HackersRx is known as “the simplest golf training tool ever” and it’s on a mission to greatly improve players alignment process. The portable teaching and training unit is small and collapsible. It is easy to fit into the side pocket of a golf bag and to take with you to any course or location.
For years, golfers have been challenged to find a method that would help them properly position their body to the target line—using methods such as shoulders, outer ear, etc, that have not been proven to help. Now with HackersRx golfers can address three core fundamentals of golf —Aim, Stance and Ball Position. HackersRx is perfect for improving swing path and it is used by PGA and LPGA professionals and armatures alike, including Bill Harmon, PGA Tour and teaching professional who says that, “HackersRx is the simplest training tool ever and a must in your golf bag no matter your level.”
HackersRx consists of three telescoping rods and two plastic golf balls that can be unfolded into a “T” configuration and is adjustable for a variety of club positions that will fit in any golf bag. It gives you, the golfer, right-handed or left-handed, consistent reference points on all clubs and desired shot shapes. The unit is easy to use with all of the clubs in your golf bag and even the putter, allowing golfers to work on ball position with all the clubs. HackersRx is gaining a long list of satisfied customers who are benefiting from its method and significantly improving their game.
HackersRx is currently available for purchase internationally here online as well as at select retailers and pro shops, tournaments and events, and through our growing network of golf-enthusiast Ambassadors.
MSRP: $39.95
Patrina King is the Founder and CEO of Golf Women Mean Business (GWMB), an organization where accomplished women use golf as a tool for establishing strategic partnerships and business/career building. King started it as an education company to teach women how to get into the game and then refer them to golf leagues and other organizations.
GWMB was launched by King in 2014 and incorporated on April 20, 2015. The non-profit arm of the organization is Golf Women Mean Business Charities, Inc.
Growing up in Eatonton, Georgia, King, a dedicated human resource professional, entrepreneur and youth advocate, enjoyed the core values that were instilled early in her there. She feels that belief in one’s self along with perseverance definitely pays off. Today, at 36, her organization not only gathers women of like minds together at their Stone Mountain (GA) home golf course and distinct from most other women’s golf organization- GWMB offers a unique certification to those who wish to use golf as a business-networking tool.
Eatonton Messenger news article (1996)
“My dad (Larry Dunn) started teaching me how to play golf at the age of 5. By the age of 7, I would have been considered competitive,” says Patrinia who sports shoulder-length hair and played golf throughout high school, receiving an amazing 36 golf scholarship offers.
“I actually did not go to college to play golf because of several factors, and the limited number of girls playing at that time. However, I would love to revisit these opportunities,” says the current member of the Women’s Solidarity Society, a society within The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. King is also a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. MECCA Chapter.
King is a firm believer in golfers receiving professional instruction. As a student, she has worked with top LPGA Instructor and Certified Fitter Oneda Castillo, LPGA. “Well… my dad probably did more fussing than teaching back in the day. The biggest benefit was having the ability to correct things fairly quickly. Now, the benefit is being able to enjoy the game when things are being done correctly.”
“I started the organization because of a HUGE opportunity that I blew on the golf course.”
In her first business, a background investigations firm, Patrina used her golfing skills to network with decision makers. While hanging out at the golf course, she finally landed a 9-hole meeting with a company CEO. When I wrapped my mind around the fact that he had agreed to play with me, I convinced myself that I needed him to know that if I get his business, I will be sure to do a great job.” Being young, female, and black, Patrina admits that she felt like she needed to convince this business prospect of her abilities.
“So we played the 9 holes—and I made sure to play by all the rules. I ended up beating him really bad, and he never spoke to me again!….The lesson I learned that day was you don’t beat the person you are trying to get business from.”
“I know how hard it was to land that ‘meeting’ and to get that kind of quality time from this high-level businessperson. So, after my mentor, Nancy Je Lewis, consistently telling me that other women need to know about this so they can learn from my mistake, GWMB was born.” The one-time annual GWMB membership fee varies between $89- $97.
After the first year, Patrina discovered that the women of GWMB who learned together wanted to stay together and play together. GWMB’s sister organization is Golf Gals. “Golf Gals was mostly to play rounds with some education—GWMB was education with some rounds of play—so it became the perfect partnership.”
Golf Women Mean Business offers a Business Golfer Certification™ to women who are looking to play golf for business. This certification is obtained by completing 3 days of intensive business golf training and then an assessment. The certification was created because businesswomen are normally asked to go to lunch or meet for coffee, but never for golf. That is not the usually the case for businessmen. “This certification has a unique seal and certificate that women can place on their desk, their business cards, websites and LinkedIn profiles.”
Patrina’s golf handicap has gone up (from an 8 to 14) “…thanks to me relaxing and enjoying the game,” she says. 5’7” Atlanta golfer who feels blessed to have come so far in her life. Outside of golf, she stays active with community service, public speaking and attending social networking events.
Golf Women Mean Business members proudly display their membership cards.
A major goal for GWMB is, “to help at least one thousand women become certified in business golf by 2020, so that we can have a more realistic representation of the business world on the golf course— More women getting off the hamster wheel in the office and on the golf course with each other.” GWMB facilitates this by providing special play-dates, tournaments, and special events. The group’s Facebook page carries plenty of updates on rounds and activities.
Patrina, a married mother, with a daughter, graduated from DeVry University with a B.S. Degree as a Technical Manager and a concentration in Human Resources. She holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management. She formerly worked as an HR Consultant but now devotes her efforts toward GWMB full time.
Most notably, King is the Founder of Women’s Golf Day in Georgia. This all happened in February of 2017 when the Georgia General Assembly approved her request to have a Women’s Golf Day specifically for the women in Georgia. “Governor Nathan Deal recognized our efforts and the importance of having women play golf. Therefore, I received a proclamation from him declaring June 6th as Women’s Golf Day in Georgia,” says King. The recognition is held in conjunction with the National holiday. King was also honored by the Atlanta Women in Sports organization and recently inducted into the Who’s Who in Black Atlanta Publication.
Although the golf visionary enjoys non-competitive play, this year, at a Hampton University alumni tournament in Maryland, Patrina’s team won 1st place. When asked which professional golfer she most admires, “Renee Powell. I admire her dedication to the sport and above everything else, her journey. Even though I did not continue on to be a professional tour player, I feel like, without her, there would be no me.”
In light of the protests surrounding the national anthem, sparked by Colin Kaepernick’s demonstration a year ago, there has been a swath of backlash and countless reactions on the forefront of almost all sports. Over the weekend, and since, NBA players, including LeBron James and Rockets point guard Chris Paul—who is also president of the NBA Players Association—took to Twitter to have their say. Today, American golfer Peter Malnati responded to the matter, becoming one of the first professional golfers to speak out on the debate, saying “Though athletic rivalries divide us playfully, sport unite us,” Malnati wrote on Twitter. “It has an amazing power to transcend differences that everyday life cannot.” Malnati has played on both the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.
30-year-old Malnati urged his Twitter followers that Trump’s words will lead to divisive responses, saying they should “look within, asking themselves what the flag represents to them.” “Those who kneel during the national anthem aren’t disrespecting the heroes who sacrificed to defend the United States,” Malnati said. “Those who kneel are pointing out that as a nation, we are not doing a good job of upholding the values for which people sacrificed.”
Malnati also put a spotlight on the Trump White House, saying “The current administration in Washington has made it very clear they don’t want the United States to be a nation that cares for those on the margins of society. Or a nation that celebrates freedom and equality.”
Malnati, who’s fully exempt on tour for next season, also added a very personal comment: “I stand for freedom. I stand for ‘justice for all.’ I stand for equality, for empathy, and for compassion. I kneel to hubris and greed. Therefore, I take a knee for the flag that represents this administration. Not because I don’t love this country, but because I do.”
Edward S. Wanambwa, Senior Editor, AAGD
Edward S. Wanambwa, Senior Editor, African American Golfer’s Digest, as a veteran myself who fought to defend this country and to defend the right of ALL people to exercise their freedom of speech, says he finds nothing wrong with kneeling for the national anthem. “In no way does it disrespect or disregard the sacrifices that so many brave men and women have made for this country by giving their lives to defend the freedoms it stands for. In fact, the fact that athletes can take a knee is exactly what they fought for. I did not fight for freedom so only the people I agree with could protest and exercise their right to freedom of speech and non-violent protest. I don’t get the luxury to pick and choose who can or cannot protest and how they should do it.”
“Donald Trump crossed the line again by uttering such hateful and divisive words in regards to kneeling for the National Anthem. He chose to garner some cheap applause rather than recognize that citizens in this country are afforded the right to protest. His words speak volumes as to what he truly believes in and what his administration stands for.”
“Non-violent protests, as always, have been a positive vehicle to affect change. From the sit-ins at lunch counters during the civil rights movement to the raised fists at the 1968 Olympics, protests have brought to light the challenges and struggles that disenfranchised people have faced in this country. This protest is no different. However, the reaction is extremely discouraging and sad. To focus on the protest and not the reason for the protest only goes to show how in the dark America is about racial equality in this country.”
“This protest raises a very uncomfortable topic for the American people and rather than address the racial elephant in the room, many choose to focus on the flag and not the true reason for the protest. Until this country comes to terms with its hurtful violent past then these types of issues will continue to happen. By taking a knee we all take a stand against hate and discrimination in the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Jeffrey T. Sammons, Ph.D. a Professor of History at New York University and former member of the United States Golf Association’s Museum and Library Committee, shared his thoughts on this subject with AAGD. Sammons, well-respected for his views in the African American golfing community resigned from his volunteer role with the USGA. He is also a founding member of the African American Golf Archive. “Peter Malnati deserves much credit for speaking out for justice and liberty when his fellow players and game leaders remain deafeningly silent on such issues. The leading golf bodies continue to business with a man who has disrespected the office of the presidency with his inflammatory, divisive, and profane rant against those who are exercising their right to free speech ingrained and enshrined in the Constitution and protected by those who have fought and died in its service.”
Jeffrey Sammons, Ph.D.
Sammons continued, “That is to say nothing about his divisive and destructive comments and actions toward Mexicans and Mexican Americans, his leading role in the Birther Movement, or his blatant misogyny. Even more remarkable is how they have tolerated and rewarded his affronts to the game of golf. His refusal to give up ownership of his golf properties and use of them as President could mean that the leading golf bodies might be contributing to potential conflicts of interest. If that were not enough for them to disavow and disengage from Trump, they have said nothing about the Retweet of a GIF in which he strikes Hillary Clinton in the back with a golf ball.”
“At a minimum that is unbecoming of a President of the United States and antithetical to the values that golf purports to represent and protect. Yet, The United States Golf Association, in conjunction with the Ladies Professional Golfers Association, held the United States Women’s Open at Trump’s Bedminster course in July. The Professional Golfers Association of America held a PGA Senior Championship at his Sterling, VA course and is contracted to hold the 2022 PGA Championship at his Bedminster course. With the change in the PGA Championship schedule, there could be a shift to Doral and/or a Ryder Cup. Imagine a Ryder Cup at a course in which its owner calls those protesting in a peaceful and respectable manner SOBs who should be fired or suspended. What does that say about golf and us?”
“I hope Malnati is not alone and that higher profile players will stand up for right and against wrong. I fear that golf’s leadership will continue to hide behind claims of their apolitical commitments and say or do nothing. They must realize that this issue is not simply political it is moral. If Rex Ryan and Jesse Ventura can speak out against the President’s disgraceful race baiting then silence on the part of golf’s leadership reveals them to be morally bankrupt.”
Michael Cooper, Ph.D.
Michael Cooper, Chairman of the GOLF 20/20 Diversity Task Force, a Golf 20/20 Diversity Initiative responded by saying, “First, kudos to Peter Malnati for publicly speaking up on the matter. He is a brave man! Kudos, too, to Golf Channel for broadcasting his interview. It was brave on their part, as well. The right to peaceful assembly is a constitutional right, and on Sunday we saw an entire league of owners and players exercise their rights in a peaceful manner. They displayed solidarity towards a common cause much larger than sports.”
“In my opinion, golf leaders could be bolder and play a part, too, in helping to unify our country by bringing diverse people together to discuss the uncomfortable, yet important topic of race in America. We can’t continue to act as if problems with race relations don’t exist. They do! We’ll see if the public comments by Malnati bring more reactions from the golf world. They’re generally a quiet and somewhat passive group of leaders who don’t like tension. Nobody does. But I’ll conclude with a quote from Dr. King in his Letter From A Birmingham Jail. ‘We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.”
“I applaud Peter Malnati for having the courage to speak out and take a stand on kneeling for the national anthem. By taking a stand on this hot-button issue he is displaying a level of courage and conviction that is often lacking with present-day professional athletes who are often more loyal to their sponsors and financial interests than relevant social issues.”
“Colin Kaepernick took a stand against police brutality by kneeling for the national anthem before NFL games. He chose to take a public stand at the height of his popularity risking everything he had worked so hard for to speak out on an issue he found important. Kaepernick risked everything for something he deeply believed in and sadly the reason he kneeled has been lost in this controversy. Now it all seems to be about disrespecting the American flag and that is not why he took a knee in the first place.”
Debert Cook
NEWSLETTER
October 8, 2018
Again, thank you for choosing Gate 1 Travel for your upcoming trip. All of the Gate1Travel representatives wish you a safe and wonderful journey. Here are a few important reminders as you make your final preparations for your trip.
Preparing to Leave
Read your trip documents, even if you checked them previously or you traveled with us in the past. There is a lot of helpful and important information, some of which is most useful before you leave home. Before you pack, we recommend that you check your airline’s guidelines regarding baggage allowances and fees. Visit https://www.gate1travel.com/baggagefees.aspx for links to your airline’s website.
Credit Cards
Don’t forget to contact your credit and debit card bank(s) to alert them that you’ll be traveling to avoid unnecessary fraud alerts and holds on your accounts.
Electronics
Remember your chargers, cables and voltage converters so that you can stay connected, read and take pictures. If you are bringing your mobile phone, check with your carrier for the best way to avoid expensive roaming or overage charges while traveling.
See Dubai & Abu Dhabi voltage connectors and converters here
Flight Check-In
Advance online check-in is available on some airlines’ websites enabling you to print your boarding passes at home within 24 hours of departure. You’ll need your airline confirmation or ticket number. You can also go online to check your flight times in case of last minute flight schedule changes. When you arrive at the airport, check the airport monitors for updated check-in desk listings. If your flight itinerary displays a flight as “Operated By” another carrier, you should check-in at the desk of the “Operated By” airline.
Documents
Keep important documents, medications and valuables with you at all times, including any required identification and entry visas, if applicable. Carry a printed or scanned copy of your passport(s) packed separately from the originals, and bring the phone numbers for your credit card bank(s), just in case. We recommend that you leave a copy of your trip details with your Emergency Contact.
Assistance While Traveling
You are traveling on a Gate1Travel escorted tour, your first resource for help is your Tour Director, whom you will meet at the hotel on day #2. The Tour Director will be a local Dubai & Abu Dhabi Guide and will have your daily Tour Agenda.
While independent travelers may use the telephone number(s) listed on your service voucher(s). The Gate 1 Travel emergency line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call: 215 572-7676. From overseas, call: 001 215 572 7676. Outside office hours, listen to the prompts, then press 3. You will speak immediately with a representative, or you may be asked to leave a detailed message including your name, your booking number, and most importantly the telephone number where you can be reached. Your message will be forwarded immediately to a representative who will contact you at the telephone number provided.
These are just a few reminders to help you with your last minute preparations. We truly appreciate your business and wish you a safe and enjoyable vacation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your account, please write to us at https://www.gate1travel.com/contactus. To find answers to the questions we’re asked most frequently, please visit https://www.gate1travel.com/FAQ.
Thank you for choosing Gate 1 Travel.
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PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER (October 6, 2018)
Hello!
Important Information about your upcoming trip to Dubai
Thank you for booking your upcoming trip to Dubai with Gate 1 Travel.
We are writing to share a few final thoughts. Before you depart, we recommend that you review your documents carefully as they do contain important and helpful information to make your trip more pleasurable.
Dubai is a very modern city that continues to grow with a lot of new development. The United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country. Modest dress is appropriate. Public displays of affection can cause offense. Swimwear is only permitted on beaches and is expected to be modest for both men and women.
Local women MAY NOT be photographed. Avoid dancing or smoking in public places. For the most part, consumption of alcohol is restricted to hotel bars and licensed restaurants. You should not drink in public and be aware that there is zero tolerance towards drug possession. Some religious sites including Sheikh Zayed Mosque require a dress code. Long sleeve shirts and long pants or floor length skirts are required.
Women should wear a veil or head-scarf to cover hair. Tight clothing, shorts, short sleeve shirts, sleeveless shirts, clothing with profanity and beachwear are not permitted.
If you are visiting a mosque, especially the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, you need to have a more conservative dress code. For men and women, your legs and arms need to be covered – no shorts or skirts above the ankle. Additionally, your clothes should not be tight fitting – this is not the place for yoga pants! If you do not have something to cover yourself, the Mosque will provide women with a full cover garment, just have your ID available to give to them while you borrow the garment.
Dubai’s large malls carry most major designers and brands. There are stores to suit all tastes. You can certainly find bargains, especially on luxury goods. Or, for a more traditional flavor, spend some time in the souks and bazaars, where haggling is still practiced.
All traveler flights for this trip are departing the USA and arriving Dubai at various times, so do not be alarmed if you are shuttled to the hotel alone. Your final transfer from the hotel to the airport for your departure flight to USA (40-minute ride) requires airport check-in is 3-hours prior to your flight departure. So, your shuttle pick-up will be arranged accordingly for you in Dubai through you Dubai Gate1Travel guide.
Be prepared for hot weather. Average daily highs range from 73F in January to 106F in July.
Check the weather forecast for your trip HERE.
Escorted tour guests who have traveled previously with Gate 1 Travel may experience a difference in Dubai. Keep in mind that Gate 1 Travel necessarily works with a local partner tour operator and, while we carefully select the best local partners, the level of service is not always the same as you have come to expect and experience in other destinations. Please keep this in mind during your trip and practice patience with our guides during your visit.
However, whether you are traveling with a group or independently, Dubai offers an exciting blend of modern and traditional sightseeing.
Thank you for choosing Gate 1 Travel and for letting me assist you with your trip of a lifetime. We wish you a pleasant journey.
Debert Cook and Gate 1 Travel Management
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PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER (September 24, 2018)
Hello!
Well, we’ll be off to the UAE (United Arab Emirates) in just a few short weeks! And, from the many emails and texts that I have been receiving, I can tell you that everyone is SUPER excited!
As a tourist, it would be polite to know how to say a few basic phrases to the locals while there. Take a few minutes to watch the short video below, where you can learn some words that you can use while traveling abroad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Learning to say these few phrases will help you to feel connected and immersed in the country and its culture. The locals will also appreciate you even more for it!
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GOLFERS –START BOOKING YOUR TEE TIMES ! ! !
Yes, for the golf experience you may book any course that you wish and pay fees on your own. To help you in your decision-making, please view our group of travelers SURVEY RESULTS FOR GOLF IN DUBAI & ABU DHABI
The survey will show you the responses of your fellow travelers who are interested in playing golf and to try to coordinate golf, such that two or more players play the same course, the same time, on the same day. See the suggested play dates HERE, as posted in my last communication that was emailed and based on our Wednesday Departure Itinerary.
Should you have questions about what many of the other golfers are planning to do, transportation to courses, etc., you have the option to contact Phyllis Stevenson-Jenkins who has volunteered to help golfers with this part of their trip and coordinate logistics and transportation. Remember, this is a shared experience and all of your golf fees, meals and transportation are to be paid individually by you and is your responsibility. Phyllis is generously offering her time toassist in coordinating the effort for two or more players. You may reach Phyllis at 301-509-0410 or [email protected] However, you may book your own tee times, on your own if you wish to go ahead and do so.
As suggested during our conference call last week, booking your golf rounds online will save you money and these websites were recommended, however, some of the websites will only permit you to book one-to-two weeks in advance.
TeeOff.com (a PGA Tour Partner – highly recommended and offers the best prices)
NOTE: Read all of the fine print regarding each website’s cancellation policy.
Remember, you will not have exact dates and times for daily activities until we meet with our Gate1Travel Tour Guide at the Hotel on day #2. However, most early morning tee-times should guarantee you at least half of the remainder of the day for our group activities. It’s your trip. It’s your choice.
For golf courses that are managed by Dubai Golf, you also have the option to book and pay fees with the assistance of:
Pansy Gonsalvez, Head of Golf Central
Dubai Golf
Tel: +971 4 2054-520
Mob: +971 50 7962-834 Email Pansy HERE
See the Dubai Golf Trip Play Date Options & Fees offered by Dubai Golf page HERE.
These rates are provided directly from Pansy Gonsalvez at DUBAI GOLF.
You may select from this list of options that surround our daily itinerary or book any days of the trip on your own.
Again, you can find our Daily Trip Itinerary for Wednesday departures HERE.
Again, we will not have exact dates and times for daily tour activities until we meet with our Gate1Travel Tour Guide at the Hotel on day #2. However, most early morning tee-times should guarantee you at least half of the remainder of the day for our group activities. It’s your trip. It’s your choice.
REMINDER:
Mark your calendar to join in for a 45-minute Dubai Travelers Group FINAL conference call:
Wednesday, October 3 @ 7:00 PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time).
DIAL-IN NUMBER: 1-605-475-2090, ACCESS CODE: 155852#
(you must enter the # sign at the end of the number).
Thank you, and I look forward to having you on the call. (All travelers are welcome to listen in.)
Debert Cook
African American Golfer’s Digest
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PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER (September 15, 2018)
REMINDER:
Mark your calendar to join in for a 45-minute Dubai Travelers group conference call:
Wednesday, September 19, 7:00 PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time).
DIAL-IN NUMBER: 1-605-475-2090, ACCESS CODE: 155852#
(you must enter the # sign at the end of the number).
This conference call will be co-hosted by my two good friends Phyllis Stevenson-Jenkins and Jackie Davis, both are avid golfers who will share their insight on golf courses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and booking opportunities. Their knowledge will provide our group with terrific options to consider for our playing trip experience.
In preparation for the call:
View the Dubai Golf Trip Play Date Options & Fees page HERE
The call will reiterate:
This call will be held in PRESENTATION MODE and ONLY THE HOSTS will be able to speak. For this call you will NOT be able to make remarks or comments while the call is in progress, this mode will enable us to have a conference call that is quiet, non-distractive, and understandable for everyone.
Please, to avoid redundancy in our conversation, go through the previous newsletter below, and click the links regarding our arrangements, where you will find answers to several of the previously asked questions.
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Should you have additional questions, PLEASE EMAIL ME, and we will answer them during the conference call for you. Email me your questions in advance or in time for the call, September 19, directly at [email protected]
A final pre-trip conference call will be held during the first week of October and details will be sent the week prior.
Thank you, and I look forward to having you on the call. (All travelers are welcome to listen in.)
Debert Cook
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PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER (August 7, 2018)
In just a few short weeks, we’ll be in one of the most wealthiest countries in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I want to thank you for signing up to join me, along with the African America Golfer’s Digest (AAGD) friends, fans and followers, on this adventure of untold discovery.
You are receiving this newsletter because you have booked one of the three trips above. Each trip is completely SOLD OUT and there is a waiting list of folks (believe it or not) who are hoping that you will cancel!! However, I doubt that anyone will be canceling at this time, so I have let them all know that AAGD plans to do another group trip to these two destinations again, in 2019. But, for you, this year–a wondrous experience awaits!
RESEARCH
So, if you have been doing your research–like many of your fellow passengers have, you already know that the twin cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are associated with glamour, opulence, and great golf! These cosmopolitan mega-cities are both meccas of culture, finance, and innovation. They will dazzle your mind and keep you in awe with all there is to do, for golfers and nongolfers on our trip. Yes, you are in for a fabulous time. You’ll get acquainted with your fellow travelers and make lots of new friends.
Dubai On Day 1: Once your flight lands in Dubai, collect your luggage and head to customs. Once you have cleared through customs, look for the GATE1TRAVEL REPRESENTATIVE (holding up a sign with that name). The Representative will ask you to identify yourself and then, escort you to the shuttle bus for a 20-minute ride to the hotel. (hotel check-in starts at 3:00 PM, Check-out time is 12 Noon.)
NOTE: If you arrive before check-in time, the hotel will “hold” your luggage with the concierge desk and you will have the opportunity to explore the facilities, enjoy a coffee, meal/snack, or explore the city (or golf) your own.
A detailed trip agenda of tours and activity times will be waiting for you when you check into the hotel, or it will be given to you on Day 2 by our travel guide during breakfast at the hotel for our African American Golfer’s Digest group trip.
Dubai On Day 2: On this morning, we will meet with our Dubai travel guide for orientation and information on our planned activities and tours for the entire trip.
(PREVIOUSLY HELD GROUP CONFERENCE CALL: )
Thursday, August 9 at 2:00 PM, EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). DIAL-IN NUMBER: 1-605-475-2090, ACCESS CODE: 155852# (you must enter the # sign at the end of the number.)
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12 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK!
1. You should have already set-up your online account at Gate1Travel.com.
Log into your account and double-check your:
Travel DEPARTURE DATE, FLIGHT and ARRIVAL details, passport number, name properly listed as it is on your passport, emergency contact name and number, travel insurance (opt-in or opt-out), funds paid and balance due date.
2. This is a reminder that the Passenger Agreement form must be completed. You must complete this form. It covers important topics such as the requirement that traveler names EXACTLY match the passport or valid government-issued ID that will be used when traveling. There are two easy options when you LOG INTO YOUR ACCOUNT for completing the Passenger Agreement Form:
3. See the HIGHLIGHTS of your 8 Day Dubai & Abu Dhabi travel package
4 See what your ESCORTED PACKAGE INCLUDES
8. RESEARCH GOLF COURSES in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that are nearby each of YOUR hotels, USE GOOGLE + Google Maps. We will discuss preferences on the conference call for the course(s) that will be played as a group, so you should make yourself familiar with what is available. Also see the Dubai Creek course DRESS CODE. Most courses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi adhere to this code.
Keep in mind, the outlined TRAVEL ITINERARY, as you may not want to miss any of the tours that are planned versus playing golf. We will determine which golf courses we will play as a group and the mode of transport and payment of fees.
As you know, golf rounds are NOT included in the TRAVEL ITINERARY and each golfer is responsible for their individual golf fees and round-trip transport. Should you decide to play golf at a course (on your own) it is your responsibility to handle your travel to-and-from the golf course and back to the hotel. UBER and taxis are readily available in front of the hotel. Read this informative TravelAdvisor article on DUBAI TAXI Fares
9. EXCHANGING MONEY: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) uses its own currency, the Dirham (AED), commonly referred to as the “DH” or “Dhs”. The US dollar is widely accepted in many shopping outlets in Dubai, most major grocery stores, etc. but taxis prefer to accept local currency only. You can exchange some money at your USA DEPARTURE AIRPORT or at your UAE ARRIVAL AIRPORT to cover any taxi fares and other incidentals during your trip. Check currency exchange rates before you leave the USA. Exchange at you local bank, TravelX, Wells Fargo, or others in your city. In Duai and Abu Dhabi uou will also be able to exchange currency at your visiting hotels. Take a look at this Dubai currency EXCHANGE RATE CONVERTER
10. CLOTHING & WEATHER: see this helpful article with images on How To Dress in Dubai, and also this article on The Dubai Packing List that is filled with great information. See AccuWeather.
11. OPTIONAL TOURS: you may book additional tours prior to travel, if you wish, however, check your escorted travel itinerary closely the tours that are already included. The purchase of optional tours will also be available once you arrive at the hotel.
12. I am here to help you prepare for this trip of a lifetime! Email me or Call me (10AM-6PM, Monday-Sunday) with any questions at all that you may have.
Looking forward to having you on the conference call.
Debert Cook
Publisher
African American Golfer’s Digest
99 Wall Street, Suite 720
New York, NY 10005
Tel: (212) 571-6559
Email: [email protected]
The African American Golfer’s Digest is a PGA of America Diverse Supplier and the nation’s leading print and digital publication covering the very best of the golf lifestyle within this exciting niche market. Launched in 2003, the magazine carries exclusive content showcasing some of the most successful, talented and prolific personalities in the game who have devoted their life and passion to this sport, bringing full circle this ‘soulful’ world of golf. News, tips, course critiques, destination travel, features, book reviews, fashion and interviews with professional trainers, educators, golf industry business owners, and exceptional and ordinary golfers alike is what sets this publication apart from any other golf magazine. The publication is available by subscription only in print and digital editions.
Montgomery, Alabama (September 20, 2017) – 12-year old Quincy Ahlias Leonard is a young golf champion who will represent Alabama on September 24, 2017 competing in the regional Drive, Chip and Putt competition at the Honors Course in Chattanooga, TN where his favorite golfer Tiger Woods won the 1996 NCAA Championship.
Young Quincy, a native of Montgomery, Alabama will compete in the Boys 12 – 13 Division in the southeastern regional championship. Quincy finished top 2 in the local and sub-regional competitions this summer. His sister Lauryn Olivia Leonard was a finalist at Augusta National in the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship.
Quincy has been playing golf since he was toddler and playing tournament golf at age 7. His father and coach, Quincy Leonard founder of Leo Golf Academy, says Quincy is a very talented and skilled golfer. “Quincy has always had a knack for game golf.
RELATED CONTENT: Lauryn Leonard is Augusta Bound Following Win At Drive, Chip And Putt Regionals!
He has excellent fundamentals and grasps them well. I believe Quincy became more inspired after witnessing his younger sister, Lauryn Olivia, compete in the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National. I am proud of how he comes to every Leo Golf Academy session with dedication, and an open mind and ready to work hard on improving his game.” says Leonard.
The Masters Tournament, United States Golf Association (USGA) and the PGA of America are sponsoring the competition. It’s now officially open on the event’s website, www.DriveChipandPutt.com.
This free nationwide youth golf development initiative is open to boys and girls ages 7-15, competing in separate divisions in four age categories. In its third edition, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship will open qualifying locations throughout all 50 states during the months of May, June, July and August.
RELATED CONTENT: Coach Quincy Leonard Named as the US Kids Golf Montgomery Tour Director
Top performers at the local level will advance through sub-regional and regional qualifiers in July/August and September, respectively. The top 80 performers – 40 boys and 40 girls – will earn an invitation to the National Finals at Augusta National on Sunday, April 1, the eve of the 2018 Masters.
RELATED ARTICLE: Young Brother-Sister Duo, Quincy and Lauren Leonard Have Green Jacket Goals
For more information, contact Quincy Leonard, 334 354-1897 or visit LeoGolfAcademy.com
THE CLUB AT LAS CAMPANAS
This is the first USGA championship for The Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, N.M., a Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 2000. It is just the second USGA event to be held in New Mexico.
FAR HILLS, N.J. (Sept. 19, 2017) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced tee times for the first two rounds of the 2017 USGA Women’s State Team Championship, Tuesday, Sept. 26, and Wednesday, Sept. 27, at The Club at Las Campanas in Santa Fe, N.M. The Sunrise Course at Las Campanas will play to a par of 72 and will measure 6,186-yards.
The USGA Women’s State Team consists of 54 holes of stroke play beginning Tuesday, Sept. 26, and concluding Thursday, Sept. 28. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 21 teams, plus ties, for the final round of competition. Additionally, any individual player who is within five strokes of the individual lead, but whose team has missed the 36-hole cut, will advance to the final round, remaining in contention for the individual medal. The team score is comprised of the two lowest scores of the team’s three individual players from each round, and the team with the lowest aggregate score through 54 holes is the champion. If there is a tie after the final round, the score from the team’s non-scoring player is used to break the deadlock. If the score remains tied, the second-round score from the non-scoring player is used.
This will be the final playing of the USGA’s State Team championships, which began in 1995 as part of the USGA’s Centennial Celebration.
All times MDT
Tuesday (Sept. 26), Hole #1 and Wednesday (Sept. 27), Hole #10
7 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Alexa Pano, Florida; Chelsea Curtis, Massachusetts; Susan West, Alabama
7:10 a.m./12 p.m. – Tara Joy-Connelly, Florida; Claire Sheldon, Massachusetts; Cammie Gray, Alabama
7:20 a.m./12:10 p.m. – Meghan Stasi, Florida; Pamela Kuong, Massachusetts; Michaela Morard, Alabama
7:30 a.m./12:20 p.m. – Sarah Bae, North Carolina; Paige McCullough, Minnesota; Anci Dy, Michigan
7:40 a.m./12:30 p.m. – Hannah Craver, North Carolina; Alexandra Stewart, Minnesota; Anika Dy, Michigan
7:50 a.m./12:40 p.m. – Courtney McKim, North Carolina; Olivia Herrick, Minnesota; Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, Michigan
8 a.m./12:50 p.m. – Lana Hodge, Louisiana; Lacy Shelton, Kansas; Mary Chandler Bryan, South Carolina
8:10 a.m./1 p.m. – Abbey Daniel, Louisiana; Erin Carney, Kansas; Lea Venable, South Carolina
8:20 a.m./1:10 p.m. – Kay Daniel, Louisiana; Martha Linscott, Kansas; Dawn Woodard, South Carolina
8:30 a.m./1:20 p.m. – Riley Ann Mayhew, Mississippi; Gretchen Johnson, Oregon; Marian Barker, Texas
8:40 a.m./1:30 p.m. – Presley Baggett, Mississippi; Amanda Jacobs, Oregon; Carolyn Creekmore, Texas
8:50 a.m./1:40 p.m. – Karley Whittington, Mississippi; Brie Stone, Oregon; Rachel Smith, Texas
Tuesday (Sept. 26), Hole #10 and Wednesday (Sept. 27), Hole #1
7 a.m./11:50 a.m. – Addy Douglas, Rhode Island; Allison Schultz, Wisconsin; Anika Richards, Alaska
7:10 a.m./12 p.m. – Laura Parziale, Rhode Island; Sarah Dekraay, Wisconsin; Katelin Richards, Alaska
7:20 a.m./12:10 p.m. – Kibbe Reilly, Rhode Island; Samantha Forster, Wisconsin; Teresa Fisher, Alaska
7:30 a.m./12:20 p.m. – Karen Hacker Kinnett, West Virginia; Sable Kerzmann, Montana; Kerry Lareau, Arkansas
7:40 a.m./12:30 p.m. – Kimberly Eaton, West Virginia; Ashley Griffith, Montana; Julie Oxendine, Arkansas
7:50 a.m./12:40 p.m. – Nicolle Flood-Sawczyszyn, West Virginia; Susan Matson, Montana; Nora Phillips, Arkansas
8 a.m./12:50 p.m. – Emily Gilbreth, Colorado; Debbie Wilbeck, Nebraska; Heidi Haylock, Maine
8:10 a.m./1 p.m. – Janet Moore, Colorado; Susan Marchese, Nebraska; Ruby Haylock, Maine
8:20 a.m./1:10 p.m. – Christie Austin, Colorado; Kayla Barnes, Nebraska; Ruth Colucci, Maine
8:30 a.m./1:20 p.m. – Teresa DeLarzelere, Oklahoma; Jennifer Cleary, Delaware; Jeannie Pak, Hawaii
8:40 a.m./1:30 p.m. – Jennifer Hays, Oklahoma; Esther Park, Delaware; Mira Jang, Hawaii
8:50 a.m./1:40 p.m. – Marna Raburn, Oklahoma; Phoebe Brinker, Delaware; Patricia Schremmer, Hawaii
RELATED STORY: How USGA, R&A’s “Modernized” Golf Rules May Change the Way We Play The Game
Tuesday (Sept. 26), Hole #1 and Wednesday (Sept. 27), Hole #10
11:50 a.m./7 a.m. – Miranda Milne, Vermont; Paige MacLeary, New Hampshire; Hui Chong Dofflemyer, Illinois
12 p.m./7:10 a.m. – Jena Wood, Vermont; Betsy Knights, New Hampshire; Char McLear, Illinois
12:10 p.m./7:20 a.m. – Tracy Sloan, Vermont; Tara Watt, New Hampshire; DeAnne Stolarik, Illinois
12:20 p.m./7:30 a.m. – Rayleen Cudworth, Nevada; Kareen Markle, Idaho; Maisie Filler, Connecticut
12:30 p.m./7:40 a.m. – Connie Isler, Nevada; Abby Black, Idaho; Jen Holland, Connecticut
12:40 p.m./7:50 a.m. – Diane Booth, Nevada; Karen Darrington, Idaho; Lisa Fern-Boros, Connecticut
12:50 p.m./8 a.m. – Lynn Thompson, Ohio; Britta Snyder, Iowa; Julia Calomiris, District of Columbia
1 p.m./8:10 a.m. – Shirley Vaughn, Ohio; Leanne Smith, Iowa; Janice Calomiris, District of Columbia
1:10 p.m./8:20 a.m. – Suzi Spotleson, Ohio; Jenny Heinz, Iowa; Maggie Brady, District of Columbia
1:20 p.m./8:30 a.m. – Denise Martorana, New York; Thihashini Selvaratnam, Arizona; Alex Carl, Kentucky
1:30 p.m./8:40 a.m. – Ina Kim, New York; Ashley Menne, Arizona; Krissy Martin, Kentucky
1:40 p.m./8:50 a.m. – Marianna Monaco, New York; Kim Eaton, Arizona; Martha Leach, Kentucky
Tuesday (Sept. 26), Hole #10 and Wednesday (Sept. 27), Hole #1
11:50 a.m./7 a.m. – Ivy Shepherd, Georgia; Aurora Kan, Pennsylvania; Karishma Thiagaraj, Virginia
12 p.m./7:10 a.m. – Margaret Starosto, Georgia; Katrin Wolfe, Pennsylvania; Alexandra Austin, Virginia
12:10 p.m./7:20 a.m. – Laura Coble, Georgia; Katie Miller, Pennsylvania; Lauren Greenlief, Virginia
12:20 p.m./7:30 a.m. – Sadie Palmer, Utah; Kayla Katterhenry, Indiana; Jacquelyn Galloway, New Mexico
12:30 p.m./7:40 a.m. – Sue Billek Nyhus, Utah; Tobi Herron, Indiana; Chanet Fiorina, New Mexico
12:40 p.m./7:50 a.m. – Kelsey Chugg, Utah; Julia Potter, Indiana; Samantha Surette, New Mexico
12:50 p.m./8 a.m. – Ashley Gilliam, Tennessee, Jess Meek, Missouri; Leslie Folsom, Washington
1 p.m./8:10 a.m. – Jayna Choi, Tennessee; Kayla Eckelkamp, Missouri; Jamie Huo, Washington
1:10 p.m./8:20 a.m. – Riley Rennell, Tennessee; Kathy Glennon, Missouri; Shawn Farmer-Sese, Washington
1:20 p.m./8:30 a.m. – Aneka Seumanutafa, Maryland; Kelly Sim, New Jersey; Madi Daniel, California
1:30 p.m./8:40 a.m. – Clare Connolly, Maryland; Noelle Maertz, New Jersey; Karen Garcia, California
1:40 p.m./8:50 a.m. – Andrea Kraus, Maryland; Tara Fleming, New Jersey; Lynne Cowan, California
By Fabio–
When you see the name Woods on a golf bag, the first thing that comes to your mind is former world number 1 Tiger Woods. However, there is another Woods trying to make a name for herself in golf, Tiger’s niece, Cheyenne Woods, a name to keep an eye out for next time you bet on golf.
After years of living in her uncle’s big shadow, Cheyenne Woods is used to the attention that comes with the name, but is also ready to make a name for herself.
Woods, who is preparing for Thursday’s Indy Women in Tech Championship, said she still gets questions about her famous uncle every day. She added that she has learned a lot from him and his work ethic. She also credits him for showing her what was possible and for always being around to give her tips and pointers on how to improve her game.
While she has no illusions about winning 14 majors like Tiger did, she believes she can be a great golfer.
The 27-year-old Woods, who is in her third year on the LPGA Tour said her current challenge right now is becoming a consistent money winner.
Going into the tournament, Woods is in 134th place on the money list for the year, with her best finish of the year being 34th. If she wants to avoid going back to qualifying school at the end of the season, she has to finish 80th or better on the money list, or win one tournament.
Despite her current struggles on tour, Woods is proud to be one of the few African American players on the LPGA Tour, three of whom will be competing this week. Mariah Stackhouse and Sadena Parks are the other African-American players that will compete with Woods this week.
RELATES STORY: Sadena Parks Starts Off Hot at the Par-3 1st Hole at Westchester Country Club, chipping in For a birdie.
Woods, who was born to an African-American father and a white mother believes in helping to grow golf’s diversity and making the sport more accessible and affordable.
Woods said she didn’t grasp how much the sport lacked diversity until she was at an event and four of the six women who have played on the LPGA Tour were in the same room together. She added that having herself, Stackhouse and Parks on tour shows that there has been some growth in the sport.
Woods also said that when she was growing up, she didn’t see anyone that looked like her when they showed golf on television. She conceded that it wasn’t the most important thing, but feels it is important to have representation. She also said it’s cool to see young girls follow her because she looks familiar.
RELATED STORY: Mariah Stackhouse and Sadena Parks Earn LPGA 2017 Tour Membership
While Woods has been working on her game trying to move up the money list, she has also been pulling for her uncle to return to his old form. Woods said it is difficult to watch her uncle unable to play the spirt he loves due to the injuries he has dealt with over the past few years.
Woods thinks her uncle will be back on the PGA Tour soon because he is tenacious and doesn’t quit regardless of what other people say. She added that he has been counted out a few times in his career but managed to bounce back.
Despite her uncle’s struggles, Woods remains focused on her game and hopes this weekend can be a springboard for better things to come.
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Charlie Owens, a well-respected and admired man who contributed much of his life to golf died Thursday, September 7, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease in Winter Haven, Florida. He was 85.
Charlie Owens stood out not just because of his unique swing. He played in an era when it was nearly unheard of for an African American to play golf. And he later popularized the use of the belly putter, which he employed to overcome the yips, causing Golf Digest to describe him as an overlooked pioneer in a 2007 article.
Because of Hurricane Irma, his daughter, Pamela Robinson, told TheLedger.com that funeral arrangements won’t be made until a few days later.
Charles Owens was born Feb. 22, 1932, in Winter Haven. Growing up in the days of segregation and racism, he graduated from Jewett High School before going on to Florida A&M where he played football.
But it was golf that he developed a passion for while growing up around the Willowbrook Golf Course, when it was a nine-hole course on the site of the current Polk State College. Homer Snead, Sam Snead’s brother, was the teaching pro.
Owen’s father, Fred Sr., was the groundskeeper, and Owens spent many hours helping his father and working as a caddy.
RELATED STORY: Charlie Owens: The Man from Florida
It was there, his daughter suggested, that Owens taught himself his unique swing.
Owens served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and sustained injuries to both knees and his left ankle during a parachute jump at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1952. The injuries left him with a limp.
After turning professional as a golfer in 1967, Owens eventually joined the PGA Tour in 1970 and spent seven years on the tour. He later joined the Senior PGA Tour, now the Champions Tour.
He won four tournaments as a professional: the Kemper Asheville Open, a PGA Tour satellite event, in 1971, and the Florida Open in 1974. On the Senior Tour, he won the Treasure Coast Classic and the Del E. Webb Senior PGA Tour Roundup, both in 1986.
Because of his disability, Owens was allowed to use a cart while competing with the PGA. However, he fought the U.S. Golf Association, which banned the use of carts, staging a protest at the 1987 U.S. Senior Open.
According to TheLedger.com, his daughter said “I think his accomplishments in golf and taking on the USGA, he was most proud of that. I think that challenge and making it to be a success in the golfing industry.” Owens was known to be a meticulously sharp dresser.
Owens was married twice and had four children, three daughters and one son with his first wife, and another daughter in his second marriage.
In his autobiography, Owens wrote, “I Hate to Lose,” and was the long-time head pro at Rogers Park in Tampa. His works went far beyond regular duties on the course, and he was well-known for doing a lot of good for a lot of black golfers. Owens particularly enjoyed mentoring and encouraging young African Americans to play the game and even held free clinics to give instruction.
Owens continued to play golf well into his 70s. In 1987, he won the Ben Hogan Award and was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. He entered the African American Golfers Hall of Fame in 2007.
Owens is survived by eight daughters, Charlena Owens Green, Wanda, Annette and Debbie Owens, Pamela Robinson, Jennifer Freeman, Glenda Hurst and Pamela Baker; three sons, Michael, Tony and SeShea; three sisters, Clora DuBoise, Betty Williford and JoAnn Tyler; 18 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren.
His marriages to Everlena King, Janice Williams-Lang, Rosa Mae Grimes and Judy Martin ended in divorce.
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By Pete McDaniel
Photo: NY Times
The tall drink of water had an obvious limp that didn’t in the slightest diminish his style and grace. Other than that, Charlie Owens looked like a professional golfer in his red sans-a-belt slacks, matching shirt, shoes and visor.
He was “the man from Florida.’’ That was the advance on Charlie, although it didn’t appear to do him justice.
It was around 1969 or ‘70, and the Skyview Open was being contested at the Asheville (NC) Municipal. The chittlin’ circuit event was the reason that Owens and a few dozen other mostly black pros had descended on the small town tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The 54-hole tournament had been a mainstay on the North American Golf Association Tour for several years. Along with five or six other stops from Eufaula, Al., to the south up the East Coast to Washington D.C., Asheville was penciled in by every alternative tour hopeful worth his salt. Some would schedule vacation around the various events. Others would quit their jobs altogether to chase their dream another season.
For some players, like Chuck and Jim Thorpe, Jim Dent, George Johnson and Nate Starks (among others), the mini-tour proved a stepping stone to the PGA Tour. For others, it was a tradition where wannabes gathered to hustle the uninitiated and enjoy the substantial hospitality of local “golf” enthusiasts, many of whom didn’t know a pitching wedge from a potato wedge, but they sure liked the way those sans-a-belts fit.
Charlie Owens. Photo credit Craig Litten for The New York Times
As a high school golfer with above average skills developed at the Asheville Muny, the only course in the area where a black caddie could grind out a decent game, I usually played in the amateur division of the Skyview. However, that year I decided to caddie for the defending champion, one James Black from Charlotte, NC.
I actually stole Black’s bag from the younger brother of a classmate. He had caddied for Black the year before, but I got wind of Black’s early arrival and raced to the course to secure the job.
I thought he was the best player I’d ever seen in person. Better than local stud Harry Jeter. Even better than Lee Elder or Charlie Sifford, who I had only seen on TV.
RELATED STORY: James Black, In The Zone
I just had to share my course knowledge and superior green reading ability with him. I knew every break on every green at the course I had played since I was 12. With me on the bag, he was a shoo-in repeat champ.
Some of the other caddies jockeyed for position when Charlie drove up in his shiny Cadillac. I don’t remember who he chose, but I do recall being glad I was on Black’s bag and not his.
Charlie Owens, who used the same cross-handed grip from start to finish of his playing days, could be quite surly in the best of times and downright ornery in the worst of them. We used to call players with such bipolarity caddie killers.
Like most years, the tournament was hotly contested. Red numbers aplenty as the best black players in the land not named Sifford or Elder or Brown (as in Pete Brown) scorched the diminutive Donald Ross design. At the end of regulation, two players were tied—James Black and Charlie Owens.
Black birdied the first playoff hole to edge Owens. I received the princely sum of $100 for three days work and looked forward to Black calling me “Pally’’ again the next year.
Black and the other troubadours traveled west to Knoxville. I’m sure Charlie went, too.
RELATED STORY: Golfing Pioneer Charlie Owens Dies at 85 in Winter Haven, FL
A year or two later (1971), Charlie won the Asheville Kemper Open, a satellite tour event at Etowah Valley GC, a course I played dozens of times when I was Sports Editor of the Hendersonville Times-News. Sometime later his name appeared in the agate type among the other also-rans in PGA Tour events.
He never won on the big tour, but he did find success on the senior circuit. He also either invented or popularized (depending upon who one believes) the long putter. And he championed the cause for the use of carts by seniors.
Charlie Owens, the retired head pro at Tampa’s Rogers Park, holds a copy of his book, “I Hate To Lose,” confronted racism, injustice and pain on and off the golf course. Photo: TampaBay.com
The latter didn’t endear Charlie to the Tour brass, but he didn’t give a damn. He loved a fight. And he won more often than not.
Many years later Charlie and I were reunited when I interviewed him for Uneven Lies: The Heroic Story of African Americans in Golf. He had mellowed, a little. He would become much kinder and gentler as a respected retiree at Rogers Park GC in Tampa, where he once served as head pro.
Charlie loved interacting with the other graybeards at Rogers Park and the young dreamers on the Advocates Pro Tour. But mostly Charlie loved overcoming adversity, like when he managed to make it to the big time despite a fused knee, the result of a failed correction of an injury he suffered as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army.
Like when the yips threatened to end his career, but the long putter revived it.
Charlie recently passed in his native Winter Haven, Fl. He was 85. I was a part of his life for only a short while, but his friendship and respect had a positive impact on mine.
ABOUT PETE McDANIEL
Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com
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Comments on this topic may be emailed directly to Pete at: [email protected]
Known as The Mother City, Cape Town has the honor of doing endless exciting things. If you are truly into taking the fun of the nature’s wonder, then you have Table Mountain. You can also plan a visit to the most popular shopping center in South Africa (V&A Waterfront) to shop for some of the exciting African jewelry and others.
Beyond doubt, you would be able to say that for both the Capetonians and the tourists, the shopping scenario remains same. From where you are, this seaside metropolis offers some of the best things that you can’t to resist to buy from. This leaves any chance of asking further that what is the reason for topping the Town in New York’s Times’ List.
While you visit Cape, you would certainly be bothered about the accommodation as well. So now get rid of all your worries. Surprised!! Yes! You can get some Premium Inn Offers on Hotels so that you don’t spend a fortune on your trip to Cape.
Let us have a brief run down through the list of attractions when you are enjoying your vacation in Cape Town.
You won’t truly understand the scope of the Cape until you have visited the Table Mountain. The Table Mountain would allow you to see the sprawling city below the mountain. Also, you would get to view the huge extent of sky with ocean. Also known as the Hoerikwaggo, alternately called Mountain of the Sea, it was founded as early as 500 million years ago and appeared to Gorinhaiqua to rise up from a bed of ocean.
If you are trying to access it, then the easiest way is to do so by the cable car, that would be a thrilling yet exciting and little frightening for the children of all ages. While travelling via cable car, you would also get to appreciate the mesmerizing beauty of the mountain slopes.
The protected space of Clifton with the cliff-side patios above and around you will make you feel very special. Only accessible via the steep staircases passing through the low-height bungalows, Clifton is comprised of a four crescent shaped sand strip. Each of these sand strip attracts a different God. Example, First Beach is preferred by the families and Third Beach is preferred by the gay guys.
Once you step in at Clifton, you will find it very difficult to believe that the nearest city is just a 10-min drive away. The waters of Atlantic are equally freezy that when plunged will convert you sun-baked body into icy cold water. After that, when you would feel the sun rays tingling on your skin, you will feel an experience being discovered never before.
If you want to check out some of the most gentle methods for the afternoon, then Mount Nelson is the nicest way to enjoy. It is a must-visit place for the girls who like to dress up. You also have the option to sprawl about the ground that is been designed as per the designs of the grand colonial-era. You can also listen to the pianist or take some of the wonderful snaps while standing beside the fountain in the manicured patios.
If you have discovered that the trip you planned was too pricey or just made you spend a fortune, then remember to do a little extra efforts with Dealslands and grab an excellent voucher for your needs.
