The Team Challenge - Are Hockey Players Really the Best Golfers?

I'm sure you don't think so if your sport is baseball...or football or basketball for that matter. But that seems to be the consensus among my friends and contacts, at least where the Team Challenge is concerned.

I told you a little about the Team Challenge last week. It's the upcoming tournament where iconic basketball, football, baseball and hockey players, will play golf. Team golf. The kind of golf we all love to watch. And the excitement level is going to be bumped up a notch because the organizers have invented a whole new Internet platform, called "strat.e.golf", that's going to let fans make real time coaching decisions. Add to that accelerated scoring and fan selected 2X players who's matches will count for double points... and I think we're actually bumping it up a lot of notches.

To get in on the action just sign up at the Team Challenge website and register as a ProCoach. You'll not only be able to vote on your teams strategy, and help select your teams 2X player, you'll also be able to enter an amazing sweepstakes that could win you and a guest a five day trip to Palm Springs to participate in Team Challenge events, and party with the players. You've got to enter by May 18th though, so get on over there.

The $250,000 purse will go to some great charities selected by the team captains, as will $1.00 for each fan that registers as a ProCoach for the winning team.

Now back to the hockey team. Not only are they being favored by my friends to win they also might end being the best dressed. A couple of days ago, in a press conference call, I was able to ask some of the players, including team captains Drew Brees, Ozzie Smith and Mario Lemieux what they would be wearing and who would be the best dressed... yes, I really asked them that... and captains Brees and Smith reluctantly conceded that the captain Lemieux and his hockey guys tended to be the most fashion forward.

Well, we'll soon find out. Personally though, I'm going with baseball, because besides golf it's the best sport in the universe. Anyone have a problem with that?

The Golf Girl on Golf Style

As you probably know by now, I'm a huge evangelist for golf fashion.

Dressing for a round of golf is a distinct part of the pleasure I get from a sport I'm totally passionate about. Yes, I know... not all golfers share this fashionista style sensibility, but many do. After all, fashion has been a part of golf since the early days of Gene Sarazen and his silk foulard.

So when San Francisco Chronicle fashion editor Sylvia Rubin, contacted me last month to weigh in on the changing face of golf fashion, I was only too happy to to do so.

The resulting piece, "Fit to a Tee" is the cover story for May 2008 in SFiS , the Chronicle's elegant monthly publication focusing on travel, design, and fashion.

The story features some awesome outfits and was shot on location at San Francisco's Lincoln Park Golf Course.

Every Golf Picture Tells a Story

When I was in fourth grade, I had a young teacher who was particularly passionate about creative writing. Once a week she'd have us write a short story...no more than one page...based on a photograph. The photographs were torn from various magazines but, in retrospect, I realize that a lot of thought was put into their selection, because the stories seemed to write themselves. Week after week the entire class would produce prosaic paragraphs based on the evocative images.

Well, I was reminded of that long ago writing class when I stopped by Golf for Women today to post my blog and was greeted by the amazing photo above, of a puppy snoozing amongst the golf bags in the back of a golf cart. It was submitted by Golf for Women reader Laurie O'Brien and is one of many included in the GFW reader's galleries.

Other than golf, the featured photographs have little in common. Some show exotic foreign landscapes, some are homey and familiar. There are subjects of all ages. Several appear to be champions while others are clearly beginners, but each photo seems to tell an engaging story of a happy time spent playing golf, and I think we can all relate to that.

Golf Trinkets - Why I Deserve This One

For the past several days our region has been graced with nearly perfect weather. Actually, no. The weather's been totally perfect. Sunshine, clear blue skies, temps in the high 70s, where normally April in CT is wet and gray and soggy.

Blue skies and warm sunshine? Perfect weather for golf, you're probably thinking, and I agree with you, but the problem is I haven't been on the course. I've been working. Which is normal... and an accepted part of life... and I should be happy to have work... and all that. I know.

The problem is that the gentleman I co-habitate with has spent the past three glorious days golfing...and he's playing again today. And it's not only that. To make matters worse he feels compelled to expound about his on-course-adventures at length each evening when he returns happily tanned and tired-in-a-good-way.
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Tired-in-a-good-way? Then I must be tired-in-a-bad-way, because I've spent the past few days in an artificially lighted interior in front of a computer screen.

And I'm longing to get outside. Into the sultry sunshine and onto the velvety springtime fairways of a lush green golf course. But I have two more weeks of this pace looming and Mr. Golf Girl just gloats and golfs and tells me he planned his schedule more thoughtfully than I did.

So when a golf blogger friend of mine sent me a link to the amazing $10,200 platinum and diamond ball marker by Shano Designs my first reaction was, "I think I rather deserve an uplifting little trinket like this". Unrealistic? Maybe. But there are other equally beautiful but more reasonable options, and I think I've settled on the the sterling silver and pink sapphire version. It's only $325, so I may as well get the divot repair thingy too. Right? I think so, and when Nick returns from the course today, tired-in-a-good-way, he'll just have to muster up enough energy to order it for me.

OK, I feel a bit better, now I can get back to work.

Be a ProCoach ... with Golf's Team Challenge

This is going to be fun...you can be sure of that.

Sixteen stars, four each from four major sports, will fight to the finish over two days at gorgeous Eagle Falls Golf Course, in Palm Springs, CA at the Team Challenge Charity Golf Competition.

The exciting event will take place on June 7, and June 8, 2008, and the teams are baseball, football, basketball and hockey.

The stars, as you can see from the partial list here, are some of the most exciting. And believe me, none of these guys is going to let his sport's team lose without a fight. And if you have a particular favorite among these sports, you don't want to see your team lose either, right?

Well, the great thing about the Team Challenge is that you don't have to sit back helplessly and watch. Through the use of new technology and social media innovations, fans (or ProCoaches and they're known) will be able to play a substantial part in team strategy and coaching decisions. On-line, and with your mobile devices you'll be able to help call the shots, literally. And there are some awesome prizes to be won!

I'll be telling you a lot more about the Team Challenge in the coming days along with the other golf bloggers providing special coverage for the event. I'm sure you know them as they're some of the best; Kristen Williams, Tony Korologos and Jay Flemma.

In the meantime, head on over to the Team Challenge site and register so you can be a ProCoach and get in on the action.

Oh, BTW, I have a feeling there'll be some exciting golf fashions out in Palm Springs too, as the stylish Charles Barkley is commissioner of the Challenge. I'll definitely keep you posted on all the haut couture hits... and the inevitable misses.

So stay tuned...we all have something to look forward to.

Golf Girl - Golf Goals

See the little pink monkey hanging from that awesome lime-trimmed Birdie Girl bag? That's Mashie, my little mascot. Sometimes she really helps me with my game, other times she totally jinxes me. On Saturday she did a little of both resulting in a score of 121.

Ok, I know, many of you would probably say that was a lamentable score. Some would rather admit to partaking in Satanic rituals or having a social disease, than a 121. But I was quite OK with it. In fact, I practically skip-walked to the 19th hole. Where I relived the glory of my 20 foot putt and my magical chip shot over a couple/few glasses of Chardonnay.

Needless to say I wasn't dwelling on the shanks or the fades or the foozles...or that farcical chili-dip. They were noted and I'll work on them. That's the way I've always been about my game. To be perfectly honest, during the two years I've been playing golf I've never much bothered with keeping score. It might seem implausible and irresponsible to some, but I just didn't feel ready, I was still learning, and frankly I didn't want to see 150 on my card.

I think if we want to attract new players to the game, and not have the majority of them bail after the first season, we need to be accepting of more relaxed attitudes. Some beginners will immediately want to track their game, establish a handicap and compete and that's great, however we must allow others, like me, for example, to play purely recreational golf...even if that means not keeping score...for as long as they feel they need to... and just enjoy it. Eventually, they'll probably want to take stock and work on their game in a more methodical way.

Well, you'll be happy to know I'm finally ready, and I've found way to take my game to the next level. It's the Golf for Women Challenge. It's a free game improvement program that's ultra simple and extremely user-friendly. It's part of the Golf Digest Challenge which is an equally awesome program for guys, and includes an amazing selection of on-line lessons, health and fitness tips, free swing analysis and a tracking program to map your progress. There's a great sweepstakes too, with weekly golf travel and equipment prizes. The biggest prize for me for me would be to achieve my uber ambitious golf goal of breaking 100 by the end of this season.

So, I'm psyched, and I'll be posting my progress regularly over at my GFW blog, Red Tee Tales. For now I'm off to the practice range to work on those mishits.

Gone Golfing

Oh, I'll definitely be back, but for now you can find me at Richter Park on a gorgeous springtime Saturday here in SW CT.

Here's to hoping the score's not way, way high. (as it usually is) I'll let you know later today.

Hope you're playing too!

Is Sex to Blame for That Risky Golf Shot?

There's compelling evidence, from some very authoritative sources, that high risk behavior, whether it's gambling on a volatile stock market or going for that totally implausible golf shot, is a chemical thing. Yes, it seems that hormones such as Testosterone and Cortisol dictate our behavior...and our risk tolerance...much more than previously thought.

I posted on this provocative topic today on Red Tee Tales, my blog at Golf for Women. It's very...revealing...so check it out.








While you're at it. Have a look around. Golf for Women has been selected as an Official Honoree for the Lifestyle category in The 12th Annual Webby Awards.

The Snedeker Snickers Cocktail - Cheers, Not Tears.

Brandt Snedeker has put a tearful, memorable Masters behind him, and flown on down to Hilton Head for the Verizon Heritage Championship.

The adorable golf guy with the cherubic looks, broke a few hearts when he cried into his towel on Sunday night. But he's gotten over it, and said today that he feels "refreshed and excited" and ready for another competition.

He definitely left an impression on us during this Masters. Probably more than any other player this year. His extraordinary golf, and his tearful reaction when he ultimately faltered, will be remembered by many...for a long time.


And believe it or not...this young man already has a cocktail named after him. Remember last fall when we did the Fedex Cup cocktail Contest?
Well if you do, you might remember that the winner was The Snedeker Snickers Cocktail dedicated to Brandt and submitted by a proud Nashville, TN, Grandmother, Abby Clausen.

"Brandt is a sweet and delightful young man" Abbey wrote, "...and this drink matches his fun loving personality". Abby then told an endearing tale of Brandt signing autographs at an area tournament and joking with her grandson, who at that moment, decided to pursue golf seriously. Now he's co-captain of his high school golf team.

So The Snedeker Snickers Cocktail won for it's imaginative combination of ingredients and for it's compelling connection to the golfer who inspired it. And now I feel like we all know a bit more about Brandt than we did last fall. I don't know about you, but I want to try that drink.

Snedeker Snickers Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce white creme de cacao
1 ounce dark creme de cacao
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon chocolate syrup
Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth, serve in an old fashioned glass.

Can the Mythical Masters Still Transcend Golf?

It's a Monday morning in mid April. The green jacket has changed hands and the Master's is over for another year. The reviews are in and it was proclaimed...a snoozefest. It was also called "one of the most forgettable, utterly dull Masters in recent memory". Mike Bianchi, writing for the Orlando Sentinal even suggested that it was "so neutral the winner should have been awarded a gray sweater."

The winds were too capricious, the course was too difficult, things just weren't working. There were lots of reasons given but the fact is, there just weren't enough dynamic shots being made to provoke the requisite roars... Even very subdued roars...from the galleries.

Excitement definitely did not rein on the back nine yesterday. There was no magic at all, and that's not good, because we've come to count on this place for magic. This mythical tournament is the card we pull out each year to draw in the noncommitted golf audience. And it often works. Last week I was with a group of people who had little interest in golf. They had never played or spoken about it with me before, yet all were looking forward to watching the Masters. That amazed me, but they said it was because the course was so beautiful, the season so promising and Tiger so terrific. They all seemed to have memories of their families gathered around the teleision on a Spring Sunday watching the Masters. And it occured to me that like Tiger himself, himself, the Masters transcends golf. It reaches beyond core golfers to the general public. It follows that maybe if these non-golfers see a good show they'll come back for more, perhaps they'll even decide to play. We could certainly new golfers. The Masters itsself knows that, they've added a section onto their website where they request feedback from anyone and everyone on how they can better attract new players and fans, especially children.

So, I'm hoping this year's less than stellar show didn't turn off any potential players. After it is springtime and Augusta National is as pretty as ever.

The Masters - Unique Golf Style on Display

This is definitely the scariest accessory to be seen on the cloistered greens of Augusta National in like...forever. Golf apparel is generally not scary. Well at least not in the traditional sense of the word.

Leave it to Rory to boldly hit the fairways with the fierce looking, rhinestone encrusted cranium at his somewhat portly midsection.

Mr. Sabatini's sense of style has not gone unnoticed either. Earlier this year (along with his intimidating hard wear) Rory made the pages of definitive metrosexual style blog, Magnificent Bastard. He's now officially on the MB "worst dressed golfer" list. He's in good company there though, vying for position with Tiger Wood's Nike overkill and Jim Furyk's Pajama tops.

Golf Digest has criticized Rory's style in the past as well, actually they criticized his whole persona and suggested that an extreme makeover might be in order Personally, I don't agree. I like Rory the way he is, slightly, categorically subversive.

This year's Masters has shown us little in the way of style so far. In the past we could always count on Ian Poulter to push the envelope but lately the flamboyant Brit seems to have toned down his style statements. I guess he's too busy concentrating on his golf game. Admittedly his game is looking better than ever, while Rory, after winning the par-three, sadly missed the cut.

So maybe there's a correlation between dressing dull and playing well. Damn. If this trend continues, everyone will end up looking like Phil Mickleson. Yawn.

Golf and the Glenlivet in New York City

We're in the wee hours of Thursday morning and just back to our mid-town hotel room. Nick is sleeping and I'm blogging, which is kind of normal for us, no matter where we are.

We're in the city for meetings this week and happily, our business happens to coincide with Glenlivet City Links, a fun series of events that bring together the two most cherished exports of Scottish heritage — Scotch whisky and golf.

Tonight it was a cocktail reception put on by Esquire Magazine. What made is special is that the venue, a midtown office building, had been transformed into a 9 hole putting course inspired by the lush scenery of Scotland. There were streams and bridges and thachy areas of rough. There was also a stylish clubhouse bar the featured all five of The Glenlivet Scotch Whiskies.
















The vibe was pretty awesome; urban and young and friendly. The Scotch was warm and wonderful and there were drawings for some amazing golf holidays.

Nick and I may even stop by the course again tomorrow...putting is a great way to relax between meetings.

Cute French Golf Guy Wins in Estoril (updated)

Some might accuse me of having a bit of a French obsession lately. Well, the truth is, I've always had one. I love French literature, French architecture and French fashion. I adore their sexy language and their succulent pastries and frankly... I'm convinced, everyone else does too.

But it's not that often that I get to celebrate a French golfer. Well, this weekend I did. On Saturday Gregory Bourdy, a 25 year old Frenchman with blue eyes and a disarming smile, won the European Tour's Portuguese Open. It was an ultra exciting victory too. After leading for the first three rounds Monsieur Bourdy saw his lead evaporate in a flurry of missed shots. At one point five players had pushed ahead of him. But (as I know first hand) French guys can be tenacious, and finally, Gregory fought his way back to win in a three way play-off. So it was another exciting finish on the European Tour where exciting finishes are becoming the norm. With play-offs in Madeira, Andalusia and now Estoril, the Iberian swing has been animated, to say the very least. Alors, toutes mes felicitations Monsieur Bourdy, I'm glad to be able to celebrate a French golfer and hope to be able to do so again soon.

Here in the US the guys were in Houston, essentially warming up for Augusta, and the big golf story was Lorena Ochoa, reinforcing her dominance with a steely performance on the Dinah Shore Course then celebrating her victory en familia, with with a group swim in the Lake of Champions and a Mariachi band. Lorena's playing at an extraordinary level, that's undeniable, AND she consistently looks awesome in her golf outfits. Check out my post on Lorena Style at Golf for Women.

Now, let's get ready for the Masters. Personally, I can hardly wait to see those azaleas.

Update: One of my awesome & observant readers, himself a stellar golf blogger, introduced me to yet another winning golf guy, Thomas Levet. I was obviously distracted by what was going on over here, and totally missed his win in Andalusia. Luckly, the always engaging Golf Punk, has him covered in this great profile.

It's Springtime in the World of Golf

Magnolias are blooming all over Augusta, and out west in Palm Springs, the Lake of Champions becons.

The season's first majors are about to begin and for me, up here in still chilly Connecticut, this is the symbolic start of spring. That "official start" a couple of weeks ago didn't mean much to most New Englanders as it's remained largely cold and gray.

But that's changing. The sun's out and our course, Richter Park, opened today, though it was far to blustery to venture out. Tomorrow perhaps, if the wind dies down, but in any case I now feel the worst of the weather is over, and I'm ready to start my CT golf season.

The girls of the LPGA are already gathered at Mission Hills Country Club for the Kraft Nabisco Tournament which begins tomorrow. One of them will get wet on Sunday when she plunges victoriously into Poppys' Pond. All the big money's on amazing Lorena Ochoa who, admittedly, seems unbeatable. That's definitely the consensus at Golf For Women, though not everyone predicting a Lorena win. There are just so many stellar players, and golf is so unpredictable that it's really anyone's guess. Defending champion Morgan Pressel is my pick, despite her recent struggles. She obviously plays the course well and I have a feeling she's just yearning to get back into the Lake of Champions.

I know I'm not conventional, but I think we'll be seeing some soggy RL golf clothes on Sunday.