Five Good Questions with Stacy Solomon, Golf For Beginners

Recently I was emailed a few golf questions from Sean Mysel, Co-owner and operator at CrossGolfPros.com. Since he was concerned with how to get more women involved in the sport and has a wife who is a left-handed golfer, I was interested in helping out. I have reposted a few of the blog's questions below. Read the entire interview by clicking on the link below....enjoy :-)

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Five Good Questions w/Stacy Solomon, Golf For Beginners

by Sean Mysel

Hello all, one of my very great interests in the game of golf is how we as professionals can service a highly underrepresented segment of our market. That segment is women. Women are not coming to the game and in many ways are not being helped by golf establishments as a whole. For instance, in the Bay Area it's rare to find a course that offers organizations, leagues or otherwise for women. I had the great honor and privilege of conducting a Q&A with Stacy Solomon who authors a terrific blog called Golf For Beginners Link and shared her thoughts on five questions I asked her. Here are the responses:

SM: When did you start playing golf?

Stacy: I learned and practiced on a driving range for two years although occasionally, my husband and I would head over to Saxon Woods or Maple Moor (publinks) and play nine holes of twilight golf, dropping several balls at once for target and sand practice. I thought twilight golf was the perfect way to practice because it didn't take up too much time, it wasn't competitive (learn the basics first) and it was a very romantic way to spend an evening!

SM: I wanted to get right into a topic that I find fascinating. Overall the number of rounds played is down, membership to golf courses is down and the participation of women playing golf is down. What could the golf community do to increase the rounds of golf overall and especially with respect to participation by women?

Stacy: Reach out to women beyond the scope of the sport and bring them in, making golf less intimidating and more fun. Group events are always fun. Find women in other sports that might not have thought golf was "right" for them and show them the benefits, from fresh air and sunshine to the challenge it offers. Give free beginner lessons, have putting contests...ANYONE can be a good putter!

I belong to the Westchester, NY Executive Womens Golf Association which has (more than) a few great ideas to reach out to women including nine and wine, get-togethers and a fun bowling night during the off-season so that women can meet off of the golf course and then, when the time comes, they can feel more comfortable playing with a group that matches their handicap level. The EWGA has mentors and instructors on and off the golf course as well, to bring women into the fold.

SM: As a person who lived in the Northeast for four years, my golf game virtually shut down. How do you stay sharp during cold months?

Stacy: I regularly swing my (left-handed) Kallassy's Swing Magic, lift weights and walk on my treadmill several times a week. I used to go to my local outdoor heated driving range but, during the cold winter months I usually just putt on my carpet.

 

For more information on the CrossGolfPros visit www.crossgolfpros.com.


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Read Stacy Solomon's bio!

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Will Tiger Woods golf season debut be a hit or a “Miss”?

Tiger Woods has been the target of a golf media thashing for two years and frankly I would prefer to concentrate this golf blog on his debut "form" and career objectives rather than on his latest “unprofessional” slamming by Hank Haney. 

Was Haney justified in releasing a Tiger Woods “tell-all” book, “The Big Miss”, just prior to Woods’ first appearance? Sixty-six percent of fans who were asked said “No”. 

That being said, the 2012 golf season is taking on momentum and Woods will be making his debut this week in Abu Dhabi at the HSBC Golf Championship. The stage for a Woods return was unofficially set in December when Tiger walked away with his first win in two years at the Chevron World Challenge.

Tiger Woods believes, however, that it was in Australia where he gained his greatest confidence, "Australia was big. I hit so many good shots, especially when the wind was howling at thirty mph, with gusts at more than that," and confidence is key to forging ahead. 

Woods also claims that he is the fittest he has been at the start of a golf season in a "long, long time" and is excited to be competing alongside of up-and-coming players (and first round playing partners) Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald. Does Tiger Woods feels it necessary to test himself against the "new generation" to see if/that he can "rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes of his former self?

Ultimately, Woods is focused primarily on winning the majors and using the remainder of the events he will play in as “tune-ups’. Tiger confirmed, “Ultimately, I want to have my game peak four times a year." 

At least he's dancing...  one of his New Year resolutions?

Get to know Tiger Woods a little better on Friday; he’ll be answering questions on his Twitter feed @TigerWoods... should cause Twitter to burst at the seams.  

Voice your opinions on Tiger Woods on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook

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I would like to share with you the press release I received along with the above Getty Image:

   

TIGER MOVES TO HSBC’S ABU DHABI BEAT

Golfing Giants Get Traditional With Emirati Ayala Dance

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tuesday 24^th January, 2012: He’s been in Abu Dhabi for less than 24 hours, but Tiger Woods - one of the headline attractions at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which starts tomorrow (Thursday 26 January) – wowed onlookers at Abu Dhabi Golf Club today as he shook off the trans-Atlantic cobwebs and ‘moved’ to the UAE capital’s distinctive traditional beat.

Abu Dhabi debutant, Woods, an eye-catching contender in what is the strongest field ever assembled at a Middle East tournament, was joined by world numbers two and three, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, for an impromptu celebration of traditional Emirati ayala (celebration) dancing on his first National Course appearance.

 “That was pretty special,” said Woods, a 14-time Major winner. “It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi and although as golfers we are used to travelling all over the world, we don’t usually get welcomes like that. It’s always fantastic to experience new cultures and traditions and I really got into the ayala beat; I’m not sure the canes would be too good on the putting greens this week though.”

The ayala dance celebration officially ushered in the seventh annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which will see triple and defending champion, Martin Kaymer, lock horns with Woods, Westwood and McIlroy, as well as world number one, Luke Donald, in the hunt for the Falcon trophy. Reigning Major champions, Charl Schwartzel (US Masters) and Darren Clarke (The Open), Australian hot-shot, Jason Day, Korea’s top ranked player, KJ Choi, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington are also in the star studded line-up.

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