This weekend the American Century Championship will take place up at Lake Tahoe. The competition is made up of various entertainment stars, whether actors or athletes (but mostly athletes).
One upsetting point is the appalling lack of female participants this year. When I looked at the list of players initially I though it must be 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. Today Brandi will be teeing off at the 10thEdgewood.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
A Celebrity Event!
Monday, July 9, 2007
A Fairway Spectator
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 10th 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 8th green for Kresge & Davis. We held our position next to the green (+ a great view of the 9th 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" and Anthony Kim, with the big belt-buckle & slight thug-strut that made me wonder if someday we'll hear 50-Cent's "I'm A Hustler" playing as he approaches the next hole. - 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
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Brilliant Store Just for the Fairway Female!
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.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Leave it to South Carolina
A town near Gaffney, South Carolina annually celebrates the 4th 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??
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
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
Celebrate our Nation's independence by 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.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Cut That Putter!
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?
Elin Nordegren Woods, wife of Tiger Woods, gave birth to baby Sam Alexis Woods back on June 18th, 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
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 1st and 3rd, while Ms. Thompson finished 4th. 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
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
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 10th victory for the bubbly 29 year old, in her 10th 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.
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