Covering the Women 4 Women Golf Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky has been on my schedule every year. This year I was going to get there even though there was threatening clouds with a little sunshine. I always enjoy the drive to an event. It gives me time to think about "what do our readers want to know"?

Although wrapped up in a wind suit, I thought this might be a short review at the Golf School portion. At the driving range, Kathy Whitworth and Jamie Fisher were helping one group of golfers with their grip and basic instruction. The grip had been a problem for me, so I was especially interested in what they had to say. Watching the instruction of beginners as well as experienced players by these LPGA and golfing experts, kept my interest all afternoon. I didn’t leave the practice range until the school and tournament was over.

Kathy Whitworth started playing golf at age 15 in New Mexico. Among her numerous accomplishments and awards, she was the seventh player named to the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 1975; made golf history as the first women’s team to compete in the PGA-sanctioned Legends of Golf when was paired with Mickey Wright; and during the 1988 Centennial of Golf in America celebration was named "Golfer of the Decade" by GOLF Magazine for the years 1968-77. Lady Fairway has named a style of shoes for her, "Lady Whitworth." She owns 88 tournament titles, more than any other professional golfer in history, male or female.

During her career she was tutored by Harvey Penick and Hardy Loudermilk. "When I was on tour, we would go to the driving range and Penwick would watch me hit balls for a long time before making any comments. Harvey Penwick," she said, "would tell me what I did right. He would never say what I did wrong." His philosophy was that "I would concentrate on the right things." In other words, the wrong things would not enter her mind and hinder her performance.

At the Golf School, Whitworth told each group that "it is not necessary to ‘squat’ like many instructors say." Squatting causes the loss of power. "Look at Karrie Webb. She almost stands up straight as a stick," she said. "The first thing to do is to lay the clubhead on the ground in a natural position. That will give a more accurate distance from the ball, rather than putting the club beside the ball, and then trying to decide how far away to stand."

"The most important thing is the grip," she said. "The hands - how they are holding the club." She spent a lot of time getting the club in the player’s hand correctly, using a handshake like approach. Then, Whitworth recommended a strong grip position for women. "If you hold the club with the "v" between your thumb and index finger of your left hand toward your right shoulder, this will keep your arm in line and make it easier for a square club at impact," she said. She never mentioned "keep your arm straight" that you often hear.

Whitworth conducts a lot of schools throughout the country. She had been to Little Rock, Arkansas to work with their golf team before coming to Louisville. When asked, "how can women play golf when they have very busy schedules," she recommended that they "play at 9-hole courses or leagues, and executives courses." "For business women, the Executive Women Golf Association is a great organization for golf and expanding your network," she said.