OTL Texas Holiday Issue 2022

Contents

New York, the Big

city

AUSTIN RESTAURANT

S. Laird

J-Prime’s attention to detail places them head and shoulders above other sophisticated steakhouses. R. Arebalo

COUNTRY CLUB

Despite the fancy digs, Miramont is the opposite of stuffy. The club house will leave you in awe and the course is exceptional. M. Bailey

GIFT IDEAS

The holidays are here. If you’re searching for gifts to give your loved ones or yourself, we’ve got a few ideas for you. T. Traverse

DYSLEXIA

Golf is a lot of things for people, for 12-year-old Sadie Westbrook of Houston, it’s her sanctuary. The golf course is where Sadie feels at home. And, she’s good at it. M. Bailey

Sadie Westbrook takes on all challenges, on and off the course. She feels most at home on the golf course.

Contents

COLUMNS

FITNESS

Golfers sustain injuries. Increasing strength can help you avoid many of them.

YOGA FOR GOLFERS

Get hip to the best hip opener yoga poses for golfers

PUTT FOR DOUGH

Charitable Contributions from IRAs.

DRIVE FOR SHOW

The new Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 easily stands-out from the crowd around the track and on the street.

BUCKS TIPS

The clubface myth. It is important that the golfer is educated to what, how, and why you missed the target.

TRAVEL

La Cantera Resort & Spa. On the drive in you’ll see flirtatious glimpses of the nearby elevation often called “the starting point of the Texas Hill Country.” M. Hall

EQUIPMENT

Edel Golf’s putter technology and fitting system redefines “The Next Level”.

WINE CIGAR

Napa Valley winery spotlight, Flint Knoll.

Old vs. New: Choosing the right cigar. It’s your call.

From the Publisher

Happy Holidays. Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday we were bringing in 2022. Now, we are about to say farewell to 2022 and welcome 2023.

In a moment of reflection, we are so thankful for what we have been able to do from the launch of OTLPHX to continuing to broaden our readership while cementing relationships with long-time part ners. The future is indeed hopeful.

OTL pledges to give you more in all facets of our publications. As we explore our content, there will be more candid and personal interviews and bigger and better travel stories. You will see in this issue, more remarkable dining experiences. In a recent conversation, a person noted how much they enjoy our auto features.

One thing remains clear, content drives the Inter net and print. As far as content, there is no shortage. Quality content is another matter. Just as informa tion or disinformation, content, negative or quality, all weigh the same.

OTL remains a place to immerse yourself and es cape to a better place.

Browsing through the magazine pages, there is no palpable negative energy. We don’t make that a secret. By the time a feature reaches the page, we have made sure it’s well worth your time. Not that we are gatekeeping, it’s as if your personal con cierge has done the homework and then delivered it to your doorstep.

At the time of this letter, there is an upcoming mid-term election. Rest assured, this won’t be the place to get results, nor will it be the place to convey thoughts and analysis…And that’s a good thing.

We cast our ballot for life, leisure, luxury, and an early morning tee time.

This is the Holiday issue, and we continue to come up big for you with great gift ideas that will bring a smile to a face. Teresa Traverse gives you numerous options to make a holiday memory last forever. From travel destinations to the car with a bow on top of it, before you decide on what to get, read this story for ideas. It could save the day in a big way.

Try to make this a guilt-free holiday. Spend it with those you care about. Give thought to those who may not have it as good as you. But by all means, do your best to make it memorable for you.

Lastly, I wanted to share with you something that has made my life a little better. No matter who we are, we have opinions and beliefs. They both can be fervent and sometimes stubborn. When we are confronted head-on with a situa tion to find that we may not have been right or it didn’t match up with our preconceived ideas, we have a choice.

We can dig in and try to bend the situation into what we want or think it should be, or we can incor porate flexibility and be open to how things actually are despite our long-held assumptions.

The choice is yours. It is a choice. It’s hard. Hold ing on to past beliefs leads to deterioration instead of growth.

Life means growth, deterioration only leads to death.

Life is always a challenge. Do your best and give yourself a chance.

Happy Holidays, see you in 2023.

Walker

PUBLISHER Sedric Walker

PUBLISHER

Sedric Walker

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tony Dean

ART DIRECTOR

Leticia Galarza

ART DIRECTOR Leticia Galarza

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR

Carl Mickelson

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Natalie Kalbas

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR Carl Mickelson

FEATURES EDITOR Richard Arebalo

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Andon Guillory, Loui Shaya

TEACHING PROFESSIONAL Buck Mayers

FEATURES EDITOR Richard Arebalo

TEACHING PROFESSIONAL Buck Mayers

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kevin Chin

CONTENT SPECIALIST Joel McColl

Katie Soltas, Nicole Pinter, Leslie Stevenson Hunter Hamm, Scott Laird, Art Stricklin, Mike Bailey, Allison Loots

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michelle Keller, Leslie Stevenson, Art Stricklin, Tara Lee Maloney

INTERNET & DIGITAL Mario Rossi

INTERNET & DIGITAL Alexandria Moya, Karen Kreeps

OTL

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OTL magazine is published bi-monthly by Pristine Media, Inc. Executive, editorial,and advertising offices are located in Round Rock, Texas. Advertising rates furnished upon request. Advertisers warrant and represent that the descriptions and depictions of the products or services advertised are true in all respects. All advertising is subject to approval before acceptance. OTL reserves the right to refuse any ad for anyreason whatsoever. ©2022 by OTL. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the express written consent of OTL is strictly prohibited. Editorial que ries and manuscripts should be directed to the editor via email, editor@otlgolf.com. All letters and their contents sent to OTL are sole property of OTL and may be used, printed, and published in any matter whatsoever without limit, obligation and liability to the author thereof. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and artists and not necessarily those of OTL or its advertisers. Manuscripts should be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. OTL assumes no responsibility or liability for the return of unsolicited artwork, manuscripts or pictures. Printed in the USA.

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New York

city

STORY BY SCOTT LAIRD

New York is a city for all seasons. There never seems to be any shortage of visitors, but it’s during the holidays, when shoppers hurry between world-famous department stores and luxury boutiques and local residents and visitors from all corners take in the unceasing spectacle of the city’s class-of-their-own arts venues that the city takes on a special energy. Whether enjoying department stores and hotels with their halls fully decked with the spirit of the season, or braving New York’s famously breezy winter weather for ice skating, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the Big Apple during the holidays.

ravelers with a modernist aesthetic can take up residence at ModernHaus Soho – part of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The hotel spe cializes in loft-style accommodations with in a chic minimalist style. Most guest rooms have views of Lower Manhattan and the Hudson River. The hotel’s 18 floor is host to JIMMY, a rooftop bar with a working fireplace for wintertime hygge and a pool deck with a view of One World Trade Cen ter for summertime frolics.

Also in SoHo, the AAA Five Diamond The Domi nick, part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection, also has languid outdoor pool deck— along with oversized guest rooms with plush fittings. Certain Deluxe rooms have deep soaker tubs with views of the Empire State Building, while many other rooms and suites have views of the Hudson River and the exciting neighborhood surrounding the hotel.

The hotel’s soaring lobby gives all the flash of an arrival experience at a much larger property before wrapping guests in the quiet boutique-like intimacy of calm—there are only a few rooms on each floor, giving the hotel an utterly residential feel. It feels more like a temporary apartment than a grand luxury hotel.

The Dominick is also home to the Michelin-starred restaurant Vestry, where chef Shaun Hergatt turns out seasonal ingredient-driven global cuisine inspired by childhood memories of rural Queensland, Australia.

Across town in the East Village, visitors can dig into Ukrainian eats like hot or cold borscht, cabbage

rolls, and pierogies at Veselka (144 2nd Ave). It helps to go early, as sometimes there’s a line. The nearby Lower East Side is a haven for dive and cocktail bars, including the slice-of-South Florida gem Sally Can Wait (252 Broome St.) where the Pina Colada is made with house’s own blend of rum, and the bites menu skews a little Miami, and a little New York.

Travelers preferring to stay close to the attractions of Midtown Manhattan might try the Lotte New York Palace, which takes up residence in an 1882 mansion commissioned by banker Henry Villard. The Villard Houses served as the historic base for a modern tow er, constructed in the 1970s, when the residence was first converted to a luxury hotel.

The hotel has a variety of accommo dations from standard luxury accommo dations to the exclusive Towers level, a hotel-within-a-hotel with separate pri vate reception, but the hotel is perhaps best known for its 5,000 square foot Roy al Suites, one of which is the Jewel Suite by Martin Katz. The Jewel Suite contains some $1.5 million in jewels displayed in floating cases throughout, in addition to the feature two-story cascading crystal chandelier.

The city that never sleeps abounds in attractions around the clock, each day of the year, but the city often feels like a village, even though it’s one of the coun try’s most visited destinations. Broadway shows often fill with New Yorkers, and

visitors can eavesdrop for a bit of local gossip—even at some weekend shows. The city is filled with art lovers and theatre devotees, and the sense of community is often best highlight ed by visiting a Broadway production like a big, banner musi cal or a dramatic play with notable stage and screen stars.

Sardi’s (234 W 44th) is a Broadway institution, famous for caricatures of celebrities (mostly of yesteryear) adorn ing the walls, but also for consistent continental cuisine that evokes an earlier time – think hearty sauces, starched linen tablecloths, love-worn upholstery.

Off Broadway, at Lincoln Center, lovers of dramatic arias and vibrant coloratura can sate their need at the Metropoli tan Opera, one of the world’s premier opera companies. The dramatic set of theatres surrounding a central plaza are also home to the New York Philharmonic, and New York City Bal let, all of which have programming through most of the holi day season.

Nearby, Bar Boulud (1900 Broadway) is a relaxed Pari sian-style bistro with an impressive wine list, notable char cuterie and a faithful steak frites.

A top attraction for Manhattan visitors, particularly firsttime visitors, is the Empire State Building’s observation deck. While the 86th floor observation deck has played prominently in several TV shows and films, there’s a fuller attraction that will be new for many visitors. The Empire State Building Ob servatory recently completed a $165 million re-do that added a museum that celebrates the history and lore of the famous building in nine themed galleries (including one where King Kong’s paws appear to come through the exterior wall of the

skate can go with the holiday icon—the skating rink at Rock efeller Center (it’s smaller than it looks on TV), but for a more local New York experience skaters can head to Central Park. The Wollman Rink is a full-service ice rink with skate rent als and lockers, and opening hours late into the evening for nighttime skaters. Skating is also permitted at Conservatory Water when conditions permit for visitors with their own skates.

Tavern on the Green (W 67th St & Central Park West) is a Central Park institution since 1934, serving up a contempo rary American menu—it’s still a see-and-be-seen location for statement brunches and special occasion fests.

Holiday shoppers can get their fill at New York’s top de partment stores. Macy’s at Herald Square is the largest de partment store in the United States, and one of the largest in the world, with over a million square feet of retail space. Macy’s has long been noted for their elaborate Christmas dis play windows, and for the Santaland display where shoppers can pose for photos with Santa Claus. Shoppers in midtown can head to the subsidiary Bloomingdale’s at 59th and Lex ington, or Bergdorf Goodman, the 5th Avenue temple to high fashion, located right next door to the Plaza Hotel.

Downtown, a popular stop for many New York visitors is the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The Memorial is free and open to the public seven days a week. The Museum, which documents the events of the 9/11 attacks, not only in New York but at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, is open six days a week (closed Tuesdays) with the last entry at 3:30 PM). One of the easiest ways to reach the site is via the subway to the World Trade Center Transportation Hub to take the notable

OTL

GETTING GOLF STRONG

STORY BY LESLIE STEVENSON / CERTIFIED POP PILATES INSTRUCTOR

Golfers sustain injuries. That’s a fact. The golf swing can be a thing of beauty for the skillfully trained, but it is a learned motion which requires practice and patience to per fect. Strength is an important component in all physical activity. The golf swing is no exception. Strength in the right places is the key. There is no better place to start than with a strong core.

Most people think “abs” when they hear people talk about having a strong core, but the core is not just the abs, it also includes back and glutes as well. Power is a valuable commodity and strength can help guard against injury so you can truly enjoy the game. Today I’ll show you how to improve your core with simple yet effective movements.

Plank position is no stranger to those who are working towards a stronger core, but I’d like to add a little something extra to help with proper stability.

From plank position with your forearms like rail road tracks and your gaze at the floor, reach your right arm over your right ear as you rotate. Al ternate each time, start with ten on each side and increase the repetitions as desired.

The second exercise is one of my favorites for target ing lower abs, the rectus abdominis, an area that is not worked often enough in our day to day lives. While lying flat on your back, slightly bend your left leg and stack the other heel right over the bottom of your left knee cap.

Keeping your arms at your side and your lower back on the floor, lift your left leg and lower. It may be challenging to keep your back on the floor, think about turning your hips towards your belly and drawing your navel to your spine. 10 repetitions on each side. It’s been said that nothing worth having comes easily; be consistent and you will get stronger as you progress with the movements and build a stronger core.

The best hip opener yoga poses for golfers

STORY BY NICOLE PINTER

Having proper hip mobility is an essential piece of any golfer’s game. A golfer who has tight hips can develop compensatory movements. It can also cause pain and injuries. Establishing and maintaining hip mobility allows for golfers to have a smoother turn in their backswing and downswing. It also helps increase power by allowing for the optimal rotation needed during the golf swing. Hip-opener yoga poses are essential for a better game.

The following yoga poses can help you to increase hip mobility.

Pigeon Pose

Make sure to do gentle hip openers and stretches before attempting the pigeon pose.

1. Start on your hands and knees with your knee aligned with your hips and your wrists aligned with your shoulders.

2. Bend your right knee and bring it to a comfortable position between your hands.

Try to make sure your right foot is touching your left hip. Keep your hips touching the ground.

3. Take your left leg and stretch fully behind you while tucking your toes under your feet.

4. Hold this pose for a few breaths. Change to the opposite leg.

Butterfly pose

A classic hip opener is the butterfly pose is suitable for all levels, so it’s a helpful addition to most yoga routines. Because the posture improves flexibility and reduces tension, it’s ideal for people who have tight hips.

1. Begin in a seated position.

2. Gently bend your knees and press the soles of your feet together.

3. Interlace your fingers around the pinkie-toe side of your feet or place your hands on your ankles or shins.

4. Lengthen your spine and broaden across your chest.

5. Stay in this position for up to 5 minutes.

Half child’s pose with internal hip rotation

1. Half child’s pose with internal hip rotation

Trains internal hip rotation; stabilizes and lengthens lower back muscles; stretches upper back and shoulders; en courages ankle mobility.

Reclining Butterfly Pose

It is a restorative pose that is an excellent hip and chest opener. Due to its reclining posture and relaxing effect, it is often performed toward the end of a yoga session.

1. Lie down on your yoga mat with your legs bent at the knee and feet grounded.

2. Keep the feet together and by externally rotating your hips, tilt both the knees sideways.

3. Bring the soles of your feet together, just like you would in the seated version of this pose.

4. Pigeon pose

Charitable Contributions from IRAs

STORY BY AUSTIN ASSET

Did you know that, if you are at least 70½ years old, you can make tax-free charitable donations directly from your IRA? By making what’s called a qualified charitable distribution (QCD), you can benefit your favorite charity while excluding up to $100,000 annually from gross income. These gifts, also known as “charitable IRA rollovers,” would otherwise be taxable IRA distributions.1

How QCDs work

In order to make a QCD, you simply instruct your IRA trustee to make a distribution directly from your IRA (oth er than SEP and SIMPLE IRAs) to a qualified charity. The distribution must be one that would otherwise be taxable to you. You can exclude up to $100,000 of QCDs from

your gross income each year. And if you file a joint return, your spouse (if 70½ or older) can exclude an additional $100,000 of QCDs. Note: You don’t get to deduct QCDs as a charitable contribution on your federal income tax return — that would be double-dipping.

QCDs count toward satisfying any required minimum dis tributions (RMDs) that you would otherwise have to receive from your IRA, just as if you had received an actual distribu tion from the plan. However, distributions that you actually receive from your IRA (including RMDs) and subsequently transfer to a charity cannot qualify as QCDs.

Assume that your RMD for 2021, which you’re required to take no later than December 31, 2021, is $25,000. You receive a $5,000 cash distribution from your IRA in Febru ary 2021, which you then contribute to Charity A. In June 2021, you also make a $15,000 QCD to Charity A. You must include the $5,000 cash distribution in your 2021 gross income (but you may be entitled to a charitable de duction if you itemize your deductions, a strategy that may be less beneficial now than prior to 2018 due to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act). You exclude the $15,000 of QCDs from your 2021 gross income. Your $5,000 cash dis tribution plus your $15,000 QCD satisfy $20,000 of your $25,000 RMD for 2021. You’ll need to withdraw another $5,000 no later than December 31, 2021, to avoid a pen alty.

Assume you turn 72 in the second half of 2021. You must take your first RMD (for 2021) no later than April 1, 2022. You must take your second RMD (for 2022) no later than December 31, 2022. Assume each RMD is $25,000. You don’t take any cash distributions from your IRA in 2021 or 2022. On March 31, 2022, you make a $25,000 QCD to Charity B. Because the QCD is made prior to April 1, it satisfies your $25,000 RMD for 2021. On December 31, 2022, you make a $75,000 QCD to Charity C. Because the QCD is made by December 31, it satisfies your $25,000 RMD for 2022. You can exclude the $100,000 of QCDs from your 2022 gross income. 2

As indicated earlier, a QCD must be an otherwise taxable distribution from your IRA. If you’ve made nondeductible contributions, then normally each distribution carries with it a pro-rata amount of taxable and nontaxable dollars. How ever, a special rule applies to QCDs — the pro-rata rule is ig nored and your taxable dollars are treated as distributed first.

Assume you have a single traditional IRA with a current value of $100,000, which includes $10,000 of nondeduct ible contributions. Therefore, you have a taxable balance of $90,000 and a nontaxable balance of $10,000. If you were to make a $5,000 withdrawal from your IRA, ninetenths ($10,000/100,000) of your distribution, or $4,500, would be taxable and one-tenth ($10,000/100,000), or $500, would be nontaxable. However, if you make a $5,000 QCD, the entire $5,000 amount will be considered

to come from your $90,000 taxable balance.

If you have multiple IRAs, they are aggregated when cal culating the taxable and nontaxable portion of a distribution from any one IRA.

Assume you have two traditional IRAs. IRA One has a value of $50,000 and does not include any nondeduct ible contributions. IRA Two also has a $50,000 value but includes $10,000 of nondeductible contributions. For tax purposes, you are treated as owning a single traditional IRA with a value of $100,000 and a nontaxable balance of $10,000. If you were to make a withdrawal of $50,000 from IRA Two, nine-tenths ($10,000/100,000) of your distribution, or $45,000, would be taxable and one-tenth ($10,000/100,000), or $5,000, would be nontaxable. However, if you make a $5,000 QCD from IRA Two, the en tire $5,000 amount will be considered to come from your $90,000 taxable balance.

RMDs are calculated separately for each traditional IRA you own, but may be taken from any of your IRAs.

Your QCD cannot be made to a private foundation, donor-advised fund, or supporting organization [as de scribed in IRC Section 509(a)(3)]. Further, the gift cannot be made in exchange for a charitable gift annuity or to a charitable remainder trust.

Why are QCDs important?

Without this special rule, taking a distribution from your IRA and donating the proceeds to a charity would be a bit more cumbersome and possibly more expensive. You would request a distribution from the IRA and then make the contri bution to the charity yourself. You’d include the distribution in gross income and then take a corresponding income tax deduction for the charitable contribution. But due to IRS lim its, the additional tax from the distribution may be more than the charitable deduction. And due to much higher standard deduction amounts ushered in by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in 2017, itemizing deductions may have become even less beneficial in 2018 and beyond, rendering QCDs even more potentially appealing.

QCDs avoid all this by providing an exclusion from in come for the amount paid directly from your IRA to the char ity — you don’t report the IRA distribution in your gross in come, and you don’t take a deduction for the QCD.

1 Beginning after 2019, if you make deductible contributions to an IRA for the year you reach age 70½ or beyond, this could reduce the allowable amount of your QCD.

2 Legislation passed at the end of 2019 raised the RMD age to 72 (from age 70½) beginning January 1, 2020. If you reach age 72 before July 1, 2021, you will need to take an RMD by December 31, 2021.

At Austin Asset, we are Fee-Only Financial Advisors. We seek to bring clarity and purpose to wealth through authentic and enduring relationships. For Life.

OTL

The New Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 has the essence of Ducati’s 2022 Mo toGP bikes. This ride brings technology, design, and performance to the table in a very impressive way. The “SP” in the name stands for Sport Production, a badge Ducati does not take lightly. The new Duca ti Panigale V4 SP2 easily stands-out from the crowd around the track and on the street.

Based on the 2022 Panigale V4 S, the new SP2 ambitiously incorporates a ton of techni cal improvements. The 1,103cc four-cylinder engine (81mm bore, 53.5mm stroke, 14.0:1 compression ratio) delivers 215.5 hp at 13,000 rpm and 91.2 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm.

The Panigale V4 SP2 offers a STM-Evo SBK dry clutch in place of the regular oil-bath wet clutch. The STM-Evo unit is directly derived from Ducati’s World Superbike racers. The design en sures superior anti-hop performance, and rid-ers can further tune it with a selection from Ducati’s special parts list, allowing them to custom tailor the clutch’s spring preload. The bike’s final drive uses a lighter, 520-type chain.

Ducati engineers improved chassis settings and lightened the weight. Carbon wheels replace Panigale V4 S’s forged-aluminum equivalents. The carbon wheels also reduce gyroscopic effect, and of course, naturally add an extra touch of unique ness. Wheel sizes are 17 x 3.50 out front and 17 x 6.00 in the rear both mounted with Pirelli Diablo Supercor-sa tires, 120/70-17 in front and 200/6017 out back.

The Panigale V4 SP2 chassis remains unchanged,

with a cast-aluminum “space frame” using the en gine as a stressed member. Steering geometry is as expected: 24.5 degrees of rake, 3.9 inches of trail, 57.8-inch wheelbase. Special attention has been devoted to the swingarm pivot location to obtain a natural anti-squat effect for better acceleration out of corners. Dry weight is down to 381 pounds.

Ducati enthusiasts taking the Panigale V4 SP2 to the track will enjoy the ultimate track day bike, the mirrors and li-cense plate holder are all quick release. The clutch and brake levers are lightened and micro adjustable, as are the foot controls and pegs. All are machined from aluminum billet, as are the triple clamps. Instrumentation is specific for the V4 SP2 and includes a GPS module as standard equipment, enabling an automatic lap-time func tion as well. And for a touch of exclusivity Ducati provides each Panigale V4 SP2 with a serial number in a limited edition, that number is engraved into the top clamp.

There are plenty of other track goodies that include switching out the street-homologated ex haust and mufflers with a special Akrapovič system. Executed in titanium, the distinctive 4-into-2 is 11 pounds lighter and drops the dry weight to 370 pounds while bumping engine output up to 228 hp and 96.6 pound-feet of torque. All this helps make the Pani-gale V4 SP2 a legitimate street-legal trackready superbike you can grow with, as well as one of the most refined Ducati bikes available today.

The New Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 has a price tag at the $40,000 mark. However, the experience this super bike pro-vides is certainly priceless.

Driverside Vehicle Reviews

Ducati Panigale V4 SP2

J-Prime Austin

STORY BY RICHARD AREBALO OTL FEATURES EDITOR

Austin has never really had a shortage of steak houses. Billion-dollar (mid-price) players like Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and Longhorn Steakhouse have been here for years. More upscale venues like Eddie V’s, Jeffery’s (possibly the most expensive steak in town), Fleming’s, Perry’s, and homegrown Austin and Cattle Co. have been celebration/go-to restaurants for decades. The ever-growing list shows that Austin’s appetite for over-the-top steaks, classic sides, and signature desserts has certainly not diminished post-pandemic.

ur latest arrival, J-Prime, on the corner of Third Street and San Jacinto, is a welcomed addition to the high-end field, but this new powerhouse comes with a rare perk… nearly all of their steaks are dry-aged forty-five to sixty days in-house.

In “dry-aging,” large cuts of beef are stored on open racks in special refrigerated lockers or sometimes rooms allowing for optimal airflow at carefully con trolled temperatures and humidity levels. (A display locker is in the wall just to the right of the bar entrance.)

The technique allows the meat to gradually lose moisture and concentrate its unique flavor. The storage can range from a typical twenty-one days to as many as seventy-five.

Dry-aging also helps break down tough con nective tissue, making the meat more tender. Each time I’ve had a dry-aged steak, flavor intensity has always been the number one takeaway.

J-Prime came about in a bit of a circuitous way. In 2008, João Carlos Ongaratto, a twenty-year vet eran of Fogo de Chao, was eager to strike out on his own and founded the Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in San Antonio. What better education in steak than from a restaurant chain so focused on grilling traditions? (Incidentally, Chama Gaucha has prospered well and now has locations in Hous ton, Chicago, and Atlanta.)

Six years after opening Chama Gaucha, João Carlos set his sights on opening a “classic” steak house, but still with a few Brazilian touches here and there. He opened J-Prime in north San Antonio in 2014.

The new restaurant was just down the road from the original Chama Gaucha and the tony Son terra Country Club. Over the years, J-Prime’s sleek, airy dining room, anchored by an imposing glass wine cellar, has become one of “San Antonio’s most romantic dining spots.”

The Austin location, second in the new chain, is perfectly positioned in the Whitley Apartment building within eyeshot of the Four Seasons Hotel, conveniently one block west of the Convention cen ter and coincidentally one block away from Fogo de Chao.

One thing that stood out in my recent visits to

J-Prime is a very decided attention to detail and a noticeable elevation of items offered at other res taurants.

My first visit was for a friend’s birthday – The bartender told us that their Cucumber Cocktail was “better than the others,” and he wasn’t wrong. A house-made sweet-chili rub on the rim of the glass made the intense cucumber/lime drink delicious but deceptively mild.

Although this may change a bit as the res taurant becomes busier (it’s only been open for two months), there seemed to be a small army of waitstaff. There was always someone there to fold a napkin or refill a wine glass, yet the service felt unobtrusive.

Our first bites were of a steak tartare amusebouche surrounded with micro greens that made you wish it was appetizer size. For such a tiny bite, the flavor was incredible.

Since this was a celebration, our first few courses were pure luxury; chunks of lobster tucked in melted butter, a giant crabcake with serious pieces of crab meat, and tender, garlicky escargot, each with a little puff pastry cap. We paired the first courses with generous glasses of G.H. Mumm Champagne.

The menu has both hot and cold appetizers, in cluding an enormous seafood tower and a rare, now legal, Beluga Caviar offering. (Their sushi-grade tuna and salmon were fantastic on a separate visit.)

The birthday dinner continued with 30-day aged filet mignons and stunningly white lobster tails. I chose the Oscar steak topping, a decadent lump crab hollandaise, which was probably unnec essary given the quality of the steak, but fantastic nonetheless.

Bread service came with the mains and was the first of the few Brazilian touches on the menu. Warm, round puffs of “Pao de queijo,” or Brazilian Cheese Bread, were placed on our plates. When these are well made (as these were), you will be tempted to eat way too many.

Our sides were difficult to decide on as most steakhouses know this is a great place to make fans. We chose a trio of creamy risotto with fresh basil, steamed asparagus, and very flavorful, crispy Brussels Sprouts with walnuts, feta, and shaved prosciutto. (Very little of these made it to the doggy bags home.)

The mains were enjoyed with a 2018 Gaja Sito Moresco from Langhe. The blend of Nebbiolo, Cabernet, and Merlot was perfect with the steaks and cut through the rich Oscar sauce in the most perfect way.

J-Prime’s wine list is predominately big California Cabs, with seventy-five labels available in that category alone. The wines range from a fifty-dollar Joseph Carr Napa Valley to over a thousand for some of the “California cult wines.” (Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer, Scare crow, Schrader, and Opus 1 round out the high-end of the menu.) There are thirty-five Pinot Noirs, various Malbecs, Shiraz, and Zins, plus an excellent selection of French, Italian and Spanish wines.

By the end of the meal, we had little room left, but what birth day could be complete without something sweet? Unlike some steakhouses that focus on just a few “signature” offerings, J-Prime has ten different desserts on its menu. Items range from classic Crème Brûlée to several “sharable” monster cake slices. Our ‘Cel ebration Cake’ had moist layers of yellow vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting, colorful sprinkles, and two brilliant sparklers.

I always remember that some pets just shouldn’t be alone; some birds do better in pairs, cats are happier, and dogs benefit from hav ing friends. I feel that way about desserts. I like to have more than one. As nice as our birthday cake looked and tasted, the Banana split with ice cream, drunk’n caramel sauce, toffee crumble, choco late sauce, and pecans was a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

The amply stocked bar cart provided our last course for this vis it. One of the other nods to Brazil still on the menu is an exceptional coffee drink called a “Carajilo.” This is a drink that comes with a show. Snifters of ‘43’ (vanilla-flavored liqueur produced in Spain using 43 flavoring ingredients…. citrus and other fruits, herbs, and spices.) are set on fire, creating a vivid blue flame. The liquor is poured dramatically into a cocktail shaker with ice and strong cof fee. The resulting drink is unique and very delicious.

Our birthday dinner finished with a tour of the lovely new res taurant.

The entire space is modern, with high ceilings, clean lines, and lots of glass. The palate is neutral earth tones in both walls and furniture. On several walls, large LED screens feature brilliant NFT ‘non-fungible token’ paintings, making the walls come alive.

Color is also provided by some of the wine and spirit bottles in display cases and several floor-to-ceiling wine walls. The restau rant has several private dining rooms available, which can be made more intimate with the flip of a switch. The glass becomes com pletely opaque when power is provided to some of the glass walls.

As the dinner service was winding down, I briefly met Chef Juan Piedrahita. I thanked him for a beautiful dinner and noted that you could see the thoughtful touches beyond decoration, from the amuse to the desserts. Flavor and care seemed to go into each element of the dishes. If this is maintained, J-Prime will have no choice but to succeed well into Austin’s future.

On a subsequent trip, I met with restaurant manager Omar Be jarano and discussed one of the other pleasures of the meal at JPrime, the staff. The waitstaff seemed a small outpost of the United Nations with folks from the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, and Croatia. What they all had in common was a very high presen tation of professionalism. There was a polish to their bearing and movement. I’ve seen this a few times before, and it’s always been the hallmark of a great restaurant.

I am really looking forward to many more meals at J-Prime Austin.

Miramont Country Club

STORY BY MIKE BAILEY

At Miramont Country Club, on the other side of the clubhouse, there’s a golf course. It has intriguing holes, outstanding conditions, and a high fun factor. It’s a course, however, that could have been overshadowed by the Miramont’s clubhouse. Most golf courses would be. After all, the clubhouse we’re talking about is 93,000 square feet. Few in the world are that grand, so any discussion of Miramont always seems to gravitate toward it.

PHOTO BY GABRIEL BENZUR

ut Miramont, which means “view from the grassy hill” in Italian, is much more than its clubhouse. And though this European-styled, castle-like structure is probably the first thing most think about when the topic of Mira mont comes up, it’s almost a contradiction at this exclu sive club. You see, Miramont really isn’t that stuffy. It’s the opposite of that. Despite the fancy digs -- owner and founder Don Adam, a billionaire businessman, philanthropist and one of Texas A&M UNiversity’s most distinguished alumni (Class of 1957) -- simply wanted to build a place for his friends to gather and play golf. And that is basically what happened 17 years ago, albeit on a monumental scale, when Miramont opened.

“We’ve got our building, which is very formal. It reflects our owner’s tastes,” said Rob Yee, Miramont’s director of golf who was hired seven years ago after 10 years at the Vaquero Club in Westlake near Ft. Worth. “But we’ve got a membership full of Aggies, and there’s just that Bryan-College station attitude as a whole. They just embrace a different pace of life.”

member comes in from Canada and brings a group of eight. We see him once a year, one weekend, until the next year,” Yee said.

A haven for Aggies (and the other members, too)

How incredible is Miramont’s clubhouse? Well, it was named the sixth best in the country and best in Texas by Club + Resort Business Magazine in 2021. The rankings reflected the judges’ scoring of clubhouse square footage, locker rooms, event space, seating capacity and several other amenities in which Miramont excels.

For the record, Miramont’s clubhouse includes a ball room that approaches 5,000 square feet, a mixed grill that’s nearly 2.200 square feet, and a beautifully stocked golf shop that’s almost 3,000 square feet. The locker rooms -- men’s and women’s -- are among the finest in the state, and there’s a large fitness facility, tennis shop, 19th hole, terraces and many other rooms.

The design also includes 32,000 square feet of Jerusalem gold and choco

late marble. The walls are sprinkled with marble dust, and there are 24K leafing in the archways that were hand-painted by French-Canadian artists. And during the construction phase, more than 5,000 trees, 19 different varieties, were imported from Adam’s tree farm in Flori da. It encompassed more than 500 truckloads.

Another standout aspect is the collection of 15 luxury guest suites in the clubhouse, available for the nearly 400 members to rent for themselves and their guests. They are booked months in advance on weekends during the Aggies’ football season, as you might expect, as well as other special events like graduation.

“One member comes in from Canada and brings a group of eight. We see him once a year, one weekend, until the next year,” Yee said.

A golf course worthy of Miramont

The clubhouse is an incredible first impression and last impression, waiting for golfers as they come off the ninth or 18th holes.

The golf course has much to live up to; it doesn’t disappoint.

Adam tabbed Robert Trent Jones Jr., to design the golf course, a championship layout that plays 7,127 yards from the back tees. There are double fairways, lots of water and several risk-reward opportunities.

Jones’ layout is very player friendly, with four sets of tees, staring at 5,141 yards. But while it’s very payable, it certainly has a championship pedigree. In 2014 and 2015, it was the host course for the national Junior PGA Championships. The winner in 2014 was a teenager from Shreveport, La., named Sam Burns. The junior title earned him a spot in the 2015 Valero Texas Open.

“I get into a PGA Tour event,” Burns declared at the time. “That’s been a dream of mine for a while, so it’s pretty special.”

Burns is now one of the best players in the world, having won four times on the PGA Tour.

The course, which was routed through wood lands, lakes, creeks, ravines, and gentle elevation changes, also has been the site of numerous South ern Texas PGA events as well as the Texas Amateur in 2009.

The design gives players lots of options on how to play the holes. The par-5 ninth hole, for example, allows golfers to choose between thread ing their second shots through a narrow, wooded neck directly at the green, or playing safely out

to an open area to the right. The 16th also has a double fairway with the wider right side around a grove of trees representing a longer, but safer path.

There are also two drivable par 4s -- the 11th and 17th -- if you play the proper tees, and they certainly have a good element of risk. The 11th is a dogleg left and just 268 yards to the green from the white tees, but it’s all carry over water. The 17th has a lake and creek that crosses in front of the green, but again, from the white tees, it’s 255 yards to a green that’s also fronted by four bunkers with another bunker behind the green.

The par-3 holes stand out as well. No. 12, for ex ample, plays over a lake and with multiple tee boxes around the water, can be a completely different hole, depending on where the teeing ground is, ranging from as short as 120 yards to 230 yards.

Yee said his favorite hole is the par-4 eighth. This dogleg left is 419 yards from the back tees. Large fair way bunkers loom left and right, and a creek crosses in front the green with two bunkers behind it.

“Late in the day, there’s some pretty intense shadowing coming off those bunker faces looking into the fairway,” Yee said. “It’s an intimidating shot, but aesthetically pleasing looking into that shallow green with the bunkers surrounding it. It’s one of the best views on the golf course.”

The 18th is a great risk-reward par 5 that plays just over 500 yards from the back tees (gold). A big tee shot gives you a good chance to reach this green in two, but any approach left of the green is basically dead.

PHOTO BY GABRIEL BENZUR

More to love about Miramont

As a bonus, near Miramont’s terrific practice facili ties, across the street from the large putting green, are four practice holes, maintained to the same standard as the golf course. It consists of two par 4s and two par 5s with multiple tees so golfers can play any of the holes as a par-3 as well. Yee says it averages about three players a day, so members can come out and basically have their run over there.

The course also has undergone several improve ments recently. Damage to the greens a couple of years ago from the Texas winter freeze provided the opportu nity to restore many of the greens to their original size. A bulkhead project to facilitate improved drainage also has been ongoing. Yee said even when the course gets 10 inches of rain in one day, there’s never any standing water because of how incredibly well the course drains water. And Miramont has also been experimenting with some new zoysia tee boxes.

But while the clubhouse and the golf course certainly set Miramont apart from many other private clubs, Yee and members will tell you there’s something else that re ally separates Miramont from clubs around the country.

“It’s a really welcoming membership,” said Yee, not ing that members certainly don’t have to be Aggies to join, yet it is by invitation. “Overall, I think you can chalk it up to Aggie core values.”

While they do take tee times at Miramont, they really aren’t necessary. Everyone is flexible.

“I joke with people that I’ve been driving around this course for seven years trying to find a pace of play problem,” Yee said. “And even when people are waiting, they’re much more patient and willing to play behind a slower group than any other place I’ve ever been.”

The best time to play Miramont, though? In the fall, of course, on Saturdays. For those non-Aggies and members who aren’t into football, they’ll likely have the course all to themselves.

Perfect Presents Our favorite gifts for 2022

STORY BY TERESA K. TRAVERSE

The holidays are here. If you’re searching for gifts to give your loved ones or yourself, we’ve got a few ideas for you. From a luxurious chocolate advent calendar to a dreamy car, here’s our gift guide for 2022. Happy holidays!

The Great Getaway

If you’re looking to get away this holiday season, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Nigel is a perfect reprieve. About an hour’s drive from Los Angeles International Airport, this pristine property is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Rooms are spacious, luxurious and modern. Rooms feature marble bathrooms and beds topped with goose-down comforters and 400 thread count sheets. Most rooms have ocean views that you can enjoy from a private balcony or patio. Guests can look forward to two outdoor swimming and whirlpools, two tennis courts, a 12-treatment room spa, an eco-adventure center, an outdoor oceanfront lounge and a lawn with sweeping ocean views.

The best perk of all? The Monarch Beach Golf Links adja cent to The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Nigel. This course is down right dreamy. Enjoy sweeping beachfront views as you hit the links on this stunning course. The Swing and Stay package includes overnight accommodations and a round of golf for two including tee time, 18 holes of golf and a complimentary rental of premium golf clubs. This package is available until Dec. 31, 2022. Rates start at $799 per night. Visit www. ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/laguna-ni guel for more information

Looking to up your game? Then consider a custom Ready2Play golf shaft built exclusively for you. Penley Sports has just debuted a line of custom shafts including custom iron shaft sets, putter shafts and drivers. Each shaft will be individually numbered and labeled “custom built for” along with your name. Each shaft is designed, manufactured and meticulously tuned by hand by Carter Penley - who has over 35 years of golf shaft design experience with multiple PGA Tour and Long Drive wins. Penley has also worked with pro golfer Lanny Wadkins. Orders require four to eight weeks to complete. You may need to take a trip out to Southern California for a final fitting and tuning. Prices start at $1,000 Visit penleysports.com for more information.

Custom Swing Shoe Shine

When you’re flying out to your next destination, tote your golf shoes in this Athletico Executive Golf Shoe Bag with Luggage Tag. Made out of durable Denier ballistic nylon, this bag will protect your shoes from the elements. Side pockets can be used to store tees, golf balls and socks. Mesh panels let your shoes air out. If you’re giving this as a gift, Athletico ships the bag in a sleek black gift box with a magnetic close flap that’s enclosed in a white paper sleeve. The bag costs $27.99 at athleticogear.com

Beach Chic

This striking and chic cutout beach dress will make one bold statement as you stroll by the pool or on the beach. The dress also features a built-in bodysuit along with crochet sleeves and a flowy skirt that both billow in the air. Avail able for $775 at Everything But Water’s brick-and-mortar locations (Scottsdale Fashion Square and Domain Northside in Austin) and on everythingbutwater.com.

Lux Beach Bag

Carry your beach essentials in this stylish blue and white striped Rive Gauche Saint Laurent canvas tote bag that’s made in Italy. The bag costs $1,750 at bergdorf goodman.com

Award-winning Bourbon

Born in the Texas Hill Country in 2005, Garrison Brothers is known for making high-quality bourbon. Garrison Brothers was the first legal bourbon dis tillery in Texas and was started by Dan Garrison. When Garrison found himself unemployed in 2001, he started writing a business plan for his own distillery after touring one in Kentucky. The company has flourished in those years and even counts pro golfer Lanto Griffin as a fan. The bour bon is made from a sweet bill mash and sits in American white oak barrels where it’s heat-forged in the powerful Texas sun. The end product? A dark, richer and fuller bourbon. Although the list of products is long, Cowboy Bourbon is one of the com pany’s most noteworthy offerings. Aged in Garrison’s favorite barrels, Cowboy Bour bon is aged for years and then bottled at cask-strength and is unfiltered. This process leads to a bourbon that’s 134.8 proof that’s also so sweet that it overpow ers such a high proof. Cowboy is peppery, warm and has a smooth finish.

Fran’s Advent Calendars

Seattle-based Fran’s Chocolate is renowned for its all-natural chocolates that are made using local and ingredients. Fran’s best-known creation? It’s salted caramel chocolates. Ideal for the holidays, the cham pagne box tied with a silk ribbon—your choice of red or champagne—is filled with Fran’s gray and smoked salt caramels. Each morsel features rich chocolate, soft, but tery caramel and a line of savory gray and smoked sea salts that make each bite irresistible. The award-win ning caramels are also certified organic and fair trade. A 160-piece box costs $275

Fran’s also crafts an assortment of other chocolate goods including truffles, candy bars, peanut butter cups and chocolate covered fruits and nuts. If you’d rather sample everything along with some seasonal surprises, consider the Fran’s advent calendar. The snowmanshaped calendar features original watercolor artwork and is filled with 25 gifts. The advent calendar costs $265 at frans.com.

Wine from Jordan Winery

Jordan Vineyard & Winery’s founders, Tom and Sally Jordan, set out to create an experience in Healdsburg, California, that rivaled France’s top wineries. So they founded Jordan Vineyard & Winery in 1972 and wanted to create a Bordeaux-style California cabernet sau vignon that aged well but was also approachable when young. They quickly realized that their red wine needed a sibling and also began planting Chardonnay grapes. In the decades since its inception, Jor dan has arguably set a gold standard for California wineries to aspire to. The winery’s slogan? Where Burgundy meets Sonoma. The quality of its wines has remained consistent in part because Jordan has only ever had two winemakers in its entire history.

Jordan offers a wooden gift box filled with its signature wines: three bottles of the 2020 chardonnay and three of the 2018 cabernet. Anticipate Chardonnay infused with Fuji apple aromas along with notes of Asian pear, lemon, persimmon and white flower. The 2018 cabernet includes aromas of black cherry, boysenberry and black fig along with rich tannins that last—making this a wine that will likely age gracefully. Jordan will even include a handwritten gift note in each order. The gift box costs $330

If you really want to go all out, consider traveling to the winery in Northern California to taste their wines and see where the grapes are grown on the sweeping 1,200-acre estate that employs sustainable farming practices. Jordan Estate rewards members who have gold or platinum status can even stay overnight in one of the winery’s luxe, French-inspired rooms. Learn more at jordanwinery.com.

Cashmere and Wool Equestrian Blanket

When those evening temperatures drop, reach for this luxuri ous and plush cashmere and wool equestrian blanket. The weighty throw will feel like a long, comforting hug at the end of a long day. Fabric is yarn dyed for lasting color and is finished by hand with whipstitching. This blanket costs $1,299 and can be purchased at williams-sonoma.com.

A Classic Car Sweet Rides

When it comes to exclusive cars, it would be nearly impossible to top Range Rover’s Range Rover SV Carmel Edition.

Powered by Range Rover’s 523hp V8 Twin Turbo engine, the car is inspired by the landscapes found in the coastline and coves located throughout Carmel, California. The ex terior is in a Bespoke Satin Bronze. The interior is dominated by the console that spans the length of the cabin. The con sole features an electric Club Table, cu pholders that deploy electrically and a

refrigerator filled with SV-etch Darting ton Crystal glassware. Lux exterior de tails include SV 23-inch Diamond Turned wheels finished in dark grey gloss with matching satin bronze inserts. Clients also receive Two Titleist Custom Club fit tings at Titleist’s Performance Institute along with a full club set. The Carmel edition is just one of 17 vehicles made and costs $345,000. The vehicle is of fered exclusively to guests of the Range Rover House. Visit landroverusa.com for more information.

For something bold and ex citing, and iconic, the 2023 Ca dillac Escalade —move through the world in a vehicle befitting your status. In motion and at rest, Escalade demands atten tion with exceptional physical ity and magnificent design. Wit ness as luxury transforms into legendary.

The Escalade is a modern marvel, brought forth by de signers and artisans obsessively devoted to their craft. Premium materials are meticulously de tailed and superbly finished. Surround yourself with the space you deserve.

Contact Ken Batchelor Cadillac in San Antonio or Sewell Cadillac of Houston

If you want something clos er to home, then try the LAND ROVER DEFENDER

The most capable Land Rov er, this SUV comes with five plus two seats, up to 88.3 cubic-feet of cargo space, up to 130 milesper-hour, and features plenty of off-roading capabilities.

The exterior of the Defend er is without match. Its distinc tive Athe vehicle’s character. Contact Sewell Land Rover North Austin to schedule a test drive. drovernorthaustin. com

Perfumes

Marc Jacobs Daisy Ever So Fresh

Housed inside of Marc Jacobs’ signature Daisy perfume bottle with flowers studding the top, this Ever So Fresh bursts with lush floral scents that energize. Top notes include mango, pineapple and mandarian; middle notes include rosewater and orange blossom essence; bottom notes include cashmere woods to add warmth. A 4.20-ounce bottle costs $157 at macys.com

Burberry Hero

Perhaps best known for its ad cam paign featuring actor Adam Driver, Burb erry Hero Eau De Parfum is intended to evoke the hero within. Perfumer Aurelien Guichard drew inspiration for the fra grance from the Landes forest in France, where pine trees grow near the ocean. Hero’s base is made up of three warm ce darwood oils, and the rest of the scent is completed by pine needles, benzoin and incense. Together, this creates a sensual and vibrant scent. The angular bottle is in tended to be an abstract representation of a horse’s hoof. The 5-ounce bottle costs $171 macys.com

Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden: AReason to Love

Part of Gucci’s The Alchemist Garden collec tion, A Reason to Love is a unisex perfume im bued with warmth, florals and spice. The sensu ality comes from the rose, oud accord and tolu balsam. While the rose, peony and cardamom lend the florals and spice. The 3.3-ounce bottle costs $352 at saksfifthavenue.com

How to Improve Your Clubface (Part One)

STORY BY BUCK MAYERS

It has been well documented that the clubface is more important than the swing path for ball flight control. There is also a myth that the ball will go straight at the target if the clubface is facing the target. Not so fast my friend… Now that we have technology to measure data, it is impor tant that the golfer is educated to what, how, and why you missed the target.

Here is a simple example. If your clubface is square to the target and your club path is 3° to the left, the ball would start straight but unfortunately curve to the right. Why? Because the face is 3° open/right to the path. To hit the tar get with a path of 3° to the left, the face would need to be 1.5° to the left of the target, or 50% to the path in the same direction. Therefore, this means the ball started slightly left and curved slightly right…Bullseye!

The first place to look for a club face problem is your grip. Your hands are the connectors to the golf club and a grip that is too weak or strong is the place to start. This fundamental is the most important, yet often overlooked. The next flaw to address is the takeaway. Your wrist condi tions hold the key to the proper clubface positions through out the rotation of the body during the entire golf swing.

Without getting into complicated verbiage on biomechan ics, your wrists can cock (up and down), bend (back-andforth), and roll (open and close).

To improve your takeaway, be mindful for the righthanded player, that the trail hand (right hand) should mim ic the club face with a neutral grip. Because most golfers slice the ball, more times than not, the rolling of the club face too open, in the backswing is the culprit. This often will affect the path and sequence of the overall swing.

Here’s your homework for Part One. Check your grip - a neutral position will work best for most golfers. Secondly, use a mirror from a down-the-line viewpoint and practice reviewing the club face in the backswing in its entirety. Your spine angle to your clubface is a good goal. Remember, there is no perfect, but there is better. The Clubface Control – Part Two, will be transition to impact.

Buck Mayers is an Emeritus Professional at Escondido Golf & Lake Club in Horseshoe Bay, TX and can be reached at 512-695-2270 or buck@buckmayersgolf.com

La Cantera

Singularly Sensational

STORY BY MARC HALL

As we make the gently winding, finely landscaped drive from the front gate of La Cantera Resort & Spa – with flirtatious glimpses of the nearby elevation we’ve come to call “the starting point of the Texas Hill Country” – to its port cochere and valet area, my wife sees the stylish roof top of the resort’s posh, tranquil Loma de Vida Spa. She recalls that it’s one of her favorite and possibly the most picturesque spas she’s been to, which says a lot since she’s been to many, including some pretty breathtaking ones on Hawaiian isles.

er reveries of tranquility make a word pop into my head. Mindfulness. It’s the thing everyone keeps telling me lately to practice and embrace to make everything better, but it also seems like one of the toughest things to actually get your arms around. To be pres ent and intentional in every possible moment in a world characterized by distractions – some situational and many curated by marketing masterminds – sounds noble but, in most respects, far, far away.

I decided, for now, to just be intentional and mind ful of changing into swim trunks and cruising down for a family night swim in the resort’s expansive, infinity-edged main pool. Even in the dark, the surrounding hill country looks rugged and majestic. It was a good call for our fam ily of four on a mini fall break from the hamster wheel of back-to-school season. Relaxation washed over us, and laughter soon followed then lasted the entire long week end. We forgot sunscreen, my sun forgot his swim shirts but all that matters so much less when you’re in the lap of luxury.

There are a handful of wonderful golf resorts in great er San Antonio but there is only one La Cantera and now, approaching three full decades since it first opened, one feels an obligation to describe what sets it apart. That’s

when my monkey mind releases its tenuous fixation on mindfulness and realizes what La Cantera exhibits at nearly every corner is thoughtfulness. Ohana Real Estate Investors purchased the property from USAA last year, but no sweeping changes were needed, and none have en sued. The resort’s charms and uniqueness can be found completely intact.

In its design, architecture, décor, programming and service, La Cantera succeeds in blending Texas heritage and hospitality with Mexican and Mexican American in spiration. Once on these grounds, you’re living the nou veau ideal of modern San Antonio where cultures inter twine and play off of each other in the most energizing ways. The brilliantly landscaped Plaza San Saba, one of the Texas Hill Country’s leading selfie spots found just steps from the stylish hotel lobby, is where you’ll discover a soothing nature park complete with cascading water features, rock sculptures and awe-inspiring views of the geographical start of the verdant Texas Hill Country. It’s ornate but its design is, wait for it… thoughtful. To stand there ten minutes and see all the ways guests use this space – picnic area, romantic stroll venue, family portrait backdrop, first glass of wine destination, grassy toddler speedway – you appreciate the design… and the views.

La Cantera is thoughtful, too in its design flow. The

location and flow of Primero Cantina (a sensational Tex Mex restaurant with a fun, tasty and authentic menu and lively bar), and its indoor an outdoor dining with Hill Country views, connects seamlessly with Plaza San Saba and the re sort’s three expansive (and artfully separate) swimming pool areas for adult, families and all-page recreation. The resort is elegant but comfortable everywhere you go but the spaces are meant to be lived in and not simply admired.

After all these years, La Cantera brims with a refreshing authenticity. From the Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream in the fresh and friendly Henrietta’s Market to the walk-up gour met charcuterie called Bocado adjacent to the posh Sire Bar (with a dazzling whiskey and bourbon selection), La Cantera dares to make unique touches that complement our active lifestyles, whimsies, and appetites.

The next morning, I’m all kinds of intentional on the main reason I like to come to this special resort: to play La Cantera Golf Club. With the late 2021 closing of the beloved Palmer Course (the land is being repurposed for future devel opment), all the golf operations resources can be channeled into making the former site of the Valero Texas Open (from 1995 to 2009) its very best. And, when this golf course is in

top form, it’s one of the best and most rewarding 18-hole experiences in the state.

Director of Golf Aaron Green is enthusiastic about the condition the course will be in as more attention and bud get will allow for some cool enhancements. Due to drought and other factors, many of the course’s gently moving water features have been turned off, but they could soon be on the way back. These creeks and ravines aren’t just window dress ing. They add a character, naturalism and a soothing energy to round. Like a Colorado mountain stream, these features delight the senses and complete La Cantera’s aesthetic. Thin ning out tree growth and working in some of the lingering suggestions in Tom Weiskopf’s 2015 field notes (prior to a 2017 renovation) could yield extraordinary effects in the course’s not-too-distant future.

The par-72, 6,954-yard layout, which was tabbed as one of the country’s Best New Courses in 1995 is poised for a renaissance. Built on a wildly rugged captivating expanse of prime Hill Country acreage, La Cantera Golf Club is a feast for the senses but still more than meets the eye. The course’s best attributes sort of come at you in waves, so here’s a list of things to love about this iconic design.

Another area where La Cantera shines is in its pas sion and commitment to memorable culinary experi ences. From extraordinary steaks to succulent seafood to wood-fired pizzas and an ever-popular breakfast buffet, SweetFire Kitchen and its clever new chef, serves up pleasing favorites with a distinguished pa nache.

Signature, La Cantera’s award-winning fine-dining establishment, sits in the stone building that formerly housed the golf academy. Diners relish a delectable array of steaks, Gulf seafood, wild game and unique offerings seasonal offerings.

Primero Cantina is a pleasant surprise for even the most discerning Tex-Mex lover with its lovingly pre pared fajitas, tacos of all kinds (including Puffy) and even seafood are presented with creativity and style.

If privacy matters, La Cantera delivers. The 36unit Villa enclave– located below the spa in along side the Resort driving range– has been completely revitalized with new design features, landscaping and wall-to-wall restyling of the interiors of the spa cious villas. This section is ideal for guests who prefer a more secluded vacation getaway with all the com forts of home. Similarly, SEVEN is La Cantera’s luxury adults-only guest experience. The seventh floor of the

hotel is designated as 21-and-up and offers guests complimentary valet, a private check-in, and a dedi cated SEVEN concierge. Access to Loma de Vida Spa and complimentary nightly hors d’oeuvres and cham pagne are also perks guests at SEVEN receive.

So if you ask me what I think of La Cantera Re sort & Spa, the word you’ll hear most commonly will be that the touches and experiences at the resort are thoughtful. Around every little corner is your new fa vorite place to relax, recline, recreate or just take in all the views. To learn more, visit www.lacanterare sort.com

Reasons Why I Really, Really Like La Cantera Golf Club7

1) Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish’s daring yet sensible Texas Hill Country design. Every time you play this course – and it’s one many would say they could play every day – the wonder of the routing and collection of terrifically solid golf holes still wow you. Hiring Weiskopf is another wat La Cantera shows thoughtful ness. His designs are cerebral, but always fair and, if you look at his seriously underrated design portfolio, it’s clear he was chosen time and again by developers who wanted something special, a unique and high-quality vintage, chose Weiskopf. Loch Lomond in Scot land, Forest Dunes in Michigan, everything he touched in Arizona - including Silverleaf and the Meadow and Canyons courses at For est Highlands plus Spanish Peaks Mountain Club in Montana all demonstrate how Weiskopf recorded his masterpieces in a slightly different key.

3) Playability. If you choose the proper set of tees, you’ll find most of this course’s landing areas are ample and the real test is playing shots in from the correct angle and not leaving errant approaches short sided. It’s the same sensibility that prevails at St. Andrews. You’ll just find a lot more hilly fairways, limestone outcroppings and rushing creeks here.

2) The fantastic short par fours. Never dismiss a course with good, short two-shotters as just a short golf course. Not only does La Cantera’s routing show off the best of the area’s climbing-andplunging topography, it presents a thrilling pacing of holes for challenge and scoring. The potentially drivable seventh is known for the outlines of Six Flags Fiesta Texas rollercoasters that fill its backdrop, but it’s a perfect risk-reward hole with a hazard down the right side and fairway bunkers everywhere else you’d like to aim. The eighth is scorable but an unforgiving cliff on the right means you have to pass a shot-making test to thrive. The 16th and its land mine collection of fairway bunkers presents temptation and a call to arms at a pivotal moment in the round.

4) Routing. Even after all these years, it something to walk around the resort and marvel how this routing winds from one part of the property and sneaks all the way up into beginnings of the Texas Hill Country. It’s such a fun ride and the tough holes balance exceptionally with the gettable ones.

5) The par threes aren’t burdened with an inferiority complex. From the middle tees, we played two mid-iron shots and two full-wedge shots. It was fun and I can say unequivocally I did not miss the one or two rip-three-wood-andhope par threes so many modern courses seem to fixate on.

6) The views from the 10th green and 11th tee. To see downtown San Antonio and all the development between there and the resort is outstanding. Then, to turn around and see the Hill Country climb higher and higher so you feel like you could smash a driver and reach Kerrville.

7) Risk reward scenarios payoff big. Number two rewards a shot that cuts off the left to right dogleg. The fifth hole offers a heroic opportunity cut across the dogleg-right shape of the hole. Seven dares you to drive it close to the hazard for a chance to run up to the green. The 14th is a potentially reach able par 5 that could yield a needed late-round birdie.

Sadie Westbrook: Gifted and Talented

STORY BY MIKE BAILEY

Golf can be a lot of things to a lot of different people. For many, it’s a chance to relax. For others it’s about the competition, or maybe just communing with nature. For 12-year-old Sadie Westbrook of Houston, it’s her sanctuary.

The golf course is where Sadie feels at home. It also helps that she’s pretty good at golf.

She has won more than 20 junior tournaments, often against girls much older than her. And she loves to practice, whether it’s at BraeBurn Country Club, hit ting balls in a net in the garage, or chipping and putting in the backyard.

ntroduced to the game when she was 5 years old by her father, Kris Westbrook, Sadie basi cally loves all things golf, though she excels at track and cross country, too, having run in the 2021 AAU Junior Olympics. She also was an outstanding softball catcher and switch hitter until she decided to focus more on golf. Most recently, she’s been working with renowned golf instructor Clay Edwards, who recognized her tal ent, work ethic, and grit.

“She’s not going to get outworked,” said her father, Kris, a near-scratch player himself and the CEO of a consulting firm, Revenew International. “If Clay says, ‘putt four-footers for 30 minutes,’ she’s going to do that, while most kids will quit after two minutes and go look for something else to do.”

While attending a junior golf camp run by the University of Houston women’s golf coach, Lydia Gumm, and some of her players, Sadie formed a

bond with them. Her current goal is to someday play on the Cougars women’s golf team, which is why she has a UH golf bag and wears a UH hat. Of course, given that her father is a UH alum doesn’t hurt either. She also has big dreams of one day playing on iconic courses such as Pebble Beach and St. Andrews. Her dreams don’t stop there either, she dreams of playing professional golf or being a golf coach.

“Whether she hits a good shot or a bad shot, it’s really hard to tell,” said Coach Gumm, who took over the UH program a couple of years ago. “Her demeanor is really steady. You never know whether she is playing good or bad. She’s very ma ture for her age. And she comes from a phenom enal family. Her parents have done a great job.”

On the golf course, Sadie seems to have all the confidence in the world. She doesn’t take much time over the ball, pulling the trigger quickly to hit one wonderful shot after another. Before each

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shot she visualizes her favorite golfer, Nelly Korda’s, swing to help with her tempo. She also relishes the challenge of the most diffi cult shots, even if she is short sided to a pin, she somehow manages to get up and down. She’s also a self-proclaimed equipment nerd. She will study your bag and memorize all your clubs down to the shafts and grips that you use. While she’s really good at reading greens, traditional reading throws her for a loop.

Sadie is one of millions of children who are challenged with dyslexia. Moreover, she also battles anxiety. , but Sadie has a few tricks for that on the golf course. For exam ple, if she’s having a tough time on the golf course, her mom, Traci, likes to feed her the first few words from the lyrics of a song from the Tony award-winning musical, “Hamil ton.” Sadie will finish the lyrics. She knows them all by heart, having seen the play both live, and on TV. Singing calms her down.

PHOTOS BY ERIC AND JENN PHOTOGRAPHY

For the past two years, Sadie has received help with her dyslexia from a relatively new source, the Dyslexia School of Houston. Educator Tammy Spencer, who founded the school, remembered the first time she met Sadie. “She mumbled and didn’t make eye contact,” Spencer said. “It’s a struggle for her to do her homework. She must work 10 times harder academically than her peers. But if you put her on a golf course or a running track or a softball field, she’s George Springer in female form. It completely blows you away.” Just as she does in sports, Sadie has taken her coaching well and progressed greatly with her literacy and her academic self-confidence.

Spencer who spent some 30 years in the Texas public education, including most recently as the senior manager for Dyslexia Services for Houston ISD, started the private Dyslexia School of Hous ton (DyslexiaHouston.org) during the pandemic, when most students weren’t allowed back in the classroom. Online education was especially tough for kids with learning disabilities, and Spencer

said public education, for a variety of reasons, was failing children with special instructional needs. Spencer also created the nonprofit Code Academy to help families who can’t afford to pay tuition.

According to the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity, about 20 percent of the population has a form of dyslexia. Public education systems iden tify only a small fraction of that number and often the students who are diagnosed are not identified early enough, and they simply never get the prop er help they need. Spencer created the school to give families that help.

While most people are familiar with dyslexia, they might not fully understand what it is, or how many people they might know suffer from it. Most people think that dyslexia is simply seeing or writ ing letters backwards. It’s much more than that. According to the International Dyslexia Associa tion:

“Dyslexia is a specific learning disabil

ity that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Second ary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Actors Tom Holland (Spiderman), Keanu Reeves, and Jennifer Aniston, have all had to over come their dyslexia. Former football player and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow has been very outspoken as well. Aniston of “Friends” fame, was quoted as saying, “I thought I wasn’t smart. I just couldn’t retain anything. Now I had this great dis covery. I felt like all my childhood traumas, trag edies, dramas were explained.”

Tammy Spencer.

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, we need to teach the way they learn,” said Spencer of what they are doing at the Dyslexia School of Houston. “We teach them every letter and sound. If I speak the sound, what letter do you write? We’re connecting the reading, the writing, the spelling, everything.”

Warning signs that a child may have dyslexia in clude speech delay, a difficulty learning letters and struggles with word retrieval and sequencing events for preschool children. Elementary age students who might have dyslexia have trouble learning letters and the sounds they make, are poor spellers, and often avoid reading. And by the time students get to high school, youth with dyslexia, despite appearing very bright, often read very slowly, make poor grades, and are still poor spellers with a limited vocabulary.

Spencer said the key to treating dyslexics is to use a scientific approach in teaching. Standard teaching sim ply doesn’t work for people with dyslexia.

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, we need to teach the way they learn,” said Spencer of what they are doing at the Dyslexia School of Houston. “We teach them every letter and sound. If I speak the sound, what letter do you write? We’re connecting the reading, the writing, the spelling, everything.”

So far, nearly 50 children, ages 3-15, are receiving therapy at the Dyslexia School of Houston. They come in at different hours, some before their regular school

ing, and some afterwards, as late as early evening. Spencer is amazed how talented her dyslexic students are in other areas, which isn’t unusual.

“They are amazing at math and science, and art,” she said. “They have creative abilities, but when you put a book in front of them, they freeze.”

Many of the children who attend the school have made significant progress, including Sadie. “Our meth ods are working. I’m getting results,” Spencer said.

But dyslexia therapy is an ongoing process, she said. People with dyslexia need to own it and know they will overcome it. But it never goes away.

“She will never be out of my life,” Spencer said of Sadie. “And reading will never be fun for her. But she does improve with practice.” Just like she does with her golf game, but it just doesn’t come as easy.

To follow the latest on Sadie follow her @sadiewestbrookgolf on Instagram Follow Dyslexia School of Houston on all Social Media Platforms.

PHOTO BY AISHA KHAN

Edel Golf’s Putter Technology and Fitting System Redefine “The Next Level”

STORY BY CARL MICKELSON

It’s tough to name a club in the golf bag that is more personal, more sacred than the putter. My sense of loyalty to putters, through the years, has probably run deeper than even my loyalty to the people who cut my hair, dry clean my clothes or even the pediatricians who have thoughtfully and adeptly seen to the health and well-being of my kids.

Through my junior golf and high school days and early 20s, I ripped many a heart out with my trusty beryllium-copper Ping B60. It was an extension of my arms, the putter I was born to use. That put-ter was the Jerry Rice to my Joe Montana, the Lucille to my B.B. King. With that wand in hand, I could turn daunting misfortune into improbable magic. Some how, with my being in the golf indus-try for almost three decades and being endlessly fascinated with emerging technology, that de-pendable B60, brown and weathered like a long-lost penny, began to move far ther and farther to the back of the closet. If there’s been a trend in putters - face inserts, fancy finishes, innovative

alignment aids- I’ve probably dabbled and I eventually settled into blade-style putter guy, never really able to recapture the uncanny feel or confidence I got from my childhood putter.

So, when I saw the head design of Edel Golf’s EAS 2.0 putter model, with the look of a blade cou-pled with a concave radius on the back edge of the putter (essen tially humped shapes behind the heel and toe that coax your focus even more to club’s sweet spot), I was beyond intrigued. The head shape of my dreams in the hands of David Edel, one of golf’s most inventive, research-based and innovative club designers, had to be worth testing.

The first advantage you see in this putter head is its alignment properties. Interchangeable align-ment plates for the top and back of the putter head help personal ize the golfer’s alignment cues for optimal aim. Lines on the top help you focus forward and move your aim to the right while the lines on the bottom move your focus backwards and aim more left. In my fitting, Edel’s tal

ented son, Nico, an Edel Golf Master Fitter and Putter Crafts man, discovered that a single line on the top and another on the bottom helped my fuzzy brain set up square every time. The optimal alignment setup varies for all golfers, so the inter changeable plates make fitting and tinkering for optimization a breeze.

Meeting Nico at Edel Golf’s Liberty Hill HQs was a blast and extremely educational. In the words of Team Edel, its Torque Balanced technology “significantly reduces the negative effects of torque, promoting a smoother and more consistent motion and allowing the putter head a greater oppor-tunity to return to square at impact. Torque Balanced technology strategically removes weight from the toe of the putter, creating a “toe- up” balance point versus traditional toe-down or face balanced putters. With an optimally weight ed design, the Torque Balanced putter is less suscepti-ble to the forces of torque during the putting stroke. The Torque Bal anced technology is contained completely within the sole of the club, allowing the putter to maintain a sleek and tradition al look at address.” It’s an effortless stable and smooth putting experience once you’ve been properly fit with an Edel putter.

After Nico found the alignment combination that dialed in my square set-up, we started working distance control and consistency in my stroke. By adjusting weights inside the put ter’s shaft at vari-ous depths from the top of the shaft, Nico was able to fit the weight and momentum of my putter to match my stroke tendencies. The farther down the shaft the counterweight is insert, the heavier the putter head will feel and as the weight moves to the top of the shaft, the head feels lighter. The key is finding the optimal balance, tempo and feel. I’d never seen a fitting that included adjust-ing weights at var ious places INSIDE the putter shaft. The amount of control it gave the fitter - and me - was astounding.

Speaking of control – and leaving no stone unturned in the fitting process – Edel promotes a sym-metrically round grip, for solid reasons. Take a look at the flat, target-facing side of your putter grip. In theory, it’s great for alignment, but Edel’s research found that it causes golfers to struggle as they try to square both the grip and the putter face versus just focusing on the one variable - a squarely aligned putter face.

Now that the Edel EAS 2.0 putter is in my bag, let’s talk about the benefits. This putter’s patented alignment system moves mass away from the toe, into the heel and more evenly distributed across the face. I’m so much less inclined to feel like the face is open and I have to shut closed as I make my putting path.

My EAS 2.0 has been customized for my stroke tenden cies and tempo, so, now, my stroke is much squarer and purer through the impact zone. On top of that, my distance con trol is greatly improved because Nico took great care during my fitting to find the ideal spot to position weight inside the shaft so it is properly counterbalanced and in sync with how I struck putts. I never feel like the head of the putter is too far ahead or too far behind my hands, even when I’m making long lag putts with a lot of momentum.

Because I am striking putts with a pure, smooth tempo

that matches my natural rhythm, I’m making more strokes that come through right on the sweet spot. That gives sensa tional feedback in the form of confidence-inspiring feel. Every putt that comes off the face feels responsive and rolls about the exact distance and on its intended line, makes me feel that much more invincible over the ball. Confident putters are dangerous putters, and, with practice, I feel like I’m earning back hope of rediscovering that kind of talent on the greens. The Hex machined face pattern is designed to create friction and incite forward roll and I’m seeing more and more putts roll pure end-over-end, versus skidding then rolling.

I can’t imagine buying another putter without going through a fitting like my hour-long experience with Nico. The positioning of weight inserts inside the shaft was an eyeopener. The way Nico was able to move different weight ports to specific heights within the shaft so I could immediately see better control and tempo, was really an extraordinary experi ence. He was imparting the gift of pure feel with just a couple of quick mechanical adjustments.

We didn’t walk out of the fitting room until we had a put ter that felt like an extension of my arms.

If you’re lucky like me and you live around Austin (not far at all from Edel Golf’s Liberty Hill head-quarters), or if you live somewhere near an Edel fitter, take advantage of their talent and expertise. In an hour, I was able to rediscover the feel and confidence on the greens I’ve been chasing for more than two decades. Putting is fun and exhilarating again and I even feel like my mechanics are get ting better because I’m not wrestling with anything distracting in my equip ment that would impede my improvement.

To learn more more about Edel Golf’s innovative and customizable lines of put ters, wedges and irons, or to find an Edel Golf fitter near you, visit EdelGolf.com.

Winery Spotlight: Flint Knoll

STORY BY HUNTER HAMM

On my recent trip to Napa Valley, I discovered a brand that I absolutely fell in love with and have been drinking ever since: Flint Knoll.

The tasting itself was organized by Aaron Michaelis, proprietor of the brand. We met at his home and were instantly welcomed as friends. Aaron is a kind man and an even better host, with a portfolio of wines that astonished me, one glass after another. The wines themselves had an im mense presence but such a unique person ality within themselves.

Aaron has the genius mind of Philippe Melka as his winemaker, a man known for working on wines such as: Chateau Haut Brion, Tusk, Brand, and so many more. The wines that I recommend looking at for are the 2019 Noble Right Proprietary Red, the 2019 Spring Mountain Cabernet, and the 2019 Commonwealth Cabernet.

These wines show that when a winery focuses on elite vineyard selection, excel lent care to detail, and extraordinary wine making then you can produce wines that remind one what makes Napa so good as a wine region. Aaron then told us the story of how he fell in love with wine and be came enamored by the taste and the his tory, and in many ways, I related. Aaron is a great host, the wines flowed coupled with the laughter. At that moment I real ized that Aaron and Flint Knoll are what wine is all about to me.

Great people risking it all to produce great wines and succeeding. Memories are made as you swirl wine about in a glass, wine is more than tangible, it’s an essence, a memory, a moment. Flint Knoll and Aaron are a breath of fresh air to the wine industry, and I look forward to doing business with them for as long as I can. If you are looking for a new luxury wine brand to try out, look no further than Flint Knolls wines.

Old vs. New: Choosing the Right Cigar

STORY BY LOUIE SHAYA

Are you confused about old cigars versus fresh cigars? What does this mean, exactly? If you’re new to the world of cigar smok ing, these terms can be a little perplexing. Basically, know that cigars are never really fresh. That is, you generally can’t purchase a cigar just after it has been produced. Most tobacconists store their cigars at the proper temperature and humidity before they are stored. Also, the tobacco in most premium cigars is usually aged for about one to two years before it is rolled into a cigar.

Many smokers prefer old or vintage ci gars. Why? Older cigars are not inherently better than newer cigars. This is simply a matter of personal taste and preference. How long can vintage cigars last before they lose flavor and integrity? Cigars that are properly stored at a constant temperature of approximately 70 degrees, and about 70% humidity,

can be stored indefinitely.

What happens if an old cigar is not stored properly, and begins to dry out? Although the integrity of the cigar will probably be damaged, it can be restored significantly by re-humidifying it. This process must be done slowly and with great care to restore the ci gar’s flavor and consistency