Golflogic.ca

Great golf blogger Bob Weeks points out a story in today’s Globe that Greg Norman is dating tennis legend Chris Evert.

So let me get this straight.  Greg Norman has a daughter.  This daughter is dating Sergio Garcia.  Sergio once dated Martina Hingis.  Martina Hingis is a former number 1 ranked tennis player and holder of multiple Grand Slam Titles.  Chris Evert is a former number 1 ranked tennis player and holder of multiple Grand Slam Titles.  Chris Evert is dating Greg Norman who has a daughter…

Yoga For Golfers^TM postures and photos for winter practice at home are coming, I promise, I am just learning how to get the photos up on the blog…
I’ve had quite a few students from last spring asking about a fall series of classes; when gym classes will be starting up again.  Classes at the gyms will start around the end of January (actually that is only about 7 weeks away!) for a 6-week series, on hiatus during March break, when I’ll be in Scottsdale, AZ, then back for a second 6-week series ending late May.  Until then I am teaching students privately in home or office, as well as a few of the golf/fitness locations listed below.
There was a lot I learned from my students last spring about their needs and preferences for these classes and they will improve each time.  I’d also love your input before we commit to any details that might not work as well for you.
Please let me know if you were thinking about taking a Yoga Fort Golfers^TM yoga class at a Toronto gym…
1)      Would you prefer to take your classes at:
·          King’s Golf Academy
·          Dynamic Conditioning Centres 
·          Adelaide Club
·          Eclipse Fitness
·          Christine’s Fitness (ladies only)
·          Glendon Athletic Club - Bayview & Lawrence
·          University of Toronto: Varsity Centre
2)      What day of the week & time would Yoga For Golfers^TM classes be most convenient for you?
·          Monday - Thursday, starting at 5:45p or 6:00p or 6:15p
·          Saturday - 10:00a, noon or 2:00p
·          Sunday - 10:00a, noon or 2:00p
Please feel free to let me know any other suggestions or thoughts.  I appreciate your input - I will send a single complimentary class pass to everyone who leaves comments here or emails me at debbie@yogawhereyouare.com

After watching the ADT Championship, the LPGA should be optimistic about its future.  It was possibly the most exciting Friday and Saturday of golf I have seen.  In professional golf, the dramtics are usually left until Sunday.  But, with a cut after Friday and Saturday, it was riveting televison.  To see if Annika or Lorie Kane made it to the weekend, who would be the final sixteen after the playoff.  And even on Sunday, to see if the twenty-year old could forget about the money (a cool million dollars to the winner).  There are still things to be worked on at the LPGA and the commissioner is still learning on the job, but the direction seems to be going the right way.

Mr. Dey, serving as Chief Operating Officer, brings a career of brand building and brand turn-around success to e21 Golf.  Bill provides executive level expertise in global sales, marketing, product development, commercialization, supply chain management and licensing.  As President of Insport Inc., Bill propelled several recognized sporting goods companies from start-up to industry leading brands.  Bill was hand picked to turn-around the Tommy Armour Golf Company, returning this once top-tier brand to profitability

GL:  Bill, November 23rd is the big day when the Russian Cosmonaut will hit the Space Shot.  You must be excited to see this event finally here after all the planning and red tape to get this done.  There has been a lot of hype and excitement around this for the better part of the last year.  What are you planning to do after the event to keep the publicity rolling?

BD:
a)  The ball will be in orbit for approximately 3 years, first estimates have it traveling well over a billion miles.  This drive will be making history everyday, and as a result we have applied for “the longest drive” Guinness world record.
b)  We will use the best footage for advertising.
c)  E21 has also purchased the original space suite that was used in space to hit the ball.  The space suite together with the club and “space T” will go on a road show.
d)  There are other events that are in the works that we cannot disclose at this time.
e)  Delivery of our ’07 product line starts February 15^th and will be supported by print, media, point of sale merchandising.
f)  Every dealer will have our commitment to a demo program. The golf consumer will see and feel the difference in our golf equipment immediately.

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I like to golf often at home and when I travel.  One of my business/vacation trips this past season included a week in Panama, of all places!  1 week, all inclusive, for $818 CDN including taxes!  It just doesn’t get better than that.  Well.. actually it is even less costly right now (check here for current rates), and I did see 1 week in June for only $347 + taxes, so if you are looking for a great fall getaway where you can shop, golf & hang out on the beach to your heart’s content - here’s my recommendation along with required caveats for The Royal DeCameron Beach Resort Golf, Spa & Casino (Panama).  

Golf Details:  Mantaraya Golf Course is on the DeCameron property (90 minutes from Panama City, on the South-West coast of Panama), which also includes the casino, all-inclusive beach resort, spa and condominium village.  Designed by Randall Thompson in association with the American Golf Course Design Firm, this looong course of 7,087 yards, par 72 is located in the “dry arc” the area of Panama with the most sunshine on a yearly basis.  The only rain we felt in the whole week was every time we left the DeCameron property.  The course is quite beautiful, with long wide fairways, lots of water and even mango trees dropping their fruit on the cart path as you play (recommended as a fresh in-round snack!).  

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The big day is right around the corner!  Wednesday November 23^rd, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin will hit a golf ball in space.  As you may recall, we first wrote about this story back in March, where Canadian Golf Company Element 21 dreamt up this great idea to draw awareness to their new golf clubs.  The clubs are made from Scandium which is supposed to help create more distance and better feel. 

We were fortunate enough to get an interview with Element 21 CEO Nataliya Hearn last March as well and stay tuned as Bill Dey, the new Executive VP and General Manager has also agreed to an interview.

My two favorite athletes of all-time are Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders.  In terms of personality, both couldn’t be more different from each other but in terms of talent, both were amongst the best football players of their time (while Bo was healthy) and both also managed to be professional baseball players as well.  Becoming a professional athlete is hard enough but doing it in two sports at the highest level is near impossible.

Anyway, enough gushing about my admiration for these guys.  Deion recently started hosting AT&T Home Turf where he tours around visiting athletes homes seeing how they live.  He recently stopped in to see young up and comer Camilo Villegas.  The segment is basically an infomercial of sorts for AT&T but is fun nonetheless.  Check it out HERE…where do I get my own caddy??
 

After almost 11 months of watching, playing and reading about golf, here are some of my observations from the past year.

Birdie - Stephen Ames on winning the Player’s Championship, hopefully he can put his back troubles behind him and continue his fine play.

Bogey - Phil Mickelson packing it in after the PGA Championship, anyone who saw his Ryder Cup performance knows he packed in early.  Phil doesn’t seem to care about the fans who pay the price of admission to see him play.

Birdie - Jim Furyk.  For not only having his best year on the PGA Tour but for stating he will be back to defend his Canadian Open Title in 2007.

Birdie - RCGA & Hamilton Golf & Country Club, for hosting the Canadian Open as a National Championship deserves.  Here’s hoping a Title Sponsor won’t be far along.

Bogey - Earl Woods dies.  He is possibly the most influential father in sports along with Walter Gretzky.

Par - PGA Tour’s new FedEx Cup - Only time will tell whether this Championship will bring out the Tour’s best after the PGA Championship.

Birdie - Canada finishes 2nd at the World Amateur Championships

Birdie - At the age of 46, BC native Jim Rutledge will become the oldest PGA Tour rookie in history.  Rutledge gained his card by finishing inside the Top 20 on the Nationwide Tour money list.

Eagle - I finally broke par for 18 holes !!  I shot a 71 at Crosswinds G&CC.

 Let me know your favourite or most memorable moments from the 2006 golf season.

Over the last month we have managed to add some great guest bloggers to the web site and so far the feedback bas been amazing.  Please join me in welcoming the latest addition to the Illogical Golf Team, Devon Bestard from the Duffer’s Dream Tour.  Devon is all over golf!  He runs his own golf tour, hosts his own golf radio show and is in the process of purchasing his own golf course!  We are all looking forward to hearing from you Devon!

Since we can’t all actively get out & golf every day, the 4 or 5 winter months off from regular golf rounds provides me time to explore other ways of improving golf performance - and I will take you through them.  Perhaps not as entertaining as what Nigel & the other bloggers can post - BUT it will have a huge impact on your game.  

First I have to let you all know I am not a certified nutritionist in any way shape or form.  My knowledge comes from reading many, many books (often they disagree with one another), discussions with professionals and personal experience.  I like a good conspiracy theory and firmly believe that since food is primary requirement for all of us, big business and government leaders of the world are generally more interested in making money for themselves than in ensuring the continued health of all citizens (not getting sick in the 1st place).  Scientific research to understand current food nutritional values and how the human body can maximize their value is not very well financially supported and what IS known is purposely not communicated to the public - taking care of sick people with surgeries and prescription drugs is much more profitable than making sure everyone has the knowledge and the foods available to stay healthy.  I enjoy contemplating these theories through the cold winter months when I’m more apt to question perception and beliefs and make subtle changes for the year ahead.  

I believe what we eat has the largest immediate and long-term effect on our health throughout life, general well-being, mental skills and successful performance in sports and all activities of your life.  Lately, I have begun to understand more than ever how literally “you are what you eat”, and so if you choose to fuel your system with pure, natural, nourishing foods you will at least be able to experience some of the impressive potential of your mind, body and heart. 

It goes without saying we want to perform at our peak in all relationships and activities every day, with ease.  Do you also want to know how you can immediately improve your health and performance on the golf course with a few simple changes to how & what you consume?  Wouldn’t it be great to have more stamina and skills on the golf course at the start of the season next spring than you finished with this fall?  A few simple changes to how & what you eat can make a huge, noticeable difference both right away and long-term.  Those of you who actually try this and follow me through the winter months’ posts WILL thank me.  

#1 - I do not believe you need to be vegetarian.  Humans have since the start consumed animal proteins for food, so if you want, eat some meat - it can be healthy.  I’ll talk more about this later. 

#2 - Drink MORE water, on top of all other liquids; every day, try to drink 3-4 litres of plain, room-temperature or chilled, filtered water.  More if you drink alcohol, coffee or tea, as the weather warms, have a cough or cold and if you are exercising.  I know you hate the idea of going to the bathroom constantly, but do it with a smile, because as soon as you are properly hydrated and maintaining that level of hydration in your body, you will be able to think more clearly, digest foods more easily and even be better-looking, just to name a few benefits.  Also, after a few days or so your kidneys will chill out & you’ll find visiting the washroom is a less frequent, less urgent need. 

#3 - Make sure the foods you eat are varied; most North Americans eat the same 12-15 basic foods (prepared and mixed together in different ways) every day and week with very little variation; that limited selection can not possibly provide the nutrition required to experience life at your optimum level.  We’re really lucky in Toronto to have lots of options for healthy, convenient food.  I’ve put my own list of favourites HERE on my message board. 

#4 - Whenever possible, eat foods that have no chemical-based additives for flavour, colour or preservatives. These chemicals rarely provide any nutritional value and may be directly related to less-than-god-like health.  Explore natural, basic foods, herbs and spices that are endlessly aromatic, flavour-full and nutritious.  I love the word “organic“. 

#5 BREATHE more deeply, more often.  Breath has the most immediate effect on how your body and mind function right now - whether you are trying to navigate a challenging sudoku, a situation at the office or clear your mind to prepare for the best possible shot on the golf course - nothing else is more important, immediate or has a more dramatic positive effects.