred Funk play #18 at St. Johns Golf and CC
Brent Martineau, Assistant Sports Director at Action News, CBS47/FOX30
43Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
44
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er
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
comp
etiti
ve sp
irits
Nominate your favorite bartender to showcase his/her signature drink with a recipe and photos. Readers will also find a discounted price for that drink so they can visit the bartender to sample the true taste of the libation.
DonQ Premium Mojito1 ½ oz. DonQ Cristal1 dash of sugar1 ½ oz. of lime juice5 crushed mint leaves
Muddle mint leaves with sugar, rum and lime juice, shake well, add ice and a splash of club soda.
DonQ Blue Cosmo1 ½ oz. DonQ Cristal1 oz. lemon-lime soda1 oz. Blue Curacao
Mix ingredients with ice, shake well and strain into a martini
glass.
DonQ Rumrita1 ½ oz. DonQ Cristal½ oz. premium triple sec1 oz. lime juice
Dip the rim of a cocktail glass with lime juice and dip in salt. Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into the glass and serve.
DonQ Passion1 ½ oz. DonQ Cristal3 oz. passion fruit juice
Add ice, mix well and garnish with a slice of lemon.
DonQ Dulcinea2 oz. DonQ Cristal2 oz. pineapple juice1 oz. orange juice1 oz. grapefruit juice2 oz. coconut cream½ oz. grenadine
Add ice, mix in blender and garnish with a slice of orange. Serves two.
DonQ CristalDonQ Cristal, the #1 selling rum in Puerto Rico, is a clear, smooth, premium rum noted for its mixability and smoothness. Destil-ería Serralls is a sixth-generation family-run rum distillery re- Serralls is a sixth-generation family-run rum distillery re-Serralls is a sixth-generation family-run rum distillery re-nowned for producing a well-rounded portfolio of outstanding rums since 1865. DonQ Cristal won the 2010 Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Chairman’s Trophy for “Best Rum in a Mojito.
46
head
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
golf
busin
es
ew ownership, new management and a new vision have produced lots of smiles the past few weeks
at Timacuan Golf Club in Lake Mary. The popular Ron Garl-designed golf course was purchased by Timacuan Partners in November from Kitson & Partners. David R. Moore was hired as Director of Golf Operations just after the turn of the year. Moore had served as head golf professional at Timacuan after the course opened in 1988, but moved on a few years later. Now he is back to lead an effort geared toward building the member-ship at the semi-private club. “The new ownership has great new plans for Timacuan,” said Moore, most recently the head golf professional at Heathrow Country Club prior to returning to Timacuan. “But my focus immediately is membership. Our plans are to bring more value to the current membership structure, and to enhance benefits so we can attract new members.” First order of business is the introduction of the new trial membership program called the Silver Membership at Timacuan. The initiation fee is $1,000 ($500 due at sign-ing, $500 due Jan. 12, 2012), and monthly dues through Dec. 31, 2011 are $130 for single and $145 for family. This trial membership ends on Dec. 31, 2011. At that time, all silver trial members will have the option of signing up as a full golf member on January 1, 2012 or decide not to continue and will forfeit their $500 initiation fee (if interested, call 407-321-0010, ext. 2, and ask for David Moore). The new ownership realizes that taking Timacuan com-
pletely private is a pipe dream. Private clubs are becoming more rare each year in every geographic region of the coun-try. But they would like to see a large increase in membership numbers over the next few years, and plan to add more private-club-type benefits as those numbers continue to rise. One such benefit will begin Feb. 1, when the golf course will be going private, members only, until 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. That private time could expand as membership numbers continue to climb. The focus on memberships, however, doesn’t mean the semi-private club is
turning away outside play. “We are very much open to the pub-lic,” said Moore. “From the beginning Timacuan has been a favorite among local golfers as well as golfers who vacation in Central Florida in the winter. That won’t change. In fact, as we complete certain enhance-
ments to the course and the operation overall, we should see the course grow in popularity.” The golf course is one of the most interesting in Central Florida. The front nine serves up a Scottish-like feel, with large mounds, rolling fairways, big greens and lots of bunkering. The back nine has a Carolinas feel, where tall pines, stately oaks and several water hazards affect the play and the views. The signature hole is No. 2, named the toughest hole in the region by Or-lando Magazine. The tee shot must carry water to an island fairway. The second shot also flies
over a hazard to a sloping green.Along with an exciting and chal-lenging golf course, Timacuan also features an outstanding clubhouse catering to weddings, corporate outings and char-ity golf events. It is one of the largest and nicest in Central Florida, and that business will also remain a focus of the new ownership. It appears the light is starting to peak through the dark cloud that has hovered over our econ-omy for three years now. And with that in mind, the timing is right for clubs like Timacuan that cater to the public as well as members. For those interested in the trial Silver Membership, or for more information, call 407-321-0010, ext. 2, or visit www.golftimacuan.com.
By Mike Jamison
Timaucan Partners Takes OverN
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GAA_GolfCentral_fullpage_2011.indd 1 1/11/11 3:36 PM
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 448
what'
s new
apanese golf-club manufacturer Miura Golf-which has been making the world’s highest-quality forged
irons for 44 years-has permanently added the Yoshitaka Grind wedges and C-Grind wedges as part of its Series 1957 special-edition product line after an overwhelmingly positive response to the soft launch of the wedges last year. The two new wedge models join four iron models in the Series 1957 by Miura line. Both new mild-steel wedge models undergo the same Precision Forging Finish process that makes Miura’s irons so consistent in terms of impact and feel. The Yoshitaka-also known as Y-Grind-wedges are now available in lofts of 49, 51 and 53 degrees, and a 60-de-gree model will eventually be offered. The wedges, available in right-hand only, feature a W nickel (satin) chrome/black finish, and come with a stiff-flex steel shaft and Velvet Full Cord grip. “The Y- and C-Grind wedges not only feature the latest technology that will help every golfer improve his or her game, but the wedges with the Miura Satin finish play as good as they look,” says Bill Holowaty, VP of Operations for Miura Golf in North America. “Yoshi-taka Miura’s craftsmanship and research have resulted in unique
playability features that make these wedges the perfect scoring clubs.” Indeed, the special grind on the Y-Grind wedges was created by Yoshitaka Miura, himself a master craftsman
after more than 20 years of training under his father and com-pany founder, Katsuhiro Miura, at the family forging facility in Himeji, Japan. The “Y” on the wedge’s sole not only represents Yoshitaka’s mark on the club, but also signifies the special and limited production of this wedge. “The new Miura wedges are designed for players seeking the very best,” says Katsuhiro Miura, who researched the Series 1957 Y-Grind wedges by traveling to North America and Europe with his sons, Yoshitaka and Shinei, to study a variety of playing conditions and turf structures. The Y-Grind and C-Grind wedges pos-sess the feel,
feedback and work-ability of a forged blade.
Miura’s unique forging tech-niques rearrange the molecular
structure of the mild steel in a uni-form pattern throughout the club’s hit-ting area. This tightness in the metal’s grain structure gives Miura-made clubs the controlled, soft feel other manufac-turers cannot achieve. Miura also uses a proprietary
“spin-welding” process to produce
the industry’s most consistent hosel. This unique proce-dure ensures the bore depths and hosel heights are identical on every Miura-made head and every club’s shaft will be perfectly centered. For the C-Grind wedge, the Miuras’ goal was to create a wedge with a more aggressive heel-and-toe relief that complements Miura’s other wedges, as well as a wedge that many golfers seek without compromising the basic fundamentals of a high-performance club. The challenge was to find the perfect balance between the relief and the rolled trailing edge on the sole, which Yoshitaka has done. When this “special grind” is combined with Miura clubs’ unique density of grain
structure, balance and feel, plus the leading and trailing edge
versatility golfers need, the result is a wedge that is
eminently playable in a broad range of condi-tions. The C-Grind wedges are now available in lofts of 55, 57 and 59 de-
grees in right-hand only. They feature a W
nickel (satin) chrome finish, and come with
a stiff-flex steel shaft and Velvet Full Cord grip.
“We’re very excited about the addi-tion of the Y- and C-Grind wedges to the Series 1957 line,” Holowaty says. “The ‘hand-made’ aspect, the feel and precision of these clubs….no matter how similar they look, is unique as the grind for each club is done by hand.” Miura Golf’s corporate office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia and Miura Golf clubs are sold at the finest custom-fitting shops in North America. The Miura brand is marketed exclusively by Miura Golf Inc., in the United States and North America. More information on Miura products can be found at www.miuragolf.com.
Miura Golf Special-Edition “Series 1957”
J
Yoshitaka Grind
C-Grind
duffe
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Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
Hooray for Hollywood! Hollywood,
Florida that is- the home of the
Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa with
two magnificent lodging facilities to
choose from- either a breathtaking
view of the Atlantic Ocean or the tran-
quil and beautifully landscaped Italian-
villa style golf club. There are 952
guestrooms and 106 suites along with
more than 220,000 square feet of meet-
ing and convention space available.
The premier hotel was adorned with
holiday decorations on my December
stay which gave the glorious lobby area
an even more warm and festive feel.
While the rest of the country was deal-
ing with snow storms, and even parts
of Florida were knocking the icicles off
their plants, I was enjoying this tropical
paradise. The Westin Diplomat is locat-
ed on highway A1A about 10 minutes
from the Fort Lauderdale airport to the
north and 30 from Miami International
to the southwest.
As the sun set I had the opportunity
to visit the Concierge Level located on
the 34th floor with stunning views of
the ocean to the east, and Gulfstream
Park Race Track and the Westin Dip-
lomat Golf Club just to the west. The
hosts can fix your favorite beverage
while you enjoy tasty hors d’oeuvres
in the early evening. Make sure you
request entry to the Concierge when
making your reservation. My room just
one floor below on the Executive Level
was well appointed with the Heavenly
Bed and a bath complete with large
soaking tub, separate shower, the
exclusive Westin White Tea toiletries
to sooth the soul and replenish your
spirit, and in room Starbucks Coffee to
brighten the morning.
Activities abound at the Resort. On
the beach there are numerous water
sports to enjoy or just kick back in one
of the private cabanas. Oceanside, you
will find an outdoor bridged pool with
infinity edge and cascading waterfalls
into a 240 foot lagoon plus complete
service from Splash Bar & Grill. Westin
Kids Club can keep the young ones
busy while you choose from the Westin
WORKOUT powered by Reebok fitness
center, tennis on 10 clay courts which
are available for night play as well,
and the world class Spa at The Westin
Diplomat. There are two marinas offer-
ing dockage, charters and sport fishing
on the property. Golf at the Resort is
just a courtesy ride across the Intra-
coastal Waterway to the Club. Nestled
among 300 coconut and royal palms
and 50-year-old gigantic shady banyan
trees, the layout stretches to 6800 yards
with lush fairways, 8 acres of lakes and
enough bunkers to make it a formi-
dable par 72. The golf club has been
around for than half a century and
famed golf architect Joe Lee redesigned
it 10 years ago to its current challenge.
Luckily all the golf cars have ProLink
GPS which helps pinpointing the haz-
ards. Troon Golf manages the facility
50 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Duffer Dan at
51Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
and has ample practice areas, a well
appointed pro shop and player assistants
who take great care to make sure your
Westin Diplomat golf experience is the
best.
Dining options at the Westin Diplomat
are many. The Golf Club has the informal
atmosphere of the Links Restaurant and
Lounge with indoor and veranda seating
overlooking the beautifully maintained
golf course. Back at Oceanfront there
is Café’ which has a la carte and buffet
breakfast and lunch menus, Com-
mon Grounds serving fresh pastries,
sandwiches and Starbucks coffee, and
the gathering spot in the lobby, BarSu,
serving its uniquely infused Saki Mar-
tinis and full sushi bar. For fine steak
and seafood dining there is the fabulous
Hollywood Prime. Across AIA using the
elevated walkway to the Diplomat Land-
ing, are two more eateries. Rivals Wa-
terfront Sports Grill on the intracoastal
and a great place to enjoy your favorite
televised sports along with great food.
The distinctive menu of Aizia, a
Pan-Asian contemporary delight across
from Rivals, incorporates the ele-
ments of fire, smoke and water into the
unique delectable offerings of Chef de
Cuisine Mauricio Gutierrez. I had the
opportunity to taste the Lava Seafood
that is presented ablaze with curried
shrimp, scallops and calamari and
the Smoky Szechuan Seared Scallops
served under a glass cover of smoke.
Next a sampling of Nigiri, Sashimi and
Sushi with deliciously prepared eel and
tataki complementing the platter were
the piece de resistance. My wonder-
ful server for the evening, Tessa, made
sure I knew what I tasted and her sug-
gestions regarding appetizers, soup du
jour and my entrée were right on.
When you check in to the Wes-
tin Diplomat Resort & Spa, you will
surely check out better. To make
reservations or find out more go to
Westin.com/Diplomat.
north
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52 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Congratulations to South
Florida PGA Profes-
sional Martin Hall, who
will host a new weekly
instructional series on the
Golf Channel. Martin was
chosen as the winner of
the Golf Channel’s search
for a new instructional
host, the last of three final-
ists.
The weekly, 30 minute
show is called “School of
Golf” and begins January
25, 2011. Martin will draw
from his over 30 years
of teaching experience to pass on his
knowledge and humor to viewers.
Martin currently serves as the
director of instruction at Ibis Golf &
Country Club in West Palm Beach,
Florida. He was the PGA of America’s
Teacher of the Year in 2008, and is
ranked number 10 in Golf Digest’s
annual rankings of golf’s top ten
teachers.
Martin’s been a frequent presenter
at the SFPGA Teaching Symposium
as well as a speaker for the 2002 and
2006 National Coaching Summit. He
presented at the British PGA National
Teaching Summit in 2006 and the
European Teaching Summit in 2009.
This SFPGA Professional is no
stranger to awards, either. He was
named the Teacher of the Year for the
South Florida Section in 2003, and
Teacher of the Year for the Southeast
Chapter in 2002. He’s been listed in Golf
Magazine Top 100 since 1996, and Golf
Digest Top 50 since 2000.
Martin has published over 100 print
instruction articles, collaborated on 5
books and written 2 books of his own
with the PGA Tour Partners Club, “Golf
Myths Exposed” and “What Tour
Pros Know and You Don’t.” He’s
appeared many times on the
Golf Channel Academy Live and
continues to be a regular guest
on PGA Tour Radio with Peter
Kessler.
“The Golf Channel couldn’t
have chosen a better fit for an
excellent instructor for their
new show “School of Golf”.
Martin Hall is a great teacher
and continues to support the
South Florida Section and
the game of golf with his
extensive knowledge and talent.
Congratulations to Martin and we look
forward to seeing the show,” said Geoff
Lofstead, Executive Director of the
South Florida Section.
Originally from England, Martin
played the European Tour from 1976-78
and began teaching following his tour
career. At age 25, Martin left England
and landed a job at St. Andrews in Boca
Raton, the beginning of his career with
the South Florida Section. Martin looks
forward to hosting the new show on
the Golf Channel beginning January
25th, be sure to tune in!
SFPGA Professional Martin Hall Earns Golf Channel Instruction ShowSFPGA Professional Martin Hall at the 2003 SFPGA Teaching Summit
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54 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
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Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
he North Florida PGA concluded
one its best years with the best,
Mr. Arnold Palmer’s induction into
their Hall of Fame at their annual
meeting and awards gala at Bay Hill
Club and Lodge this past Monday.
Surely, it’s obvious that Mr. Palmer
deserves such accolades for his
legendary playing record, but most
importantly, the North Florida
PGA also wanted to recognize his
contributions to the community
and game of golf. Although a legend
in golf, he has touched and saved
many lives not involved in the game
with the Arnold Palmer and Winnie
Palmer Children’s Hospitals in
Orlando.
Arnold’s father Deacon was a PGA
Member who not only molded Arnie
into a champion golfer, but always
had time to serve and help his
members and customers with their
golf games. Deacon made sure their
time spent around the club was
enjoyable and fun. It only seemed
fitting the Mr. Palmer be inducted
by his fellow PGA Members of the
North Florida Section.
Mr. Palmer’s moving acceptance
speech was from the heart and
captivated the audience. There was
laughter in sharing some stories
along with passion and advice to
all the PGA Members and how they
can impact the future of the game.
He made it clear that it’s up to the
PGA and its members to grow and
maintain the greatest game ever!
There were also some tears in his
graciousness. He was truly humble.
He was just “one of the boys” who
loved golf. He made it clear that
the traditions of the game must be
passed on and the most important
thing in golf and life is to be a
gentleman. Be yourself, be honest
and always respect other’s feelings.
Mr. Palmer graciously posed for
many photos with his peers and
their families, again showing them
that he cares. He sat and listened
to many stories about how he
influenced fellow award winners and
inductees. He laughed, he reflected
and gave some the famous “thumbs
up” as they shared their best
memories about him. As the awards
gala came to end, Mr. Palmer was
still gracious and took the time to
be thankful before he headed home.
Mr. Palmer. Truly a legend, but more
importantly, truly a gentleman.
The North Florida PGA Hall
of Fame also inducted Mr. Dick
Medford, Mr. Mark Scallen and Mr.
Tony Austin. Their contributions
to the game of golf and the North
Florida PGA have made a difference.
Truly legends and mentors as well.
The King was Crowned
By Steve Morris
Master of Ceremonies Kraig Kann, Mr. Palmer, and North Florida Section President John Reger
T
Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 456
fore y
our h
ealth
sk 102 year old Del Webb South-shore Falls resident Ed Brockhausen his secret to long life and he has a
ready-made answer. But you have to hurry to catch him. Three days a week, Brockhausen is busy working out at the Southshore Falls gym in its Wellspring Club, a popular facility in the Del Webb community located in Apollo Beach. “I’ve always exercised,” Brockhausen said. “have always grown my own vegetables, and I strictly limit my use of drugs, especially antibiotics. I grew up with germs, and the body builds its own resistence to them,” he said. Brockhausen retired 37 years ago at age 65. The mechanical engineer began his career with Western Electric in New Jersey and transferred to Winston-Salem , North Carolina in the 1940s. There, the Brockhausens raised two
children. The home in Winston-Salem – a two acre site cultivated with more than 2,000 flowering azaleas – was sold just before moving down to Del Webb Southshore Falls four years ago. “I’ve always been an advocate of exercise,” Brockhausen said. “When the kids were young we had a small gym in the base-ment.” “I especially enjoy the gym here at Del Webb Southshore Falls,” he said.Residents of Southshore call the spry centenarian “Ed.” Brockhausen’s daughter Sandy is also retired and a resident at Del Webb Southshore Falls. Her brother lives and
works in Texas. Daughter Sandy often serves as Brockhausen’s interpreter — “His hearing isn’t what it used to be,” she explained.“Dad plays chess once a week with a young guy who’s around ninety, and he spends a lot of time on the computer,” Sandy said. Brockhausen manages his own invest-ment portfolio and watches financial reports like a hawk. “When his divi-dend isn’t posted when and where he expects it, he’s on the phone fussing with them,” Sandy said. Brockhausen said he enjoys Del Webb Southshore Falls for the people and the security. “Our neighbors here are very pleasant and outgoing,” he said. “It’s easy to get around and there’s plenty to do. I feel challenged every day, and that is a pleasure.”
Workouts at the Gym Keeps 102 Year Old Fit, Trim and Vigorous
A
Ed Brockhausen
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60 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
The G
olf Ch
anne
l The
GOl
f Cha
nnel
The G
olf Ch
anne
l The
Golf
Chan
nel T
he G
olf
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
January 3, Golf Channel
launched its first, live weekday
morning show, Morning Drive,
with veteran sports broadcasters Erik
Kuselias and Gary Williams taking view-
ers through all of the headlines in the
world of golf, sports, finance and pop
culture. Originating from a dedicated
studio at Golf Channel’s Orlando head-
quarters and airing each weekday from
7-9 a.m. ET, Morning Drive has featured
an-all star lineup of guests during its
first two weeks, highlighted by “The
King” Arnold Palmer on the show’s
debut.
Although golf content leads the way,
the weekday show also features news
and commentary about the day’s top
national headines, finance and pop
culture In addition, some of the biggest
names in golf, as well as personalities
and celebrities from all walks of life,
regularly join the show as guests. In
addition to Palmer, recent guests have
included Philadelphia Phillies center
fielder Shane Victorino, Donald Trump,
Rush Limbaugh, Minnesota Vikings
kicker Ryan Longwell, LPGA Tour Com-
missioner Mike Whan and LPGA Tour
professional Christina Kim to name a
few. Golf Channel’s team of analysts
and reporters contribute on a daily
basis, both in-studio and on-location at
various tournaments.
Kuselias came to Golf Channel from
ESPN, where he has been a host and
analyst since 2003. Most recently, while
at ESPN, Kuselias created and hosted the
Emmy Award-winning Fantasy Football
NOW, was the primary host of College
Football Live and The Erik Kuselias Show
on ESPN Radio, and has been a fixture
on Mike and Mike in the Morning. Pre-
viously, Kuselias hosted the nationally
syndicated SportsBash weekday after-
noons on ESPN Radio, and in 2007, he
was the anchor for NASCAR NOW, when
it was nominated for an Emmy for “Best
Studio Show.”
Williams came from Sirius Satellite
Radio, where he co-hosted the early
morning show on Sirius’ Mad Dog Radio.
He also served as a lead host on the PGA
TOUR Network on Sirius/XM. Previously,
Williams hosted the top-rated morning-
drive sports-formatted radio program
in Charlotte, N.C., for nine years. His
other on-air credits include play-by-play
for ESPN and also the Carolina Panthers
television network.
“Erik and Gary are welcome additions
to the Golf Channel, and bring a wealth
of diverse experience in broadcast jour-
nalism,” said Tom Stathakes, Golf Chan-
nel senior vice president of program-
ming, production and operations. “Both
are incredible personalities and have
a vast knowledge of golf and beyond,
which creates extremely interesting
content on Morning Drive.”
Said Kuselias, “It’s exciting to be part
of this new Golf Channel venture and I
look forward to working with Gary and
the production team to bring a dynamic
morning program to viewers.”
“I’ve always been impressed with Golf
Channel’s high-caliber broadcasts and
talented reporters and commentators,”
said Williams. “I am thrilled to have the
opportunity to work with Erik Kuselias
and the network’s production team in
creating a morning show that will both
inform and entertain Golf Channel
fans.”
Joining Kuselias and Williams is Holly
Sonders, who provides news and tour-
nament updates as well as headlines
of the day at and bottom of the hour. A
graduate of Michigan State University
and a four-year member of the MSU
Women’s Golf Team, Sonders most
recently was a news and sports reporter
at KATV in Little Rock, Ark.
Audio from Morning Drive is
streamed live at www.GolfChannel.
com/morning-drive each weekday, and
a “Best of” highlights podcast hosted by
Sonders will be available online each
afternoon.
Golf Channel Launches
Morning Drive
On
Phot
o by
Mar
k A
shm
an
(Fron left) Erik Kuselias, Holly Sonders, and Gary Williams
62 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
hris Bray is no stranger to taking on strong competition. Already a winner of the prestigious Gate Invitational
where he beat the best amateurs….and pros…in the First Coast region, Bray was a heavy favorite in the Golfweek nationally recognized 2010 St. Augustine Amateur. Others in the field had plansto make their own statements as towhom was the best in the field. 14 year old Domenico Geminiani (that’s not a typo…he’s just 14!) has been on a roll throughout the state and took the first round lead with UNF Senior Chris Ken-nedy with 2 under par 68’s. Bray hung around the lead 3 shots back with a one over 71. Kennedy caught fire on day 2 with his second straight 68 to post a 2 shot lead over the rest of the field. A previous qualifier for the U.S. Amateur, Ken-nedy was no stranger to going low and showed no signs of let up. Geminiani had a few hiccups during day 2 to fall behind and out of contention with a 78. Meanwhile, Bray turned up the volume with a 3 under 67 to put the heat on
Kennedy for the final 3rd round. Kennedy didn’t blink from the startof Round 3 as he continued on his rollby building an early 4 shot lead overBray. Kennedy looked like a lock towin with his machine-like steady play. But for those who know the tough lay-out at the St Johns Golf Club, everyone has to make it through the gauntlet of the back 9 which has more danger lingering than just the alligators in the lakes. And the gauntlet bit Kennedy while Bray dodged the alligators. Ken-nedy ran into a couple of train wrecks on the back nine while Bray caught fire and finally caught, and then passed Kennedy with birdies on #13 and #15 to take the outright lead and then the win. It’s ironic, or perhaps fate, that Chris Bray was recruited to play on the Flagler College golf team 3 years ago by the tournament’s founder, the late Jay Jenni-son, Jay was also Flagler’s golf coach at the time. And at the end of the final day of the tournament, Chris was holding the newly named Jay Jennison Cup win-ner’s trophy. It just doesn’t get betterthan that. Is golf a great game or what?
By Stephen Trendler
Flagler’s Chris Bray Takes The St. Augustine Amateur With A Big Come-From-Behind Charge
Chris Bray makes his move to win the St. Augustine Amateur14 year old Domenico Geminiani shook up the field with an opening 68
Chris Kennedy was in command for 2-1/2 rounds
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64 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
he team of Kevin Johnson, Wayne Meland, Dan Murphy and Craig Norton, playing the first nine
holes with Mark Lye and the second nine holes with Peter Jacobsen, took first place at The Immokalee Foundation 2010 Charity Classic Pro-Am golf tournament at Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples. The popular tournament paired 24 of the world’s greatest golfers with Naples most philanthropic golfers to raise funds to support The Immokalee Foundation’s educational programs including Take Stock in Children, Vocational Success, College Success, Direct Scholarships, The First Tee of Naples/Collier Program in Immokalee, Immokalee Readers and Community Grants. The 2010 Charity Classic Dinner & Auction at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples and the Pro-Am raised more than $1.5 million for The Immokalee Foundation. The Pro-Am raised more than $500,000, placing it among the most successful charity golf events in Southwest Florida.
Presenting sponsor for the 2010 Charity Classic was The Johnson Meland Group-Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Gold sponsors included Bigham Jewelers, Jaguar Naples and Porsche of Naples. Mark Lye, PGA Tour professional and analyst on The Golf Channel, helped recruit the field of professionals from the LPGA, PGA Tour and Champions Tour including Peter Jacobsen, Andy Bean, Brett Quigley, Eric Booker, George McNeill, Bruce Fleisher, Terry-Jo Myers and Frank Nobilo. The Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to building pathways to success for the children of Immokalee by empowering them through programs focused on education, vocation and life skills. The foundation offers students the tools, opportunities and encouragement needed to succeed at each level of their education and in their careers. For more information, visit www.immokaleefoundation.org.
Golf Tourney Helps Raise $1.5 Million For The Immokalee Foundation
T
Gerardo Lugo, Corina Espirtu
Pro-Am am winning team Craig Norton, Dan Murphy, Mark Lye, Kevin Johnson, Wayne Meland
A gathering of the world’s finest automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft and watercraft
At theTo Benefit
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Festivals of Speed Golf Classic Mission Inn Resort & Club
Friday, March 4th
Drivers Tour Of the Lake Region Saturday, March 5th
Wine Connoisseurs Dinner at La Haceinda
Saturday Evening, March 5th
Display of Exotic Cars, Motorcycles & WatercraftSunday, March 6th
®
66 Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
ByPhotos by
Don’t forget to add the flag at the end of the article!!!
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he 10th annual Larry Laoretti and Gary Carter Celebrities Fore Kids Golf Classic was a huge success netting
over $100,000 to help children with cancer, and families with cancer, raising young children, residing on the Treasure Coast. Over 130 players came out to the tournament at the Hobe Sound Golf Club for an opportunity to play alongside a celebrity which included baseball legend and emcee for the evening Jim Kaat, baseball Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Mike Schmidt, hockey Hall of Famer Clark Gillies, pro golfers Tony Jacklin, Dana Quigley, and Larry Ziegler
and LPGA Tour pros Michelle McGann, Laurie Rinker, Jackie Gallagher-Smith and Judy Dickinson. In addition, Hall of Famer golfer Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara attended the awards dinner and participated in the live auction with Laoretti and Carter as the auctioneers. “Each year we are moved by the generosity of our supporters, who come out year in and year out, to sponsor the Larry Laoretti and Gary Carter Celebri-Laoretti and Gary Carter Celebri-ties Fore Kids Golf Classic. From the volunteers to the celebrities and players who give their time, we are so grateful for everyone’s support,” said Celebri-ties Fore Kids co-founder and president
Marlene Filer. In the decade Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc., has been in existence, over $1 million has been raised to provide financial assistance to children with cancer, and their families, living in Martin or St. Lucie County. From gas cards to assistance with monthly utility bills and mortgage payments, Celebrities Fore Kids, Inc., a non-profit 501 (c)(3), works with social workers from the Robert & Carol Weissman Can-Weissman Can-cer Center at Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart and the Parent – Child Center, Inc. at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach to help families affected by can-cer. Other notable celebrities who were in attendance include baseball play-ers Bobby Floyd, Howard Johnson, Bill Gullickson, Randy Niemann, and Bob Apodaca along with golf professionals Warren Bottke, Kevin Compare, Carl Mason, Eoghan O’Connell, and Tommy Shaw. To learn more about Celebrities Fore Kids visit their website at www.celebritiesforekids.org or call (772) 781-7943.
Celebs Play Fore Local Cancer Patients
T
The Thompson Family (from left to right) Janessa, Katie, Mom Julie, Annie, and Samantha
(From left to right) Larry Ziegler, Mark Robitaille and Jim Palmer
Dana DeWindt and Gordon Nearing
Noah Duren and Jack Nicklaus
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 470
head
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show
case ➊ Antigua
The Women’s Spring 2011 collection focuses on a sophisticated color palette, easy-to-merchandise color stories, classic styling with subtle feminine details, an expanded selection of lightweight and silky fabrics, excellent drape regardless of body type and a modern approach to traditional golfwear. The Spring 2011 Antigua Women’s collection is merchandised as three innovative, opulent product groups—Dashing, Mischief and Dynamic. For more information: www.antigua.com and shop.antigua.com.
➋ PuttingShark PuttingShark (www.puttingshark.com) is a putting analyzer and simulator, a complete portable putting-training aid that records and measures the putting stroke itself as opposed to the ball. Golfers now can analyze their own putts for club-face angle, swing path, angle of attack, club speed and sweet-spot deviation, allowing for rapid muscle-memory building and improved hand-eye coordination to help create the perfect pendulum putting stroke. With PuttingShark, golfers can work on their putting strokes while at home or at the office. Players can work on perfecting their pendulum strokes by creating hundreds of different putting scenarios and building a custom putting-training regimen that will produce measurably improved putting results and will turn missed putts into round-winning moments…allowing golfers to become “sharks” around the greens. Retail: $379
➌ HIRZL Golf Glove HIRZL is a Swiss-based manufacturer of sports gloves including the TRUST Kangaroo leather and SOFFFT™ Cabretta leather series of golf gloves. HIRZL has been selected as the Official Glove of the 2011 PGA Demo Day. GRIPPP™ technol-ogy used in HIRZL TRUST gloves exclusively provides up to 3X better grip in dry weather and up to 5X better in wet weather than other gloves. The SOFFFT™ Series of cabretta gloves uses HIRZL devel-oped technology to provide the ultimate in performance. HIRZL was recently chosen as the Official Glove of the RE/MAX Long Drive Championships, where almost 80% of the players switched and played the HIRZL glove. Currently, the World’s Long Drive #1 and #2 players in the world use HIRZL gloves. Price: $24.99 www.HIRZL.com
71Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
➏ Bushnell Hybrid The Bushnell Hybrid is a revolutionary combination laser and GPS product. The laser rangefinding technology engineered into the Hybrid provides golfers with precise dis-tances within one yard to virtually any point on any course in the world. Over 90% of PGA Tour pros and top amateurs trust Bushnell laser rangefinders to provide them the most accurate distances available in golf today. Bushnell, the #1 choice of professional golfers, offers a full range of rangefinders, which continue to change and im-prove the way golfers assess distances, ultimately improving performance. For more information on the Bushnell family of rangefi nd-For more information on the Bushnell family of rangefind-ers, visit the company’s website at www.bushnellgolf.com.
➍ TaylorMade Catalina Golf Bags TaylorMade has just introduced their 2011 line of golf bags. The Catalina 2.0 Cart model was the one we received to try. As soon as you put your clubs in the bag, you feel like you are part of the staff with its vibrant colors and TM logo prominently displayed. First thing you notice is how light in weight it is, and with its accordion expandable sides, you can fill it with all your stuff and it will look just like a Pro bag. Just remember who will be moving it from place to place. The club compartment has 14 slots to keep your sticks neatly organized plus a separate integrated putter tube. Duffer Dan keeps his most used tool there– his retriever. There is a removable internal valuables pouch and the Duffer’s favorite– the large insulated Cooler Pocket with drainage ports. To learn more about all the models and colors available check out TaylorMadeGolfGear.com.
➎ Hot Stix For nearly 10 years, Hot Stix has helped PGA Tour players and amateurs alike find the equipment combinations that perfectly compliment their distinct swings. Using a “brand agnostic” approach that guarantees zero manufacturer bias, the company’s highly-scientific process has helped more than 35,000 golfers maximize on-course performance. The Hot Stix method identifies the correct head, shaft, ball and grip combinations that will help players of all skill levels achieve superior distance and accuracy, giving them a distinct advantage over those who choose to buy ill-fitted equipment from “off the rack.” Golfers in Central Florida can now experience the benefits of a Hot Stix fitting at Orange County National (ocngolf.com). A variety of packages are available, including full-bag evaluations, or ala carte driver, fairway wood, hybrid, iron, wedge and putter fittings. To make an appointment, please call 877.513.1333 or visit HotStixGolf.com.
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Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
aces
& ea
gles Aces & Eagles
uscawilla Country
Club, one of Central Florida’s best values in fully amenitized family clubs, announces
that hospitality industry expert Linda Helm has joined the facility as cater-ing director. Ms. Helm brings nearly 20 years of country club catering experi-ence to the picturesque and highly popular venues at Tuscawilla. Most recently, Ms. Helm was catering manager for Highland Manor Weddings
and Events in Apopka, Fla. Prior to this position, she spent ten years as director of catering at Heathrow Country Club in Heathrow, Fla. During her tenure at that club, Central Florida Bride named Ms. Helm “Wedding Professional of the Year.” Ms. Helm met and worked with Tus-cawilla Country Club General Manager Monte Carmack at Errol Country Club in the late 1980s and at Heathrow Country Club from 2003 through 2009. “I watched the incredible job Linda performed while increasing the revenue and professionalism in those clubs catering departments, and I feel very fortunate that she is now a part of the
TEAM at Tuscawilla Country Club,” said Carmack. “We look forward to working with the community to reinvigorate our position in the social, corporate meet-ing and wedding event business.” To speak with Linda Helm about hosting a wedding, special event, business meeting or golf outing at Tuscawilla Country Club, please call (407) 366-1851 ext. 305 or send her an email at [email protected]. To speak with Linda Helm about hosting a wedding, special event, business meeting or golf outing at Tuscawilla Country Club, please call (407) 366-1851 ext. 305 or send her an email at [email protected].
he Ronto Group
has named Richard J. McPhail, CCM, as general manager/chief operating officer of
TwinEagles, with responsibility for managing all club operations. For the past three years, McPhail was general manager at both Shadow Wood Country Club and The Brooks Commons Club in Estero, Fla. He was previously responsible for club operations at Estero Country Club. While residing in Cincinnati, Ohio, McPhail managed
private country clubs and city/athletic clubs for Dallas-based Club Corporation of America, the world’s largest owner-operator of private clubs. He began his club career at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “Dick’s background, knowledge and respect for the traditions of golf are a great fit for the vision of TwinEagles as a golfers’ country club,” said Anthony Solomon, executive vice president of The Ronto Group. “His high standards for the private club experience will be instrumental in creating a new excitement and an outstanding reputation for the TwinEagles Club.” McPhail has served as a Golf Digest Top 100 panel member since 1981,
assisting the magazine in rating and evaluating top courses throughout the country. He earned his certified club operator credentials upon completion of Club Corporation of America’s renowned Star University Program in Dallas. During his tenure with Club Corporation, he was awarded Rising Star Manager of the Year, as well as Asset Manager of the Year. He earned his certified club manager designation through Club Managers Association of America, where he currently is an active member of the Everglades Chapter of the Florida CMAA and serves as education chairman. For more information on TwinEagles, calltoll free 888-403-0085 or log onto www.twineagles.com.
irector of Education
at The Tour Academy, Tra-vis Fulton is also a contrib-uting writer
for PGATOUR.com and Golf Illustrated
and appearing as a weekly guest on the PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio. Travis has been a part of the TOUR Academy since its inception in 2001. His studies in the geometry and bio-mechanics of golf specific motion, club fitting and fitness put him at the top of the teaching spectrum. He is able to
teach and help players of any skill set, from first time golfers to low handicap-pers, to juniors to professionals. Fulton has been instrumental in the Tour Academy’s consulting for the Chi-nese National Golf Team in April at TPC Sawgrass and the CIMB Junior Develop-ment Program in Malaysia.
Linda Helm Named Catering Director at Tuscawilla Country Club
The Ronto Group Announces Dick McPhail at GM/COO of TwinEagles
Travis Fulton, TOUR Academy Instructor, Ranked by Golf Digest as “Top 40 Instructor Under The Age of 40”
Best Golf on Nature's Coast The Dunes Golf Club, long considered to be one of the finest layouts in the Tampa Bay Area, has gone through a complete makeover. Arthur Hills, the original archi-tect, was given free rein to transform the “Award Winning” layout into a new and improved spectacular golf setting. Utilizing and enhancing on the native sand dunes, scrub, and fauna, the course provides at-tractive yet intimidating visuals while giv-ing the golfers spacious fairways and large undulating greens. Now offering a “Super Twilight” rate after 3pm.
Are you up to the challenge?
Seasonal Senior & Florida Resident Rates CALL NOW!
For Tee Times, Rates or Directions
352-596-7888 For Info on Memberships
or Group OutingsLocated 10 miles north of Weeki Wachee on US 19
The Dunes GC Full Pg Ad Jan 2011.indd 1 1/17/11 8:34 PM
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T
D
73Florida Golf Central • Volume 11, Issue 4
Best Golf on Nature's Coast The Dunes Golf Club, long considered to be one of the finest layouts in the Tampa Bay Area, has gone through a complete makeover. Arthur Hills, the original archi-tect, was given free rein to transform the “Award Winning” layout into a new and improved spectacular golf setting. Utilizing and enhancing on the native sand dunes, scrub, and fauna, the course provides at-tractive yet intimidating visuals while giv-ing the golfers spacious fairways and large undulating greens. Now offering a “Super Twilight” rate after 3pm.
Are you up to the challenge?
Seasonal Senior & Florida Resident Rates CALL NOW!
For Tee Times, Rates or Directions
352-596-7888 For Info on Memberships
or Group OutingsLocated 10 miles north of Weeki Wachee on US 19
The Dunes GC Full Pg Ad Jan 2011.indd 1 1/17/11 8:34 PM
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