NIKKI GATCH: LEADING THE WAY • GEAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS • 2024 TOUR CARDS
FALL 2023
JOHN ASHWORTH
LIFE & TIMES OF THE GOLF MAN NEMACOLIN:
A FEAST FOR YOUR SENSES
SCOTLAND IN STYLE
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CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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CONTENTS
FALL 2023 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 4
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10 Editor’s Note Thanksgiving and Golf 12
CGX Top100 Camps Road to College Golf
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Galleri Classic Champions in the Desert
16 Will Irwin Memorial Fund Golf and Helping Kids
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18 Californians with 2024 Tour Cards Who Punched their Ticket 22 Nikki Gatch Leading the Way 26 Scottish Highlander Scotland in Style 30 Life & Times of The Golf Man Q&A with John Ashworth 36 Nemacolin A Feast for your Senses
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42 Holiday Gift Guide Gear for the Holidays 46 Instruction Swing Path and Knee Flex 50 Spirit Tequila Hoya 19
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Football, Thanksgiving, and the Great Depression
The Masters Saturday, the Fourth of July, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends are some of the busiest golf days of the year. That said, here’s a little history on Thanksgiving, Football, and the Great Depression to share with your partners on the course this holiday season. In 1939, President Roosevelt decided to move Thanksgiving Day earlier by a week. Rather than have it fall on its traditional date, the last Thursday of November, he declared that it would be observed one week earlier. Why did he make such a seemingly random decision during the Great Depression? Because he hoped that by moving Thanksgiving earlier it would stimulate the struggling economy by extending the holiday shopping season by one week. According to a reporter: There were five Thursdays in November that year, which meant that Thanksgiving would fall on the 30th. That left just 20 shopping days until Christmas. By moving the holiday up to Nov. 23, 1939, Roosevelt hoped to give the economy a lift by allowing shoppers more time to make holiday purchases. In a news conference, Roosevelt shared a tutorial on the history of the holiday. Thanksgiving was not a national holiday, he said, meaning that it was not set by federal law. According to custom, it was up to the president, he claimed, to pick the date every year. It wasn’t until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving to be observed on the last Thursday in November that the date became accepted. To drive his point home, Roosevelt said that there was “nothing sacred” about the date.
Just as he had done with his controversial “Court Packing” plan of 1937, Roosevelt badly misjudged public opinion. Outraged protests began in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the site of the “first Thanksgiving” in 1621, but quickly spread to other circles, including college football! PRESIDENT SHOCKS FOOTBALL COACHES: Many Games are Upset by Thanksgiving Plan, read a banner headline. And in the then-staunchly Democratic state of Arkansas, a football coach threatened: ‘We’ll vote the Republican ticket if he interferes with our football!’” Some coaches, of course, were more diplomatic when it came to questioning the president. According to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum: Some governors declared November 30th as Thanksgiving. And so, depending upon where one lived, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the 23rd and the 30th. This was worse than changing the date in the first place because families that lived in states such as New York did not have the same day off as family members in states such as Connecticut! And so family and friends were unable to celebrate the holiday together. By 1941, most retailers also disapproved of Roosevelt’s plan, and even the federal government agreed that the change had not resulted in any boost in holiday sales. And so, on Dec. 26, 1941, Roosevelt signed a resolution making Thanksgiving a national holiday and mandating that it be observed on the fourth Thursday in November of each year. Happy holidays and 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, Tom LaMarre CONTRIBUTORS Ian Leggatt, Ed Vyeda, Leonard Finkel, Tom Stankowski, Ken Lane PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Weinstein, Tom Neas, Mark Susson, Channing Benjamin TRAVEL EDITOR Suzy Evans, Daniel Woods EQUIPMENT EDITOR Scott Kramer, Ed Travis WINE + GOLF John Finney, Matt Palaferri CONTRIBUTING INSTRUCTORS John Burckle, Eric Lohman, Kris Moe, Perry Parker, Scott Heyn, John Ortega 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 quarterly 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 2023, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher. For subscriptions, go to calgolfnews.com and sign up online or send your name, address, phone number, and $20 to Golf Lab Media at the Above address. For advertising opportunities and editorial information: Please call (714) 542-4653 or email to info@calgolfnews.com
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07/11/2023 12:25 PM
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GOLF NEWS
CGX TOP100 CAMPS: Redefining the Route to Playing College Golf
SEVEN DI CALIFORNIA COACHES + 17 OTHER TOP PROGRAMS CONVERGE IN ARIZONA FOR ALL-THINGS COLLEGE GOLF AND RECRUITING For competitive junior golfers and their families, the dream of playing on a college golf team looms enticingly large. Parents see talent and potential in their junior golfer and want to support his/her dreams but don’t understand the recruiting process or how to get the attention of the college coaches. Before you know it, thousands of dollars are invested each year chasing rankings points while entering local and regional tournaments. Players then hope to graduate to higher-level tours, get invited to invitationals, aspire to play on the AJGA Tour, and try to qualify for U.S.G.A. events. All the while, coaches are watching players from behind trees at junior tournaments
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will little connection or getting to know a player beyond their golf swing. CGX Top100 camps help players make those connections, get comfortable performing in front of coaches, find their fit and spot on a college golf team, improve their game and hear accurate information straight from the horse’s mouth… the coaches. “At CGX Top100 Camps, I like to stress to juniors the importance of being really proactive. Whether that’s in the recruiting process and making sure they’re asking all the questions they have, or just developing a plan for their practice routine and sticking to it. All of those things add up once you get to the college level and need to take ownership of everything on your plate,” said USC Women’s Associate Head Coach Tiffany Joh. “Overall, the camp is a great opportunity to learn from an amazing variety of incredibly experienced veteran coaches and ask anything you want to know about the recruiting process.” The upcoming CGX Top100 West Camps will take place at The Wigwam Golf Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. The Girls Showcase Camp is December
2-3, and the Boys Showcase Camp will follow on December 16-17. California golf coaches participating include girls coaches Laurie Gibbs from Pepperdine and Alicia Um Holmes at UCLA along with boys coaches Walter Chun at Berkeley, Ryan Donovan at San Diego State, Mark Hankins at USC, and Michael Beard at Pepperdine. The camp will also feature additional DI collegiate coaches and golf programs from around the country. At every CGX Top100 Camp, juniors and their parents engage with the toplevel coaches over two days where they experience: immersive education sessions on college golf and the recruiting pathway, NIL conversations, open Q&A sessions, and on-course coach engagement and instruction during simulated college golf practice and tournament rounds. The real-time evaluation and personalized feedback from the coaches is helping players discover the right collegiate program fit. To learn more about CGX or to register for the Top100 West Showcase Camps in Arizona, visit www.collegegolfx.com/ camps
California Golf + Travel
07/11/2023 12:26 PM
GOLF NEWS
Tee-up with Legends at PGA Tour Champions’ Galleri Classic Pro-Am
There’s being inside the gallery and then there’s being inside the Galleri. As the PGA Tour Champions return to Rancho Mirage for the sequel season of the Galleri Classic this March 25-31, 2024, a game-changing opportunity exists for spectators to become participants. Held across two days preceding the event, the tournament’s two-day pro-am offers a chance to tee-up alongside an all-star cast of the game’s legends on the famed Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. “We were really pleased with the excitement the community had for the PGA Tour Champions returning to the Coachella Valley for the first time in 30 years,” says Michelle DeLancy, tournament director of the Galleri Classic. “For these guys to come back and play before a lot of the same fans they’d played in front of at the Bob Hope, now the American Express, there was a true excitement level on both sides of the ropes.” 14
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Such excitement for the Galleri’s debut tee-sheet in ‘23 included a field sporting 10 World Golf Hall of Famers, 20 major championship winners and 358 combined PGA Tour titles. Among the list of luminaries in the inaugural 78-player field: Fred Couples, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Berhard Langer, Vijay Singh, John Daly, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Miguel Angel Jimenez and eventual winner David Toms. Each Tour player participates in one of the two pro-am days, presenting a bucket list round for amateur guests. “There are so many benefits to participating in our pro-am,” adds DeLancy. “Of course, so many of the names are recognizable; guys that fans grew up watching, legends of the game.” In concert with all the tourney trimmings – pairings party, drink, dine, valet parking and full grounds access to the event – Galleri Pro-Am participants have access to picking the brains of famed players.
“You can literally see the excitement from the amateurs when they get a tip on the green and roll in a putt,” says DeLancy. “Sure, those guys aren’t necessarily out there giving playing lessons, but they’re happy to share a lot of tips and talk about what’s worked for them over the years.” Along with tips, DeLancy has seen pro-am rapports evolve to lasting relationships which extend beyond the ropes. “You truly do get to rub elbows with these guys over four hours, and I’ve seen so many genuine relationships created over the years,” concludes the tournament director. “It’s great to see, say, by the 10th hole, how the amateurs really start to loosen up, get comfortable and have fun; that’s really when the conversations start with the pros and people get to know each other.” For more information on participating in this year’s Galleri Classic ProAm: tee-up thegallericlassic.com or contact sales@thegallericlassic.com
California Golf + Travel
07/11/2023 12:28 PM
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GOLF NEWS
Will Irwin Memorial Fund
T
he Fifth Annual Will Strong Charity Golf Tournament was played last month on the Robert Trent Jones-designed North and South Courses at Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club in Coto de Caza in southeast Orange County. All proceeds from the tournament and any donations go to the Will Irwin Memorial Fund with The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), which is named in honor of Will Irwin, the son of Mike and Joanna Irwin, who was born on Oct. 1, 2018, but developed childhood cancer and died on May 31st, 2019, one day before he would have been 8 months old. “Despite his short life, Will left a huge impression on the hearts and lives of so many,” Joanna Irwin said. “Mike and I are honored to celebrate our son’s life with all our family, friends, and supporters who help us to make a difference in the 400,000-plus children who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. “We are blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support as we grieve our loss. The money that we raise in memory of our baby boy funds lifesaving research that provides the best hope for a cure to childhood cancer. We have seen first-hand the importance of new
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innovation and treatment options for our children. “The toxicity of current childhood cancer treatments leaves children with lifelong debilitations that take away from their quality of life and future prosperity. Funding childhood cancer has never been more important, as one in six children who receive their diagnosis will not survive. “Our mission is that every child facing the challenges of pediatric cancer will not only survive, but thrive!” Mike and Joanna Irwin partnered with Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation in Irvine, CA, by creating the Will Irwin Memorial Fund. While thousands of dollars have been donated to The Will Irwin Memorial Fund in recent years, as of October when Will would have turned five, more than $500,000 was raise at the fifth Annual Will Strong Charity Golf Event and $2.5 million has been raised since the inception of the Will Irwin Memorial Fund. For complete tournament information and to learn all about The Will Irwin Memorial Fund or to make a donation, please visit https://tinyurl.com/2ud5kvmu
California Golf + Travel
07/11/2023 12:31 PM
GOLF SHOES FOR EVERY SEASON ducadelcosma.us
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PGA & LPGA TOUR CARD
TOUR-BOUND CALIFORNIANS
Rico Hoey
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ico Hoey of Rancho Cucamonga and USC finished fourth on the Korn Ferry Tour points list and is one of seven players with California connections who earned their PGA Tour cards for next season by doing so. The 28-year-old Hoey (pictured) won the Visit Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry circuit this season for his second professional victory among seven top-10 finishes, and also tied for second in the Advent Health Championship in addition to tying for third in the Astara Chile Classic and the Veritex Bank Championship, where he closed with a 63. “It’s a dream come true,” said Hoey, who also won the 2017 Freedom 55 Financial Championship on PGA Tour Canada. “This is what we all work for. And I’m really enjoying it. I’m really happy to be out here and to have 18
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a chance to play on the PGA Tour. I’m just really excited. “I’m just ecstatic. There was a lot of hard work. Everyone works hard. And I have battled through things for myself, and I’m just really happy to get it done. And I never thought the day would come, but a lot of people told me it would. “It’s just amazing to be going to the PGA Tour next season.” Jake Knapp of Costa Mesa and UCLA didn’t win a tournament this season, but finished 13th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list by recording 11 results in the top 10 and 15 in the top 25, including fifth in the Nationwide Children’s Championship, the Pinnacle Bank Championship and the Lecom Suncoast Classic. Norman Xiong of San Diego, who played college golf at Oregon, finished 16th on the
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points list after claiming his second victory on the circuit in the 2023 Nationwide Children’s Hospital and also winning the 2022 Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics Championship. Nicolas Lindheim of Mission Viejo, who won the 2023 Ascendant for his third career victory on the Korn Ferry Tour, came in 17th in the final standings with five top-10 results, including third in the Compliance Solutions Championship in addition to his victory. Joe Highsmith of Pepperdine, who grew up in Lakewood, Wash., wound up 18th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list after finishing in the top 10 four times, including a tie for second in the Nationwide Children’s Championship, a tie for third in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and a tie for fourth in the Panama Championship. Tom Whitney of South Lake Tahoe and La Jolla, who played golf at the U.S. Air Force Academy, finished 21st in the point standings after recording six top-five finishes this season, including a tie for second in the Club Car Championship, a tie for third in the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic and solo third in the Memorial Health Championship. Kevin Daugherty of Murrieta, where he grew up playing golf with
Jake Knapp
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Rickie Fowler of the PGA Tour and before playing college golf at Oklahoma State, wound up 22nd in the Korn Ferry Tour standings by placing in the top 10 on five occasions, including second in the Astara Golf Championship and a tie for third in the Utah Golf Championship. Ben Kohles of Dallas finished atop the Korn Ferry Tour standings with eight top-10 finishes this season, including victories in the Astara Chile Championship in a playoff and the Hometown Lenders Championship in another playoff. Paul Barjon of France captured the Korn Ferry Tour Championship by three strokes on Sunday and wound up eighth in the final standings to earn his PGA Tour card for next season. For the final 2023 Korn Ferry Tour points list, visit www.pgatour.com/kornferry-tour/pointslist California Golf + Travel
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PGA & LPGA TOUR CARD
Gabriela Ruffels Gabriela Ruffels of Australia and USC captured the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card and led 10 players on the circuit who earned their LPGA Tour cards for next season. The 23-year-old Ruffels was selected the Epson Tour’s 2023 Player of the Year after winning the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes and the Four Winds Invitational, in addition to posting three other finishes in the top 10 this season. Ruffels led the Epson Tour money list, which determines which 10 players earn their PGA Tour cards, with $159, 926. “I’m so excited to officially say that I will be on the LPGA Tour next year,” said Ruffels, who became the first Australian to capture the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2019. “It has been my goal since I turned pro at the start of 2021, and I’m so proud to have earned it through the Epson Tour. Ruffels also won 21 International Tennis Federation junior doubles events in Europe before deciding to concentrate on golf. Natasha Andrea Oon, 22, of Malaysia and San Jose State, the Epson Tour’s 2023 Rookie of the Year, finished second on the money list with $149,670 after winning the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout among seven finishes in the top 10. “It’s so surreal, but it’s sunken in for sure,” said Oon, who was the 2021-22 Mountain West 20
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Conference Player of the Year and was selected winner of the 2022 Juli Inkster Award as a senior at San Jose State. Jenny Coleman, 31, of Rolling Hills Estates, who played college golf at Colorado, wound up seventh in the Race for the Card with $106,137 after claiming her first career Epson Tour victory at the 2023 IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty and had three additional top-10 results this season. Coleman is returning to the LPGA Tour after having full membership on the circuit in 2017 and partial membership in three other seasons. “I’m so excited to have done it, and it’s there and I will be ready to go after it next season,” said Coleman, who has three career top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, including solo third in the 2021 LPGA Drive On Championship. The others who earned their 2024 LPGA Tour cards on the Epson Tour include Austin Kim of St. Augustine, Fla., and Vanderbilt; Jiwon Jeon of South Korea and Alabama; Minji Kang of South Korea and Arizona State; Agathe Laisne of France and Texas; Roberta Liti of Italy and Arizona State; Isabella Fierro of Mexico and Oklahoma State, and Kristen Gillman of Austin, Texas, and Alabama. For complete information about the 10 players who earned their 2024 LPGA Tour card, visit www.epsontour.com/news/2023/meet-the2023-epson-tour-graduates
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GROWING THE GAME
GOLF TRAILBLAZER
Nikki Gatch has had a career of firsts leading the way—the PGA way By RANDY YOUNGMAN irst woman on the Southern California Golf Association Board of Directors. First woman president of the SCGA, as well as the first PGA member to serve in that role. First woman Executive Director/ CEO of the Southern California PGA Section—a job she began this past January. As her impressive resume attests, Nikki Gatch’s career as a golf executive clearly has established her as a pioneer of sorts in Southern California. She says it never was her goal to be the first at anything—except, of course, when she teed it up in competition at Palm Desert High and at Oklahoma State or in any of the many tournaments she entered through the years— and that her first-ever job distinctions merely came as a direct result of following her passion. “It’s not something I set out to do; it just sort of happened,” Gatch, 51, said recently during an interview with California Golf & Travel, reflecting on her path as a trailblazer for women in golf management. “I’ve been fortunate to have a career to do something that I love and am extremely passionate about. “I’ve worked really hard, and I’ve just been in the right place when the right opportunities presented themselves. But when you start reeling off those (firsts), I pinch myself sometimes. It’s been a phenomenal journey.” Her career progression might not have been pre-ordained, but Gatch’s involvement in golf was anything but a surprise. After all, she was introduced to the golf world at a very young age, because her late father, William “Buzz” Gill, was a PGA member and instructor in Oklahoma when she was born there. “I just like to say that golf is in my DNA,” Gatch said. “I grew up around it. I think I was first exposed to golf at the
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age of 5 . . . and I started taking to the game when I was 11 or 12.” The people that her father worked with and for were in golf, too, so Nikki considered all of them her “aunts and uncles.” She was 10 when her father moved the family to Thousand Oaks to help develop Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley, a private club where he served as president and director of golf. Four years later, the family moved again, this time to La Quinta when her father became an executive for Landmark Golf, which developed courses at PGA West, La Quinta Resort and Mission Hills Country Club, among others. By then, she was hooked on golf, and she played four years on the golf team at Palm Desert High—the boys team. “They didn’t have girls teams back then,” she recalled. “Looking back, it probably made me a better player, because I had to work extra hard and sharpen the short game.” She earned a scholarship to Oklahoma State (1990-94), where she played on the traveling squad and won two conference championships. But her dreams of being “the next Nancy Lopez” ended after college when she realized there were too many better players than she who were struggling to establish themselves in professional golf. “I played in a few tournaments after school, on the Players West Tour, a kind of mini-tour for women, but I quickly realized this is not going to pan out,” she said. “My degree was in broadcasting and journalism, so I did a couple of internships—worked for the PGA Tour one summer, worked for a couple of local TV stations in the desert. It was fun, but it wasn’t really a passion of mine. “So, I just kind of gravitated to what I knew and what I loved—and that was golf. Call it following in Dad’s footsteps or whatever.”
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GROWING THE GAME
That’s when Gatch tried the career path as a teaching professional. “My first so-called real job after college was at Mission Hills Country Club as an assistant golf pro,” she said. Then it was on to Kiawah Island in South Carolina to help a family friend open a new private club. “Long story short, I decided to pack up the car and drive across the country and go to work for them,” she said. “So, I did, and it was great. We opened up the club, everything was wonderful; that’s how I met Don, and we got married.” Naturally, Don Gatch also was a PGA professional, and still is. But Nikki said something didn’t feel right. “I kind of go back to that word: passion,” she said. “It just wasn’t quite there for being a green grass professional. I didn’t hate it, but something was missing. I was a little homesick (for California). An opportunity came up—this was in 1998—and my dad saw that the (SCPGA) Section had posted an opportunity to work in junior golf, in what was then called Desert Junior Golf. It was the junior golf program in Palm Springs, which is what I grew up playing on.” It sounded perfect. She wanted to come home and stay in golf, and she got the job. “I came full circle,” she said. “So, that’s technically when I started with the Southern California PGA.” Don and Nikki had two children, and there was one brief move back to South Carolina, but they came back to Southern California at the end of 2002 after the SCPGA gauged her interest in the vacant position of junior golf director.
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SCPGA Executive Director/CEO, Nikki Gatch, PGA, awards Michael Block, PGA, the 2023 Southern California PGA Section Championship perpetual trophy at Sherwood Country Club
Then came the career progression. From SCPGA Junior Golf Director, to Foundation Director, to Assistant Executive Director under longtime Executive Director/CEO Tom Addis. “Then the PGA of America came calling in 2012,” Gatch recalled, leading to seven years as Player Development Regional Manager, then Regional League Manager, while continuing to work with Addis on SCPGA initiatives. “The PGA of America needed boots on the ground, so to speak, working alongside PGA Sections. It was the right fit at the right time.” So was Gatch’s eventual return to Southern California and the SCPGA, as Assistant Executive Director/COO, to be groomed as Addis’ successor. (There was also the one-year term as SCGA president in 2021, another first.) “It wasn’t a given, but I was fortunate to be selected as the new executive director (and CEO) when Tom retired at the end of 2022,” she said. Another first. “What’s the saying? It’s great to be first, but what’s most important is that you’re not the last,” Gatch said, echoing the famous sentiments of Sandra Day O’Connor. “I hope I can be an inspiration to other women, but really for anybody—to follow your passion and work hard and that opportunities will come your way.”
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GOLF & TRAVEL
Scottish Highlander
Scottish Highlander cruising.
GOURMET GOLF CRUISING AT ITS FINEST
By ANDREW MARSHALL ry adding a unique experience to your Scottish golf trip and hop aboard the Scottish Highlander for a golf journey by barge along the scenic Caledonian Canal. Golf by hotel barge in Scotland, it’s an interesting concept. Travelling by this mode of transport harkens back to a bygone era, one of romance and adventure. Combine this with four rounds of golf, ranging from quirky Highland 9-hole courses to some of the planet’s best links, add in some mouth-watering cuisine, world-class single-malts and convivial company, and it may just be the ultimate ‘golf, leisure and lifestyle’ experience. Keen to give it a try, I board European Waterways’ Scottish Highlander for a week-long cruise tailor-made for golfers - a journey from Banavie (near Fort William) to Muirtown (near Inverness) along the scenic Caledonian Canal, with views of snow-capped Ben Nevis, across mysterious lochs where ancient castles perch on heather-clad hillsides, home of red deer and golden eagle. “Welcome aboard the Scottish Highlander and help yourself to glasses of champagne,” says Captain Mick Forster, as introductions are made and cruising golf guests shown to their cabins. Born and bred in North Yorkshire, Mick knows these waterways like Tiger Woods knows the contours of Augusta National’s greens.
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Built in Holland in 1931 to carry grain and converted into a hotel barge in 2000, the spacious eight passenger vessel has the atmosphere of a Scottish country house with tasteful use of tartan furnishings and landscape paintings. Every conceivable comfort has been thought of including: cabin heating, pressure showers, a snug saloon, library, fishing gear and bicycles. Powered by a 120-hp Gardiner diesel, the Scottish Highlander cruises along at a steady 3 knots. “She never misses a beat,” says Mick, as we motor along the Caledonian Canal towards Gairlochy on the morning of our second day. The majestic Caledonian Canal was built in 1822 to provide a speedy link for sailing boats and freight vessels between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is 60 miles (96.6km) in length, of which about a third is a man-made cutting which links a chain of natural lochs - Loch Lochy, Loch Oich, Loch Ness and Loch Dochfour. Our golfing trip afloat quickly develops into a relaxing lifestyle, watching the scenery unfold from the observation deck, visiting the Ben Nevis whisky distillery and playing golf. First up is 18 holes at Newtonmore, a parkland course beautifully situated amongst the Monadhliath and Grampian Mountains with the river Spey bordering its side - a good chance to warm up before the more demanding golf courses ahead. On day three, we moor up in historic Fort Augustus beside the five-lock staircase in the village centre, bordered by quaint cottages and the appropriately named Lock Inn,
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The view towards the green of the par-5 18th at Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness.
Magnificent Royal Dornoch Golf Club with the gorse in full bloom. Scottish Highlander interior
Teeing off at quirky Fort Augustus Golf Club, with one of the resident green keepers watching on.
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The club
GOLF & TRAVEL
Heading towards the green of the par-4 8th at Royal Dornoch Golf Club.
Eilean Donan Castle
A gourmet lunch before the afternoon’s round.
a popular spot for a canal side pint. After a hearty lunch of Navarin of Lamb with thyme, parsley and bay leaf, we are driven to the village outskirts where the quirky component of our ‘golf-and-barge’ experience awaits. Situated on moorland ground, on which crofters grazed their stock, the 9-hole layout of Fort Augustus established in 1930 is as raggedy around the edges, as the wiry heather that lines the fairways. The greenkeepers are sheep and one of the local rules states: ‘A ball lying on sheep wool, or made dirty by sheep droppings, may be lifted and cleaned without penalty.’ Fort Augustus is still great fun though, but be careful not to slice your tee shot on the par-5, 6th and 15th, appropriately named Canal. Every evening, around cocktail hour Jim McGarry the chef emerges from the galley kitchen and announces the dinner menu. “Tonight, we’ll be having highland pie, which is made of ground beef, mashed potatoes, beer, and ‘a little bit of that stuff from the top shelf’ all marinated overnight,” he says. “Then we’ll finish off with baked apple followed by a cheese platter.” The cheeses are a culinary highlight - from Orkney
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The Scottish Highlander cruising past Urquhart Castle.
Smoked Cheddar, and Scottish Brie to goat cheese made by Donald John, the lock keeper at Dochgarroch, all paired with a selection of quality French and New World wines. After leaving our mooring at Fort Augustus we cruise across the mighty waters of Loch Ness. At 22 miles (38.6 km) long and up to 1.5 miles wide ( 2.4 km ), its surrounding mountains enter the water dramatically enough to form sheer underwater cliffs. Nobody knows for certain if monsters inhabit the near 300m (1000-ft) depths, but certainly its peat-darkened waters would be the perfect place for such a legend as ‘Nessie’ to hide. Our third round is at the testing Castle Stuart Golf Links, a 20-minute drive from the Scottish Highlander’s mooring at Dochgarroch hamlet. This top-drawer layout with links characteristics overlooking the Moray Firth, is a delight to play, offering beautiful views and endless photo opportunities. You will be reaching for the camera rather than a club at the scenic par-3 4th, played towards beautiful Castle Stuart and the inspiration for the course name. Our final round is at one of Scotland’s most famous and ancient
courses, Royal Dornoch, where golf was first played as far back as 1616 when the Earl of Sutherland ordered clubs and balls to take up the game that was becoming so popular further south. Old Tom Morris was the architect responsible for extending the original 9-hole layout to 18 holes in 1886. Framed between the hills and mountains to the left and the wild North Sea, Royal Dornoch’s rich tapestry of undulating fairways, pot bunkers and plateau greens are interspersed with flowering yellow gorse particularly in spring. Although the front nine is delightful, with the par-3 6th known as Whinny Brae being a highlight, it’s the back nine where the real golf examination begins. Multiple British Open champion and links aficionado Tom Watson probably summed up Royal Dornoch the best when he said, “This is the most fun I have had playing golf in my whole life.” And Mr. Watson’s very same words could easily be applied to a week’s Gourmet Golf Cruising on European Waterways’ Scottish Highlander... Visit www.europeanwaterways.com for more details on the itinerary currently available.
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Aloha
In Full
Swing.
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Q&A WITH JOHN ASHWORTH
John Ashworth has made several big leaps in life, but none bigger than when he took over the lease of Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, Calif.
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(LINK)SOUL SEARCHING
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE GOLF MAN By MATT GINELLA Photos ROBERT BECK I met John Ashworth like most of you did, on the racks of my home golf course back in the 80’s. He was everywhere. That cool transcendent relaxed-fit cotton golf shirt, which hung off my slim shoulders, I’d pick up the sleeves in my pre-shot routine because that’s the way Freddie did it. Couples, that is. It was Fred Couples who put Ashworth on the map, but it was the fashion-forward sense of the brand that got Couples, John Cook, Mark Wiebe, Ernie Els and Jim Nantz all wearing Ashworth in the early days. The iconic logo, a napkin sketch by the late and great Barry Grimes, was known as “The Golf Man.” The black-and-white ad campaigns of Couples and company rolling around in convertibles. Since the meteoric success of Ashworth, the brand and the man, John Ashworth launched Linksoul, another apparel company based in Oceanside and right down the street from Goat Hill Park, the municipal golf course that he, along with a selfless staff and loyal locals, has reimagined and revitalized. What once was an underachieving community asset has now become the home and host of the annual Wishbone Brawl in which notable pros like Xander Schauffele, Geoff Ogilvy, Charley Hoffman and Couples compete using persimmon woods. The giddy gallery of 1,200, made up of adults, kids and dogs, aren’t confined by ropes and fill in around each green like you’d see in tournament pics of the 1950s. The money raised by the Brawl goes to North County Junior Golf and Goat Hill Park’s junior caddie and leadership academy that Ashworth started four years ago. The kids from the caddie academy carry the bags for the pros in the Wishbone Brawl, just one example of connecting the dots of what’s possible with thoughtful leadership and a focus on paying it forward. On that note, tee by tee, green by green, bunker by bunker, Ashworth has greatly enhanced Goat Hill Park’s old driving range, he’s revamping the clubhouse and added a 3-hole kid’s course that he calls The Playground. It’s all an answer key for other municipalities and public courses looking to restore an otherwise flailing business model. Meanwhile, Ashworth continues to lead by example and alter the way we wear and experience the game of golf. These days, he’s swinging a shovel as often as he is a club. In the morning, he might be in a meeting at Linksoul working on next season’s clothing line, and, in the
Goat Hill Park gives John Ashworth a place to let his hair down.
afternoon, he’s in the seat of a tractor moving dirt to where the new 18th tee will be located. “Golf for all” was a mantra and mindset established by Old Tom Morris in the late1800s as the grandfather of golf roamed and cultivated the sacred sod of St. Andrews. His spirit is alive and well in Ashworth as he roams and cultivates the spiritual and special experience at Goat Hill Park, linking souls along the way. And with that, let’s play nine with John Ashworth,
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Q&A WITH JOHN ASHWORTH
Even Ashworth gets in, and out of, Goat Hill Park’s new sod-wall bunkers.
co-founder of Linksoul and Caretaker of Goat Hill Park. 1. Let’s start at the beginning: How did you get introduced to golf? It was in Escondido in 1968, when I was 8 years old. My mom was a nurse and my dad was a school teacher. My dad’s hobby and his passion was golf and every Sunday morning he had a standing dawn patrol game with a men’s club at a public track called San Luis Rey. I remember my mom gave me an ultimatum: I could either go to Sunday school or caddie for my dad. Needless to say, it was a no-brainer, and I’ve been hooked on the game ever since. 2. Did you play competitively? I was a pretty good junior golfer. I won the San Diego City Junior Championship in 1977. I had a mediocre college golf career at the University of Arizona, which gave me no desire to turn pro. In 1984 my good childhood friend Mark Wiebe asked me to come and caddie for him at Q-School and then after we successfully got his PGA tour card we went on tour for a year. On his bag and inside those ropes, that’s when I saw what I considered bad fashion up close, which gave me the inspiration to start a clothing brand. It was Wiebe’s sponsor, Jerry
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Montiel, who I partnered with to launch Ashworth in 1987. 3. If you didn’t get into fashion, what was your Plan B? I earned a bachelor degree in Agronomy at Arizona, essentially turfgrass management, and I got a minor in philosophy. I seemed destined to be a superintendent. 4. Do you have fond reflections on the Ashworth days? Definitely. I loved the collaborative days with Barry Grimes, the photo shoots and catalogs, the clothes and what we were creating. The timing was right, the stars aligned and we caught lightning in a bottle. It was long before the days of cell phones and computers, and looking back now, I’m not sure how it was even possible. I was 27 years old and moved to Los Angeles without a clue about the fashion industry, but what I did have was lots of energy. They say “ignorance is bliss”? I got my Master’s degree in the school of hard knocks. I was making sales calls out of the trunk of my car, but with the help of a lot of talented people, we managed to figure it out. 5. How did you land Couples and Cook?
I had played against Fred (Couples) and John (Cook) in college and knew they were studs on the course. In my mind, they both fit the image we were trying to create, so we asked them to be part of our company. I still can’t believe how or why they said yes, but they did, and it was on the same day. Later, Ernie Els joined the team. Golf business was different back then, it was pre-Tiger, who, by the way, wore Ashworth as an amateur. Golf in the 80s and early-90s was still a boutique industry before all the big companies like Nike and Adidas jumped in. The whole experience was a wild ride, we went from that trunk of my car to $100 million in 10 years and changed the landscape of golf fashion forever. It seems crazy to say that out loud, but looking back, I believe that’s all accurate. The goal was always to shine a light on the virtues of the game and present a modern yet timeless image that made golf cool to both golfers and non-golfers. I’d like to think that exactly what we’re still trying to do with Linksoul, a brand you can wear on and off the course, in and out of the water, and it all plays out at places and courses like Goat Hill Park and along the beaches of Southern California.
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TOUR PERFORMANCE FOR ALL
SS9 SPUD
SS9 PLUMBERS
SS14
SS16
SS35
Heritage | Craftsmanship | Innovation PROUDLY MILLED IN THE USA California Golf + Travel
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Q&A WITH JOHN ASHWORTH Like Old Tom Morris, John Ashworth believes in and preaches “Golf for all.” And one of Ashworth’s greatest accomplishments is a junior caddie academy.
6. What occupied your time between Ashworth and Linksoul? I had made several trips to Scotland in the early 90s and fell in love with links golf. In 1996, I discovered a piece of land known as Archerfield, between Muirfield and North Berwick on the East Lothian coastline. It was where two links courses, dating back to the 1800’s, had disappeared over time. I spent the next two years getting planning permissions to design three links courses, a boutique hotel, plus 100 cottages. We finally got the permits and I’m happy to say it all became a reality, but unfortunately, I kind of got squeezed out of the deal, which is a bit of a bummer. One of the golf courses, the Renaissance Club, a Tom Doak design, recently hosted the Scottish Open. 7. Lucas Glover, Geoff Ogilvy, Sahith Theegala, Bubba Watson, just some of the pros wearing Linksoul. What’s your vision for the future of the brand as you look to 2024 and beyond? I see a constant evolution of adding value to the golf community both globally and locally by connecting people to the soul of the game. We’re committed
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to offering an effortless sense of style by attention to detail, designing quality clothing using fabrics that mitigate the negative impact to the environment. 8. When people ask you about Goat Hill Park, when they ask how they can get that same success and vibe that you’ve achieved in Oceanside, what’s your advice? The business of golf is kind of weird, and I have a whole new respect for anyone operating or managing a golf course of any type. Every day something can go terribly wrong. That being said, if I’m asked what the secret sauce that’s worked at Goat Hill Park, I would say, focus on great greens and keep the rest of the course in the best shape possible. Keep it simple, hire friendly people. It’s like inviting friends over to your backyard to hang out and play a game. Be welcoming and relaxed, it’s all about the hang. Avoid anything that feels uptight and the basics we’ve adopted are: A) No overbearing dress code. B) An eclectic playlist of music going at all times around the clubhouse and driving range. C) We’re dogfriendly. 9. Of all the things you’ve accomplished so far, of all the things the
game has given you, the relationships and opportunities, moments and memories, where does what you’ve done and continue to do at Goat Hill Park stack up? For me, it’s all related to Karma. Looking back to my opportunities, places I’ve been, things I’ve seen and experienced, the obstacles along the way, the good people I’ve met, it has all led to saving Goat Hill Park. I grew up playing there, so to spend the last ten years constantly fixing up and refurbishing that land, I’ve been able to watch the community come together and take part in the process. It has been amazing to witness all the friendships being forged, the positive transformations taking place on a daily basis. People getting married, babies being born, toddlers running around The Playground, kids becoming adults. From the cradle to the grave, it’s been the full cycle of life playing out right in front of us. Golf is a healing game, it gets us close to nature, connects us to the earth and our surroundings. I see a golf course as much more than just greenspace, I see it as a spiritual place. I feel so incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to serve my community.
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GOLF & TRAVEL
Stunning Nemacolin is a FEAST FOR THE SENSES Two Magnificent Pete Dye Courses Highlight a MustVisit Resort Experience T
raveling to play golf takes you to some pretty amazing places. And if your tastes often take you beyond the ordinary, Nemacolin is a word you should know and a singularly spectacular resort experience from the moment you arrive through its gates. Perched among the picturesque Laurel Highlands one hour southwest of Pittsburgh, Nemacolin simply exceeds just about every expectation you can set. As first impressions go,
Nemacolin sets the tone for the bold and dramatic with the scale and architectural splendor of its Chateau, the first hotel structure you come to and enter to check in for your stay. Talk about a sense of arrival. Patterned after The Ritz Paris, the vast Chateau welcomes guests not with cold, museum-like austerity, but with warmth and whimsy. When we passed through the entrance, we were greeted by a giant giraffe-themed topiary and friendly faces who offered us a welcome glass of sparkling wine. If we didn’t know by now, we would soon find out that this place is characterized by indulgent fun and bountiful art at every turn. The Chateau is just one of the places you can stay at Nemacolin, along with the award-winning Falling Rock and the newly reimagined and soonto-be-reopened space called The Grand Lodge. Nemacolin is world-class on all fronts, but we soon learned that it got that way, because it’s
The closing hole on Nemacolin’s Shepherd’s Rock course demands a daring approach.
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A daunting water hazard drapes the green on Mystic Rock’s risk-reward par-five 16th and frames the left side of the brawny, long par-three 17th.
The Grand Lodge at Nemacolin just underwent a luxurious transformation.
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The winding par-five 11th on Mystic Rock demands multiple good shots to avoid the trouble
constantly improving its guest experience and its infrastructure. We also saw a sneak peek of the fabulous new guest suites and reinvigorated common spaces within The Grand Lodge. We can’t wait to return to experience the new Circle Bar and the brilliant new restaurant concept Fawn & Fable. Nestled in the splendid Allegheny Mountains, Nemacolin is home to long views and Mystic Rock and Shepherd’s Rock, two imaginative championship courses designed by the legendary Pete Dye. Both courses take ample advantage of the area’s vast, rugged topography, lush terrain and majestic sweeping vistas. Just down the road from architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s acclaimed masterpiece Fallingwater and Fort Necessity National Battlefield (site of the opening action of the French and Indian War in 1754), Nemacolin is making its own distinctive brand of history in those naturerich Laurel Highlands. Owned by the visionary Hardy family who founded and operate 84 Lumber, Nemacolin has an attraction for any mood or interest you’ve probably ever had, including a diverse and internationally acclaimed art collection, the Hardy Room cigar lounge, Tea Room, The Patisserie for coffee, pastries and essentials. The Michelincaliber dining at Lautrec will return
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after the re-opening of The Grand Lodge and the debut of Fawn & Fable. We enjoyed a transcendent seafood meal at the chic Aqueous we’ve revisited in our heads many times since. In one’s spare time they can enjoy luxury shopping boutiques, art walks and even a 1950s-style ice cream parlor. Beyond golf, outdoor adventurers can enjoy the Field Club (soon to be renamed Rod and Range); Wildlife Adventures that features everything from safari tours to dog sledding; The Peak adventure center (complete with climbing wall,
The Nemacolin Golf Academy features four stateof-the-art simulator bays and a 1,000-square-foot Putting Room.
paintball field, and cosmic bowling); and Jeep Off-Road, fly fishing as well as antique auto and aircraft collections. You’ll find artwork and sculptures at almost every turn at Nemacolin. It’s a feast for the senses that somehow fits seamlessly along with the 2,200-acre resort’s breathtaking natural surroundings. Nemacolin offers guests 280 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, suites,
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World’s Best Polarized Sunglasses Justin Turner Collection: Arcata SR / Matte Grey
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GOLF & TRAVEL
Mystic Rock hosted the PGA Tour’s 84 Lumber Classic from 2003 to 2006.
townhouses and private upscale homes, including Falling Rock, a Forbes FiveStar boutique hotel with rooms overlooking the Mystic Rock course.. Before rounds on Mystic Rock, Shepherd’s Rock, we took time to check out all the state-of-the-art toys inside The Nemacolin Golf Academy. The all-season entertainment and game improvement space is a great place to play and learn on TrackMan or get a lesson or custom fitting from director of instruction Mike LaBella and his team. Teeing it up at Nemacolin means being ready to tackle the crafty Pete Dye and walk in the footsteps of the PGA Tour players who competed in the 84 Lumber Classic from 2003 to 2006, including champions like Vijay Singh Open Championship winner Ben Curtis. Mystic Rock is a sterling example of a more subtle and cerebral side of Dye. He lets the rolling land dictate the routing and shot values here with ample landing areas, walkability and serene sight lines. There are very few daunting forced carries, but endless riskreward scenarios and plenty of ways to make the round more complicated than it needs to be. Positioning off the tee and hitting to the correct parts of the green comes into play routinely as Dye plays with angles, misdirection, false
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fronts and greens that run off the sides or back if you mis-club. There’s a great mix of short par 4s like the first hole, the sneaky-long, uphill fourth - which is one of the few holes that asks for a tee shot to carry water – and more humbling long holes like the daunting 476-yard ninth with water left off the tee and a narrow, sloping green. You can gain momentum early in the round with manageable par 5s at the fifth and eighth holes and a wedge-shot par 3 at number seven, but beware the geometry Dye throws at you on holes like nine, the winding, 439-yard par-4 10th and the long, dogleg-right uphill par-five 11th. After a satisfying stretch of par fours at 13, 14 and 15. Mystic Rock closes with a fun risk-reward par 5, a long, challenging par 3, with water lurking left, and uphill par 4 that demands solid strikes and respect of the angles of play. Mystic Rock belongs in the conversation with some of Dye’s best work. At Shepherd’s Rock, the mischievous side of Pete Dye and his associate Tim Liddy come out to play. You’ll find yourself playing shots 40 feet from the hole to allow Dye’s slopes to (hopefully) do their work and you’ll come to respect false fronts that can send even well struck shots that look pin high
back down the front edge of the green and toward the man who hit it. What you probably won’t figure out on the first try is the wildly sloping greens or the ideal angles into those greens. That said, there’s a great collection of beautiful holes that rise up hills and plunge down valleys. The crafty and postcard-worthy 11th is one of the handsomest holes on the property while views from fifth, seventh, 16th and 17th holes are extraordinary places to enjoy the nature around you. The 18th hole is a terrific and memorable par 4 that demands a strong drive that is safe from ponds and marshes right and trees left. The waterfalls and majestic setting near the green while inspire to return for another challenge. Nemacolin’s entertainment and adventure offerings are so creative, you can’t help but feel the Hardy family’s personal touches all over the grounds. It’s like they’ve invited you to hang out at their estate and let your hair down for as long as you like. Set in an area steeped in rich American, architectural and agricultural history, Nemacolin is carving out its own distinctive legacy in the naturerich Laurel Highlands. To learn more about this one-of-a-kind destination, visit www.nemacolin.com.
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FASHION
IDEAS FOR COOL WEATHER WEAR ON THE COURSE M
By ED TRAVIS any of us play year-round but in parts of our state this means being prepared for cool if not downright cold temperatures and staying dry when California sunshine becomes the liquid variety. Cold and rain can be a tough combination to endure but Tour players know that layering is the secret to staying warm when the temperature is cold as well as fighting off excessive moisture should that be your misfortune. Here are some ideas from top golf apparel and footwear makers worth looking at to resolve that warm and dry desire.
A.Putnam Santosa Ladies Crew A modern take on the classic crew features a princess-seamed neckline, slightly dropped back tail, and tulip detailing on each sleeve making it a multi-function piece and a staple for any wardrobe. The fabric is 53% polyester, 39% Modal with 8% Spandex and an Eco-Elite Teflon coating so it’s moisture wicking, water resistant and breathable. Four choices Silver Birch, Cream Debossed Crane, Black, Periwinkle $145 each. Duca Del Cosma Fancesca Winter Golf Shoe A women’s golf shoe specifically for cold weather…what a great idea! Duca Del Cosma’s Francesca golf boot is designed for hot rounds when the temperature isn’t. Made from high quality Italian Nappa leather with faux fur cuff they are warm, waterproof, and breathable with a spikeless outsole that provides traction in most any weather condition whether walking or swinging. $259 a pair Navy or Dark Brown.
Linksoul Driver Quarter Zip Men’s Jacket Linksoul created this chilly-morning pullover jacket from their popular Driver Hoodie fabric and by leaving off the hood and kangaroo pocket it becomes a practical golf jacket plus its good-looking and stylish. Polyester (91%) and environmentally friending Tencel (9%) means it’s easy to care for and the ribbed cuffs and bottom hem mean a comfortable fit. Several colors are available for the Driver Quarter Zip at $130 each. 42
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Kaenon Avalon Sunglasses These frames made of flexible TR-90 material, are perfect for all day wear on or off the course. At just 29 grams they are lightweight and come in either matte or gloss finish plus Kaenon’s SR-01 Polarized lens are great for combating glare from the winter sun. Wearers also will like the corrosion resistant hinges and the hypoallergenic nose pads. Designed in California Avalon offers nine color frames at $125 a pair.
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OluKai’s Wai‘alae Men’s Golf Shoe This wonderful looking golf shoe is made from waterproof full grain leather that’s stain resistant and the Wai‘alae’s construction will keep its shape round after round. Traction was given every consideration with the spikeless pattern sole offering stability and grip in most any turf condition. The footbed is contoured and cushioned to deliver all day comfort plus it is removable and washable. Four color choices at $160 per pair.
Swing Control Houndstooth Pointe Women’s Pants Chilly days call for a full-length pair of pants and the slim fit Houndstooth Point from Swing Control are a great choice. They have lots of attractive features such as an elasticized waist with a bit of built-in tummy control and especially handy on the course, discrete pockets--two angled on the side and two back welt pockets. The flexible material is stretchable for comfort and breathable as well. Price per pair $138.
Vessel x Melin Coronado Hydro Hat Vessel has partnered with headwear maker Melin to make a performance hat for wear at the beach or on the course and anywhere in between. The lining is breathable, moisture wicking and antimicrobial plus the Coranado Hydro floats. The fit is shallower and the crushable front panel with flap allows for a more relaxed look. Quality features include an easy-to-use snapback closure and besom pocket. Four colors $75 each. California Golf + Travel
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EQUIPMENT
HOLIDAY GIFTING FOR GOLFERS By ED TRAVIS
I
t’s the time of year to think about the ideal gift for your favorite golfer and the staff at California Golf has some ideas for you. They cover a range of prices, and each has the quality and performance any player will like while reminding them of your thoughtfulness.
Ace Indoor Golf Maybe the ultimate gift for an avid golfer is a golf simulator and Ace Indoor offers complete packages from budget-friendly setups to high-end systems. Custom design installations may include components from Foresight Sports, Uneekor, Full Swing, TruGolf, FlightScope, SkyGolf, Rapsodo, Panasonic, Epson, Fiberbuilt, and Net Return. Space requirements call only for enough room to swing safely and comfortably. Dormie Workshop Headcovers Headcovers don’t just protect your clubs from banging around in the bag they make a statement of your feelings about the game. The Fall-Winter collection from Dormie are all quality made from Saffiano leather with an attractive crosshatch stamped surface and finished with a special wax making them durable, scratch resistant and easy to clean. Six sizes available from driver to mallet or blade putter priced from $130 to $145.
Srixon ZX5 Mk II Irons These very good-looking irons are designed for recreational players who want not only looks but performance. The variable thickness face is Srixon’s Main Frame pattern, essentially a series of cavities and channels inside the head to improve forgiveness and ball speed. The Tour V.T. sole is V-shaped with added leading-edge bounce to help with clean turf impact. Set of six irons with steel shafts $857.
MGI AI Navigator Here’s a remote control electric trolly with just the features players want. It has an integrated GPS with a 4-inch display on the handle with access to 40,000 courses providing dependable distances to any point on every hole. The included MGI app for mapping and scoring links to the MGI Sureshot handheld device and there’s a Bluetooth connection for your phone. Stable over even rough terrain, the AI Navigator is $1,895. 44
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California Golf + Travel
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Tour Edge Exotics Wingman Wedge Wedges don’t usually have offset, but the new Wingman from Tour Edge uses a 3.0mm offset an idea from Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer which keeps the player’s hands ahead of the ball at impact for a downward clubhead path and proper impact on every shot. The Wingman name comes from the milled high toe that raises the CG for lower launch. Vibration dampening is achieved by Vibrcor filled milled pockets. $139.99
Vessel Lux XV 2.0 Cart Bag It seems like this 8.45 lbs. cart bag has it all. The 15-way top includes a velour lined putter slot and there are three top handles for ease in lifting plus a club organizer is offered as an optional accessory. There are multiple pockets on either side and four forward facing which are always available since the upper magnetic closure pocket fits over the cart strap. Choose from four colors: White, Grey, Navy or Black at $455 each.
Cleveland Golf RTX 6 Zipcore Tour Rack Wedge Cleveland wedges have a deserved reputation at every level of the game and the RTX 6 Zipcore builds on the results of the previous RTX models. The ZipCore feature is a hollow area from inside the hosel into the heel and filled with a very low-density material moving the head weight towards the toe and topline. The Raw Finish over time rusts eliminating sun glare and Cleveland offers lots of customization options. $189.99
XXIO Prime Driver A lighter club especially a driver can be swung faster and the additional clubhead speed means longer drives. With a 186g head weight and 254g overall the XXIO Prime is one of the lightest drivers on the market and offers those with moderate swing speed added distance with forgiveness. The Prime driver’s features include XXIO’s Rebound Frame, alternating stiffness zones which transfer energy to the ball at impact. $899.99 California Golf + Travel
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INSTRUCTION
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WINTER 2023
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INSTRUCTION
hit better bunker shots
Spread your feet just past your shoulder width
Sit down a bit with 60% of your weight on your front foot
I
’ve recently come to the conclusion, most people either love bunker shots or hate them, and very few are somewhere in between. For those of you that are struggling with your sand play, here are some tips I like to focus on to eliminate that pesky chunk or the dreaded sculled shot. When working on bunker shots with my clients, I like to focus on just a few fundamentals. First, spread your feet just past shoulder width and dig your feet into the sand about an inch or so, giving you stability as you swing. Next, think about sitting down a bit, almost like you’re sitting in a chair with your weight 60% on your front leg. Now hold tight, because it’s the most important part of the fundamentals that will consistently get you out of the bunker and safely on the green. The final step in my bunker teaching philosophy is to keep the flex in your front knee the same through the entire swing and even as you rotate to your finish on your front leg. This will ensure you hit behind the ball and get that splash of sand we all look for. If you’re headed to practice this, just keep an eye on that front knee. As you take the club back, keep the same flex as you rotate your upper body back and through the swing. The front knee straightening during or after a bunker shot most times is the crux of all issues in a green side bunker shot. After you hit a shot just immediately look down at the front knee to see if it has straightened out even just a little bit! KEEP THAT KNEE BENT THROUGH IMPACT!!! Natalie Vivaldi, PGA Director of Instruction, Emerald Isle Golf Course 2020 SCPGA Inland Empire Teacher of the Year
www.pga.com/coach/natalievivaldi
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Keep the same knee flex through the entire swing
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SPIRITS
T
TEQUILA HOYO 19
he story of Tequila Hoyo 19 encompasses more than simply tequila and golf, it’s a fusion of family legacy, tradition, and passion. Founded by Sergio Partida, it symbolizes the merger of his father’s distillery, Tequila Tres Mujeres, and his innovative vision, embodying the essence of the Partida family and excellence of Mexican tequila. The name “Tequila Hoyo 19” emerged from an ingenious concept as Sergio envisioned a golf game where the typical 18 holes wasn’t sufficient to quench the thirst for victory among enthusiastic players. So, Sergio introduced Tequila Hoyo 19 as an additional space, or bar, if you wish, where players celebrated their successes and camaraderie with exceptional tequila. The iconic Tequila Hoyo 19 bottle, crafted from top-quality glass, features a unique design with a golf ball inside. This innovative bottle not only reflected Sergio’s love for golf but also captured the essence of Mexican tequila craftsmanship. In 1994, Maestro Tequilero Jesús Partida passionately founded Tequila Tres Mujeres, a distillery that would
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become a pivotal player in the tequila industry. Inspired by the ancestral traditions of Amatitán Jalisco, he pursued excellence in every facet of tequila production. Over the years, Tequila Tres Mujeres grew to be among the most respected and internationally recognized distilleries, offering world-renowned brands of tequila that won over the palates of global enthusiasts of liquor. Following the legacy of his father, Sergio continued the family tradition. Through Destilería El Magnífico, he expanded and introduced new brands such as Chula Parranda, Teky Lady’s and Origen 1258. Each brand became an ambassador of the spirit behind Tequila Tres Mujeres and Destilería El Magnífico, showcasing the history of the Partida family and the excellence synonymous with its legacy. These brands, including Tequila Hoyo 19, not only represented the distillation of high-quality tequila, but also carried forward the rich history of a family dedicated to perfecting their craft. Each bottle served as an expression of love for tradition, the land, and Mexican authenticity.
Tequila Hoyo 19 stands as a cherished gem in the world of tequila, paying homage to tradition, family, and a shared love of golf. Its distinctive bottle, featuring a golf ball inside, has become a globally recognized symbol—an invitation to savor life with elegance, whether on the golf course or at special celebrations.
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07/11/2023 2:03 PM
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