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!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
TheGolfSpace.com for Online Networking
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Some Healthy Competition
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
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)Definitely take advantage of this amazing resource!
--- 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.
Monday, May 21, 2007
When Life Gets in the Way of Golf
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.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Golf + Yoga = Improvement
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
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
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
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.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
For the Very Vogue Golfer
I continue to stumble upon more uber-luxe golf gear! Here are a few select items,
Chanel Golf Bag ($2,965)
*clubs ($795)
Dior Golf Bag ($1,679)
A Golfer's Paradise
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.
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.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Cute "Gift Buckets"
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
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
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.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Catering to Women is Catching On
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
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.
Fairway Flapper Zeta Jones
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!
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.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
More for Mother's Day
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.
I still like Jennifer Mario's slightly creative ideas.
Like Fine Wine, Female Golfers Just Get Better with Age
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
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
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,
