OTL Texas Winter 2023 Issue

THE Canyon Suites

at The Phoenician

Las Vegas : Going all in New Year with New Wines

2023 Ferrari Purosangue Bofinger, Paris

PUERTO VALLARTA

Mexico is recognized for its service. Puerto Vallarta has something for everyone. Come and find your space. S. Laird

BOFINGER, PARIS

A memorable experience of a lifetime found under the scarlet awnings with gold letter B. R. Arebalo

VEGAS CANYON SUITES

No better way to go all in than Las Vegas. Known for it’s over the top appeal, this strip excursion is well worth it. S. Laird

A superior location nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain, a Luxurious hotel within and luxury hotel. This discrete property is Five Star and AAA rated. R. Arebalo

TOM FAZIO’S CANYONS COURSE

The always highly ranked Canyons course at Barton Creek has reopened after renovations and it’s better than ever. M.Bailey

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Contents

FITNESS

Stand up paddle board provides a core workout while eyeing nature.

YOGA FOR GOLFERS

Yoga is one of the best ways for golfers to improve their game.

PUTT FOR DOUGH

Social Security: More than just a retirement benefit.

DRIVE FOR SHOW

2023 Ferrari Purosangua, meaning pureblood in Italian, it’s a show-stopper.

BUCKS TIPS

Hitting consistent shots start with a square clubface. Part 2 with Buck.

ON YOUR GAME

One of one interview with the legendary college coach, John Fields.

EQUIPMENT

Distance is a reality. If you’re looking for more, try this piece of equipment.

WINE

New year, new wines. Here are some suggestions to add to your to-try list.

THE WINTER ISSUE 2023

From the Publisher

It’s going to be a great year. Why, just because the calendar changed?

With the tick-tock of the clock, is there a cosmic shift? Is there a magical ratio from 22 to 23? Is the planet Mercury’s retrograde going to impact you truly? Is it the dawning of an age of Aquarius? (One of my favorite songs by the way)

I don’t know the answer. I can tell you with some degree of certainty due to my life experience that gyms will be more crowded. Morning lines at doughnut shops will be shorter for a week or so. You will hear Happy New Year in greetings and lazy people will keep their holiday lights up far too long.

The new year is the ultimate Monday and planet Earth’s most prominent imaginary reset button. In golf-speak, the new year is the nuclear mulligan.

The magic isn’t in the stars, it comes from within (I know the carbon in us comes from the stars therefore, we are the star people). The concept of the athlete getting into the zone is real. Sure, they try to study it and some definitions have been implemented to put it into perspective. You have times when you feel you’re on your game.

You can tell when it’s going to be one of those days. You’re familiar with the phrase “getting up on the wrong side of the bed.”

How many times do you say that? Once or twice a month? If so, then that means you’re getting up on the right side of the bed a minimum of 25 times or more. You would take those odds to Vegas every day.

We have all the power to change or direct what we want. The first feat is to decide. Sounds easy enough, but making decisions is where the challenge lies.

I hear it all the time when I ask, what do you

want? The same answers come up. Money, a better body, and love. The truth is we all have those things. We have money, and a body, and most likely, we are not completely alone or isolated. We need or want more of it. We want more money, not necessarily more body – less body in some cases, and an improved love life (better or different relationship).

The answers are beyond the extent you realize. The question is, why do you want these things? What would you then do with the money, the better body, and the relationship?

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Make a few plans and keep reminding yourself of what you want. Since we are not perfect, there will be events that will not be the best, but overall, it’s only an event. A better event will follow. I hear people talking about a bad day all the time. I can say that I have never had a bad day. I have experienced bad events during the day, even multiple bad events, but the good in a day has always outweighed the bad.

Start today with this letter. Determine who you want to be, where you want to go, and how you want to do it. The rest is manageable with the amount of effort you want to expend. Be determined, not deterred.

2023 is in your hands.

Please enjoy the issue. Our goal has remained the same since we published the first issue. We want you to enjoy the finer things in life, given all the articles on food, golf, travel, and much more.

The next time you assume others are living their dream, get about the business of living out your dreams. It’s possible; start now.

Happy New Year.

/OnTheLinks

PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER

Sedric Walker

Sedric Walker

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ART DIRECTOR

Leticia Galarza

Tony Dean

ART DIRECTOR

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR

Leticia Galarza

Carl Mickelson

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Natalie Kalbas

FEATURES EDITOR

GOLF FEATURES EDITOR

Richard Arebalo

Carl Mickelson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Andon Guillory, Loui Shaya

TEACHING PROFESSIONAL Buck Mayers

FEATURES EDITOR

Richard Arebalo

TEACHING PROFESSIONAL

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Buck Mayers

Kevin Chin

CONTENT SPECIALIST

Joel McColl

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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

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

INTERNET & DIGITAL

INTERNET & DIGITAL

Mario Rossi

Alexandria Moya, Karen Kreeps

FOR ADVERTISING OR EDITORIAL INQUIRIES

FOR ADVERTISING OR EDITORIAL INQUIRIES

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. ©2023 by OTL. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the express written consent of OTL is strictly prohibited. Editorial queries 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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Puerto Vallarta: Pacific Pleasantries

Even the most trivial things in Puerto Vallarta seem cosmopolitan. On the oceanfront Malecon, vendors sell tuba fresca, a non-alcoholic palm wine made from palm sap, ladled over ice out of a chilled barrel, garnished with nuts and fresh fruit (in this case, apple and pomegranate). Coconuts, however, are not native to Mexico’s Pacific Coast. They, like much else in the city, are a colonial introduction—both coconuts palms and the method for making tuba fresca and its alcoholic cousin were imported to Mexico from the Philippines when both were part of the Spanish Empire.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY: SCOTT LAIRD

The area also has a long history of welcoming vacationers. As early as the 18th Century, as mining operations in the nearby mountains grew, Puerto Vallarta (until 1918 called Puerto Peñasco) was a popular place of respite for families in the surrounding mountains, as well as an important commercial port. It wasn’t until the 1960s when an international airport was completed that Americans began arriving, driving a tourist boom.

Today, even with decades of tourism growth, the city still has a laid-back, colonial feel. Builtup resorts dotting the beaches stretching to the north and south of town don’t seem to deposit large crowds into the town center itself, and the sparse walkers along the art-strewn Malecon are a pleasant mix of visitors and local residents. Perhaps it’s the mountains that the city development crawls directly up that have a compartmentalizing effect on the neighborhoods, making them feel smaller.

One of the neighborhoods is called Gringo Gulch, after a number of Americans took up residents in the 1950s and 1960s. Most famously, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton bought two houses across the street from each other, and built a skybridge between them so they could visit each other without crossing the street and risking exposure to the paparazzi. The estate, Casa Kimberley, is today a boutique hotel, and guests in the Elizabeth Taylor suite will bathe in the same heart-shaped pink marble bathtub that Taylor custom-ordered for the property. A detail lost in translation returned a bathtub in the shape of the actual organ rather than the stylized heart shape that was requested.

Quimixto.

Spa.

Nearby, travelers can book a table at La Capella to take in spectacular views of Banderas Bay and the baoque-styled crown atop the bell tower at Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe while strolling violinists serenade diners.

The owners of the restaurant also own and operate the BellView Hotel in the same building, so fans of the view can also book a room to enjoy it throughout their stay.

When it’s time to get out on the water, Vallarta Adventures operates catamaran excursions to Las Caletas, which was once the beachfront property of film director John Huston, who directed Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1964 film The Night of The Iguana, which was both set and filmed on location in Puerto Vallarta.

The voyage hugs the coastline, affording visitors views of the city and Los Arcos de Mismaloya—the famed rock arches just off the coast, which is a national park

and sanctuary for nesting birds. Upon reaching Las Caletas, which seems sandwiched between rocky cliffs and the sea, there are numerous activities for guests to fill their day. Vacationers can swim, laze in oceanfront hammocks or beach chairs, take a ceviche cooking class, sample mezcal with chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), dive or snorkel—all with company from colorful parrots, flamingos, and accommodating staff.

Further down the rocky coast on the south of Banderas Bay is an area known as Cabo Corrientes, where the eco-resort Xinalani sits on a hill above a pristine beach. Focusing on wellness and yoga, the resort’s guest rooms have walls on three sides, leaving letting the sea breezes cool the rooms naturally. Accommodations range from deluxe private rooms to shared dormitories for budget travelers or those who want to travel in a communal group bubble.

Guests spend their days attending yoga classes, taking massages at the resort’s spa suites perched in the

Xinalani.

rainforest just above the crashing surf on the beach, or dining in the communal dining room on local cuisine with vegetables from the on-site garden. Meals are included in the room rates; for luncheon guests might enjoy on freshly caught fish, roast chicken (the menu is vegetarian-friendly and avoids red meat), gazpacho, aguachile with shrimp and local mushrooms, brown rice pilaf tossed with local fruit and wine-poached pears.

There’s also a beachfront bar, a small pool, and day beds and loungers dotting the sand stretching out between two rocky outcroppings on a wide stretch of sandy beach.

When not spending time on the beach or bathing in the ocean, there’s time to explore the nearby town of Quimixto, where they’ll find oceanfront bars and restaurants—and the main sources of transport are donkeys. The town is entirely off the road system, so goods and guests all arrive via boat from Puerto Vallarta or water taxi to the nearby highway.

While many luxury resorts tend to cluster in the Puta Mita Area about 45 minutes north of the airport, many of the global hospitality brands have upper upscale resorts delivering the gracious, heartfelt service Mexico is renowned for. In the Marina Vallarta area, just ten minutes from the Malecon by car, the Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta sits on oceanfront property with towering heritage palms and throwback architecture—think open-air spaces flanked by concrete columns, polished marble floors, and oversized guest rooms with distinctive local flair in furnishings—like rustic found woods and decorative tile.

Los Arcos de Mismaloya.

Las Caletas.

A more intimate, adults-only option in Marina Vallarta is the Casa Velas. Located on the Joe Fingerdesigned 18 hold Marina Vallarta golf course, this allinclusive sister property to the beachfront Velas Vallarta offers seclusion and privacy, along with access to the amenities and services of the larger resort. Guests can relax at the resort’s intimate pool or tranquil indoor-outdoor restaurant or take a free shuttle to the higher-energy Tau Beach Club on Pelicanos Beach. Guest rooms include L’Occitane bath amenities and minibars stocked with snacks, premium liquors, and Mexican brand beers.

There’s plenty of shopping in the resorts and along the Malecon, but perhaps the most distinctive souvenir one can take home from Puerto Vallarta is a piece of Huichol bead art. This art form originates with the

indigenous Huichol people of the Sierra Madre of northern Nayarit, Jalisco, and western Zacatecas, and involves intricate beading and yarn wrapping around a wood carving, typically of an animal figure.

Shopkeepers can explain some of the intricacies of the designs (the woven patterns typically have significance in the indigenous religion) and some of the shops will even host some of the artists in residence for demonstrations or to answer questions.

Whether visitors to Puerto Vallarta choose to fill their days with exploration, or have nothing on their itinerary beyond a beach or pool chair and beverage orders, this charming city on Mexico’s Pacific coast offers a supremely elevated experience in this intoxicatingly friendly country.

Puerto Vallarta Malecón.

Power to the Core

STORY BY LESLIE SOSA

I would be lying if I said each time I go to the gym or teach a class I am overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation to go exercise, and while I truly enjoy exercising, I can also relate to those who do not want to exercise in a gym environment. Before the developed world, the idea of exercising was probably not on anyone’s mind since their day to day activities kept them active and fit by nature, and for some, this is more therapeutic than any sit-down therapy session.

Outdoor activities are easily accessible, family friendly, and often inexpensive. Stand-up Paddleboarding is quite popular in the Austin area and although it looks effortless, it does take some strength and skill, which is probably why at the docks they recommend to paddle upstream first because by the time you want to return, your body is tired and even downstream felt like work to me!

Drifting along the river, I felt a sense of peace and tranquility, able to take in nature and enjoy disconnecting from the fast-paced life many of us live, despite how we tell ourselves we are going to slow down and enjoy life. Listening to the water break against the rocky brooke, spotting a few swans and catching a glimpse of a family of turtles, I am reminded how much I enjoy being active outside of my regular routine at the gym. While the sport of paddleboarding appears to be elementary, after placing one foot on the board while getting on, it became apparent that paddleboarding takes more effort than anticipated. Clearly, it takes some upper body strength, but mostly balance, and I like to think of our core muscles as the control center of our body. The majority of people think of their abdominal muscles when they

hear the word “core”; however, fitness experts might agree that the core entails back, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings and quads. Yes, all of those are part of your core, and while paddleboarding, they were all engaged to keep me stable and in control in order to stay on top and not under the water. Upon returning to the dock, I could tell that I got a total body workout without having to step into a fitness facility, pay a trainer, or lift any weights.

Staying fit does not mean that you have to be part of a fitness class or have a gym membership. My grandma is 96 and still quite independent, and it is due to her good genes but more so, healthy lifestyle. Whenever someone sees her walking around the neighborhood or going to her fitness class, they ask her what her secret to staying healthy is, and her answer shocks them every time: keep walking. Often we over complicate the already simplified solution. Take care of your body by utilizing the resources we have had since the beginning of time, nature! Some people thrive on the kind of environment where others are there to encourage and push them, I am one of them, but we miss so much of nature’s gifts and simple pleasures in life if we are cooped up in a gym every time we choose to be active. Understandably, water sports are not for everyone, but find something that works for you, something that you will enjoy and not even think about as exercise, but simply enjoying life and all the beauty it has to offer. If you allow yourself to stash the laptop, phone, tablet and whatever else we reach for without even thinking about it, you will not be disappointed when you get to experience nature at its finest.

Yoga For Golfers: How to improve your golf game with yoga?

STORY BY NICOLE PINTER

It’s not just professional athletes but amateur golfers are starting to realize the benefit of yoga. It is one of the most effective ways to improve your physical performance on and off the golf course. Yoga for golfers is also the key to playing golf longer and pain-free. It helps to increase flexibility, better balance, core strength, and more concentration which is beneficial for the mental game.

If you get easily tired after a round of golf or feel pain in your lower back or shoulders it is a sign, you should start yoga. Yoga for golfer poses specifically adapted to improve your golf performance. Regardless of age or physical state, you can start to practice yoga and soon you will feel the benefits.

• Better balance for a consistent swing

Maintaining balance during the swing is essential for a consistent and effective golf swing. Aging can affect balance, so it is important to start yoga and prevent losing balance during the golf swing. Working on your balance also requires more focus and concentration than other exercises.

BALANCE POSE

• More flexibility for better swing

Improving your flexibility allows for increased range of motion at your joints and better mobility too. The golf swing is not a natural movement, so you need to be flexible enough for playing longer and lower the risks of injuries. Yoga for golfers poses specifically stretches the muscles you need during the golf swing.

TURN

• Core strengths for better score

Better distance and more powerful swing are every golfer’s goals. A strong core will help you with accuracy and protect your spine too. In order to create and translate power golfers need to train glute strength, hip stability, and anterior core strength too.

• Reduce risks of injuries with warming up

Golfers are prone to developing back pain and shoulder injuries. Every second golfer experiences pain after or during a round of golf. A dynamic warmup is just one side of preventing injuries. Practicing yoga every day can help you to play golf pain-free.

• More control of breathing, focus better

During a round of golf, you need to switch on and off your focus to play effectively. Learning different breathing technics throw yoga, helps you to control concentration. Being able to get back to the present moment and relax after a bad shot is the key to a successful golf game.

Get ready for your best golf performance throw practicing yoga every day for 20 minutes. You don’t need to be flexible to start, most of the exercises are modified for golfers.

Social Security – More Than Just a Retirement Benefit

STORY BY JIM KERR, CFP®, EA, CLU®, AFC®

When people think of Social Security, they often think of it as just a retirement benefit. They assume if they work and pay into Social Security long enough, they will qualify for a monthly retirement benefit that lasts the rest of their life.

Social Security is that and much more. In addition to retirement benefits, there are spousal benefits, children’s benefits, survivor benefits, disability benefits, and even divorced spouse benefits. Let’s look this fictitious married couple:

• Joe (age 40) and Debra (age 39) are married and have been for 10+ years

• They have two children, Steven (age 8) and Jane (age 5).

• Joe earns $120,000 per year and receives cost of living increases to his salary each year.

• Jane does not work. Her past work record if very limited (less than 5 years), so she does not qualify for Social Security on her own work record.

Below are four scenarios that could apply to Joe and Debra. The estimated Social Security benefits in each scenario were obtained from the Quick Calculator on the Social Security website at this link: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/

SCENARIO #1: Joe works full-time to age 67 (his full retirement age), then retires:

• Joe’s retirement benefit is $2,992 per month if he begins it at age 67.

• Debra’s spousal retirement benefit is $1,496 per month at her full retirement age of 67.

• If Joe predeceases Debra during their retirement years, Debra’s spousal retirement benefit will increase to $2,992 per month (what Joe was receiving).

SCENARIO #2: Joe dies prematurely at age 40:

• Debra receives a survivor benefit of $2,080 per month until her youngest child (Jane) reaches the age of 16.

• Their children (Steven and Jane) will each receive $2,080 per month until they reach the age of 18, or age 19 if still in high school.

• There is a Family Maximum of $4,854.10 per month. If the combined monthly benefit for Debra and the children is larger than that, it will be reduced to $4,854.10 per month.

• When Jane reaches her full retirement age of 67, she qualifies for a monthly survivor retirement benefit of $2,773 per month.

SCENARIO #3: Joe becomes totally and permanently disabled at age 40 and can’t work:

• Joe receives a disability benefit of $2,747 per month

• Debra and the children may also qualify for benefits if Joe is disabled.

SCENARIO #4: Joe and Debra divorce when Joe is 62 and Debra is 61:

• Once Debra reaches her full retirement age (67), she may qualify for a divorced spouse benefit of $1,496 per month.

• If Joe predeceases her while retired, her benefit may increase to $2,992 per month.

The above numbers are estimates only, and the actual numbers could be different because:

• The benefit amounts shown in today’s dollars. The actual amounts would likely be higher due to the cost of living increases that apply to future Social Security benefits.

• If Joe or Mary decide to begin retirement benefits earlier or later than age 67, the benefit amounts will be different.

• If Debra is under the age of 67, and decides to go back to work if Joe dies, her survivor benefit may be reduced.

• If either Joe or Debra have a history of working for a government entity where they did not pay into Social Security, their retirement and/or survivor benefits may be reduced.

Social Security provides a substantial safety net, but the rules are complicated. The Social Security website, www.ssa.gov provides good information plus calculators so that you can estimate your own Social Security benefits. For those approaching retirement, there are benefit claiming strategies that can be used to help maximize your lifetime Social Security benefits. A financial advisor could help determine the best strategy for you.

errari unveils its first sport utility vehicle for 2023. The all-new four-door Ferrari Purosangue, which means pure-blood in Italian, is a showstopper for the new year.

The fact that Ferrari, despite its resistance to making an SUV, decided to enter this market space with a bonified slam-dunk. The first Ferrari SUV is proof that this legendary manufacturer can change with the times and offer up something that represents its history and style in an unfamiliar way.

Ferrari designed the 2023 Ferrari Purosangue using its supercar bag of tricks. The result turned out to be a different kind of SUV Ferrari enthusiasts wanted built the Ferrari way. Ferrari says they only build sports cars and that the 2023 Purosangue is first and foremost a Ferrari and by that they mean cars with impressive performance and dynamics that will put a smile on your face, says marketing chief Enrico Galliera.

Understandably, Ferrari stays clear of calling it’s Purosangue an SUV. Instead, Ferrari has coined the Purosangue as a Ferrari Utility Vehicle or FUV. SUV or FUV this vehicle fits the bill for those wanting Ferrari driving excitement in a vehicle that has a hatchback and carries four passengers comfortably.

Engine-wise, Ferrari Purosangue offers a naturally aspirated V-12. Later, a V-8 version and even a V-6 hybrid are said to be available for the SUV. The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 engine, that wears Ferrari’s signature red painted valve covers, produces 715-hp and 528 poundfeet of torque delivering solid acceleration along with a Ferrari tuned suspension that engineers say will help the Purosangue drive and handle as a Ferrari should. Ferrari claims the Purosangue catapults to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 193 mph.

The 2023 Ferrari Purosangue adaptive suspension system uses an electric motor at each corner of the SUV to apply force to the dampers during cornering maneuvers to control body roll. As such, the Purosangue has no need for traditional anti-roll bars, and it can also hunker down during hard driving by reducing its ride height by almost a half inch.

This new ride by Ferrari promises to bring some excitement and competition to a burgeoning market for SUVs with supercar tendencies. The expected starting price for the 2023 Ferrari Purosangue is estimated at $400,000.

2023 Ferrari Purosangue

Bofinger, Paris

STORY AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD AREBALO OTL FEATURES EDITOR

’ve been to France many times but never in the late autumn. After one sweltering and crowded summer trip to Paris, I avoided the high prices and huge tourist crowds as much as possible. Business trips could vary, but April was my best bet for vacation.

In October, I was invited to a book launch by my friend, Adrien Motel. He had written a book about the legendary French Ocean Liner Normandie, which was to debut at a 1930s-themed black-tie dinner. The event was phenomenal, and October is my new favorite month to go to Paris.

I stayed at an almost fairytale-like hotel in the Place des Voges. It was covered in ancient vines that had turned a bright red as the season had started to change. The mornings were crisp, and it made walking a joy.

On my last evening, I headed towards the Place de la Bastille, just a few blocks away. The square is known not only for its place in the French Revolution but is now the site of Paris’s (newer) Opera House.

Turning off the main boulevard, I saw a short street filled with restaurants and cafés. One place caught my eye as it had a long row of scarlet awnings with a gold letter “B.”

I had accidentally stumbled upon one of Paris’s oldest and most famous brasseries. – As I found out later, famous enough that in 1981 Francois Mitterrand reserved the entire first floor of the restaurant to celebrate his election victory as the new French President.

First, a word of warning… In France, there is a strong delineation between what we Americans lump into the term “restaurants.” A French café will offer coffee and a limited menu of snacks. A bistro will offer a limited menu focused on home-style meals (think most of the classics,) and a brasserie will have a much more extensive menu and traditionally have a connection with beer. (Indeed, the French word for brewery is “brasserie.”)

My confusion as to why I would not find Coq au Vin or Beef Bourguignon in

a French “restaurant” was settled by my French teacher years ago. I was told that “In France, “restaurants” … are for art.”

Frederic Bofinger came to Paris from the northeastern French region of Alsace. In 1864 he established a modest business with a strong focus on beer. He initially catered to the large population of Alsatian workers in the nearby Place de la Bastille.

The Alsace is renowned for great French food but also has a German influence. You can still see this connection in the presence of several sausage dishes and even sauerkraut on the menu.

Over the course of decades, Bofinger expanded, and in 1919, the brasserie was refurbished

in the stunning Belle Epoch style. The gorgeous Art Nouveau domed glass ceiling, elaborate ironworks, and beveled mirrors today are much as they were over 100 years ago.

The menu is extensive and contains so many classics that deciding on dinner took a while.

There is a large selection of fresh seafood, and, a bit unusually, Bofinger does a tremendous business in takeaway fruit-de-Mer (cold seafood).

The menu features four prestigious varieties of oysters (Brittany Cadoret, Saint-Vaast le Tatihou, Fines de Claire, and Galarneau from

Butternut Velouté.

2020 Georges Burrier Pouilly-Fuissé.

Bourcefranc-le-Chapus near La Rochelle), each with a family story almost as old as the restaurant itself. “Shrimp” is listed by the desired size: shrimp, (larger) prawns, and (larger still) langoustines. French Crabs, welks, and clams are available alongside Canadian lobsters. All the above can be mixed and matched on various towering fruit-de-Mer platters.

There are many starters, from soups to escargot to foie gras and numerous seafood mains. I was impressed by the fantastic selection of “Meat” courses, including; Supremes of Chicken with Riesling, Normandie Beef Tartare, and Grilled Beef Tenderloin with béarnaise sauce and fries.

In keeping with its Alsatian roots, there is a Sauerkraut selection including a frankfurter, Jura sausage, smoked bacon, salt pork chop; also, one called a “Sea Sauerkraut” that includes haddock, salmon, langoustines, and boiled potatoes.” Their cabbage is homemade according to tradition: candied onions with lard, juniper, coriander, and cumin.

To me, this was a menu of French food fantasies. (Not knocking “art,” but this was a dream menu)

I opted for one of the fixed-price dinners, which allowed me a starter, a main, and dessert for only 35 Euros!

Roast chicken breast with a spiral of whipped potatoes.

Baked meringue was floating on a pool of vanilla Crème Anglaise.

I started with a silky Butternut Velouté followed by a roast chicken breast with a spiral of whipped potatoes and the most delicious (chicken) brown sauce I’ve ever tasted. It had deep flavor, with perfect fat content and perfect seasoning. (A baguette was all that was needed to dispatch the sauce completely.) Unlike myself, I ate the meal slowly to enjoy each bite.

My dessert was a picture-perfect “Floating Island.” A substantial baked meringue was floating on a pool of vanilla Crème Anglaise. It was drizzled conservatively (and correctly) with caramel and topped with chopped pecans. I enjoyed the meal with a 2020 Georges Burrier Pouilly-Fuissé.

Not wanting to leave, I treated myself to a late-day espresso.

I shared the last bit of my wine with two lovely ladies visiting from San Francisco. One of them had just attended an early opera at the Bastille nearby. We marveled at the stainedglass dome and our luck for having been able to dine at such a beautiful spot.

Walking back to the ‘Pavilion de la Reine,’ I was treated to the most beautiful pink and purple Paris sky. Life was good.

Las Vegas Luxury Ascendant

STORY BY SCOTT LAIRD

Long fabled as the hedonistic entertainment destination for the masses, Las Vegas has long favored volume and bombast over refinement and nuance. The city’s very reputation seemed for decades built on catering to the collective id of the consumptionminded visitor, dazzling with neon lights and sating with sumptuous, absurdly low-priced buffets to draw punters in to the gaming tables.

here luxury experiences existed, they were generally in service of rewarding high rollers for bringing business to the casino.

As the city grew and began to diversify in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a handful of non-gaming luxury hospitality brands crept in to accommodate the growing cadre of top-end restaurants and experiences that the travelers were beginning to demand as Las Vegas broke out of its bargainbasement mold.

The Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas occupies several high floors of the Mandalay Bay tower, opening alongside the larger resort in 1999. The Four Seasons has its own separate lobby, pool, spa, and restaurants, affording guests those same commanding views enjoyed by top-tier guests in the Mandalay Bay complex, but with the personalized, bespoke service offered by Four Seasons.

Sun-seeking guests here have the option of visiting the sprawling, 11acre Mandalay Bay Beach with wave pool, lazy river, and beach club, or choose the more intimate Four Sea-

sons pool, where hourly amenities like Evian spritzes and chilled fruit skewers are handed out by attentive staff.

The hotel’s Veranda Restaurant also offers an experience that is almost anathema to Las Vegas itself—a gracious tea service, served to guests who book in advance on Saturday afternoons. Guests select from six organic teas ranging from standbys like Earl Grey or English Breakfast to exotics like Ruby Oolong or Silver Needle. Traditional trimmings like scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd, and strawberry preserves, tea pastries, and tea sandwiches round out the rather hearty affair.

Guests can access the larger Spa Mandalay for its expansive wet areas with multiple plunge pools, steam, and sauna, but the more intimate spa at the Four Seasons is notable for stocking local handmade Las Vegas products. Brands include Hangover Soap Company, which offers vegan soaps with local sourced botanicals and names like “Little White Chapel” that pay homage to local culture.

Moving north on The Strip, another non-gaming luxury property is the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas. Here, guest rooms blend contemporary and classic styling—and they’re big, with standard

In Las Vegas, luxury—where it exists—tends to be over-the-top.

PHOTO BY HORAN, CHRISTIAN/ FOUR SEASONS.

Four Seasons Las Vegas Exterior.

rooms starting at 500 square feet.

Virtually the entire hotel seems to be perched high about the strip, with the pool deck and spa commanding views up and down the boulevard from the 8th floor, but perhaps the catbird seat in the hotel is Skybar, on the 23rd floor. Guests come here for spectacular views both up and down The Strip, along with inventive cocktails (giant spherical ice cubes, anyone?) and light bites that trend whimsical, like potato and salami chips or elote fritters.

Like the Four Seasons, the Waldorf Astoria does an afternoon tea service, but on much expanded Wednesday – Sunday schedule, with three seatings from midday into the late afternoon. There’s also a much larger selection of teas, ranging from black, green, and oolong teas to herbal teas and house blends. Tea

can be enhanced with adult beverages like traditional peach bellinis (or coconut/pineapple or blood orange variations for the adventurous).

Next door, Bellagio is a gaming property, but was noted for being one of the first top-tier luxury resort properties (and the most expensive new-build resort in the world at the time) on The Strip when it opened in 1998. Soon after opening, it was immortalized in the film Ocean’s 11 and remains one of the most distinctive properties in the city.

Picasso, the hotel’s signature restaurant, also figures prominently in the film, with Julia Roberts’s character sitting through several sumptuous (and dramatic) meals in the art-drenched space. Long a recipient of the AAA Five Diamond designation, Chef Julian Serrano celebrates the cuisines of France and Spain with a

Skybar at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HILTON WORLDWIDE

decadent degustation that features Jamon Iberico, a Spanish ham made from black hogs who feed primarily on chestnuts, a Maine lobster salad, scallops, and foie gras steak.

Prix Fixe diners might select a warm quail salad, tuna carpaccio, and roasted pigeon. There are also vegan menus available. The wine list is one of the most extensive in the city, drawing from a cellar of over 1,500 selections.

Aside from the gaming tables, guests can wander through the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which is looked after by a horticultural staff of 120 and rotates designs and displays throughout the year to celebrate the seasons. The Show “O” by Cirque du Soleil has also been in residence at Bellagio since the resort first opened, but other venues in the resort have come and gone.

The new Mayfair Supper Club, which opened in early 2020, offers grill classics with views of Bellagio’s dancing fountains. Favorites like Lobster Thermidor or Whole Dover Sole share menu space with caviar and wagyu beef. On Fridays and Saturdays, the supper club converts to a late-night lounge called Mayfair After Dark, with live music and dance performances giving the evening an energetically sophisticated air.

Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas.

Mayfair Supper Club Bar and Lounge.

Roasted Maine Lobster at Picasso’s Restaurant.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BELLAGIO HOTEL AND CASINO.

Away from the frenzy of The Strip is the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas—a conversion to the growing Virgin Hotels brand from the former Hard Rock property. The casino and guest rooms have been completely redone in Virgin’s kitschy style. Guest rooms have adopted Virgin’s proprietary “Chamber” room layout that separates the bedroom from the bath and dressing areas. Guest rooms are also wellwired, with guests able to login to their room controls from their television or a mobile device to chat with staff or adjust the temperature.

Rooms are also outfitted bedside controls for room lighting and doorfront privacy indicators, as well as plenty of Virgin whimsy, like miniature stress-foam sheep at the bedside (for counting off to sleep), and palo santo-fragranced bath products

from Red Flower.

Whether Las Vegas visitors ultimately choose to base from gaming or non-gaming luxury properties, there are plenty of top-tier options available. The city has been through many incarnations and promotional strategies, ranging from focusing on families to doubling down on the “Sin City” moniker and promoting its inherent naughtiness. In recent years, attention has focused on Las Vegas as a center for world-class entertainment and dining, rather than the bargain basement draws of yesteryear.

That ultimately yields a destination almost purpose-designed for the luxury traveler, perhaps finally giving the city overdue credit for finally appealing that discerning market segment.

Stellar Suite at Canyon Tower. The Resort Pool.

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIRGIN HOTELS

About a year ago, I had the pleasure of staying at the beautiful Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona. The striking resort, nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain, has been a prestigious luxury getaway since it opened in 1988. The hotel debuted with over-the-top 80’s glamor; oceans of Italian marble, gold-etched ceilings with massive chandeliers, and a storied million-dollar mother-of-pearl swimming pool. Though hard to imagine today, gardeners were brought from the Island of Tonga to transform parts of the property into a Polynesian paradise. Despite the stunning Sonoran backdrop, some south-facing views could be mistaken for a luxury resort in Hawaii.

STORY BY RICHARD AREBALO OTL FEATURES EDITOR

hough much renovation has happened in past decades, in the summer of 2016, The Phoenician began a comprehensive upgrade of the entire property. This included a redesign of its guestrooms and casitas, and in 201718 it encompassed all the public areas; the main lobby, its iconic pool complex, and various health and fitness facilities.

In March of 2018, The Phoenician Spa opened. The three-story, new construction facility includes large steam rooms, saunas, indoor vitality pools, and 24 treatment rooms. On the roof is another large swimming pool with chic cabanas, deck chairs, and sweeping views of the Phoenix valley and Camelback Mountain. A nail salon, Drybar, and boutique shop make the spa a popular destination unto itself.

My home for four relaxing days in December was the exclusive Canyon Suites at The Phoenician. The discrete property located northwest of the main hotel is impressively rated both Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond. Opened in 2007 as a “resort within a resort,” The Canyon Suites is a collection of 60 (nearly all suites) deluxe guest accommodations. The 2016 master renovation included redesigning the rooms, the large entrance lobby (now featuring The Canyon Lounge), and upgrading much of the private pool area.

The route to The Canyon Suites is the same as for The Phoenician proper. The long driveway off Camelback Road follows beautiful fairways, tennis courts, an impressive Athletic Club, and the historic mud-brick Jokake Inn. (Fans of the movie “Raising Arizona” will recognize the structure as the home of the Arizona family in the show.) A sharp left winds up to the separate Canyon Suites guest lobby. A larger-than-life bronze of a native American graces the decidedly southwest feel of the elegant facility.

Arriving at the property begins a progression of sensory treats. The lobby has very high ceilings and a faint signature aroma called “Golden Bamboo.” A central fountain adds the pleasant sound of falling water as you are greeted warmly by Canyon Ambassadors at individual concierge-like desks (By the second day at the most, you are greeted by name.)

Lobby with Lounge.

Suite’s Bedroom.

We were lucky enough to get an early check-in (a bit harder in high season) and were able to settle in quickly.

Just beyond the lobby, you’ll find The Canyon Lounge set up for complimentary breakfast service. Fresh coffee, juice, and an extensive buffet for every taste are laid out each morning. On various days, we were alternately treated to chicken chilaquiles, bacon frittatas, scrambled eggs and sausages, in addition to pastries, fresh fruit, bagels, and smoked salmon. I didn’t miss a single breakfast, and my boss is on a mission to get the recipe for their chilaquiles.

Indoor seating is a bit limited, but the gorgeous patio facing a jaw-dropping waterfall more than makes up for it. The immense water feature flows through boulders surrounded by native cacti and brilliant red bougainvillea. For added drama, what seems like the whole of Camelback Mountain looms just to the right of the scene. On cooler mornings, patio heaters keep the area warm, and the intense view and lovely sound of rushing water never gets old.

An essential aspect of any hotel’s comfort is its people. I learned from one of the managers that The Canyon Suites staff is purposely chosen from The Phoenician’s overall pool for its impeccable guest interaction. At breakfast, you’ll meet a very dapper gentleman named Buzz, who takes particular pride in the quality of breakfast fare. Karyn, Elenore, and Jan were there every morning, laying out the day’s selections, helping with seating, and providing guidance on the items.

I noticed that each person seemed very easy to engage in conversation. I felt I was already an old, favored regular on day one. Amazingly, this was not just professional courtesy; it was genuine charm.

The first thing to say is the rooms are enormous. If you’ve ever stayed at an upscale hotel in New York or San Francisco, you’ll know that a large sum of money per night can still buy you a very luxurious closet. The suites here are mostly 1,200 square feet. Mine included a dining room, a large living area with two sofas, a very serviceable desk (sadly, I had

The Five Star Phoenician Spa.

to work a bit,) a spacious master bedroom, and two bathrooms. The main bath had a large soaking tub, a separate shower, and an enclosed WC. Like my stay at The Phoenician casita accommodations a year before, the bathrooms are generously filled with thick fresh towels (changed daily) and fragrant Le Chemin by Byredo bath products. One unique perk at the Suites is the variety of complimentary custom bath salts available each evening.

A travel write-up after the renovation refers to The Canyon Suites as having a “residential ambiance.” If you added a Chef’s kitchen, I would be happy to call this home. Barring that, The Phoenician’s culinary team can keep you well-fed. In addition to eight dining venues, a very recent return following the pandemic is 24-hour room service.

A stay at The Canyon Suites comes with all the amenities The Phoenician resort offers. Like the last visit, we enjoyed a couple of excellent steaks at the premium J&G Steakhouse. Executive Chef Jacques Qualin always manages to make the steak experience just a cut above. I complimented the asparagus’s size and flavor, and the waiter noted that Chef is very focused on their quality, often rejecting shipments that “didn’t meet his standards.”

The Peekytoe Crab Cakes are in a league of their own – light texture, very pure crab flavor, and I think the limeginger dressing may be addictive.

There is a good selection of wine at several price points on the standard wine list. With our steaks the first evening, we enjoyed an earthy, perfectly aged 2003 Chateau Trotanoy. Deeper pockets here will buy you some of the best wines from the hotel’s curated collection. (Ask for the wine “master list.”)

New for us this visit was an ‘Afternoon Tea at The

Phoenician’ hosted just off the main lobby. The light meal was in the traditional English style with a fine selection of teas, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and preserves, and a splendid assortment of pastries.

In addition to the tea service, there are a few tempting “enhancements.” We opted for one with copious glasses of Ruinart Rosé Champagne, but the Royal Osetra Caviar option looked wonderful at a table nearby.

Visiting in December, the Tea Room is brilliantly decorated for Christmas, and pianist Lisa Pressman makes the afternoon perfect with classic standards and some beautiful Christmas carols.

We had some time before dinner, so we took a slow stroll back to our rooms. In the early evening, The Canyon Lounge is transformed into a comfortable fireside bar with a very talented bartender named Will. On different nights I got a terrific fresh apple-based cocktail and an excellent version of an Aviation.

After a spectacular dinner, we retreated to the large fire pit just beyond the swimming pool. Manager Kevin D. (well-versed in wine himself) led us down a winding path to just about the edge of the property. There, surrounded by comfortable outdoor couches and chairs, the large fire warmed us as we enjoyed an excellent Oregon Pinot Noir.

We had initially booked one of the large cabanas by the Canyon Pool for Saturday, but atypical cold and rainy weather kept us indoors. On most winter days, the serene desert-themed pool is an oasis with a spectacular view of Camelback Mountain. Its Canyon Grill also provides some well-made food options. Delicious burgers and fries came in handy one mid-afternoon.

Because of the weather, the amenities and size of my suite made me feel very much at home. One afternoon I stayed in and enjoyed a movie and snacks, the only thought being which additional spa treatments I could book later in the day.

Interestingly, the weather did not seem to deter some folks as I heard the occasional high ping of a well-hit golf ball. One reason many folks visit Scottsdale in the winter

Porte Cochere.

Suite’s Living Room.

is the high number and high quality of golf courses. The Phoenician shines here as well. The resort features a prestigious 18-hole course designed by Architect Phil Smith, showcasing the unique beauty of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

The spa, as mentioned earlier, is an impressive separate facility built from the ground up in 2018. The high atrium features a modern Phoenix sculpture, and another in bas-relief fills the wall behind the welcome counter. The spa’s natural stone colors seem to soothe from the moment you walk in.

After check-in, you are escorted to separate changing facilities with individual lockers. Plush robes and comfortable footwear are available for lounging throughout the multistoried building. You can arrive for sessions early and take advantage of the pools, showers, and saunas as needed. While some facilities are separate for men and women, couples’ massages are available.

The Forbes Five Star spa offers numerous services, including facials, scrubs, manicures, pedicures, and various types of massages and wraps. On my last two visits, I scheduled a Phoenix Rising (mineral)

Scrub & Massage from Michael M. From the first Tibetan bell ring to the last removal of salts and oils, the deep relaxation had me lose track of time. I was euphoric and slightly lightheaded both times as I was escorted back to the common area.

My second treatment was a Gentleman’s Personal Remedy which deep cleaned and moisturized the face with various techniques. A common theme, even outside a specific ‘aroma therapy’ option, is the variety of scents used by the technicians. Unique mixtures of lavender, neroli, and many other botanicals have been calculated to truly relax.

While transit to and from the various facilities can be made via the ‘Valets’ small fleet of golf carts, The Canyon Suites offers a complimentary chauffeur-driven luxury car that can take guests within a specified range. Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall and Old Town Scottsdale are the most frequent requests.

On my last day, I appreciated the ability to do a late check-out as I had scheduled a later flight.

Thinking back - I have to say that with everything experienced in just four days, all the amenities and the wonderful people, The Canyon Suites pulled off one good trick…It felt as if I was leaving home instead of going home.

Canyon Waterfall.

To purchase tickets visit houstonpoloclub.com/buy-tickets

How to Improve Your Club Face (Part 2)

STORY BY BUCK MAYERS

In part one of “How to Improve Your Club Face”, we focused on the set up; grip, aim, ball position, and posture. It is now time to get the club moving while being mindful of the club face positions. In the takeaway/backswing, the rolling of the club face to extreme opening is flaw number one. Many have heard, to get the toe up when parallel to the ground in the takeaway. This can help many players but can harm many others. If you struggle with slicing and or pulling the ball, my recommendation is to keep the club face facing the ball and mimic your spine angle when it’s parallel to the ground.

Flaw number two is the club face position at the top. If the lead wrist gets too cupped, the face will be too open and difficult to square in a very short time frame. Get in front of a mirror and work on flattening the lead wrist to mimic the lead forearm. If the toe of the club is pointing at the ground, the club face is too open for most golfers. Try to find a happy medium for the club to not be at the sky, nor at the ground. Matching the face to the lead arm at the top would be a good goal for most golfers.

The all-important transition to impact can have many variables. Let’s try to simplify how “the magic move” can improve your club face. I will use Harvey Penick’s analogy: The simple bump, shift/pressure to

the lead foot as the trail arm, elbow, falls is one move, not two. This puts the club face on a better entry to deliver the golf club. It is imperative to maintain your wrist angles, conditions during this movement. As the trunk continues to rotate, the lead wrist will also bend or flatten more, and the trail hand/palm will move toward the ground to avoid flipping the club face. If the face is too open here, you will have no choice but to try to square it. To illustrate this, I will use a pingpong paddle or tennis racket to demonstrate how the club face moves to a squarer impact position. You could even try using an impact bag.

Remember, sometimes real vs feel can be very different. Seeing is believing, and trusting your corrections is validation. Use a mirror in your practice to engrain new sensations. Your practice must have purpose! The club face has the largest influence on quality golf shot control.

Good luck in your journey and keep it fun!

STORY BY ART STRICKLIN

Once, while discussing his beloved Texas Longhorns football struggles, 12-time PGA Tour winner and British Open Championship winner Justin Leonard, who earned All-America honors at Texas, deadpanned, “I’m single handedly making Texas a golf school.”

If Leonard did not stamp Texas as a college golf powerhouse, then current UT coaching legend, men’s golf coach John Fields certainly finished the job.

ince coming to Texas in 1997, after 10 hugely successful years as the coach of the University of New Mexico, where he grew up, Fields has turned Texas into the most dominant college golf powerhouse in Texas and one of the best in the nation.

In fact, with his most recent NCAA national title he helped capture last spring for the Longhorns, they join both North Texas in the 1950s and the University of Houston in the 1970s and ‘80s with multiple national championship golf titles. If fact, it was the second time for Texas to get two NCAA golf titles after doing it in the early 1970s with Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite.

But Fields has proved to be a master recruiter with the current wave of talented Texas players, many of which have agents, trainers, mental coaches and NIL sponsorship money long before they get on the PGA Tour.

The Longhorns won the 2012 National Title on a team led by Jordan Spieth and this spring with Houston’s Cole Hammer and Travis Vick plus Dallas-area players Pierson and Parker Coody. They have also finished as runner-up an astounding five time in the Fields era.

That carryover of talented golfers has produced dozens of PGA Tour titles for his former students and weekly visits on Sunday afternoon television for him to watch one of his former

players win or a road trip outside of golf season to watch them play in person.

Recently, at the grand re-opening at the spectacular Omni Barton Creek Canyons course in Austin, Fields, just the fifth coach in Texas golf history, talked about the joys and pressure of coaching a college golf powerhouse at the 40 acres in Austin. In addition, he spoke about his all-time Texas fivesome he’s coached.

OTL: John, I’ve seen you watching Scottie Scheffler at the Ryder Cup, I’ve seen you at the Texas Golf Hall of Fame when another one of your players is inducted. What is it likes to see so many of your former players do so well in the

ON YOUR GAME

pro ranks?

JOHN FIELDS: It’s really like a weekly blessing to watch them on TV or go see them in person. I feel so fortunate that I and my wife Pearl and our coaches have been involved with so many great players and teams.

OTL: What’s it like to recruit in today’s era where college golfers can get NIL promotional deals and work with their own swing coach, their own mental coach or promotional team?

JF: Well, it’s certainly different than when I first started, that’s for sure, but you just take all those new people or organizations and make them part of your team. You just embrace everybody.

PHOTO BY TIM COWIE/TIM COWIE PHOTOGRAPHY

OTL: Recruiting has always been the lifeblood of all college sports, but how do you approach it with Texas golf?

JF: You just have to be open and honest with them and let them know what you can do with them on the team. Everybody has great facilities these days, but you have to have relationships and authenticity.

OTL: You have recruited so many great players, but does any of those recruitments stand out?

JF: I remember when we were recruiting Jordan Spieth, who everybody knew was going to be great. We had the visit and he was in my office and I said, “Jordan, do you know what I will be if you come to play golf at Texas?” He didn’t say anything and looked at his father Shawn, but still didn’t answer, so I repeated the question.

OTL: What did he say?

JF: He didn’t say anything for a long time and finally he responded, “You’ll be happy?” I told him, nope, I’ll be a better coach because your talent will make me better. Because nothing beats having talented players and thankfully, he came to Texas and we won a national title.

OTL, Tough question here, the NCAA golf tournament has gone to match play to determine a champion. Give me your starting 5 if Texas has to win another title tomorrow.

JF: Ok, so let me see what I’ve got from the players I’ve coached. You’ve got to start with Jordan Spieth, he won 2 U.S. Juniors. Then you’ve got to go with Scottie Scheffler, who also won the U.S. Junior in match play. You also have to go with Pier-

son Coody who won the Western Amateur in match play, Cole Hammer, also a Western Amateur champion, and then for a fifth I’d go with Beau Hossler who was so good for us. If we took those guys to a NCAA tournament and didn’t win, they wouldn’t be looking at those guys, they would be looking at the coach.

OTL: Like most coaches you’ll often have qualifying tournaments for spots in a tournament. What would a qualifying tournament with those guys and so many others you’ve coached be like?

JF: Well, if would be very, very competitive and it would be a lot of really low scores and a lot of birdies.

OTL: There are a lot of guys who are very successful in college golf, but struggle when they get on the PGA Tour. Beau Hossler is an example of that, but there are many others. If there a difference between being good in college and being good in the pros?

JF: Well, I don’t think you can judge a player until you get to the end of his career because you never know what’s going to happen. But the bottom line is, those guys on the PGA Tour are the best players in the world and you have to maintain a high level of excellence for a long time if you’re going to succeed

OTL: You’ve been coaching college golf for 25 years, both successfully at the University of New Mexico where you went to school and now Texas. Is there a common factor in being successful with the great golf we have here in Austin and the great program you have built at UT?

JF: I think the Omni Barton Creek and the two Fazio courses have been a huge factor in our success, because it has the wow factor, as does all of Austin golf, and that’s what you want when you’re recruiting the top players. We’ve been fortunate to win a couple of national titles and other teams have been fortune to win some against us. That’s just golf. But I get up in the morning thinking about how I’m going to get our players on the PGA Tour and go to bed thinking the same thing.

OTL: Thanks for your help coach and congrats on your decades of Orange-blooded success.

JF: You’re welcome and Hook’em Horns.

FAZIO CANYON’S COURSE

STORY BY MIKE BAILEY

AUSTIN - The highest ranked course at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa has reopened after being closed for seven months, and it’s better than ever.

he Tom Fazio-designed Canyons Course, ranked third in the state among courses that are open to the public by Golfweek magazine, has a brand new look. What started out as a bunker renovation turned into a full-scale redo, with new tee boxes, corridors, added length and irrigation enhancements. The $5 million project, which also included a state-of-theart practice facility, was done in conjunction with Fazio’s team as well as input from John Fields, coach of the University of Texas’ men’s golf team.

“The Fazio Canyons renovation is the most recent work completed to ensure Omni Barton Creek Re-

sort & Spa remains one of the top golf destinations in the country,” said Spencer Cody, corporate director, club and golf operations. “The modernization and re-imagination of the Tom Fazio gem will allow for the same stellar playing conditions members and resort guests have come to expect across the Omni golf portfolio, and will position the facility to host any caliber of event.”

Originally opened in 1999, the Fazio Canyons, which is one of four championship layouts at Omni Barton Creek, sports plenty pf picturesque views of the surrounding native landscape with stately Red Oaks, Sycamore trees and limestone cliff sides where

the course meanders along the Short Spring Branch - a creek that traverses the course. The new layout got an extra 300 yards or so in length -- it now plays more than 7,400 yards from the tips -- but more importantly is more playable for all levels of players. Not only were back tees added, but some new forward tees means that shorter hitters can play the course from 4,600 yards now, some 400 yards shorter than it used to be. The last aspect came following input from members, many of which are older.

In conjunction with the new tees, however, bunkers were removed, added and some relocated. They all got new liners and drainage. Corridors were also

widened, and attention was paid to all the environment areas and sensitive areas. About 20 acres were seeded with wildflowers and native plants to make the course even more beautiful.

“It was never intended in the beginning to just touch everything,” said Tony Miller, director of agronomy at Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa. “But that is what we achieved in the end. Collectively we made modifications to everything.”

But while this course is certainly more playable for the average golfer, make no mistake: it’s still difficult, especially if you climb back toward the back

tees. (Slope/rating is 76.0/144 from the Tournament Tees). It’s also a great recruiting tool for the University of Texas golf team, which is why Coach Fields was involved. Longhorn players practice and play at Barton Creek, as well as UT Golf Club a few miles away. They often use the Canyons Course as qualifying events for tournaments.

“Barton Creek has been a huge part of our success,” said Fields, whose 18 years with the Longhorns includes a national title (2012), five Big 12 championships. “There’s a major wow factor here.”

The added length of the course will help his team prepare for their big tournaments.

“Some of these tee boxes will take your breath away,” he said “And that’s what I want from these guys, to be challenged.”

In addition to the Fazio Canyons course renovation, the Canyons driving range got a major upgrade as well. It now includes the latest Top-

tracer Range technology, which means members and guests can track all their shots, using the Toptracer app to improve and even play games on the range. TopTracer Range technology gives golfers data on ball flight, swing speed and launch angle, among other variables. The driving range is also home to the Barton Creek Golf Academy and Barton Creek Fitting Studiomaking it one of the country’s top destinations for game improvement capabilities.

“Even if you don’t play the golf course,” said Mike Coleman, director of golf at Omni Barton Creek, “you can have an amazing experience out here.”

The Canyons course renovation is the latest installment of a full-resort renovation project including new hotel rooms, renovated convention and meeting space, re-designed spa and eight casual and upscale dining options. The Canyons is one of four golf courses at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa. The other three are the Fazio Foothills, Coore Crenshaw Cliffside and the Palmer Lakeside courses.

Power SwingFan Delivers Hope for Longer Drives

STORY BY MARC HALL

One of the startling realities that has come with recently becoming PGA Tour Champions-eligible – in age only, let’s be clear – is my noticeable decrease in distance off the tee. I’ve got to find some more ways to steal as much yardage as I can as Father Time tugs me in the other direction. A few months ago I stepped up my resistance training and stretching and it’s yielded some gains, but I could always use another five to 10 yards if at all possible.

The latest tool that’s come into my world to potentially get my back to the front of the pack off the tee is an invention by renowned golf instructor Dr. Gary Wiren called the PowerSwing Fan. I had been told it is one of the easiest and most effective products for increasing distance and control because it quickly produces maximum resistance at impact. Resembling a golf club with four fins on the end, it works using air resistance – generating maximum resistance as you swing through impact. The resistance improves your tempo, creates lag and additional speed to your swing if you practice with it on a regular basis.

The Power SwingFan’s owner and seller, GolfTrain ingAids.com recently made some advancements to the design of this long-popular training aid. The biggest im provement is in the grip. They incorporated a counterbal anced grip, and you can interchange weights on the grip to go from two to 20 grams. That way, you can get differ ent levels of downswing resistance as you practice.

The beauty of this particular training aid is how easy and intuitive it is to use. Which is why do many golfers through the years have trusted the PowerSwing Fan to help create lag in their golf swing. It also helps you to build the core muscles, so it actually functions as an exer cise tool. It helps you build and refine the muscles needed to optimize your golf swing with some nice lag.

The PowerSwing Fan is a multi-functional training and warm-up device. While the primary function of the Fan is to build golf specific muscles, you can swing it on ‘nontraining’ days just to retain the swing sequence (hips, tor so, shoulders, arms, hands, club) without fatiguing your self. While you wouldn’t want to swing it 100 times before playing, it would be fine to swing it at 50- to 60-percent effort just to get the feeling of engaging your core while maintaining a smooth swing tempo.

I local instructor told me a while back that you really want to train the swinging muscles. And that’s exactly what the Power SwingFan does. It’s helping the obliques. It’s helping everything on the posterior chain. It’s helping the grip strength. It’s helping the forearms. It’s helping the hands. It shows you if you’re casting. A lot of times when you get into these weighted devices, you actually end up having bad form and bad technique. And this one does not do that. It promotes continuing down the proper path of the correct golf swing.

I’m already making some progress and what’s cool is anybody can use the PowerSwing Fan effectively, right out of the box. The PowerSwing Fan has two primary sizes: men’s and ladies’ (a junior version is available, too) with the ladies’ fins being a little narrower.

The all-new PowerSwing Fan sells for $99.99 at GolfTrainingAids.com.

New Year New Wines

STORY BY HUNTERHAM-PORTERSHOUSESOMMELIER

s we enter a new year it’s important to know that not every new year’s resolution that we set for ourselves must be a tedious one. In fact, it is important to set some fun ones that allow us to discover new enjoyments.

Why not try to discover new, lesser-known wine

regions? Wine is made around the world, and there are over 10,000 wine varieties in the world.

Surely there is a region that you may be missing as your new favorite. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ll discuss some of my favorite lesser-known regions in the world and what they produce so you will be on your way to discovering your new favorite wine!

Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy

This region is one of my favorites. Etna Rosso is a wine that focuses on light body wines that balance a beautiful representation of earth within them. This is no surprise, considering that these wines are grown in the shadow of Mount Etna, a still active volcano. Generations of families have been creating wine from this region for a long time, as is true with most of Italy. Here you get a rich wine that is made to be paired with food, especially pork and poultry. I always get balanced cherry, candied orange peel, and terracotta from these amazing wines.

Sicilian vineyards with Etna volcano eruption at background in Sicily, Italy

Santorini, Greece

Now, this is a small region. Santorini is a small island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 70 miles north of Crete. The island is the remnants of a sunken volcanic cone. You may have seen photos of it before, the Greek island with the white buildings with all the blue roofs, bingo that’s the one. The island is so dry that the tap water is salty, and most of the actual drinking water is imported. Here is the home of the most famous Greek white varietal, Assyrtiko. These wines are beautiful and my personal favorite wine to pair with seafood. They can be unoaked, oaked (Nykteri), or made into a sweet wine (Vinsanto). All have amazing notes of vibrant fruits like pineapple, lemon Brule, and even maraschino cherries on the sweet version. Worth a try.

Margaret River, Australia

This region is nestled within the most southwestern corner of Western Australia. Margaret River is known for making delicate wines that resemble the balance of European wines more so than the rest of Australia. There is a ridge called the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge that allows this region to have gneiss and granite deposits as well as iron-rich laterite soils. These provide amazing complexity to wines grown in this region. Keep an eye out for deeply balanced cabernet sauvignon, rich dark gamey Shiraz, lemon grass focus Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and in my opinion one of the best citrus expressions of chardonnay in the world.

Beautiful vineyard rows and cottage in background during sunny day. Margaret river, Australia.

Tokaj, Hungary

Lastly this is my favorite dessert wine region in the world, and home to the nectar that has come to be known as simply the “wine of kings.” This region is surrounded by wetlands and rivers, as well as a local climate controlled by the Zemplen Mountains. This allows a lot of water vapor to be in the air in this region, creating something very important: Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea). This is a fungus that develops in moist conditions and dries when the sun comes out, rotting and drying the grapes causing them to become shrivel and sweet. The wine is made from these grapes that have additional sweetness and flavor compounds such as ginger, honey, and saffron. The most coveted liquid form of Tokaj is called Eszencia, which is the first squeeze of these grapes. This liquid is as sweet and thick as syrup and is enjoyed by the spoonful. It can also age upwards of 200 years. This is truly the nectar of the gods.

Please try some of these wines from these regions and continue to explore other regions around the world. There are so many different grapes and areas with a rich history of winemaking, who knows, your new favorite wine might be hiding out there, find it.

Wine grape in wineyard on Santorini Island, Greece.

Tokaj wine region in Hungary aerial landscape panorama.

Cigars – Luxury craft that stops time

STORY BY TOMAS ZILINSKIS

Cigars have always been my passion since the day I smoked my first cigar, it was a Cuban Montecristo #2 purchased in Havana, Cuba. The flavors, the history, the perfect and obsessive craftsmanship of people who grow, cure, blend, and roll leaves of tobacco into something that has an ability to stop time and to make you enjoy the moment and forget everything around you.

I have passionately followed the industry trends, learning about the process and discovering different varieties of tobacco grown all across the World.

Allow me to take you on a journey, getting to know some of the most luxurious and expensive cigars and also smaller, so-called boutique cigar companies that make some of the best cigars there on a market.

Luxury cigar brands have been around for decades. They continue to release and impress consumers with the best of the best.

First, Davidoff is my top ‘special occasion’ cigar; Their lines vary from $15 to $80 MSRP and more for a single cigar. They are made from best tobacco, carefully aged, and rolled in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Davidoff’s Signature Line is one of my favorites. It’s a mild, yet complex blend with earthy, woody and soft notes that any novice cigar smoker would appreciate and enjoy.

Padrón is another luxury cigar brand, that on a contrary to Davidoff, would blow your socks off. Padrón was Cuban refugee who escaped Cuba under Castro and established his company that is known for blending some of the best and most complex body cigars. The 1964 Anniversary Series has been consistently the best when it comes to flavor and impeccable

attention to detail. This line was released to commemorate company’s 30th anniversary and is produced from very limited tobacco that is aged for four years creating smooth, rich, chewy smoke experience with a ton of complexity. It comes with a hefty price tag too. All tobacco is grown and rolled by the Padron family in Nicaragua and Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo cigar was a number one cigar of the 2021 for Cigar Afficionado Magazine.

In the recent years, there have been more “boutique” cigar companies breaking all the norms by blending not only Nicaraguan, Dominican and Honduran tobaccos, but incorporating USA grown Pennsylvanian Broadleaf, Mexican San Andreas, various African and other tobaccos from across the Word creating blends that not only taste like luxury cigars but are given attention to every blend to be the best of what it can be.

Caldwell Anastasia cigar, an owner’s passion project, is luscious, luxurious and a rare smoke with cream, caramel, cedar, spice and leather notes, perfectly balanced to give the experience that is second to none.

Casdagli Cigars is another brand that aims to offer unique sense of luxury, tradition and unforgettable experience with every draw. Cigars are produced in Kelner Boutique Factory operated by Hendrik Kelner Jr of the famous Kelner family of Master blenders. The Traditional Line cigars have been inspired by lavish life led in Egypt by Casdagli family the early 1900s combining tobaccos from Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru. This is a one-of- a kind smoking experience, being full bodied but mild in strength with dark chocolate, coffee and sweetness.

Our journey will continue next issue. Light up, enjoy and until next time, cheers.