The Fairway Flapper - A Blog for the Golf Girl, Lady, Woman

A Well Rounded Win for Catriona Matthew

2009-08-03T18:54:00.000-05:00

Congratulations Catriona Matthew!!

Winning the Women's British Open is definitely a feat of its own but the Scottish native made the achievement all the more glorious this weekend.

The Telegraph remarked, "The tale is almost too far fetched to be true, but that is her life story over the past 10 weeks."

As the tournament went on and Catriona established her lead position, sportscasters informed viewers she had given birth to her second child 10 weeks prior. Impressive!

Adding to the amazing scenario, Catriona and her husband just escaped a serious hotel fire during the Evian Masters, on July 22nd. Matthew's husband, Graeme, is also her caddy and was unable to work with her the next day due to the burns on his feet.

The Telegraph article covers her story well, give it a read.

There were other less serious tidbits I enjoyed about Matthew at the tournament.

Simply the thought of calm collected Catriona being paired with bubbly boisterous Christina Kim in the final round had me entertained.

I also found it refreshing when Matthew was caught in a truly authentic mom-moment, arriving "late into her press conference because one of the toddlers was throwing a moody. When was the last time that happened to Tiger Woods, also a parent of two young ’uns. Being Super Dad is clearly the easier job" (again thanks to Mark Reason's great piece in the Telegraph).

Cheering on the AT&T National Once Again

2009-07-05T08:39:00.001-05:00

Call me a "Hometown Girl," I'm once again highlighting the guys' AT&T National at Congressional Country Club.

First of all it's an awesomely appropriate gesture to allow members of the military to attend the AT&T National free of charge. The tournament also offered many other perks for military personnel and events celebrating their service.

On a more personal note, GO ANTHONY KIM!

Kim just broke a course record, scoring 62 in the first round. He's been a favorite for a while, but particularly after reading "Who is Anthony Kim?" in Golf Digest this past March. He struck me as a youthful, down to earth golfer ... maybe enough to call him audacious? In the interview he mentioned,

"I've never been a person who says something because it looks good in print. A lot of times, that's gotten me in trouble, too. Where I could smooth things over with just a few words, I don't. I choose maybe a little too much of the truth, without spinning it enough, if you know what I mean."

Rebellious but not over the top, down to earth in his outlook on interviews and the game. In the article, he discussed the challenge of maturing both himself and his game, learning a lot along the way.

Let's hope he can win the Washington tournament for the second year in a row!!

A Philanthropic Celebration

2008-09-29T20:53:00.006-05:00

This weekend, Nancy Lopez will be busy honoring the 50th Anniversary of Adventures in Movement. Lopez is Chairman of the Ohio based non-profit, which seeks "to help individuals achieve their highest potential through the AIM Method of Specialized Movement Education."

In addition to her tradition of hosting the 28th Nancy Lopez/AIM Golf Tournament, Nancy will be benefiting the charity by personally selling and autographing golf items (including some special memorabilia) at Spanish Springs Town Square in The Villages, Florida on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Take the GFW Challenge!

2008-06-16T14:01:00.004-05:00

Feel like you're stuck in the office too much to stay on top of you're game? Well, just in time for summer, Golf for Women Magazine has constructed a program just for gals, allowing you to improve your score in a realistic fashion: with the assistance of an Internet connection.

Simply head to GFWchallenge.com and create an account.

The program works to target your individual weak areas, provides relevant tips and adjustments to make, and then allows you easily track your progress.

Now we have no excuse for a poor handicap ... Thanks a lot GFW!

Million Dollar Baby

2007-11-19T15:12:00.002-05:00

This Fall Lorena Ochoa not only secured numero uno rank in women's golf, but a hefty check for $1 million, the largest prize ever awarded in women's golf.

Lorena appropriately broke the bank at "The Donald's" course, Trump International in California this weekend.

Oddly enough, her key financial asset really lies in that No. 1 ranking, a vital requirement if she wants to push Annika aside for some more lucrative endorsement deals.

[PS: She totally coordinated her shirt with The Fairway Flapper ...]

Women Get an Entire Month!

2007-11-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

Although next summer may seem a very distant thought right now, American Express has just announced that Women's Golf will no longer be celebrated in one week, but in the entire Month of June.

This year Women's Golf Week was such a record-breaking hit (and because we not only broke out our clubs for the special events but also our purses) we now get four straight weeks packed with beneficial activities & events geared to improve our game and status on the green.

Thanks AmEx!

Wonderful Tool for Rookie-Women

2007-09-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

One of my other extracurricular-activities brought me to the site Meetup.com. I immediately looked for a local golf “Meetup” and it’s a wonderful asset!

There are several other rookie-golferettes in the group who pro-actively suggest group outings to improve our game together. Many got turned onto golf by a man in their life, which is great, but some girls (like myself) would feel much more comfortable venturing on the course with a group of fellow new-girls rather than heading straight out with the husband and his buddies.

In my biased outlook on the sport, golf is typically considered a guys’ sport – and stereotypically guys play much more often.
If one were to poll people in their 20’s I’d predict more males than females play the sport, and play 18-holes more often.
So for some reason this notion subconsciously makes me assume if they play more than me, they must be really good! The feminist, perfectionist in me almost doesn’t want to pair up with the guys until my game is stellar. How stubborn and misinformed of me!

Maybe I’m alone in this, but either way I suggest every girl head to Meetup.com and look for her local golf group or create one. It’s a wonderful way to round up a bunch of golferettes to organize a fun outing with.

A Celebrity Event!

2007-07-12T09:33:00.003-05:00

This summer the American Century Championship took place up at Lake Tahoe. The competition was made up of various entertainment stars, whether actors or athletes (but mostly athletes).

One upsetting point was the appalling lack of female participants this year. At first glance the list of players appeared to have been a boys-only event! Kudos to Brandi Chastain (US Women's Soccer Pro, famous for her sports bra display at the Women's World Cup in '99) the only female on the roster of nearly 80 people. She has played golf for years and spent lots of time on the course with teammates Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy.

A Fairway Spectator

2007-07-09T14:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was lucky enough to make it to my first pro golf tournament, the AT&T National at Congressional.I absolutely adored it! What an amazing sporting event golf is. Nothing else lets you walk the "field" with the pros and stand inches away as they play. Just being a spectator is a sport in it's own too. Navigating your way with course map in hand, hiking several miles throughout the day, and strategically planning in order to see all your favorites up close & at a good hole.

The morning was spent checking out some warm-ups on the driving range & putting green. Then relocating to the 10^th hole - with a nice water hazard - until some of the leaders began tearing up the course.

My hometown friends and I decided to set-up right near the 8^th green for Kresge & Davis. We held our position next to the green (+ a great view of the 9^th tee) for Kim, Rose, Woods, and Furyk - four I wanted to see in action. Next we high-tailed it past 18, as Vijay finished, and finally parked ourselves along 17 until Choi & Appleby had passed.

Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post crafted a wonderful article after interviewing Tiger. I've attached some highlights from it below, so "Read more" and check it out. It really left me with a nice feeling, being from the Washington area.

Some personal highlights were:

Choi's amazing birdie out of the bunker on 17.

Tiger light-heartedly engaging the fans at the putting green as he struggled a bit with the warm up. Sort of a 'what can ya do?' shrug & smile. Can't get too upset over a difficult warm-up, being no. 1 in the world, on the final day hosting a wonderful event, with a beautiful family at home ...

Finding humor in certain 'styles' on the course:
favorites being Charley Hoffman who somewhat resembled Garth from "Wayne's World"

Anthony Kim

The little kids!
It is the cutest thing, whether yelling "Tiger!" or running along with their dad after he just won the tournament. My favorite though was when the trophy ceremony was about to start. I'd decided to head for the shuttle and beat the rush. While heading up towards the clubhouse a very frustrated Stuart Appleby raced by, cutting up through the shrubs to the building, and you hear this little 3 year old (un-coached by mom or dad) recognize him & innocently say, "Hey, Mister Appleby!" There's no way you could stay agitated after hearing that!

I'm already excited to attend another tournament!! I'm now planning to venture up to New York for the HSBC Women's World Match later this month!

Copyright 2007 The Washington Post
All Rights Reserved
http://www.washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post

Brilliant Store Just for the Fairway Female!

2007-07-05T10:04:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for some one-stop golf shopping, free of frustration, you have to visit this store!

Catherine Cole of Long Island put a good hunch to work when she started Forward Tee Golf last month. Fed up with the lack of quality service and supply while shopping for golf equipment she decided to open her own store. One mildly entertaining example (only because it's so blatantly sad & we can all relate) was when she was looking for a new putter ...

"So I'm in this store and I'm trying out a putter on the putting green and a guy that works there comes up to me and says, 'Can I help you?' "

Cole said she was in the market for a new putter and thought she would receive some expertise in picking out one that fit just right.

Instead, this:

"He picks a putter off the rack, hands it to me, and says, 'You'll like this one, it's pink,'"

It is tragic how the only way to find a worthwhile selection is online. How on earth are you supposed to locate the appropriate items online?? Whether shoes or a new 460 driver ... you just have to test everything out before identifying what works for you.

Leave it to South Carolina

2007-07-03T21:50:00.000-05:00

A town near Gaffney, South Carolina annually celebrates the 4^th of July with a golf cart parade! How very appropriate for this uber-golf state. Very cute idea!

A similar event will take place at the end of the summer, on Labor Day at Lake View Marina Resort in Kentucky.

Strippers on Course??

2007-07-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

This wildly unusual incident caught my attention last week. A teenage guy took notice when he spotted some half naked women on the local golf course. He pulled out a video recording devise (I'm guessing a cell phone) and captured the jaw-dropping sight: breasts & lap dances.

Apparently golf was not the main event at this charity tournament at the Cherry Valley Golf Course in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. Strippers were a primary feature too! All of this was easily visible from the surrounding residential roads.

It's so absurd one almost has to laugh in shock, Are you serious? How on earth did this come about??
C.R. Fannys Gentleman's Club was sponsoring the event.

Ohhh boys. What were you thinking??
Although, police don't quite know what to do about the incident.

Oddly enough, this past weekend there was a similar presence at a fund-raiser for the Democratic Party of Lucas County Ohio!

Ladies' Golf Fashions Draw Big Attention

2007-07-03T20:27:00.000-05:00

Today the Associated Press published an article highlighting the rapidly evolving apparel for women on the golf course. Most of the brands have been previously featured here at The Fairway Flapper except for one: LIJA.

This brand is amazingly street-wearable, with lines like City Luxe and Nouveau Riche. There is also an overwhelming amount of merchandise offered! Fun color themes include Sweet Like Sangria, Green with Envy, and Dawn to Dusk. You're bound to have one huge "shopping cart" after taking a look at lijastyle.com.

A Patriotic Golf Philanthropy

2007-07-03T19:56:00.001-05:00

Been thinking about doing something nice for the troops? Give them golf!
Bringing golf to the American troops in the Middle East provides them a very adequate outlet & break from the stresses of war. There are currently several organizations working to collect golfing supplies for the armed forces overseas, including Give 2 The Troops' "Tee Off for the Troops." The donations go toward make-shift driving ranges, which lack the ball retrieval equipment, making golf balls a continuous need. In addition golf mats, nets, gloves, tees and clubs (particularly women's and left-handed sets) are the main focus of these campaigns.

So if you have any old golf items collecting dust this is one fantastic way to put them to use!

Other charities that use golf to support American soldiers include:

Phil Mickelson's Birdies for the Brave: donating funds to military homes and educational scholarships.

A Maine Boy Scout Troop started Wedges for War: sending golf equipment to US soldiers in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Golfers 4 Freedom: supporting US Camp Taji in Iraq with golf supplies.

Many local military bases have small scale programs like these, so check with them also.

Cut That Putter!

2007-07-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I was lucky enough to take a Dave Pelz 1-Day Golf Clinic, out at Wyncote Country Club in the Philadelphia-Wilmington area. The day focused on short-game skills. I initially had some reservations about participating since my short game has been not so hot lately (wait, isn't that what clinics are for?).I hopped in the car early Saturday morning and headed out into the rolling green hills of historic Southeastern Pennsylvania. Surrounded by lovely vineyards and crisp summer air I was no longer upset that the clinic was an hour outside the city. After arriving at Wyncote I found myself seated amongst a group of professional-aged men. As I sat feeling groggy (I play better without any caffeine in my system) I listened to the discussion of courses and the latest golf tools technology has to offer ... in addition to numbers like 1, 3 and 10, which were the handicaps of my fellow students. Several others arrived, including two women and the lesson began.

The instructors were David LiCalsi and Anne Sparks and we spent the morning working on wedge shots, greenside chipping and bunker shots. I was happy to start off with the wedge shots, as the set-up, form and swing my lessons instilled in me was very applicable. After seeing fantastic results and being able to control the ball in a short range, I had my head on straight for the rest of the day! Working out of the bunker and greenside I actually appreciated the fact that my swing is new and mailable. Some of the veteran players had more difficulty adjusting their swing and set-up due to fixed habits and perceptions. Now I can't wait to get out on the course and find my ball in a sand trap next to the green!

After lunch we focused on putting. This session was really an eye opener but in a more technical way. First of all, most people's putters are way too long (I need to cut 4" off mine). The other putting skill presented was green reading. Dave Pelz is a man of science and to accurately understand a successful put based on the apex, science was referenced. The two instructors put on a little experiment to prove that one cannot sink a putt by simply aiming for the height of the apex! Mind-blowing ... some might even call it heresy!The clinic taught me something else: golf is like a faith. There are many different ways of thinking and theories of swing/set-up, like there are many different religions. Many of these methods and beliefs contradict each other, but they all serve the same goal: better performance on the golf course.

I definitely recommend it to anyone willing to spend the money. Especially if you're a rookie. Better to form good habits early!

Sam Alexis Woods - Future Golferette?

2007-07-02T13:29:00.000-05:00

Elin Nordegren Woods, wife of Tiger Woods, gave birth to baby Sam Alexis Woods back on June 18^th, the morning after the men's US Open (talk about the best father's day gift ever). Tiger recently opted to stay home from the Buick Open to spend time with his wife and new daughter. The family recently released official photos of the new arrival.

I wonder if she'll pick up golf in two years like her father did ...

The Next Generation of Hot Golfers

2007-07-02T12:53:00.000-05:00

The tween girl golfer is set to be the next hot phenomena in golf. These youngsters are oozing with so much talent already that I'm beyond eager to see what the game of women's golf will be like in 10 years!Floridian Alexis Thompson recently brought some attention to this powerhouse generation of golferettes but she is not alone. In last year's under-12 competition identical twins, Lisa and Leona Maguire of Ireland, placed 1^st and 3^rd, while Ms. Thompson finished 4^th. Identical twins! Talk about good sibling rivalry & potential female drama on the course. Match that with the inevitable level of talent & skill, five years down the road women's golf will certainly be one of the most watched sports on television.

Oscar Winner Takes Her Clubs to the Open

2007-07-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

This weekend actress Sally Field was the US Women's Open to gain support for women's health issues but also to advance in the sport herself. The AP took notice of this celebrity on course, as the lucky lady had her first lesson on one of the practice holes at Pine Needles! Sally also pointed out one of the greatest things about golf, "People walk around and enjoy God, God's gifts, the trees, so I think I've always thought I should have that in my life." I must agree. It's an amazing thing to take a break from life as an adult in the corporate world, spending nearly every hour indoors. At your desk, in the car, at the gym, at a restaurant for dinner or in a bar for happy hour. The chance to spend a relaxing four hours outside, in the most picturesque of natural settings is the greatest thing!

Sally Field's tip for sticking with the game as a rookie golferette: "She said she keeps a set of golf clubs in her bedroom to remind her of her goals."

A Weekend for the Women

2007-07-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

The US Women's Open this year was jam packed with excitement and incident. The competition finished in gentle sunny weather with an ecstatic, long awaited win by Cristie Kerr (and her magic putter from Korea). I couldn't be happier about the outcome. The idea of karma comes to mind regarding this win for Kerr. It was the 10^th victory for the bubbly 29 year old, in her 10^th year with the LPGA!
[Photo: Cristie Kerr celebrates victory with husband Erik Stevens - CHRIS KEANE / REUTERS]

One can recall her touching victory at the Canadian Women's Open last year, where a fan gave Cristie a special coin he'd held with him as his wife defeated breast cancer. She went on to play magnificently and accredited her win to that very significant quarter. Cristie's a true philanthropist, having started the Birdies for Breast Cancer organization in 2003. She ties her two passions by personally donating $50 for every birdie she makes and hosting many golf related events. As a result of her direct involvement with the effort she was honored with the LPGA Komen Award last year. I can't think of a better person to be the star of women's golf!
There were many of bumps along the way at this year's Open in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Thunderstorms interrupted the third round and marked the end of 12 year old Alexis Thompson's record breaking debut at the Open. Annika and Michelle were both held back by their prior injuries, while the other leaders of this year's Open, including Lorena Ochoa, just couldn't grasp hold of the lead. You gotta love golf ... nothing is ever predictable.

Check out the complete scores.

Daddy's Little Golferette

2007-06-17T18:28:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and got to spend some quality time with a special dad in your life, whether father, husband, grandfather or brother.I appropriately celebrated the day with a relaxing 9-hole father-daughter round at the politically famed, "too tough for beginners" Andrews Air Force Base. We played the front nine of the West Course.
Some unique features:

The full course is a par 73 for ladies and 70 for men -- we encountered three par 3s and one par 5
The presence of the Air Force One hanger in the background
The chance that Condi Rice will be in the group right behind you.

I definitely enjoyed it and luckily for both of us we didn’t keep score. My elderly father is just getting back in the game after having surgery on his shoulder and I’m still settling into my newly structured swing.I was thrilled to finally see the fairways at Andrews since it’s essentially been my father’s home away from home for years. The day also highlighted one priceless benefit of playing the game: spending time with your father. For years weekends were spent shopping & lunching with my mother, while dad was off golfing, working in the yard or watching a tournament in TV. I finally have something I can share with him.

Did anyone else enjoy some Father’s Day golf activities (how convenient that the US Open was the same day)?

UPDATE: My Thoughts on the Augusta Issue

2007-06-16T17:35:00.000-05:00

I made some slight adjustments to my possibly too political & rash post regarding Martha Burk & Augusta National. Just tiny revisions to more ... tastefully ... rationally ... accurately communicate my opinion.

Snagging a Savvy Swing

2007-06-16T16:56:00.000-05:00

Since I was set on getting serious about the game I decided to start from scratch and invest in a proper swing. This spring I've been taking great lessons at the Every Body Golf School, in Oakton, Virginia.My instructor Noel Jablonski truly adapts the instruction to fit the individual. Noel uses a variety of methods to effectively communicate the proper form, rhythm and ease required for a solid consistent swing. A Class-A member of the LPGA, she has been featured on Golf for Women's list of top instructors. The Washington Post also detailed her training program in From Zero to Tee in Ten Days.

If anyone is looking for some quality lessons in the Washington area Noel will successfully make you swing like a pro! ... Someone actually recognized my swing at a driving range in Pennsylvania!

Stylin' On Course

2007-06-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

Apparently fairway fashions are continuing to become runway-savvy as Swedish clothier J. Lindeberg Women's Wear has launched a golf line! Canada's Globe & Mail published a very fun article reminiscing upon the evolution of women as an influential part of the golfing industry. The posh attire offered has the classic golfwear design with a soft feminine twist. Check it out at the women's section of their online store.

Very cute indeed! The brand also has a men's line and is working on putting out a golf shoe with Puma.

Fairway Clash over Feminism & Golf

2007-06-13T10:49:00.000-05:00

I originally started this post back on May 26th but with all the resurfacing buzz about the issue of “equal treatment” of women on golf courses, particularly in the UK [read: the serious side or the op-ed piece], I’ve been motivated to finish this …

Late last night I was heading south on 95, returning home for the weekend. In an attempt to stay focused I decided to search for some 'talk' radio. The static hiss of the AM offerings was not cutting it, so I ended up listening to the CSPAN station on FM.

A prerecorded lecture by Martha Burk, at the National Press Club was just beginning. Certain tid-bits from the introduction told me I was not going to agree with most of what this woman would be saying, but I like to be aware of exactly what I don't agree with.

One issue in particular stood out. Martha Burk vs. Augusta National Golf Club.

In leading the fight against Augusta's men's-only policy, Burk has gone so far as to accuse corporate executives with Augusta memberships of being discriminatory employers! This spring Morgan Stanley paid out $46 million in a similar lawsuit.

Don't you enjoy spending time with your gal pals sans-men, Martha? What about the LPGA? I say Tiger tries to play an LPGA tournament. There are plenty of golf lessons designed for girls only, I’m certain there aren’t any boy-only unless offered at Augusta. Let the boys have their club, what is the problem or the intrigue? We have the right to go out and start some women-exclusive golf clubs. There's a resent plan to make an entire floor at the Marriott hotel women-only; I don't have an issue with that and I bet men don’t either ... until people like Martha Burk enter the picture.

It'd be one thing if every golf course was male-only, but that isn't the case at all. Being the graduate of all-girls school, where a single sex environment may allow some to excel more. Maybe that’s part of the men’s-only purpose. We're females, does Martha neglect to acknowledge the power we hold ... which might be distracting to some men in their pursuits of competition or relaxation?

A lot of the recent coverage has focused on the apparently flawed strategy to create equality at the club. Now the problem isn’t about women being allowed in. The issue is how we’re treated at the facility after some have fought our way in. Resentment maybe? ‘You girls want to be members of our club? Sure, we’ll let you in … just see how much you enjoy it.’ I'm more bothered by this problem though than an entire men's-only facility. If you're going to let us in, let us in. If you want to have some men's-only hours or lounges, then make some women's-only one's also. I do also automatically apply economic principles to this sticky situation. When the demand for fabulous women's facilities increases and there is a substantial profit to be made off the female golf base, then places will truly cater to our needs and tastes. You can't successfully force a market to do what you want. You want to see some legitimate changes? Keep bringing those clubs and pocketbooks to the golf course ladies.

Apparently I’m not alone since groups like Women Against Martha Burk spouted up. Thoughts anyone?

TheGolfSpace.com for Online Networking

2007-05-29T15:15:00.000-05:00

Today I stumbled upon TheGolfSpace.com (think: MySpace for golfers), created by the Hooked On Golf blogger Tony Korologos.Now, there are other golf sites out there with superb networking capabilities but this one jumped out at me, partly because I'm 23 & very familiar with the MySpace concept and also because I'm just getting into the sport. I get the impression TheGolfSpace is pretty basic, giving a friendlier/more approachable vibe to golfers at any level. More advanced networking communities, like the one offered on oobgolf, can be a bit overwhelming at first glance yet have amazing resources for every golfer, from rookie to veteran.

I haven't been able to really investigate the site as I wait for my registration to be approved. It appears to virtually mirror sites like MySpace, where you focus on creating a personal profile that best depicts the type of golfer you are; you then browse through other profiles to locate acquaintances or people with similar interests and passion for the game.

TheGolfSpace.com will likely eat up lots of your time online ... just what I need after a month of barely squeezing in blog time!

Some Healthy Competition

2007-05-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

Annika will be actively re-joining the playing field at the Ginn Tribute in South Carolina, beginning on May 31st. Hosting the event, Annika will finally get the chance to even the score with Lorena Ochoa. The juicy details of the respectful rivalry were covered in a recent Reuters article.

Coincidentally, fellow injured LPGA star, Michelle Wie will also be making her return to the golf course at the Ginn Tribute.

I can't wait for the fight for #1 to really heat up!

Reminder: Women's Golf Week June 2 - 9

2007-05-26T14:44:00.000-05:00

Hopefully everyone is enjoying some quality time with their clubs this weekend!
I just wanted to remind all the ladies about Women's Golf Week, taking place June 2nd - 9th. Sponsored by American Express and presented by Golf For Women magazine; golf courses across the country will be hosting lessons, seminars, social events and fashion shows to give women an opportunity to really get on course. LPGA.com put out a thorough article about the upcoming event.

Check out the website to find your nearest participating golf club, and its schedule of events.

My local spots:

Washington DC: East Potomac Park Golf Course (aka Hains Point)
--- also in Fairfax, Herndon, Reston & Leesburg VA and Silver Spring MD.

Philadelphia PA: Greater Philadelphia EWGA Chapter - hosting at various locations
--- also in Upper Darby (at McCall CC), Lansdale, Berwyn & Norristown PA.

Definitely take advantage of this amazing resource!

When Life Gets in the Way of Golf

2007-05-21T10:32:00.001-05:00

I've been away from the blog for what feels like a huge amount of time. What an inconsistent slacker. But life does manage to get in the way sometimes, particularly when other priorities arise, in addition to one's full-time, non-golf related career! I'm not quite ready to risk living in a cardboard box for the sake of golf just yet, especially with things such as student loans looming.

I haven't even had time to stop by the driving range on my way home from work in the past two weeks! How horrific?!

There should be plenty of posts and practice, now that I have my life & schedule back in order.

Golf + Yoga = Improvement

2007-05-09T16:40:00.000-05:00

Up in Canada, golf pro Jody Jackson has developed a innovative training program called Fusion for Golf, which uses yoga and pilates to improve a golferette's game.

Lessons ($430) take place at the Cordova Bay Golf Club (www.CordovaBayGolf.com) and Victoria Pilates Fitness Integration (VictoriaPilates.org).
Pilates is held on Tuesdays and Yoga on Thursdays.

Fighting Breast Cancer on Mother's Day

2007-05-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

I've noticed three things appearing together recently: a cure for breast cancer, golf and mother's day.
Here in Philly the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is being held this Sunday, May 13th (also in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis).

A lot of golf is being played in order to raise money and awareness too,

Rally for the Cure - presented by Golf for Women magazine

Birdies for Breast Cancer - started by pro golfer Christine Kerr.

On May 14th the Birdies for Breast Cancer Golf Tournament in Concord, NC will be held.

The EWGA - Worcester Chapter in MA is hosting the Breast Cancer Golf Challenge on June 18th.

The Royal Canadian Golf Fore the Cure, played on September 17th.

Champ Spikes is hosting Pink-on-the-Links on Mother's Day - calling all golfers playing in PGA or LPGA events this Sunday to wear Champ pink spikes and a donation will be made to the Breast Cancer Research Fund in his/her name.
There are a ton of golf items sold to raise money for breast cancer research.
Things include:
Wilson 'Hope' golf line (Wilson is the official athletic gear sponsor of the BCRF)

Glove It & designer Nicole Miller golf accessories

Also check out Pink-Ribbon-Store.com

Golf for Women has been very vocal on the issue of breast cancer.
In 2004 GFW featured an article "Survival 101: How Golf Can Bring You Back."
They've also covered Birdies for Breast Cancer. GFW hosts Rally for the Cure and partners with Yopliat (which does the yogurt-lids fund raising).

... I could go on forever there's so much out there!!!

A Flawless Face on the Fairway

2007-05-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

Since sun-damage is a major factor in the health of your skin/face, I'd like to suggest picking up Olay Regenerist: UV Defense Regenerating Lotion.

This past December, Consumer Reports magazine tested and ranked a variety of anti-aging products and the Olay Regenerist line came out the winner. Olay UV Defense ($18.99) beat out the more pricey competitors such as La Prairie Cellular ($335), which ranked in the lowest category.

Golferettes on NBC

2007-05-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

This morning I turned on TODAY to catch Cameron Diaz swinging a golf club! Moments later I saw teaser for NBC's Ellen DeGeneres Show, mentioning that Elsie McLean, the 102 year old who landed a hole-in-one, will be featured in a segment today.

NBC TODAY

David shows Cameron Diaz his backswing
May 9: TODAY's David Gregory gives the "Shrek" actress a golf lesson on the Plaza. Did she get a hole in one?

The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Wednesday, May 9

Ellen plans on taking her very first steps today since injuring her back! And, 102-year-old golfer Elsie McLean's dream finally came true last month when after 70 years of golfing, she finally snared her first hole in one! Now, Elsie is here to share the story of triumph that landed her in the record books as the oldest person - woman or man - to accomplish this feat.

For the Very Vogue Golfer

2007-05-08T18:46:00.000-05:00

I continue to stumble upon more uber-luxe golf gear! Here are a few select items,

Chanel Golf Bag ($2,965)
*clubs ($795)

Louis Vuitton Golf Glove ($300)

Dior Golf Bag ($1,679)

A Golfer's Paradise

2007-05-08T12:46:00.000-05:00

I decided to start covering "desirable destinations" a while ago, when I realized it's hard to fully explain the golfing experience at a place if I've never been there! So for now I'll be posting the travels of other people.

Indonesia: a destination that may bring images of South Pacific to many minds but it turns out to offer a one-of-a-kind golf adventure!Raymond Bonner just wrote a great article, chronicling the amazing golf that can be played in Indonesia. The NYT column reveals the entirely unusual offerings from these tropical courses. From the breath-taking views and innovative course design, to the phenomena of ball-snatchers: kids who will grab your ball when it lands in the jungle (as opposed to the fairway) and then sell it back to you.

"A Secret Garden of Golf (Mind the Jungle)" is definitely an interesting read. Raymond goes through the atmosphere at several courses in Indonesia, including the Jakarta Golf Club (since 1872). He also provides a lot of helpful resources for planning a trip to the islands.

For basic info check out www.IndoGolf.com

Keep reading for all of Raymond's Indonesian advice and finds ...

"VISITOR INFORMATION

There are no accomplished golf tour operators in Indonesia, so a golf holiday there is a do-it-yourself operation. But don’t let that deter you. Golf Promo Indonesia, at www.indogolf.com, gives basic information on dozens of courses on Java, Bali and other islands.

Don’t be put off when you read that a course is for “members and guests.” During the week, it is possible to play almost any course. Greens fees fluctuate roughly from $30 to more than $100, depending on time of year, day of the week and the exchange rate, which is now about 9,270 rupiahs to the dollar.

WHERE TO PLAY

I took an informal survey of playing colleagues for courses they would recommend to visitors. The panel, whose handicaps ranged from 2 to 28, included five ambassadors, several foreign business executives and an Indonesian, Winston Wiharto, who owns a courier company, is a member at several clubs and is the intrepid organizer of a motley bunch for Saturday golf (groups.yahoo.com/group/wwfriendship).

Here are their recommendations:

JAKARTA AREA

Jagorawi Golf and Country Club (62-21-875-3810-15; www.jagorawi.com) is about 45 minutes south of Jakarta on the Jagorawi toll road. This is the rare course that is difficult to get on without a member sponsor. But guests at the Lodge at Jagorawi (62-21-879 02483), where a double is 550,000 rupiahs, about $60, and a suite 880,000, or $95, can play, as well use the 25-meter pool and the tennis courts.

Another option is to stay at the Gran Melia, a 428-room, luxury hotel in central Jakarta (62-21-526-8080, www.granmeliajakarta.com), which has an arrangement with Jagorawi, allowing guests to play. John Richards, the general manager at the Park Lane (www.parklanejakarta.com), and managers at other hotels, including the Shangri-La and Mandarin, can get guests at their hotels privileges as well.

Emeralda Golf Club (62-21-875-9019; www.emeraldagolfclub.com) is just down the toll road from Jagorawi, as is the Riverside Golf Club (62-21-867-1533; www.riverside-golf.com), where there is a meandering swimming pool for children or a spouse who might not play golf.

Bukit Pelangi Golf and Country Club, or Rainbow Hill (62-251-270-222, www.bukitpelangigolf.com), is not far from those courses, but is at a higher altitude in Bogor, and so is delightfully cooler.

Bumi Serpong Damai (62-21-537-0290; www.damaiindah-golf.com) in North Jakarta is another course that is supposed to be for “members and guests.” But I had no trouble getting a tee time on a Monday morning a couple of months ago.

Bogor Raya (62-251-271-888; www.bogorlakeside.com/golf.html) is a verdant course in pleasant climes near Bogor. Its clubhouse has a locker room that offers views of the greenery.

Rancamaya Golf and Country Club (62-251-242 282; www.rancamayaestate.com) is a resort-housing-golf development near Bogor Raya. It is hard, but not impossible, to play without a member sponsor, but it has a long list of courses in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia with which it has reciprocal privileges.

Cenkareng Golf Club (62-21-5591-1111; www.cengkarenggolfclub.com) is so close to the international airport that the local name for a high tee shot is a Garuda, after the national airline. One of the most popular courses in Southeast Asia, it gets more than 70,000 rounds a year. But the wear doesn’t show on this well-maintained course. The biggest drawback is that if a military general or high government official shows up, he and his entourage are given priority, and a round can take six hours.

BALI

Bali Nirwana (62-361-815-960; www.nirwanabaligolf.com) at Le Méridien Nirwana Golf and Spa Resort was designed by Greg Norman, and has a feel of Pebble Beach or New South Wales. It is often on lists of top 100 courses in the world. The par 3 seventh hole abuts the Indian Ocean, with a view of a Hindu temple on an adjacent spit of land. With Bali out of favor because of the recent terrorist incidents, it is relatively easy to get a tee time, but at $150, it is the priciest course in the country ($88 for resort guests).

Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club (62-362-22646; www.balihandarakosaido.com) is the opposite experience of Bali Nirwana: it is in the mountains, above 3,700 feet, which keeps it cool, amid lush vegetation.

GETTING AROUND

There are two options — and renting a car and driving yourself is definitely not one. Either hire a hotel car and driver, or a Silver Bird taxi (62-21-798-1234 or 62-21-794-1234). Its cars are comfortable, spacious sedans, and the drivers are reliable and honest. From most major Jakarta hotels to Jagorawi, Riverside, Emeralda and Bogor, it will be less than $50 round trip. A hotel car and driver will cost at least twice that."

Source: Bonner, Raymond. "A Secret Garden of Golf (Mind the Jungle)," The New York Times: May 6, 2007.

Cute "Gift Buckets"

2007-05-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

The smart-boutique GirlsGreen.com offers many cute products but the standout item has to be their gift buckets. The Beginner, Bogey and Scratch Golfer Buckets range from $36 - $80 and include the standard golf-gift items: a polo, balls and tees. The green driving range buckets that hold the gifts are what really make them eye-catching.

Be sure to check out the other cute stuff at GirlsGreen, which was started by two sisters in New Jersey, in 2003.

Driving Women's Golf - English-Style

2007-05-05T10:48:00.000-05:00

The English Golf Union unveiled a new initiative to help the English Ladies Golf Association get more women and girls on the golf course. One of the first steps taken was developing a brochure, Women & Girls Golf, which encourages and assists golf clubs to draw more ladies to the green and make a habit of the game.

This campaign is part of the EGU's vision to "Grow the Game."

A Simple Skort

2007-05-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

I headed out to pick up a staple item for the golf course, a khaki skort. Sounds simple enough, so I headed into Golfdom and snatched an Adidas one. When I got home and tried it on I was pretty disappointed! It resembled an unflattering potato-sack! How could they mess up a khaki, stretch skort??

Needless to say I brought the $60 purchase back and exchanged it for a nearly identical looking Nike one, but somehow the Nike cut and fit is perfect!

So take a pass on the Adidas stretch skort and pick up the Nike UV Dri-FIT skort.

Catering to Women is Catching On

2007-05-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of buzz about golf courses and resorts beginning to adjust their services, to target women. The Associated Press took notice in a recent piece, "Tee and Sympathy for Women Golfers."

The article features several great offerings for girls,

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (SC) - Pampered Putters

The Boulders* (AZ) - Golf and Spa Getaway Package

Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort (SC) - Girls Love to Golf

Hershey Country Club (PA) - Girls Gone Golfing; Hershey Golf & Spa Package

* The Boulders was rated #1 course for women in 2006, by Golf for Women

Lela Designs for the Glamorous Golferette

2007-05-04T15:39:00.000-05:00

Canadian based Lela Designs makes some amazingly sophisticated golf-wear for ladies. The brand was started by three savvy females, Tina Hofer, Perry Sharma and Margarita Angelatos, with the mission of making "functional, fresh and fashionable apparel."The trio have managed to cover just about every base in making their product GREAT! They are environmentally friendly and the clothes are even made from organic materials. A portion of the profits go to The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), which works to fight AIDs in rural Africa by educating women.

Lela Designs made it onto the runway this spring at Fashion Week in British Columbia.

Very cute! I'm loving the "sugar-daddy" vibe to their photo shoots, how very country-club-scandalous!

Fairway Flapper Zeta Jones

2007-05-04T12:41:00.000-05:00

This past weekend the 9th Annual Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf tournament was held at the prime spot for celeb golf events, Trump National Golf Club. Profits aid the not-so-lucky "starving artists" in the entertainment industry.

Golfers included Heather Locklear, Cheryl Ladd, Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Duhamel, Alice Cooper and Mark Wahlberg, of course. And the hostess, the lovely Catherine ZJ participated also, as The Daily Record reported. The pair take part in many charity golf events. Two years ago their donation at the All-Star Cup in her Welsh homeland received lots of big attention.

For more photos check out Hollywood.com.

True Life: I'm the No. 1 Golferette in the WORLD!

2007-05-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

According to WorldGolf.com the new leading lady in golf, Lorena Ochoa, will be the focus of a future documentary. For the last year her cousin Jonathan Ochoa and his friend Christopher Vitiello have been following the LPGA Player of the Year with camera in hand.

Conveniently catching her journey to the top, the 24 year old duo will wrap up filming at the Women's British Open. What timing?!

Keep an eye out for it in 2008.

More for Mother's Day

2007-05-03T12:31:00.000-05:00

With Mother's Day nearly a week away, I've stumbled upon another article with some more traditional golf gifts for the leading lady in your life. Featured in Phoenix's East Valley Tribune, some things are local but still useful. My personal favorite is the EWGA Membership.

Image: Joe Batluck

I still like Jennifer Mario's slightly creative ideas.

Like Fine Wine, Female Golfers Just Get Better with Age

2007-05-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

I suppose the golferette gods just weren't satisfied with one record breaking hole-in-one from 102 year old Elsie McLean this April. On April 27th two amateur women sunk consecutive holes-in-one at the Moor Allerton Golf Club in northern England. Appropriately, Reuters instantly picked up the story.

June Wiener (75) and Sue Baskind (61) both beat the million-to-one odds on the 152-yard hole. June pointed out,
The feat was rightfully celebrated with some whiskey at the clubhouse.

Absolutely amazing!!! Makes me a bit more relaxed about my 23 year old rookie status.

Ladies Leading the Way in Japan

2007-05-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

The business aspect of golf has revealed that women are the stars of the sport in Japan.

An article in the UK's Telegraph explains that Ricoh Global, a digital office solutions company based in Japan ($17 Billion/year), will be sponsoring the Women's British Open. The Open will be played at the St. Andrews Links Open Course this year, which is a monumental "first" as it's the first time pro-golferettes will grace those greens.

The Chief Marketing Officer at Ricoh says they picked the women's competition because,
The Women's British Open will be August 2 - 5 this summer, in Scotland.

Slacker Blogger

2007-05-03T09:50:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I moved to a new spot in the city. I absolutely adore it but as a result my schedule is swamped! Major blog neglect - all apologies.

I see the moment I left The Fairway Flapper sitting idle it actually acquired some readers! I'm stoked and will certainly keep the posts coming. Thanks for reading!!!

... and a very special kudos to Patricia at Golf Girl's Diary, who hosts an amazing blog - she is a genius (especially from a Marketing/PR standpoint) and has been my golferette-blog idol from the start! Check out the Fairway Flapper feature on her site,

New 'Women-Friendly' Category When Ranking Courses

2007-04-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

The Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA) recently developed a plan to highlight the golf courses that are friendly to women. The details were announced in a press release, so hopefully courses will strive to get on the good-list.

First of all, the course must be a part of the EWGA Network to be eligible for the designation. The determining factors of female-friendliness fall under two categories, Playability of the Course and Customer Service.

Hollywood Will Head to the Fairway

2007-04-23T18:58:00.000-05:00

The Salvation Army has set the date for its upcoming Celebrity Invitational Golf Classic. The May 31st event will be hosted by none other than Donald Trump and foursomes will go for $10,000.

Past participants include Mark Wahlberg, Magic Johnson, Penny Marshall and Bob Saget. So far there is only a press release out covering the spring game at Trump National Golf Club in California. Past participants include Penny Marshall, Magic Johnson, Bob Saget and Mark Wahlberg - who has also been rumored to be facing a bit of a golfing adjustment with his new role as a family man.

Apparently (according to ContactMusic.com) girlfriend Rhea Duram enjoys the golf fashions but dislikes the amount to time it steals Mark away for a game. And just a few weeks ago StarPulse.com reported that he's being forced to turn his backyard practice area, where he once worked on his swing, will soon be replaced with a play-set and swing.

(Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)

A Mexican Takeover

2007-04-23T17:53:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Lorena Ochoa, who finally won the power-struggle for the number one spot in women's golf today. It was only a matter of time with Annika Sorenstam off the golf course due to an injury. The 25 year old Mexican golferette was thrilled with her arrival at first place. The icing on the cake was that she got to enjoy being the best player in the world at home, preparing for the Corona Championship.

(Getty Images/David Cannon)

Reuters captured the leading lady's winning words,

Why Women Turn to Golf

2007-04-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

Journalist Paul Lin, with the WSJ, shot a video piece briefly investigating why more women are playing golf these days and how the industry is catering to them.

Lin visited Sterling Farms Golf Course in Stamford, Connecticut to talk with Head Golf Pro Angela Aulenti. Angela explained some of the factors drawing ladies to the game,

Paul Lin narrated,
Angela continued, saying,

Angela definitely covered two big reasons why More Women Embrace Golf.

May Giveaway ... Free Lessons!

2007-04-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

As FitSugar reported last Thursday, PlayGolfAmerica.com will be hosting free 10-minute lessons with PGA professionals nationwide this May. All you need to do is visit the PGA Free Lesson Month page to locate a teacher near you and sign up. So any fellow rookie golfer girls, grab those clubs and take this opportunity to gain a bit more confidence on the golf course.

Two other upcoming female-friendly events include
Women's Golf Week (June 2-9)
and Take Your Daughter to the Course Week (July 9-15).

For the Philly Female

2007-04-20T16:42:00.000-05:00

Living in Philadelphia right now, I drove by a sign at a local course for GolfPhilly.com, and it's a pretty decent site for the public golf offerings in this city. Since spring has finally arrived I decided to go to the driving range as soon as I stepped out of the office!

I really wish there were more driving ranges. The ability to get off work and make a relaxing trip to the range would be amazing, but lately I find myself heading into rush hour traffic after I get home from work - who wants to do that???

(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Philly does offer a centrally located one, in the Philadelphia Park System aka Fairmont Park; I'm just picky and hope for a golfing utopia with well manicured public driving ranges, located every 5 miles.

Corporate Golfing

2007-04-20T14:47:00.000-05:00

The idea of corporate golf is a solid one. It was even featured as part of a challenge on Season 4 of NBC's The Apprentice.

Today, Fortune Magazine online received a question from a business woman, raising to the executive ranks: "Must I play golf to get ahead?"

According to expert Hilary Bruggen, the answer is YES. Although the article states,There are lots of tools available out there that specifically target the business golf outing. My personal favorite, Eye Candy Caddies ... are you serious? They even have a site dedicated to corporate events! I did major in marketing, so I must give them kudos for identifying a "unique need" out there and being very one-of-a-kind.

The (evidently) typically male-based excursion can be advantageous to the working woman. Washington DC (at times crass) gossip blogger Wonkette addressed a question about finding a way to network with the big-shot Lobbyists, her answer was GOLF.

I definitely think corporate ladies should pick up their golf clubs and head to the fairway. The woman who posed the "problem" to Fortune columnist Anne Fischer sounded a bit fearful or anxious about hittin' balls with the boys, and I fully understand where she is coming from. Golf has tended to be such a male-based sport, I find my rookie-self feeling a mix of anxiety and pride when I arrive at the driving range or golf course. All the more reason for every woman to get out there and do her thing, athletic or not - its not like you're heading onto the football field.

Bringing Sexy Back to the Green

2007-04-17T20:28:00.000-05:00

This will be the first boy featured on The Fairway Flapper, but us gals need to keep up on the celebrity gossip when it tees off!

Again "cold off the press" - On Sunday Mr. Justin Timberlake graced the green at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland, before beginning his "FutureSex/LoveShow" European Tour - as Now Magazine reports. I first became aware of this fairway frenzy when scrolling through the best celebrity gossip site ever, Perez Hilton.

[Image courtesy of PopSugar.com]

For the Mommy Golfer

2007-04-17T20:03:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Mario for TravelGolf.com discovered Mother's Day Golf Gifts for the Rest of Us. Witty Ms. Mario gets right down to business, tossing out the classic "yawn" Mother's Day gift ideas and presenting a list of obviously great ones, such as a tee time and a babysitter.

The Fashionable Birdie

2007-04-17T16:45:00.000-05:00

Due to my crazy corporate schedule this month I've been severely slacking as The Fairway Flapper. Luckily, my good friend was nice enough to alert me on FabSugar's Designer Spotlight: Birdie (be sure to check out any of the "sugar" blogs - they are top notch). Young golferette Kate Sutton was fed-up with golf wear closely resembling a potato-sack, so last year she launched her own line. In just one year Kate's clothes have soared into the lime-light, having been featured in numerous magazines, of course including Golf for Women.

Birdie's brilliantly cute logo ... .

Check it out - even the website is utterly adorable!!!

"Annika Academy"

2007-04-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

Not quite hot off the press at this point but in case you haven't been paying attention, lady golfer Annika Sorenstam opened her own golf school in Florida yesterday. Could The Annika Academy be her way of fighting back against the recent speculation of her slipping off the No. 1 pedestal? Doubtful, since her new position on "the bench," as Ochoa threatens to overthrow, only came about a few days ago.

Doug Ferguson with the AP picked up this golfer girl story,

He also managed to nab us an update on the Swede's injury,

Two Premier Ladies Out of Commission

2007-04-13T13:12:00.000-05:00

As the New York Times announced, yesterday Annika Sorenstam joined fellow leading lady Michelle Wie in acquiring a new type of handicap, the incapacitating injury.

Michelle was forced to drop out of competitive play this February due to an injured wrist (she fell while jogging). Then Annika withdrew from a tournament yesterday, with a ruptured disk, leaving her out of commission for at least one month.

Is true equality on the green a bad idea? Sorenstam paved the way back in 2003 by joining PGA competition at The Colonial. Then high school freshman Wie made the leap in 2004, at the Sony Open in her home state of Hawaii. Things were looking great, just last year Michelle Wie was ranked #74 on the Forbes list of The Top 100 Celebrities, and Annika sat at #91. But now the Times highlights how disappearing from competition is affecting the popular status of these LPGA hot-shots.

On Annika,

On Michelle,

Golf columnist Damon Hack concludes,

Fairway Fixations

2007-04-12T21:19:00.000-05:00

On a personal note ...

Inconveniently, the corporate world has been keeping my focus occupied lately. I have however managed to squeeze in some golf gear shopping.

Due to my "green" golfer status, it was high time for a fairway makeover. Interestingly enough my automatic "must" items are The Bag and The Shoes ... how predictable.

The Bag:

Ridiculous vs. Respectable

I was instantly drawn to the lure of the chic black Burberry bag ($335). My irrational "Veruca Salt shopper" instinct kicked in, with justifications such as "it's not that much more than you were planning to spend ..." (only 3x's more) ... "you'll never need to buy another bag again!"

Then there was the very smart looking Callaway, with a practical price tag ($139).

Standing there in the store I had a golferette epiphany: How ridiculous would a Burberry golf bag look, being toted around the course by a freshman-female golfer?? Not that I care what the boys think or anything, but who's going to take a girl on the golf course seriously if she's toting around designer duds with no talent?

Needless to say, I am the (reasonably) proud owner of the basic yet smart Callaway cart bag.

The Shoes:

Ecco Enchantment
Again, being the clueless golf shopper, I did some minor investigating to figure out the optimum shoe to attain. So far the obvious answer has been an Ecco, and if "you get what you pay for" I suppose that makes sense. Ecco's give a girl comfort, support, quality, and style. Its website demonstrates the technology behind the shoes.

The website Ladies Golf Journal highlighted Ecco's in two articles. One posted back in 2006 and a more recent piece, which explains,

"Leading the sleek and chic fashion is Ecco. "ECCO loves women. And women seem to love them right back," reports Golf World Business. It is one of the most popular on private courses and on the LPGA Tour."

Ecco is partnered with the Ladies European Tour and became the Official Parter to the 2007 European Challenge Tour. Pro-golferettes sporting the Ecco include Carin Koch, Anna Rawson, Meena Lee and Juli Inkster.

The Ladies' Influence on the Business of Golf

2007-04-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

A Wall Street Journal piece illustrated how Golf Business Wants More of the Green, perceptively pointing out the influence of the woman's dollar on the golf industry. Surprisingly this influence isn't the disregarded yet dominating force I was expecting it to be. Despite the fact that a major chunk of new golfers are women, our overall population is declining.

John Paul Newport explains that,

"In addition, girls are showing an interest in golf. The proportion of girls among players under 18 has almost doubled since 2000, to about 25 percent. In part this reflects the growing popularity of the LPGA Tour and its attractive cast of young players such as Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis.

But the fact is that these efforts are small compared with the base of existing golfers - and they haven't been able to boost golfer-retention rates significantly. The retention rate for women is particularly poor. Since the late 1990s, women have taken up golf in unprecedented numbers. In recent years, about 40 percent of all new players have been female. But the total number of core women players has actually declined. According to the NGF, the number fell to 2.3 million in 2005 - the latest year for which figures are available - from 2.7 million in 2003."

Dispite this dampening news, there is plenty of buzz indicating that the women's golf industry is poised to "explode," and become larger than ever. Blogger Jay Flemma associates the recent win of Morgan Pressel to this prophecy, declaring,

"Everyone LOVES Morgan Pressel. Serious golf writers love her game and her attitude. Fans love her fire. Between her and Paula Creamer, the LPGA has enough
lightning to last a generation . . . and they're just the tip of the iceberg. Women's golf is poised to EXPLODE with spunky players with gem-hard game that will resonate with the men. Who needs women vs. men when the ladies' tour is this compelling?"

So break out those clubs girls and bring your friends! We have to show the market our numbers if we want better attention from the golfing world.

Chicken Soup for the Woman Golfer's Soul

2007-04-09T16:15:00.000-05:00

How very feminine, "Chicken Soup for the Woman Golfer's Soul: Stories About Trailblazing Women Who've Changed the Game Forever" was released as the latest addition to the infamous book series this month. Quite a title?! I like the subtitle the best, it kind of removes the Dr. Phil-esque impression one might get when confronted with a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book.

The publisher's blurb about the collection provides an distinctive description,

"Since Mary Queen of Scots broke golf’s gender barrier in the sixteenth century, women have been underrepresented on the links until now. Chicken Soup for the Woman Golfer’s Soul is a tribute to pioneers who have paved the way ..."

"Many golf enthusiasts will agree that golf is the fastest-growing sport and hobby among women, and inside this book, you’ll find how the great game of golf helped female executives, seniors, Gen Xers, and moms find empowerment, clarity, and the thrill of victory--on and off the course."

NBC in Augusta appropriately tied The Female Golfer into it's boys' only April event thanks to the coinciding publish date. "Women Golfer's Have Augusta Roots and 'Chicken Soup for the Soul," highlights some local golferettes who contributed their accounts.

Read a few more local looks at some of the featured lady golfers:

The California Girl - Susie Berning

From the State of Independence - Mary Fox

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Kristen Samp

Age is Not a Factor for the Ladies This Week

2007-04-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

Apparently age is just not a factor in a golferette's success on the course this week. Last Sunday, 18 year old Morgan Pressel became the youngest woman ever in the LPGA to win a major tournament, at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The conquest was thoroughly covered by the media thanks to an enjoyable AP article. Congrats Morgan! ... although I must admit I'm always a bit resentful when girl who is younger than me realizes such awesome achievements ... but have fun with that $300,000 too!

Robert Laberge / Getty Images

Here are the top Kraft Nabisco Championship Scores:

1. Morgan Pressel (-3)
T-2. Catriona Matthew (-2)
T-2. Brittany Lincicome (-2)
T-2. Suzann Pettersen (-2)
T-5. Stacy Lewis (-1)
T-5. Shi Hyun Ahn (-1)
T-5. Stacy Prammanasudh (-1)
T-5. Meaghan Francella (-1)

Update: Elsie McLean's amazing story has finally been picked up throughout the press. I think just about every single media outlet around has now featured the hole-in-one tale (check out the Google News results)! Thanks again to an AP article published on 4/7/2007 ... feel free to notice my post one day prior; the AP must be reading my blog ;) Elsie will even be making an appearence on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," on April 24th.

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

2007-04-07T19:17:00.000-05:00

So in my amateur quest to officially join in the vocation of golf, I headed into my local Golfdom store. Wow! It's amazing in that place! Normally, a decent selection of quality women's golf goods is somewhat hard to come by, but Golfdom has some seriously cute things, from clothing to golf bags.

Oddly there are only two locations, each in an area I frequent - being from Northern Virginia and now residing in Philadelphia. Sorry to everyone not passing through either place. Tragically their online shopping isn't quite up to par and does no justice to the great stuff available on site.

Birdies in Burberry

2007-04-06T15:10:00.000-05:00

Apparently the world of fashion is smart enough to extend its designer-labeled hand and bring the competitive display of materialism onto the golf course.

Burberry has an entire women's golf section on its website! The clothing selection isn't very extensive but there are some great accessories.

Here are some choice picks:

Hole In One at 102

2007-04-06T14:01:00.000-05:00

This week 102 year old Elsie McLean landed her first hole in one, after nearly 80 years on the course.

Wow! This is obviously a record breaking event and it's kind of amazing how difficult it was to locate online!!! I spotted it on The TODAY Show this morning and now it's practically disappeared from the face of the earth! After painfully searching every inch of the internet I found it, reported by KNVN the local NBC affiliate in Chico, California where Elsie achieved this monumental feat.

Elsie was actually featured in Golf Digest last year, in an article called "Who Are You Calling Old?" and in her local Chico News & Review (pictured above).

Congratulations Elsie!!! Keep driving those balls!

No Girls Allowed!

2007-04-06T10:23:00.000-05:00

The "boys only" clubs have been phenomena in existence for centuries. Even the Little Rascals had their very own "He-Man Woman Haters Club." I guess this alienation began as a result of our cooties and passion for the color pink, but grown men? What's up with that? I suppose they're just not comfortable with our gingerly ways and the liability that we may actually be better than them at something. We create anxiety.

As for the world of golf this is a very present concept and it's being slowly revised across the pond in the UK. The BBC ran an insightful article, Where Are Women Still Not Allowed? this week covering the currents changes to some of the working men's clubs over there. It features the heading, "Golf War"

I personally have no problem with men's only clubs, if they like 'em let them have 'em. Political correctness is overrated and makes me nauseous once I've rolled my eyes. What difference does it make? We can easily go out and start some women's only clubs. I feel that protesting such establishments doesn't really accomplish anything beneficial to either party. The men loose their hang-out and a potentially therapeutic environment for themselves, and we acquire a lot of unnecessary resentment and one more course to play at (out of roughly 16,000 in the US - according to Golf Digest's "Planet Golf"). Why would you want to play with people who don't want you around anyways?

What are your thoughts?

Where Its At

2007-04-05T14:40:00.000-05:00

The obvious place to start is with the two best sites out there right now!

LPGA - Amazingly young and interactive, loads of good features and topics covered. This site definitely makes up for the fact that there's nearly nothing out there in cyberspace at the moment!! (it may also be the reason there's nothing else out there - the monopoly)

Golf for Women - Decent, the women's section of Golf Digest. I definitely think it could offer a lot more but I guess you have to buy the actual magazine for those perks.

Some other decent general Golf websites include The Golf Channel and the NCAA Women's Golf page.

A Golf Blog for Gals

2007-04-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

One day I finally began following in the footsteps of my father and decided I wanted to golf. I'd owned clubs since I was 12 thanks to dad's Golfsmith hobby of assembling them himself. I only went out a few times with my dad and it wasn't always the best experience (think, ex-Marine with 12 year old daughter lugging her clubs around the course, miserable).

Now in my maturity I have a few friends who golf and the sport is amazing, definitely a women's sport if you think about it ... spending a quaint day outside, chatting away with your girlfriends and maybe a cocktail, and wearing cute outfits, all while being "controversial" - invading the boys territory (nothing we love more). Golf can travel with you and is often enjoyed in the best spots on the planet. Its also very satisfying hobby, always room for challenge, growth and improvement but also a lighthearted fun day outside. It honestly is also a pretty nice environment to be in if you're single young female like myself; "golf" - and the stereotypes it possesses - kind of weeds out the good ones for us! Sort of a screening process.

Well in an automatic attempt to prepare myself and perfect my game I turned to the Internet and was shocked at the lack of quality content out there for us ladies! It's almost amusing it's so ridiculous! So I decided to create a blog, for one-stop-shopping. Weed out the scarce quality information out there and put it in one place.