Spring 2015 Complimentary Copy
Your Passion is Our Purpose
EDUARDO FIGUEROA “FROM THE BALLPARK TO THE GOLF COURSE”
Learning from the Masters Baseball Movements that Can Improve Your Golf Six “Boricuas” at the Latin America Amateur Championship Andrew Kozan victorious at the Junior Puerto Rico Open Meet Caparra’s Executive Chef José Meléndez
M i x o l o gy
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r e s tau r a n t s
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gastronomy
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wines
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sports
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pl ac es to v i s i t
Director/Publisher Charlie Bautista Sub-Director and Coordinator Verónica Rosario Editor, Proofreader, Translator Oscar Peñalber Art Director & Graphic Designer Laura Wood Photography Priscilla Rivera Writers and Collaborators Julio Soto Iván O. Puig Alberto C. Medina Gil Jorge López Andres Subira Chip Koehlke Dr. Rosa Echavarría Ricardo Picorelli Joseph Nelson Consultant Julio Soto Executive Director PRGA Sales and Marketing Charlie Bautista Advertise your business Please contact us at:
787-503-5437 sales@golftourismpr.com
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©2015 JVS Media Corporation PO Box 9023856 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-3856
your passion is our purpose
CONTENTS
Golf & Special Features
10 11 12
18
Golf News Amateur Golf News by the PRGA
24
Golf News Dominican Republic’s “Casa de Campo” to Host the LAAC 2016
Cover Story From The Ballpark To The Golf Course By Alberto C. Medina Gil
Tourism
46 48
Our Concierge Recommends Interview With Rum Expert Javier Herrera
Regulars
6
Golf Courses Guide
8
Opening Shot Director’s Letter
38
Six “Boricuas” at the Latin America Amateur Championship
Interview Music & Golf: the Twin Passions of “Apy” López By Alberto C. Medina Gil
31
Junior Golf Kozan Victorious At The Puerto Rico Junior Open
52 56 58
Meet Caparra’s Executive Chef Golf Gusto Daimajin Restaurant Barbakoa Restaurant
42 50
36 20
Learning from the Masters Baseball Movements That Can Inprove Your Golf By Chip Koehlke
44
Interview Juan González: A Prodigious Golf Legend In PR By Charlie Bautista Meeting On The Green An All Heart Tournament
Fitness & Health Golf Is A Sport For A Lifetime By Ricardo Picorelli
Fitness & Health Correlating The Transition From Baseball To Golf By Ricardo Picorelli Mixology Spring Break!
GOLF COURSES GUIDE
PUERTO RICO
Aguirre Golf Club
El Legado Golf Club
Road 705, Km 3, Aguirre, Salinas Type: Public
18 holes championship golf club
Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club Route 187 Kilometer 4.2, Rio Grande Phone: (866) 529-3996
Caguas Real Golf & Country Club 700 Alhambra Blvd., Caguas Phone: (787) 653-4653
Club Deportivo Del Oeste Carr. 102 KM 15.4 Int., Joyudas, Cabo Rojo
Costa Caribe Golf & Country Club Ponce, Porta Caribe
Puerto Rico 53, Guayama Phone: (787) 866-8894 / 400-0042
Fort Buchanan Golf Course Building 171, Fort Buchanan
Las Bambuas Golf Course Road 189 Km. 10.1 Jardin, Gurabo
Palmas Athletic Club The Flamboyan Course The Palm Course #1 Country Club Drive Humacao, PR 00791 Phone: (787) 656-3000
Punta Borinquen Golf and Country Club Base Ramey, Aguadilla
Rio Bayamon Golf Course
Dorado Beach Resort & Club East Course
Verdes Carr. 177, Bayamon Type: Public Phone: (787) 740-1419
West Course 100 Dorado Beach Drive, Dorado Phone: (787) 626-1010
100 Clubhouse Drive, Rio Grande
El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa
The Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort
1000 Conquistador Avenue, Fajardo
Ocean Course
Embassy Suites Dorado del Mar Beach & Golf Resort 201 Dorado Del Mar Boulevard, Dorado
6
Trump International Golf Club
River Course 6000 Rio Mar Blvd., Rio Grande Phone: (877) 636-0636
G&T | SPRING 2015
“Insight and strategy from the best caddy�
Be a part of Golf and Tourism Magazine and let our readers cross paths with you (787) 503-5437 / charlie@golftourismpr.com
Opening Shot
Dear Reader
Y
ou d don’t need to be a world champ to appreciate the beauty and variety of our golf courses. And there are spectacular courses on the island. Most have been designed by golf legends such as Robert Trent Jones, Rees Jones, Greg Norman, George and Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Arthur Hills, and Puerto Rico’s superstar, Chi Chi Rodriguez. The courses have remarkable landscape architecture that impresses golfers and non-players alike. All of Puerto Rico’s courses share the island’s yearround summer weather, tempered by cool, gentle breezes. You are almost guaranteed a brilliant tropical sky and glimpses of sparkling white sand beaches backed by the blue Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Most greens are natural g green, planted with strains rains of Bermuda grass adapted dapted for our climate. Just to mention some e of our great courses, here ere are my picks: I’ll start art with ach and PlanDorado Beach ation. The island’s besttation. known golf complex was designed by Robert Trent l outs Jones Sr. All four layouts bear Jones’ signature t runway tees, ample bunk kering, and big, sculpted greens, but with the inimitable island flavoring of wind, ocean views and lagoons. The first (and the best) is the East Course, a classic route that roams through hills on the front nine, and then drops to the scenic coast for its second act. Dorado East and Plantation South have been renovated and upgraded recently. You can get more information at www.doradobeachclub. com or 787-796-1234.
8
My second choice is Palmas del Mar. In 1999, the existing Gary Player-designed Palm Course was joined by a Rees Jones layout, the Flamboyan Course. Jones freshened up the 1975 Player track, an enchanting safari trail trapped with tangles of sea grape, tall marsh weeds, and stands of coconut palms. The fourteenth hole drops 200 feet, with the ocean and Vieques Island as a backdrop. Jones outdid himself on the dramatic Flamboyan. After circling a 23-acre lake, the route crosses the Candelero River, flirts with the ocean and then climbs into the hills for spectacular views. The terrain was rife with wetlands and streams, to which he added deep (as much as 14 feet) bunkers and tall, waving grasses. Additional information about the Golf Club is available at www.palmaspac.com or 787-656-3000. One of the island’s most dramatic settings belongs to the elegant El Legado Golf Club, Puerto Rico’s native son Chi Chi Rodriguez designed this course. The course recently opened its new clubhouse and changed the configuration on the 18-hole alignment and it is great. New carts, spanking new pro shop and clubhouse. The course is in excellent shape and can challenge the novice or the pro. Price is very reasonable for what you get, and the location is generally dry year round. The winds off the coast can provide some deviations of ball flight, but that is part of the t fun. The golf course, too, has vistas of the Caribbean Sea and mountains, but the layout snakes through hospitable ter terrain, demanding full attention. Chi Chi ma made full use of elevation changes. You can get ge more information at www.ellegadogolfclub.com or 787-866-8894. golfcl Some Som notable courses worth a spin and which whic are considered the fairest by local players are: Aguirre Golf Club, Club Deplay portivo del Oeste, Wyndham Rio Mar, Fort port Buchanan Golf Club, Las Bambúas Golf Buch Course, Punta Borinquen Golf Club and Rio Bayamón Golf Course. Puerto Rico’s embarrassment of riches is getting richer every day. Visit www.golftourismpr.com for aditional course information, as well as the latest information on the world of golf, tourism, sports and much more. Cheers,
Charlie Bautista Director and Publisher
G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf News
Amateur Golf News by the PRGA
Two Puertorrican placed among TOP 20 at LAAC A total of five birdies helped Erick Morales to complete the 18 holes below par at the Latin America Amateur Championship played in January 15-18 at Los Olivos Golf Club in Argentina. Morales finished on the 15th Place and his performance placed him among the Top 20 golfers on the Leaderboard of the regional championship for Latin American amateurs. Five out of the six local players invited to the event made the cut established, and two of them, Erick Morales and Edward Figueroa, finished among the TOP 20. The LAAC offers the winner, among many other great benefits, an invitation to the Masters in 2015. For complete coverage of the LAAC, visit www.laacgolf.com.
Melvin Morales makes Top 20 at AJGA’s PR Junior Open Playing his first AJGA event ever, 13 yearold Melvin A. Morales Valle, from Humacao, Puerto Rico, made Top 20 Juniors at the Leaderboard and best local player on the field of the PR Junior Open, presented by Eagle Dreams Golf Academy and played at Trump International Golf Club January 16-19. The other Puertorrican players competing were: Alberto Firpi, Ian Aldarondo, Kenneth Martinez, Mitzel Chevres, Jayson Gonzalez, Hector Rivera and Francisco Millan.
10
G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf News
Dominican Republic’s
Casa de Campo to Host 2016 LAAC
T
eeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo has been confirmed as the host venue for the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship - LAAC, as announced during the recent inaugural staging of the championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The LAAC, which was played at Pilar Golf in January, is scheduled for January 14-17 2016. Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), the LAAC was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Each year, the LAAC champion will receive an invitation to compete in the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. In addition, the winner and the runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open and U.S. Open Championship. Finally, the champion will receive full exemptions into The Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which the player is eligible. The 2016 LAAC will bring the region’s best players to one of the region’s most highly regarded venues. Designed by Pete Dye and built in the early 1970s, Teeth of the Dog at Casa de Campo features seven holes along the Atlantic Ocean and is routinely ranked as one of the best courses throughout all of Latin America.
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“It is a great honor for us to have been selected to host this prestigious championship,” said Rafael Torres, President of Casa de Campo. “We are fortunate that the selection committee has seen fit to bring the LAAC to what we believe is the finest golf resort in this region. The employees and the residents of Casa de Campo will be proud to be a part of Latin America’s premier amateur golf competition.” Casa de Campo was named the numberone golf resort in the world by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) for its collection of golf courses, professional facilities, luxury amenities, as well as its executive team’s commitment to service and exceeding guest expectations. This year’s LAAC featured 109 players from 28 countries throughout Latin
America. Television coverage included two hours of live broadcast on each of the four days being aired in more than 150 countries. Entry into Pilar Golf for the 2015 LAAC was free. The LAAC follows a model established by the Masters and The R&A when, in 2009, the organizations created the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) to advance the sport in that part of the world and to create heroes other aspiring golfers could emulate. The event in the Asia-Pacific has been an astonishing success with the likes of Hideki Matsuyama and Tianlang Guan winning the championship and going on to make an impact in the Masters Tournament and on the PGA Tour. Australia’s Antonio Murdaca won the 2014 championship at Royal Melbourne.
11
Golf International
Six “Boricuas”
at the
As part of an exciting new strategy by the most important organizations in the golf industry worldwide (The Masters, The R & A and USGA) the best amateur players from Latin America, including a total of six Puerto Ricans, were invited to participate in this special event. The award for winning this tournament is perhaps the dream of any golfer– an invitation to play in the 2015 edition of Masters in Augusta, among other privileges that have been agreed between different host organizations and their sponsors. All with the goal of promoting golf in the region and raise the level of competition between fans.
W
ith over 100 invited players and a total of 28 represented countries, the inaugural edition of the Latin America Amateur Championship - LAAC was played at Pilar Golf Club in Argentina. Representing our island were our current national amateur champion, Jerome Estevez with his teammates at the World Amateur past (WATC/Japan), Robert Calvesbert and Edward Figueroa, champions of the PR Championship in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Rounding out
12
the group, Erick J. Morales, who won the same title as his colleagues in 2013, and like Joseph Oscar Rodriguez, played for the NCAA with Team Alabama State University and was Junior Champion PR in 2010, and the young José Cardona, whom even before concluding his youth career with the PRGA was very excited about this opportunity. Each of these six players, like the rest of the participants, has been invited to the championship due to their current position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“No doubt this is a great idea and The Masters, the R & A and the USGA provide an excellent opportunity to amateur players in our region. It is an excellent and important stimulus for our athletes in Puerto Rico, and at the same time a privilege that is received through relations of Puerto Rico Golf Association with these organizations,“ said Sidney Wolf, President of the PRGA. “We are pleased to see our players be part of history. It’s definitely an extremely especial honor that many of our players have been considered to participate in this event and will have the opportunity to pursue a new title and get invited to other major championships and international competitions,“ said Julio Soto, Executive Director of the PRGA.
G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf International
Jerónimo Esteve AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 33 YEARS OLD / JULY 07, 1981 BIRTH PLACE: SAN JUAN, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: WINDMERE, FL HANDICAP: +3.3 – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
@JEROESTEVE
Member of the PUR National Team for the Caribbean Amateur Team Championships, World Amateur Team Championships and the Men’s State Team Championships in 2014. Current Puerto Rico Amateur Champion (June 2014). PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Jerónimo has been playing competitive golf for a long time, and became actively involved in amateur championship golf since 2009 throughout the state of Florida within the mid-amateur division. More recently he has participated from a number of tournaments and championships in Puerto Rico including a few with a professional field involved (2012 Puerto Rico Classic). In 2014, Esteve led the the Men’s Team to another Hoerman Cup title during the CGA Championships and later was the low individual player on the team at the WATC in Japan. He also finished as the best score in the team during the USGA’s State Team.
ROBERT CALVESBERT AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 23 YEARS OLD / JUNE 28, 1991 BIRTH PLACE: SAN JUAN, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: GUAYNABO, PR HANDICAP: +1.2 – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
Member of the PUR National Team for the Caribbean Amateur Team Championships, World Amateur Team Championships and the Men’s State Team Championships in 2014. Puerto Rico Amateur Champion in 2011. PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Playing Golf since age of 3 years old, played golf for the PRGA during his entire junior golf career and later joined the Mississippi State University Men’s Golf Team.
Jose O. Rodriguez AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 21 YEARS OLD / NOVEMBER 23, 1993 BIRTH PLACE: GUAYAMA, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: GUAYAMA, PR HANDICAP: – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
Member of the PUR National Team at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships between 2010-13 and the 2010 World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina. PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Became the PR Junior Amateur Champion in 2010 and later joined the Alabama State University Men’s Golf Team were he won few events at the individual level and his team recently won the Conference Championship. Played the Junior Orange Bowl International Junior Championship in 2009.
@ OSCARJOSY WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
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Golf International
ERICK J. MORALES AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 33 YEARS OLD / JULY 07, 1981 BIRTH PLACE: SAN JUAN, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: TOA BAJA, PR HANDICAP: +2.4 – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
@ERICKJUAN
Member of the PUR National Team for the Caribbean Amateur Team Championships and the Men’s State Team Championships in 2014. Puerto Rico Amateur Champion in 2012 and Caribbean Individual Amateur Champion in 2009 PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Playing golf since the early age of 3 years old, participated from the PRGA Junior Golf Program during his entire career as a junior and winning the Junior Amateur Champion title in 2001. He later joined the Rutgers University Men’s Golf Team. Lowest competitive round registered is a 65 at PGA South Florida Section – Island Chapter Championship this year and has made three Hole-in-Ones during his golf career. Has played in two (2) World Amateur Team Championships in past, 2004 / 2010
EDWARD FIGUEROA AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 21 YEARS OLD / NOVEMBER 17, 1993 BIRTH PLACE: SOUTH CAROLINA, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: NAPLES, FL HANDICAP: +2.9 – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
Member of the Puerto Rico Team at the World Amateur Team Championships in Japan, and the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships in Puerto Rico during 2014. PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Edward, who is a first generation of puertorricans who moved to the US became the PUR Amateur Champion in 2012, the same year he won the AJGA’s Puerto Rico Junior Open. Recently Figueroa has qualified to participated from the Web.com TOUR.
JOSE L. CARD ONA AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 17 YEARS OLD / FEBRUARY 18, 1997 BIRTH PLACE: SAN JUAN, PR PERMANENT RESIDENCE: GUAYNABO, PR HANDICAP: +1.1 – REGISTERED HANDICAP INDEX PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (Tournament Wins, Most Important Results, Team Participation)
@ JOITO_18 14
Member of the PRGA Junior Amateur National at the Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championship and Captain for his teammates for the last two (2) years. PERSONAL BIOGRAPHY AS AN AMATEUR: Joito, as he is known by his family and friends has been playing competitive golf as a member of the PRGA Junior Golf Program since the young age of 6 years old. Cardona has played at the AJGA PR Junior Open for the past three years (2012-14) He has represented PUR at the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego, CA and recently participated from the Junior Orange Bowl International Junior Championships in Fl. G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf International
Erick Morales finished at the top twenty. Matias Dominguez, of Chile, award winner of an invitation to play in the 2015 edition of the Masters in Augusta and runner up Alejandro Tosti of Argentina.
FINAL RESULTS FROM THE LATIN AMERICAN AMATEURS CHAMPIONSHIP 2015
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15
Interview
Music and The Twin Passions of
“Apy” López
18
olf: By Alberto C. Medina Gil
G&T | SPRING 2015
Interview
“I
started playing golf when I was nine at Dorado del Mar,” says López, who took golf lessons with some of the finest players and teachers on the Island, like Jesús Rodríguez, Butch James, and Juan González, “and then I played until I was almost 13 with the PRGA (Puerto Rico Golf Association) Junior Program.”
When Rafael “Apy” López was a young boy learning the game of golf, he probably did not imagine that he would one day be singing merengue and dancing in music videos. When he was making a living as a professional musician, he likely did not envision that he would wind up back on the course, helping to teach and grow a sport he has always loved. But such has been the winding life and career of López, the 42-year-old Assistant Golf Pro at Wyndham Grand Río Mar, who went from golf to music and back again. Contact Rafael López for golf classes or more information at: (787) 675-6433.
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López also excelled as an all-around athlete in school, playing everything from volleyball to soccer, baseball, basketball, and football. During that time, golf took a bit of a backseat in his life, though he still played recreationally with his cousins and partnered with his father for numerous amateur and charity tournaments. “I was still passionate about golf,” he says. “I’ve always been passionate about it.” A few years later, López found another passion: music. “Ray López (no relation) had his group Zona Roja, and I started out with him; he gave me the chance,” says López. He later went on to sing in another merengue ensemble, Grupo Heavy, alongside well-known model Peter Hance, before returning to Zona Roja. “Those were some spectacular experiences,” says López of traveling and singing all around Latin America. “Then, over Christmas, I’d put together a little plena group and we’d play all over and really have a great time.” A few years ago, as opportunities in music started to dry up, López looked back to his first love: golf. “I decided to get certified as a teaching pro in 2008, and since then I’ve just gone about establishing a career in golf,” he says. “I spent two years in Dorado; I began as a starter, then I was a ranger, and for the last six or seven months Aaron West (former Golf Director) gave me the opportunity to be Assistant Pro.” Since June of 2014, López has been the Assistant Pro at Río Mar, where he also contributes to pro shop operations and has begun developing offerings for individual and group golf lessons and activities. “We do company outings, corporate teambuilding; we’ll put together a great package that includes meals and it can be a great day for spending time together and also learning,” he says. “There’s a lot of potential here, a lot of things that I want to implement that won’t just benefit me, professionally, but also Río Mar as a company and every individual taking part in it.”
López has also realized that, though he may no longer be up on stage in front of a microphone, he is still connected to the world of entertainment thanks to the large group of actors, TV personalities, and musicians who enjoy an afternoon on the golf course. “Just the other day I played in a tournament with ‘Sunshine’ (actor Emmanuel Logroño),” he says, adding that he has shared the course with fellow singers like Michael Stuart, Melina León, and “Chucho” Avellanet, as well as other celebrities like recent Golf & Tourism Magazine “cover girl” Cordelia González. “It’s a really special group, and the great thing is that whenever there’s a tournament for a good cause, they all come together and it’s really a great time,” he says. It should be no surprise that López feels especially at home when those two worlds— entertainment and golf—come together, just as they have throughout his life. “I’ve lived them both and I love them both,” he says. “For the past few years I’ve been experiencing the professional side of golf, but I also spent more time with music, and I’m really passionate about both.”
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Learning from the
Baseball Movements
That Can Improve
Your
G
I learned early in my career as an instructor and coach that, with few exceptions, good athletes make better golfers. Why is this? You might think it is because of their talent in eye-hand coordination, and that is part of it, but more importantly is that they are familiar with a kinetic chain which uses ground force required to play stick and ball sport, including golf. Also, they have a great sense of physical awareness, which allows them to make changes. In this article we are attempting to give you some insight as to how you can improve you golf swing by associating a couple of movements from baseball. If you struggle with getting the desired contact and direction or are frustrated with your lack of power and consistency, follow my tips to start changing BATTING TRAJECTORY / FIELD your game and visit your local PGA GROUNDER / LEFT Professional.
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lf
By Chip Koehlke
BASEBALL BATTING VS. GOLF SWING
Y
ou can learn a lot associating baseball batting with your full swing in golf, but understand that there are some differences. When you are batting you are doing so on a relatively horizontal plane, meaning your swinging level to the ground, where as golf is played on a vertical inclined plane, more up and down, as well as around from side to side. That said, most people struggle with golf either from incorrectly applying their previous sports experience or mistakenly conceptualizing the swing motion. In my experience, from elite tour
player to beginning golfers I have seen many variations of this error. This is mostly seen in how your shoulders arrive at impact, specifically the amount of shoulder tilt or incline. There will normally be a slight tilt at address because your right hand is lower on the club than the left, and for the purpose of this comparison we will call this position neutral or level as long as it isn’t manually exaggerated by the golfer. That said you want to return to neutral or level or the same position of your set-up.
SHOULDER INCLINE AT IMPACT
GOLF TRAJECTORY / DIRECTION / CLUBHEAD PATH
TILTED WITH LOW LEFT SIDE
LOW OR POP-UP / STARTS LEFT / LEFT
LINE DRIVE / CENTER
LEVEL TURN
CORRECT TRAJECTORY / STARTS STRAIGHT / STRAIGHT
HIGH FLY / RIGHT
TILTED WITH LOW RIGHT SIDE
TOPPED OR HIGH / STARTS RIGHT / RIGHT
TILTED RIGHT SIDE LOW
CORRECT NEUTRAL
TILTED LEFT SIDE LOW G&T | SPRING 2015
Tilted Right Side Low
Correct Neutral
Tilted Left Side Low
How the shoulders incorrectly return at impact fall basically into two groups. Look for your symptoms and follow the corrective measures below:
PUSH/HOOKS / FAT /TOPS -
“...most people
If you tilt or incline your shoulders so that the left shoulder is higher and the right shoulder is lower when you return to impact, you will tend to swing too much inside out toward the right. You may hit varying degrees of pushes to sweeping hooks and either hit higher than normal trajectory and either tend to hit fat, top or hit overly high shots. Correct this by making some swings on the horizontal like baseball and try to get the club head traveling level to the ground like hitting a line drive. If you have an extreme version of this error you may have to swing trying to get the club head swinging from high right to low left as if you were trying to hit a grounder down the third baseline. struggle with golf
either from incorrectly applying their previous sports experience or mistakenly conceptualizing the swing motion.”
PULL HOOKS / SLICES /LOW FLIGHT / POP-UPS
If you tilt or incline your shoulders so that the right shoulder is higher and the left shoulder is lower when your return to impact, you will tend to swing too much outside in toward the left. You may hit varying degrees of pulls from hooks to slices and tend to either hit lower than normal trajectory shots or pop-ups with driver. If you are in the pull slice group you may hit overly high shots as well. Correct this by making some swings on the horizontal like baseball and try to get the club head traveling level to the ground like hitting a line drive. If you have an extreme version of this error you may have to swing trying to get the club head swinging up through impact from low right to high left as if you were trying to high fly ball to right-center field. If you are in the pull slicer group you will begin to hit the ball right because you haven’t been releasing or rotating the club face from open to closed through impact. You will need to improve this as well to see straighter shots.
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Chip Koehlke is a highly experienced PGA Professional, with 2013 marking his 30th anniversary as a golf professional. He brings extensive experience to his clients, including developing and coaching many top professional tour players on the PGA, LPGA, Champions, European and Asian Tours. Most importantly his holistic coaching philosophy has assisted countless golfers just like yourself to truly change their game!
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Learning from the
BASEBALL PITCHING VS. GOLF SWING
I
n the beginning we mentioned the kinetic chain shared by several sports. Golf and throwing a baseball are very closely related when it comes to the kinetic chain even though they are played on very different planes as stated before. Throwing a baseball is performed more horizontal across between over-hand to sidearm, and golf is played on a vertical incline plane with the right arm (throwing arm) working from vertical downward toward an almost an underhanded or side-arm throw. However how we load the kinetic change, unload and sequence the motion is very similar. The kinetic change starts with the upper body turning away from the target which then turns the hips loading weight and torque into a stable right leg until the turn is complete. Then from the ground upward beginning with the left side the left knee, hip and shoulder begin to turn back toward the target, while the right side (right knee, hip, and shoulder) hold momentarily in order to separate the right arm and begin unwinding it with spread toward the target. When you watch a baseball pitcher throw you will see what appears to be a distinctive separation between the left side of his body and the right side of the body.
“Golf an throwing a baseball are very closely related when it comes to the kinetic chain, even though they are played on very different planes.”
This is easier to see and to do with a one arm throw versus a golf swing with both hands on the club, which is why many players mistakenly try to turn both the left and right side simultaneously and never create ground force power and struggle to return the club on the proper path and plane. Additionally you have to consider the direction of this unwinding as it relates to the arrival of the shoulders as described above. Many players don’t understand the direction of the unwind.
THROWING A BASEBALL
MOTION
GOLF SWING
Turning away from target while keeping right foot planted
Loading into right leg
Turning away from target while keeping right knee flexed and right foot planted
Leading back toward target with kick and step of left leg holding the right side back, allowing the right arm to extend and throw
Unloading through neutral weight distribution re-extending the right arm in a whip-like fashion
Turning left knee, hip, and shoulder back to address, while holding right side back allowing right arm to begin to lengthen and unwind delivering the strike
Both motions require timing in addition to the kinetic chain. In baseball you must time the release of your grip on the ball at the right moment to get the desired direction, and likewise, in golf you must square the club face to the desired direction at the moment of impact.
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Creating Load, Torque, and Weight Shift on back swing
Unloading with left knee, left hip, left shoulder while keeping right knee, right hip, and right shoulder back
“You can learn a lot associating baseball batting and pitching with your full swing in golf.”
TO IMPROVE YOUR KINETIC CHAIN FOLLOW SOME OF THE SUGGESTED TIPS BELOW AND SEE YOUR PGA PROFESSIONAL: Creating load, torque, and weight shift on back swing – Try hitting balls standing only on your right leg, setting your left foot on its toe behind you with your left knee folded. This drill will force you to rotate around your right pivot point and maintain a connection to the ground with your right foot. Unloading with left knee, left hip, left shoulder, while keeping right knee, right hip, and right shoulder back – Try setting your right foot back behind you and keeping it on the ground as your start turning your left side back into the set-up position. Right arm unwind, separation and extension – Try gripping a lofted club like wedge or 9 Iron with your right hand only and going through a complete swing. If you lead with your right side or over rotate or tilt your shoulder path you will have difficulty making contact. If you tend to slice, this is a great drill combined with the right foot back drill to create the proper sequence. Whether your looking to improve your contact and direction or power and consistency, understanding your body’s positioning through the swing and sequence of your kinetic chain will help. Right Arm Unwind, Separation and Extension
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Visit me at the Tour Academy at Dorado Beach Resort if you would like personal assistance improving your game.
23
Cover Story
Former Yankee Eduardo Figueroa traded his baseball glove for a golf glove long ago, and the same talent and poise that fueled his success on the mound now shape his game on the course. By Alberto C. Medina Gil
24
G&T | SPRING 2015
Cover Story
There used to be a celebrity tournament in Puerto Rico for athletes: the American Airlines Golf Classic at El Conquistador,” he remembers. “I didn’t play back then, but they called me because (Yankee teammate) Bucky Dent couldn’t make it. I went over there and played—or, well, tried to play—and I liked it; so from then on I started playing.
F
ew moments in sports are as nervewracking as standing over a short par putt—a five-footer, perhaps, with just enough break to make you doubt your stroke—and drawing your club back knowing that the slightest mishit will cause the ball to stop just short of the hole, or to sail past it. Whether in a tournament, during a round among friends, or alone on the course, that half-second on the green can make the most powerful, confident person in the world shake in his golf shoes.
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But to a man who has stood on the mound at Yankee Stadium and stared down some of the greatest sluggers of his or any other generation, a tricky putt, or just about anything else on the golf course, is child’s play. That’s the case with Eduardo Figueroa Padilla, a former Major League pitcher who holds the distinction of being the only Puerto Rican to win 20 games in a season, and who has been carrying on a love affair with golf that now rivals his passion for the sport in which he reached the highest possible achievements.
“I’m a good player,” says the 66-year-old Figueroa, displaying some of the unflappable confidence that he displayed on two championship teams, and which now serves him well on the golf course. “I’m a 6-handicap. I can hit the driver pretty well; my putting is very good, as is my chipping. I might have a day where I shoot 82 or 83, like anyone else, but I have my days where I shoot 74 or 75.”
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Cover Story
Picking up the Clubs Figueroa, a former Marine who saw action in Vietnam before he pitched in the Majors, first played golf in 1980. By then, he was near the tail end of an eight-year big league career with the Angels, Yankees, Rangers, and Athletics, in which he appeared in 200 games with an 80-67 record and a 3.51 ERA. “There used to be a celebrity tournament in Puerto Rico for athletes: the American Airlines Golf Classic at El Conquistador,” he remembers. “I didn’t play back then, but they called me because (Yankee teammate) Bucky Dent couldn’t make it. I went over there and played—or, well, tried to play—and I liked it; so from then on I started playing.” He had to put his new-found passion on hold for a few months, as legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner forbid his players from golfing during the season. But 1980 would be Figueroa’s last year in New York—he was traded to the Rangers mid-season—as well as his last full year in the Majors. With professional baseball in his rear-view mirror, he traded one sport for another and found that his golf game came along with surprising ease.
“I just practiced a lot in the beginning. I would go out to play by myself, and I would watch professional golfers on television and try to learn from them,” he says. “As a ballplayer who knew how to hit and how to have a constant swing, it wasn’t too difficult.” That wasn’t the only advantage that translated well from the diamond to the golf course. While he wasn’t a power pitcher in the vein of his contemporary Nolan Ryan (he struck out 571 batters in just over 1,300 innings of work), the right-handed Figueroa had no problem with his driving distance. He still regularly hits the ball 280 to 290 yards. However, his greatest asset isn’t physical, but mental. “As a pitcher, you’re alone on that mound with 50,000 people watching you, more than they’re watching anybody else on the field,” he says. “And you have to concentrate on every pitch, just like in golf you have to concentrate on every shot.”
A Fierce Competitor Those powers of concentration have served him well, as Figueroa can boast his share of low scoring rounds and strong performances in amateur tournaments, Pro-Ams, and charity events. “My best score was in Rio Mar, about 13 years ago,” he recalls. “I
As a pitcher, you’re alone on that mound with 50,000 people watching you, more than they’re watching anybody else on the field,” he says. “And you have to concentrate on every pitch,
just like in golf you have to concentrate on every shot.
26
shot a 67: five under par with three birdies and an eagle, and my partner and I won the tournament.” Even when Figueroa, a long-time member at Palmas del Mar Golf Club, isn’t playing in a tournament, he is playing competitively. “I’ve never played golf just to have fun with it. I like to compete, I like to play well, and I like to beat whoever I’m competing with,” he says. “I play to win.” That attitude holds even when he’s playing with his regular foursome of friends from the business world (Figueroa owns longstanding Mexican restaurant Lupi’s, in Old San Juan), which he tries to convince to get out on the course with him three or four times a week, but can usually only manage one or two. Even though their rounds together are very much a social outing, he’s not shy about demanding that his partners allow him to focus on the next shot. “We have great conversations, but there comes a moment when you want to be able to concentrate really well, and even though we’re friends we kind of become enemies,” he says with a chuckle. “But after the round it doesn’t matter; we’ll have a drink and we’ll talk some more, and that’s the great thing about golf, too.” Figueroa relaxes a little bit more when he’s playing with some other Puerto Rican sport greats: “‘Cheíto’ Oquendo (a fellow former big-leaguer and current third-base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals) plays really well. Félix Millán (a three-time All-Star second baseman) plays well; he’s learned a lot,” says Figueroa. He has even shared the course with other sports luminaries at charity tournaments here and in the United States, including another great who became passionate about golf after a successful career in his first sport—Michael Jordan. Figueroa, however, wasn’t impressed. “He’s not the player people think he is,” he says. His encounter with Jordan was in Chicago, just one of the many destinations where Figueroa has had a chance to play. Just as his baseball career once allowed him to travel across the United States, golf has now taken him even farther. “I’ve played in England, Hawaii, Australia,” he says. “Everywhere I’ve gone I’ve had the opportunity to pick up my clubs and play.”
G&T | SPRING 2015
Cover Story
I’ve never played golf just to have fun with it. I like to compete, I like to play well, and I like to beat whoever I’m competing with,” he says.
“I play to win.
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27
Cover Story
Just ass his baseball career once allowed him to travel across the United States, golf has now taken him even farther.. “Ive played in England, hawaii, australia,” a,” he says.
“Everywhere I’ve go gone I’ve had the opportunity tto pick up my clubs and play..
28
G&T | SPRING 2015
Cover Story
Fond Baseball Memories Figueroa has now played golf much longer than he played baseball, and these days he’s more likely to be watching the final round of a tournament on Sunday afternoons than catching a ballgame. “I follow baseball, but I follow golf even more because that’s what I’m interested in now,” he says. “But I still like baseball and I still love the Yankees; I always follow how they’re doing and what new players they’re bringing in.” It should be no surprise that the Yankees still hold a special place in Figueroa’s heart. He enjoyed the golden years of his career in New York alongside legendary players like Reggie Jackson, Rich “Goose” Gossage, and Catfish Hunter, winning the American League pennant from 1976-1978 and the World Series in the last two of those three years. It was also as a Yankee that Figueroa achieved his greatest individual accomplishment. “That experience in 1978 was tremendous,” he says of a 20-win season that for much of the year had seemed out of reach. Figueroa went into the last month of the year with a solid but unspectacular 13-9 record before winning six straight decisions in September to give him a shot at the milestone in the next-tolast game of the season. “That was a game that everyone in Puerto Rico was watching,” recalls Figueroa, who pitched a complete-game shutout against the visiting Cleveland Indians to become the first Puerto Rican to win 20 games in a year. It’s a feat that has not been repeated since, and that he thinks may not be repeated anytime soon.
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“I don’t think there’s going to be a Puerto Rican pitcher who will do it,” says Figueroa. “The problem is that the kids here, they grow up playing and wanting to hit; nobody wants to pitch. They want to hit three or four times a game, and that’s why we’re not developing many good pitchers.” It’s a good thing, then, that Figueroa didn’t discover golf until after he accomplished that historic feat, or Puerto Rico might still be waiting for its first 20-game winner. “I’m very happy and proud of everything I did as a Major League Baseball player,” says Figueroa. “But if I had learned golf at a young age, and I had been good at it, I think I would’ve chosen golf as a career, instead.”
I follow baseball, but I follow golf even more because that’s what I’m interested in now,” he says. “But I still like baseball and I still love the Yankees; I always follow how they’re doing and what new players they’re bringing in.
29
Juniors Golf
Kozan victorious at the
PUERTO RICO JUNIOR OPEN PRESENTED BY
Eagles Dream Golf Academy The Puerto Rico Junior Open was played at the Trump International Golf Club - Championship Course in Rio Grande from January 16 -19. WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
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Juniors Golf
A
ndrew Kozan of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, saved his best golf for the last round of the Puerto Rico Junior Open presented by EaglesDream Golf Academy by shooting a 5-under-par 67 and punched his ticket to the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open. His three-day total of 10-under-par 206 gave him a three-stroke victory over the field. Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Puerto Rico Junior Open presented by EaglesDream Golf Academy is a 54-hole stroke play competition featuring 76 boys, ages 12-18, from 19
Andrew Kozan First-time AJGA champion earns PGA TOUR exemption
U.S. states and seven foreign countries, as well as eight players from Puerto Rico. For the fifth year in a row, the champion was awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open, March 5-8. The par-72 Trump International Golf Club — Championship Course played 6,995 yards. Kozan, 16, is having a stellar beginning to 2015. He recently gave a verbal commitment to play at Auburn University and with his first AJGA victory also has an exemption into the Puerto Rico Open.
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“It feels great to be an AJGA champion, especially this one,” said Kozan. “The fact that I won the tournament that also gives me an exemption spot is fantastic. It’ll be really fun to come back here in a month and a half and play some good golf.” The first two rounds, Kozan shot a 3-underpar 69 and 2-under-par 70, respectively. He noted that his putting allowed him to play consistently throughout the tournament. He totaled 53 putts the first two days and was able to card six birdies in his final round, including two on his finishing holes Nos. 17 and 18.
“My putting has been holding me back lately, everything has been good but that, and it finally came along this weekend,” said Kozan. “It felt great to finish this tournament with a great putt that gave me my final birdie.” Rounding out the top five for the tournament are Yechun (Carl) Yuan of Lake Mary, Florida, William Buhl of Fairhope, Alabama, Jamie Cheatham of Rancho Santa Fe, California, and Won Jun Lee of Wesley Chapel, Florida, who all tied for second with 7-under-par 209. G&T | SPRING 2015
Juniors Golf
“It feels great to be an AJGA champion, especially this one,” said Kozan. “The fact that I won the tournament that also gives me an exemption spot is fantastic. It’ll be really fun to come back here in a month and a half and play some good golf.”
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-18) of more than 6,300 members from 48 states and more than 50 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitablegiving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation. Titleist, the AJGA’s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association’s success since 1989. Rolex, which is in its fourth decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Ralph Lauren became the AJGA’s second Premier Partner. AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 600 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel. WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
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Juniors Golf
FINAL RESULTS FROM THE PUERTO RICO JUNIOR OPEN presented by Eagles Dream Golf Academy conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Trump International Golf Club BOYS DIVISION - CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE
34
BOYS PAR: 36-36--72. YARDAGE: 6995. RATING: 74.5. SLOPE: 133
Andrew Kozan, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
(2017)
69 - 70 - 67 -- 206
-10
Brendan O’Reilly, Hinsdale, Ill.
(2017)
75 - 74 - 76 -- 225
+9
Yechun (Carl) Yuan, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2015)
72 - 70 - 67 -- 209
-7
Robert Briggs, Novato, Calif.
(2016)
75 - 73 - 77 -- 225
+9
William Buhl, Fairhope, Ala.
(2016)
72 - 68 - 69 -- 209
-7
Price Butcher, New Orleans, La.
(2016)
83 - 70 - 72 -- 225
+9
Jamie Cheatham, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
(2015)
71 - 67 - 71 -- 209
-7
Max Siegfried, Villanova, Pa.
(2016)
80 - 73 - 72 -- 225
+9
Won Jun Lee, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
(2017)
71 - 68 - 70 -- 209
-7
Wanjoo Lee, Port of Spain,
Zhengkai Bai, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2016)
69 - 71 - 70 -- 210
-6
Trinidad and Tobago
(2015)
74 - 76 - 76 -- 226
+10
Tyler Strafaci, Davie, Fla.
(2016)
75 - 69 - 67 -- 211
-5
James Turner, Gloucester, Mass.
(2016)
75 - 73 - 78 -- 226
+10
Sean Yu, Beaumont, Calif.
(2015)
70 - 71 - 71 -- 212
-4
Chad McCann, Haymarket, Va.
(2015)
71 - 76 - 79 -- 226
+10
Gabriel Lench, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2015)
67 - 73 - 72 -- 212
-4
Brett Barron, Suwanee, Ga.
(2016)
79 - 77 - 70 -- 226
+10
Youxin (Robin) Wang, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2017)
71 - 72 - 70 -- 213
-3
Derrick Villarreal, Hartland, Wis.
(2015)
75 - 75 - 77 -- 227
+11
Blake Dyer, St. Petersburg, Fla.
(2015)
79 - 66 - 69 -- 214
-2
Jimmy Hervol, Hopkinton, Mass.
(2015)
79 - 74 - 74 -- 227
+11
Kaito Onishi, Irvine, Calif.
(2017)
71 - 70 - 73 -- 214
-2
Rodrigo Sanchez, Santo Domingo,
Steven Chervony, Boca Raton, Fla.
(2015)
71 - 74 - 70 -- 215
-1
Dominican Republic
(2017)
77 - 76 - 75 -- 228
+12
Zhijie (Tony) Jiang, Bradenton, Fla.
(2016)
77 - 71 - 68 -- 216
E
Thomas Allkins, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2017)
75 - 78 - 75 -- 228
+12
Timothy Colanta, Reunion, Fla.
(2015)
75 - 70 - 71 -- 216
E
Daniel Connolly, San Francisco, Calif.
(2016)
75 - 78 - 75 -- 228
+12
Austin Hitt, Longwood, Fla.
(2016)
74 - 69 - 73 -- 216
E
Mahiro Sanda, Okayama, Japan
(2020)
76 - 76 - 77 -- 229
+13
Jeg Coughlin III, Dublin, Ohio
(2015)
73 - 70 - 73 -- 216
E
Felipe Ramirez-Velandia, Bucaramanga,
Marcos Montenegro, Loberia, Argentina
(2016)
76 - 71 - 70 -- 217
+1
Colombia
(2016)
75 - 81 - 74 -- 230
+14
Ryan Grider, Lewisville, Texas
(2017)
75 - 70 - 72 -- 217
+1
Caleb Ramirez, Blythe, Calif.
(2015)
79 - 76 - 76 -- 231
+15
Noah Edmondson, Davidson, N.C.
(2015)
76 - 74 - 68 -- 218
+2
Aaron Wirt, Des Moines, Iowa
(2015)
79 - 80 - 72 -- 231
+15
Roberto Lebrija, Mexico City, Mexico
(2016)
73 - 76 - 69 -- 218
+2
Pierce Aichinger, Cherry Hills, Colo.
(2015)
76 - 79 - 77 -- 232
+16
Eduardo Carrete, Queretaro, Mexico
(2016)
72 - 77 - 69 -- 218
+2
Zongfan Li, Bradenton, Fla.
(2016)
77 - 77 - 79 -- 233
+17
Charlie Miller, Jackson, Miss.
(2017)
77 - 69 - 72 -- 218
+2
Wilson Belk, Colorado Springs, Colo.
(2015)
80 - 76 - 77 -- 233
+17
Jackson Lang, Lexington, Mass.
(2015)
74 - 71 - 73 -- 218
+2
Alberto Firpi, San Juan, P.R.
(2015)
76 - 85 - 73 -- 234
+18
John Lazor, Westwood, Mass.
(2015)
71 - 74 - 73 -- 218
+2
Jose Cervantes, Jalisco, Mexico
(2016)
80 - 81 - 73 -- 234
+18
Garrett Barber, Stuart , Fla.
(2018)
72 - 71 - 75 -- 218
+2
Kenneth Martinez, Fajardo, P.R.
(2016)
79 - 77 - 80 -- 236
+20
Ryoto Furuya, Alpharetta, Ga.
(2016)
68 - 74 - 77 -- 219
+3
Joseph Chun, Irvine, Calif.
(2017)
78 - 78 - 80 -- 236
+20
Koichiro Ishika, Kakogawa, Japan
(2017)
72 - 76 - 72 -- 220
+4
Enrique Valverde, Santo Domingo,
Alvaro Escalada, Clermont, Fla.
(2015)
72 - 75 - 73 -- 220
+4
Dominican Republic
(2017)
80 - 77 - 79 -- 236
+20
Seiya Liu, Beverly Hills, Calif.
(2015)
76 - 72 - 72 -- 220
+4
Ian Aldarondo, San Juan, P.R.
(2017)
81 - 76 - 79 -- 236
+20
John Mancinotti, Toledo, Ohio
(2015)
73 - 74 - 73 -- 220
+4
Simon Ospina, Medellin, Colombia
(2015)
81 - 77 - 79 -- 237
+21
Samuel Foust, Edina, Minn.
(2015)
78 - 74 - 69 -- 221
+5
Christian Nido, Palmetto Bay, Fla.
(2017)
79 - 79 - 79 -- 237
+21
Yinong Yang, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2017)
73 - 73 - 75 -- 221
+5
Anton Serafini, Lake Mary, Fla.
(2016)
84 - 80 - 74 -- 238
+22
Chase Furey, Newport Beach, Calif.
(2017)
78 - 73 - 71 -- 222
+6
Steven Weingroff, Upper Saddle River,
Tyler Joiner, Leesburg, Ga.
(2015)
76 - 75 - 71 -- 222
+6
New Jersey
(2016)
82 - 83 - 73 -- 238
+22
Melvin A Morales Valle, Humacao, P.R.
(2018)
73 - 75 - 74 -- 222
+6
Austin Carmack, Newburgh, Ind.
(2015)
78 - 80 - 82 -- 240
+24
Daniel Whelan, Coral Springs, Fla.
(2015)
73 - 73 - 76 -- 222
+6
Mitzel Chevres, San Juan, P.R.
(2017)
86 - 78 - 76 -- 240
+24
Alberto Martinez, Weston, Fla.
(2018)
78 - 73 - 72 -- 223
+7
Jayson Gonzalez, Guaynabo, P.R.
(2015)
78 - 82 - 82 -- 242
+26
Chase Ibbotson, Sanford, Fla.
(2016)
73 - 78 - 72 -- 223
+7
Hector Rivera, Bayamon, P.R.
(2017)
82 - 82 - 87 -- 251
+35
Matt Hutchins, Sudbury, Mass.
(2015)
79 - 73 - 72 -- 224
+8
Francisco Millan, San Juan, P.R.
(2015)
90 - 88 - 77 -- 255
+39
Philip Loeb, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
(2015)
76 - 77 - 71 -- 224
+8 G&T | SPRING 2015
Juniors Golf
WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
35
Interview
Juan Gonzรกlez
A Prodigious Golf Legend in Puerto Rico By Charlie Bautista
36
G&T | SPRING 2015
Interview
T
his story happened by accident. I was invited for a round of golf at Rio Bayamon Golf Club. My Japanese friend Keiho, who goes every day to play at that course and wants to become a pro, told me that I needed to meet Juan Gonzalez. When I asked him why, he told me that Gonzalez is the public relations guy here and he knows a lot about golf and the history behind the game in Puerto Rico. I walked toward the range to practice a few shots and warm up before the game, and that’s when I saw Juan, a short and lean senior with a big smile on his face that you can’t miss from a mile away. Juan is a professional golf instructor at the new Rio Bayamon Golf Club, with a long golf career, which began in 1950, and who knows almost everything about the sport in the Island. Once I started to hit some balls at the range he told me that “with a few changes you will be a good player.” Then I asked him about his career and how come he knows so much about golf. With a smile he took me pitching and hit some balls on the back walk, two balls at the same time, and made some other unusual tricks that really impressed me. Then he asked me: “do you know that I have more holes in one than anybody else? I even have two on the same day. Of course, that day, the first one was aimed to the target and the second was a lucky shot.” Then he told me that everything started in the first era of Puerto Rican golf, the era of the military and the fake hole in one. At that time, Juan lived in a tough, poor neighborhood in San Juan called La Perla. Not far from there, the U.S. Army built a nine-hole course, which not too many people know about it, with sand greens around the walls of El Morro. The course has been gone for years, but that was how golf came to Puerto Rico, with the American military.
Back in the day, he became a caddie. Caddies were paid from ten to twenty-five cents a bag, so they were eager for tips. “Many people are wondering how I became a professional. Well, a caddie could play for free on Mondays, and I did. At first, I had one club, a wedge, and played all nine holes with it.” He skipped WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
Then he asked me: “Do you know that I have more holes in one than anybody else? I even have two on the same day. Of course, that day, the first one was aimed to the target and the second was a lucky shot.”
school to play. But he kept this secret, or his father would punish him. Within a year, he was a skilled golfer. That prepared him for the second era of Puerto Rican golf, the era of the resort and the trick shot. In 1958, Dorado Beach resort was opened as a luxury destination with a Trent Jones’s golf course. So, the new course needed pros and hired Juan Gonzalez and Juan Rodriguez, best known as Chi Chi. Both did golf tricks to entertain the guests. He said that Chi Chi was a showman, “We developed trick-shot routines. We hit shots out of paper cups, sitting and kneeling.” They would hit shots off tees two-feet high. They would take a five-iron and hit one ball down the left side and fade it and then, very quickly, another ball down the right side and draw it, so the two balls would cross in flight. They would hit shots off the toe of the club and stop them on the practice green. This was the beginning of Chi Chi Rodriguez’ successful professional career in the Island. Meanwhile Juan continued his tricks shot routine; which he still remembers. He worked for decades as a resort pro while golf spread along the island’s north coast: from Dorado Beach to Rio Mar, to El Conquistador, to Palmas del Mar, to Coamo, etc. Then the new era of Puerto Rican golf brought him to Bayamon. I am so lucky to have met such a wonderful personality.
37
Fitness & Health
Golf is a Sport
for a Lifetime, …only if you are aware that maintaining overall body functionality is imperative for the golfer who likes to play good pain-free golf. By Ricardo Picorelli
Every now and then we all start contemplating and focusing on why certain motions or articulations we make feel funny or make us feel discomfort whenever we try to do simple tasks. Bending over, squatting, reaching, even walking could be altered just because our body has dysfunction or has created compensation for it to be able to work and stay operational. This can happen at any age, whether we are sports active or not.
For more information on how to get your TPI golf-specific physical assessment, you can reach us at: Facebook: RP Fitness Lab Twitter: @rpfitnesslab E-mail: rpfitnesslab@gmail.com Telephone: 787-307-9473
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Saint John’s School PE Teacher / TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor K-Vest 3D Level 1 Certified
A
s two of the great minds of functional training, Dr. Gray Cook and Mike Boyle, stated after a long process of research and development on how the body works, in their nowadays emblematic and sounding board of functional training: “The Body works in an alternating pattern of Stable segments connected by Mobile joints. If this pattern is altered, Dysfunction and Compensation will occur”. With this in mind, what do we need to look for when developing and maintaining our overall body functionality?
Juniors: With younger players, it is critical for them to explore all sorts of movements (jumping, climbing, pushing, pulling, bounding, throwing, catching, sliding, skipping, hopping, galloping, stumbling, kicking), and not have them boxed in on a specific set of movement patterns, in other words, early specialization. This is a HOT TOPIC among sports performance trainers and elite level coaches. As a Physical Education teacher I believe that broadening the physical skills spectrum and diversifying their movement experiences at an early age will allow for better and higher performance when the body and mind are mature enough to deal with all competition aspects. This will happen only when THEY decide on concentrating on a sport. Our roll as parents of children who are playing a sport should always be one of support and supervision, and to be involved not only on his/her academics, but also on how well their motor learning is developing.
Senior Players: On the flip side, with these players we are looking to retain and enhance their flexibility, aerobic endurance, and muscle mass. A decline in their aerobic capacity is present when it becomes difficult to finish a round without fatigue. This mostly shows up by the end of the round on the final 4 or 5 holes where most strokes are lost as tired arms and legs trudge off the 18th green. This is why it is vital to evaluate all their body functionality. Whenever I evaluate a person, I look for some key points:
1. Any discomfort while performing any of the assessments. 2. How well they can execute a specific movement. Classifying this into a Cognitive, Associative or Autonomous will give me light from where and how intense they should start their training program. 3. Past Injuries. These will show any restriction of mobility or stability in the segments above and below where the injury occurred. 4. Health condition is a major factor to consider whenever someone wants to begin golf-specific training or any type of physical activity. When performing the TPI functional fitness screening, this age group (senior players) does not score particularly well in some of the major tests, like the deep squat, touch toes, and balance tests. This is to be expected due to the aging process. Creating a specific training to improve those areas is vital but, it is often the lack of overall muscular strength and endurance the reason you can be looking at a round in the 100’s instead of 90’s or 80’s. I have a client in his 60’who started his TPI training five months ago. His screen results showed he had poor scapular stability and lack of flexibility, which was restricting him to properly bend from his waist to go into his address position. Instead he had a rounded back, creating what we call a “C” posture. From this position it was very difficult for him to properly turn his upper body on the take away. It would also restrict his left arm extension on his back swing and will get his club coming over the top on his downswing, thus creating the dreaded slice. Ever since he started doing the corrective exercises he has been able to setup properly at address, his scapular stability has increased and has allowed proper arm extension equaling to more yards of the tee and better sequencing. G&T | SPRING 2015
Fitness & Health
“It is often the lack of overall muscular strength and endurance the reason you can be looking at a round in the 100’s instead of 90’s or 80’s.”
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Fitness & Health
How do I control my C-Posture? C-Posture can be fixed by learning how to bend from the hip sockets and not flex from your upper spine. Plus, exercises to improve thoracic spine extension and rotation, shoulder girdle mobility, scapular stabilization and pulling strength are a must. (From: mytpi.com) Photos show some exercises you can do if you feel and know you have those faults.
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Fitness & Health
Correlating the transition
from Baseball to Golf By Ricardo Picorelli Saint John’s School PE Teacher TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor K-Vest 3D Level 1 Certified
B
aseball pitchers such as Gregg Maddux and John Smoltz play really good golf. Why? Simple, when you swing a golf club, the principle of creating potential energy from the ground up comes into action. You would think it has to do with the fact that baseball is similar to golf because is played from an “Off Line” body alignment. This means, that your body is parallel to your target. Sports played in an “On Line” body alignment are those that your body is aligned directly to the target. Another characteristic for the similarities of the sports are the swing of an implement. In baseball you swing the bat on a more parallel line to the ground. In golf, you swing the club in a more diagonal plane in relation to the ground. For me, the physical component similarities are the key for baseball players to be able to enjoy and play golf at an optimal level, and in some cases, great competitive level.
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To put this statement into perspective, when a pitcher winds up to pitch a ball it all starts from grounding his feet to fire the kinematic sequence of pitching. From the feet, the energy is transferred up to the legs where the pitcher is sustaining all that energy on one foot while the other is lifted and the upper body is rotating and the pitching arm is going back. Then it transitions into transferring the weight into the front leg, rotating the hips, upper body and the arm coming forward to release the ball. Muscle memory of these motions allows them to have the cadence and proper sequencing when they transfer their physical skills to the game of golf. So, whenever you get a chance to play throw and catch with your child or grandchild focus on how your throwing sequence is. Are your feet properly grounded? Is the back foot loading and your hips are turning away from the target? Is your upper body rotating? Is your arm going back with good flex and extension? Don’t limit yourself, throw a Frisbee, get a long wood stick and throw it like a Javelin. All of these throwing motions get you into the same sequence as the golf swing and get you moving and stay physically active.
G&T | SPRING 2015
Meeting on the Green
Just for Kids T
he Hospital del Niño de Puerto Rico held it’s very successful 11th Annual Golf Classic recently, at the Palmas del Mar Golf Course in Humacao, PR. Over 120 players enjoyed an excellent day at the tournament, which featured exciting putting contests, outstanding tee prizes, and a live auction of a 72” TV. Each player left with raffle prizes which included, resort stays for two at luxurious hotels, fine dining, airline tickets, twosome packages at award winning golf courses and professional golf items, including golf lessons, among others. The proceeds from the 11th Golf Classic are aimed towards the overhaul and upgrading of the Hospital’s facilities, which are over 80 years old. The funds will be allocated to the completion of their master plan for the restoration of the halls that host their extended-care patients, comprised of 27 children that suffer chronic and severe physical and/ or mental disabilities and have limited economic resources.
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Meeting on the Green
AN ALL HEART TOURNAMENT The Dr. García Rinaldi Foundation held its 22nd Golf Tournament at Dorado Beach Resort & Golf Club directed by renowned golfer and long-standing friend of the institution, Jim Teale. The tournament maintained a two people scramble format with participation of all handicaps. There were trophies for three winning teams in low gross, five teams in low net, closest to the pin and straightest drive. During the awards ceremony all shared a lavish banquet.
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Besides two stations throughout the golf course offering hamburgers, hot dogs and a typical grilled pork, at the end of the tournament a luncheon was held at Pavilion, where Dr. Raúl García Rinaldi, José A. Miranda, Esq., chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation and its executive director, Dr. Maura Tapia, presented the awards. Among the organizations that supported this effort were the James & Barbara Cimino Foundation and the Mayaguez Medical Center.
G&T | SPRING 2015
Meeting on the Green
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Tourism
Our Concierge
Recommends V
acationing in Puerto Rico means no rush, no stress, so leave everything behind, let your body adjust to the warm weather of Puerto Rico, and head straight to any of our many restaurants, natural attractions, shopping centers, and entertainment venues. These recommendations will usually vary depending on the visitor’s profile. A family with little kids and a family with teenagers are as different as young newlyweds and couples that have been married for many years. Also I try to see what the interests of each guest are before I recommend something. You don’t want to send someone who is afraid of heights to do a canopy tour or an adrenalinefilled daredevil to a museum tour – they simply won’t find it attractive. With that in mind I have tried to come up with general options for a family and hope that these options are useful. If I were to recommend the perfect day to a family visiting San Juan, this would be one option: after a revitalizing night rest at one of Puerto Rico’s most comfortable hotels, wake up to the soothing sounds of ocean waves or the sound of birds and breeze to fill your senses and heighten your experience. Then, step into one of the many varied restaurants around the Island or one of the hotel restaurants that serve a hearty breakfast, or if you prefer a lighter fair, visit one of our new bistros in the Condado or Isla Verde area and enjoy the perfect coffee cup or some fresh orange juice. Head out to the rainforest in Rio Grande for a morning tour with one of our knowledgeable tour guides and find out why a tour is always the best way to go sightseeing. Don’t forget a bottle of water and some snacks for the little ones. A certified guide will provide you with commentary en route and on site and will answer any questions you may have.
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Following is a list of things to do by municipality region and the suggested average time required:
Carolina Piñones Nature Boardwalk & Restaurants (Walk or Bike) – 4 hours or less
Canovanas The Outlets at Route 66 (Shopping, Food & Theaters) – 4 hours or less
Rio Grande Before heading back to your hotel or resort let’s stop at a roadside restaurant like Barbakoa for an amazing seafood or grilled meat, or do as locals do and venture into one of the kiosks at Luquillo beach – have you tried a bacalaito yet? You can also take a tour of Old San Juan, explore the dungeons and tunnels of Fort San Cristobal, fly a kite on the grounds of Fort El Morro, sample a Piragua, visit Museo del Niño (The Children’s Museum), and feed the Pigeons at Parque de las Palomas before returning to the resort. For some rest and relaxation, take an afternoon walk around the beach and enjoy a refreshing Piña cocktail and fun under the sun before heading out to the Bioluminescent Bay Tour. One of our many, friendly and knowledgeable guides will show you not only the amazing glowing waters, but point out the different components that makes this unique bay one of the most astonishing in the world. For dinner, astonishing all your senses with one of the Japanese or creole cuisine restaurants. Are you ready for some adult fun time? Most hotels offer in-room nanny services. After such a fun-filled day I am sure the kids won’t put up much of a fight if you give them some cookies and a movie in room option while daddy and mommy attempt to learn to dance some salsa or merengue and dance the night away. Whatever you do, enjoy your stay!
Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort (Golf, Shopping, Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less Bahia Beach Resort & Golf (Golf, Shopping, Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less Trump International Golf Club (Golf, Shopping, Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less Berwind Country Club (Golf, Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less El Yunque National Forest (Hike, Swimor Relax) – 1 day or less Rain Forest Zip Line (5 or 8 Line Tours) – 2 hours or less Carabali Rainforest Park (Horseback Riding, Go Karts, Bike, Food & Drinks) – 1 day
Luquillo Luquillo Kiosks (Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less
Fajardo El Conquistador Resort (Golf, Shopping, Food & Drinks) – 4 hours or less Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve (Educational Tour) – 4 hours or less Seven Seas, Playa Colora or Playa Escondida (Public Beaches) – at least 4 hours Bioluminescent Bay (Eco-Tour) – 4 hours or less (must go at night)
Culebra & Vieques Aquafari Culebra Island (All-Inclusive Day of Kayaking and Snorkeling) – 1 day Visit Culebra or Vieques for a day (Ferry or Flights Available) – 1 day Vieques Island Adventures Biobay (Eco-Tour) – 4 hours or more (must go at night) G&T | SPRING 2015
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
Bioluminescent Bay (Eco-Tour) Bahia Beach Resort
Rain Forest Zip Line Aquafari Culebra Island
Fajardo
El Yunque National Forest
El Conquistador Resort
Trump International Golf Club
Pi単ones Nature Boardwalk & Restaurants (Walk or Bike)
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Tourism
rview with
Rum Expert Javier Herrera
Javier is one of the leading rums experts in Spain, and his International Run Conference, held every June in Madrid, is the leading event of its type in the nation. Rum is his profession, his hobby and his passion. Along with the rum conference and gathering of rum professionals, Javier conducts an esteemed blind tasting competition at his festival under the direction of Luis and Margaret Ayala. Javier is a judge in numerous international competitions, including the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. He is the founder of Rum International Club, a member of the Association of Sommeliers of Spain and contributor to Got Rum? Magazine. He is also a lecturer specializing in market trends in the world of spirits and rum in particular. He works as a consultant for spirit brands regarding their introduction into European markets. He develops marketing plans, events, master classes and spirits campaigns.
Javier’s family comes from southern Spain and the Canary Islands, where sugar cane is abundant. He grew up in a family of wine experts, and he learned the art of the sommelier at University of Madrid, where he earned a degree in Hospitality Management. He also studied Imaging Science and Communications. In a conversation with Jorge Lopez (President of Puerto Rico Bartender Association) Javier was very passionate about rum, its process and elaborations. He said “Rum
is more than a distilled spirit, it is history. Think about the process. How many people are involved in a rum production? Lopez welcomed Javier to Puerto Rico and told them that everybody is very proud of his visit.
What is the purpose of your visit to the Island? “I am here to give a quality control certificate to rum companies. This time I’m evaluating the Bacardi plant. I come to
Javier Herrera and Jorge López, President of International Bartenders Association (IBA)
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Tourism make sure that the rum-making procedure is correct. I evaluate the development of quality inside the culture of rum-making. I evaluate all the stages of rum production, from the inclusion of molasses and its fermentation, to the yeast, to the water, until all procedures are in place. Keep in mind that aging plays an important role in the distiller’s process, and that is something that I am very aware of.” “There is long tradition behind the rum making and culture. Rum can confidently lay claim to being the most diverse of all liquors. Despite several countries around the world claiming their own varieties, the Caribbean is celebrated as the spiritual home of rum. Rum has been intertwined with its culture and heritage for nearly 400 years.” “The spirit we now call rum evolved with the sugar industry of the colonial Caribbean. Although they are doing raffia where sugar (the plant itself originates in Papua New Guinea) was cultivated long before sugar became a Caribbean culture, Caribbean rums soon rose to the top of the stack. In the seventeenth century, the spirit that is in the Caribbean was described as ‘hot, hellish and terrible’”. “However, a few years later, a Dutch captain returning from the West Indies is reported to have written “The spirits are now softer language and have acquired a golden color during the journey.” Caribbean rum producers have spent the next two
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centuries perfecting the art of distillation, aging and blending. Today, almost all the rum is aged in oak barrels, the magical process that lasts up to thirty years or more, and allows rum to acquire a golden to dark brown hue.” “As important as aging, the final stage of production is the mix, truly an art form when it comes to creating the best rums. It is the time at which a number of different incarnations of rum are skillfully combined with the personality islands and an array of assets to produce something unique, authentic Caribbean rum.”
What do you think about Puertorrican rum compared to other brands? Puerto Rico has a great product but not the best marketing. The local rum lost a significant market share in Europe. I understand that United State represented better opportunities back in the days but it is not longer like that.
Tell me about the results of the Conference and the outcome. There are a lot of people from different countries that come to focus on rum and its quality and procedures. You see people from Panama, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Venezuela and many more that came to present their brands - we are talking about 145 rum brands from around the world. Basically, it is a rum contest. So, it is three days trying all those brands in 4 to 5 sections per day, with the purpose of promoting the acculturation of rum.
What local rum won the highest price this year?
What do you think about Puerto Rico? Well, I received a very warm welcome from the people of Puerto Rico. I have a very especial affection for Puertorricans, and no doubt that Puerto Rico produces the best rum in the world. People treat me very nice and make me feel at home. I would love to live here!
Destileria Serralles
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“Viva” Lola INGREDIENTS 1¼ oz 1 ¼ oz ½ oz ½ oz 1 ½ oz 1½ oz
Rum Patches (use Don Q) Lemon Ron (use Don Q) Strawberry Syrup Passion Fruit Syrup fresh orange juice Pink Grapefruit Juice
METHOD Shake
CUP Hurricane
PROCEDURE 1. Add all ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake. 2. Add ice in the glass. 3. Add the mixture into the cup.
DECORATION Orange, Lemon, Strawberry
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Mixology
Spring Break! Our Talented Bartender Jose Franceschi, Best Caribbean Bartender Bronze Medal 2014 and Member of the Puerto Rico Culinary Team Introduce his winning recipe to the readers of Golf & Tourism Magazine
Tropical Fusion
(South Africa) INGREDIENTS 1 oz ¾ oz ¾ oz ½ oz ½ oz 1 ½ oz
Greygoose Le Poire (Pear Vodka) Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) Lychee Liqueur Peach Tea (Monin) Ginger (Real) Sour Citrus (Finest Call)
METHOD Shake
CUP Hurricane
PROCEDURE 1. Add all ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake. 2. Add ice in the glass. 3. Add the mixture into the cup.
DECORATION Pear, Lemon, Ginger, Peach, Leaf Basil WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM
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Tourism
Meet Caparra’s
ExecutiveChef
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Tourism
For over 70 years, Caparra Country Club has been a private recreational club offering its members dining, social events and sports programs for all ages and interests, promoting a healthy lifestyle in a secure ambience and a true “home away from home” and place to create memories. The expansive clubhouse and grounds is also available for private functions for corporations and individuals, and ideal for the perfect business meeting, special event or banquet. The wide variety of rooms offer guests an atmosphere of elegance and distinction Caparra Country Club is distinguished by its excellent service and group of professionals that will make any event an unforgettable one.
E
xecutive Chef, Jose A. Melendez makes dining dreams a reality, with an unforgettable culinary experience for both members and private functions. Caparra has a team that is committed to providing the highest personalized service, and the most delectable cuisine. Let’s meet the Chef!!!
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How did you start in the kitchen and developed your passion for cooking?
to Culinary School to delight people with my culinary talents.
Since I was very little, I have always loved being in the kitchen. I grew up watching my mother creating many dishes for our family and friends to enjoy, and the satisfaction she got from it. I started my studies in Hotel and Restaurant Management, and there I sparked my passion for food. It was then that I changed career paths
What have you learned from your mentors? My mentors taught me that cooking is an art and with discipline and dedication you can achieve success in your career and personal goals.
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Tourism What is your favorite food and why? I love Puerto Rican eclectic cuisine, where I mix different flavors and textures, but always incorporating the best ingredients from our local farms, creating a “freshfrom-farm-to-table” experience. Recently we built a garden at the club where we grow and pick fresh ingredients to use in our cooking to provide guests the best quality and taste in every dish. What’s the best food or kitchen-related gift you’ve been given? I have received many, but there are two that are most memorable to me. The first was a set of Wusthof Knives that I still use today. The second was a trip to New York to the James Beard Foundation awards dinner which included shopping at JB Prince Company, which is categorized as the “Toys R Us” for Chefs. What do you like most about your profession? To delight the members and guests at Caparra with dishes utilizing the freshest
ingredients and best techniques and the opportunity it gives me to create a gastronomic experience for them. How do you begin the creative process to develop your recipes and menus? For me, creativity begins when I take time to relax and step away from the kitchen. To relax, I enjoy sitting on my terrace with a good bottle of red wine, music, and a plate of gourmet cheese. It is then that the ideas quickly begin to flow and I create the mixture of flavors and techniques that I seek for my dishes. What ingredient do you always splurge on? Anything with truffles – I love truffle honey, butter, and oil. What advice do you have for young chefs? That cooking is an art; it is a way to express their thoughts and who they are. If they dedicate their time and effort, they will have a career of great success and satisfaction.
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf Gusto
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G&T | SPRING 2015
Golf Gusto
A real japanese food culture experience If you are searching for an authentic Japanese restaurant, visit Daimajin, where Chef Keiko Yanagawa, a native of Osaka, Japan prepares exquisite traditional and experimental Japanese high cuisine dishes.
At Daimajin you can expect chef Yanagawa to treat you with amazing sushi and authentic Japanese cuisine. On the menu you can find Udon Soup, Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba Noodles, Yakiudon Noodes, and Mochi, just to name a few. So if you are in the Guaynabo area and craving for outstanding Japanese food, make sure to pay Daimajin a visit.
Tue - Sat: 11:30 am - 10:00 pm Sun: 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm Ph.: (787) 287-1785 Avenida Esmeralda 27 Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
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Experience a Taino Restaurant where the flavors and the beauty of “El Yunque” come together Great food. Great Atmosphere. Great Prices.
MENU SPECIALTIES
On your way to or from El Yunque make sure you stop by for some traditional Puerto Rican food...we give old world dishes, new world flavors that will tantalize even the most discerning of taste buds.
Urayoan
Located in El Yunque rainforest our restaurant is set on the tranquil Mameyes river. If you want to relax, listen to good music and have the best food you ever tasted you should definitely stop by the restaurant.
Yuisa
Carr.191, Km 1.1, El Yunque, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico 787-415-2317 / 787-354-5977
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Mouth watering Salmon Filet in an exciting Flavored Caper honey sauce
Canobana Smoked Spare Ribs, Flavored with Tamarind sauce Juicy Cornish Hen stuffed with Yuca in creamy white wine cilantro sauce
Caguana (Vegetarian Delight) Nutricious sautee of Garbanzo Beans with a side dish of Mofonguitos
Jumacao Combination Platter. Assorted combo Chicken Wings, Spare Ribs, grilled Sausage and Yuca “mofonguito” G&T | SPRING 2015
Fly to Puerto Rico and enjoy all that Dorado Beach Resort has to offer discerning executives as yourself. Inspired by the legacy of its original developer, Laurance S. Rockefeller, Dorado Beach is Puerto Rico's premiere Resort destination-home to the only award winning Ritz Carlton Reserve in the western hemisphere. A magical place in paradise where protected tropical flora merges harmoniously with three golf courses including the world famous East course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. Experience a plantation clubhouse, tennis club, kite-surfing school, gourmet dining and a unique tree house botanical spa. Stay & Play packages in modern three bedroom residences available for long and short-term vacations for golfers, individuals, groups or families seeking a unique destination in the Caribbean.
break time A short flight away from the cold front is a warm place in the sun. For reservations or information for families, events or groups please contact us at dbreservations@doradobeach.com | 500 Plantation Dr. Suite 1 Dorado, PR 00646 | T. 787-626-1001 | F. 787-626-1011 www.doradobeach.com