California Golf + Travel Summer 2023 Inland Empire

2023 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION

WYNDHAM CLARK

THE COMEBACK

RICKIE WINS

GOLF IN LOS CABOS

THE HERBERT WARREN WIND AWARD

It’s that time of year again! Summer is here and there’s no better place to find great summer reading ideas than the Herbert Warren Wind Award which recognizes outstanding contributions to golf literature.

Named in honor of the famed American golf writer, it encourages outstanding research and writing about golf and seeks to grow public interest in the game. Established in 1987, it’s the top literary prize awarded by the USGA. Recipients include:

Kevin Robbins, Harvey Penick: The Life and Wisdom of the Man Who Wrote the Book on Golf, which tells the story of the late golf coach and instructor who, in 1992, with Bud Shrake, penned the classic Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings From a Lifetime, considered by many to be the quintessential golf advice and instruction book.

Kevin Cook, Tommy’s Honor. The son of a weaver and maid, Tom Morris went from apprentice golf-ball maker to the Grand Old Man of St. Andrews, the home of golf. Along the way, he won the Open Championship four times and had a son, known as Young Tom, who famously broke all his father’s records yet died in his twenties at the height of his fame and only a few months after his wife died in childbirth. Beyond telling a tragic story of supreme athletic accomplishment, Cook shows how golf, though claimed early on by the aristocracy, had its roots in the working classes.

James Finegan, Where Golf Is Great. Every golfer “who’s worth his favorite putter knows where golf is great: Scotland, birthplace of the game and still its most important shrine, from the

PUBLISHER Eric Woods

EDITOR Suzy Evans, J.D., Ph.D.

ASSISTANT EDITOR Laird Hayes

ART DIRECTOR Long Tran

splendor of St. Andrews to the regal resort at Gleneagles, and Ireland, where the links like Ballybunion and Royal County Down are of unsurpassed beauty and challenge.

Whether golfers make the pilgrimage or arm-chair it, Where Golf Is Great has been called “the most entertaining, informative, and exhaustive book on these epic destinations. Written by the bard of Scottish and Irish golf, it combines the most authoritative information with beautiful prose and stunning photographs—an unsurpassed celebration of the places where golf is, indeed, great.”

John Strege, When War Played Through: Golf During the Great Depression. World War II transformed the American home front, and golf was no exception. Augusta National “became a farm to ease food shortages. Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were drafted, and Bobby Jones enlisted. Rubber rationing forced pros and amateurs alike to play with well-worn golf balls—and created a black market for new ones. The 1942 U.S. Open was canceled, replaced by the Hale American Open, whose winner, Ben Hogan, was awarded $1,000 in war bonds while golfers across the country raised millions of dollars for the war effort.”

Other recipients include James Dodson’s Ben Hogan: An American Life; Mark Frost’s The Greatest Game Ever Played; Stephen Lowe’s Sir Walter and Mr. Jones; David Owen’s The Making of the Masters; and Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s Golf’s Magnificent Challenge.

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

CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL

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

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 David Weiss

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

California Golf + Travel is published quarterly and distributed to California golf courses, country clubs, practice facilities, golf retailers, hotels, and resorts

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PGA TOUR OFFICIALS APPEAR BEFORE CONGRESS TO EXPLAIN LIV-SAUDI DEAL

Chief Operating Officer Ron Price of the PGA Tour and Independent Director Jimmy Dunne of the PGA’s policy board testified for nearly three hours before the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s investigations subcommittee in Washington, D.C., about the league’s proposed deal with LIV Golf, which is owned by the Saudi Arabian government.

LIV Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund were not present, including LIV President Greg Norman, who was out of the country according to sources.

Price and Dunne defended the controversial deal.

“We are in a situation where we faced a real threat ... you could go elsewhere for $1 billion, $3 billion, maybe $50 billion,” Price said of the lucrative contract the PGA Tour is hoping to sign with LIV and the Saudis. “We could do it but if we went down that path, we would end up giving up total control.”

Members of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations used the hearing to question Price and Dunn on a number of issues related to the proposed deal with the Saudis and how it all came together.

Senators on both sides of the aisle expressed a number of concerns about the Saudi Arabian government attempting to seize power of an American sports league.

“This is a regime that has killed journalists, jailed and tortured dissidents, fostered the war in Yemen, and supported other terrorist activities, including 9/11,” subcommittee chairman Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “It’s called sportswashing.

“It is also about hypocrisy, and how vast sums of money can induce individuals and institutions to betray their own values and supporters, or perhaps reveal lack of values from the beginning. It’s about other sports and institutions that could fall prey–if their leaders let it be all about the money.

“We’re going to continue with this inquiry.”

Price, who claimed the PGA Tour would remain in control of its business, said the dollar amount of the deal “has not been determined, but it would be a significant amount. North of $1 billion. We have an agreement to possibly get to an agreement at some point down the road.

“They have an unlimited horizon and an unlimited amount of money. It isn’t like the product is better. It’s just that there’s a lot more money that will make people move.”

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, who has been out of the office since June 13 because of an unspecified medical condition, was not in attendance at the hearing but is expected to return to his post soon.

RICKIE’S GOT HIS GAME BACK!

Butch Harmon not only had a lot to do with Rickie Fowler’s comeback, he predicted it. Harmon, one of the great instructors in golf, made changes to Fowler’s swing late last year that led to a terrific season and a playoff victory in the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July.

“It was sad to watch,” Harmon said of Fowler’s slump in the last four seasons after he claimed five victories, including the 2015 Players Championship, and Harmon was surprised it took Rickie so long to ask for help. “It was hard to watch him go from a perennial top-10 player in the world to outside the top 150.

“I didn’t say it (why he didn’t ask for help), but I was thinking it.”

Said Harmon after working with Fowler again beginning in November: “I think he’ll win this year. The game needs it.”

Quipped Fowler when he heard that: “Did he say which week?” but Fowler figured that one out himself.

Fowler sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after a brilliant approach from the rough to turn back Adam Hadwin of Canada and Collin Morikawa of La Canada Flintridge and Cal to win the Rocket Mortgage at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit.

“It’s just so great to win again, but with Butch’s help, I knew it was coming soon,” said Fowler, who earned his eighth result in the top 10 this season and 14th in the top 25 while climbing back to No. 21 in the World Golf Rankings and No. 8 in the FedEx Cup point standings after falling off the map in both categories in recent seasons.

“He’s the best golf coach out there,” Fowler said during his winner’s press conference after claiming that elusive sixth career PGA Tour title. “He does a great job with players, taking

what they have and ultimately making them the best that they can be with who they are and how they swing and making what they do well that much better, and brings up the weaknesses.

“Butch is great, just his voice and having him in your corner. Just telling you something to give you a little confidence to go out there and just go play golf and keep it simple. Our split (in 2019) was really just because he stopped traveling, and then things weren’t working for me the last few years.

“It’s definitely been long and tough, a lot longer being in that situation than you’d ever want to be. But it makes it so worth it having gone through that and being back where we are now.”

Fowler remained popular with the fans during his slump and they kept cheering him on while he struggled. Although Harmon didn’t say anything, he felt the same way.

“When Rickie went through his bad stretch, it was brutal to watch,” Harmon admitted. “I knew how good he could be, but his swing wasn’t producing. After a while, he lost his confidence, too. But he never wavered as a person, signing all the autographs, and giving his time. If the world was full of Rickie Fowlers, it would be one hell of a place.

“This one meant more to me personally than a lot of the majors I’ve won with different guys.”

REMEMBERING MARLENE HAGGE-VOSSLER

The Youngest LPGA Founder

Marlene Hagge-Vossler was one of the founding members of the LPGA Tour at the age of 16 in 1950 and collected 26 victories in her career, including her only major title at the LPGA Championship in 1956.

Marlene, who lived in Rancho Mirage, passed away on May 16 at the age of 89, after her older sister, Alice, another early LPGA Tour star, died in 2002.

“There were not any junior programs when I was growing up, and girls generally weren’t very athletic at that time, so I played my golf with men or with older boys on golf teams,” Marlene told Liz Kahn for her book on the LPGA Tour.

“When my sister and I went professional in 1950, I was a month short of 17 and the youngest by far on Tour,” Marlene said. “My dad had always taught us to take things in stride and not to get things out of the proper perspective. He gave us a pretty good set of values, and we were never carried away with all the publicity.”

Marlene and her father, Dave Bauer, a one-time touring pro who became a teaching pro and moved to

Marlene will be missed dearly, but I can guarantee she’ll never be forgotten. She was an impressive athlete, a fiery competitor and at a young age showed women and girls that they could achieve greatness in all areas of life. She will be remembered for both her talent and her longevity, competing in each of the LPGA Tour’s first five decades. We’re incredibly grateful for her contributions to the LPGA, women’s golf and women’s sports at large. At the LPGA, we will honor her spirit by working tirelessly to help the LPGA continue to grow and flourish.”

- LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan

BLACK DESERT | BLOOMINGTON | COPPER ROCK | CORAL CANYON | DIXIE RED HILLS | ENTRADA | GREEN SPRING SAND HOLLOW | SKY MOUNTAIN | SOUTHGATE | ST. GEORGE | SUNBROOK | SUNRIVER | THE LEDGES

Long Beach to run a driving range, put on traveling exhibitions in the mid-1940s and billed his girls as “The Bauer Sisters” and they were wellknown before the LPGA even existed.

The Bauer sisters were the first glamour girls of the LPGA Tour. Their stunning looks were cleverly marketed by their agent Fred Corcoran, the showman who was also the LPGA Tour’s director as well as manager of Babe Zaharias, another marketing treasure.

Marlene started playing golf at age three and at age ten won the Long Beach City Boys Junior. In 1947, at 13, she won the Western and National Junior Championships, the Los Angeles Women’s City Championship, the Palm Springs Women’s Championship, Northern California Open and became the youngest player to make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open, finishing eighth.

In 1949, at 15, she became the youngest athlete named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press after winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the WWGA Junior.

Her first LPGA Tour victory came at the Sarasota Open in 1952. Four years later, in 1956, she had one of the best year’s in Tour history, leading with eight wins, finishing second nine other times and topping the money list with a record $20,235. She also set scoring records for 36, 54 and 72 holes as well as picking up a major victory at the LPGA Championship, now the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The 1957 LPGA media guide, which featured Marlene on the cover, said: “This brilliant golf prodigy set officials back on their heels, when at the age of 13 she won the Los Angeles Women’s Golf Championship on a course where the sign stated: ‘Children Under 14 Are Not Allowed.’”

She never let age or gender limit her goals, in part because the idea never entered her mind. She viewed herself simply as a golfer trying to win. Still, she had a life outside of golf. Marlene married Bob Hagge in 1955, and they divorced in 1964. She went on to marry former PGA Tour pro Ernie Vossler from 1995.

“The only reason I was able to be out on tour and remain sane for more than 40 years is because golf has

never been number one,” Marlene said. “If I’d eaten, drank and slept golf I’d be a burned-out shell. I like to cook, I like to sew and do all the things normal people do.”

“When I won the L.A. City Women’s championship in 1947 when I was on the back of the score card it said, ‘No children under 14 are permitted on the course.’ When I won the Long Beach Boys’ Championship, I was the only girl, so they didn’t think anything about it. They didn’t fear me.”

That was also the tournament where she learned that success came at a price. “In the final, I played a 15-year-old, Irving Cooper, who was later a pro,” Marlene said. “I had a crush on him. After I beat him he

never spoke to me again. It was sometime later I learned: A girl wasn’t supposed to beat a boy.”

Like Jan Stephenson a couple of decades later, Marlene was able to pull off being billed as the Glamour Girl for one simple reason—she won. Like Stephenson, she was not just another pretty face—she was a champion. In 2002, Marlene entered the World Golf Hall of Fame and Jan joined her in 2019.

“Looking back over my career, I will always wish that I had won the [U.S. Women’s] Open,” She said. “But I very rarely look back.”

Marlene Hagge-Vossler was a player who helped make the LPGA Tour what it is today.

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SUMMER OF CHAMPIONS

We’re more than halfway through the year and there have been many outstanding junior, amateur, and professional tournaments played in California. Here are just a few of the champions that were crowned this summer.

Women’s U.S. Open

Allisen Corpuz of Hawaii and USC claimed her first pro victory in the 78th U.S. Women’s Open at famed Pebble Beach Golf Links. Corpuz also won the 2014 Hawaii Women’s State Open as an amateur.

Men’s U.S. Open

Wyndham Clark of Scottsdale, Ariz., and the University of Oregon, earned his first major title and second win as a pro in the 123rd United States Open on the North Course at the Los Angeles Country Club.

California State Amateur

Zach Pollo of Rocklin, a sophomore at the University of Arizona, beat Dylan Oyama of Carlsbad and San Diego State, 5 and 4, in the 36-hole final at Lake Merced Golf Club.

California State Open

Rak Cho of Buena Park, who played college golf at Oregon, captured the California State Open by two strokes at Bear Creek Golf Club.

PHOTO CREDIT USGA/JASON E. MICZEK

PHOTO CREDIT USGA/CHRIS KEANE

NCGA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship

Antonia Malate of Seaside, a 2022 graduate of San Jose State, won the NCGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship by four strokes at Poppy Hills.

Northern California PGA Match Play

Michael Duncan a PGA pro at Cypress Point Club, won five matches in three days to claim the Northern California PGA Match Play Championship at Pebble Beach.

SCGA Men’s Match Play Championship

Aiden Lee of Pasadena won five matches in three days, defeating Sean Birren of La Verne, 1-up, in the championship match at Goose Creek Golf Club.

California Junior Girls’ State Championship

Camille Thai, a junior at Los Altos High School, claimed the 73rd California Junior Girls State Championship at Quail Lodge.

First Tee National Championship

Cooper Groshart of San Luis Obispo, who will attend Cal State Eastbay in the Fall, won the First Tee National Championship at Stanford GC.

NCGA Public Links Championship

Jeremy Gearhart of Atascadero won the NCGA Public Links Championship with a par on the first extra hole at Poppy Hills.

SCGA Women’s Match Play Championship

Kate Villegas of Arcadia turned back Jade Zamora of San Clemente, 2 and 1, by winning three of five holes on the back nine with birdies in the SCGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Goose Creek.

SCGA Senior Match Play Championship

Iain Macdonald of Fullerton won five holes on the back nine to edge Kory Frost of Trabuco Canyon, 1 up, in the NCGA Senior Match Play Championship at Goose Creek.

NCGA Mid-Amateur Championship

Daniel Connolly of San Francisco, who captured the 2016 S.F. City Championship, won the NCGA Public Links Championship at Poppy Hills.

NCGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship

Catherine Kim of Palo Alto won the NCGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship with a par on the first playoff hole at Poppy Hills.

CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONS

NCGA Four-Ball Championship

Nick Randazzo (left) of Monterey and Matt Cohn (right) of San Francisco won the NCGA Four-Ball Championship at Spyglass Hill after claiming the 2020 NCGA Mid-Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

NCPGA Pro-Scotch Championship

Steve Watanabe Jr. (left) of The Bridges Golf Club and Scott deBorda (right) of Valley Hi Country Club shot eight-under par 63 to win the NCPGA ProScotch Championship for the third straight year at Diablo Country Club.

NCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship

Mark Morgan (left) of Shingle Springs and Straight Down Clothing founder Mike Rowley (right) of San Luis Obispo captured the NCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship at Poppy Hills for the second time.

2023 SCPGA Professional-Junior Championship

In the Girls Division of the 2023 Professional-Junior Championship, Mike Fergin (right), PGA, and Stella Fergin (left) of Mesa Verde CC emerged victorious in a playoff over Janella Sua, PGA, and Sophia Fujita hosted at San Juan Hills Golf Club.

NCGA Senior Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship

Tina Barker of Fairfield claimed the NCGA Senior Women’s Stroke Play Championship at Poppy Hills for the second time in three years.

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GREAT GOLF AT LAND’S END

By Brian McCallen

Seeking a diverse array of spectacular golf courses woven into a dazzling seaside landscape? Los Cabos is the destination for you.

Situated at the place where the Sea of Cortes meets the Pacific Ocean at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Los Cabos boasts a mountain-desert-ocean environment unique in the western hemisphere. Only in Los Cabos do emerald green fairways drop from cactus-studded foothills to meet the deep blue sea. Only in Los Cabos can golfers tee it up on stunning layouts with ocean views built by design legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Greg Norman and Robert Trent Jones, Jr. And only in Cabo can players enjoy great golf and perfect weather: Blue skies, brilliant sunshine and cooling sea breezes prevail year-round.

With three courses on Golf Digest’s “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” list and seven of the top 10 courses in Mexico, Los Cabos is the undis-

puted ‘Golf Capital of Latin America.’ Improved air connectivity from most major U.S. cities has put this safe, funfilled getaway, which combines exotic appeal with the luxury of space, within easy reach.

In the span of 30 years, Los Cabos has transformed itself into an elite international golf destination. This former sleepy port of call now counts nearly 20 courses built in and around a 20-mile coastal corridor linking San Jose del Cabo, a quaint colonial town circa 1730; and Cabo San Lucas, a take-on-all-comers party capital and fishing mecca.

Led by 5-star beachfront resorts, stellar restaurants, sumptuous spas and a surfeit of land and sea adventures, Los Cabos has established itself as a hotspot for upscale travelers in search of an exceptional vacation experience.

Cabo, in sum, has what everyone wants. An ideal climate. Incomparable golf. Superb hotels. Excellent dining. Technicolor sunsets. Dawn-to-dusk

nightlife. And the friendliest welcome in Mexico.

Here’s a review of Cabo’s leading resort and public-access courses.

RESORT / PUBLIC ACCESS

Cabo Del Sol Golf Club

Formerly known as the Desert Course, this stellar Tom Weiskopfdesigned layout is situated within Cabo Del Sol, a premier 1,800-acre resort community. The well-strategized layout scales rugged desert terrain crisscrossed by canyon-like arroyos, with an ocean view from every hole. The original holes (one through 11, 17 and 18) offer an enticing blend of long and short holes as well as numerous risk-reward options. Broad fairways framed by granite rock outcrops, large, sculpted bunkers and a dense cactus forest characterize the design. The greens feature long slopes, subtle rolls and multiple tiers.

In 2021, Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design was retained to build

several new holes (Nos. 12 – 15) in dramatic mountain foothills north of the existing layout. The design duo will remodel pre-existing holes on the Desert Course to match the style of their new creations. Final completion of the $15-million course makeover is expected by 2024.

Provisional facilities, including a driving range, clubhouse and food & beverage truck, currently serve players. Complimentary Mexican fare and beverages are available midway through the round. www.cabodelsol. com/cabo-del-sol-course

Cabo Real Golf Club

Set within a 2,800-acre resort community with 3.2 miles of beachfront, Cabo Real, one of three Questro Golf venues (the others are Club Campestre and Puerto Los Cabos) is conveniently located in the center of the Tourist Corridor. The reversal of the club’s nines several years ago dramatically improved the flow and enhanced the balance of an intriguing course

designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.

The front nine, remodeled by Jones from a pre-existing layout, provides a scenic test with broad fairways that spill down to the Sea of Cortes. Cabo Real’s longer back nine, marked by steeply pitched holes chiseled into rugged desert foothills, presents a very sturdy, target-style test. Free-form bunkers and elevated greens combine with ridgetop fairways to create a top-of-theworld feeling nearly 500 feet above the sea. Jones’ artistry is evident throughout. Green complexes and containment mounds mimic the shapes of the richly hued mountain peaks that backdrop the fairways. www.questrogolf.com

Club Campestre San Jose

Tucked into rolling mountain foothills 15 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport and five minutes from the historic colonial city of San Jose del Cabo, the Nicklaus Design course at Club Campestre anchors a 550-acre master-planned community. Vast sandy waste areas, large-scale

bunkers and sinuous arroyos that snake across the fairways call for sound course management on this challenging 6,996-yard, par-71 layout. Campestre’s greens, among the most liberally contoured putting surfaces in Los Cabos, can be very challenging depending on pin placement. The signature hole is the risk-reward par-5 seventh, a double-dogleg that plays to a well-bunkered peninsula green that juts into a pond.

The club’s longer, tougher back nine ascends to higher ground, circulating players around a rolling desert plateau high above the sea. Always in top condition, Club Campestre showcases the raw natural beauty of the Baja desert and represents excellent value. www. questrogolf.com

Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club

Situated on the outskirts of San Jose del Cabo, Puerto Los Cabos is a 27-hole facility with an 18-hole course by Jack Nicklaus; and a nine-hole layout by Greg Norman. (Norman will return in

Quivira Golf Club, No. 14

future to build a second nine). Until then, Puerto Los Cabos, a 2,000-acre master-planned resort community with a Ritz-Carlton, a JW Marriott and a Secrets hotel nearby, offers three 18-hole combinations to members, resort guests and daily-fee play.

While the club dates to 2007, Nicklaus unveiled his second nine, along with major revisions to the previous nine, in 2018. The new holes emulate the original design style: subtly contoured greens, large sculpted bunkers and dramatic elevation changes.

The Norman Course, a 3,590-yard, par-36 layout, is equally dramatic. Huge flashed-faced bunkers, inspired by Melbourne’s Sandbelt courses prized by the Aussie designer, signpost the fairways and defend the greens.

Complimentary Mexican specialties and refreshments are served at a pair of on-course palapas. www.questrogolf.com

Palmilla Golf Club

The first Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Latin America, Palmilla’s Mountain and Arroyo nines set the stage for top-shelf golf in Los Cabos when the core 18 opened in 1992. Chiseled into in a box-shaped canyon framed by stark brown peaks, Palmilla was the first course in the hemisphere to partake of the region’s mountain, desert and ocean ecosystem.

Routed around cactus-covered hills, boulder-strewn arroyos and vast

waste bunkers, the layout’s five sets of tees provide admirable versatility. An upland spread featuring beautiful ocean views, Palmilla is framed by multi-armed cardon cacti—a cousin of the saguaro, only taller—as well as a low forest of desert trees and smaller cacti. Several holes calling for heroic carries over no man’s land from the back tees, but broad terraced fairways, generous bail-out areas and open-entry greens accommodate players of lesser attainment.

The Ocean nine, added in 1997, features a 600-foot elevation change from the first tee to the sixth green, carrying players from the mountains to the sea. www.palmillagc.com

The Palmilla Golf Club is open to the public and affiliated with One&Only Palmilla, a legendary hideaway built in 1956 by the son of a former president of Mexico. The hotel was later transformed by South African entrepreneur Sol Kerzner into a world-class resort. This elite retreat, a favorite of Hollywood A-listers, extends onto a rocky promontory that juts into the azure-blue sea. The resort’s beaches, each in a scalloped cove, are among the few in Los Cabos where the water is calm enough for swimming. This lushly landscaped resort reigns as the grand dame of Cabo’s 5-star hotels.

Solmar Golf Links

Centerpiece of an 834-acre resort community set back from a long stretch

of Pacific beach 20 minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, this Greg Norman-designed course, formerly known as Rancho San Lucas, opened in 2020.

Known for his ‘least-disturbance’ design approach, Norman tailored the course to the site’s existing terrain, creating a low-profile layout with panoramic ocean views from every hole. Spanning three different ecosystems, the layout rambles through huge windswept dunes at the start, climbs through a thick cactus forest crossed by arroyos, and returns players to the beach and sea on the back nine. Even on a windy day, wide corridors and generous targets give players at all ability levels a fair chance.

Solmar Golf Links has a handful of holes on the beach, notably the par-3 third, which parallels the ocean; and the par-4 14th, a picturesque right-toleft dogleg that plays to a broad fairway framed by shouldering dunes, its target a huge raised green framed by the sea.

The club’s two on-course comfort stations, each accessible twice, serve complimentary Mexican fare and refreshments. www.solmargolf.com

PRIVATE / RESORT ACCESS Quivira Golf Club

Grafted onto a spectacular site at Land’s End, Quivira, the sixth Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Los Cabos, is an aesthetic tour de force and

Palmilla (Arroya), No. 7

a triumph of engineering. Marked by sheer cliffs, massive dunes and rolling foothills, this epic test has winding arroyos, acres of cactus, lots of rock…in sum, a little bit of everything Cabo has to offer.

The drive to the par-4 sixth hole zigzags up the side of a mountain and leads to a perch 275 feet above the sea. At under 300 yards from the forward tees, No. 6 can be driven, but it’s ‘hasta la vista’ if you miss the cliff-hanging green. After swinging past an old lighthouse circa 1905, the layout weaves through the dunes, returns to the cliffs, heads inland and finishes at a short risk-reward par 4, its slim three-level green perched high above the sea. Arguably the most daring, eclectic course Nicklaus has ever built, Quivira presents an unforgettable test from any set of tees.

Complimentary Mexican specialties and refreshments are served at the club’s four comfort stations, notably at the open-air Oasis. Quivira is accessible to guests of Pueblo Bonito Resorts, including the adults-only, all-inclusive Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort located five minutes from the course. www.quiviraloscabos.com/golf

PRIVATE / LIMITED RESORT ACCESS

Chileno Bay Golf & Beach Club

Commanding a choice location within the Los Cabos corridor, Chileno Bay

Golf & Beach Club is a 1,200-acre private resort community with protected beaches fronting a 2.5-mile stretch of coastline on the Sea of Cortes. Its showpiece is a magnificent Tom Faziodesigned golf course routed in desert foothills high above the Sea of Cortes. Graceful, flowing landforms intended to simulate rolling ocean waves characterize the design. Interlaced by sandy arroyos and framed throughout by colorful ornamentals, Chileno Bay, one of the best-conditioned courses in Cabo, presents an ocean view from every hole. Formal bunkers are filled with bright white sand imported from the U.S., with native tawny sand outlining the fairways.

Highlighted by a pair of “driveable” short par 4’s at Nos. 8 and 11, the back nine builds to a crescendo at the testing par-4 18th, which stretches to 512 yards from the tips and tumbles downhill to an infinity-edge green.

Fun fact: The tiki-style bar stools at the comfort station on the incoming nine were salvaged from the former Hotel Cabo San Lucas, a Hollywood jet-set getaway in the 1960’s.

Guests of Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, a 92-key beachfront hotel and villa resort managed by Auberge Resorts Collection, have exclusive access to the otherwise-private golf club. www.chilenobayclub.com

Diamante

Located 15 minutes north of down-

town Cabo San Lucas and fronting the Pacific Ocean, Diamante is a 1,500-acre private resort community with 36 holes of golf and a 12-hole par-3 course.

The Dunes Course, ranked among the world’s Top 100 courses by both Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine, is a splendid Davis Love III design carved into vast white sand hills set back from the ocean. This breezy, lay-of-the-land links, known for its large undulating greens, skirts enormous dunes and blowout bunkers on its journey to and from the sea. The par-5 18th hole, which calls for a lofted approach to a shelf-like green 50 feet above fairway level, is arguably the toughest finishing hole in Los Cabos.

Diamante’s El Cardonal, featuring an “Old California” design motif, marked the architectural debut of Tiger Woods when it opened in 2014. Defined by flashed-faced bunkers, this multi-themed layout transitions from sand dunes to rolling foothills edged by desert vegetation and winding arroyos. With its wide fairways and open-entry greens, El Cardonal was designed to appeal to golfers at all skill levels. The course will host the World Wide Technology Championship, a PGA Tour event, this fall.

Guests of the on-site Nobu Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel have limited access to Diamante’s courses, subject to availability. www.diamantecabosanlucas. com/the-experience/golf

Diamante Dunes, No. 16

Robert J. Bettinardi has taken his wedge line to a new level of performance with a perfected redesign of technology and appearance in his all-new Bettinardi HLX 5.0 Forged Wedges. The HLX 5.0 Forged Wedges aim to provide a greater focus on player performance and versatility for any wedge shot, in all conditions.

Twin Dolphin Golf Club

Occupying a broad sloping plateau bisected by three major arroyos high above Santa Maria Bay, Twin Dolphin’s naturalistic layout, built by Hall of Famer Fred Couples and Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design, features sweeping views of the Sea of Cortes from every hole. Framed by craggy mountain peaks, the course makes admirable use of the site’s natural contours and rock outcrops. Known for its firm, fast conditions, the golf club, centerpiece of a 1,400-acre master-planned community, occupies the site and retains the name of the iconic Hotel Twin Dolphin, a local hospitality legend.

In addition to four sets of tees ranging from 7,156 to 5,011 yards, the club offers three additional sets of combination tees to provide maximum versatility. This unembellished layout has broad rolling fairways, open-entry greens, minimal forced carries and sharp elevation changes. To settle bets, there’s a short par-3 “bye hole” that calls for a 95-yard pitch shot over an arroyo.

Players are privy to personalized service, a caddie program, two on-course “Red Door” comfort stations, and a state-of-theart practice facility.

Twin Dolphin is a private club with exclusive access available to guests of Montage Los Cabos, a 122-room resort on Santa Maria Bay; and Montage Residences (52 two- and three-bedroom turnkey units). www.twindolphinloscabos.com

OFF-COURSE ATTRACTIONS

FISHING: Nicknamed “Marlin Alley,” Los Cabos is a sport fishing capital nonpareil—more big-game fish are caught here than anywhere else in the world. Catch and release is the general rule for billfish. Blue and black marlin season runs from June through December. Striped marlin are plentiful yearround. Sailfish are taken from April through October. Tuna, dorado, wahoo and roosterfish are among the prized species that swim in Cabo’s nutrientrich waters.

ECO-ADVENTURES: The whale watching season in Los Cabos— December through March—marks the arrival of hundreds of whales that migrate from Alaska to the warm, calm waters surrounding the Baja Peninsula. Balmy weather, ideal salinity and abundant marine life makes the bays and lagoons around Los Cabos the perfect place for whales to birth and rear their young. Of the eight species that venture to Cabo, the most popular are the humpback whales, which spout close to shore and thrust themselves out of the water in fantastic leaps. Whale-watching excursions are available from the Cabo San Lucas marina. Landlubbers can enjoy guided desert hikes, outback camel safaris, beach horseback riding, desert jeep tours, ATV excursions, mountain biking, rock climbing and bird watching.

WATER SPORTS: In addition to snorkeling, parasailing, surfing, windsurfing, sea kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing and swimming, Los Cabos boasts the best scuba diving on Mexico’s west coast. In addition to pristine offshore sites, the world’s only sand falls are found 90 feet below Pelican Rock at El Arco, the iconic rock formation at Land’s End. These unique underwater sand accretions were discovered by the French explorer Jacques Cousteau, who described the Sea of Cortes as “the aquarium of the world.”

DINING & NIGHTLIFE: Los Cabos has earned an enviable reputation for its superlative restaurants. Dining choices range from elegant whitetablecloth establishments to casual beachside eateries specializing in Baja’s famous fish or shrimp tacos. Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Pacific Rim cuisines are well-represented, as is authentic regional Mexican cuisine. Local seafood is highly regarded—sushi, sashimi and ceviche are outstanding. Nightlife can be as quiet as the waves and the stars, though party pandemonium reigns ‘til the wee hours in Cabo’s lively nightclubs.

For more information, visit www.visitloscabos.travel

Twin Dolphin, No. 4

WHERE THE GOLF IS FIT FOR A KING Morocco

By Jo Maes, President European Golf & Travel Media Association

Morocco is fast on track to become a powerhouse in golf tourism.

The pride of golf in Morocco is undoubtedly the Red Course of the Dar es Salam Golf Club. Situated in the seaside capital city of Rabat, this is where the Royal family resides and the Moroccan Golf Federation has their headquarters.

Back in the 60’s when Robert Trent Jones was designing Valderrama, the then King of Morocco Hassan II, a keen golfer, asked RTJ to come and take a look at this area inside the city where he was aiming to build a golf

complex. Hassan II had a vision (and the finances) to put the country on the golf map and the Moroccan’s had already seen the who’s who of professional golf play. Winners of the Hassan II Trophy over the years were Billy Casper, Payne Stewart, Lee Trevino, Roger Maltbie, David Toms, Nick Price, Ernie Els, Sam Torrance, Padraig Harrington and many more. The event started in 1971 when Orville Moody took the first trophy. It currently is a venue on the PGA Tour Champions schedule.

The Moroccan Royal Family has a hand in every sporting initiative and golf is no different. The eldest son of

Hassan II, King Mohammed VI, is the fifth wealthiest monarch in the world. His brother, Moulay Rachid and his sister Lalla Meryem, are the ones involved in golf. Under their reign, the country has undergone many reformations and has become a modern society with a vibrant economy.

So, back in the 60’s, RTJ came and was commissioned to design the Red, Blue and Green course which have become 45 of the most impressive holes in Morocco. The Red is a monster from the back tees measuring 7.372 yards for a Par of 73. Recently upgraded by Coore & Crenshaw in cooperation with the Prince Moulay Rachid, all (massive) bunkers and (equally massive) greens were redesigned to create a superb test of golf. While the PGA Champions are battling it out on the Red, the European Ladies Tour have

(Above) Golf El Jadida - In between the Atlantic Ocean and the Eucalyptus forest lies a challenging layout.

their event at the same time on the Blue Course. It is obligatory to use one of the local caddies and mine was Mohammed with badge Nr. 1 as he had been there for 54 years. They are well worth it to guide you around the course and get your ball on the occasional stray shot.

The city of Rabat was founded in the 12th century and has seen many occupants. It was a pirate base from where the Corsairs raided the Spanish and Portuguese ships, overflowing with goodies on their way home from the East and West. It is now the cultural, religious and political capital of Morocco. There are plenty of land-

marks to see including a visit to the Royal Palace, the Kasbah, the Hassan Tower, the Royal Mausoleum and plenty more.

Just south of Spain, Morocco is becoming a great golf tourism alternative. Some of the most recent James Bond and Mission Impossible movies have all had scenes shot in Morocco. The Strait of Gibraltar, the entrance to the Mediterranean, is a 9.3 mile sea passage covered by numerous ferries connecting the African and European continents. Morocco is one of the world’s biggest growers of fruit and vegetables all destined for Europe and all of this produce has to get across the

narrow passageway making it one of the busiest crossings anywhere.

From Tarifa in Spain, you end up in Tangier, a city synonymous with spies, diplomats and artists and where in 1914 the first golf course in Morocco was established. The Royal Country Club of Tangier is old school with narrow dog legged fairways and small greens, a quaint historic clubhouse with probably one of the best restaurants in the city. Just outside of Tangier, the new layout of the Hilton Al Houara covers a massive area along the Atlantic Ocean. The Graham Marsh course, with input from Vijay Singh, is a modern golf course with multiple tees and mas-

6th Hole at Red Course Dar es Salam Golf Club

Hilton Al Houara - the 18th plays towards the Atlantic Ocean where the wind is always present.

sive greens. The practice facilities are a golfer’s dream and one could spend plenty of time in the on-site Hilton hotel overlooking the Atlantic.

Farther South is Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city and the economic capital. It’s Morocco’s main seaport and one of the world’s largest artificial ports. About 40 minutes outside of Casablanca, we head to El Jadida and Mazagan. Built by the Portuguese to protect their ships heading East, the fortified city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is definitely worth a visit.

Nearby, you will find The Golf EL Jadida, a pleasant course designed by Cabell B. Robinson that runs through a Eucalyptus forest and with the final 3 holes along the sea, finishes like a links. It’s almost always windy which increases the difficulty but will still provide a pleasant round for all abilities.

Farther along the coast, the fabulous Mazagan Beach, Golf & Spa Resort is a sight to behold and a destination all its own. Conceived by Sol Kerzner who built the Sun City complex in South Africa, it offers 492 rooms, Morocco’s largest casino, 13 restaurants and bars including one right on the beach, several play areas, pools and a fantastic Gary Player designed golf course. Its size is staggering as it covers over 600 acres, has 4 ½ miles of beach, and provides employment to between 1000 and 1800 people, including 70 greenkeepers.

It Mazagan Beach is the longest course in North Africa measuring 7,530 yards and, although it would be sacrilege to call it a ‘links’ it has many of the characteristics of a links course. With hardly a tree in sight, plenty of wind, it meanders through the low lying dunes and features plenty of seaside holes. Not one hole is the same and it requires plenty of different shot shapes to manage a decent score. Complemented by exemplary practice facilities, a fully equipped gym and a spa to relax after your round, it is definitely worth a look.

North of Casablanca, near the town of Bouznika, the Bahia Golf Beach Resort features another Cabell B. Robinson design. With 100 bunkers it is no pushover. The Vichy Celestins Spa Hotel is bright and make sure to head to the beach and the Chiringuito bar and restaurant where the setting sun accompanies the local delicacies. There is some real estate along the opening and closing holes of the back 9 but nothing intrusive and one of the unique features of this course is how they built the tee boxes. They are raised and contained, flat like billiard tables and with gravel around them to minimize water consumption.

Next February, the PGA Tour Champions will head to Rabat and the Red Course. The tournament will be hosted by the Hassan II Trophy organization, the Royal Moroccan

Golf Federation all coordinated by the Royal Palace itself. That same week, the Ladies European Tour will play on the Blue Course. Morocco has ambitions to become a powerhouse in golf and golf tourism. Their new national academy likely will become the envy of the golf world where local golfers will be trained to the highest standards to start competing with the best golfers in the world.

Morocco is a magical place. It’s steeped in history from the Phoenicians (800 to 300 BC) through the Alaouite Dynasty (1666-present) and the current Royal Family. It is an enlightened society where the current King Mohammed VI took a more liberal course by increasing rights for women, creating a parliamentary system and decreasing influence of the extreme Islamist movements. They are also very active in Women’s Golf Day and Elisa Gaudet joined us on the trip to discuss further initiatives with the Moroccan Golf Federation. This is now a very safe country with vibrant cities, law and order, a great food culture that can rival the best of the world’s cuisines. Through all the reforms, the country does retain its Saharan Berber mystique. It can get hot in Morocco but many of the courses are seaside with an Atlantic breeze providing a welcome coolness. This is a country well worth considering with plenty of non-stop flights from the USA.

Mazagan Golf - Pristine practice facilities allow you to prepare for the challenge that lies ahead.

DRIVERS AND IRONS FOR THIS SUMMER

By ED TRAVIS

Withthe golf season well-underway, some of us are thinking about replacing our drivers or maybe our irons. It could be something simple such as losing confidence in hitting the fairway off the tee or sticking that 7-iron in the right part of the green. As time goes by, our bodies change, flexibility, and strength change or possibly we finally took the time for that series of lessons and our swings have changed.

Since most golfers are likely to find game-improvement clubs are the best for them, California Golf+Travel has surveyed what is available in that category with a list of some we think are worth considering.

The way to make your decision is not to “test drive” a friend’s one-wood or play a couple of holes with his irons. Before heading out with credit card in hand, though, we would be remiss if we didn’t remind everyone the best way to find any new club is with a professional fitting.

Callaway Paradym Driver

Worldwide Callaway is the largest seller of golf clubs, and they say the Paradym has a “paradigm shift” in the construction to meld the needs of distance and forgiveness. The sole is forged carbon fiber, and the crown is made of triaxial carbon. The face design and Jailbreak internal stiffener were designed using A.I. An adjustable hosel of course and the sole also has a 15-gram sliding weight for further player-fitting. $599.99

Cobra Aerojet Driver

Cobra’s Aerojet series of drivers includes three head shapes for three player skill levels and the game-improvement Aerojet has a new aerodynamic head shape with rounded leading edges top and bottom to lessen drag on the downswing. The L-shaped face is variable thickness to aid off-center impacts and the head has a performance enhancing internal PWR-BRIDGE. The sole makes use of a fixed 12-gram weight. $549.00

TaylorMade Stealth 2 Driver

TaylorMade is unique with their Stealth driver having a carbon face rather than the usual titanium and, including the carbon fiber in the body, can boast almost twice the amount compared with last year’s model. Performance is enhanced with a sole weight towards the heel and a 25-gram weight contained within the wrap around carbon skirt. The hosel is adjustable and the familiar Speed Pocket behind the face. $599.99

Srixon ZX5 Mk II

Srixon included their proprietary Rebound Frame which has two zones that flex at impact: one is the variable thickness face and the second a flexibility zone away from the face that bulges outward at impact. When the zones return to shape energy transfer is increased and a 10% higher COR gives added yards. The inner lattice design crown construction is called a Star Frame for added stability. $499.99

Titleist TSR2 Driver

Compared with the previous model the head has been reshaped with the addition of an extended trailing edge or “boat tail” from the crown to improve air flow. Overall, the 460cc TSR2 has a slimmer profile and produces a high launch with lower spin. Weighting includes a 9-gram replaceable weight in the boat tail. A specially designed variable thickness and adjustable hosel are standard. $599

Cobra Aerojet Irons

The internal stiffening of this hollow iron called PWR-BRIDGE is a hefty 70-grams and has been reworked into an “untethered” configuration, fastened at the toe and heel with the entire interior injected with a polymer to help with sounding dampening and feel at impact. A set of seven with steel shafts is $999 and with graphite shafts $1099. Aerojets are available in the usual variable length or One Length.

Srixon ZX5 MkII Irons

As the name implies the ZX5s are the second version of their MainFrame technology which is a pattern of voids areas and grooves milled into the back that increases the club forgiveness and improves face flex. The sole is the Tour V.T. profile with added bounce on the leading edge which assists the head to pass more cleanly through the turf. A set of seven irons with steel shafts is $1200 and with graphite shafts $1300.

Tour Edge Exotics E723 Irons

These irons are designed to be easy to hit and forgiving for recreational players with a larger sweet spot in the slightly larger head and TPU injected in the undercut pocket. The variable thickness face is a series of diamond shapes that act like little trampolines to produce more ball speed. Toe weighting lengthens the sweet spot for higher MOI and locating the CG behind the face. Set of seven $910 with steel shafts, $1025 graphite.

Wilson Dynapower Irons

The return of Dynapower brand irons turns our memory back to when it was the dominant brand in professional golf. The reintroduced iron design used supercomputer AI software to construct the variable thickness face profile complimenting the familiar Power Holes or slots in the sole. Weighting is low in the head for high launch and towards the toe. A set of seven irons with steel shafts is $800 and $900 with graphite.

NEW WEDGES AND PUTTERS

By ED TRAVIS

There’s no doubt that after a while the old faithful flatstick we’ve been carrying around loses its magic or the wedge you could usually stick really close no longer works like it did. No one knows why. It just happens.

A fellow in our usual group claims his putter dated from the 1990s but at last week’s game he proudly showed off a new model mallet markedly different from the blade he was tapping them in with and though he didn’t bring it up there also was a new 56-degree wedge peeking out of the bag. Maybe he figured out why the old ones no longer did the job.

Putting and the short game have strong per sonal components as anything in golf because much of the scoring shots with wedges and certainly putting rely on confidence from the proper techniques and of course feel. How a putter in particular looks at address is a big factor and as someone said a few years ago, one of the new more extreme putter head de signs had the look of a fine piece of plumbing. But of course, the truth is, if the ball goes in the hole who cares what it looks or feels like.

Here a some of the current putter and wedge models available for your testing if this

Bettinardi Golf Studio Stock Putters

Each of the six Studio Stock Series putter shapes (3 blades and 2 mallets plus one left-handed mallet) is milled from a single piece of 303 stainless steel with Roll Control Face grooves designed to get a true roll on the ball more quickly. Head weights of 358 grams are consistent for each model as is the loft of 3-degrees. Each has a Diamond Blast/Polish finish to cut glare at address. Retail price is $450 each.

Cleveland Golf Frontline Elite Putters

We like the Frontline Elite 1.0 model, one of eight new models introduced for 2023. The familiar head shape has a moderate toe-hang suitable for strokes with a slight arc. All Frontline models have a center of gravity towards the face to help reduce head rotation if the impact is slightly off center. Face grooves are more closely spaced in the center and wider towards heel and toe for speed control. Priced at $250 with 34” shaft.

Odyssey Versa Jailbird Putter

The Versa Jailbird mallet putter first was introduced in 2013, 10 years ago, and has found a new popularity on the PGA Tour with wins at the U.S. Open by Wyndham Clark, the Travelers by Keegan Bradley and the Rocket Mortgage Classic in the hands of Rickie Fowler. Easy to spot from the black and white pattern on the head, the Jailbird is counterbalanced to decrease use of wrists in the stroke. Limited supply $400.

Scotty Cameron Super Select Putters

The Super Select line has four new mallet additions: the GOLO 6 rounded compact, the GOLO 6.5 small I-beam jet neck, the Del Mar heel shafted compact mallet and Fastback 1.5 sculpted I-beam jet neck.

The GOLO 6 and GOLO 6.5 are milled from 303 stainless steel with stainless steel sole weights. The Del Mar and Fastback 1.5 have dual milled faces, and the Fastback uses an aluminum sole plate. Priced at $449

TaylorMade Golf Reserve M37 Putter

TP Reserve M37 mallets are new this year with a circular perimeter and three lines to assist in accurate alignment. The 303 stainless steel head is precision milled and with machined grooves and produces the feel and sound that the best golfers expect. The shaft’s hosel is a single bend style and toe-hang is a moderate 12°. Part of the nine-model Reserve family, it is priced at $400.

Bettinardi Golf HLX 5.0 Wedge

The redesigned HLX 5.0 wedges are forged from soft carbon steel with a deeper face for added short shot control and a ladder pattern of milling on the back, so the center of gravity is effectively raised resulting in a flatter more precise trajectory. Grooves are formed using their proprietary High Helix Cut machining. Eleven combinations of loft, bounce and sole grind are standard in Chrome or Graphite PVD finishes. $220 each.

Cleveland Golf RTX 6 ZipCore Wedges

Maximum spin control from most any lie is the idea behind the latest of the new RTX 6 ZipCore wedges. Grooves have the sharpest radii Cleveland has ever made with a tighter pattern and loft-dependent laser etched patterns between. This, the sixth version of ZipCore, extends the hollow portion of the hosel and heel filled with low density material moving the center of gravity towards the toe. $170 with a Tour Satin finish.

TaylorMade Golf Hi-Toe 3 Wedge

The first feature most notice in the Hi-Toe wedges is the full-face milled grooves and scoring lines plus the raised ribs in between giving extra spin. The wide sole is cambered in four directions and has a low leading edge for extra help at impact. The higher toe design raised the wedge’s center of gravity to promote a lower more controlled launch combined with higher spin rates. $180 Copper or Satin finish.

Titleist Vokey SM9 Wedge

The SM9 wedges by designer Bob Vokey pack his years of experience making wedges for the best players in the world into a classic shape with a new groove pattern finished by localized heat treatment and 100% inspection prior to shipment. The forward center of gravity has been raised to help with a precise ball flight. A new T-Grind joins the six other choices for sole configuration. Select from three finishes $179

FASHION FOR CALIFORNIA SUMMER GOLF

By ED TRAVIS

Summer on the golf course is usually warm if not hot and calls for apparel and shoes that help to keep us cool while providing the performance we need both swinging a club and just walking down the fairway.

Here are a few items that fill those requirements plus they look good and make you look good.

Olukai Kapalua Golf Shoe

Puma x Liberty Polo

Puma Golf and Liberty of London have teamed up for a new apparel collection tied to the British Open this year. We like the polo shirts colored with reds, greens and blues that contemporize the Liberty tree of life with stylized blooms and ornamental leaves. Many of the patterns are unique to Liberty and show a casual elegance that’s course-ready with style, performance and low maintenance. Polos are $85 to $90

Here’s a lightweight sneaker-style men’s golf shoe with comfort designed and built in. The upper repels water and stains and the midfoot has laced webbing to always ensure a positive fit. Footbeds are contoured for all day wear and support with a nice touch, they are removable and washable. The sole has Olukai’s Wet Grip Rubber cleats patterned for traction laterally and front to back. Five color combinations $150 pair.

Swing Control Camouflage Ponte Slim Pants

Duca del Cosma Alexa Golf Shoes

Fashion conscious women will appreciate the chic yet sophisticated look of the Alexa golf shoes from Duca del Cosma. Made with all day wear performance they are waterproof, have a breathable memory foam insert sole with recycled cork, and the heel and toecap are recyclable. The key to performance is swing stability and Alexa’s sole features gradationally sized nubs to get the job done. Three color choices $219 per pair.

Linksoul Solid Boardwalker Short

These classically styled men’s shorts are partly made from recycled water bottles with a bit of four-way stretch built in for wearing comfort. The material is 35% recycled poly, 32% polyester with 8% spandex and 25% cotton saltwater washed to complete the look. Great whether on the course or off Linksoul offers a choice of ten colors to add fashion to any wardrobe. The retail price is $86 per pair.

Women will like the comfortable, stylish, and flattering style of this pants with Swing Control’s unique “tummy-smoothing” design. Camouflage patterns are the cutting edge of today’s fashion and playing golf is a great opportunity to show it off. The flattering construction of these pants features a polished edge of Ponte fabric with a heavyweight luxurious feel. On the course or off, this pant is an instant upgrade to any outfit. The camo pant retails for $138.00.

World’s Best Polarized Sunglasses

Justin Turner Collection: Arcata SR / Matte Grey

GOLF WITHOUT PAIN

Here’s a scenario you might find familiar: You start a round of golf feeling great and excited about the day ahead. Then, a few holes in, it happens. Your lower back starts acting up and the rest of the round you’re focused more on your pain than anything else. Fact is, low back pain is the most common complaint and injury in the game of golf. But, why?

GOLF IS A NATURAL CAUSE FOR PAIN

By its nature, the rotational forces of the golf swing create inherent risk to the lumbar spine (lower back). This is mainly because the golf swing is onesided (asymmetrical), with high-velocity movement through the lower back repeated over and over which makes the lower back tissues, such as discs and joints, subjected to very high loads that can wear down and degenerate much faster than other areas of the body. The result is often tight, painful muscles that can lead to serious conditions over time such as disc bulges and herniations, arthritis, stenosis and more.

SOLUTIONS TO ELIMINATE AND PREVENT LOW BACK PAIN WHILE GOLFING

No matter how long you may have been struggling with back pain, there are proactive measures you can take to prevent it. For many golfers, the problems that cause low back pain respond well to mobility and strengthening exercises. Very few cases need surgery, if caught early enough, which leads to an important PSA for all golfers: Surgery for low back pain without radiculopathy (pain/numbness/ tingling in the legs, arms, hands, feet) should not be considered without trying conservative measures first!

THE POWER OF TWO

There are two general categories of proactive exercise measures to prevent and relieve back pain associated with golf: strength/endurance and mobility.

1. Strength/Endurance: Building strength and endurance in key areas will enhance the body’s natural protective mechanisms against joint and soft tissue injury. Strong muscles act as a protective counter force against those created during the golf swing.

2. Mobility: Increasing mobility in certain areas takes pressure off of other areas where too much mobility can be damaging. This results in less rotational force being absorbed in the lower back and less risk of injury.

HOW TO PLAY GOLF WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BACK PAIN Committing to an exercise and mobility program specific for golf is crucial for preventing injury and pain over time. Even just two to three days of following the right program can make a world of difference in your ability to resist pain and injury and help you stay focused on par instead of pain.

Jeremy James, DC, CSCS Founder of GolfForever

Slay Your Slice

The#1 cause of a slice is a discrepancy between the face angle and the path the golf club is traveling. For a right-handed golfer, when the club face is pointed more rightward than the direction the club travels (let’s say leftward), the golf ball will spin away from the golfer creating that nasty banana slice! If you are in a rut and cannot get the ball to stop moving right, here is the simplest and quickest way to get your ball to stay on the golf course.

There are several ways players will mistakenly open their club face to create a slice. Some open it in the backswing excessively and some golfers under rotate their hands in the downswing. Repositioning the hands on the grip (making the grip “stronger”) can be a quick way to increase your chances of squaring the face at impact, however this can often be very uncomfortable for the player.

Try a “knuckles down” approach to keep the clubface square to slightly closed in the takeaway position, top

position, and down swing sequence. Fair warning-if done properly, your misses will be more left biased with a pull shot. However, you’ll instantly gain distance since the ball won’t be curving, and you’ll stay on the golf course.

You’ll have a feeling of your lead hand knuckles facing downward in the backswing, away from you at the top of the swing, and again facing downward in the downswing. Keep checking to see if the face of the club matches your spine angle to give you a good sense whether the face has opened or kept square.

Keep in mind if your club path is still one that swings more leftward (out-to in) you’ll experience pull shots to begin with (shots that fly left with little to no curve). As you learn how to square the face, and build some confidence on reducing the slice action, you can then begin working on improving the swing plane and body rotation to match up for a straight shot. Try this out to slay your slice!

2016

2015

www.pga.com/coach/alison

Alison Curdt, PsyD, PGA, LPGA Wood Ranch Golf Club Golf Digest Best Young Instructor

SCPGA Teacher of the Year

LPGA National Teacher of the Year

Keeping the knuckles of your left hand down on the takeaway will ensure a square clubface

Excessively rotating your clubface open creates multiple problems

Keep the clubface square to slightly closed at the top of your backswing

PLAY WITHOUT LIMITS

THE GOLFFOREVER SWING TRAINER

Paired with the GolfForever app, the GolfForever Swing Trainer guides you step by step to dramatically improve your flexibility, speed and movement patterns in your swing.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WO RLD #1

Shank You Very Much!

Thedreaded shank is experienced by all golfers at all levels of the game, from the beginner to professionals like Roy McAvoy from Tin Cup! The surprising thing is that it is a very small miss with a very detrimental result. There are many causes but the bottom line to the “hosel rocket” is that you have pushed the club out from your starting point ½ to ¾ of an inch forward away from your body.

Here are a few things you can do to instantly correct this miscue:

1. Head Cover Tip: take one of your head covers and place it on the outside of the ball approximately an inch away from the ball. Swing your club with the only intention to NOT hit the head cover. Don’t worry about hitting the ball, just try to miss the head cover. Hopefully your natural instincts will kick in and your body and arms will do whatever it takes to avoid hitting the object. If the head cover doesn’t work we go to drastic measures and get a 2 x 4 piece of wood and go through the same drill. Once you’ve hit the wood a few times your body will learn very quickly how to avoid it, this is the Pavlov effect!

out of the way but keep that picture in your head. As you swing the club try to hit the imaginary inside ball. You can also use a tee for this drill and actually try to hit it.

If you are shanking the ball with the toe of the club just reverse the process. You can’t use the 2x4 in this situation though!

From a set up standpoint, Check your posture as you might be a standing to close to the ball and check your arm hang. Are your arms hanging directly under your shoulders or inside your shoulder line? Check your weighting; hosel shanking can be caused by your weight starting centered and then shifting to the balls of your feet on the down swing.

I have seen golfers with shanking problems try to line the club on the toe of the club. This approach while seeming logical actually tends to worsen the situation. Golf is a very counterintuitive mental activity, when your mind sees the ball lined up at the toe of your club, your body will react according to what you see. So

you will want to push the club away from your body further which is the cause to your problem! Try setting up lining the ball on the heal or hosel of your club. Now your mind will tell your body to do the opposite…hopefully. Otherwise, the drills above will surely work.

Randy Chang PGA Director of Instruction Journey at Pechanga

2. 2-Ball Drill: Place 2 balls side by side as shown in the picture. Set up to the outside ball, kick the inside ball

Tru Umbrella & Tru Homeowners Insurance Solutions

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Umbrella policies require that primary coverage is in place. Know the difference that most policies have GAPS and GRAY areas that the XINSURANCE Tru Umbrella solution can cover.

SOLUTION:

XINSURANCE Tru Umbrella identifies those GAPS and GRAY areas in Home, Work and Play activities and fills the gaps and exclusions with customized Tru Umbrella coverage for individuals and businesses.

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XINSURANCE is powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, LC (“EIB”), an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage.

XINSURANCE is a DBA of EIB, which is domiciled in and has its principal place of business in Sandy, Utah. This insurance product is offered by an unlicensed surplus lines insurer. The NPN for EIB is 5464658 and CA license number is 0H93938.

TEQUILA DON ANSELMO BLANCO

Thisstory begins in a town called San Juanito de Escobedo, Jalisco, a place known over time for cultivating some of the finest agaves in the region. In this magical place, Don Anselmo García is born, a passionate Tequila enthusiast who gradually acquired knowledge and experience.

Don Anselmo’s dream and vision were to establish his own distillery to embody all the knowledge he had acquired throughout his life.

However, over the years, Don Anselmo couldn’t witness the realization of his legacy. It wasn’t until 1996 that his greatgrandson, after many years of sacrifice and hard work, could make his greatgrandfather’s dream come true.

Using techniques, production secrets, and, above all, the inherited passion, Don José García decides to launch this special edition as a recognition and tribute to his great-grandfather Anselmo.

Don Anselmo is crafted through the secret of cooking the agave’s honey and employing the best production practices.

Today, Don Anselmo’s distillery is a reality. In Mexico, we understand that dreams transcend, just like the flavor of our Tequila.

AROMA: The predominance is citric orange blossom aromas combined with herbal notes, also can be found in the sweetness from cooked agave.

TASTE: The sweetness of the caramel, obtained during the cooking of the agave, is confirmed. The alcoholic impact is low and very pleasant. This tequila has a rich vanilla flavor.