Golf Channel Instructor Search Finalists includes a real Player!

Golf Channel announced today that it has narrowed its nationwide search for the network’s next instructional star to three finalists, and one's a real Player!

 

Wayne Player (Tequesta, Fla.)  Son of golf legend Gary Player, Wayne and his father Gary were the first father-son duo to compete in both a U.S. Open and an Open Championship at the same time.  Today, he is best known for his tailored entertainment and travel experiences for corporate and private clients, sharing life lessons on and off the golf course he learned from his father.  He has worked in-tandem with several of the game’s top instructors, including David Leadbetter, Bob Toski and Peter Kostis.

 

Martin Hall (West Palm Beach, Fla.)  Ranked 12^th on Golf Digest’s Top 50 Teachers of all time and ranked as a GOLF Magazine Top 100 instructor, Hall is no stranger to Golf Channel viewers.   He has been a frequent contributor to the network’s instruction shows including Academy Live, and is a featured instructor on GolfChannel.com.  Hall was 2008 PGA of America Teacher of the Year, is a contributing writer for GOLF Magazine and was longtime teacher for LPGA Tour professional Morgan Pressel.

 

Karen Palacios-Jansen (Mooresville, N.C.)  Named as one of Golf Digest Woman’s Top 50 Women Teachers every year since 1998, Palacios-Jansen is a certified personal trainer who incorporates fitness training into her teaching.  A former David Leadbetter trained instructor and Jim McLean Golf School master instructor, she was named 2008 LPGA Teacher of the Year and has been teaching golf for 17 years.  She currently is managing editor for Golf Fitness Magazine, and is married to Olympic Gold Medalist Dan Jansen.

 

The three finalists were selected from a nationwide search conducted by Golf Channel this fall – all hoping to host their own instructional series on the network.  Each of the finalists will host a half-hour instruction show as part of the network’s 12 Nights at the Academy series of instruction specials, airing Nov. 29-Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. ET.  The finalists’ shows will air Nov. 30 (Hall); Dec. 5 (Palacios-Jansen) and Dec. 7 (Player).

 

Viewers have the opportunity to view the finalists’ audition video and video tips online at www.GolfChannel.com/InstructorSearch.  Viewers also are encouraged to participate in the selection process by voting online through Dec. 15.  The winner is expected to be announced on Golf Central in January, with the new show scheduled to premiere early in the year.

 

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Is the new Adidas aG Strike Golf Bag a stand-out?

Considered the "hero" of the 2011 Adidas Golf Bag Collection, the aG Strike Stand Bag is lightweight and durable, loaded with basic comforts and thoughtful details which will please even the most demanding golfer.


I really put this golf bag through its paces (sorry Adidas) hoisting it in and out of my car with the help of the easy-grip handle, but unfortunately it collided bottom first onto the ground a few times.

I tried to be gentle with my new stand bag but happy that Adidas had me in mind when they constructed the aG Stand Bag with double-stitched seams and strong binding on the base cuff of the bag. The sturdy non-slip rubber grips on the bottom of the arms and the crush-resistance of the bag are also appreciated!

From a woman's perspective, the lighter weight (4.3 lbs) and not-too bulky anti-fatigue straps really make a difference carrying the bag as well as putting it on/taking it off during the round. The six-way compressed nylon top, four-way full-length dividers were useful in minimizing contact between my clubs although I found that, when my round goes awry, I don't really pay much attention where that 7-iron goes...one of my mental errors which I am constantly working to improve!


Colorful and stylish, the new Adidas aG Strike Golf Bag will not disappoint the golf fashionista! Although my choice of color was the red/charcoal/gray combo (red for the Tiger Woods in me), there are other great combinations to match your outfits (and your grips): Black/Charcoal/Blue, Black/White.


There are also external slots for pen and umbrella, an insulated water bottle sleeve, an in-pocket hook for your keys, large pocket for your sweater when the temperature rises and even pull cords for every zipper making it easy to open and close each pocket. Seven pockets in total with plenty of places to store your golf accessories including a velour-lined space for your valuables.


Speaking of pocket fillers, the folks at Adidas Golf were really thinking of the consumer when they came up with the new FAS-TEK system (Fast Action Snap Technology.) Instead of fumbling through your pants pockets searching for GPS and/or cell phone, you can attach your goodies directly to the golf bag and have your GPS at your fingertips! Although sold separately, this is one innovative way that Adidas can help you "trick-out" your golf bag.


One of the niftiest items attached to my new Adidas aG Strike Stand Bag, in my opinion, is a ball marker with cut-outs of a star, line and circle. Several smiley faces adorn my golf ball so, as you can see, this added touch on the Adidas golf bag caught the eye of this female golfer!


Of course the Adidas Golf aG Strike Stand Bag is a stand-out for the most discerning male or female golf enthusiast and, believe me when I say, women make the toughest critics!


Here is more information on the TaylorMade/Adidas aG Strike Stand Bag:

Price on TaylorMade Golf Website: $139.99

Features & Specs:

• Convenient and sturdy top handle
• EVA Foam ergonomically correct shoulder straps with velour lining
• 7 Total Pockets
• Insulated water bottle sleeve
• Velour Lind valuables pouch with internal key clip
• Foam padded hip pad with Air Flow channel for maximum comfort
• Anit-Slip Actuator on base of bag for increased stability
• Umbrella slot
• External pen slot
• Three FAS-TEK receivers

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Forsgate Golf and Country Club number one in GolfStyles Magazine

The readers of GolfStyles New Jersey magazine have just voted Forsgate Golf and Country Club the “No. 1 Private Club Value” and the “No. 1 Family Club” in its 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards.  Forsgate also claimed top-ten spots in the categories of “Best Private Golf Course” and “Best Restaurant,” among others. 




GolfStyles polled more than 47,000 of its Garden State, New Jersey readers for the fall 2010 awards issue. I am very proud of Forsgate but not surprised. Once a year, local golf writers are invited to play the "Writer's Cup" on the Banks Course. The natural beauty of the golf course coupled with the delightful service of the staff truly makes Forsgate Country Club a winner in my book! Oh, and I cannot forget the delicious lobster!


Forsgate’s Banks Course has been one of the state’s most celebrated tracks, and it is on The Met Golfer magazine’s list of the “Top Fifty Courses in the Met Area.”


Forsgate also offers The Palmer Course, an 18-hole traditional American design that is highlighted by water on ten of its scenic holes. To accompany its award-winning golf, Forsgate boasts a first-class golf staff.  The club’s Director of Golf Carolyn McKenzie Andrews has been named one of the “Top-50 Kids Teachers in the United States,” while assistant golf professionals Scott Barnaby, Mark Mazzola and former PGA TOUR pro Bobby Gage are among the area’s most sought-after instructors.


Bobby Gage is great at giving easy-to-understand golf tips, using the basics and imagery to ingrain proper technique, as I learned during our recent outing at Forsgate CC.

“Our team stays focused every day on creating and maintaining value to our members and customers, and we appreciate the recognition from GolfStyles’ readers,” said RDC Chief Executive Officer Christopher Schiavone. “Our great facilities are part of that value, but it’s our staff and present membership that are most important to making Forsgate Country Club a special place for single golfers and families alike.”

Forsgate Golf and Country Club is also committed to helping local charities, raising over $200,000 since 2003 for worthwhile causes! Recently Forsgate hosted a golf skins and skills game with Annika Sorenstam and J.B. Holmes.

Interested in becoming a member at Forsgate Country Club? Call Director of Membership Carol Rutherford at (732) 656-8914.

About Forsgate Country Club (www.forsgatecc.com)

Forsgate is an exclusive, full service, family-oriented private country club located in the heart of New Jersey.  Forsgate offers permanent golf, sports and social memberships for individuals, families and corporations.  Established in 1931, Forsgate Country Club features 36 holes of world-class golf, including the renowned Banks Course, designed to recreate historic holes throughout Europe, and the Palmer Course, which is a traditional American course with challenging water hazards on ten of its scenic holes.  The country club also offers facilities for banquet events and corporate meetings as well as a new state-of-the-art sports complex that includes a fitness center, pool and cabana cafe.  Forsgate Country Club, which is located midway between New York City and Philadelphia at Exit 8A of the NJ Turnpike, is owned and operated by RDC Golf Group, Inc.

About RDC Golf Group (www.rdcgolfgroup.com)

Founded in 1993, RDC has rapidly become a recognized industry leader in golf course ownership and management whose properties have garnered numerous golf course and hospitality awards. RDC owns and operates the renowned Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, New Jersey, and the private, family-oriented Tuscawilla Country Club in Orlando, Florida.  RDC currently manages the award-winning Tallgrass Country Club in Shoreham, New York and the public Putnam National Golf Club in Mahopac, New York.

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The best Golf Course in the Middle East is? Hint...Abu Dhabi...

Yas Links Abu Dhabi, the new Kyle Phillips designed golf course which debuts at IGTM this week, is the “best course in the Middle East” according to the latest issue of Golf Course Architecture magazine.

 

 credit

The world-class development on Yas Island, home to the Yas Marina Formula One Circuit, venue of the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the spectacular Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park, has received widespread critical acclaim.
 

It is the first Middle East design for leading course architect Kyle Phillips, creator of World Top 100 Course Kingsbarns, Scotland, as well as the highly rated Verdura Golf & Spa Resort (Sicily), Dundonald (Scotland), and The Grove (London), who has created an extraordinary links overlooking the Arabian Gulf that rides rolling sand hills along three kilometers of coastline, and features nine seashore greens.

Following a recent visit to the site, Golf Course Architecture editor Adam Lawrence, wrote Yas Links is the, “first pure golf course in the Gulf,” and, “it is a golf experience like no other in the region.”
He added: “I am very confident in asserting that Yas Links is the best course in the Middle East by a distance and that it has taken golf in the region to a whole new level.”

In a unique twist, Phillips was able to design not only the golf course, but the coastline along which the course runs. That’s because the channel along the western edge of Yas Island had to be dredged to produce the 1.8 million m3 (cubic metres) of fill used to construct the golf course. The result is a coastline that lends itself perfectly to exciting golf holes, and one that is also benefiting from an approved environmental program that has introduced 130,000 mangrove plants.

Yas Links General Manager, Chris White, said: “Kyle has created a breathtaking golf experience at Yas Links and one that is unique in the Middle East. It is a rolling, heaving golf course, weaving through sand hills and wending its way along the shoreline with views of the Arabian Gulf on all 18 holes.

“It is interesting talking to golfers as they come in from their rounds – you can see the exhilaration and enjoyment in their faces. They know they have played a very special golf course.”

Yas Links is peppered with 119 bunkers, while Paspalum Platinum links grass covers the sand hills and defines the fairways of the 7,414-yard, par-72 course, which has five different tee settings to make the course challenging from the Championship tees, while creating an enjoyable experience for members and visitors.

Yas Links is part of Aldar Properties’ Yas Island development, a global leisure destination. Golf facilities at Yas Links also include a 5,750 m2 (57,000 ft2) luxury clubhouse and world-class, floodlit practice ranges and golf academy.

Some of the world’s top golfers will experience Yas Links for themselves in 2011 when the world’s most prestigious one-day Pro-Am tournament moves to Abu Dhabi.

The Invitational on January 17, 2011, hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah, will see some of the world’s best European Tour golfers join forces with fifty invited amateurs for a day of great competitive golf.

World No.1 Lee Westwood, reigning US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher plus many more are expected to attend.





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Golf video of fan decked by Robert Allenby stray golf shot

This poor golf fan was watching Robert Allenby hit his drive at the Australian Masters when the shot conked him on the head! Watch this golf video and see the dangers of attending a sporting event ;-)

Has European Tour golf won out over the PGA Tour?

In what is considered by some to be a snub to America, Rory McIlroy recently declined PGA Tour membership for the upcoming 2011 season joining Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood as staunch supporters of the European Tour.

“The two best players in the world at the moment are not going to join the US Tour next year,” said McIlroy, number nine in the world. “It's a great time for European golf.”

Both Westwood and McIlroy have voiced concerns about a long PGA Tour schedule with few breaks in between events and the idea that their golf careers should not be solely about money.

The PGA Tour further ostracized Euro Tour golfers recently with its offer of a three-year exemption to the winner of a WGC event in China  only if that golfer is a member of an American Tour!

McIlroy recently said, "The FedEx Cup is only about money and you shouldn't just be going over to play thinking about how much you can make. I needed a break after the USPGA [In August], but had only one week. There is no flexibility in your schedule as the FedEx forces you to appear at those events. I didn't like that.”

Is money even a consideration for the two Euro Tour golfers, now atop the money list, or have they become sated and more interested in enjoying a less grueling schedule? With many of the top competitors now in Europe (seven Euro Tour players won eight 2010 PGA Tour events) and purses growing, it makes sense for many Euro Tour golfers to support their own events.

As a note, career earnings for Lee Westwood to date on the PGA Tour (from Yahoo! Sports) is a staggering $28.5 million dollars. Rory McIlroy's career earnings are a more conservative $8 million to date with $2 million won this year as a result of his win at the Quail Hollow Championship.

I agree with McIlroy that money can't buy happiness, but it can offer a comfortable lifestyle for you and your family! That being said, with the European Tour requirement to compete in thirteen events in 2011 and the PGA Tour needing fifteen events in order to retain a card, both Tours are forcing a choice to be made by the golfers, and more professional golfers are leaning towards the European Tour.

Ian Poulter is torn between keeping his PGA and Euro Tour cards, "I have a house over in the States and my family is well settled over there, but then you can't deny playing two tours is becoming increasingly difficult, especially with the European Tour number you have to play going up."

Graeme McDowell, winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, is expected to join the PGA Tour in 2011 to "give it a go" but has also expressed concern about the FedEx Cup playoff schedule.

"I'd like to try the FedEx[Cup] Playoffs, although I wasn't particularly impressed by the format this year. ... But I certainly do want to go out and play a little bit more golf out there." McDowell attempted to join the PGA Tour after his win at the U.S. Open but didn't qualify, finishing 197th in points.

If the winner of the U.S. Open can't qualify for a PGA Tour card, perhaps that is yet another signal for Europeans to back away from the the tour.

Even Phil Mickelson has decided to play his first event of 2011 out of the States in January at the Abu Dhabi Championship. But, I think for Phil the enticement IS the money and the chance to get out of playing at the five-day Bob Hope event.

Perhaps it's time for the PGA and Euro Tours to join forces, tightening up both entities but maintaining their distinct identities. Golfers seem to want to play in both Tours but are forced to choose one over the other. Instead, oust tournaments without sponsors, give "crybabies" a rest but make all golfers sign on to certain events so that all tournaments have A, B and C-list players covered. European Tour golfers are speaking up, but its up to the PGA Tour to listen.

Maybe my thoughts are a bit too Utopian  ... "kindness and good-nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements whatsoever." Sir Thomas More

 
The new and improved PGA European Tour? (credit)


Joining forces does have its considerations: for one thing, it wouldn't be "Us against Them" Anymore. Where would we be without the Ryder Cup?

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