Like many golfers, one of the things I like most about the game is that it gets me out into nature.

Many courses open in New England this week and I can hardly wait to shut off my computer and venture into the awakening spring landscape of Connecticut.   

However, lush, chemically treated courses... ultra-manicured, and lined with exotic ornamental plantings... are often maligned for the negative effect they have on the environment.  And because I love nature it always upsets me to hear stories of species being displaced or water supplies being threatened.

So, as you can imagine, I was very pleased to hear about the efforts underway to make golf courses more environmentally friendly.  Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary Program is an inspiring example of such an effort. It's an award winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. Golf courses as protected sanctuaries as opposed to golf courses as environmentally destructive playgrounds. I really like that view and it seems to be catching on; Marriott hotels has recently committed to getting 34 of its courses certified by the end of the year, and there's  now an Audubon Golf trail in Louisiana  with  13  world class courses, all  members of AICS.

On my recent trip to SW FL I was amazed by the the natural abundance and diversity of species... despite explosive development. The courses I played all seemed to be managed with nature in mind. Ibis frolicked and foraged all over Naples Beach Golf course (pictured above) and Greg Norman's reputation as a proponent for golf's positive relationship with the environment was reflected in the native vegetation abundant protected areas at his beautiful Tiburon course (pictured below). Then there was the close encounter we had with a massive gator at Burnt Store in Punta Gorda.  After chuckling at the signs that said "Please Don't Molest the Alligators"  we were approached by a Marshall midway through our round and told that there was, "a large black gator" lounging next to the following tee. "Just be sure 'n show him some respect and you'll be fine" was the advice he offered.  For the most part golf people in FL seemed to respect and treasure nature.


















I'll have more on my FL trip later this week...as well as some tales of springtime golf in CT, so be sure to stop by.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

I know your golf vacation is all about golf, but you'll certainly want to take in a few of the local attractions while you're on the road. Or maybe not. 

I had to drag Nick to the Collier Museum in Naples the other day on our way out of town.  He couldn't wait to get up to Cape Coral and on to the next round.  But I convinced him there was an exhibition worth seeing, and in the end he was glad I did.

The exhibition is "Golf Swings!" and it's a light, entertaining overview of the history of golf... and the culture that has developed around it... throughout the years. It'll be at the Collier through April 19.

There are evocative graphics of the game's stars, like Babe Didrikson who I'm admiring at left.  Also on display are clubs and bags and apparel from golf's beginnings through the twentieth century.  It's amazing to see the evolution of club technology, and one can't help but wonder how today's stars would do with the primitive old irons and woods lined up neatly in the glass cases. 

What I enjoyed the most though, were the many everyday household items, carefully crafted over the years, for a population passionate about golf, clocks, and games and puzzels. Dishes, serving trays and cocktail sets. Myriad artifacts with one common denominator: The love of golf. 

So Nick and I lost ourselves for a little while in this nostalgic golf retrospective,  then we hit the road and headed north towards the next course.

Nick fell in love with this vintage golf outfit, once worn by Dwight Eisenhower. (personally, I don't think the plus-fours would suit his body build and I have a feeling he'd look somewhat dorky in the straw hat)

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

Of course a golf resort on the sea like Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club is wonderful.  And it goes without saying that the extraordinary luxury and stellar service of the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort makes for a truly memorable golf getaway.

But suppose you're on a budget... a limited one... or perhaps you want to take two or three or maybe four golf vacations a year, instead of just one?

There are options for golfing couples who want to play and stay for less.  Much less.

One that we explored was the Naples Quality Inn Suites and Golf Resort. And though the accommodations are basic, and the location a bit of a trek from the shoreline and superlative shopping of downtown Naples, the staff is ultra friendly and a well designed 18-hole golf course is located right on the property. There's also lighted driving range, practice greens and a well stocked pro shop on site.

I'll have more on our stay at the budget-friendly Quality Inn later this week in my overview, but suffice to say, we had fun and played our heart out on the convenient course.

A couple of days ago we had a stellar golf experience. 

We played Tiburon Golf Club's 18-hole "Gold" course at the The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort here in Naples, FL. 

It's one of two Greg Norman-designed courses at the resort, sculpted from 800 acres, but preserving the lush natural environment of unique Florida folliage, and diverse fowl and fauna.

Initially Nick and I were delighted to note an almost total absence of rough. You see, we both tend to blast our balls erratically of the tee,  and on our CT courses, the rough is our enemy. 

However, we soon found out that without the rough, balls tend to roll, and at Tiburón that means there's a good chance they'll end in the jungle that surrounds many fairways, or in a scary stacked-sod walled bunker.  As if that weren't enough, there are numerous orangy-red coquina shell waste areas liberally scattered throughout the course. They too call out to each unsteady shot.

So ultimately, despite the expansive, perfectly trim fairways, the course was quite challenging. I scored way high (what else is new), while Nick managed a pretty decent round (sheer luck IMHO). Needless to say though, we both had an awesome time.  With five sets of tees on each hole, Tiburón is an excellent choice when you've got golfers of varying skill levels.

In my overview post later this week, I'll have much more about this delightful course, as well as the the amazing club house and exceptional facilities that are part of the Tiburon experience.

In the meantime Nick and I are moving on to another SW FL golf experience.  You can be sure I'll share it with you.

That was totally supposed to go in the hole.

How the *bleep* did I end up in the cart path?

Yesterday afternoon we checked into the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples. This resort is all about luxury, and isn't that exactly what you want on your couples golf vacation?  Today we play on one of the Greg Norman-designed courses, and I have a feeling we'll both be challenged on the greens.

I'll have much more for you about this amazing resort in my next post.

Our tee time was 11:55, perfect for the vacationing couple who wants to sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. And that's what we did.  Then we simply walked across the street to the Golf Club.

There we met director of golf and head golf professional, George Willard, who gave us an overview of the historical course. Naples Beach Golf Course has been around since the 1920s and is much loved by the community. We took a brief tour of the facilities, the splendid spa and gym and beautiful pro shop. 

By then foursomes were finishing up their early rounds. Nick and I went out as a twosome and played a round that was fun and relaxing, if not low scoring. The absence of the rolling hills and undulating fairways we're accustomed to, was balanced by creative use of water, particularly on the ultra challenging finishing hole. 

I took quite a bit of video and lots of photos of this charming course, and  I'll be sharing it with you over the next few days,  For now let me just say that Nick and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience.  BTW, we followed that round with his / hers massages at the amazing spa.  Yes it was pretty  amazing.

The only problem is that right how we're wondering how we're going to adjust to our day-to-day life in CT again.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

We left a cold gray CT morning, bundled  in multiple layers of dark wool. A couple of hours later we found ourselves in a world of balmy temperatures, tropical cocktails and bikinis.  That in itself was...remarkable. 

By the time we reached the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Resort we were really starting to feel our vacay. Here you have a golf resort, that totally works as a beach resort (or visa versa). The vibe is "preppy casual"  the decor, "tropical chic", and from the moment you arrive you feel relaxed and welcome.

We took a walk on the long white sandy beach, had drinks and snacks at the lively poolside bar, and checked out the pristine golf course in anticipation of tomorrow's round.

I'm delighted to have been able to trade CT's oppressive gray skys for for the sunshine of Southwestern FL.  Nick's having a great time as well.  He loved the look of the golf course and the perfect beachside bar. He even had his first Pina Colada

I'll have much more on this awesome resort tomorrow.  In the meantime I've got to get a bit of sleep so I can beat Nick one the course tomorrow.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

It's been several year's since Nick and I took a true vacation, one where recreation was the main point. 

We travel quite a bit but it's always for business, and often to a cold European capitol or a teaming Asian city.  Any recreating we do is threaded through a series of meetings, or squeezed into a weekend on one end of a hectic work week. Normally it takes place in a museum or a mall due to inclement continental weather.

So a golf vacation, a true golf vacation, in a warm touristic local, is something we're both looking forward to.  We're also slightly apprehensive about it. In planning this trip we began to wonder; without the distraction of work, with nothing more pressing to worry about than his slice or my shank, will we still get along?   

Well tomorrow we head down to the west coast of Florida to spend a week playing golf and ...recreating, and I'm not sure how it'll turn out, but I'll definitely let you know.  We'll be visiting some awesome luxury retreats, as well as more reasonable golf resort options, and we'll be playing at a variety of courses.

In putting together this trip I looked for complexes that offered more than just golf. I wanted places that would lend themselves to our sometimes divergent desires (I like a warm sunny beach - he likes a dark, air conditioned bar). I also sought out golf courses that would compliment both of our games.

Naturally, I'm bringing my camera along and I'll be posting every day, so look for my 1st installment tomorrow.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

Last year, at exactly this time, the dresses appeared. 

Adorable golf dresses, by all the top designers, and I wrote about them with pleasure.

Well guess what?

They're back, and they're better than ever. The color palette ranges from the softest pastels to the boldest of brights, and in keeping with this year's fashion trends, skirts are slightly flared, somewhat flirtier than before.

Verdina's chevron stripe golf dress has diagonal stripes that further emphasize the swing of the skirt and even Nike's Dri-FIT UV Dress, ultra high-tec though it may be, has a skirt with flirty flair.

Lots of gals are gravitating towards this new, ultra-feminine styling but I've already received a number of emails asking me: "Um... what goes underneath these flouncy, floating golf dresses"? The iconic image of Marilyn Monroe with her swirling white dress in The Seven Year Itch comes to mind, but as alluring as that is it wouldn't really work on a golf course, would it? No, that would be too much of a distraction, for you and your playing partners. 

Some of these styles have built in shorts, effectively solving the underdress dilema, however, many don't, and that's where you need to get creative.

I asked the members of my fearless foursome, an ultra-stylish group of Golf Girl's, to weigh in.

"Boy Shorts" said Jee, without thinking twice. 

"Bike short are better. They're a bit longer and if you can match them to the dress you really take the look to the next level!" That was Cat, she's always trying to take her look to the next level.

"You don't want to go commando with these dresses" concluded Candy , a cheeky (pardon the pun) Golf Girl whose tastes are clearly more Britney Spears than Lorena Ochoa".   "I just wear a bathing suit bottom", You wear it at the beach don't you?" So what's the big deal on the golf course".

And that's my point.  You've got a number of options but you've absolutely got to go with what you're comfortable with, otherwise your game will suffer ... and you don't want to mess up your game for your dress.

No matter how hot it makes you look.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

OK, you've got your golf bag, and it's got all the pockets, and compartments, and club organizers you could possibly want. It might even have a beer water bottle holder. So you're all set. But what about a baby bag?  If you've got a toddler or a baby ... or one on the way... you're going to need a bag that works just as well as your golf sac. 

Well, I've been hearing a lot about one amazing baby bag that works equally well for a day in the golf galleries or a trip to the beach.

It's called Baby Sherpa and it's now the bag of choice for the Woods family, as in Tiger, Elin and Sam. In fact, it seems that Tiger and Elin each have one, Elin's being the slightly smaller version called the short hall bag.  Both bags are very ergonomic and they're four bags in one - a cooler, a diaper bag, a camera bag and one for everything else.  Then there are the clips and loops.  They let you attach a blanket or windbreaker to the outside of the bag where you can grab them when you need them.  Best of all this bag looks more like a cool carry-all backpack for outdoor adventures, than a dorky diaper bag.

Tiger and Elin aren't the only celebrity parents that have one - Brad Pitt and Angeliana Jolie are Baby Sherpa fan too. And they're definitely not dorky.


http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

I love these ladies, don't you? 

It was a simpler time, or so it seems to us now.

I don't suppose there were a multitude of choices in golf apparel back then; you put on a cardigan or wind breaker, perhaps you donned a jaunty hat or a chic pair of cat eye sunglasses, and then you hit the course with your girl friends.

Well, maybe you enjoyed a cigarette first.

In any case, this charming photo has inspired me to get looking for my own vintage golf threads and accessories. I've already grabbed an awesome alpaca cardigan from the 60's.  It's powder blue, a true retro color.  Now I just have to find the capris to go with it.  Preferably in plaid polyester.

http//www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

Connecticut is often obstinate in March. Holding on day after day to the bitter, blustery air mass that found its way here months ago.

One gray day after another arrives; soggy snow falls, and melts... and falls again.  There's little temptation to go out.  The golf courses are deserted... dismal reflections of their festive summer selves. Hibernation seems a viable option. 

But it's not the option I've selected this year. This year I've been at the range almost every day throughout the winter, practicing what I can, trying to be disciplined and methodical.

Generally, I'll begin with my sand wedge and aim for the green that's 50 yards out.  I hit full shots and have gotten pretty good at placing my ball exactly where I want it.

I then work down through my irons, and by five I'm pretty consistently hitting 140 yds. Finally, I move on to my hybrid and then my driver, which is now giving me 175 really straight, really consistent yards.  Of course I fantasize about 250, but I'm pragmatic and actually quite pleased with the progress I've made.

I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to take these skills out onto the course, but I'm hoping.  But then there's putting.  Never the strongest part of my game, it's been sorely neglected this winter and will most likely be problematic, at least in the beginning. The thing is, I've been playing for two seasons now and this is going to be the year I start taking my score seriously. Those first two years were just a warm-up. I'm even thinking of taking the Golf Digest Challenge.  I'll keep you posted on that.

This past weekend I was out there both days, and despite relentless rain on Saturday and cold high winds on Sunday, I felt a little twinge of Spring in the air.  The  seasons they are a changing.

I'm just hoping I can hold onto this swing for a little longer.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

I was at my dermatologist's office this morning, waiting to get my semiannual botulism fix, when I came upon a most intriguing story; It seems that, Botox, the wrinkle erasing wonder drug, might also be able to help golfers who suffer from that enigmatic movement disorder known as the yips.

This is really big news, because researchers at the Mayo clinic have found that between one quarter and one half of all "mature" golfers have experienced the twitches, jerks and jitters that define this condition, and according to a yipster friend of mine it's an ultra frustrating affliction. One you wouldn't wish on any golfer.

The study, which is underway now, is looking at both brainwaves, and muscular activity in the hands and wrists... the idea being that if the problem is found to be caused primarily by a muscular issue, there's a good chance it can be signifitantly improved by a couple of Botox injections in the hand//wrist area. EEGs and a $14,000 sensor-laden golf gloves were used to measure the variables. The results are not in quite yet, they're expected to be fully compiled by early summer, at which point we'll see if "the Tox" is going to work for those highly frustrated yipsters.

I can tell you it definitely works well on wrinkles (not that I know much about those). The scandalous Lindsey Lohan is rumored to have indulged in a couple injections recently, and she's only in her early 20s, then not long ago, infamous American Idol judge Simon Cowell proudly acknowledged using Botox, while refusing to do any kind of promotion for another pharmaceutical product, one that's frequently advertised during golf tournaments.

If we do find out that the dreaded Yips can be cured with a couple of injections of Clostridium botulinum, soon we may begin to see Botox ads sandwiched between the ones with the mature couples holding hands in matching outdoor bathtubs.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

Prepster chic with a touch of retro. Now that's a look I love adore.

So these needlepoint head covers from Ellabella's, the ultra cute Cape Cod gift emporium, were a no brainer for my golf bag from the get-go.  The only problem being, which of the many sweet designs to choose. The hummingbird or the palm tree...the dragonfly or the orchid?  I'm thinking I may just have to select several different styles. 

Some years ago (not saying how many) I learned the basics of needlepoint in a Jr. High Home Economics class, and for several seasons, where ever I went, I toted along my project-du-jour;  an eyeglass case for Aunt Irene or a belt for Uncle Mike. My repetoir was small but the common denominator was that I rarely finished these projects. Mostly they ended as a jumble of brightly colored yarn stuffed in a drawer and forgotten.

So I flipped when I saw these head covers. The work is all done, so no need for needles, but the nostalgia factor is definitely there, as is the preppy 70s color palate.  And, my golf bag happens to have lime green highlights. This season they might just be calling me, Patricia the Prepster Princess.

...And I'm totally OK with that.

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

Over six million golfers are top management executives and according to Barron's, "a full 80% of that number agreed that the game of golf is an important business development tool."
So why is it so often overlooked by women? Women who are getting very expensive educations, working very long hours and making tremendous personal sacrifices for their careers, often tend to overlook a simple, accessible, enjoyable business development tool.  I believe it' s because most women do not feel that golf is simple or accessible or....enjoyable, and that's a perception we golfers should all be working to change.

In this piece, posted over the weekend, Linda Lowen, an award winning journalist and media producer specializing in women's issues, urges working women to consider taking up golf.  Linda suggests that, "putting yourself in the right place with the right people",  leads to more solid and fruitful business relationships. In most business circles, golf is a very effective way to obtain proximity and access.

Golf for Women's own Sally Jenkins also writes about golf as a businesswoman's power game, in her Corporate Report column this month.  She too extols the virtues of golf for the corporate woman and adds an apt cautionary note.

Executive women, and those aspiring to careers in business, would be well advised to think outside of the box (and inside of the tee box) if they wish to break the glass grass ceiling.

Illustration - Patricia Hannigan/Golf Girl Media

http://www.thegolfgirl.blogspot.com

As the LPGA stars battle it out in Singapore this weekend, there are younger girls, all over the world, who can't wait to join the fray.

They're doing the drills, practicing relentlessly and sacrificing entire chunks of their youth in hopes of hitting with the big girls some day. That very few girls will ever get there is understood, but dreams are dreams, and there are those who don't look kindly on letting them die.

The remarkable story of the Howard sisters, which just appeared in the New York Times, provides a rare glimps into the day to day life of two aspiring young golf stars, Ginger and Robbie Howard, and their amazingly dedicated family. 

Reading this piece one gets a clear sense of the absolute single mindedness required for the pursuit of a high level golf career.  At ages 12 and 13 these girls live and breath golf, 24/7, and they've done so pretty much all their lives. Their immense natural talent was first noticed at the driving range when they were just three and four, and it wasn't long before their Dad, Robert realized that the girls had a gift.  Their Mom Gainna agreed ...and the rest is Howard history ... history that had included a move to  South Florida,  a decision to home school, enrollment at Leadbetter and endless drives to tournaments and competitions. The whole family is 100% committed . The Howards are a team and their collective goal is to have the girls be champions.

When the sisters were asked if they would rather be famous celebrities like Michelle Wie or great golfers like Morgan Pressel, who qualified for the women's Open when she was 13,  Robbi had what I consider a spot-on response; she simply asked, "Can we be both?"  Well, from what I just read about the Howard girls, the correct answer to that is, "yes".