Ladies Golf Journey » Nancy Berkley

TEE IT FORWARD – I-70 Rocky Mountain Golf Trail – Vail, Colorado to Moab, Utah© – Part II

Rosemary — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:12:05 +0000

by Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting, www.berkleygolfconsulting.com

About Vail Resort Properties

There are several courses along I-70 that are semiprivate and offer tee times only if you’re staying at a Vail Resort facility. Vail Resort Properties is a public company that owns and manages some of the top ski (and golf) resorts in the country, including Rock Resorts. There are almost 50 Vail Resort venues to stay at in the Vail Valley, with a wide range of prices. See www.vailmanagement.com and search for other websites of brokers.

If you stay at one of their properties, you’ll be able to play the following private courses:

Sonnenalp Golf Club, Edwards, Colo.

www.sonnenalpgolfclub.com

The Club at Cordillera, Edwards, Colo.
The Cordillera gated residential community is about 20 minutes west from Beaver Creek along I-70. There are four courses, but two courses (the Summit and Mountain Courses) are closed this summer due to developer and home-owner disputes. The Dave Pelz nine-hole short course is a great par-3 layout that is fun to play and a good choice for family golf. There is the beautiful Lodge at Cordillera which I consider one of the best après-golf setting in the Rockies. The town of Edwards is growing rapidly and has lots of good restaurants and trendy shops along with a multiplex movie theater. www.cordillera-vail.com – 970/926-5950

Red Sky Ranch, Wolcott, Colo.
Red Sky Ranch is an upscale private residential development with two fabulous courses at a single destination. Red Sky is a few miles beyond Edwards in the town of Wolcott. Turn south (up the mountain) at the sign for Red Sky Ranch. One course is designed by Tom Fazio and the other by Greg Norman. The courses are open to Vail Resort guests on alternating days (bring rain gear if playing in the afternoon). I have played both courses several times. The forward tees are excellent and fair. Fazio Forward Tees: 5,265 yards (Slope 125); Norman Forward Tees: 5,269 yards (Slope 124). Norman’s course is especially well-bunkered. Even with Norman’s challenging design, the approach shots for bogey golfers are manageable because there is usually a clear opening to the green that allows for a bump-and-run as well as a pitch-shot approaches. In my Opinion: Both courses played from the forward tees are average to difficult and also challenging. But they don’t beat you up, they bring you back for their sheer beauty and outstanding design. Remember: It’s “ok” to pick up your ball if the going gets rough. www.redskygolfclub.com – 970/754-8400

Haymaker Golf Course, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Forward Tees: 5,059 yards (Slope 127). Haymaker is an optional side trip. About 30 minutes on I-70 beyond Beaver Creek at the junction of Wolcott, turn north on Route 131 towards Steamboat Springs. The drive from Wolcott to Haymaker is an hour and one half and takes you through gently rolling Yampa Valley ranch country. Though the forward tees at Haymaker are 5,059 yards, I think they play harder, which is confirmed by the Slope rating. The course is set in a valley with few grand mountain views. The course is an Audubon International certified course with lots of natural ball-catching fescue and “Do Not Enter” signs on posted “Environmentally Sensitive Areas.” Stray off the fairways and odds are you will lose your ball. In my Opinion: This course from the forward tees is of average difficulty and challenging. It made GolfWeek’s “Best Courses You Can Play” list, but for me on that day it was not a favorite. www.haymakergolf.com – 970/870-1846

Eagle Ranch Golf Club – Eagle, Colo.
Forward Tees: 5,497 yards (Slope 137). Continuing along I-70 (you are now about 45 minutes from Vail) you will come to the town of Eagle. We are really “down-valley” now and the golf season begins earlier and lasts well into fall. Eagle Ranch is an Arnold Palmer Signature Design Course (co-designed with Ed Seay). The course begins in a valley and then winds up into the hills providing some beautiful vistas. But, this is really a hard course – from all tees. The forward blocks are 5,497 yards, but this is the hardest set of forward tees women will encounter on my I-70 trail. The catch is that standing on the tees, it doesn’t look that hard. But, there are tight landing areas edged with fescue and many bunkers along with lateral water hazards that will require lay-ups for many women. Forget about bump-and-run-shots and make sure your pitching wedges are working. This course definitely needs a set of shorter forward tees. In my Opinion: This course is very difficult from the forward tees. But because the design is good and the holes memorable, I play it at least once each summer. www.eagleranchgolf.com – 866/328-3232

Gympsum - Dramatic Par 3

Gypsum Creek Golf Course, Gypsum, Colo.
Forward Tees: 5,197 yards (Slope 117). This course is a Pete Dye design and was originally built as a semiprivate course for the Cotton Ranch residential development about 20 years ago. The development didn’t fare well and the course is now owned by the town of Gypsum. The good news is that there are not as many houses along the fairway as there might have been. The bad news is that the maintenance of the course has slipped in recent years. The sophistication of the Dye design is still there, albeit a bit hidden because of the lack of definition due to modest course maintenance. Nevertheless, a few holes still display the Dye drama and to score well, good course management is required. Because of its down-valley location, it’s open earlier in the spring and later in the fall than courses closer to Vail. In my Opinion: from the forward tees this is a relatively easy course but it’s currently not particularly interesting or memorable. A good restoration would enhance the potential of this course. www.gypsumcreekgolf.com – 970/524-6200

Lakota Canyon Golf Club, New Castle, Colo.
Forward Tees: 4,744 yards (Slope 123). Just beyond Glenwood Springs is the town of New Castle, which has one of my favorite public courses. The facility is designed by the well-known architect, Jim Engh, who along with other accolades, designs the best forward tees for women. In a strategy unusual for today’s golf architects, Engh designs each hole from the forward tees and then back to the tips. Lakota Canyon was the centerpiece of a residential development that has stalled out. The clubhouse has never been built and the pro shop operates out of a temporary trailer-like facility. But forget those amenities. The course is a hidden gem: it’s well-maintained and the scenery is terrific. Characteristic of Engh courses the greens are bowl-shaped. Many a time I have hit onto the green sure my ball would roll off, but there it was… rolling back to the pin. How good is that!! In my Opinion: This course from the forward tees is of easy to average difficulty and fun to play, and it has made many “Best Public Course” lists for good reason. www.lakotacanyonranch.com – 970/984-9700

Redlands Mesa

The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa, Grand Junction, Colo.
Forward tees: 4,890 yards (Slope 115). As Route I-70 heads west, the landscape changes dramatically. The snow-covered peaks are behind us as the drive to Grand Junction goes down through the western gentler slopes of the range. Redlands Mesa is another Engh design. It also is part of a residential development that seems to be doing well; every year I play it, more houses seem to appear along the fairways. Grand Junction has a good year-round climate that makes it a popular place to settle and has a funky, fun downtown. Redlands Mesa is a dramatic course. The elevation changes are awesome and the desert-like scenery is quite beautiful. Like other Engh courses, the forward tees provide a great golf experience and are not what I call “dumbed-down” for women golfers. Sometimes I play from the Men’s Canyon tees with my husband, except on the really hard holes. This is a course where it’s easy to mix-and-match tees. In my Opinion: From the forward tees this course is easy (most of the time) and fun to play. It’s definitely worth the trip. www.redlandsmesa.com – 970/263-9270

Moab Golf Club

Moab Golf Club, Moab, Utah
Forward Tees: 4785 yards (Slope 107). I didn’t travel to Moab to play golf. I came to visit the Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. But, I noticed in a local brochure that there was a course on the western part of town. I took the morning off and went for a visit. What a treasure! The pro gave me a set of clubs to use and sent me off. The course was built by a town engineer (hopefully a golfer as well). The forward tees are the easiest on the I-70 Trail. Every hole is reachable in regulation which is quite a different golf experience and the type that Arthur Little talks about in www.golfwithwomen.com. The front nine is more scenic as it plays up into the famous canyons of the area. I met up with a group of women who play here regularly; they love it also. For a little more challenge they sometimes play the second longer tee of 5,459 yards, which has a slope of 114 – still an easy course. In my Opinion: This is a very easy and very fun course. It plays quickly so you will still have time to visit the parks. http://www.moabcountryclub.com/golf/proto/moabcountryclub/ – 435/250-6488

In Conclusion

You have some choices now. You could just keep driving west – maybe to Pebble Beach in California or Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Or you could make your way back to Denver or Eagle Airport. And there is nothing that says you have to play the I-70 courses in the same order as laid out in this article.

Ending my golf trail with Moab and those fun forward tees brings me back to the goal of my golf voyage. Are most forward tees too hard for women golfers? Are they discouraging more women from playing more golf? My answer is a simple “yes.”

I have all my scorecards, notes and photos from the more than a dozen courses reviewed in this article – many of which I have played several times. How many birdies or pars did I get? Not many. Yet, my Handicap Index of 16.2 places me in about the 17th percentile of women golfers who maintain handicaps on the GHIN system. That means that more than 80 percent of women golfers are probably not enjoying an optimal “winning” or “successful” experience on the I-70 Golf Trail. Playing golf for many women golfers may be more work than fun.

Of course, if you are playing with friends or your spouse or partner and are on vacation and the weather is glorious, you are probably having a good time. But vacation golfers will not grow the game. The industry needs millions of women to take up the game or reconnect with it.

It’s not hard to make a shorter and easier set of forward tees. Many times, it’s just adding another tee box here and there, which is usually not a major expense. Special attention should be directed to the par 3-holes. There should always be a tee from which most women golfers can reach the green AND if they miss it, are not in an unplayable situation.

In my I-70 golf trail, there are many par-3s that are guarded by long fescue grass, water, severe bunkers, ravines or rocky terrain. I can usually reach the green, but a less experienced golfer will have trouble. Give an average woman golfer a chance to par a hole. Make her feel good. Give her a chance to cheer. Make the I-70 Golf Trail more fun for women golfers.

Nancy Berkley

Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women’s golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, “Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women’s Golf,” published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and is often quoted in national publications. She also writes for www.ladiesgolfjourney.com. She is also the author of the NGF publication: “An Insider’s Guide to Careers in the Golf Industry.” She was a contributing editor of “Golf for Women” magazine and a founding advisor of “Golfer Girl Magazine.” Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com. Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.

TEE IT FORWARD on the I-70 Rocky Mountain Golf Trail – Vail, Colorado to Moab, Utah©

Rosemary — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:06:07 +0000

by Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting

(June 2011) This is a first! A golf trail vacation named after a U.S. Interstate highway with a special focus on women golfers and forward tees. But for those planning a trip to the Rockies this summer, the directions are easy: fly to Denver and head west on Interstate I-70. Drive for almost two hours through Summit County and over the Vail Pass into Eagle County. When you get to Vail – stop! That’s where my I-70 Rocky Mountain Golf Trail begins.

The beauty of the Vail Valley and the areas on the western slopes of the Rockies approaching Grand Junction bring me back year after year, not only for the sheer beauty but for the golf as well. But last summer I had a special goal. I wanted to play the area’s public courses from the forward tees and provide a play-ability and enjoy-ability guide for women golfers visiting the area. (The forward tees are sometimes called “ladies tees” or “red tees,” but I am going to use “forward tees” throughout this article because more and more courses are selecting tee names that denote distance rather than gender.)

My mission was also prompted by my conviction that the forward tees on most golf courses are just too long and hard for female recreational golfers. Basically, many forward tees discourage women from playing more golf.

One major problem is that it is hard to tell whether a course will be easy or hard before you play it. Not all forward tees of the same length are of equal difficulty. A course with a forward tee of 5,000 yards with wide fairways, no hills and no water will provide a much more enjoyable experience for most women golfers than a course of the same length with hills, narrow fairways, deep rough and forced carries over streams and lakes.

Of some help is the USGA Slope and Rating system which provides an evaluation of the difficulty of the course. See http://www.usga.org/Handicapping.aspx?id=7792 for more information. The “Slope” of a set of tees describes how difficult (or easy) the course will play for a male or female BOGEY golfer and is almost always printed on the scorecard and available on the course website. The Slope is expressed numerically according to a USGA formula. But the Slope is not related to the score that a golfer would have on those tees. It’s confusing. As a guide, Slopes for forward tees generally range from 115 to 130 – the lower, the easier the course.

Contrary to USGA rating assumptions, Arthur D. Little and his wife, Jann Leeming have concluded, based on their experience operating a golf course, that the average female golfer hits her drive 140 yards. See their website www.golfwithwomen.com. Arthur and Jann propose that a playable set of forward tees for the average female golfer should be 4,200 yards. I didn’t find a single set of forward tees of that length in my I-70 Golf Trail. In fact, as you will read, the shortest set of forward tees on any course was about 4,800 yards.

As a side note, Alice Dye, a golf course architect and the wife of Pete Dye, suggested to me years ago that all courses should have a 4,800-yard forward tee if they wanted to provide a playable course for most women golfers. It’s taken a while for the industry to catch on, but the PGA and USGA are getting ready to launch a new initiative called “Tee It Forward” which means that golf courses will be taking a good look at whether their forward tees are “forward” enough.

For the men: I don’t mean to ignore you. In fact, my husband played all of the courses in this article with me. All of them have several sets of tee choices for men. So, join us!

Let’s Get Started

My I-70 golf trail begins in Vail, but it could have begun miles earlier. There are fine courses in Keystone and Breckenridge not far off I-70 in Summit County. If you have the time, think of taking a detour there. But for me, my journey to the Rockies begins after I go through Vail Pass and start to head down into Vail Valley and into Eagle County.

So with that background, here is my review and opinion about the public courses that I played – beginning in Vail and ending in Moab, Utah. I’ve included mention of a few semiprivate courses along the way and I offer a few side trips suggestions.

My Forward-Tee Grading System Assumptions

I developed a personal grading system. I am a solid bogey golfer. On a good day, I score in the low 90s from most forward tees of today’s average length. On an easy course, I score in the high 80s.

But, for this article, I decided to evaluate the courses from the perspective of an average female player. According to USGA statistics of women’s handicaps, the median Handicap Index for women golfers with official USGA handicaps on the GHIN system is 27. For a list of handicaps indexes by percentages of women golfers, see http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/Women-s-USGA-Handicap-Indexes/.

Since many women don’t keep handicaps, the “average” women’s handicap is higher – probably about 30. In my opinion, a woman with a 30-handicap playing “average” forward tees (usually between 5,000 and 5,300 yards) can sometimes break 100 but can seldom par a hole and struggles for a bogey.

“In My Opinion” Reviews

I am reviewing the play from forward tees in three simple buckets:

(defined as how most current forward tees play)

In addition, I am modifying those ratings with additional notations such as:

And of course, I mention the scenery – after all this is the Rockies! And, where appropriate, the condition of the course and the pro shop staff welcome.

In each course description, I have listed the length of the forward tees along with the Slope of that set of tees for women golfers. Reading between the lines, you will notice how the Slope of the course (the lower the easier) relates to its difficulty and doesn’t always correlate to the length of the forward tees. Remember: Not all forward tees are equal! And women who hit a very long tee shot (over 170 yards) will find that a course with high Slope will not be as difficult for them as it is for women who do not hit as far.

Vail Golf Course

First Stop:
Vail Golf Course, Vail, Colo.
Forward Tees: 5,200 yards (Slope 114). This course is very busy so don’t even think about just dropping in. Call ahead for a tee time. And, because afternoon rain showers are such a regular feature of the Valley – the clouds appear usually between 2 and 4 p.m. – it’s best to play early and wise to have some rain gear with you. There are five sets of tees including a 3,562-yard set for beginners or juniors. This is a great course for family golf. The front nine is mostly flat (you will hear the traffic along Route 70) and very manageable. The back nine winds uphill and becomes more challenging. This is one of the few (maybe only) courses with both a female director of golf and female head instructor. Vail Golf Club consistently wins awards for being a top female-friendly golf facility. In my Opinion: From the forward tees, the course is easy and fun and deserves all the awards it receives. www.vailgolfclub.net – 970/479-2260

Eagle-Vail Golf Club, Avon, Colorado

Eagle-Vail Golf Club, Avon, Colo.

Forward Tees: 4,819 yards (Slope 120). This is a municipal course and the town leaders approved renovations to be completed this spring and next fall. The changes will make the course play faster, and with the relocation of tees and key bunkers a little easier. The course is unique as it winds up and down a mountain with some steep cart paths and gorgeous views as well as some house-lined fairways and greens on some holes. (The scorecard notes that golfers are liable for property damage!) The course was co-designed by the late golf architect, Robert von Hagge. The forward tees are much harder than the length suggests (in spite of a 120 Slope) and the course requires careful course management. A lay-up is sometimes a very smart shot. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The driving range is a long way from the first tee, so come early if you want to warm up. The green fees are reasonable and package prices are available. In my Opinion: From the forward tees, the course is average and challenging. It beats you up, but brings you back and, with the renovations, I expect it will be a little easier. www.eaglevailgolfclub.com – 800/341-8051

Mount Massive Golf Course, Leadville, Colo.

Forward Tees: 4,958 yards (Slope 110). Take a side trip to this course because if you would like to play at North America’s highest golf course – elevation over 9,680 feet, then you might want to consider a turn south at Minturn off Route I-70 onto Route 24 towards Leadville, a historic silver-mining town. It’s about an hour’s drive along some beautiful mountain scenery, including a stop at Camp Hale where U.S. soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division in World War II trained during the winter to fight in the European Alps. Mt. Massive has nine holes with two sets of tees so that you can play an 18-hole round. It’s one of the few courses whose rules state: “shirts and shoes required.” (I have visited this course, but not played it.) In my Opinion: Based on the Slope of 110, this course would be easy and fun and beautiful for most golfers, while allowing time to admire the highest mountain ranges in the West. This is a good walking course. And they say that the higher the altitude, the farther the ball goes. I am going to play it this summer for sure. www.mtmassivegolf.com – 719/486-2176

Beaver Creek - Ski Slopes in Backround

Beaver Creek Golf Club, Avon, Colo.

Forward Tees: 5,088 yards (Slope 128). This semiprivate course is owned and managed by Vail Resorts. Guests of Beaver Creek and Vail Resort properties have priority tee times, so tee times to the general public are limited. Call ahead. (See note below about Vail Management Company and access to other semiprivate courses along I-70). The Beaver Creek pro shop has an excellent selection of women’s golf apparel and the staff is extremely helpful. I love this course! It was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. – one of his last projects. The first three holes – a par-5, par-3 and another par-5 – are among the most memorable holes I have ever played. The course starts at its highest altitude and then works down the valley. The back nine is not quite as interesting until the last few holes, where the challenge picks up and streams criss-cross fairways. Last season the course was in super condition. From several holes, the Beaver Creek ski trails offer a magnificent view. I played from the 5,088-yard forward tees which have a 128 Slope indicating that is on the difficult side. In my Opinion: From the forward tees this course is of average difficulty and both fun and challenging. I never tire of playing it and am certain that one day I will par the third hole! www.beavercreek.com/golf/beaver-creek-golf-club – 970/754-5775

Nancy Berkley continues her “In My Opinion” Review in Part II of TEE IT FORWARD on the I-70 Rocky Mountain Golf Trail – Vail, Colorado to Moab, Utah.
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Nancy Berkley

2011 PGA Merchandise Show – A Woman’s View – Part IV

Rosemary — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 22:10:44 +0000

There are thousands of items to see at the show from apparel to new products. Nancy Berkley selected her favorites in this report at www.ladiesgolfjourney.com/2011-PGA-Merchandise-Show-Womans-View-Part-IV.

2011 PGA Merchandise Show – A Woman’s View – Part III

Rosemary — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:27:15 +0000

Mixed in with Nancy Berkley’s visits to the exhibits were a series of conferences and interviews. Highlights of what she learned about “Junior golf is IN AGAIN” is at www.ladiesgolfjourney.com/2011-PGA-Merchandise-Show-Womans-View-III.html.

2011 PGA Merchandise Show – A Woman’s View – Part II

Rosemary — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:02:48 +0000

Mixed in with Nancy Berkley’s visits to the exhibits were a series of conferences and interviews. Highlights of what she learned about More Women Playing Golf Finally is at www.ladiesgolfjourney.com/2011-PGA-Merchandise-Show-Womans-View-II.html.

2011 PGA Merchandise Show – A Woman’s View

Rosemary — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:06:49 +0000

Nancy Berkley, Berkley Golf Consulting, shares her experiences as she reviews it. Her review focuses primarily – but not exclusively – on the new products and trends for women golfers. But as you will read, her observations apply to both men’s and women’s golf beginning with Part I of 4 at www.ladiesgolfjourney.com/2011-PGA-Merchandise-Show-Woman’s View.

The Bottom Line at The Barclays and the FedEx Cup

Rosemary — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:40:15 +0000

by Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting

This year’s The Barclays Tournament – the first round in the FedEx Cup playoff being played in Paramus, NJ at Ridgewood Country Club — is off to an interesting start. The leader going into the final round is Martin Laird who was born in Glasgow Scotland. Dustin Johnson from the U.S. and Jason Day from Australia are tied and trail the leader by three strokes. Tiger Woods is still struggling with his game. The suspense on Sunday’s final round should make for good viewing.

Everything about The Barclays parallels major changes going on in our world—many of which directly affect the U.S. golf industry at all levels.
But first, I have to admit a mistake. Last year I wrote about The Barclays at Liberty National Golf Club – played with Miss Liberty and the Manhattan skyline in the background (see http://www.ladiesgolfjourney.com/The-FedEx-Cup-Barclays-and-Liberty-National_Monuments-to-Excess.html) I described the setting as a monument to excess.

In fact I closed that article with the following: “I know that I will remember The Barclays and Miss Liberty not only as monuments of excess, but that point in time when things started looking up.”

Well, I was wrong! Things have not started looking up at all. In fact, things are getting worse.

For starters: the economy is not better. There are not more workers in those Manhattan skyscrapers. In fact, more people have less money.

And, even though I don’t have any statistics to back this up, I don’t think more people think playing golf might be a good place to spend those unemployed or even leisure hours.

Think about it: Anyone who has been watching the last big major tournaments on television has watched superior athletes wrestle with extremely difficult course conditions and a set of rules that is not easy to understand. Who needs to play a sport that beats you up – especially if you already feel a little “beat up” every day?

The truth, of course, is that the venues for these special tournaments were selected several years ago when Tiger Woods was at his peak. The goal was to pick courses that would test his limits and draw big TV audiences. Well, Tiger showed us his limits and they aren’t pretty.

And, yet, there is never an announcer who tries to convey to the TV audience, that these are not typical courses or tees that recreational golfers would use. Only The First Tee public service advertisements convey the concept that everyone can and should play golf.

So it should not be surprising that the number of golfers in the United States is declining. And the number of women golfers – a special interest of mine – continues to decline also.

In spite of new programs by the PGA of America such as Get Golf Ready which attempts to entice non-golfers to learn the game in five affordable lessons, the number of golf participants continues to decline. It is almost impossible to get good statistics on segments of the golfing populations. The sweetest spot in the markets seems to be junior girls.

As for TV tournament golf ratings – they have been uniquely affected by the personal issues of one person.

Something is wrong with an industry when Tiger Woods has such “tipping-point-power” to borrow a phrase from Malcolm Gladwell ‘s book “The Tipping Point.”

Usually we think of tipping points in terms of starting positive trends. To the contrary in the golf industry, the problems of Tiger have tipped the industry negatively and the industry doesn’t seem to have a Plan B in place.

Moving on: In this FedEx cup, the names at the top of the leader board heading into the final round of The Barclays have three notable qualities: the players are young, they are not generally well-known to U.S. television viewers and many are not from the U.S. None of this should be surprising.

One of the best-selling writers and columnists, Tom Friedman who by the way plays with a single digit handicap, predicted this in his book “The World is Flat.” The leaders of the major U.S. golf associations have had a particularly parochial approach to the game that is not only male-dominated but appears unprepared for the new global theme.

Unlikely as it may have appeared a year ago, the LPGA under the leadership of Michael Whan, seems to be putting a strategy in place that makes our female golf players – whatever country they are from – more interesting.

While on the subject of women’s golf: There is a great contest going on in Winnipeg, Canada at the LPGA’s Canadian Women’s Open. Michelle Wie and Koria Jiyai from Korea are tied for first. Both women are young and are playing on a global golf platform. (Ultimately, Michelle Wie defeated four players by three strokes.)

So maybe we can all start getting used to golf that looks more global. And young players are healthy for the game. The truth is that the United States operates in a global environment. So let’s get used to it on our golf courses and make it exciting.

And since only an optimist can continue to keep playing this game, I want to offer up a variation of the statement I made at last year’s The Barclays: “I hope that I will remember the 2010 The Barclays Tournament as that point in time when things started looking up.”

One final optimistic anecdote. I’ve been playing lots of golf this summer in the Vail Valley of Colorado and in the Grand Junction and Moab area doing research on a forthcoming article about forward tees and whether or not they will bring more women to the game. (See the new website that promotes forward tees www.golfwithwomen.com that Arthur Little and his wife Jann Leeming have recently published.)

Back to my story: A couple of days ago after playing a Pete Dye course in Gypsum, Colorado, my husband and I decided to stop at the new Westin Hotel in Avon for a sunset drink on their beautiful terrace overlooking the Beaver Creek ski slopes. A young gentleman stepped out to valet my car. I quickly apologized for looking so sweaty explaining that I had just come from playing golf.

“You play golf?,” he asked. “Well, yes I play, but mostly I love to write about it,” I answered.

And then came his stunning reply: “I’m thinking of taking up the game,” he said. “I’ve wrecked my body snowboarding – two broken legs and bad knees. I’m looking for a sport where I won’t get hurt.”

“Well golf’s your sport,” I said. “Find a pro that will teach you a swing that will protect your knees and save your back. You’re set for life.”

“Can you believe this?” I thought to myself. Young adults looking at golf as a challenge sport that they can play forever. (This is not exactly a new idea since decades ago golf was championed as a “lifetime” sport.)

Maybe there is hope for the game if we can just keep it going strong for a few more years. Maybe all those hot shot snowboarders and mountain bikers will retire to the links! That will be a challenge because the golf industry is slow to recognize new markets and adapt its marketing methods.

The final winner of 2010 The Barclays was Georgia’s Matt Kuchar, who erased a five-shot Sunday deficit and won The Barclays in a playoff with Martin Laird.

Tradition is safe; change is always risky. But, I’m still an optimist!

Nancy Berkley
Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women’s golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, “Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women’s Golf,” published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and is often quoted in national publications. She also writes for www.ladiesgolfjourney.com. She is also the author of the NGF publication: “An Insider’s Guide to Careers in the Golf Industry.” She was a contributing editor of “Golf for Women” magazine and a founding advisor of “Golfer Girl Magazine.” Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com. Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.

Why Another Open? Understanding the Ricoh Women’s British Open

Rosemary — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:30:56 +0000

by Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting

On Sunday, Yani Tseng, won the Ricoh Women’s British Open. It was a great tournament. On Friday evening after the second round, Nancy Berkley wrote the following article which clears up some of the questions about why women golfers had two prestigious and competitive“opens” within a few weeks of each other.

If you are thinking to yourself, didn’t we just have the Women’s Open and didn’t Paula Creamer just win it? And if you are wondering why there is another women’s open in the news – in England with Ricoh, a Japanese technology company as the sponsor– with U.S. golfers playing in it, well you are not alone. The tournament schedule for women’s golf is actually confusing especially as the game becomes more international in terms of both players and sponsors. Let me try to explain the basics and clear up some of the confusion.

First, however, as I write this on Friday, July 30, after the second round of the Women’s British Open, it’s nice to see four US women golfers among the top ten players heading into the final two rounds: Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome, Julie Inkster and Christina Kim. The leader, with an impressive 8-under score after two rounds is Yani Tseng of Taiwan. Michelle Wie is off the lead by 9 strokes, but anything can happen on this links course, the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, in England about 15 miles away from Liverpool on the Irish Sea.

Back to clearing up confusion: The Ricoh Women’s British Open is sponsored by the Ladies Golf Union (LGU) which supports women’s amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland. The LGU was founded in 1893 (more than fifty years before the LPGA was established). The LGU has over 220,000 members – amateurs and recreational golfers, which makes it a much different type of organization than the LPGA which does not have “members” other than its professional Tour players.

The LGU also offers an email newsletter to all of its members. As an aside and a message to LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan, I find the LGU membership concept very impressive and a good way to build the female fan base. The LPGA could learn something about reaching out and involving and educating the millions of female golfers in the U.S. through an email membership newsletter.

When I talk about the Ladies Golf Union, I always like to remind readers that Mary Queen of Scots is credited with popularizing the game of golf. In fact as a teenager, she was publicly scolded for visiting France where rumor was that she played more golf than she should have. Of course, the game was not exactly like the game we play today – but that’s another story.

The Women’s British Open is considered a “major” tournament for both the LGU and the LPGA – a unique distinction. A “major” is a prestigious tournament usually because it is played on a challenging course and because of the way the qualifications to play are structured. A “major” includes a very competitive field of players but because it is an “open,” players do not have to be official players on the LPGA Tour or the Ladies European Tour (LET). There has been quite a controversy about why Alexis Thompson did not play in this British Open because she is sort of in limbo – not a member of the LPGA (too young) and no longer an amateur (she just turned pro).

Adding to the confusion: For twenty years, the Women’s British Open tournament was sponsored by Weetabix, an English cereal company. It was known as the Weetabix tournament. In 2007, Ricoh became the sponsor and the tournament is getting more attention. I have been very impressed with the television coverage and the use of personal profiles of the players during the round. It helps to have a hi-tech sponsor!

The Women’s British Open is one of the four majors of the LPGA. The other LPGA majors are: The LPGA Championship, the Kraft Nabisco Tournament and the US Women’s Open sponsored by the USGA. And that’s what confusing: There are two women’s Opens!

Two weeks ago, Paula Creamer won the USGA-sponsored US Women’s Open at Oakmont, near Pittsburgh. And what a victory that was for Paula especially since she played that tournament with a bandaged thumb that was recovering from surgery several months earlier. If you get a chance to see the replay of the British Open round today, you will share Paula’s pain as she strained her thumb playing a shot out of the long grass.

If you want to follow the Ricoh Women’s British Open more closely, here are some suggestions: Read the article on cybergolf.com about the leader Yani Tseng http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/tseng_on_a_roll_at_womens_british_open. The article includes a wonderful interview with Yani and offers good insights into what junior girls golf is like in Taiwan as well as Yani’s unique relationship with Annika as her mentor and role model. (And Yani’s English is great – remember that controversy?)

The Ladies Golf Union website also contains good information about the tournament see www.lgu.org. And www.lpga.com has a fine summary of the tournament with a readable leader board. The final rounds are televised early in the morning eastern time on ESPN, so remember to set your TV to record the final round on Sunday. You won’t be disappointed.

Nancy Berkley
Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women’s golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, “Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women’s Golf,” published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and is often quoted in national publications. She also writes for www.ladiesgolfjourney.com. She is also the author of the NGF publication: “An Insider’s Guide to Careers in the Golf Industry.” She was a contributing editor of “Golf for Women” magazine and a founding advisor of “Golfer Girl Magazine.” Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com. Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.

THE BEST US WOMEN’S OPEN EVER – AND IT’S NOT OVER YET

NancyBerkley — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:11:25 +0000

By Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting

I’m writing this Sunday morning at 10 a.m. EST after watching the players finish the rain-delayed third round. So, I will not know the winner of the 2010 Women’s Open until dusk tonight and the final scores are in. But, I do have some observations to make about this year’s Open.

Beth Ann Baldry
BETH ANN BALDRY OF GOLFWEEK has the very best coverage of the tournament on the GOLFWEEK site. http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/jul/04/complete-us-womens-open-coverage/

With Beth and her partner Sean Martin, there is no need for me to go over the details of the rounds. But do not miss Beth’s articles about Kelli Shean of South Africa now playing at Arkansas but discovered and supported by the Ernie Els Foundation. http://www.golfweek.com/news/2010/jul/08/amateur-shean-tackles-odds-oakmont/

Kelli, an amateur, posted the first 70 of the tournament and although she does not like to make a big deal about it, Kelli only has 25% of her hearing. Kelli is teeing off on the 10th tee at 12:09. Even though Kelli is out of the running for this tournament, I hope the cameras give her some face time.

GolfWeek for her
Golfweek and Beth are on to something about women’s golf and I hope they keep it up. A few months ago they circulated a magazine titled GOLFWEEK for Her. It was refreshing and although they were vague about whether they will ever do another issue, I hope they do. They seem to understand both the print and most importantly the online coverage that women golfers value.

Women’s golf has never looked better! Every player seems to have a unique personality beyond their golf swing. They have different demeanors on the course, the leaders vary in age from 15 to 37 and I haven’t even mentioned the different apparel styles.

Maybe it’s the nature of the “open” itself which allows players of all ages to enter the tournament. Unlike the LPGA, where a player must be 18 years old (with a couple of exceptions), it is going to be thrilling to watch 15-year old Alexis Thompson play in the top six. In 2009, Lexi made history as the youngest female to make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open. (See my History of Women’s Golf Timeline http://www.nancyberkley.com/774892.html)

The sweet spot in the golf industry is junior girls. About one-third of the players who qualified and played in the first round were 21 or younger. If you would like to know more about Alexis, please see an interview of her in the 2007 issue of Golfer Girl Magazine (no longer published). But all of the issues of Golfer Girl Magazine are still available on line.

See Libby Hooton’s interview of Alexis at http://golfergirlmagazine.com/pastissues/summerfall07/summerfall07pages/page22summerfall07.htm.

This final round of the Women’s Open is a good opportunity to share with the junior golfers in your family. Playing golf as a junior may not always lead to being a top Tour player, but it opens doors to careers of all kinds. See www.golfergirlcareers.com where I have interviewed junior golfers who did not become professional golfers but still have a nexus with golf in their professional life.

Watching women golfers is a lesson in itself. Because most women golfers cannot match men in terms of muscle strength, they get their power in different ways. What’s important for all women golfers and potential women golfers and junior golfers is the realization that there is not one kind of swing that works for everyone.

This will be exciting final round. Don’t miss it.

Nancy Berkley
Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women’s golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, “Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women’s Golf,” published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and is often quoted in national publications. She also writes for www.ladiesgolfjourney.com. She is also the author of the NGF publication: “An Insider’s Guide to Careers in the Golf Industry.” She was a contributing editor of “Golf for Women” magazine and a founding advisor of “Golfer Girl Magazine.” Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com. Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.

Golf for Women – What’s Next for Peggy or Golf Digest?

NancyBerkley — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:11:50 +0000

By Nancy Berkley, President
Berkley Golf Consulting

Peggy Ference – First Female Golfer
in Golf Digest US Open Challenge at Pebble Beach
(photo courtesy of Steve Jennings/Wire Image)

You may not know who Peggy Ference is now, but I hope you get to know her soon. She’s partying at a Pebble Beach pre-U.S. Open dinner in this photo, but on the golf course she plays to a 5 handicap.

If you were one of 24,000 golfers that voted for Peggy in the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge, you know how much she loves the game of golf. Or if you were one of viewers of the NBC-TV Special on Sunday, June 20th, right before the final round of the Open, you watched Peggy play from the 7,040 yard tournament tees. You may already know that Peggy is the first female to play in the Golf Digest promotion.

(This is the last of a series of articles about Peggy and Pebble Beach. See previous articles on: www.cybergolf.com, ladiesgolfjourney.com and golfgurls.com as well as my website www.nancyberkley.com.)

A little more in the way of background: This was the third year of the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. The Challenge was prompted by a comment made by Tiger Woods a few years ago after the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Basically, Tiger said that no amateur golfer could ever break 100 on U.S. Open courses – the courses were just too hard. Well, Tiger was right! Over the past three years of the Challenge, no amateur has broken 100 and only a few celebrities have done it.

The celebrities playing with Peggy this year were the actor-producer Mark Wahlberg, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and MVP quarterback Drew Brees. Each of the four golfers also had professional golfers as their caddies. Peggy’s caddie was none-other than Corey Pavin, this year’s United States Ryder Cup Captain. The Challenge round was played on June 9th from the tournament tees under tournament conditions. The rough was long and the wind was blowing.

Now with the U.S. Open over and only one professional breaking par in the final round, I think we can all agree. “Yes, Tiger is right.” So it shouldn’t shock anyway that only one of the celebrities, Mark Wahlberg, broke 100. Peggy did not have her best game with her on her Challenge round and shot 118. But after looking at the pros final scores on Sunday, Peggy’s score of 118 doesn’t look all that bad.

At the pre-Challenge Round dinner, Mark Wahlberg in a private conversation with Peggy. Mark was the only person to break 100 at Pebble Beach in the Challenge round.
(photo courtesy of Steve Jennings/Wire Image)

Golf Digest made a somewhat risky decision when it selected Peggy as a finalist for the Challenge. And I want to give credit where credit is due. They might have avoided some controversy had they just gone with one more male scratch amateur as a finalist.

But Bob Carney, Creative Director of Golf Digest, said that selecting Peggy was not a simple gender decision. Instead it was intended to reinforce the concept that golf is an “open” game. Anyone can learn and play the game.

Golf Digest’s motives were admirable. But more importantly, selecting Peggy has given Golf Digest an option to reconnect with women golfers. It was a sad day when Conde Nast, the owner of Golf Digest decided to shut down Golf for Women magazine.

I caught up with Peggy after the exciting Open weekend. I wanted to ask about her reflections on her experience.

I also wanted a chance to speak with Peggy’s instructor and coach, Allan Bowman, the PGA Club Professional at Cherry Valley Golf Club, who coached Peggy over the last couple of years and helped her bring her handicap down over ten strokes. Allan has not received the credit due him. Most golfers in this country learn how to golf from their club pro. A good club pro is really the gatekeeper to the game for millions of Americans. Allan is one of those very good PGA Professionals. If more clubs had more professionals with his skill and dedication, the industry would be faring far better than it is doing now.

NB: My first question to Peggy was what she thought viewers learned from watching her and the other celebrities play a U.S. Open course like Pebble. Peggy didn’t have to think more than a second for her answer:

PEGGY: “I think people watched us out there – struggling – but with a smile on our faces at the same time. What I hope people learned is that even when you are not playing well — and I had my problems that day — golf is fun. I hope they say, ‘Wow. There’s somebody who can shoot 118 and love every minute of it.’ This is more than just about me. This is about opening up the game to more people.”
I liked that answer because for many golfers and especially women, they worry about embarrassing themselves on the course. And then there’s Peggy — capable on a very good day of maybe breaking 100 on the hardest course she will probably every play – and she shoots 118. And she is doing it on national television with a camera following her and a mike strapped to her waist to catch her moans and cheers.

As Peggy explains it, when she played a practice round with her teacher, Allan Bowman, who flew out for a day to be with her, she was calm and at peace in her mind. But she could not find that mental place during the actual Challenge tournament. As Peggy describes it, “The rough did me in.” After that, she just could not keep it together. (And we watched a few golf professionals struggle with that rough on Sunday.)

As Peggy describes it, “The rough did me in.” After that, she just could not keep it together.
(photo courtesy of J. D. Cuban/Wire Image)

NB: I asked Allan Bowman, Peggy’s instructor, for his reactions after playing a practice round with her at Pebble and what he thought her chances would be of breaking 100 on that course.

ALLAN: “I thought that Peggy’s nerves could be problem.”
He went to say that Peggy was a little worried about that also. They had hoped to have some kind of practice round in front of 500 members of Cherry Valley, but they never got that in. All this confirms how important that mental game is. Allan added that with the rough the way it was, he thought that breaking 100 would be very difficult. We talked a little bit about the sheer strength required to hit through that rough.

Peggy was playing with one of the new “face-forward” F-2 wedges that eliminates a hosel. But, according to Allan, even with that new technology, more strength is required than most women golfers are prepared for. There is a reason, he says, that Tiger can bench his own weight in the gym. He needs it on the course.

Peggy had mentioned that she was not the only female at her club that has been successfully coached by Allan. So, I asked Allan whether he thought that he was a particularly good teacher for women. His answer was a modest “yes.” He went to on to say that when teaching women he asks more questions about what they are “thinking” than showing them a video of what they are “doing.” Allan’s advice for all instructors is, “Listen to your student and ask questions.”

NB: Then I moved on to the most controversial issue: Should a female golfer have been the non-celebrity golfer in the Challenge foursome. Or should a guy with a low handicap have been selected because the U.S. Open is after all a men’s tournament?

Well, we just got through saying that amateurs – regardless of gender — can’t begin to match the skill of professionals. That issue is finished. Done with! So male or female amateur, it’s not going to really matter. Golf is hard but at the same time it is fun.

And, consider this: One day, a female may very well qualify for the U.S. Open. Although the USGA Women’s Open comes up soon in mid-July, women are not prohibited from trying to qualify for the U.S. Open. Michelle Wie, in fact, tried to qualify a few years ago at Canoe Brook Country Club in Short Hills, New Jersey.

And, when that day happens and a woman plays in the U.S. Open, which by the way is scheduled for 2019 at Pebble Beach, she will have to break Peggy’s record of 118.

NB: The door has been opened – this is another chance for golf digest to reconnect with women golfers.

Golf Digest and the USGA will decide whether the Challenge with non-celebrity golfers has run its course. In my opinion it has.

Maybe there is not much to “learn” from watching the Challenge. Maybe it is primarily entertainment. We all know how popular “Dancing with the Stars” is. I’m not sure whether more people are taking dancing lessons after watching celebrity dancers, but somehow I don’t think that more people will take up golf because Mark Wahlberg shot 97.

But I think that Golf Digest has started something by opening the door to women in this year’s Challenge. Once you see Peggy play golf and see her talk about her love for the game, it doesn’t matter what she shot that day at Pebble.

In my view, Golf Digest owes women golfers. They are in the media business and in the golf business. So they don’t want to publish a women’s golf magazine anymore, that’s okay. But they have another option.

Golf Digest has the opportunity to provide the funding for a speaking platform for Peggy. They can develop a series of speaking opportunities – branded Golf Digest for Women — that then would also be on the golfdigest.com website.

If what Golf Digest and supposedly the USGA said was true – that they wanted to “open” the game to more golfers, then sponsoring Peggy on a speaking circuit would be a good way to follow up on their goal.

NB: If Golf Digest walks away from this opportunity, some other media organization, product manufacturer or association should grab her as their spokesperson. Women are great communicators and we need Peggy out there to help grow the game.

In my opinion, Peggy is the perfect ambassador-in-general for women’s golf. She will be speaking at the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association (NY, NJ and CT). I hope it is the first of many inspirational speeches she will give. If you have an event coming up, think about asking Peggy to be your event speaker.

And… this summer, renew your commitment to golf: take a few lessons, make some new golf friends, practice your short game. And take a junior out to the range or course. July is family golf month and there are great values in instruction and course fees to be found. See: www.playgolfamerica.com and search by zip code for participating courses near you.

Play well and have fun!

Nancy Berkley, President of Berkley Golf Consulting, is an expert on women’s golf and junior-girls golf. She is a frequent contributor to www.cybergolf.com/womensgolf. Her book, “Women Welcome Here! A Guide to Growing Women’s Golf,” published by the National Golf Foundation, is an industry reference on marketing golf to women and spotting trends within the industry. She offers information and advice about the golf industry on www.berkleygolfconsulting.com and ladiesgolfjourney.com and is often quoted in national publications. She is also the author of the NGF publication: “An Insider’s Guide to Careers in the Golf Industry.” She was a contributing editor of “Golf for Women” magazine and a founding advisor of “Golfer Girl Magazine.” Her interviews with women in the golf industry now appear on www.golfergirlcareers.com.

Nancy lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Harvard University and Rutgers Law School. After a business and legal career, she decided to write about the game she learned and loved as a teenager. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer with permanent potential.