TriState Golfer Magazine

spring 2011

golfertri-state summer 2012

A daily fee course with all the amenities of a private country club

delaware parkpulsating

with superior entertainment options

tristategolfer.com

The mosT read golf publicaTion in The Tri sTaTe area TSG

inside This issue • summer 2012tri-state golfer

Tri-STaTe Golfer MaGazine

7 whiTe clay creek counTry club Pulsating with Superior entertainment options

17Jason hilz

Hilz Hopes to lift limerick to new Heights

Any opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and do not necessarily rep-resent the views of the publisher or Tri-State Golfer Magazine. The information in this issue was accurate at the time of publication. All should be confirmed with the golf facility before making tee times and reservations.

Tri-State Golfer is published quarterly with issues in January,

april, July, and September.

Tri-State Golfer is a complimentary magazine available at public and

private courses throughout the tri-state area.

Po Box 341

Drexel Hill, Pa 19026

publisherJoe BurkHarDT

adverTising sales(eastern pa / nJ / de / md)

Joe BurkHarDT610.755.8767

[email protected]

sTaff wriTernaTe oxMan

conTribuTing wriTersMaTT BionDi

lou GuzziaDrienne HoGan

Mark HoGan

graphic design/arT direcTion Garo yePreMian Jr.—GaroJrDeSiGn.coM—

conTribuTing associaTionsBionDi MeDia

Golfweek aMaTeur Tour PHilaDelPHia PuBlinkS

PSSa TournorTH coaST Golf SHow

uSGa

11day Trippin’

chesapeake Bay Golf club

15women’s golf

christina ricci’s Book is a woman’s Secret weapon

www.tristategolfer.com

1913Tsg news Ticker

Golf Happenings, rumors, observations

20lou guzzi– from The lesson Tee

investing in your fairway Bunker Game

21philadelphia publinks

45th annual Philadelphia Better-Ball championship

7 Tri-STaTe Golfer • SuMMer 2012

The options are endless.The tri-state area is

saturated with so many quality golf courses that

it can be head-spinning trying to decide on your next destination. and as the economy continues to sputter, ensuring you’re going to get the absolute maximum for your money is paramount.

That’s exactly why white clay creek country club at Delaware Park continues its charge to the top. wilmington, Del.’s finest daily-fee facility woos golfers from all over the region with an abundance of unrivaled amenities, most notably a premier thoroughbred racetrack that on June 26 will celebrate its 75th anniversary.

one of 23 racetracks designed by william duPont, Jr. of the famous duPonts who emigrated to Delaware from france in 1800 and subsequently stamped their family name throughout the first State.

a newspaper article from the chester Times published on June 18, 1937, eight days before the track opened, noted du Pont’s dream of creating a sporting monument that local residents would take tremendous pride in.

Seventy-five years later it’s safe to say: Mission accomplished.

Throughout the years big-name thoroughbreds have traced their

beginnings to Delaware Park. afleet alex, who finished third in the 2005 kentucky Derby before taking the titles at the next two legs of the Triple crown, won at Delaware Park on June 26, 2004, in his first career start no less. and then on october 4, 2005, Barbaro blitzed the competition at Delaware Park in his debut race. The following year, he captured the kentucky Derby.

But the racetrack was virtually an instant success thanks in part to duPont’s design, which included a 7,500-seat open-air grandstand with an indoor clubhouse on top. The track shut down during world war ii in 1943, but rose steadily in popularity after opening the following year. The success led to a multi-million dollar expansion in 1958 during which the seating capacity doubled.

Delaware Park continued to progress on a national level, eventually turning

into a summer racing home, not only for horses based in florida, but to horse racing fans from major metropolitan areas up and down the east coast: new york city, washington D.c., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Success continued until competition grew and Delaware Park actually closed its doors in 1982 before rockville, Md. Developer william rickman arrived, acquiring the property and reopening the racetrack in the spring of 1984.

Thanks to the introduction of simulcasting in the mid-90s and a live-racing handle that reached $91 million in 1995, rickman lobbied successfully to get the Delaware General assembly to legalize slot machine gambling. it was a monumental move, buoyed significantly by legislation in 2009 to allow wagering on sports, specifically three-game pro football parlays, and live table games in 2010, that helped rickman expand Delaware Park into the all-encompassing entertainment oasis it is today—something william duPont, Jr. most likely didn’t foresee 75 years ago.

indoors, Delaware Park offers 42 table games including blackjack, craps and roulette, 2,500 slot machines, a 20-table poker room, year-round simulcasting, one of the only spots-betting sites on the east coast, plus banquet and meeting facilities, and an

By Nate Oxman, Staff Writer

co

ve

r s

Tor

y

rounds out onslaught of superior entertainment at Delaware Park

whiTe clay creekcounTry club

enticing variety of dining options from The Terrace offering awesome views of the racetrack to legends restaurant with its signature steak and seafood dishes to the award-winning rooney’s Deli and the Veranda room, a 250-seat banquet room boasting spectacular views of white clay creek country club.

Delaware Park’s staple outdoor attraction, the racetrack that hosts 116 days of edge-of-your-seat live racing from May to november, was bolstered in 2005 by the addition of the arthur Hills/Steve forrest-designed white clay creek country club, a Par 72 layout that stretches to 7,007 yards and winds its way through 300 acres of an environmentally floodplain.

“we haven’t been open that long,” said Director of Golf ryan kidwell. “However, when the idea for a golf course came about at Delaware Park, the park took a vested interest in making sure that the golf course would be built in a natural environment. at most properties there might be a piece of ground where they go in and level everything to build the golf course and then plant small trees to hopefully have mature trees 30 years later. Here, arthur Hills took into consideration the land, white clay creek and Mill creek, and worked the golf course through those features, leaving as many trees that he possibly could.

Several years before the golf course opened, the park established a nursery to grow trees and replace them back out onto the golf course.

“we tried to leave the land in as natural a setting as possible,” said kidwell. “we have a ton of wildlife out here and we tried not to disturb any of it. we have deer, fox, tons of fish - trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass in the creeks - so it’s a very, very natural setting and you’d think the golf course had been here for 20 years, which is really neat.”

five sets of tees - appropriately marked with jockey helmets - make

white clay creek enjoyable for golfers of all ages and ability levels. Several holes are in close proximity to the racetrack, helping to maintain the charming horse racing theme.

“There are several places on the golf course where you can hear the call to post,” said kidwell. “you can hear the gate open and you can really hear and also feel the thunder of the horses going down the track, which is really pretty unique.”

complementing the golf course is a first-class practice facility featuring a 60,000 square foot natural grass practice range and an expansive short-game area, where kidwell and his staff offer instruction to players of all levels.

inside the immaculate clubhouse are a state of the art indoor teaching facility, a fully stocked golf shop and the at The rail wine Bar & Grille, undoubtedly one of the finest on-site restaurants in the entire tri-state area.

The golf course itself is worthy of the 30-mile drive down i-95 from

Philadelphia, but add in the other attractions, and it’s a no-brainer. white clay creek cc clearly belongs on your 2012 golf bucket list.

“That’s one thing that is pretty neat,” said Director of Golf ryan kidwell. “we have everything here in one location. you won’t find another place in the area that encompasses everything we have: a golf course, a casino, thoroughbred racing, simulcast racing, nfl parlay betting, and multiple restaurants to dine in. Delaware Park is a destination facility that allows people to spend the whole day here.”

Tri-STaTe Golfer • SuMMer 2012 8

For more information about Delaware

Park, including the casino and racetrack,

visit

DelawarePark.coM

or call 302.994.2521

For more information about White

Clay Creek Country Club, including

memberships, outings, lessons, or junior

programs, visit

wHiTeclaycreekGolfcourSe.coM

or call 302.994.6700, x7436

For reservations or more information about

At the Rail Wine Bar and Grille, visit

wHiTeclaycreekGolfcourSe.coM

or call 302.994.6700, x7194

So many of my students come to me and say i’m hitting the ball well, but i’m just not scoring. i always ask about their short game. if you miss the green are you able to get up and down or get to the green and make two putts. or do you stub your chip shot or hit it over the green and then back again, costing you many strokes.

i believe shots from 60 yards and in to be the scoring zone, if you become better at your pitching and chipping you will lower your scores. i try to use simple phrases like “keep the y” to help you hit better shots around the greens.

a chip (bump and run) is a shot that spends more time on the ground than in the air. Perfect time for a chip is when you are close to the green, maybe on the approach and do not have anything in front of you to hit over. you want the ball to stay close to the ground and run to the hole. club choice can vary from a Pw to a 7 iron, use what you feel most comfortable with.

a pitch is a lofted shot that carries more in the air than on the ground. if you are in the rough or fairway and have to hit over a sand trap or over water a pitch will go higher and land softer. you will typically use a higher lofted club like Pw, Sw or 60 degree wedge.

The set-up up for these shots is similar, with a narrow stance, and the front foot slight open (to assist with your turn). weight should be 60 % on the front foot and 40% on the back. Ball position is middle to back of the stance and your hands should be pressed forward slightly creating the look of a “y”. if you want to hit a higher shot you want to keep your hands a bit more neutral not as pressed.

you never want to break the wrist through he shot or “scoop” it. keep the “y” look throughout the entire swing, with your hands in front of the clubface not the club in front of the hands. The stroke will be smaller with little wrist break for shorter shots and a bit more wrist break for longer shots.

Get creative with your practice. Take 12 balls and hit them to a ten foot circle, the repetition will help with your feel for the shot. note how far you take the club back and if you are chocking down on the club. Place targets at different distances, if you hit 7 or more out of the 12 balls into the circle move to another target. Put balls in different lies, some good some bad, as you find them on the course.

i hope these tips help you lower your scores and have fun learning some new short game shots.

–AdrienneaDrienne HoGan

Thursdays are ladies night out at Berkleigh. Personalized instruction on and off the golf course then dinner and drinks after golf. for more information contact me at Berkleigh visit www.hogansgolfinstruction.com

Adrienne Hogan

PGa Director of Golf and instructionBerkleigh Golf club2011 Philadelphia Section Teacher of the year nomineePhiladelphia Section PGaTeaching committee

keep the “y” for better short game

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www.limerickgolfclub.com765 N. Lewis Road, Limerick, PA 19468 • 610-495-6945

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Plain and simple, chesapeake Bay Golf club is everything anyone could ask

for in a golf destination.There are two meticulously-

maintained courses set just five miles apart in two perfectly complementary settings—one artfully carved out of forest and one splendidly sprawled across endless acres of rolling farmland.

affordable, family-friendly features are highlighted by free golf for kids ages 17 and under accompanied by a paying adult, a nine-hole family golf rate totaling just $40 after 4 p.m. on fridays and the PGa family course option offering an additional set of tees.

at both locations, award-winning restaurants, banquet facilities ideal for weddings and special events add to the arsenal.

Stay & Play packages jam-packed with enticements including unlimited golf each day and free breakfast, dinner and drinks start at just $109 in season.

and rounding out the irresistible attraction is a location considerably

closer than resorts down the shore or up the Poconos.

ideally situated 45 minutes down i-95 from the southwestern suburbs, an hour from much of Montgomery county and center city, and less than 15 minutes from southern chester county, chesapeake Bay Golf club beckons as a golf vacation destination that is without a

doubt unrivaled in both accessibility and affordability in the tri-state area.

“Some people think that because we’re in Maryland that we’re really far away,” said General Manager andy Barbin. “That’s not the case at all. from most of the Philadelphia area, we’re less than an hour’s drive. it doesn’t feel like you’re driving to another state. it’s more like you’re driving to the next county over. we’re very accessible. we’re right off of i-95. There aren’t a lot of twists and turns to get to us. we‘re very convenient.”

Those making the effortless, fuel-friendly drive from the Greater Philadelphia area pull off i-95 at exit 100, just four miles from the Mason Dixon line

and face a win-win decision: take route 272 South for just two and a half miles to chesapeake Bay Golf club at north east or take route 272 north and then route 274 west for a combined three miles to chesapeake Bay Golf club at rising Sun.

choose the former and you’re in for a round of golf that doubles as a nature hike. The north east course, constructed in 1994, is adjacent to the 3,500-acre elk neck State forest, a recreational haven in itself as it offers visitors hunting, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and shooting ranges. it’s one of the many must-visits, along with a public beach and marina right across the street from the north east course, the north east community Park on the waterfront, and the Plumpton Park zoo in rising Sun, for a family on any golf getaway at chesapeake Bay Gc and it plays a major role in your round at north east, framing many holes to offer a refreshing sense of solitude throughout.

“you really feel like you’re by yourself out in nature,” said Barbin. “you don’t see other groups out there. you’re really all alone. it’s kind of like a carolina-style course in that sense.”

also forging the golfer’s bond with nature on the Par 70 course that stretches to 6,414 yards from the black tees and plays at a comforting 6,009 yards from the whites are the presence of environmentally-protected wetlands and an array of animals including beavers, fox, deer and birds of all sorts.

The well-conceived layout, refreshing in that it rarely sends golfers in the same direction on consecutive holes, heads southeast away from the clubhouse via the uphill 406-yard par-4 first hole, then east with the risk/reward 328-yard, slight dogleg-right second hole, south for the 356-yard par-4 third with wetlands protecting the right side of the fairway and southwest toward the forest to play the 175-yard par-3 fourth featuring a well-bunkered.

affordable, family-friendly golf awaits at chesapeake bay golf clubBy Nate Oxman Staff Writer


day Trippin’


Two terrific holes close out the front side beginning with the signature 285-yard par-4 eighth. Many players choose to hit a long iron or hybrid short of the 8-foot deep waste bunker that runs up the right side of the fairway, across much of the front of the green and then up the entire right side of the putting surface. The treacherous hazard is adorned with railroad ties, as is the equally penal bunker positioned behind the green. adding to the intrigue are three pot bunkers left of the green and deep forest lining the entire right side of the hole.

“it’s a neat little golf hole,” said Barbin of no. 8. “it’s a great hole for matches when they’re coming down to the end of the front nine. you can try to rip a drive to reach the green or play smart and lay back. it offers a risk/reward shot and it’s a lot of fun to play. not many courses have a hole like that.”

an awesome mix of par 3s includes the 177-yard ninth. Playing back toward the clubhouse, this one-shotter requires precise placement to avoid a group of greenside hazards, including a bottomless grass bunker known as “The Volcano.”

one of many memorable vistas on the north east course, which was widened in the off-season to enhance playability, greets golfers at the lake tee on the par-4 10th, a dogleg left from this option that requires roughly a 200-yard carry over a lake dotted with Blue Herons.

an additional tee is tucked across the lake, turning the 419-yarder into a straight, uphill hole with a less-daunting tee shot. Don’t forget to pause on the green and glance back up the fairway at the lake and clubhouse and perhaps snap a photo or two.

aptly named “nature walk” thanks to the soothing stroll through the forest from the 10th green to the 11th tee, this 407-yard par 4 epitomizes chesapeake Bay Gc at north east. it’s framed by forest, decorated with an abundance of hazards, and picturesque from tee to green.

equally scenic is the 175-yard (136 from the whites) par-3 finishing hole, where the lake provides a beautiful backdrop to a downhill tee shot over wetlands to a severely-sloped green.

To reflect on it all and refuel before the 10-minute ride to rising Sun, where

your replay rate is a mere $30, the recently revamped Blue Heron Grille awaits.

with a new menu focused on regional fare - still featuring the club’s famous crab cakes - and floor-to-ceiling windows offering outstanding views of the first and 10th tees and ninth and 18th greens from inside the pub or outside on the terrace, it won’t be easy to eat and run.

But there’s much more to enjoy.Head back through the charming

town of north east, Md. at the head of the chesapeake Bay seven miles to the rising Sun course where the town’s quaint Main Street is sprinkled with antique shops a non-golfing spouse is sure to enjoy and several restaurants offer a romantic night out during your getaway.

Transformed from farmland, the rising Sun course operated as chantilly Manor country club from its inception in 1968 to 2002 when chesapeake Bay Gc swooped in. for all but the final few years, chantilly Manor functioned as a private club and although it’s now a daily-fee venue, the conditions, just like those at neighboring north east, remain private-club quality for sure.

“you get two totally different looks,” said Barbin of the club’s 36 holes. “That’s what’s nice about our properties. you could play both of them everyday and never get tired of them. at north east, you hit every club in your bag. you hit a variety of shots off the tee and into the greens and that makes it a lot of fun. if you like to hit the driver all day, rising Sun is your course. you’ll be challenged by the shots into the greens and the par 3s there are exceptional.”

well-placed water hazards, wide fairways, dual-bunkered greens, and jaw-dropping views are ever-present at the 6,636-yard (black tees), par-71 rising Sun course. case in point the 355-yard

par-4 fourth hole requiring a tee shot over wetlands to a fairway bordered by out of bounds left and a pond right and the 203-yard par-3 fifth with a pond that sits to the right of the green and wraps all the way around the back.

The back nine is brimming with great golf holes, capped off by the signature par-5 18th that stretches to 532 yards. a pond protects the dogleg on the right and causes many players to aim left and take the conservative three-shot approach to the elevated green guarded by bunkers.

like the Blue Heron Grille at north east, the Players Grille at rising Sun provides both golfers and the general public with incredible on-site dining, ideal before or after a round or for night out with the family.

it all fits into a formula that Barbin and his staff conceived to make golf more inclusive.

“we try to keep a fun, family atmosphere,” said Barbin. “we’re doing a lot of different things here to try to get people out to play golf again. a lot of people think they can’t bring their kids out to play golf because it’s too expensive. But we want everyone to know you can bring your family here. we make golf very affordable.”

For more information regarding

Chesapeake Bay Golf Club’s stay & play

packages, rates and to book tee times, visit

cHeSaPeakeGolf.coM

or call the North East Course at

410.287.0200

or the Rising Sun Course at

410.658.4343

day Trippin’

Gilbertsville Golf Club27 Hole Golf Course

“The Hidden Gem of Public Golf Courses”

2944 Lutheran Road, Gilbertsville, PA 19525610.323.3222 golfgilbertsvillegc.com

$5.00 OFF Greens FeesAnytime Monday thru Friday,

Weekends and Holidays before 2pm. Exp. 8/31/12

Has anyone noticed the superb level of play in the PPGa this season? These guys are good! Back on May 21, Tom Timby drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole (after finishing with a 4-under 68) to give he and his partner, Mike Brown, the title at the PPGa Better-Ball championship at Turtle creek Golf course in limerick, Pa. and on June 10, Steve owens, Jr. and chris Thude tied a tournament record with a score of 18-under par en route to capturing the 45th Philadelphia Better-Ball championship at cobbs creek Golf club in Philadelphia. There are still plenty of PPGa tournaments left in 2012. all are open to amateur golfers at public or private clubs as well as those without club affiliation and most feature both gross and net competitions … Before heading out to the olympic club, a recent u.S. open champ took advantage of absolute immaculate conditions at next year’s u.S. open site and reportedly turned in a one-over 71 from the open tees that will play just under 7,000 yards … Just as linfield national Golf club has flourished under new ownership, look for nearby limerick Golf club to do the same under a family which has achieved much success in both business and golf … a struggling economy has resulted in heavy strain on the golf industry, which in turn has caused a number of private golf clubs in the tri-state area to open their doors to the public: lulu cc in north Hills, Pa., yardley cc in yardley, Pa., reading cc in reading, Pa., Brandywine cc in wilmington, Del. The next to join that list might be historic Torresdale-frankford country club in Philadelphia, a fantastic Donald ross design which hosted a PGa Tour event in the 1940s. we’ll be sure to keep you posted … ron Jaworski might have to rename his crown jewel. That title has been linked with running Deer Golf club in Pittsgrove, n.J. since Jaws’ golf management company took over operation of the course in 2008, but after ron Jaworski Management recently purchased Blue Heron Pines Golf club in egg Harbor city, n.J., Jaworski might have a new “crown jewel.” running Deer Gc is an awesome, unique golf course kept in superb condition. Those sentiments can be echoed in reference to Blue Heron Pines Gc as well. with Valleybrook country club in Blackwood and riverwinds Golf & Tennis club in west Deptford, rJM now has four very different, very attractive courses in its arsenal that combine to make for one powerful membership package … while tickets for a uSGa national championship to be played June 10-13, 2013 at Merion could be costly and hard to come by, the uSGa will stage four national championships in the tri-state area in 2012. The u.S. women’s amateur Public links championship will be played at neshanic Valley Golf course in neshanic Station, n.J. June 18-23, the uSGa Senior women’s amateur championship will take place at Hershey country club in Hershey, Pa. Sept. 8-13, The uSGa Men’s State Team championship will be at Galloway national Golf club in Galloway, n.J. Sept. 19-21, and the uSGa Senior amateur championship heads to Mountain ridge country club in west caldwell, n.J. Sept. 29-oct. 4. all four uSGa national events offer free admission.

19Tsg news Ticker


TSG news

it wasn’t too long ago that christina ricci was a marketing executive living

in Miami when her mother’s perpetual-fiancé, eager to start the golfing family he’d always hoped for, purchased a five-lesson package for ricci and her mother.

while golf didn’t match the fast-paced action ricci’s mother loved about tennis, ricci herself was enamored from that very instant. a lifelong athlete who played virtually every sport imaginable as a kid, ricci welcomed the ceaseless challenge the game brought. She even saw herself on the lPGa Tour one day and thrust all of her time and energy into getting there. She worked tirelessly on her game, taking lessons, hitting balls, and playing. it didn’t take long for ricci to realize the incredible challenge of the game.

in fact, there were times when she left the course crying, times when she thought she wouldn’t reach her goal, and times when she wanted to throw her clubs in the pond, but ricci persevered.

“Don’t ever forget how hard this game is,” ricci told herself.

although she realized the jump from beginner to tour player might just be a bit out of reach, she kept forging ahead, full bore. like so many, she became utterly obsessed, so much so that she was beginning to give up her day job in marketing for more practice and course-time.

after five years spent absolutely engulfed in golf, ricci emerged as a 5 handicap and even though she knew the lPGa Tour wasn’t in her future, she knew golf would always play a large role in her life.

ricci subsequently found herself in a predicament. Somehow she had to find a way to marry her two passions, work and golf. Her mother helped her figure this out. ricci recalls that her mother was tired of listening to her and her stepdad gabbing about the game, so she said she would try it again. ricci soon found herself giving her mother and her friends tips on the course. She

helped with simple things such as setup, club selection and ball position. She found her advice worked and wondered whether it might benefit others as well. ricci knew how hard golf was for beginners, she was just there.

initially, ricci’s plan was to put together a visual training guide, print a few copies, perhaps sell them online, and go from there.

christina states, “i wanted to motivate and share my experiences with other women, ‘Hey, i took up this game later in life and dropped to a 5 handicap in 5 years. if i can do it, so can you!’” christina was right on the mark. Her Survival Guides have become a powerful motivating tool for women.

christina continues, “in a nutshell, the book is how i did it. everything in the book; the skulls, chunky-monkeys, slices and duck-hooks, i went through it… and i went through it big-time! Type a’s and golf is a rough mix, but also a great mix because it kept me going. True, i was really hard on myself, and there were a lot of tears shed. My message to women evolved out of my personal journey. ‘Don’t go through the same things i went through. My way was not the best way and i know this now very clearly. let me show you a better way, so you can shorten your learning curve, and enjoy this great game to your fullest potential.’”

The secret weapon is A Girl’s On-Course Survival Guide to Golf, one of the most innovative golf instruction books ever published. Designed to fit inside your golf bag, the book, while initially

a woman’s secret weapon…a girl’s on-course survival guide to golfBy Nate Oxman Staff Writer


women’s golf


marketed for women, allows golfers of all ages and ability levels to have a go-to glossary of golf tips on the course. it’s easy to navigate, easy to understand and, thanks to cover-to-cover pictures is a

visual learner’s dream come true. “i’m a visual learner and i think a lot of other people are as well,” said ricci. “i wanted

something that was simple, quick to grasp, and course-friendly.”

with her tee-to-green format, readers can effortlessly locate very specific situations they are inevitably going to encounter during a round. The ideal combination of text, written of course by ricci, and photos of ricci on the course, provide the reader with both the right and wrong methods. in fact, the simple yeS/nos, and Step 1-2-3s have become the book’s signature, along with sprinkles of humor throughout

the book. Her instruction is simple, sufficient and spot-on. She likes to joke she received an “a” when she had it reviewed by several PGa professionals.

“if you really want to improve you must invest in professional lessons,” said ricci. “i could never have dropped to a 5 handicap in 5 years without many-many professional lessons, so i’m a strong advocate of that. in fact, i designed both books to complement professional lessons, not to replace them. for example, say you are working on your backswing with your pro, a player can refer to the Guide in-between

lessons to keep those principles fresh in his/her mind. Golf professionals are also seeing the books as a value-add for their students and are ordering them for clinics, as well as welcome gifts for ladies-tailored events.” she adds.

ricci “spent 24/7” on the book and finished it in just six months. She then hired an agent and pitched it to twenty publishers. She recalls, “that process took a year!” nineteen turned her down, all giving the same criticism, “who are you?”

ricci recalls, “one of the biggest obstacles i encountered when seeking a publisher, ‘who’s going to buy this book, you’re an amateur.’” She got lucky. “The final publisher was a woman, a golfer, and she got it.” said ricci. “She understood what i was trying to do.”

Since its launch in 2008, A Girl’s On-Course Survival Guide to Golf is continuing to rank as a top-seller, second to Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons.

ricci laughs, “Husbands buy it for their wives and then the wives contact me and say they need another book because their husbands won’t give the book back!” The success spawned a second, more advanced book, Reach Your Goals Survival Guide to Golf, The Secret Weapon Series DVD gift set to accompany ricci’s first book, a website geared exclusively for women at misspar.com and a Golf Survival Guide iPhone app.

while ricci is still very hard at work whittling down her handicap even further, she’s also focused on her next bold venture, “on the road to More Pars,” an interactive reality TV show featuring both amateur and professional golfers from all over the country. This project is ahead of its time and has been a real challenge for her to get buy-in from the networks. She is optimistic the tables will turn soon.

To learn more about Christina and her

products, visit

WWW.GOLFSuRvivALGuiDE.COM

women’s golf

“don’t ever forgethow hard this gameis,” ricci told herself.

since its launch in 2008, a girl’s on-course survival guide to golf became

an instant success ranking in the top five, second to hogan’s ‘five lessons.’

after spending nearly eight years lifting Gilbertsville Golf club to

the upper echelon among the hordes of daily-fee facilities in Montgomery county, Jason Hilz has a new home.

in early June, Hilz joined limerick Golf club, another Montgomery county daily-fee course that has a very bright future.

Hilz said he had never played the golf course and wasn’t very familiar with the property before making the move, but was pleasantly surprised by what he found when he came on board.

“it has a lot of potential,” said Hilz. “it really does. it has some unique characteristics, some challenging holes and the green complexes are humongous.

Hilz will fill the same roles he held at Gilbertsville Gc, but he’s eagerly taking on some additional duties, as Director of Golf and club operations at limerick Gc. The facility is conveniently located at 765 n. lewis road, less than one mile

off of route 422 and one-half mile off of ridge Pike in limerick, Pa. Hilz will help run the club’s full-service restaurant/bar as well as the club’s private club-quality banquet facilities.

“it was an opportunity that i felt would make me more well-rounded in my career,” said Hilz. “i’ve always just worked on the golf side of the business and now i’m helping out in overseeing the entire business operation of the club: the restaurant, bar, banquet facilities, all of that stuff. it’s a full-facility here.”

limerick boasts a walker-friendly 6,019-yard (blue tees) par 70 course ripe with twists and turns and elevation changes that keep players of all ability levels engaged and eager to return time after time. inside limerick’s clubhouse is a full-service restaurant/bar open to the public and a party room ideal for small special events on the main level and on the upper level, a banquet facility able to accommodate 300 people and offering a wrap-around balcony and awesome views of the ninth and 18th greens.

To book tee times at limerick Golf club online or for more information, visit www.limerickgolfclub.com.

By Nate Oxman, Staff Writer

hilz hopes to lift limerick golf club to new heights

Jason Hilz


Stuck without a spare $250,000 for a ferrari Spider automobile? one alternative: a ferrari golf metalwood, the product of a new

collaboration between ferrari and cobra Puma Golf.new ferrari cars can be found in the $250,000 to $350,000

price range, and the alliance between ferrari and cobra Puma has produced some high-priced items of its own.

a redheaded ferrari golf driver (ferrari is famous for its red cars) will carry a suggested retail price of $2,000. The price tag for a ferrari luxury Bag will be $2,400. The leather used for the bag is the same kind used for the seats in ferrari GT cars.

all the ferrari-cobra Puma products will be available in July, including apparel such as $120 polo shirts and $250 jackets patterned after the interior of a ferrari car.

Shoes, which are the nucleus of the Puma empire, will sell for $600 and are handcrafted in italy with full-grain leather upper and sole. The stitching is designed after a ferrari interior.

This isn’t the first collaboration between car companies and golf. carmakers have prominently associated themselves with professional golf tournaments for more than 50 years.Buick first stepped into the golf spotlight with the Buick open in 1958, and many other carmakers followed. BMw, cadillac, chrysler, ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, lexus, Mercedes Benz, nissan and oldsmobile are among the car manufacturers who have been involved in the sponsorship of big-league tournaments.

in recent years, some carmakers have teamed up with major golf club manufacturers, placing their logos on high-tech clubs.

Porsche and TaylorMade teamed up in 2006, producing a Porsche Design collection that included an adjustable driver with six different weight plugs.

lamborghini and callaway unveiled a partnership in 2010, with the companies combining research capabilities to produce a form of carbon fiber called forged composite. This material is used by callaway in its multi-material razr fit drivers.

ferrari’s famous prancing-horse logo will be available to consumers on golf clubs, shoes, apparel and accessories from cobra Puma Golf, starting July 1 (www.ferrarigolfcollection.com).

The multi-material driver, which uses cobra’s zl technology along with new aerodynamics, is the only golf club in the initial release of products from cobra Puma and ferrari. other clubs will follow.

“This is a long-term partnership,” Philion said. This is attention to detail to the max (such as kangaroo leather golf grips from australia).

“it is very exciting to me that our design team and their engineers are working together. They are doing a lot of the same things with cars that we are trying to do with golf clubs – such as light weight and superb aerodynamics.”

a redheaded ferrari golf driver (ferrari is famous for its red cars) will carry a suggested retail price of $2,000.

ferrari metalwoods: for those who can’t buy the car

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from The lesson Tee

over the years i have created instructional video tips for Golf Magazine, inside Golf on comcast Sports net and many other media outlets including my academy website. for most of the tips i end the video with, “i hope this tip helps you with your game and remember, keep ‘em in the fairway”. Sounds like good advice but what do we need to do when we just miss the fairway and find ourselves looking at the dreaded fairway Bunker Shot? well, for only the cost of a quarter i think we can find the answer for hitting what can be, for many golfers, an impossible shot.

okay, let’s get started. first, there are two main problems that i see many amateurs make when trying to hit a fairway Bunker Shot. The first, they don’t pick the proper lofted club to make sure they get the ball over the front lip of the bunker. The second problem, they try to catch the ball clean and just pick it up from the bunker without taking much sand. unfortunately, this problem leads to many topped shots that drive hard into the lip of the bunker, making what should be a fairly easy shot almost impossible.

you see, fairway Bunker Shots are much different than hitting the average Greenside Bunker Shot. in a Greenside Bunker you are deliberately hitting behind the ball, moving the sand and then the ball forward and onto the green. in a fairway Bunker we need to make contact with the ball right before we hit down into and through the sand. in other words, all we are really trying to do with a fairway Bunker Shot is to hit the ball out of the Bunker the same way you would hit your shot off the grass of the fairway any other time. The only change i make in

my set-up is to put a little added weight on my left side (right leg 45% - left leg 55%).

now here’s where the Quarter comes into play. when practicing, place a Quarter about 1” in front of the ball towards the target and get into your address position with

your weight slightly forward. now, all you need to do is make your normal swing and keep your eyes on the Quarter, instead of the ball. Try to hit the Quarter on your way down into the sand. you can’t get to the Quarter without making contact with the ball first. as you practice this visual tip you will start to see a divot being made in the sand just past the ball. it’s as simple as that, so now it’s time to hit the Piggy Bank

and get to the practice bunker to make your investment in a better fairway Bunker Game.

i hope this tip helps you with your game and remember, “keep em’ in the fairway”. —Lou

it’s Time To invest in your fairway bunker game

lou guzziPGA DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION

TAlAmORE COUNTRy ClUb

A GOLF Magazine “Top 100 Teacher in America”

2003 & 2010 Philadelphia Section “PGA Teacher of the Year”

A Golf Range Magazine “Top 50 Instructor in America”

Listed as one of Golf Digest’s “Best Teachers in Your State”

National PGA Instruction Committee – Member

Nominated- National PGA “Teacher of the Year”

Philadelphia Section PGA Teaching Committee - Chairman

By Lou Guzzi

For more information, you can contact Lou at Lou Guzzi Golf Academy at Talamore Country Club.

www.louguzzi.com

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a fter spending nearly eight years lifting Gilbertsville Golf club to

the upper echelon among the hordes of daily-fee facilities in Montgomery county, Jason Hilz has a new home.

Steve owens, Jr. and chris Thude capped their record tying performance at the Philadelphia Better-Ball championship at cobbs creek Gc with a final round, 6-under par, 65. The 18-under performance ties the tournament record on 195 set initially by Mike owsik and Joe owsik in 1985, the matched by Travis Gahman and luke Peters in 2008.

The eventual champions set the pace early in the tournament with birdies on 5 of the first six holes followed by a chip-in eagle at the 297-yard, par 4, eighth. The pair would shoot 1-under the rest

of the way to cap their opening round 63. owens and Thude would shoot a second round 67 to extend their lead to five heading into the final round. The winning duo posted eighteen birdies, and eagle and only 2 bogies for the championship.

Dave fardon and Travis Gahman did their best to challenge the winners in the final round but their final round 64 and 54-hole total of 199 left them four shots behind owens and Thude. in a third place tie, eight shots behind the winners, was reigning PPGa Player of the year Scott Mcneil Paired with his father, John and 2010 PPGa Player of the year, Mike Brown teaming with Jeff Huntzinger. The highlight of the final round was Huntzinger’s double eagle on the par-5, seventeenth hole.

rounding out the top five were defending champions Greg Jarmas and ari flaisher with a three-day total of 8-under par, 205.

in the senior division, 2011 Senior Player of the year, Tony carroll teamed with Jim Durante, to capture the Senior Division championship with a 36-hole score of 1-under par, 141. runners-up in the senior division were Bill erskine and Mike Dutill, three shots behind the winners.

Steve owens, Sr. teamed with ken Hayman to win the Super Senior Division for players 60 years of age or older with a score of 3-over par, 145 which bested the team of George Griffin and fred naegele by a shot.

owens and Thude tie Tournament scoring record and win philadelphia better-ball championship

philadelphia publinks


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“CHAMPIONSHIP” FLIGHT 1 Steve owens, Jr. - chris Thude, John f. Byrne Gc 63-67-65 195 2 Dave fardon, Saucon Valley cc - Travis Gahman, Bridgewater 66-69-64 1993 Mike Brown, unaffiliated - Jeff Huntzinger, five Ponds Gc 68-67-68 203 3 Scott Mcneil, cobbs creek Gc - John Mcneil, Sheppard Hills Gc 70-68-65 203 5 ari flaisher, Mccall Gc - Greg Jarmas, cobbs creek Gc 70-66-69 205 6 Joe Saltarelli - anthony Saltarelli, unaffiliated 70-68-69 2076 andrew Jaskal, Middletown cc - Mike Hartsough, edgemont cc 71-70-66 207 8 Gordon Dunlop iii - Tim Smith, Bensalem cc 70-71-69 2109 Tony carroll, unaffiliated - Jim Durante, Meadow Brook Gc 69-72-70 2119 Sean clifford - Bruce clifford, John f. Byrne Gc 71-70-70 21111 Pete Boylan - Jim conway, riverwinds Gc 70-71-71 21212 Bernie flynn, center Square Gc - eric Semisch, north Palm Beach cc 71-74-71 216

“A” FLIGHT 1 lance oberparleiter - eric frampton, little Mill cc 72-69-67 2082 Dave kimbley, Spring Hollow Gc - keith christman, Twin Ponds Gc 72-70-68 2103 Dave Shields - Dan Gentilucci, walnut lane Gc 71-68-72 2114 Pat Sullivan, Meadow Brook Gc - Bill Turner, rancocas Gc 73-73-67 2135 adam warner - adam Bracy, rancocas Gc 72-70-73 2156 Mike Dutill, Horsham Valley Gc - Bill erskine, walnut lane Gc 71-73-75 2197 Jason loehrs - Steve loehrs, cobbs creek Gc 72-75-73 2208 Mike kaplan, five Ponds Gc - Joe Perese, Philmont cc 73-72-76 2219 Barrett young - fred Hartwell, Middletown cc 73-76-74 22310 will DeGothseir, cobbs creek Gc - Bill Solomon, unaffiliated 73-75-79 227

“B” FLIGHT1 ansley Jessup - luis Diaz, rancocas Gc 73-73-68 2142 alan Hasher - Joe Tiberi, rancocas Gc 74-72-73 2193 Jack Scholz - Hank church, cobbs creek Gc 73-72-75 2204 Bill Serody - keith Holmes, John f. Byrne Gc 74-75-74 2235 Mike Harms - Paul cornely, cobbs creek Gc 75-74-75 224 6 cJ Bell, cobbs creek Gc - will Merchant, Butlers Gc 76-74-75 2257 chuck kim - rick wright, cobbs creek Gc 76-76-74 2268 Joe crane, yardley cc - nick Madden, lulu Gc 77-74-78 2299 kevin wyszynski, John f. Byrne Gc - Mike Valentine, Spring Mill cc 76-80-76 23210 Tim Mcnerney - Bob walsh, westover Gc 77-78-80 235

“C” FLIGHT1 ken Gaskill, ramblewood Gc - Jon Mabry, Moorestown fc 77-77-75 2292 walt Humphries - Bob kowalski, linfield national Gc 78-75-79 2322 Bob weisbecker, Meadow Brook Gc - John Stark, Valleybrook Gc 77-76-79 2324 ed westley, Hawk Valley Gc - Bill rolli, ravens claw Gc 77-80-76 2335 Damian anzaldo, kennett Square cc -Paul carosella Penn oaks cc 81-78-75 2346 caesar caramanico, Talamore Gc - Ted nunez, cobbs creek Gc 78-79-78 235 7 Scott Sebring - Blake Sebring, royal Manchester Gc 78-79-79 2368 Matt nastala, unaffiliated - Tom faro, John f. Byrne Gc 77-75-86 2389 Bob zecca, cobbs creek Gc - Skip Miller, rutgers Gc 81-78-82 24110 Bruce Schaffer, Buena Vista cc - andrew repetto, cobbs creek Gc 79-85-91 255

“SeNIOR” DIvISION (50-59) 1 Tony carroll, unaffiliated - Jim Durante, Meadow Brook Gc 69-72 1412 Mike Dutill, Horsham Valley Gc - Bill erskine, walnut lane Gc 71-73 1443 Mike Harms - Paul cornely, cobbs creek Gc 75-74 1494 Matt nastala, unaffiliated - Tom faro, John f. Byrne Gc 77-75 1525 walt Humphries - Bob kowalski, linfield national Gc 78-75 1536 Denis Johnson - richard Timbrell, Plainfield west 9 Gc 76-79 1557 Jerry Haas - Brian Schwartz, cobbs creek Gc 77-82 1598 Michael Duffy - Michael cieri, westover Gc 91-89 180

“SuPeR SeNIOR” DIvISION (60+)1 ken Hayman, kimberton Gc - Steve owens, Sr., John f. Byrne Gc 73-72 1452 George Griffin - fred naegele, Town & country Gc 72-74 1463 Jim Sherratt, Buck Hill falls Gc - Bob Schiller, old york road cc 77-76 1534 ken Gaskill, ramblewood Gc - Jon Mabry, Moorestown fc 77-77 1545 Pat Givey - nick Difabio, cobbs creek Gc 82-80 162

2012 Philadelphia better-ball Champions Steve Owens, Jr. and Chris Thude

“A” Flight Champions, Eric Frampton and lance Oberparleiter

“b” Flight Champions, luis Diaz and Ansley Jessup

“C” Flight Champions, Ken Gaskill and Jon mabry

Philadelphia Senior better-ball Champions Jim Durante and Tony Carroll

Philadelphia Super Senior better-ball Champions Steve Owens, Sr. and Ken Hayman

19Th hOLeA F T e r Y O U r r O U N d

T h e O F F I C I A L

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