PGA Tour Wives Association Honored for Charity Work by Met Golf Writers

The PGA TOUR Wives Association has been selected to receive the 2013 Winnie Palmer Award from the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. The presentation will be made at the 62nd annual MGWA National Awards Dinner on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, NY.

The Winnie Palmer Award is presented by the MGWA to an individual or organization who has given consistently of their time, energy and enthusiasm to those less fortunate. The award is named in memory of the late wife of Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer, who devoted much of her life to charity work.

President Amy Wilson, wife of Mark Wilson, will accept the award on behalf of the PGA TOUR Wives.

Receipt of the Winnie Palmer Award comes in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the PGA TOUR Wives Association. Incorporated in 1988 by wives of professional golfers on the PGA TOUR, the Association’s mission is to render support and provide assistance to needy children and their families through charitable events.

Since its inception, the PTWA has expanded to include Web.com wives, significant others of both the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour, and individuals and companies who support the group’s charitable endeavors.

In addition to Amy Wilson, the PTWA Board of Directors is comprised of Meagan Laird (Martin), Kelly Bettencourt (Matt), Stacy Hoffman (Charley), Deanna Pettersson (Carl) and executive director Sara Moores.

Previous winners of the Winnie Palmer Award: Tony Wimpfheimer, 2012; Ernie Els, 2011; Betsy King, 2010; Donald “Doc” Giffin, 2009; Carolyn Cudone, 2008; Val Skinner, 2007; Peggy Kirk Bell, 2006; Rabbi Marc Gellman and Msgr. Tom Hartman, 2004; Vivienne Player, 2003; Herb Lotman and Frank Quinn, 2002; Dolores Hope, 2001; Barbara Nicklaus, 2000.

The MGWA’s National Awards Dinner is the longest running and often the largest golf dinner held annually in the U.S. All of golf’s governing bodies actively support the dinner — USGA, PGA of America, LPGA and PGA TOUR — and up to 700 industry leaders, local golfers and golf groups attend. Proceeds benefit the caddie scholarship programs of Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester/Fairfield, and the MGA Foundation. More than $1.3 million has been raised over the years for these charitable endeavors.

For tickets, visit www.metgolfwriters.org

Harrison Library Presents Golf: A Game For Life

Think you know the rules of golf? Match your knowledge with the guy who wrote the book....literally! Gene Westmoreland will speak at the Harrison (NY) Public Library Wednesday, May 22, at 7 PM about his latest book, A Game For Life.

I read the book...loved it...and reviewed it here.

Now you can hear Gene talk about his many experiences as an active member of several USGA Championship Committees, serving as co-chairman of the 2004 U.S. Amateur and the 2006 U.S. Open. He also served as the Metropolitan Golf Association's Tournament Director for many years. I don't know anyone with a deeper, more intimate knowledge of not only the rules of the game but how to enjoy it throughout your life--just as he has.

Come with your questions, be prepared to share your golf stories, and expect to have a great time chatting with an all-around good guy.

Admission is free at the Harrison Public Library, 2 Bruce Avenue, Harrison, NY. For more information, call  (914) 835-0324.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

AUR Presents Tech-driven Golf Fashion

There's a greater awareness than ever of golf apparel and the technology--not to mention the styling--behind it. That's one big reason why I've been writing more about it this year. Not that I'm a clothes horse (just ask my wife!), but I play at a lot of top notch, exclusive clubs and am often representing the publications I write for, the organizations I support, not to mention my own brand as a golf author. That means I try never to show up looking like something the cat found in the weeds this morning. I'm also a great believer in comfort (again, just ask my wife!), so I'm getting pickier and pickier about what I wear when I play.

All of which brings me to AUR. The company says the initials stand for 'All that you Are,' which nicely sums up their 2013 collection.

 “We are delighted to present our 2013 collection and are confident that this is the finest collection in the history of AUR, presenting a very tech-driven and fashionable offering," says President Mark Fletcher. "They've got a great look and hand feel, and the overall styling is a bit more European-influenced than what U.S. buyers might be familiar with, but at a much more reasonable price and with a more relevant, current fit. Our customers get great value for the fashion and quality we offer; our products are very fashion-forward for the price point. We have had an incredibly good presence on Tour in the past year with some of our Players finishing in the top 4 at several tournaments and we were able to get some great feedback on our line from Tour players to bring the best style and performance to golf.”

AUR offers the consumer three distinct categories: AUR Active, AUR Authentic and AUR Aware and now includes the AUR Stormpack outerwear line.

The 2013 color palette for men features basic must-haves in a myriad of colors that all merchandise back to the men's fashion collections. An assortment of cool grays and black mixed with additional bright blasts of color: Pool, Crimson and Slate are the highlight colors for Men. For women, distinctive style, fine quality and an aura of sophistication lends itself nicely to a golf collection that is current and on-the-ball. Fashion driven Sweet Praline features a stylish Geo print paired with classic plaid bottoms. Pretty in Pink features Passion Pink with subtle grey accents to provide a sporty, fun look. Purple Haze is all about bright trendy colors. Wisteria and Emerald green are base for this group with a cool diamond inspired print.

AUR Active is a performance golf collection with emphasis on the golfers ease of movement. This category features the AUR double-knit Dri-Max™ polyester. These polo’s features stretch, using spandex, a soft supple hand feel and a lightweight drape that makes it ideal for swinging a golf club. Golfers will appreciate the long lasting synthetic fibers, which create a strong, crease resistant fabric that is quick drying and maintains its shape season after season. For example, the AUR Tonal Embossed polo is available in bright colors such as pool, slate, crimson, black, and white offering the golfer comfort, breathability and a stand out look on any fairway, especially combined with the Active plaid flat front pant in navy plaid, coal or pool plaid.

Next on the tee is AUR Authentic, a collection of more traditional golf-inspired clothing. An assortment of sweaters, vests, pants and shorts round out the category in classic colors of black, navy, taupe and charcoal. Classic inspired v-neck argyle vests and full-zip cardigans in black or indigo are standouts in this collection. These argyle classics have a front panel design with ribbed finished collars, cuffs and waistbands.

Finally, AUR Aware is continuously the strongest growth category and the company's attempt to give back to our ailing planet with a unique list of specifically designed fabrics including CarboCool™, S.Cafe™ and Ecosmart™. This line not only looks great on the golfer but is great for the world's golf environment.

CarboCool™ fabric contains a blend of Polyester and Bamboo Charcoal. The carbonized bamboo is visual on the inside of this material as a grey tint. The benefits of this fabric include Moisture Wicking and Fast Drying for comfort, as well as Anti-Odor and Added UV Protection for peace of mind. Carbonized Bamboo is environmentally responsible, and offers the same benefits that a chemical finish would without the unnecessary harm to the environment.

S.Café™ uses a patented process that transforms the coffee grounds into yarn, which is then used to produce polos. Most coffee grounds end up in our landfills, which contributes to our overall solid waste management problem. Producing a garment with S.Café™ fabrics helps in easing landfill concerns.

Last but not least, EcoSmart™ is a fabric made from Recycled Polyester Yarn. Recycled polyester yarn is made from plastic post-consumer based products.
It is environmentally friendly by reducing fossil fuel consumption and green house gases when compared to regular polyester production. The Ecosmart story encompasses two different fabrics including 100% Recycled Polyester and Combed Cotton/Recycled Polyester. The Combed Cotton / Recycled Polyester provides the durability and performance of polyester with the added comfort and breathability of cotton.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Women In Golf Celebrated by St. Andrew's

Women interested in taking up golf in an easy-going, supportive atmosphere have a new champion. The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club—the oldest private club in the United States—is sponsoring a “Celebration of Women in Golf” on June 5, 2013, as part of the week-long commemoration of its 125^th anniversary.

The celebration has been designed by golf professionals to honor women’s historic contributions to the game while introducing non-golfers to everything that makes golf fun and exciting. Golf professionals from throughout the Met Area are volunteering their services to create a warm and welcoming environment for those who have never played and want to get into the swing. Event organizers are offering current golfers the opportunity to give back to golf by hosting and mentoring a woman new to the game while spending a fun filled day with golf professionals and other supportive women. 

The afternoon event, starts with registration at 11:00, followed by lunch and a presentation by Donna Orender, one of the most powerful women in sports who is now involved in engaging more women in golf through the PGA of America’s “Connecting with Her” program.  Orender, former president of the WNBA, grew up on Long Island and was a five-sport athlete in high school, lettering in basketball, field hockey, volleyball, softball, and tennis. 

Following lunch, indoor and outdoors stations at Saint Andrew’s Golf Club will consist of educational programs and instructional clinics. The on-course golf festival will feature stations of both golf and non-golf activities such as lessons, a fashion show, wine tasting, equipment demonstrations, and other experiences. The celebration will close with a cocktail reception. 

This special day is being supported with the help of The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club Ladies Golf Association, The First Tee of Metropolitan New York, Met PGA, and other area golf organizations.  The day is being sponsored in large part by one of Saint Andrew’s own female members, Carol Blum, who with her husband, Morton, made a $10,000 contribution to this event.

Proceeds from this charity event will support Girls Golf and FORE!, an initiative of The First Tee that educates, enriches, and empowers young girls by encouraging healthy habits and choices through pro-active thinking in the critical teenage years.

Tickets are $350, which includes two participants in the event or $250 for one person. To register, email email Ambry Bishop at abishop@saintandrewsgolfclub.com or call (914) 478-3475.  

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Maintaining Your Golf Posture

I spotted one of my biggest swing faults in this video from Five Iron Fitness. In Episode 7 of Golf Tips from Around The Met, Eanna Rushe of the Golf Posture POD and Biosport Technologies, talks about loss of posture on either the backswing or the downswing. Paul Kenney from Rockrimmon CC joins Eanna.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Willow Ridge Shows Its Teeth in US Open Local Qualifier

Climbing the hill to the US Open on Willow Ridge #9

Only three of 126 players broke par during this week's US Open Local Qualifier at Willow Ridge in Harrison, as cold, blustery winds combined with slick greens to confound hopefuls for a trip to Merion next month. Topping the field was a familiar name, Greg Bisconti, who is fresh off a win in the Westchester PGA Match Play at his home club, St. Andrew's in Hastings. On a much bigger stage, Bisconti also won Low Club Pro honors at the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. At Willow Ridge, his 69 was tied by Sunningdale pro Mark Ledorn and Apawamis pro Brian Bartow.

Rounding out the eight qualifiers were two amateurs, Max Buckley (71) of Westchester CC and Jeremy Quinn (73), a senior at St. John's. Willow Ridge's own Anthony Casalino (71), who was featured on the Golf Channel's Big Break last year, made the top eight as well, as did Jesse Fitzgerald (72), Garden City GC, and Michael Caporale (73), North Hills CC.  First alternate is Steve Scott (73) of Paramount CC and Brian Hughes (73), Raleigh, NC.

Honing the stroke for US Open LQR at Willow Ridge

Rob Labritz, GlenArbor GC Director of Golf and 2010 PGA Championship Low Club Pro, lead the LQR field at Country Club of Fairfield last week with a 68. Amateur Brian Williams (69), New York, finished right behind Labritz. Two other ams, Westport, CT, high schoolers Cameron Chottiner (70) and  Peter Richards (70) also made the cut in a five-hole, six-man playoff. Rounding out the six advancers was Grant Sturgeon (70), from Winged Foot GC, and Westport mini-tour pro Andrew Gai (70).

Qualifiers will advance to Section Qualifying, which will be held at eleven sites around the country (plus two international ones), on June 3. Locally, Century CC and Old Oaks CC will host the final step to Merion, where play begins June 13.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Antigua "Pops" Summer Colors

The Antigua Summer Men's andWomen's Performance Golf Collection will continue the bolder and brighter color stories introduced in Spring 2013. The color palette includes invigorating pop colors such as Lapis, Margarita, Apple, Melon, Phlox, and Zest, for the Men's Collections, and Light Melon, Kiss, Pansy, Fountain, Margarita, Light Apple, for the Women's Collections. I don't know where they get those names, but the colors sure "pop" your eyes.

"For Summer 2013, the focus of pop accent colors on less conspicuous fabrications throughout the collections shows off the styling and design features of the individual garments," says Sean Gregg, Director of Product Development for Antigua.

"The collections are current in both color and design trend, and are additionally embellished with performance enhancing features by incorporating Antigua's proprietary Desert Dry™ and Desert Dry™ Xtra-Lite moisture management technology to produce collections that are both merchandised appropriately for the season while offering performance functionality," Gregg added.

For 2013, Antigua introduced Performance-72 (PRF-72) into its golf fashion collections. 

New for the Men's Collection is the addition of two New Hybrid Pullovers, Styles Flare and Omega. They're Hybrid in the sense that they have the design lines of mid-to-light weight outer while utilizing the short sleeve styling found on performance polos. Both hybrid pullover styles feature Desert Dry™ moisture management technology and a ¼ zip placket with a stand up collar. 

Style Flare is offered in neutral colors such as Smoke, White, Black, Silver and Steel, and feature pop color contrast stitch detail. Style Omega features pop color contrast on the self fabric top shoulder and 100% polyester jacquard side insets.

Other new styles for Summer 2013 Men's Collection include the style Balance. Balance is a moisture management jersey polo with contrast printed engineered stripes, bringing together a perfect combination of performance function with fashion styling. This polo features Desert Dry™ moisture management technology.

The Men's Romeo two-color jacquard mesh self fabric color polo is offered in the entire range of this season's colors, and the Leader Pullover is available in many new color combinations for both Men and Women for summer as well.

New styles for the Women's Collection include Style Gem, a short sleeve tonal geometric pattern jacquard polo with a five-button placket. Style Reflect is a tonal textured stripe short sleeve polo with pop color contrast underarm and on the cover stitch detail at the princess seams.

Style Escape, a light weight interlock polo with an open V-neck placket and pop color contrast cut & sew color block details. The Escape polo features Desert Dry™ Xtra-Lite (D2XL) moisture management technology.

Two new sleeveless polo shirts are added to the Women's Collection for Summer. The Jive pique sleeveless polo has a dyed to match flat knit collar and contrast piping detail. For a blast of color, the Utopia sleeveless polo is offered in every color of the women's color palette, and features a solid pop color on the front and a white jacquard contrast back panel that wraps around the shoulder.

This season, new performance fabrics were developed with finer yarns to create ultra lightweight knits in textures and in flat jerseys and interlocks that update the hand, drape and appearance of the traditional polo.

By using the finest denier yarns available, Antigua has achieved super soft, super lightweight fabrics that provide the same coverage as other poly knits, but allow for faster wicking, additional breathability and less restriction in movement.

Desert Dry™ Technology is created exclusively for Antigua to absorb and wick moisture quickly & evenly to achieve the most efficient evaporation possible to keep golfers comfortable and dry.

Desert Dry™ XTRA-LITE (D2XL) is a combination of Antigua's exclusive Desert Dry™ moisture wicking feature combined with specially constructed ultra-light fabrics for maximum wicking performance and optimum comfort.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf