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CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

SUMMER 2022 VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3

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14 Editor’s Note Watergate and Golfers-in-Chief 16 NGF Golf News The State of Golf 20 Past PGA President Pat Rielly Did it For The Right Reasons 22 California State Amateur Charlie Reiter rolls at Big Canyon

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26 California State Open Battle at Bear Creek 30 The U.S. Open What a show!

36 Travel Quivira Los Cabos

SUMMER FASHION • GOLFERS-IN-CHIEF • BEST PLAYERS IN CALIFORNIA

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2022

U.S. OPEN

38 Local Course La Purisima GC 40 Fashion Stay Cool in Summer

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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

44 Equipment Hot Gear 46 Golf Instruction Try it, you might like it 50 Lifestyle Escor Tauro Tequila

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TRAVEL

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On the cover: Matt Fitzpatrick’s 72nd hole at the 122nd U.S. Open Photo Courtesy: USGA / Robert Beck

Visit us online at calgolfnews.com and be sure to LIKE us at facebook.com/calgolfnews.

L A ND OF CONNECTI ON

BLO OMIN GTO N | CO PPER RO CK | COR A L CA NYON | D I XI E R E D H I L L S | E NTR A DA | GREEN SPRING SA N D HO L LOW | SK Y MO UN TAIN | S OU TH G ATE | ST. G EORG E | S U NB ROOK | S U NR I V E R | THE LEDGES

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EDITOR’S NOTE

FIFTY YEARS LATER:

WATERGATE AND GOLFERS-IN-CHIEF Fifty years ago, at around 2:30 a.m. on June 17, 1972, five men, one of whom was a former employee of the CIA, were arrested in what was described as “an enormous plot to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee” at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. It was an election year, and, as the investigation into the breakin unfolded, a pattern of unlawful activities within President Richard Nixon’s administration was uncovered by the press. Together, these crimes would become known as the Watergate scandal and lead to Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974.

On his final morning in office, Nixon submitted a one-sentence Letter of Resignation and said an emotional goodbye to his staff then made a brief Farewell Address to an overflow crowd of White House staff and Cabinet members. He then famously joined Gerald Ford for a short walk across the South Lawn to a helicopter that would whisk him away into history.

While Nixon is the only president in U.S. history to resign from the presidency, he is also unlike most other modern presidents in that he rarely played golf. According to Don van Natta’s First Off the Tee, Dwight Eisenhower played more than 800 times during his two terms of office and had a putting green installed on the White House lawn.

A member of Augusta National Golf Club, Ike broke 80 on a dozen occasions and the Eisenhower Pine, once located on the 17th hole, was named after him.

John F. Kennedy was a serious golfer but didn’t want to be seen playing

because he wanted to contrast his image with Ike’s reputation of “golfing his way through the presidency.”

Ronald Reagan only played about a dozen times while in office, but he loved putting around the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One. But nowhere does golf run deeper than in the Bush family bloodline.

George H.W. Bush’s grandfather, George Herbert Walker, served as president of the USGA in 1920. A singledigit handicapper, he donated the Walker Cup, the trophy awarded to the winning team in the biennial matches between leading amateur golfers in the U.S. and Great Britain/Ireland. And George W. Bush’s grandfather, Senator Prescott Bush, was a scratch golfer and president of the USGA in 1935.

Bill Clinton, Van Natta says, “followed the rules for about a hole and a half. Then...started taking these do-over shots, gimme putts and, at the end of the 18 holes, it took him about 200 swings to score an 82.”

As for Barack Obama: Time magazine noted that he duffed in “much the same way that he tries to govern.”

Wellington Wilson, Obama’s longtime golf buddy, was quoted as saying, “You can really tell a person’s personality by the way he plays golf. He just goes with the flow. Not too high. Not too low.”

And as for the playing stats of Donald Trump and Joe Biden: Trump reportedly spent 307 days, almost a full year, golfing during his four years in office and Biden reported played only ten times in 2021.

Enjoy your walk, Suzy Evans, J.D., Ph.D.

CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL PUBLISHER Eric Woods EDITOR Suzy Evans, J.D., Ph.D. ASSISTANT EDITOR Laird Hayes ART DIRECTOR Long Tran ASSOCIATE EDITORS Mike Stubbs, Ed Travis SENIOR WRITERS Randy Youngman, Jim Dover, Tom LaMarre CONTRIBUTORS Ian Leggatt, Ed Vyeda, Leonard Finkel, Tom Stankowski, Ken Lane PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Weinstein, Tom Neas, Mark Susson, Channing Benjamin TRAVEL EDITOR Larry Feldman EQUIPMENT EDITOR Scott Kramer, Ed Travis WINE + GOLF John Finney, Matt Palaferri CONTRIBUTING INSTRUCTORS Eric Lohman, Kris Moe, Perry Parker, Ted Norby, Scott Heyn, John Ortega, John Burckle Accounting Jep Pickett

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California Golf + Travel is published by Golf Lab Media LLC 1224 Village Way, Ste. D, Santa Ana CA 92705 Phone: (714) 542-4653 website: www.CalGolfNews.com California Golf + Travel is published bimonthly and distributed to California golf courses, country clubs, practice facilities, golf retailers, hotels, and resorts Entire contents of this publication is copyrighted Golf Lab Media LLC 2021, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher.

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GOLF NEWS

IS GOLF’S PANDEMIC DIVIDEND SLIPPING AWAY?

By Joseph Beditz, President / Chief Executive National Golf Foundation, NGF.org Golf Datatech recently released the latest National Rounds Played Report* and it shows April rounds down 13% compared to same month last year, and down 10% year-to-date.

Is this a sign that golf’s pandemic dividend is eroding?

Possibly. Running behind prior year rounds is the continuation of a trend that began nine months ago – the second half of 2021 trailed the boom year of 2020 by about 7%.

And yet, important to consider the following: 1. So far in 2022, weather appears to have had a significant impact. Pellucid reports golf playable hours (computed using detailed weather data from across the country) were down 14% over the first four months of the year, compared to same period last year.

2. The first third of the golf year (Jan-Apr), which you can loosely call golf’s ‘winter,’ may be high season in places like Florida and Arizona, when a large percentage of annual rounds are played by migratory ‘snowbirds,’ but it’s low season in most other places, as golf courses are either closed for extended periods or open sporadically as weather permits. Golf’s winter generally accounts for 20% of total annual rounds, so while we’d of course like to start the year up, being down 10% equates to only a 2% annual impact.

3. Other metrics and parts of the golf business continue to show strength. Club and ball sales are up 14 percent in wholesale dollars year-to-date, golf’s online search popularity remains elevated and stable, and though rounds played are down, golf revenue per round is up compared to last year.

With 80 percent of 2022 rounds yet to be played, it’s much too early to speculate on how the year might end up.

Golf’s summer season is upon us and will be the real bellwether for golf demand. So, let’s hope for better weather and full tee sheets over the next few months, so that rounds may continue to trend above the pre-pandemic average. *NGF contributes rounds played data to the report and conducts certain analyses of its own, such as those presented here

GOLF’S BIG INVESTMENT

Brand new course openings in the golf-rich U.S. market have been limited over the past decade – approximately 200 in total. Course closures have outpaced openings during that time, with total supply dropping by about 10%.

For years this market correction has been used as a proxy for golf’s overall health – courses are closing, golf must be in trouble. It’s a narrative that’s missed the bigger picture.

If golf were another industry, analysts might describe the past decade as “portfolio repositioning” or “readying for the future” instead of a business in peril.

The truth of the matter is that the U.S. golf market has perhaps never been in a better position, with an offering that’s greatly evolved to address the current and shifting needs of consumers. These days, in most markets, you can play golf during the day, at night, inside, outside, for $30, for $200, by yourself, with a big group of friends, at a bar, in your living room, in a gamified way or in its purist form.

The game’s evolution has been noteworthy, with major investments in alternative experiences and venues.

But golf course supply is much different too, and not just in terms of volume. From major renovations and rebuilds to minor re-work and rehabilitations, more than $9 billion is estimated to have been invested over just the past five years into “new-to-you” improvements at golf courses nationwide.

That doesn’t sound like a struggling industry. In a 2020 NGF study, almost 80% of public facilities and 85% of private clubs told us they’d undertaken some kind of course improvements or renovations over the past five years, ranging from reconstructed greens, fairways, teeing grounds

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MATTHEW FITZPATRICK

Bettinardi Brand Advocate Matt Fitzpatrick won his first major victory on June 19th at the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Fitzpatrick relied on his trusty DASS (DoubleAged Stainless Steel) BB1 Flow putter to post a tournament total at 6 under par (274), and fend victory.

Fitzpatrick started tinkering with the Bettinardi BB1F back in 2017 when he first took his long-time gamer out of play and then became a full-time Bettinardi from Double-Aged Stainless Steel, has a two-tone black oxide and tour blast finish, and features the pre-cursor face milling to our new Roll Control face. The now trademarked Roll Control face has grooves that are machined at a precise angle in order to get the ball into a true roll faster, validated by the Major Champion.

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GOLF NEWS and bunkers, to re-grassing and irrigation work, to clubhouse improvements, upgraded practice facilities, and other capital investments.

Of course, much of this investment has been required.

Consider that more than 4,500 courses opened in the U.S. over the 20-year period from 1986 to 2005 – many of them are now squarely in the window for necessary improvements, like addressing critical infrastructure or replacing an irri-

gation system that might have a 20- to 30-year life span.

And yet, there’s also been a significant number of voluntary upgrades.

Across the board, indications are that investment in golf is strong. Course openings indeed remain limited, but that’s just one indicator of health and “newness.” There’s a lot going on at the more than 14,000 golf facilities nationwide, and it’s far more than a fresh coat of paint.

GOLF TRAVEL ‘READY TO TAKE OFF?’

As mask mandates fade, borders reopen and the threat of Covid-19 wanes, it appears the travel industry has finally hit an inflection point and is primed for a big summer – perhaps its biggest ever, according to travel industry leaders.

TSA throughput data is approaching pre-pandemic levels (91% as of Wednesday, based on a 7-day rolling average), while the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) updated its economic modeling in February and projects U.S. travel and tourism will exceed pre-pandemic levels by 6%.

So, what about golf travel, a robust $20 billion business in the U.S.? The indications are every bit as bullish.

This past week we surveyed golf travelers and resort operators to gauge what lies ahead. In both cases, there’s evidence that the so-called “revenge travel” sentiment is, in fact, a real thing. Roughly 80% of Core golfers suggest they have plans to take a golf-specific trip in 2022, up from twothirds a year ago. Data from U.S. golf resorts validates this finding – 75 facilities reported to us that advanced bookings are up, on average, about 12% over the same period last year and almost 20% over pre-pandemic.

There are other positive signals, too, including the online search popularity index for ‘golf travel bags’, which sits about 30 points higher today compared to 2018 and 2019 (based on 4-week rolling averages). Whichever way you look at it, demand for golf travel seems to be bubbling up.

Of course, like most things, there’s a flip side to consider.

First, travel rounds aren’t necessarily incremental – some of them are just transferred from local markets to resorts (although anyone who’s been on a golf getaway surely knows the quantity of golf tends to increase). There’s also the reality that a surge in leisure travel in general poses a threat to demand for golf rounds, goods and services, as it

A BOOM IN BEGINNERS

During a prolific two-year span between 1999 and 2000, Tiger Woods won 17 PGA TOUR titles, including four majors. His visibility and popularity provided a boost to recreational golf, with more than 4.8 million Americans taking up the game for the first time in 1999 and 2000; many of them because of Woods.

Over the past two years, the number of beginning golfers in the U.S. is higher than it was back when Woods was at his most dominant. Almost 30% higher. In 2021, a record 3.2 million Americans played golf on a course for the first time. This after 3 million newcomers picked up golf in 2020 as the pandemic unfolded and people sought out safe, outdoor activities that could provide a sense of normalcy with friends and family.

Like the “Tiger Effect,” there’s no question the “Covid Effect” has been a force in its own right in terms of fostering golf engagement. But other factors have helped boost golf trials, too, among them the increased interest created by golf entertainment venues and other off-course

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competes for the same time, money and attention from golf consumers. This summer should be golf’s biggest “back to normal” stress test to-date.

As we turn the page to May, there remains a lot of optimism across the golf industry, particularly for golf destinations that didn’t enjoy as much of the “surge” seen elsewhere during the early days of golf’s pandemic-fueled boom.

It appears their dividend is on its way. forms of the game, and a more favorable public outlook on golf in general. It’s now been six straight years that the number of on-course beginners has exceeded the 2.4 million newcomers Tiger helped introduce to the game in both 1999 and 2000.

A funny thing happened around the turn of the century that isn’t talked about much, though. As overall participation increased, the average number of rounds played per golfer decreased. What that suggests is that many of those who gave the game a whirl at the time – perhaps because Tiger made it look cool – didn’t play very much.

By comparison, the average number of rounds played per golfer today continues to increase. Yes, it’s largely being driven by longtime, committed participants, but recent beginners are playing more often than in the past too. For the past four years, extending back to pre-pandemic days, newbies have averaged more than 12 rounds annually. Among beginners, this is an increase of more than 50% compared to just a decade ago.

Are we currently experiencing a Covid bubble? Time will tell, but early indicators suggest otherwise.

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PGA

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Pat Rielly did it for P

the Right Reasons

at Rielly, former president of the PGA of America, passed away on May 4 at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., due to heart failure at the age of 87.

Rielly served as president during one of golf’s watershed moments in race relations during the 1990 PGA Championship, and was a leader who applied the necessary toughness during his 55 years of PGA membership after serving four years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of captain before his discharge in 1964.

“The PGA of America mourns the passing of our 26th President, Pat Rielly,” PGA President Jim Richerson said. “As a former Marine, Pat knew all about excellence in leadership, and he proved that time and time again through his various roles in our association.

“Pat led by example in his efforts to help position PGA Professionals as business leaders and to place the best interests of the PGA Professional at the center of all important decisions. We extend our sympathies to Pat’s wife, Sue, and children Suzie, Mike, Maggi, and Rick.”

Rielly struggled with stuttering as a youngster, but like most challenges that life scattered in his path, he navigated around them.

And when Rielly spoke for the PGA of America, people listened.

“When Pat Rielly spoke before the embers at annual meeting, you could hear a pin drop,” his eldest son Rick, said. “He became one of the most prolific speakers I’ve been around.

He always saw the end result, and whenever faced with making decisions, it was for the right reasons.

“He always talked about the rank and file PGA members. … He was my idol, my hero.”

Pat Rielly was the PGA Head Professional at Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena from 1972-2002.

When he concluded his two-year PGA presidency in 1990, Rielly drew praise for a term that included the elevation of the PGA’s TV properties, the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship, securing what is now the annual PGA Merchandise Show, and non-stop focus on a better future for PGA Members.

Yet, it was the way he handled the sensitivity of the 1990 Shoal Creek controversy prior to the PGA Championship that became golf’s opening step into a new era of inclusion.

Rielly helped lead the charge for golf in requiring all future PGA of America Championship venues to have open membership policies, a decision the rest of the sport followed shortly thereafter.

“The leadership example he set and his work ethic had an impact,” said Mike Rielly, Chief Executive Officer of the UC Berkeley Executive Education at the Haas School of Business.

Patrick John Rielly was born on March 6, 1935, in Farrell, Pa., and was delivered into the world in an apartment, not in a hospital, on a floor above an ice cream store.

His family said that Rielly developed a lifelong love for ice cream, but everything was hard-earned. His mother washed dishes at Sharon Country Club, which led to Rielly and his brother caddying to help put food on the table.

A standout high school quarterback, Rielly earned a scholarship to Penn State in football and track. He met his future wife, Sue, on campus.

Sue would later become his anchor in a public life of service through golf.

Rielly was captain of the Nittany Lions’ golf team his senior year, and graduated in 1958, with a B.S. degree in Business Management and Labor Management Relations.

Following his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Rielly turned to professional golf, and was elected to PGA Membership in 1966. He was a member of the Southern California PGA Board of Directors from 196285, and was Section President from 1971-73.

Rielly was the 1979 Section Merchandiser of the Year, the same year he completed a three-year term on the PGA’s national Board of Directors. In 1993, Rielly entered the SCPGA Hall of Fame and in 2005, he was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame.

Perhaps one Rielly honor, the 1983 national Bill Strausbaugh Award, epitomized his passion for the PGA Professional. The award honors distinguished work in mentoring fellow PGA Professionals in improving their employment situations and through service to the community. Rielly could have qualified decades earlier.

“Pat single-handedly helped me get into the PGA,” said former PGA President Tom Addis III, who met Rielly in 1969, while an assistant professional at Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon.

Rielly also competed in the 1954 U.S. Open, the 1968 PGA Championship and two PGA Professional Championships.

He won the 1955 All-College Golf Tournament, the 1969 San Diego County PGA Match Play Championship, and appeared in PGA Tour events that included the Bing Crosby Pebble Beach National ProAm, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Los Angeles Open and San Diego Open.

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CALIFORNIA AMATEURS

This Time, Reiter Pulls Off the Victory in 111th Cal State Am

Charlie Reiter 22

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e m

Alexander Yang

C

harlie Reiter of Palm Desert got close two years ago, but this time he did captured the 111th California State Amateur Championship.

Reiter, who recently finished his career at the University of San Diego, romped to a 5-and-4 victory over Kevin Huff of El Dorado Hills in the scheduled 36-hole final at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach.

“Finishing second, that wasn’t going to happen again,” said Reiter, who lost to Joey Vrzich of El Cajon and Pepperdine in the 2019 final, 3 and 2.

“We got off to a quick start and I kept it going. It was awesome. Having honors is very important in match play because you control the tempo.

“Hitting good drives is tough to follow. But (Huff) did a good job with it. It was a very good match between both of us. … I don’t know yet (how I’m going to celebrate). But I’m sure something will go down that I won’t remember.”

Reiter, who won the 2018 CIF-Southern California Golf Association title as a senior at Palm Desert High, built a 3-up lead over Duff through 15 holes in the morning 18, and then blew the match wide open at 6-up by winning the last three holes before lunch.

Then Reiter made it a total rout by winning the 20th, 21st and 23rd holes in the afternoon to go 9-up and the match was all but over.

Huff, who recently finished his career at Fresno State and won the 67th Sacramento City Junior Easter Championship, the 2015 Boys State Fair Junior Championship and the 2017 Central Valley Junior Championship, tried to make a match out of it by winning four of five holes starting at No. 27, but when Reiter halved the 32nd hole he claimed the title.

Reiter’s margin of victory was the largest in the championship final since 2016, when Shintaro California Golf + Travel

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CALIFORNIA AMATEURS

Tony Chen

Kevin Huff 24

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California Golf + Travel

Ban of San Jose and UNLV defeated Hidetoshi Yoshihara of Irvine and UCLA, 5 and 4, at Valencia Country Club.

Hall of Famer Johnny Miller of San Francisco and BYU holds the tournament record with a 12- and-10 trouncing of Les Peterson of Pebble Beach in the 1968 championship match final at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

In the semifinals, Reiter slipped past the tournament’s stroke-play medalist Tony Chen of Berkeley, 1 up, and Huff defeated Alexander Yang of Carlsbad, 3 and 2, while in the quarterfinals Reiter beat Tyler Kowak of San Diego, 4 and 3, and Huff downed Sam Sommerhauser of Rocklin, 3 and 2.

Other past champions of the California State Amateur Championship other than Miller include Ken Venturi, Mark O’Meara, John Cook, Duffy Waldorf, Bobby Clampett, Xander Schauffle, Jason Gore, Spencer Levin, Tim Hogarth, Mark Johnson, Casey Boyns, Charlie Wi, Gary Vanier, Forest Fezler, Dick Lotz, Bob E. Smith and long-ago stars Eli Bariteau, Mac Hunter, Tal Smith, Johnny Dawson, Charles Weaver, Jack Neville, George Von Elm, J.J. McHugh, Ernie Pieper and Dr. Paul Hunter.

One player who never claimed the title was Tiger Woods, and among those who lost in the final were Bryson DeChambeau, Dave Stockton, Bob Rosburg, John Pate, Bob May, Beau Hossler, Lennie Clements and John Lotz.

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CALIFORNIA STATE OPEN

ZIHAO JIN

CAPTURES 122ND CAL STATE OPEN Z

ihao Jin of San Diego came from six strokes back in the final round to win the 122nd California State Open Championship by two strokes over Michael Block of Mission Viejo and Ryan Ellerbrock of San Diego at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta.

Jin, who recently finished his career at San Diego State by finishing third in the Mountain West Conference Championships, collected four birdies on the back nine in the final round to finish with a score of 65-73-6966—273, 15-under-par.

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Zihao Jin

“I was just playing my game this week and wanted to see what would happen,” said Jin, who also captured the 2015 American Junior Golf Association Golf Performance Center Championship and the 2020 Coronado City Amateur. “I really like the layout here at Bear Creek and I knew that I would have to make a run to catch up to Michael.

“I texted my caddie last night that it was time to make it happen in the final round, and that’s exactly what we did out there today.”

Michael Block California Golf + Travel

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CALIFORNIA STATE OPEN

Ryan Ellerbrock Block, who won the 2001 California State Open and the 2021 Southern California Match Play Championship among numerous other titles, carded a score of 70-65-66-74—275 to tie for second with Ellerbrock, who finished at 67-71-66-71—275.

Mason Glinski of Oxnard shot 69-70-6770—276 to tie for fourth with Grant Booth of Scottsdale, Ariz., who wound up at 70-69-6671—276, while Christian Rajcic of Ramona totaled 72-68-70-67—277 to tie for sixth with Josh Anderson of Grand Prairie, Tex., who shot 69-72-67-69—277, and Rico Hoey of Rancho Cucamonga was eighth at 70-72-69-67—278.

Ryan Abuan of Temecula was low amateur with a score of 66-73-71-69—279 and tied for 28

SUMMER 2022

California Golf + Travel

ninth with James Song of Rancho Santa Fe, who finished at 76-67-69-67—279, Olin Browne Jr. of Hobe Sound, Fla., who wound up at 69-7070-70—279 and Richard Lee of Phoenix, Ariz., who came in at 70-73-63-73—279.

Defending champion Matt Wilson of Costa Mesa tied for 28th at 71-73-71-71—286.

Other former winners of the California State Open include Walter Hagen in the second playing of the event in 1915, Willie Smith, Macdonald Smith, Willie Hunter, Horton Smith, Olin Dutra, George Von Elm, Tal Smith, Lloyd Mangrum, Gene Littler, Jerry Barber, Roger Maltbie, Kirk Triplett, Dennis Paulson, Jason Gore, Todd Demsey, Todd Fischer, Rex Caldwell and Jimmy Powell.

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WINTER 2022

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U.S. OPEN

Hats off to soon to be Champion Matt Fitzpatrick (above right) and his caddie Billy Foster (above left) for having a good laugh while waiting to see if they would win the 2022 U.S. Open. They seem pretty happy!

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att Fitzpatrick of England made two clutch birdies on the back nine and hit a brilliant fairway bunker shot to within 18 feet on the final hole to give him his first PGA Tour victory and first major title in the 122nd United States Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. The 27-year-old Fitzpatrick, who has won seven times on what is now the DP World Tour, closed with a 2-under-par

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California Golf + Travel

68 to win by one stroke on the course made famous by amateur Francis Ouimet more than a century ago. Ouimet, who lived in a house across the street from the 17th green, upset English superstars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole playoff at the 1913 U.S. Open. Fitzpatrick is now making his own history at The Country Club by winning both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open on the same course.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / KATHRYN RILEY

FITZPATRICK WINS 122ND U.S. OPEN, PULLS OFF HISTORIC DOUBLE

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PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA /JAMES GILBERT

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / KATHRYN RILEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / JOHN MUMMERT

U.S. OPEN

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER Rising star Scottie Scheffler finished second three times this season, including one stroke behind champion Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler has won four times this season, including the first major title of his career in the Masters, and leads the FedEx Cup standings by a mile. Scheffler, who hadn’t won on the PGA Tour before this season, also captured the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, and has finished in the top 10 nine times this season.

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California Golf + Travel

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / JAMES GILBERT

Third-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain, who claimed his only major victory in the 2021 U.S. Open on the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla. Rahm held the lead going into the last hole on Saturday, but faltered with a double bogey and never regained the lead.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / JEFF HAYNES

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / JOHN MUMMERT

Hideki Matsuyama, who captured the 2021 Masters by one stroke over Will Zalatoris for his first major closed Sunday with a spectacular bogey-free 65 to finish fourth. Hideki is consistently contending for major championships and has won 17 professional titles around the world.

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WILL ZALATORIS 2021 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris had a 14-foot birdie opportunity barely miss on the final hole of regulation which would have forced a playoff. Zalatoris, whose only professional victory came in the 2020 TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, also lost to Justin Thomas in a three-hole playoff at the 104th PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., in May. Zalatoris, who was born in San Francisco and played college golf at Wake Forest, has finished in the top 10 of six major championships during the last three seasons, including another runner-up result in the 2021 Masters at Augusta National, one stroke behind Hideki Matsuyama.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / JOHN MUMMERT

U.S. OPEN

PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / MATT HANN PHOTO COURTESY OF USGA / ROBERT BECK

Second-ranked and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a Grand Slam event since the 2014 PGA Championship. Rory had a disappointing tie for fifth finish in the year’s U.S. Open, but now has finished in the top 10 in major championships 26 times.

Fourth-ranked Collin Morikawa of La Canada Flintridge and the University of California captured his second major title by winning the 149th Open Championship last year at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England, after also winning the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Morikawa has not won this season, with his best finishes solo second in the CJ Cup at the Summit and a tie for second in the Genesis Invitational. He finished tied for fifth in this year’s U.S. Open and solo fifth in the Masters.

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QUIVIRA GOLF & TRAVEL

GOLF CLUB

VOTED ONE OF THE WORLD´S 100 GREATEST GOLF COURSES BY GOLF DIGEST

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rafted onto a jaw-dropping site marked by huge windswept dunes, sheer granite cliffs and rolling desert foothills, the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Quivira Golf Club, opened to acclaim in 2014, has more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. Remember those fantasy golf calendars with far-fetched holes airbrushed onto vertical cliffs? Quivira has a few of those. It also has twisting arroyos, acres of cactus, lots of rock…in sum, a little bit of everything Cabo has to offer. The drive to the fifth hole, which traces a switch-

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back route up the side of a mountain, climbs to a vertigo-inducing tee perched 275 feet above the foaming surf. At under 300 yards from the forward tees, this downhill par 4 can be driven, but it’s ‘hasta la vista’ if you miss the cliff-hanging green. The par-3 sixth, its concave green carved from the base of huge stippled dune, is equally dramatic.

After swinging near an historic lighthouse at true Land’s End, the layout weaves through the dunes and returns to the cliffs at No. 13, a short par 3 that plays over a yawning abyss to a midget green set atop a pinnacle

California Golf + Travel

of fissured granite that rises 100 feet from the crashing surf. Quivira concludes at the par-4 18th hole, a linksstyle creation faced into the prevailing wind that plays to an infinity-edge green backdropped by the sea.

Complimentary Mexican specialties and refreshments are served at the club’s comfort stations, notably at the open-air Oasis beside the eighth green.

Arguably the most daring, eclectic course Jack has ever built, Quivira is an engineering marvel, an aesthetic tour de force and an unforgettable test from any set of tees.

Holes #5 and #6 at Guivira Golf Club

• Quivira is accessible to guests of Pueblo Bonito Oceanfront Resorts and Spas, which consist of four properties. Golfers tend to gravitate to the adults-only, all-inclusive Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa located five minutes from the course.

• Etched across a breathtaking Land’s End site, Quivira recently received a 2022 Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Award in the ‘Best Golf Resorts in Mexico & Central America’ category. This is the seventh consecutive year the club has been singled out for recognition by the sport’s most respected and widely read publication.

• A new par-4 17th hole, built to

replace a previous hole in an adjacent corridor debuted on June 16th. This subtle left-to-right dogleg will call for a trans-arroyo tee shot and an accurate approach to a long slim green well-defended by bunkers and partially obscured by sand hills.

• As per Quivira’s original 36-hole blueprint, Nicklaus will return to build a second course at the club. The new layout will expand the golf inventory at Quivira to satisfy increased demand from guests of Pueblo Bonito Resorts and from three real estate projects currently under construction: St. Regis Resort & Residences, Old Lighthouse Golf & Ocean Club, and the Alvar condominiums.

While the routing plan for the new course is not yet finalized, it will occupy a prime parcel in the northwest area of the 1,850-acre development. Holes will be carved into rolling desert foothills and broad valleys thick with cactus. Winding arroyos will flank or cross the fairways. The southern portion of the course will offer panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortes. Tall distant peaks in the Sierra de la Laguna range will serve as aiming points on the interior holes. Groundbreaking on the new course is expected to begin by the fourth quarter of 2022.

For more information visit www.quiviraloscabos.com/golf

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LOCAL COURSE

GOLFERS WHO GO TO

LA PURISIMA

COME BACK FOR MORE L

a Purisima Golf Course in Lompoc, located 30 miles north of Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez Valley, has been one to the top destinations in Southern California for golfers from all over the map since it first opened in 1986.

Designed by Kenneth Hume Hunter Jr. with help from noted golf course architect Robert Muir Graves, La Purisima plays to 7,105 yards and a par of 36-36—72 with a rating of 143 from the back tees, but there are six sets of tees which make the course playable for golfers of all abilities.

La Purisima, which is located on 309 acres of gently rolling hills featuring ancient oak trees and sand hills, played host to the 1996 PGA

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Tour Final Stage Qualifying and also has been the site of many United States Golf Association Qualifiers and Southern California Golf Association Amateur Championships.

“I have played a lot of golf in California, from Tijuana Country Club (featuring nine holes designed

by Alister MacKenzie) to the Links at Bodega Harbour north of San Francisco, and I truly believe, if you factor in greens fees, course design, degree of difficulty, natural beauty, overall course conditions, lack of crowds and speed of play, that La Purisima is the finest golf course open to the public in the entire state,” noted golf course critic Rex Pickett said.

California Golf + Travel

Added Ron Whitten of Golf Digest: “If you want to understand and appreciate the work of the late Robert Muir Graves, I recommend you play La Purisima. Then see if you can design a better course on that land.”

La Purisima is located not far from the Pacific Ocean, so the front nine plays toward the East with the wind at the golfer’s back. Then the course turns back toward the West and the back nine plays into the ocean breeze, and sometimes wind, back to the clubhouse.

Among the featured holes is No. 3, a 158-yard par-3 which requires a precise tee shot that plays over water to a shallow green, and also on the front nine is a run of three outstand-

Hole #4 at La Purisima Golf Course

ing holes in a row—the No. 1 handicap hole, the 433-yard, par-4 fifth, followed by the 566-yard, par-5 sixth and the dogleg left 427-yard, par-4 seventh.

Among the memorable holes on the back nine are the 609-yard, par-5 12th and the 532-yard, par-5 15th, both of which can be beasts when playing into the wind. La Purisima finishes with two more fine holes, the picturesque 167-yard, par-3 17th, and the 410-yard, par-4 18th, which plays across water to the final green protected by multiple sand traps.

Hunter isn’t among the best-known golf course architects, but he also created Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta and Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles.

La Purisima has twice received four and a half stars from readers of Golf Digest, including in 2004, when only Pebble Beach Golf Links ranked higher, and at one time Hunter’s course in Goleta was ranked as the 33rd most difficult course in the United States.

Locals have something of a lovehate relationship with La Purisima, which they have nicknamed “La Piranha,” but they always come back for more.

Holes #10 & #17 at La Purisima Golf Course

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EQUIPMENT

PERFORMANCE WITH STYLE – MEN’S SUMMER GOLF FASHION

By ED TRAVIS laying golf in the summer when temperatures are high and maybe so is the humidity calls for clothing that helps keep you cool but there’s no reason it can’t be cool-looking too. The California Golf staff likes stylish tops and bottoms that are both plus those that can be worn at other times such as off the course when a unique leisure look is appropriate. Shoes and accessories are important to, so we have included them with these summertime items we like.

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True OG Feel Reflect Camo Golf Shoes The Camo series is brand new from True and features the OG Feel that makes all of their shoes popular. The series included four colors and each features a breathable sock-fit knit upper with flexible outsole and an all-leather saddle that laces to give more stability. Lightweight (just 10.3 ounces) and zero-drop construction combine with a tread offering traction when needed.

Extra wide toe area. $155

Olukai Ilikai Men’s Leather Sandals Sandals have become a fashion staple and the Ilikai from Olukai can find a place in most every wardrobe with a full-grain leather manufacture made for long-lasting wear. Upper construction features the straps diving into the footbed for comfort and a clean look. The footbed is lightweight PU and provides support and cushioning not matter how long they are worn. Outsoles are Olukai’s “Wet Grip Rubber.” $120 40

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California Golf + Travel

Kaenon Avalon Polarized Sunglasses These quality sunglasses for men or women offer nine frame colors and we like the ones in Champagne with a brown tint lens. The frame is flexible and lightweight—just 29-grams including lens--with either a matte or glass finish. Wearers like the wellmade hinges that are strong and resist corrosion plus the hypoallergenic recessed nose pads of noslip rubber. Designed in California and comes with hard case. $125

Linksoul Boardwalker AC Short The new Boardwalker AC short is an update of the familiar Boardwalker in a polyester and Spandex mix fabric that is perforated to produce a stylish texture and also help the wearer stay cool on the course.

For added comfort and range of motion they are four-way stretch plus they are machine washable.

Six colors from which to choose: navy, washed blue, grey, black, true black, and soft sky. $86

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Radmor Taylor BobRad Plantae Print Polo This great looking polo with a three-button placket using matching natural shell buttons is made of a Peruvian Pima cotton and Elastane with an athletic fit and off-shoulder seam. The spread self-collar has just the right look for wear playing or partying and the fine weight jersey is ideal. You will like the bias-cut underarm that allows for a full range of motion during even the most vigorous swings. $115.00

Puma Golf Men’s Volition Block Party Polo If not on the golf course Puma Golf knows cookouts are a favorite so why not a golf polo with beer, charcoal, solo cups, flags, and similar items in the pattern?

That’s the Volition Block Party design in a moisture wicking, four-way stretch fabric of polyester and Elastane that, with the summer sun in mind, is also UV resistant 40+ UPF. Volition America products benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. Three color choices. $80

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EQUIPMENT

Women’s Summer Golf Fashion

By ED TRAVIS omen golfers are often very aware of leisure fashion trends and at the same time have a strong sense of what is comfortable on the course especially in the high temperatures of summer golf we often experience. Here are a few items we selected that are both stylish, colorful with performance features you will like.

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Duca Del Cosma Queenscup Women’s Golf Shoe These sophisticated and trendy Italian-designed shoes are handcrafted in Europe with comfort integral to the construction with the added benefit of the inner sock being waterproof. Traction for walking and swinging is supplied by the TPU outsole featuring lateral stabilizing nubs along the margin and 5mm traction nubs. Choose from seven colors including White, Navy and Light Blue. $169

SanSoleil Women’s Hash Tag Long Sleeve Mock One of the Foil Print Collection, like all SanSoleil tops it has their SolShine soft and lightweight UV 50 fabric made from 92% polyester and 8% athletic Spandex.

The cooling properties are longlasting and never wash out of this textured fabric featuring a comfortable “crepe” hand. This goanywhere top is great for golf and a staple of any travel wardrobe.

Available in a variety of unique foil-printed patterns. $102

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Puma Golf’s Cloudspun Pollinators Golf Dress The fabric of the Cloudspun Pollinators has a nice soft feel with four-way stretch and moisture wicking for comfort on the course while the stylish mock neck looks great playing or partying. The dress’s print traces a honeybee as it flies between the many flowers in the pattern honoring the state insect of Oklahoma host state for the 2022 PGA Championship. The dress is UV resistant 50+ UPF. $80

Olukai Women’s Kapehe Luana Sandals After a round of golf treat your feet by sliding out of your golf shoes and into the Kapehe Luana sandals from Olukai. The uppers are full-grain leather lined with a breathable microfiber and for added comfort the toe post is constructed in a soft design. The footbed is a high rebound EVA and leather etched by laser and to complete the package Kapehe Luana’s have a “Wet Grip Rubber” ripple wave pattern outsole. $100

BellaBellaSports Golf Bella Graffiti 2 Straight Skort This exciting print uses golf’s familiar terms in an imaginative graffiti pattern. Take to the course in this straight line skort showing the other players your “Fore!” or “Hole-In-One,” or “Sink The Putt,” and maybe the best of all, ‘Par-Tee” backed by depictions of golf balls and greens. The bright blue color is accented with grey and black. Also available separately are a coordinating top, zip-hoodie, and bucket hat. $70

Kinona Zip It and Rip It Sleeveless Golf Top This 1/4 zip shirt is an essential for summer.

Sporty and stylish with blue with navy trim it is quality four-way stretch of a nylon and Lycra blend from Italy both compresses the wearer and move as you move. Featured is the UPF 50+ protection from the summer sun and the fabric is moisture wicking plus anti-microbial for those really hot days.

The tail design allows in or out wear and is available in white and Picnic Plaid. $109

Kinona Ready Play Skort This unique and stylish skort is constructed to help hide those unwanted lumps and bumps while making a strong colorful statement. It is made from the Italian faber Econyl which is regenerated nylon that offers shape retention with the comfort of stretching while walking and swinging.

A high waistband provides control and the two zippered pockets have built in tee holders. Go Go Gingham or Navy Blue. $129

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EQUIPMENT

OUR PICKS–NEW CLUBS FOR MID-SEASON

By ED TRAVIS

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k, so summer’s here and we can spend lots of time on the course playing and practicing but perhaps the need has arisen to replace a driver or a wedge or another of our 14 tools… it happens. Sometimes a club gets broken—how is not part of this discussion—or sometimes it just a case that we have gotten tired of a particular club peaking at us from its slot in the bag.

Whatever. The staff at California Golf+ Travel are all avid golfers and know how you feel so we thought it was good idea to share with our readers some of the clubs we like and think worth your evaluation should you be in the market for a new bag resident.

One last thought and you’ve heard us say this many times before. A session with a professional club fitter will go a long way to making any new club feel right at home.

Cleveland CBX ZipCore Wedge Improving short shots is a great way to lower scores and the CBX ZipCore is the third generation of this model and offers more resistance to twisting due to new weighting starting with the ZipCore hosel, a hollow heel and hollow cavity filled with TPU. Plus, to give added control especially on chips and pitches grooves have been reworked to be deeper and sharper. The soles have a loft-dependent grind. $149 steel $159 graphite

XXIO 12 Driver The latest driver from XXIO is ideal for those with slow to moderate swing speeds since it is very lightweight and for additional control the head is shaped to keep it more stable on the downswing. Also, the head is built with layers, stiff alternating with those that are more flexible, to improve the amount of rebound which will produce more distance in conjunction with the thin, responsive cup face. Retail price $700

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California Golf + Travel

Bettinardi Inovai 8.0 Putter The Inovai 8.0 is a line extension of the series featuring a high momentum of inertia design in a compact mallet head shape.

Milled from 303 stainless steel and military grade aluminum it has redesigned rear wings and offered with a spud neck or slant neck shaft. The finish is a great looking Stealth Black with a Diamond Blast steel front, and the face is their Roll Control asymmetrical grooves for more impact topspin. $400

Tour Edge Wingman Putters Six new mallets comprise the Wingman 700 family ranging from a moderate toe-hang to face-balanced and one is center shafted. All have weighting to provide lots of resistance to twisting if impact is off-center and there are three hosel configurations. The two sole weights are interchangeable with 3-grams standard and options for heavier weights. The sole plate is carbon fiber, and the face insert is a TPU with microgrooves. $200

TaylorMade Golf Stealth Irons The new game-improvement Stealth irons for recreational players have a 3D cap back with a toe wrap-around head using a multi-material construction. They are designed to do what weekend players want and need…hit the ball high with plenty of forgiveness when the ball is not met exactly in the center of the face. TaylorMade says with the exclusive head dampening they feel like forged irons. Set of seven irons $1,000

California Golf + Travel

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INSTRUCTION

CREATING A MENTAL SCORECARD FOR BETTER ON-COURSE RESULTS

By DR. ALISON CURDT ost golfers utilize the number of strokes they take on the golf course to assess whether they are improving (i.e. total score). Utilizing handicap strokes and seeing the trend the handicap moves is another assessment. Scoring your mental game is an effective way to assess how well you are regulating emotions when challenges arise during a round of golf and can ultimately lead to improve performance. Scoring how well your decision making was or committing to your decision brings a sense of awareness otherwise most golfers wouldn’t recognize. Here is a way to keep a scorecard of your mental decision making and emotions to effectively leads to lower strokes. After a round analyze how many errant shots occurred due to 1) poor course playing strategy 2) indecisiveness and lack of commitment and 3) selecting the wrong strategy for the shot at hand.

Learning to improve your decisions, being clear minded when flooded with emotions, and committing and trusting the choices you make will certainly save a few shots off your

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game. An example of poor course strategy would be going for a par 5 in two shots and ending up in a difficult place, causing you to scramble to save bogey. Lack of commitment or indecisiveness in hitting the shot prevents your body from committing to the swing you’d like to make. Selecting the wrong strategy for the shot you are facing could include hitting a sand wedge to chip on the green when a 7- iron bump and run would be low risk and high reward outcome. Next time you are on the course, create your own mental scorecard and keep track of these three suggested elements: 1) Trust 2) Decision Making 3) Emotional Regulation. Give yourself a score of 5 if you fully trusted your move, committed to your decision, and handled the feelings inside of you so they didn’t prevent your success. Give yourself a lower score, down to a 0 or 1, if you doubted yourself or held onto anger from a previous shot or hole. In this score-the higher total indicates you completed a round of golf with good decisions, trust, and a neutral to positive emotional state. Beginners can start with rating themselves after

California Golf + Travel

each hole, and elite players can go as deep as rating themselves on every shot. Track your results over time and notice the strokes fall of your game as you gain control over yourself and your game.

DR. ALISON CURDT, PGA, LPGA Wood Ranch Golf Club PGA Master Professional SCPGA Secretary www.pga.com/coach/alison

INSTRUCTION

PUTTING WITH ANDREW AT ST. ANDREWS

By ANDREW KRAMER, PGA ith The Open coming back to the Old Course at St. Andrews, putting will play a key factor in determining the Champion Golfer of The Year. The large greens will yield many lag putts and making those 3-5 footers will be pivotal. I want to give you guys a few tips & drills you can use to help you make those testers.

The goal of golf is to get the ball in the hole. Start by placing two tees a putter heads width apart, about 5 feet away from the hole. When doing this drill I try to find a straight flat putt. First thing, make sure you get your eyes over the prize. What does this mean? Try to feel your eyes are directly over the ball & allow your put-

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ter to move straight back & straight through with a nice one-two type feel. Take your putter to your back foot, then to your front foot & hold the finish.

Make sure you get your hips, feet shoulders & putter head all parallel to your intended line.

Rather than watching the ball roll in the hole keep your head down & listen for the ball to drop. Any slight head movement can alter the putter head & can cause you to pull or push the putt. Seeing the ball roll in the hole over & over is great visualization. Try to make 100 in a row!

I hope these drills & tips help you make more clutch putts. Cheers!

California Golf + Travel

ANDREW KRAMER, PGA PGA Teaching Professional Los Serranos Country Club www.pga.com/coach/andrewkramer

Congratulations to Brannon Fahrny

GIVE BACK GOLF EVENT FRIDAY SEPT. 2, 2022 12:00 PM SHOTGUN START

BENEFITTING THE

$175 PER PLAYER $700 PER TEAM

4-PERSON SCRAMBLE – ON COURSE CONTESTS – RAFFLE PRIZES TEE PRIZES – POST ROUND DINNER AND AWARDS For Donations or Sponsorship opportunities please contact Brian Suk at bsuk@kempersports.com One Black Gold Drive, Yorba Linda, CA 92886 | 714.961.0060 | www.blackgoldgolf.com

LIFESTYLE

GENERATIONS OF ESCOR TAURO TEQUILA

By Conner Reeves lex Malpica is releasing a bottle of tequila that has been a long time coming: a 12-year-aged Ultra Anejo. The “Escor Tauro 12-year” is being sold at $1,600 per bottle and consists of a supply of only 120 bottles.

It would be unjust to go into depth on the crafting process of this Anejo without first going back a couple of generations to where it all started. Alex’s grandfather, Angel Malpica, was working in freight cargo management during the Mexican Revolution when various rebel groups took over the rail lines to control shipments of ammunition and goods.

Angel was given the responsibility of overseeing all of the shipments of tequila that were to be sent to soldiers to be utilized as “liquid courage”. It was during these times that Angel began experimenting with making tequila and discovered his own niche of achieving the Malpica’s signature flavor by infusing an array of dried fruits and spices.

Alex always watched his grandfather engage in his craft, but it wasn’t until he owned his restaurant – La Bufadora Tequila– that he began making the tequila himself.

Alex always kept a small supply of his grandfather’s recipe to serve to family and friends visiting his restaurant, and it wasn’t long before they’d be coming back for more– inspiring Alex to begin making the tequila himself.

Alex never changed Angel’s recipe.

Instead, he expressed his creativity by experimenting with the aging process. Alex ages his tequila in a diversity of oak barrels to achieve a flavor that is both smooth and elaborate. The Escor Tauro 12-Year was aged in American Oak for eight years, French Oak for three, and

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finished off in a Bordeaux cask for a year. Alex chars his barrels so that, as the seasons change, the temperature differences cause the wood to expand and contract, releasing oils from the charred wood into the tequila making it very smooth with a dark color.

Despite its name, the Escor Tauro 12-Year has gone through a much longer process than suggested. Alex lets his Agave Plants grow for ten years before he harvests them in the late fall while the concentration of sugar is at its highest, and in regard to the aging process, Alex jokingly admitted, “Actually, it’s been thirteen years, but thirteen is not a good number to put on the bottle.”

California Golf + Travel

So when Alex went to label and distribute his product, he decided that reaching out to a ceramist in San Diego to hand-make every bottle would help give the presentation that he felt his tequila deserved.

With each bottle being different from the last, the effort to preserve the same homemade aesthetic that the Malpica’s tequila is rooted in is kept alive.

In addition to the 12-year Ultra Anejo, Alex released a 5-year Extra Anejo that’s aged 4 years in American Oak and 1 year in used French Bordeaux casks. Only 210 bottles were produced, both tequilas are being distributed in the Untied States.

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