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Mickelson Has ASU Golf Team On Its Way to Top 50

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Tim Mickelson looks back and laughs, while insisting that there never was a real defining moment of panic in his debut season as the Arizona State men’s golf coach. Indeed, if there were any doubts about the 2011-2012 campaign, a year of that saw the Sun Devils plunge to No. 83 in the country and miss the NCAA tournament, it didn’t come from the little brother of ASU icon Phil Mickelson.

“I always felt like we were on the right track,” said the younger Mickelson, who shook up his team last summer after his initial season by paring the roster almost in half and bringing in three freshmen and a transfer from East Tennessee State.

“I know that a few of our fans disagreed with that – us being on track. In fact, I even got an email from one of them in October, saying that I should be fired. It was like, ‘Whoa, dude, after just one year (on the job)?’ I just don’t think they really understood the state of the program.”

Imagine how that disgruntled fan(s) feels now after Mickelson pulled off what has to be the biggest resurgence in college golf for 2012-13. Ranked most of the season between No. 63 and 82, the Sun Devils made a late-season charge, entered the West NCAA Regional at No. 50 in the polls, and promptly qualified with a gutsy performance as one of 30 teams that will play this week (May 28-June 1) in the NCAA Championship in Atlanta.

That’s right, nobody came from farther down in the rankings to earn a spot in the six-day shootout that is set for the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.

“I’m proud to say that (this week) we’ll be representing ASU in the NCAA tournament for a 50th time, which is a really cool milestone,” said Mickelson, pointing out that only Oklahoma State (69), Texas (59) and USC (54) have been to the big dance more.

“It’s something we’re going to talk a little bit about when we get to Atlanta. I want the guys to know just how special this really is. Sure, the goal is to finish in the top eight and gain the match play (portion of the tournament). But they’re also going to get some wonderful experience out of it – they’ll know what it feels like — and that’s invaluable for such a young team going into next season.”

After dominating men’s college golf for most of this season, No. 1 California is the heavy favorite this week along with No. 2 Alabama, which has the experience factor. It’s certainly no easy feat that after three days of medal play (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), in which the individual champ will be crowned after 54 holes, and then the final eight schools will battle it out in a team vs. team format until one survives the match-play gauntlet to win the NCAA title.

Shoot, ASU came from similar depths at the regional, which was hosted at the ASU Karsten Course in Tempe, rallying on the final day to get the fifth and final spot over No. 9 Duke. That its top three players were all freshmen certainly bodes well, as Trey Ka’ahanui (tie for ninth), Max Rottluff (T20) and Jon Rahm (T23) led the way. And as Mickelson pointed out, Spencer Lawson (T25), his junior transfer, and Scottsdale sophomore Austin Quick (T41), also contributed.

Mickelson said he had expected strong performances from Rahm, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and Rottluff, a highly recruited standout from Germany. But Ka’ahanui, a 19-year-old from Tempe McClintock, well, that was “my biggest surprise.”

“Trey had struggled off the tee in the fall, but when he got his chance this spring, he seized it,” Mickelson said. “I could see it coming after he realized he didn’t have to hit his driver off every tee. Hey, he hits his 3-wood farther than most guys hit their driver, and when he scaled it back, he actually became a better driver of the ball when he did use that club.

“That part of his game certainly showed in the final round of the regional, when he helped us pull away from (No. 9) Duke with a (career best) 65. And all the guys came through at one time or another, which is why we’re going to Atlanta.”

Mickelson called Ka’ahanui “a stud athlete who plays any sport well.” He wasn’t necessarily a standout his senior year at McClintock, but Mickelson knew that Ka’ahanui had won the AJGA Heather Farr Classic as an eighth-grader, and state 4-A high school titles his sophomore and junior years before he sort of bottomed out as a senior and failed to finish in the top 20 at state. Oh, yes, and there was one other factor that came into play — Ka’ahanui’s older brother, Trent, had played for Mickelson when Tim was the coach at the University of San Diego.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with Tim,” said Ka’ahunui, who moved here from Hawaii when he was just a small child and grew up playing Shalimar Golf Club, just a few miles south of ASU.

“Tim’s not really a disciplinarian, but we all know exactly what he expects. He’s a really, really good teacher, but he still lets us play our game. He kind of lets us figure it out on our own, and I think that’s probably the reason we kept getting better as the season went on.”

The name Mickelson always brings great expectations, that’s true. Phil Mickelson is probably the most well-known, former ASU athlete in history along with the late Pat Tillman. But Tim Mickelson just might be onto something, the way he’s bringing his Sun Devils along slowly but surely. Plus the good players are starting to multiply, which also is a good sign.

For instance, Mickelson already has another great freshman on the team in Alberto Sanchez from Nogales, who played most of the season before struggling this spring. And Mickelson’s got three solid incoming freshmen in Nicola Galletti, a Phoenix kid who moved here from California a year ago; Ki Taek Lee, a standout from Palm Springs, Calif.; and Scottsdale’s Blake Cannon.

“Two of those three (incoming freshman) will play next year, as will Alberto,” Mickelson predicted. “So I love the direction we’re heading, and getting to the (NCAA) tournament this year, well, that’s just a really big bonus.”

Let’s see, the current five plus three more equals eight players vying for a five-man team, a situation that ever coach wants to be in, especially those who arrived at one point to find the cupboard bare. No doubt Mickelson is savoring his future.

“What does this season mean to me, personally?” Mickelson asked rhetorically. “Well, I think we’re a little bit ahead of where I thought we might be, and that’s nice.

Then he added with a wink: ““And I think there’s a good chance I’ll have a job next year.”

Ya think?

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete golf blog archive at the Arizona Golf Authority.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for our “Insider’s Playing Review” of every golf course in Arizona. All 325 of ’em!

It’s just part of “All Things Arizona Golf” presented by the Arizona Golf Authority.

June 14, 2013
Boccieri Golf EL Series Putter

From the Excellent Arizona Golf Adventures at the Arizona Golf Authority

The EL Series putters from Boccieri Golf will knock three shots off your handicap. Now. Right Now.

This is real simple, lads. As in “Why didn’t I think of that?” simple.

Years ago, we all added gap wedges to our golf bag because we agreed with what Tom Kite proved,

“The easiest and most reliable way to play accurate wedge shots is to use one golf swing and let the tool, the loft on the wedge selected for the shot, control the distance the golf ball travels.” It’s true. We all do it now. We hone one move, pick an appropriate tool and let physics do the rest.

The EL Series putters from Boccieri Golf apply the same fundamental truth to putting: Use one putting stroke and let the putter control the distance.

How? Well, that’s the simple part.

All things being equal for a given “size” putting stroke, the longer the putter shaft is, the farther the putt will travel. It’s more simple physics, pure truth, proven centuries ago.

With the EL (Extended Length) Series putters’ 17” long grip, the “accuracy-size” putting stroke you built for holing short putts now works for medium and long putts as well.

Just move your hands up the grip, apply the same stroke, and the longer tool guarantees the putt travels farther.

Click Boccieri Golf – YouTube Videos for a full demonstration by designer, Stephen Boccieri. It’s a quick study in how to hole more putts inside that “I should make this range” and why the EL Series putter is the best tool for the job.

Holing eight and 10 footers with the very same stroke that makes all the short ones is exhilarating. Those additional holed putts appear in the GHIN Index update in short order – that’s fun, too.

Drawbacks? There are none. The EL Series putters are available in 36, 38 and 40-inch lengths, 21 head styles and three different finishes. There’s one to fit every players’ eye.

One highly skilled golf associate initially resisted, “My setup will be destroyed by the additional length.”

He owns four wedges and wields each with surgical precision. We laid them on the practice green, side by side. Four wedges, four different club lengths.

“Oh,” was the response we received as he picked up the putter and began holing six footers at will.

Anyone who’s been anchoring their putter needs to take a look at the EL Series putters as well.

The Tour and PGA ruling bodies are both supporting the January 2016 Anchors Aweigh ban and these putters will serve those relying on belly and long models quite nicely. Each of the new styles features a shaft that extends beyond the hands, but does not anchor to the body.

“One reason belly putters became so popular was because the additional grip and shaft materials created a natural back-weight,” says Stephen Boccieri, President and CEO of Boccieri Golf. “Other OEM’s are just now adopting counterweighting while we’ve been refining it for nearly a decade.”

Players who want to make more putts should report to the state-of-the-art Boccieri Golf Research and Performance Center at 15816 North Greenway-Hayden Loop in Scottsdale, just south of the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course.

The professional staff will put the EL Series putter in your hands to try out. Don’t worry about running out of putting green, it’s a 9,000 square-foot building, full of all the latest swing-analysis technology. You may learn more about how you move a golf club than you ever thought you could absorb.

While you’re there, check out Boccieri Golf’s Secret Grip, endorsed by Jack Nicklaus. Introduced in 2013, the Secret Grip puts the same back-weight secret Nicklaus says he used throughout his career to win 18 professional majors and 73 PGA Tour titles at your disposal.

Simply changing the grips on your full shot clubs will deliver a consistent tempo and shot-dispersion accuracy you probably haven’t experienced before. The 10, 12, 15 yards of additional distance per club is fun too!

Boccieri Golf equipment has played a key role in victories on the PGA, European, Champions, Nationwide, Asian, Canadian and European Challenge Tours. They are happy to help you as well.

For more information: www.boccierigolf.com, 888.788.8374.

June 13, 2013
Stacy Lewis Ascends to No. 1 – Just What the LPGA Needed

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

Say this about the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup — it has produced some great champions in its brief history. But of those three winners, Stacy Lewis certainly delivered the most inspiring story at Wildfire Golf Club, overcoming what looked like a disastrous two-shot penalty Saturday and a seemingly invincible Ai Miyazato on Sunday.

Ironically, the hole that gave Miyazato her big, four-shot lead going into the final round, the same hole where Lewis had been stung when a TV viewer called in the infraction on her caddie – the short, par-4 16th – turned out to be where the tide turned. Miyazato gave up a one-shot lead there with an uncharacteristic double-bogey 6 that resulted from an unplayable lie in the desert, and a subsequent 18-foot birdie by Lewis suddenly gave Stacy a two-shot lead.

A birdie by Lewis at the 17th hole sealed the deal, and when the final tally added up to a three-shot victory behind a brilliant, 8-under-par 64, the Texan and former Arkansas All-American was the No. 1 player in the world. Oh, yes, and Travis Wilson, who had cost Lewis the two-shot penalty when he tested the sand with his foot (Rule 13-4) in the infamous bunker on the 16th fairway, was one relieved caddie.

“All that happened yesterday, I wasn’t even mad at him, because he didn’t do anything on purpose,” said the 28-year-old Lewis after her seventh career victory, and second in two weeks.

“I just felt really bad for him because all the stories were ‘Stacy Lewis’ caddie,’ ‘Stacy Lewis’ caddie,’ and the spotlight was on him and he never wants that. We were motivated today. I said in my interview (after the round), thank you to the viewer that called in because he gave me some more motivation. I didn’t really need it, but he gave me some more. Everything happens for a reason, and it just turned out to be a perfect day.”

In the process, Lewis joined Hall of Famer Karrie Webb of Australia (2011) and Taiwan’s Yani Tseng (2012), the player Lewis unseated as No. 1, as past champs of the Founders Cup. It could end up being a very select group, at least when it comes to the tournament’s history in Phoenix.

According to LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan, he has not been able to work out a new contract for the event beyond this year. The commissioner and RR Donnelley officials had met several times throughout this past week without reaching a renewal.

“I’ve given (RR Donnelley) until this summer (to renew),” said Whan, noting that the international digital solutions company headquartered in Chicago has had some financial struggles in the past year.

“But if they don’t (re-up), we’re confident that we can find another sponsor. Phoenix is a great market, and the LPGA needs to be in this market. And that isn’t taking anything away from RR Donnelley. They have been the best, and their business is on a nice comeback, so I remain very hopeful.”

Few comebacks, however, could top what Lewis provided, as she became only the second American to be No. 1 in the world following Cristie Kerr, who held that spot for five weeks in 2010. Lewis replaces Tseng, who had been on the top of the women’s heap for the past 109 weeks.

As shootouts go, this Founders Cup definitely was diversity in the desert. If the feisty Lewis is fire, the cool and calm Miyazato is ice. But no one was hotter on this day 80-degree than Lewis, who rolled in nine birdies to offset a lone bogey and shatter the 72-hole tournament record with a 23-under 261 total. Tseng had held the previous standard of 18 under that she established last year.

Miyazato, somewhat surprisingly, closed with a 71 after posting a tournament record 63 in Round 1 followed by a pair of 67s. Another seven shots back in third place was Angela Stanford on the strength of a 68.

At times on Sunday it seemed as if Miyazato was in full control, steadily keeping a cushion that fluctuated between two and four shots between herself and Lewis. But four birdies in a five-hole stretch beginning at the 13th hole got Lewis rolling, and when Miyazato pulled her short approach shot left of the green at the fateful 16th, it was all Lewis.

That moved Lewis alongside Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, Jiyai Shin, Miyazato, Tseng and Kerr as one of seven women to be No. 1.

“It’s crazy,” Lewis said of being ranked Numero Uno. “That was my goal kind of like from the middle of last season, and I really didn’t think it would be possible this quick.”

An amazing climb, for sure, considering Lewis spent seven years in a back brace after being diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, something she made reference to in the aftermath. And the fact that it took her awhile to get going in professional golf, as six of her seven wins have come in the past 15 months.

“It was just another roadblock in my career,” Lewis said when quizzed about how the two-shot penalty affected her on the final 18 holes. “But I felt like it was meant to be at the very end.”

Lewis wasn’t being cocky, just passionately confident. With her aggressive attitude and repeating swing – an automatic move that resembles both Sorenstam’s and Ochoa’s – she could be No. 1 for a long time.

The reality is Lewis is just what the LPGA needs – a highly visible American who is considered the best player in the women’s game. And that could trickle down to the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, which needs a little spark, and maybe a good break, if the tournament is to remain here.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete Arizona Golf Authority golf blog archive.

Then, before you tee it up, click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for an “insiders” playing review of every golf course in Arizona at http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

March 19, 2013
GolfLogix Integrates Tee Time Booking into Golf GPS App

From the Arizona Golf News Desk at the Arizona Golf Authority

(SCOTTSDALE, Arizona) – GolfLogix GolfLogix – the No. 1 App for Golf and global leader in GPS and club-tracking technology – has partnered with GolfNow to provide GolfLogix members with exclusive 24/7 access to book tee times at more than 4,000 golf courses worldwide directly within the app.

The new portal seamlessly connects to GolfNow’s extensive online tee-time reservation service at a touch of the screen. GolfLogix members can also sign up for in-app alerts for immediate notification when preferred openings become available that fit predetermined search criteria, such as location, time or cost.

“Partnering with GolfNow ensures our two million members will never again miss a great tee-time deal and saves them money on greens fees in their hometowns or at elite courses nationwide,” says GolfLogix President Pete Charleston. “This joins our patented precise GPS data, Golf Digest instruction tips and exceptional Golfsmith product discounts in golf’s most all-inclusive app – all for free.”

GolfNow.com is the Internet’s largest and most complete tee time booking resource, permitting golfers to go online, choose a course, and quickly book a tee-time deal that fits their schedule and budget. Using leading edge technology, the service offers players access to their favorite courses through the web, e-mail and a mobile feature.

“GolfNow is focused on finding new ways to help grow the game of golf,” says Will McIntosh, GolfNow Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. “This partnership will enhance the GolfLogix user experience, by not only making it easier for them to book rounds at their favorite course any time of day, but also providing other opportunities to enjoy the game more often and within their budget.”

Easily downloaded for free from www.GolfLogix.com, the GolfLogix GPS app is compatible with more than 60 smartphone models. It delivers accurate distances to the center of the green, yardage book quality imagery of each hole, scorekeeping and in-round pro-level stat tracking for more than 32,000 courses worldwide. For less than $20, an upgraded annual Champion membership provides golfers with club tracking and distances to any location on the hole such as pin position, hazards and landing zones.

All membership levels include access to the GolfLogix Member Clubhouse, the No. 1 online golf community where millions of players interact through social forums, offer challenges to fellow golfers and maintain an indexed handicap. Personal web pages for each user also store performance statistics, so every round can be analyzed by fairways hit, greens in regulation, putting, shot trends and more.

About GolfNow.com

GolfNow.com is the Internet’s largest and most comprehensive online tee time reservation service. Using leading edge technology, GolfNow.com offers golfers more ways to stay connected to their favorite courses and tee times through the web, e-mail, as well as an iPhone mobile app. Golfers can go online 24/7, choose a course, and pick a tee-time deal that fits their schedule and budget and book the tee time. Founded in 2001, GolfNow.com has expanded to more than 80 markets in North America, Ireland, Scotland, Mexico and Bermuda, providing tee-time access to more than 4,000 courses for more than 1.1 million registered users. GolfNow.com is powered by Golf Channel, which is seen in more than 120 million homes worldwide through cable, satellite and wireless companies, as well as by GolfChannel.com, a leading golf destination on the Internet. GolfNow.com is part of GolfChannel.com’s online platform of Internet sites designed to help the recreational player enjoy every aspect of the game.

For more information: www.Golf Channel Solutions.com and www.GolfNow.com.

About GolfLogix

The No. 1 App for Golf, GolfLogix boasts more than two million members on the world’s top-selling smartphones. Dedicated to offering consumers the most advanced GPS solutions with the best features, quality and price, GolfLogix helps improve individual performance. Strategic partnerships with industry-leading content provider Golf Digest and top retailer Golfsmith present members with exclusive benefits directly through the app.

Founded in May 1999, GolfLogix was the first to introduce handheld GPS to the golf industry and holds a U.S. patent for its unique GPS and Internet-based club tracking application. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, the company has been professionally mapping courses for more than 12 years and owns the largest, most up-to-date golf course database in the world.

In 2009, the rapid advance of smartphone technology led GolfLogix to develop and quickly capture the market with an easy-to-use application providing precise GPS distances. In addition, the software manages scorekeeping and stat tracking, then uploads them to an online clubhouse community where golfers can interact and compete with millions of other players worldwide. Now available on more than 60 different smartphone models, The No. 1 Golf App offers maps for more than 32,000 courses globally

For more information: www.GolfLogix.com, 877.977.0162.

March 13, 2013
LPGA Women Take Center Stage Starting with Symetra Tour – “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman

From “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog by Bill Huffman at the Arizona Golf Authority

If you like women’s golf, the next month in the Valley of the Sun is going to shine when it comes to the ladies’ game.

First up is the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. They like to say that the road to the LPGA starts on the Symetra Tour, and for over 100 young women who’ve got game that is certainly true. Young up-and-comers like Tiffany Joh, Mallory Blackwelder and Tucson’s Sara Brown will be competing on what is the LPGA equivalent of the men’s Web.Com Tour. And the winner of the $100,000 event at Mesa’s Longbow Golf Club on Feb. 22-24 will get an exemption – the ultimate opportunity – at competing in the upcoming RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup.

The Founders Cup, which takes place March 14-17 at Wildfire Golf Club in northeast Phoenix, is the showcase of the best women players on the planet. And we literally mean everywhere on Earth. The LPGA tournament, which is dominated by international stars, the largest foreign contingent being from Korea, sports a $1.5 million purse and is being held in the Valley for a third consecutive year at the course associated with the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa.

In between the Symetra and the LPGA tournaments, fans of the female game also will have a chance to see some rising stars at a collegiate invitational known as the Clover Cup, which is being hosted by the University of Notre Dame in conjunction with Visit Mesa and also being held at Longbow on March 7-10. The 54-hole tournament, which tees off with a college am-am, features 16 schools including the Irish, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Texas and SMU, to name a few. Just as cool, the nation’s No. 1 women’s college player who just happens to be a freshman at Notre Dame, Scottsdale’s Lindsey Weaver – “Little Ms. 59” – will be in the field.

Such a flurry of female golf talent is unprecedented around these parts. And it comes none too soon, as along with juniors, the National Golf Foundation recently reported that the chief reason we’ve lost 5 million golfers in the last five years is that women and juniors are disappearing in record numbers –and that’s disturbing.

For those not familiar with the Symetra Tour, it once was called the Futures Tour, but changed its name two years ago when it added the new sponsor. What’s special about the Symetra is that the top 10 money winners each year get to earn playing cards for the upcoming season of the LPGA. Last year, Scottsdale’s Esther Choe was the leading money winner, meaning Choe will be a rookie playing in three weeks at the Founders Cup.

Of those playing the Symetra event at Longbow, Brown probably is the most well-known. Her claim to fame came on the Golf Channel’s “Big Break Sandal Resort,” where her bubbly personality made her a Big Break favorite. In fact, she had such a big smile that the Golf Channel invited her back for its series from the Dominican Republic. She was a rookie on the LPGA in 2011, did not keep her card – something that is extremely tough for LPGA rookies to do these days with such a limited schedule – and won an event on the Symetra Tour last year. Unfortunately, Brown finished in 12th place on the Symetra’s money list, and is back on the fledging tour after having married her long-time swing coach, Derek Radley, who is now the assistant women’s golf coach at the University of Arizona.

Blackwelder, the daughter of former LPGA player Myra Blackwelder (1980-97). has played one season on the LPGA (2010) and is back on the Symetra after overcoming an elbow injury. She also might be best remembered for her role on the Golf Channel’s “Big Break Ireland,” and she, too, now calls Arizona home.

There are others in the VisitMesa.Com Gateway field that fans of women’s golf will recognize, including Birdie Kim, the winner of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open when it was played at famed Cherry Hills outside of Denver. Joh was a four-time All-American at UCLA who captured two U.S. Women’s Public Links Championships (2006, 2008). And Blair O’Neal, a former Arizona State player who almost won the Golf Channel’s “Big Break Prince Edward Island” series in 2010, although O’Neal might be better known for her several appearances on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit calendar.

As you might have noticed, two of these upcoming tournaments we’ve mentioned take place at Longbow, which has long been associated with women’s and junior golf. After all, one of Longbow’s biggest events every year is the AJGA Heather Farr Classic, which takes place at the East Mesa club on March 28-31.

But it goes even deeper than that, as Longbow also will host the WAC Conference Championship for women in April and the Women’s National Junior College Championship in May. And in the past, Longbow has been the host for the Women’s NCAA Division II Championship.

Asked why Longbow hosts so many women’s and kids’ events – it’s also a First Tee facility — the course’s owner, Bob McNichols, said it had a lot to do with the fact that “the people who play our golf course on a regular basis love to see these types of events, and they even volunteer to help us out with all of them.”

McNichols also noted that his Longbow “regulars” actually draw comparisons to their own games from the women’s game.

“The average guy, he probably can’t relate to the Phil Mickelsons and Tiger Woods and (Rory) McIlorys, who are driving it out there 350 yards. But he probably can relate to the women, who are watchable, approachable and are smooth and long with their swings.

“Like the other day, when Martha Blackwelder was out here for a practice round with her caddie. Now she has a great swing to watch.”

I’ve heard this before, and I can relate. Not just because my golf swing is only about 100 mph, but because the women are so much nicer and, as McNichols suggested, approachable when you play with them in pro-ams. That’s not to say that the guys are just ugly, surly, 800-pound gorillas. But if you’ve ever played in both types of pro-ams – with Tour guys or LPGA gals – you, too, probably know what we’re talking about.

I can still remember the late Karsten Solheim explaining to me why PING supported four different LPGA tournaments once upon a time – one in Phoenix, one in Tucson, one in Portland and the Solheim Cup. As the PING founder put it, the women didn’t get the prize money that the men did. And then he added with his affable, straightforward approach to common sense, “And the women are just a lot more fun to play golf with than the men.”

Exactly, and if you would like to find out for yourselves, play in the Symetra pro-am Feb. 21 or the Clover Cup college-am March 7 or the Founders Cup pro-am on March 13. It’s a guaranteed good time.

Click “Huff’s Stuff” Arizona Golf Blog to visit Bill’s complete Arizona Golf Authority golf blog archive.

Then, read an AZGA player’s review for each of Arizona’s 350 golf courses – click Arizona Golf Course Reviews for an “insiders” playing review of every golf course in Arizona at http://s167282.gridserver.com/coursedirectory/.

It’s “All Things Arizona Golf” from the Arizona Golf Authority.

February 18, 2013
LPGA Returns to Wildfire Golf Club for RR Donnelley Founders Cup March 14 – 17

For the third consecutive year, the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup will be played March 14-17, 2013, at Wildfire Golf Club on the grounds of the centrally located JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa.

This full-field, four-day event will be televised live on The Golf Channel all four days and features a $1.5 million purse, with $225,000 going to the champion.

Karrie Webb won the inaugural RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup tournament in 2011, while two-time Rolex Player of the Year winner Yani Tseng captured the title in 2012.

The tournament is contested on a golf course we daily fee players can’t play; it combines the back-nine of the Palmer Course with the back-nine of the Faldo Course, producing a unique 6,613-yard par-72 test.

The tournament honors the 13 original Founders of the LPGA Tour and helps provide a future for the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program, which has received more than $1 million from tournament proceeds in the last two years.

Daily tickets for the event are $25, and weekly badges are priced at $75.

To purchase tickets for the 2013 RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, go to www.LPGAFoundersCup.com or call 1-888-LPGATIX.

February 7, 2013
Dr. Bob Rotella’s 10 Rules For Amateurs Preparing To Play Tournament Golf

Courtesy of Dr. Bob Rotella with Alan Pittman and Golf Digest Magazine

Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale – No. 16 Stadium Course

Don’t Be Seduced By Results – I teach my players to “stay in the present.” How did Trevor Immelman get to the 18th green of the final round of the 2008 Masters and not know where he stood in the field? He refused to allow himself to be seduced by a score, got lost in the process of executing each shot and accepted the result until he ran out of holes.

Sulking Won’t Get You Anything – When things don’t go well, don’t get down. Feeling sorry for yourself or thinking the golf gods have conspired against you means you’re not focused on the next shot. The only thought to allow in your mind is always – what’s the best way to get my ball in the hole?

Beat Them With Patience – In tournament play, the rough is thicker, the pins are tougher and the greens are faster. Each time you feel the urge to make an aggressive play, choose a conservative one. The moment a player becomes impatient, bad things happen; stay patient and let others defeat themselves.

Ignore Unsolicited Swing Advice – Your partner and well-meaning friends will insist on giving you advice. Don’t accept it. In fact, stop them before they can say a word. You’ve prepared to play; commit to your game and stay confident.

Embrace Your Personality – When it’s time to play, dialogue with yourself or socialize with your partner and competitors; it’s up to you. You know what’s best for you, so stick with it throughout the round.

Have A Routine To Lean On – Follow your mental and physical routine on every shot; it’ll keep you focused on your task and nerves won’t have a place in your mind. Doesn’t matter what it is – it’s what you do, so do it every time.

Choose Peace On The Course – Competition causes many to become panicked practicers, over-trainers and swing rebuilders. You enjoy golf, so see the golf course as your sanctuary and not a place to be afraid of messing up.

Prepare With Stroke Play – Gross stroke players can thrive in match play events, match-play players can have mental lapses when they must count them all. Prepare with some stroke play rounds, you’ll be tougher mentally.

Find Someone Who Believes In You – A partner, a friend, a coach, an acquaintance, it doesn’t matter much. What does matter is that you find someone who believes in you, someone who sees you doing things you can’t see yourself doing – yet. Their support provides a foundation for your own self-confidence; no champion arrives alone.

Believe You Can Win – Watch your “them” play. They can hit it farther, they hit it straighter, their bunker play is fantastic, they chip it and putt it better than you do. But choose to believe that if those guys can win, so can you; then get to work improving yourself – the belief is the first step down that path.

February 7, 2013
Symetra Tour Winner to Earn Exemption into RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup

From the Arizona Golf News Desk at the Arizona Golf Authority

The Road To The LPGA Tour starts next week with the VisitMesa.com Gateway Classic to be played at the Longbow Golf Club, February 22-24!

Compliments of Visit Mesa, admission is free for all tournament spectators.

Watch Mallory Blackwelder, Sara Brown, Blair O’Neal, Birdie Kim, Tiffany Joh and other Symetra Tour stars, the future LPGA Tour players, tee it up at Longbow Golf Club playing for their share of the $100,000 purse and an exemption into the LPGA Tour’s RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup.

The RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup will be played March 14-17 at Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

“It is important for the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup to continue its support for both the local communities and the development of young aspiring golfers,” said RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup Tournament Director Chris Garrett. “We are excited to partner with the VisitMesa.Com Gateway Classic, which is right down the road from our event, to offer the opportunity for a Symetra Tour player to get LPGA Tour experience.”

The RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup marks the first domestic event on the LPGA Tour’s 2013 schedule and gives the Symetra Tour winner an opportunity to compete alongside former winners of the event including Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng and LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Karrie Webb.

“The Symetra Tour is the best avenue for players to reach their dreams of playing on the LPGA Tour,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “This exemption will give the winner an opportunity to compete alongside the world’s best golfers at the RR Donnelley Founders Cup. This is just another example of how the Symetra Tour is truly the Road to the LPGA.”

The exemption into the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup falls directly in line with the Symetra Tour’s mission of preparing the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since the Symetra Tour began in 1980, this season marks the second time the Symetra Tour will award 10 fully exempt LPGA Tour cards to the top-10 on the season-ending Volvik Race for the card.

February 6, 2013
COOL CLUBS – Scottsdale AZ – Amateur Golf is Good; Visiting the Expert Club Fitters at Cool Clubs Makes it Even Better

From the Excellent Arizona Golf Adventures at the Arizona Golf Authority

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — We can’t play golf every day, so what’s the best way to get better on your day off?

A visit to Cool Clubs will give you the opportunity to play more enjoyable golf, immediately. Right now. The next time you tee it up – Now.

We just watched it happen again, yesterday, although CEO Mark Timms and his professional staff have been working this magic in Scottsdale since 2000.

After two days of recreational play to get loose, we delivered an avid 16-handicap sibling from Chicago to the Scottsdale studio and the compassionate care of Justin Nelson, National Director of Club Fitting for Cool Clubs.

In under an hour, Mr. Nelson had our player hitting tee balls farther, in a tighter pattern, with less spin at launch and more roll-out in the fairway. Same player, same swing, but when armed with a proper tool for his move: Better golf shot!

After only 20 minutes in the fitting studio, Mr. Nelson had assessed our player’s current equipment, swing characteristics and tee ball flight. He selected three drivers from Cool Club’s enormous inventory and put our man to work striking drives with each club.

Twenty minutes later, the results of those shots produced a clear clubhead winner.

Working with that clubhead, Mr. Nelson spent the next 15 minutes analyzing our player with three different shafts to find the optimal configuration for his golf swing. Once again, the shots produced a clear winner.

And in less than one hour, Mr. Nelson tallied the results and presented our player with three options: good, better and best. The Best: PING G25 clubhead with a stock, stiff shaft.

The other clubheads analyzed included the Callaway X-Hot, Taylor Made RBZ and Nike VRS-9 with various shaft combinations, but overall, the G25 performed best for our player.

“It’s really quite simple,” shared Mr. Timms, “There’s an awful lot going on in a full-shot golf swing. To diagnose all that and ask an amateur, who doesn’t play every day, to commit the time necessary to fix their move is asking a lot.

“It’s much more efficient to precisely match a clubhead and shaft to their unique swing and produce a better golf shot. It’s a whole lot quicker, too.”

Cool Clubs has over 25,000 current club and shaft combinations available in their high-tech studio so there’s no chance the unique swing you show them will require something they don’t have in their toolbox.

“Putting is a little bit different,” TImms noted. “Because it’s such a short, low-impact stroke, we can make a small adjustment to a players’ technique that, together with a properly fit putter, results in more holed putts right away.”

Cool Clubs’ putter fitting studio analyzes each putting stroke with 8 separate high-speed video cameras, so there’s no guesswork involved here, either. And everybody knows, professionals and amateurs alike, the quickest way to lower scores is holing more putts.

Lee Trevino said it years ago, addressing his amateur playing partners, and it’s as true today as it’s ever been: “I have the skill to take any bag of clubs and manipulate the clubface to produce the ball flight I want; you don’t. It’s more important that your clubs fit you, than mine fit me.”

On your next day off, schedule a visit to Cool Clubs and get fitted. You’ll play better, more enjoyable golf, right away, which is what an Excellent Arizona Golf Adventure is all about.

Visit http://coolclubs.com or telephone 888-284-9292. Cool Clubs studios are also located in Dallas-Ft. Worth TX, Irvine CA, San Francisco CA, Stamford CT, and Tokyo, Japan.

February 6, 2013