how to be positive … when things suck by kathrien ahn

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GOLFER Sierra Your guide to golf and life in the Sierra DECEMBER 2009 Kickin’ It in Kauai Hang Gliding in Kauai No More Yips in 2010 Tweeting with the Ambassador 10 Golfing Resolutions for 2010 www.sierragolfer.com

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Page 1: How to Be Positive … When Things Suck by Kathrien Ahn

GOLFERSier

ra

Your guide to golf and life in the Sierra DECEMBER 2009

Kickin’ It in KauaiHang Gliding in Kauai

No More Yips in 2010

Tweeting with the Ambassador

10 Golfing Resolutions for 2010 www.sierragolfer.com

Page 2: How to Be Positive … When Things Suck by Kathrien Ahn

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Page 3: How to Be Positive … When Things Suck by Kathrien Ahn

Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009 www.sierragolfer.com Page 3

With the coming of the new decade and the Holidays upon us, I think now is the perfect time to relish and enjoy the gifts we already have such as family, friends and loved ones.

This time of year also offers a perfect opportunity to reflect on our own lives, both personal and professionally. We may think back at our successes and failures over the

last year and even the decade that is closing, and yet we are thankful for both as they equally warm and humble us as well.

Personally, I have made a long journey over the past ten years, and not without a few bumps in the road that have made me stronger despite them.

One thing I do know for sure, though, and that is yesterday is gone and tomorrow’s promise is yet uncertain. But today, my friends, I do have a handle on; and today I will enjoy to the best of my ability with my family, friends and colleagues.

I may even call up an old buddy to see how he is doing. Then I’ll give my family a call and pass on some nice words to them as time allows.

Just like on the golf course, however, I know the last shot is over and there is nothing I can do about it. There is no telling what kind of shot I will have in a couple of strokes from now. So I think I’ll concentrate with all my heart on this next one.

As in golf, therefore, such is life. This very day is worthy of all my attention. I hope yours is as well.

Best wishes to all in the coming year.

From the publisher Subscribe to

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Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009 www.sierragolfer.com Page 5

Table of Contents

FeaturesKickin’ it in Kauai Page 6

Powered Hang Gliding On Kauai Page 22

ColumnsTweeting with the Ambassador Page 11

10 Biggest Stories Of the Decade Page 12

A Real Smart Glove Page 16

No Sympathy for the Yips Page 18

Uncorking With The Wine Guy Page 23

10 ways to improve your Game for 2010 Page 24

Sierra Golf Guide Page 26

Sierra Golfer MagazineRick Rider

PUBlISHeR - [email protected]

Ian lentonART DIReCTION - [email protected]

PO Box 444Angels Camp, CA 95222

209.327.8934

David Wood is an avid golfer and golf historian with an astonishing record for attendance at Major Golf Tournaments and other events, including 14 Open Championships, 7 Masters Championships, 16 U.S. Opens, 2 PGA Championships and 5 Ryder Cups. He has played in numerous Pro-Ams (even the Mercedes in Maui, the lucky so & so!), and has been paired with tour pros Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Davis love III, Scott McCarron, Scott Simpson, Bernhard langer, Gary Player, Chip Beck, John Cook and David Graham among others. He was leaderboard Chairman for the 1999 U.S. Senior Open and Senior Marshal at the 2006 Ryder Cup. The retired CeO of Wells Fargo Financial makes his primary residence in West Des Moines, Iowa, and plays to an 11.9 Index. David can be reached at [email protected].

Brian Vanderbeek is a Sportswriter and is currently nursing his 5.9 handicap index at Stevinson Ranch, but Brian’s a Dutchman so don’t ask him to play for money .

Ben Kline is a sport psychology consultant based in Mill Valley, Ca., and is passionate about helping people improve performance on and off the sporting field. A former collegiate track athlete, avid golfer, classically trained musician, and veteran of 23 years in the competitive high technology industry, Ben holds a Masters degree in Sport Psychology. He enjoys working with amateur and professional athletes who desire to overcome impediments to peak performance or just want to increase enjoyment of their sport. Ben believes that our bodies have their own genius and that our thought patterns, beliefs and personal histories can interfere with the manifestation of that brilliance on the sporting field. Information on Ben’s practice can be found at clarityperformance.com.

Brian Oar is a highly regarded travel writer and photographer. A longtime Salt lake City resident who lives there with his wife and family, Brian’s work has been published in many leading North American magazines. Brian can be reached at [email protected].

Jon Leland is a pioneer in communications and media and has helped companies grow their businesses for three decades. Articles about Jon and his work have been published in Business Week, Presentations, electronic Media, MPC World, PC Today, and San Francisco Business Times magazines. Jon is now a keynote speaker on the subject of “Win-ning with ease: The power of stress-free performance as illustrated by life lessons learned from golf.” He plays to a 15.1 index. Jon blogs at http://www.TheJoyofGolfing.com. More info on his work and his speak-ing can be found at http://www.ComBridges.com

Ian Lenton is a freelance graphic designer and marketing executive. After closing his advertising agency in Sydney, Australia, Ian made his way to Asia making his home in Phuket, Thailand. Here Ian produces a wide range of marketing material and activites for customers around the world with a high percentage of clients being from the golfing industry. Ian can be reached at [email protected]

Brian Klassen a wine connoisseur, markets and sells fine wines from Australia and New Zealand as well as from his home region, the Sierra Foothills. Brian hand selects wine properties representing the finest in winemaking skill and creativity. The owners and winemakers of all brands in his portfolio have worked closely with Brian through the years with the goal of sharing with customers the distinct flare for life found both Down Under and in the Sierra’s. Brian can be reached at [email protected] and his web address is www.klassenwines.com.

GOLFERSier

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Cont

ribut

ors

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Page 6 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

laid-back ‘Garden Isle’ offers one of the most enticing destinations in the world for the mind, body & soul.

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Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, Kauai Lagoons

Golf ClubThe airport in lihue – on the south

side of the island – is literally next door to the Jack Nicklaus-designed Kauai lagoons Golf Club, the beautiful Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club and the planned Ritz-Carlton Residences. lush acreage filled with tropical foliage

and namesake lagoons proliferate throughout the grounds, and local building codes dictate structures be “no higher than the tallest coconut tree”. This ensures unobstructed views of panoramic mountain scenery and the turquoise and blue Pacific. A convenient 5-minute shuttle ride to the resort is a welcome amenity.

Originally 36 holes, Kauai lagoons currently consists of 12 holes from the former Kiele Golf Course, ranked among the Top 100 courses in the U.S. by several national golf magazines,

and 6 holes from the former Maile Course. Albeit a hybrid of the two, the quality of golf remains superb while the remaining holes are being renovated. Top-notch service and immaculate course conditions are the norm, and the golf experience is highlighted by hole nos. 5 and 6, which traverse through a mango forest. The signature 16th hole hugs the coastline

and has a green that sits on lava rock near a famous lighthouse overlooking Nawiliwili Harbor. The spectacular scenery and natural beauty of Kauai are on full display while playing golf at Kauai lagoons.

Puakea Golf Course This Robin Nelson-designed layout

is located mere minutes from the Marriott. While the cover of this “book” doesn’t impress when pulling into the “clubhouse” (a double-wide trailer), a

few holes into the round you realize you’re on an outstanding design. And for good reason. Puakea was a 10-hole, truncated oddity for nearly 10 years after Hurricane Iniki wreaked havoc on Kauai in 1992. Between then and when AOl co-founder Steve Case purchased the course and had Nelson complete his design, Nelson played the course roughly 20 times.

He became intimately acquainted with the prevailing trade winds and used this insight when completing Puakea. As a result the wind is a significant factor to be reckoned with, making for a delightful, demanding round.

The back nine of Puakea is perhaps the “hidden gem” of Kauai, each hole flowing seamlessly with the land, offering up-close mountain views adjacent to where many Hollywood films were shot (including “Jurassic Park”). Nelson offers numerous risk-reward shots throughout, keeping

Heading to a “fantasy island” golf destination like Kauai for the first time conjures curious thoughts and giddy anticipation of the tropical treats to come. This small island with a big soul delivers from the moment you step off an airplane. Wide smiles, friendly alohas, sweet smelling leis, and warm, caressing trade winds greet visitors – as does a soothing vibe which quickly replaces stress.

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concentration high throughout the last putt on 18 is a must.

The St. Regis Princeville Resort,

Princeville Golf CoursesPerched on the northern shore of

the “Garden Isle”, this glorious new resort (formerly the Princeville Hotel) underwent a stunning metamorphosis before reopening in October 2009. located in the 9,000-acre resort community of Princeville at Hanalei, this ocean side enclave provides residents and visitors all the amenities you would expect from a St. Regis, one of only 18 in the elite Starwood brand worldwide.

Guests of The St. Regis Princeville Resort reside in tropical sophistication,

surrounded by interiors reflecting Kauai’s rich abundance, cuisine that celebrates local flavors and an array of activities as thrillingly diverse as the island itself. experiencing Princeville was unforgettable for me – never before had a hotel room taken my breath. But the view – of Hanalei Bay and the towering, iconic cliffs of famed “Bali Hai” (from the 1957 movie classic “South Pacific”, also called Mt. Makana) – rendered me speechless. And the accommodations are elegant with all the modern conveniences – overhead bed lamps activated by touch anyone?

Two excellent Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed courses await golfers at Princeville – the Prince (18 holes) and Makai Golf Club (27). While starkly different they prove remarkably

complementary. eighteen of the 27 Makai holes are nearing renovation completion by RTJ Jr., who has a home on the beach which you can see from the Prince Course. The third nine (Woods Course) offers another fun golf option. Tee time reservations will be accepted beginning mid-December 2009, and opening day of the renovated 18 is set for January 16, 2010.

A highlight of the course renovation includes installing Seashore Paspalum turf on tees, fairways and greens. This is a salt- and drought-tolerant turf variety, hence, eco-friendly given that less water and chemicals are required to maintain excellent conditions. Other renovation hallmarks include lengthening the course; adding some new, strategic bunkers; and crafting an enhanced practice area.

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The Prince Course garners a king’s share of the attention at Princeville. This famous layout – known for its jungle golf brilliance – consistently ranks among the top 100 golf courses nationally and No. 1 in Hawaii. As mind-bending and mesmerizing as it is, Makai arguably boasts the best hole of the 45 at Princeville. The signature 7th hole is a par 3 which stretches to 213 yards from the back tees and requires tee shots carry an ocean cove lush with vegetation. Fortunately for less-skilled players there are enough tee boxes such that mid-irons can be plenty of club.

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Poipu Bay Golf Course

In 1990, RTJ Jr. added to his Kauai collection at Poipu Bay Golf Course on the island’s south “sunny” side. In conjunction with the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, they created one of the world’s best golf resorts. Numerous accolades, awards and “best-of” titles have propelled the resort to international acclaim with numerous travel publications. Situated

on 210 beach and cliff front acres, the golf course is nothing short of a living “painting”. It’s so gorgeous as to be distracting. And the golf ain’t bad either! In fact, it’s so good that the PGA Grand Slam of Golf was played here from 1994-2006. The closing stretch of holes, which run parallel to the Pacific atop 150-foot-high cliffs, are particularly memorable.

As an admitted golf junkie, I am not usually one for exchanging world-class golf for a trip to the spa. However, the Grand Hyatt’s Anara Spa, with the treatments and amenities offered, is worth it. Testament to its quality

can be found via Travel & leisure magazine, which ranks it the No. 3 spa in the country. Anara offers a host of Hawaiian treatments, including the signature massage “lomi lomi” meaning “to touch with loving hands”. The lomi lomi can be experienced in the new outdoor garden spa, consisting of lush tropical foliage and five thatched roof huts all with calming treatment rooms. The secluded huts are equipped with their own private lava-rock showers and baths for additional

lavish pampering, combined they make for a very different atmosphere for a massage. light breezes, an ambient running waterfall, and top-notch service complete one of the finest spa amenities I have ever seen.

As if the courses and resorts previously described aren’t enough, consider the destination in general! Kauai is colored by lush, numerous shades of green – flora and fauna blanket the mountains and juxtapose brilliantly with the turquoise Pacific Ocean, white clouds and blue skies. Buffeted by entrancing trade winds, the island offers more than 50 miles

of white sand beaches – more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii. Only four percent of the island is developed for commercial and residential use.

___________________________

To begin discovering Kauai, visit www.kauaidiscovery.com/activities/golfing/ or call 800-262-1400.___________________________

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The Ambassador of ease

While few of us will ever get “inside the ropes” on the PGA Tour (or the lPGA for that matter), there is a new way to get unprecedented access to many of the top pros and their lives both on and off the course. Surprisingly, this new communication channel is opening 140 characters at a time via the latest Internet social media rage, Twitter.

The one-Question InterviewI’ll offer you a who’s who Tour Twitter list to the right, but first I want to share my wonderful initiation into golf celebrity tweeting, and that came in the form of a one-question interview with the lPGA’s fun-loving Christina Kim.

Christina, or @TheChristinaKim as she is known on Twitter, was one of the first PGA/lPGA touring pros that I discovered who were clearly being themselves on Twitter. I found myself wanting to ask her something and also wondering if I would get a response. So, with nothing to lose, I asked a question relevant to this column, “How do you keep it so light? I’m a total hacker focusing on fun & ease, and I still find myself takin golf way too seriously.”

low and behold, she responded in less than 24 hours with as authentic and uplifting an answer as I can imagine. Her answer was addressed as a direct message to my Twitter account, @joncombridges. She said, “life is far too grand and short to not enjoy it and relish in every swing, good or bad. every moment, really!!!”

For me, following golf and the Tours had instantaneously become more fun.

Twitter Opens a New Channel for Golf... & Fun

My Golf Twitter listNow, several months later, I’m pretty impressed with the A-list assortment of pro golfers and others that I’ve developed into my own Golf Twitter list, which you too can follow if you’d like.

As you might imagine it’s a mixed bag. I wonder things like, “Does Ian Poulter really need to tweet in pink colored type?” and “Does Corey Pavin’s Ryder Cup oriented handle, @RC_CAPTAIN_2010, really need to be all caps?”

While @booweekley looks like a PR agent’s work and @TigerWoods is worse than that, @Tadd_Fujikawa and @Y_e_Yang feel real. You just never know what kind of personal stuff is going to pop up, but there’s no question that there’s a behind the scenes view of these guys and gals that we never had before and which I do enjoy. From Davis love III’s (@love3d) Bible references to posted pics of @ThePCreamer’s new hairdo. From where @PGA_JohnDaly had dinner to @themichellewie’s ecstasy over passing her Stats Final at Stanford. From @ANNIKA59 saying “GReAT to be home!” to mentions of where almost all of them are teeing it up on any given day.

You can check the current state of these golf peeps’ tweets (without even needing a Twitter account) by visiting my Golf Twitter list at: http://twitter.com/joncombridges/golf

I’m following only the PGA and lPGA pros who I find interesting. Unlike other lists, my list is not “everything Golf” (which is an actually someone else’s list). In addition to touring pros, my selections to follow on this list also include @The_Masters, eSPN golf columnist @JasonSobel and @TweetPGA who seems to be a fan just full of PGA News. But on the other hand, I skipped @PGATOUR because it’s just too much PR noise, but kept in this magazine’s editor @Rick_Rider for obvious reasons.

enjoy.

by Jon Leland

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Page 12 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

10. Asian ladies dominate the lPGA…then sent to Grammar school

As the Asian ladies began dominat-ing the lPGA Tour in the mid-point of the decade, it became apparent that there was no end to the talent coming over from Asia and absolutely domi-nating the ladies tour. In fact, since 2004, seven women’s major champi-onships have been won by seven dif-ferent Korean women, and that is a heck of an accomplishment. Three of the four majors in 2008 were won by Asian players and by 2009, 47 Koreans played on the lPGA and on any given week, half of the top 30 players on the Rolex World Rankings are Asian.

But what the heck possessed the lPGA to announce a new rule in Au-gust of 2008 that would have required lPGA players to pass english profi-ciency tests in order to compete on the lPGA Tour? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing at the time and knew that this wasn’t right. Well, sure enough the oncoming storm didn’t take long in protest, deservedly so I might add, and the policy was immediately rescinded by the lPGA and not without plenty of embarrassment they so deserved.

9. Americans win back the Cup, in Hollywood-style fashion

After losing the Ryder Cup to the europeans in 2004 and 2006, by wide margins, and also having won only one of the last 6 events, a lot of golf fans didn’t give the Americans much of a chance to bring the 2008 Ryder Cup back to the States.

After all, the Americans were Tiger-less due to injury, and had a team full of relative no-names and Cup rookies. Players like J.B. Holmes, Boo Weekley and an aging, dare I say, Kenny Perry did not seem to indicate that the Amer-icans had a powerhouse of a team.

Captain Paul Azinger had a few tricks up his sleeve, however. Actually, tricks do not do Mr. Azinger justice, as he formulated a strategy that included drawing up a new point system and grouping his players in four-man pods according to personality type, which built familiarity during practice rounds. Brilliant!

But when it was all said and done, the Americans simply outplayed the euros at every opportunity, and had a lot of fun doing it. Boo Weekley, who was unbeaten in the event, symbol-

ized the USA teams fun approach as he galloped off the first tee on the last day of the event riding his driver like a pony. Great stuff.

In the end, Team USA won the 2008 Ryder Cup with a team full of relative unknown but gritty and gutsy players by a comfy 5 point margin.

All was certainly well in the golfing world on that Ryder Cup Sunday.

8. 59 year old Tom Watson falls short in 6th British open bid

My #8 story of the decade might just be the #1 story of 2009…or the story that should have been.

The Ailsa Course at Turnberry has been the site of many historic golf battles through the years including the great duel between Jack Nicklaus and a young but tough as nails golfer named Tom Watson in 1977. If mem-ory serves me, Watson beat Nicklaus by one stroke after he finished 65-65 in his last two rounds. Nicklaus shot 65-66 in his last two rounds that cul-minated in making par from a bush on the last hole and holing out a 35 foot putt, thus forcing Watson to make a 4 foot tester to win the Championship.

Biggest Stories of the DecadeTop Ten By Rick Rider

The first decade of the 21st Century was a big one in professional golf. And that statement might be the understatement of the decade.

And while the decade that is about to close might arguably be known as the Decade of the Tiger, there were many stories that were compelling and captivating…surprising and not so surprising, and some that were heartwarming and others heartbreaking. A few were downright embarrassing. So let’s get to it. My 10 biggest golf stories of the decade.

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Watson would go on to win 5 Brit-ish Opens through the years; one short of the record six Open victories by the great Harry Vardon.

Coming to the 2009 Open at Turn-berry, a 59 year old Tom Watson had great memories and very few expec-tations. After shooting 65 in the first round, however, stories of a swansong victory by Watson began circulating rapidly. Could this miracle really be possible? After all, Tom Watson is one of the greats of the game and liked by all.

But could he really recreate the magic of his victory here over 30 years ago?

I can tell you as a huge fan of Tom Watson that he was within one swing of what would have been one of the great golf stories of all time.

Tom Watson stood on his 72nd tee of his favorite Championship, needing only a par to win a record tying 6th British Open. I remember it like it was yesterday.

He smoked his drive right down the middle and long on his last hole, and I thought, Ok, he’s going to do it. The he hit his 8 iron approach right on line but just through the green to the fringe just off the back. Uh-oh I thought. If he doesn’t pitch his third stone-dead, we have a problem.

Stewart Cink, the cagey American journeyman who would love to win the Open Championship and his first major, had some time earlier made a brilliant birdie on the 18th to finish at -2. Watson was -3 when he semi-flubbed his approach pitch from the fringe on 18 to about 8 feet past the hole. Uh-oh I said to myself again.

Still, 8 feet to his victory…and a story that no one in the golfing world could have predicted prior to this Open. And, Watson had putted fabu-lously all week.

Still, I knew we had a problem. As Watson hurried his par putt and made probably his worst stroke of the week, however, I knew he still had a chance to pull this thing off, as he and Cink headed off to their 4-hole playoff.

But alas, this story was not to be as Tom hit nothing but poor shots by his standard on every hole in the playoff, the worst of which was a pulled tee ball on the second playoff hole and ultimately a lost ball. By then it was over. Cink cruised to victory, and a great victory it was for him.

But as I watched Tom congratulate Stewart at the awards ceremony, I couldn’t help but see the disappoint-ment in Tom’s eyes. That look was in my eyes as well. One or two swings would have created a far different out-come.

Sometimes the story doesn’t end the way we’d like.

7. Phil Mickelson finally wins his first major…and throws another away

Phil Mickelson had been a stellar collegiate and Amateur Champion. He won his first professional tournament as an amateur and joined the Tour in 1992 as the second coming of Jack Nicklaus.

The victories came as expected, but it wasn’t long before we started asking ourselves, ‘when is Phil going to win a major?’ By Masters time in 2004, Phil had been on tour for over ten years, had more than his share of wins, but no majors still by that point.

Well, after draining a tricky 18 foot putt on the last hole of the 2004 Mas-ters, giving us his patented George Costanza victory jump and defeating ernie els by one stroke, Phil had his first green jacket and first major. And

he got his ‘majors monkey’ off his back finally.

Mickelson would win another ma-jor in 2005 at the PGA Championship at Baltusrol GC, and another Masters win in 2006. 2006 however would deal Phil with his biggest major blunder at the Winged Foot Club in New York where Phil was a fan favorite in this year’s US Open.

Several US Opens have gotten away from Phil in the past, and after playing well all week, he was poised to capture his 4th major of his career as he stepped onto the 18th tee and his 72nd hole needing a par to win, and a bogey to get into a playoff.

As tragic comedies go, this one ranked right up there as Phil pushed his driver into a hospitality tent, then tried to hit a miracle recovery right into a tree and ended up making 6 to give the Championship away. It was pain-ful to watch.

I think Phil summed the disaster up very succinctly by admitting, “I still am in shock that I did that. I just can’t believe I did that. I’m such an idiot.” It happens.

6. Michele Wie wins first tournament as a pro

Michele Wie burst onto the profes-sional golf scene with much hype and plenty of endorsements. She became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA Amateur Championship at the age of 10 and the youngest winner of a US Public links Championship, as well as the youngest to qualify for an lPGA tour event.

Unfortunately, Michele was not without controversy in her young ca-reer as well. Most notably were her disastrous efforts in her attempts at playing with the men on the PGA Tour

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and other men’s professional events around the world before her 20th birthday.

There were plenty of other stories of poor decision-making by this talent-ed golfer. Whether or not these poor decisions were hers or made by her team is really irrelevant at this point. The fact is Michele persisted in try-ing to play with the men while never winning on the ladies tour, and by and large her performance with the men were far from impressive.

2009 was a different story as Mi-chele finally qualified herself into the lPGA for the first time, after turning pro 4 year earlier. She also left her Hollywood Talent Agency who had represented her since turning pro and joined the IMG sports agency. Maybe she was growing up a bit, as 2009 was the year that Michele Wie would win her first professional tournament at the lorena Ochoa Invitational.

It was Wie’s 81st professional tour-nament and her 66th lPGA Tour event, and the collective sigh of relief by her and the lPGA could be heard ‘round the world.

5. Tiger achieves the Tiger-Slam

By the start of the 2000 golf sea-son, Tiger Woods had shown the golf-ing world that he was the real deal. He hadn’t quite shown all his cards yet though.

Despite his own prediction of a grand slam in his future, the 2000 ma-jors season did not start out the way Tiger had planned as Vijay Singh won at the Masters.

Tiger knew the rest of the major

venues were to his liking, and when he won by an unprecedented 15 shots at Pebble beach at the 2000 US Open with a record score of 12 under par, something special was in the golfing air.

Then Tiger won the British Open by 8 shots with a record score of 19 under par. Then he edged out Bob May in a 3 hole playoff to win the PGA Champi-onship. That win capped off the year with 3 majors to Tiger’s credit, a feat only he and the great Ben Hogan had achieved.

Tiger wasn’t finished in his majors march as the Masters rolled around the next year in April of 2001. It was a secret to no one that had Tiger won there last year, he would have com-pleted the calendar Slam. Tiger knew in his mind that if he won the Masters in 2001, he would hold all 4 majors at the same time, which is exactly what he did, and thus achieving the Tiger Slam.

As one writer summed it up…”His 2000 was the greatest year ever in golf. He changed golf, the way we feel about golf and the entire golf indus-try.”

4. Annika Sorenstam plays in the 2003 Colonial Invitational

The last time a woman played in a men’s PGA Tour event had been nearly 60 years prior, when Babe Zaharias, the greatest woman athlete of her time and a great golfer as well, quali-fied and played in the 1945 los Ange-les Open.

By the time Annika Sorenstam was invited to play in the 2003 Colonial

Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas, she had established herself as one of the premier lady golfer of our time.

Having won more golf tournaments than any other lady in the 1990’s, An-nika had already qualified for the World Golf Hall of Fame in only her 7th year on the lPGA Tour, though her in-duction was to be in 2003 because of the ten-year rule.

So when she was invited to play in the 2003 men’s Colonial tournament, the news was neither surprising nor without controversy aplenty. Most fans loved the prospect of watching the greatest lady player of the time playing against the men. Some of the players had a problem though. Most notable was a very vocal Vijay Singh, who stated that she had no business playing and that he hoped she missed the cut. Singh later apologized.

Ultimately Annika would miss the cut due to a balky putter, but proved she could play with the men as she led the field in driving accuracy, was in the top 20 in greens in regulation, and was 84th out of 111 in driving dis-tance in the first round while shooting a 71, on a long course I might add.

Once was enough for Annika on the men’s tour, and she would go on to dominate the ladies tour right up to her announcement in 2008 that she would step away from competitive golf at the end of the season. She would win 72 professional tournaments, most ever on the lPGA Tour.

3. Tiger wins 2000 US open by 15 shots

Tiger Woods had a remarkable year of golf in 1999, including He complet-

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ed his 1999 campaign by winning his last four starts—including the PGA Championship and finished the season with eight wins, a feat not achieved in the past 25 years. He was voted PGA Tour Player of the Year and Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the second time in three years.

Tiger started the 2000 season with his 5th consecutive win on Tour, and began a record-setting season, where he would win three consecutive ma-jors, nine PGA Tour events, and set or tie 27 Tour records. He went on to capture his sixth consecutive victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am with an unbelievable comeback. Trailing by seven strokes with seven holes to play, he finished eagle-birdie-par-birdie for a 64 and a two-stroke victory. His six consecutive wins were the most since Ben Hogan in 1948 and only five behind Byron Nelson’s record of eleven in a row.

But it was Tiger’s 2000 US Open win at Pebble Beach that stunned and amazed the golfing world when he broke or tied a total of nine U.S. Open records with his 15-shot win, including Old Tom Morris’s record for the largest victory margin ever in a major champi-onship, which had stood since 1862, and became the Tour’s all-time career money leader. He led by a record 10 strokes going into the final round, and Sports Illustrated called it “the great-est performance in golf history.”

2. Tiger defeats rocco Mediate on a broken leg

Woods returned for the 2008 U.S. Open in one of the most anticipated golfing groupings in history between

him, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, the top three golfers in the world. Woods struggled the first day on the course, notching a double bogey on his first hole. He would end the round at +1 (72), four shots off the lead. He shot -3 (68) his second day, still paired with Mickelson, managing 5 birdies, 1 eagle and 4 bogeys. On the third day of the tournament, he started off with a double bogey once again and was trailing by 5 shots with six holes to play. However, he finished the round by making 2 eagle putts, a combined 100 feet in length, and a chip-in birdie to take a one shot lead into the final round. His final putt assured that he would be in the final group for the sixth time in the last eight major champion-ships.

On Sunday, June 15, Woods began the day with another double bogey, and trailed Rocco Mediate by one stroke after 71 holes. He winced after several of his tee shots, and sometimes made an effort to keep weight off of his left foot. Woods was behind by one stroke when he reached the final hole. left with a 12-foot putt for birdie, he made the putt to force an 18-hole playoff with Mediate on Monday. Despite leading by as many as three strokes at one point in the playoff, Woods again dropped back and needed to birdie the 18th to force sudden death with Medi-ate, and did so. Woods made par on the first sudden death hole; Mediate subsequently missed his par putt, giv-ing Woods his 14th major champion-ship. After the tournament, Mediate said “This guy does things that are just not normal by any stretch of the imagination,” and Kenny Perry added, “…he beat everybody on one leg.”

1. Tiger named “Athlete of the Decade”…then drives into a treeActually the chronology of the big-

gest story of the golfing decade is somewhat in the opposite order, but actually the award of “Athlete of the Decade” given to Tiger Woods by the Associated Press was decided before the fateful Thanksgiving Day past.

Friday morning after Thanksgiving Day I got a call from my great golfing buddy in Texas and was told that Tiger had been in a car accident the night before…and was in serious condition. little did I know at that point what was to follow.

My first reaction when I heard that Tiger was indeed OK, was simply a sigh of relief that he was not mortally injured or injured that bad at all, physi-cally that is.

In retrospect, I know that Tiger will deal with his issues, and will repair his family as best he can, and that ul-timately the jury of public opinion will decide how they and all golf fans feel about the fiasco in their own minds. And that’s life.

I personally will not judge Tiger or his family on what happens off the course. It is none of my business. I am a fan of Tiger on the course, and always will be. In the end, how Tiger comes back from this ordeal is how he will truly be judged in my mind.

Prediction? Sure. Tiger will play one event prior to the 2010 Masters Tour-nament, and will win the Masters…then the US Open, then the British and finally the PGA Championship. He’ll play in 5 tournaments in 2010 and have 4 wins…all majors.

Somebody give me odds please.And of course, Tiger is the Athlete of the Decade.

Biggest Stories of the DecadeTop Ten

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Page 16 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

First, a story.One of the great things about covering

golf for a daily newspaper in Central New Jersey was that the U.S. Open was going to be in our neck of the woods on a frequent basis.

In June, 1993, the best came to play at Baltusrol Golf Club, exactly 22 miles driveway-to-gate from where I was living at the time.

As is the case with all major golf tournaments, someone _ generally from a large metropolitan paper _ walks around the press tent to collect writers’ predictions on who is going to win the tournament.

The week before, I had taken a golf vacation to Northern Michigan, with one of the stops the Treetops Resort, one of the homes of noted teaching pro Rick Smith. With that trip fresh in my mind and with the Buick Westchester Classic having taken place the previous week, I chose Westchester runner-up and Smith pupil lee Janzen to win The Open.

As it turned out, I was the only writer to do so.

That Saturday, with Janzen high on the leaderboard, I ran into Smith on the practice range at Baltusrol, which actually was set up on the first tee of the upper course since Baltusrol didn’t have a formal range at the time.

I had a nice chat with Smith, mentioning both the hospitality my foursome had received at Treetops and that I picked Janzen to win.

At the end of the conversation, I asked Smith why I wasn’t seeing his name on any new golf training aids, since that seemed like a good way for a teaching pro to make a buck.

“I haven’t seen one I believe enough in to put my name on it,” Smith said.

With Janzen long since fallen in the golf world, I hadn’t thought about Smith in some time, except for seeing him pop up occasionally on Golf Channel.

That changed a couple months ago

when I received a training aid in the mail – one endorsed by Smith. It was the SKlZ Smart Glove, which looks like a regular glove with an extended sleeve, but that sleeve is home to a hard plastic splint that keeps your wrist from breaking down during the swing.

It’s a simple, effective tool, which I discovered immediately upon using it at the range. There is one caveat: the edge of the plastic sleeve will rub hard against

the back of your hand if you swing incorrectly, causing a blister or a bruise.

But if you warm up first, then slip on this glove for 8-10 full swings with any club, you’ll notice how well if works in giving you the solid wrist feel all the best players seem to achieve naturally. The glove retails for $34.95, but can be found

cheaper online.I tried to reach Smith for this piece to

see if he remembered our conversation all those years ago and to ask him why he lifted his boycott on endorsing products, but the best we were able to do was to exchange emails between his trips across country and around the globe. I’ll make sure he sees this story and perhaps I’ll get his comments for another issue.

I’m not a big swing training aid guy, but this one certainly gave me added confidence, especially with the mid-iron swing.

ANTIGUA INTRODUCES NEW HOT WEATHER FABRIC

Antigua is based in Arizona, so it’s a company that should and does know something about keeping cool and dry in extreme heat _ yes, temperatures even greater than the lake Don Pedro golf course in late August. (And, as an aside, let’s all welcome back lake Don Pedro!)

long a company on the leading edge of hot-weather sweat-wicking materials, Antigua moves to the front of the pack with their new proprietary Desert Dry Xtra-lite (D2Xl) fabrics in their 2010 line.

It’s a new ultra-light fabric that helps wicking and reduces trapped body heat without restricting movement.

The polo shirts, in various pattern weaves, are available in both men’s and women’s styles and feature warm tones, including Henna Red, Sienna Rust, Bayou Olive and Capri Blue, and are complimented by a natural shade of Natural Birch and accented with a Granite Charcoal.

With all the colors, styles and weights out there, including the new Antigua line, there’s never any excuse for playing golf in a bad shirt.

After a great fall season, Salida-based journalist Brian VanderBeek has his handicap down to a ridiculously and artificially low number. Now’s the time to play him for money.

By Brian VanderBeek

The Smart Glove

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Page 18 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

If you are suffering from the yips, you already know that you are going to miss that short putt well before you draw back the club. You have no confidence. Your body sadistically conspires against you, forcing you to miss. The shorter the putt, the greater your fear. Questions abound with this terror. How did this happen? Why me? Will they ever go away? Do I have a neurological disorder? And with this haranguing negative self-chatter, it is impossible to focus on the task at hand.

You can blame your body’s sympathetic nervous system. The nervous system is comprised of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. The former is the body’s control for fight, freeze, or flight. It is of great value when a mugger is about to attack. Blood travels to your arms and legs preparing

you to take down your attacker, or to run like a sprint champion. However, while standing over a putt, it is not the part of your body that you want taking control of your actions. When experiencing the yips, the sympathetic nervous system is in charge.

The parasympathetic system is responsible for the body’s relaxation response. It is this counter-balancing part of the human nervous system that needs to engage. How do you turn one off and the other one on? easier said than done. The nervous system is automatic. Taking slow deep breaths can help let your body know that you are not in a dangerous situation even though standing over a perceived critical putt can seem like life or death, but it is usually not that simple.

Although the yips can show up during any part of the game, the most common are those that happen with

the putter. Where do they come from? How can we get rid of them? Trying only seems to make conquering the yips worse.

It may help to acknowledge that the yips are about fear. We need to quiet the body and the mind and convince ourselves that we are not in danger. Only then can we quiet and silence the dystonia, the involuntary jerking and twisting of the hands that golfers know as the yips.

I think playing fearless golf is about how we are more than what we do. In other words, tips and swing thoughts are fine, but it is our levels of awareness and confidence in our stroke that determine learning, improvement, and performance in the golf game. Rebuild your confidence and the yips can and will melt away.

Basically, you need to break the cycle or routine reinforcing the yipping experience.

The yips can become crippling and a self-reinforcing negative habit. To break free from the habit, change things in your routine. Alter your putter grip, even for just a little while; putt with the opposite hand low, or use the saw grip like Chris DiMarco and Mark O’Meara. Changing things up breaks the pattern. We are creatures of habit. Build some new ones and make them habits of confidence. Feel what happens in your body while just imagining being the confident golfer that you can be. That is the golfer that you truly are.

Next article:

Confidence - how to get it!

No Sympathy For the YipsA two-foot putt. Your body mounts an indefensible attack. Tension crescendos from your gut to your throat down your arms into hands of stone spasming in an earthquake of fear. If only your playing partner would utter your new favorite phrase, ‘that’s good.’ You have the yips or more to the point, the yips have you.

By Ben Kline

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• Try practicing away from the course --- putting indoors and even without a ball at first. Then, add the ball. Notice what changes.

• Practice first thing in the morning. Notice any differences. Practice incredibly short putts. Then move back, inch by inch and notice when the jerkiness of the stroke takes hold. Or start from far away and inch closer.

• Take a break from caffeine and sugar if you can.

• Appreciate any progress you are making in your struggle. Focus on the positive. Take notice when things start to get better.

• Practice visualizing a smooth putting stroke. In your mind, see yourself confidently knocking in short putts. Take some time to do this daily. If you can’t imagine yourself doing it, imagine your favorite player sinking putt after putt.

• Ignore the ball. Focus on the path of the putter to the target. Intentionally don’t see the ball.

• Talk through what happened to cause them in the first place? A crucial missed putt in a friendly competition? What beliefs coincided with the first appearance of the yips? Challenge those beliefs.

• Practice relaxation techniques such as abdominal breathing and meditation away from the course. Taking a couple slow deep breaths can help when preparing to putt. even if it helps just a little bit, that is progress.

Helpful Yip Tips!

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Page 20 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

By Lynn Nilsen

There is so much that tantalizes your senses on Kauai. Besides playing rounds of golf at the most spectacular courses imaginable, kicking back on remote beaches and snorkeling with the unbelievably colorful sea life, what else could you ask for? Oh, hiking to waterfalls and visiting ancient gardens, winding up mountain sides and overlooking the bluest ocean in the Pacific.

After many trips to this Island, there is something that is even more alluring and adventurous for only the bravest of the brave. Are you ready to soar over the rugged Na Pali coastline, Waimea Canyon, white sand beaches and the lush valleys of the Garden Island? Birds in Paradise will help you make this dream come true, they operate up to four aircrafts to include, your friends and family on this scenic trip

The introductory lesson allows each person to fly with their own instructor and take off at the same time to chase each other around Kauai’s skies. The trike, as it is called, has been described as a jet-powered hang glider.

Birds of Paradise uses the latest state-of-the art aircraft equipped with a backup rocket-propelled parachute system, a GPS emergency location transmitter and transponder, and each student wears a flotation device. In the

event that the engine fails, no need to worry because each trike is powered by a four-stoke Rotax aircraft engine that is extremely reliable. Plus, engine failures are very rare. But in the case of an engine failure, you are essentially flying a glider that has a 10-to-1 glide ratio. At 2000 feet in zero wind, you will glide forward 20,000 feet.

If you choose this exciting adventure, plan on meeting at the Port Allen Airport, 3666 Kuiloko Road, Hanapepe,

Hawaii 96716. You can still get in 9 holes up the road at Kukuiolono Park Golf Course. Take Highway 50 east from Hanapepe toward Po’ipu. The town is between Mile Marker #12 and #11. The park and golf course is just after the only traffic light in town.

To book a trip or find out more information go to :www.birdsinparadise.com or call 808-822-5309.

Where to Stay:Kiahuna Plantation & The Beach Bungalows, Koloa, Hawaii

Where to eat: The Beach House Restaurant, Koloa, Hawaii

Where to Play Golf:Po’ipu Bay Resort Golf Course, Koloa, Hawaii, USA 96756

Powered Hang Gliding Flights On Kauai

Page 21: How to Be Positive … When Things Suck by Kathrien Ahn

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GREENHORN CREEK

Greenhorn Creek Winter Golf Getaway Packages Above Valley and Coastal Fog and Below the Snow.

GREENHORNCREEK.COM or call (209) 736-8111711 McCauley Ranch Road ~ Angels Camp, California

HOLE # 13

Driving Timeto Angels Camp1 hr. fromValley cities.1.5 hrs. fromSacramento2 hrs. fromSan Ramon Valley2.5 hrs. fromSan Jose or S.F.

Above the Fog

Golf one round on arrival. Stay over-night in a resort condominium with fireplace and kitchen. Play a second round of golf the next day. $130 ea. Mon - Fri play, four-some. Weekend rate $170 ea. Sat - Sun play. GPS Cart and taxes included

Couples $150 each for midweek, Mon - Fri, play. $190 each Sat - Sun play.

Offer good to March 31st. Not valid with other discounts. Based upon availability, holidays excluded.

26one of must playGolf Courses

as seen in Costco Connection magazine

“BEST” MAINTAINED & “BEST” FOR THE FEE greenskeeper.org

Give a Gift Certificate to the golfers on your Christmas list. Shop on-line at:

Play 2 days with over-night stay. $130 per person.

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Page 22 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

530.582.6964 • w: Timilick.com/golf • e: [email protected]

For a limited time, we invite you to a golf preview at Timilick, Tahoe’s most inviting club. With the best three finishing holes, Timilick’s

Johnny Miller / John Harbottle masterpiece is the talk of the lake. Contact us today.

A once-in-a-lifetime round at a...

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GOLFWEEK NAMES TIMILICK 2009 BEST NEW COURSE IN CALIFORNIA AND 9TH IN THE U.S.

Now booking group events and tournaments for the 2010 season. Call today for group pricing and secure your place to try

Tahoe’s best new course!

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Christmas is a great time of the year to enjoy and experiment with new wine styles. The party atmosphere and the different foods offered at parties and dinners give us a great opportunity to enjoy a wide array of wine styles.

Champagne or Sparkling Wine is not only a festive wine but also very versatile. From Champagne I would suggest trying something from a “Grower”. These Grower Champagnes are from very small grower/producers in the Champagne region. Ask your favorite wine retailer for a suggestion. For domestic sparkling wines I suggest a fantastic bargain from

New Mexico. Yes I said New Mexico. The brand is Gruet and it can be found for around 10.00 retail.

The Holiday season is also a time to enjoy matching wine styles with foods. For appetizers that focus on smoked meats and cheeses I like to offer an Australian Sparklking Shiraz. For seafood it is always fun to serve an ice cold Gewurztraminer from Alsace. Fiannly for the Christmas roast it is always great to serve something from California. A great match is anything from the Stags leap district.

A great time ahead for great food and wine and time with friends and family.

Uncorking with the Wine GuyBy Brian Klassen

Festive Wines

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Page 24 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

By Rick Rider

Ok golfers. Maybe you didn’t have a great year on the course in 2009. Maybe you worried about the economy or finances too much, or just maybe you just didn’t have a clue as to how to get your game in shape.

Well I promise to help your game in 2010, if you just save this page and work on some things that I think will help your games in 2010.

Call it my humble gift to you and yours.

10. Get in shape for the coming golf season

This one is a natural and generally under every golfer’s tree or pillow on New Year’s Day. You have to be in good shape to play good golf. I don’t mean all buffed up, just in good walking shape if physically possible. Hey, if your condition won’t allow more walking exercise, no sweat…just keep playing. If you can, do it.

What I mean is that most golf rounds start to fade on the back nine because of either one of two things. Our legs get tired or we have too many beers and not enough food. The second part I cannot fix, aside from maybe more protein snacks, but the first one we all can fix.

Walking not only improves our cardiovascular health, but will most certainly help us finish off those good rounds easier than if we don’t exercise at all.

9. Take a couple of lessons over the Winter

If you are able to fly south and participate in a golf school over the Winter, well then cheers to you. Do it. If you are like most of the rest of us, just find your local golf pro and tell him you need to improve in one area,

Ways to improve your Golf in 2010

and work on that one thing. If you can improve on the one thing over the Winter, you’ll have more fun in 2010.

8. Work on parts of your game that needs the help

Most golfers tend to practice on parts of the game that they already do well at. It’s human nature. Stop it.Figure out what your real weaknesses are and tackle them first. My bet is it is your short game, and that can be practiced indoors, by the way.

Whatever it is that you feel is your weakest area, though, identify it, write it down, do some research online, and set a goal to improve this area in the coming year.

7. learn a new shot around the green

Most golfers have very little imagination around the green. By that I mean when faced with a short chip or pitch shot around the green, most golfer pull out the pitching or sand wedge and hit the same shot over and over, despite the nature of the situation.

Try another club like a 7 or 8 iron and learn to pitch and run a shot up to the hole. Now there is a shot that can save you some strokes off your

round. But be more creative around the greens to help shoot better scores and better your chances of turning 3 shots into 2.

6. Vow never to hit a shot on the course you haven’t practiced

ever try to hit a low punch fade around a tree to a green with the pin tucked behind a bunker? Most of us have tried…but have we ever practiced this shot?

Probably not. Well, I’m not saying we should all go out to the range and start hitting low punch fades till we get it right. But what I would like you to do is practice some tough shots more often than not. Maybe not a lowpunchfade, but at least try some low punch shots before a round of golf. That one shot is the most common trouble shot we will encounter during a round of golf. Practice it. Get good at it…and use it.

5. learn to hit only one shot at a time

This one is a biggie so let me explain…Most great golfers know one thing.

Top 10

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The only shot you have control over is the next one. The last shot is history and you have no idea what shot you’ll have two shots from now, so play the next one with all your heart. Forget the last one and don’t worry about what’s to come.

This theory is useful in life also, by the way, and leads to my next tip…

4. Play every shot with conviction

A buddy once said after a rather indifferent shot this puzzling blurb…’well, there’s another IBM shot…’ My apologies to the company by the same name.

What? ‘Yeah, another indecision will get you bogey in a minute’ shot. Ahhh…

He is a good golfer and knows the value of never drawing the club back without a plan, and he is so right.

Swinging with conviction is another way of putting it. If you listen to caddies on the tour just before their golfers swing, they will invariably say something like this…’commit to the shot’. Almost every time!

So the lesson here is don’t just get up there and take a whack at the ball. Have a plan. Have a target. Have a swingthought. And go and do it.

3. Visualize every shot from start to finish

Again, watch the great players. They will stand behind their balls gazing at both their ball and the target. I promise you they are not just killing time here.

What they are doing is tracing their shots in their mind’s eye.

Visualization is the key to pulling off any golf shot during the round of golf and if you’re not doing it, you are throwing away many shots during

ok, there is my ‘Top Ten golfing resolutions’ for the new year. figure more than one of these out and I guarantee you’ll have a great golfing year. Cheers.

your round.Again, this one is closely related

to the last as you cannot swing with conviction if you cannot visualize the flight or intended flight of your ball. See the intended direction of takeoff, the trajectory of the ball as it flies through the air, and how and where it will land at its target. The more detail here the better.

This will eliminate any negative thoughts that might creep in and wreck a good golf swing or ultimately a good score.

2. Practice more on your short game

Face it; you are going to miss greens in every round of golf. even great golfers miss 4 to 6 greens during a typical round. The difference between them and the average golfer is great golfers convert those misses most of the time.

Spend more time around the chipping green and work on those short shots. Get good at them. Feel comfortable with these shots. Try to pitch the ball close enough to the hole that the next putt is a gimme. Watch your scores drop!

1. Practice your putting plenty

And this goes for you too Tiger. You have got to practice the one shot that will definitely improve your score in 2010. Your putting.

No more missed 3-footers, or heaven-forbid less. Ok, now not you Tiger. even the 5-7 footers that we so often face have got to have a chance to go in the hole to keep our rounds going.

I would recommend getting and reading Dave Stockton’s book, …’Putt to Win…’ that you can get from Amazon books and just practice your #$% off.

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Course Location WebAddress Phone HeadPro/GM

SnowcreekGolfResort MammothLakes,CA snowcreekresort.com 760.934.6633 GaryPaolinoSierraStarGC Mammoth,CA mammothmountain.com 760.924.4653 DaveSchachtRiverCreekGC Ahwahnee,CA rivercreekgolfcourse.com 559.683.5600 JimMonsonSierraMeadowsCC Ahwahnee,CA sierrameadows.com 559.642.1343 TimHuberPineMountainLakeGC Groveland,CA pinemountainlake.com 209.962.8620 TonyMurphyLakeDonPedroG&CCLa Grange,CA deerwoodcorp.com 209.852.0404 BillCloudPhoenixLakeGC Sonora,CA phoenixlakegolf.com 209.532.0111 MikeWhiteMountainSpringsGC Sonora,CA mountainspringsgolf.com 209.532.1000 MikeCookTwainHarteGC TwainHarte,CA twainhartevillage.com 209.586.3131 JeffBurmesterGreenhornCreekGC AngelsCamp,CA greenhorncreek.com 209.736.8111 DarrylPeifLaContentaGC ValleySprings,Ca lacontentagolf.com 209.772.1081 PhilSponsellerSaddleCreekResort Copperopolis,CA saddlecreek.com 888.852.5787 GeoffreyPodgornyForestMeadowsGC Murphys,CA forestmeadowsgolf.com 209.728.3439 JimDillashawMeadowmontGC Arnold,CA forestmeadowsgolf.com 209.795.1313 JimDillashawSequoiaWoodsCC Arnold,CA sequoiawoods.com 209.795.2141 LarryBabicaCastleOaksGC Ione,CA castleoaksgolf.com 209.274.0167 DominicAtlanMaceMeadowGCC Pioneer,CA macemeadow.com 209.295.7020 GreggStandridgeCarsonValleyGC Gardnerville,NV carsonvalleygolf.com 775.265.3181 RobHarbottleGenoaLakesGC Genoa,NV genoalakes.com 866.795.2709 LouEigurenGenoaLakesGC&Resort Genoa,NV genoalakes.com 866.795.2709 LouEigurenSilverOakGC CarsonCity,NV silveroakgolf.com 775.841.7000 RobertMasonSunridgeGC CarsonCity,NV sunridgegolf.com 775.267.4448 MattLaPorteEmpireRanchGC CarsonCity,NV empireranchgolf.com 888.227.1335 KeithStollDaytonValleyCC Dayton,NV daytonvalleygolf.com 775.246.7888 RickVaughnEagleValleyGC CarsonCity,NV eaglevalleygolf.com 775.887.2380 DaveGebhardtRosewoodLakesGC Reno,NV cityofreno.com 775.857.2892 BobForseLakeridgeGC Reno,NV lakeridgegolf.com 800.815.6966 RandyBeeghlyWashoeGC Reno,NV washoegolf.org 775.828.6640 DarinMenanteWolfRunGC Reno,NV wolfrungolfclub.com 775.851.3301 LacyEricksonSierraSageGC Reno,NV sierrasagegolf.org 775.972.1564 SteveBellHiddenValleyGC Reno,NV hvccreno.com 775.857.4742 KellyManosThunderCanyonCC WashoeValley,NV thundercanyon.com 775.882.0882 DaveLaFataRedHawkGolfClub Sparks,NV resortatredhawk.com 866-Go2Hawk GregEnholmWildcreekGC Sparks,NV visitrenotahoe.com 775.673.3100 EricHuzarskiArrowCreekGC Reno,NV www.arrowcreekcc.com 775.850.4653 JohnRossInclineChampionshipGC InclineVillage,NV golfincline.com 775.832.1146 BranniganMcNultyInclineMountainCourse InclineVillage,NV golfincline.com 775.832.1150 AngieRodriguezOldBrockwayGC KingsBeach,CA oldbrockway.com 530.546.9909 GarrettGoodEdgewoodTahoeGC Stateline,NVe dgewoodtahoe.com 775.588.3566 RandyFoxLakeTahoeGC LakeTahoe,CA laketahoegc.com 530.577.0788 AmyMcCormickNorthstar-at-TahoeResort Truckee,CA northstarattahoe.com 530.562.3887 PeteSmithTahoeCityGC TahoeCity,CA golftahoe.com/tahoe-city 530.583.1516 BobBoninoTimilickClub Truckee,CA timilick.com 877.Timilick MattAndersonCoyoteMoonGC Truckee,CA coyotemoongolf.com 530.587.0886 EdMcGargillGray’sCrossing Truckee,CA grayscrossinggolf.com 530.550.5800 ShaneJonesOldGreenwoodGC Truckee,CA oldgreenwoodgolf.com 530.550.7010 BobHickam,DirectorTahoeDonnerGC Truckee,CA tahoedonner.com 530.587.9443 EdLeinenkugel,Dir.AppleMountainResort Camino,CA applemountaingolfresort 530.647.7400 PaulShortsGrizzlyRanchResort Portola,CA grizzlyranch.com8 66.901.1010 RobYoung

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For information contact [email protected]

Page 28: How to Be Positive … When Things Suck by Kathrien Ahn

Page 28 www.sierragolfer.com Sierra Golfer - Holiday edition 2009

For Sale

Championship Golf Course

in Texas

•Builtin2003andmeasuresover7,300yards•LocatedinDallas/FortWortharea•Offeredat$2.5million

For information on this property and other available Texas Golf Courses Call Joseph Dengel at 972.771.8808 or Bill Hale at 512.402.0057