Wild mustang checks out the beach in Outer Banks, NC.

With mid-October back-to-back trips planned to two great locales, the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Big Pine Key, home of the tiny Key deer in the magnificent Lower Keys of Florida, I planned about 10 days worth of superb golf, fishing, sunshine and sport.  Michigan’s summer often comes to an abrupt close and eeking out a ‘last-hurrah’ trip before harsh north winds blow seems to stretch the summer out a skosh longer.

The Outer Banks, land formations spread out across North Carolina’s coast, offer spectacular scenery and very enjoyable golf.  An itinerary featuring Kilmarlic, The Pointe Golf Club, Currituck Club, and the Carolina Club was on the menu;  Nags Head Golf Club, was too but with a number of holes bordering Currituck Sound, the wrath of Hurricane Irene took its toll by blowing damaging salt water up and onto fairways and greens; only 9 inland holes were open.  But that storm was long past except for clean-up, mosquitoes, and annoying bugs left behind.

Advance looks at the weather were not promising, but those weather guys are never right, are they?  With rain chances pegged at 60-70% each day, rain gear was in the golf bag.  When playing golf in the Outer Banks, weather can be hit or miss depending on which side of Currituck Sound you may be on.  In this case, our hosts correctly guessed which course to play when and we bypassed rain all around us save for a few sprinkles.  Skies were gray and courses were damp, but at least we dodged the brunt of it.  Probably the worst weather hit when we visited the wild mustangs (the horses, not the cars) on the beach, courtesy of County Commissioner Butch Petrey, who managed to get us up close and personal in his four-wheel drive SUV.   The rain and wind never bothered these magnificent creatures, especially this one who was more than happy to pose against the roiling surf.

But no matter the soggy skies, the bright, sunny, and glorious Keys were up next for 7 days of lobstering, stone-crabbing, and deep-sea dolphin (mahi-mahi, not Flipper) fishing.   The Keys always provide ample opportunity for sunburns or tanning out in the elements.

Wrong again.  Arriving last Thursday night via a kitschy 10-person Cape Air plane complete with multi-colored shark and Ernest Hemingway artwork, as I watched the sun set I had no idea that it would be the only sun  I’d see for the next week.  The next day, our group did get out into bumpy seas for my first ever dolphin bite and catch, but we came through a nasty storm returning to the dock.  A few hours later, the rains began to fall

Last of the sunset....and the sun, headed for 5 days of torrential rain in Key West and Big Pine Key.

harder and did not let up on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, dumping about 6 inches daily on Big Pine Key.  Plans to go to Key West were thwarted when many of those streets were flooded by even higher rain totals.  On Tuesday, the skies were again dark and dank, though we did make it out to a few lobster and stone crab spots for about two hours managing to just get back in when the thunder, lightning, and rain erupted again.  That night, tornado watches were out….tornadoes?  In the Keys?  The weather for Wednesday also looked awful – and was.  Raging storms woke me up about 5am and the weather map on TV was actually white with lightning strikes.  Forecasts for clearing skies did not appear until Thursday…….the day I began the drive home.  Here is what the National Weather Service had to say:

DURING THIS FIVE-DAY SPAN(Fri-Tue), SEVERAL ORGANIZED BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE FLORIDA KEYS, OFTEN WITH STORM MOTIONS THAT INUNDATED THE SAME AREAS PERSISTENTLY FOR HOURS AT A TIME. THERE WERE ACCUMULATIONS TO OVER 20” IN PORTIONS OF THE LOWER KEYS. KEY WEST AIRPORT RECORDED 6.91 INCHES OF RAINFALL ON OCTOBER 17^TH, WHICH STOOD SINCE 1910. THIS WAS THE 5th WETTEST 5-DAY RAINFALL SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1871 AND THE WETTEST 5-DAY PERIOD SINCE JANUARY 1983.

Thanks Cuba…..paybacks are no fun.

Sigh.  I would have never dreamed that out of 10 days in areas of normally abundant sunshine and warm temps that ol’ Mr. Sol would be a no-show, save for a few precious hours.  There are a couple of lessons to be learned here:  1) never take anything for granted and 2) just when you think things can’t get any worse…..they can.

Life throws a lot at you, just like golf.  A sure thing might not always be so sure.  Sometimes you have to be willing to wait for the good to come.  Every so often, it never comes and you need to move on with Plan B.  In this case, there was no Plan B, other than to head back to Michigan and dream of sunnier skies on the next adventure.  There was good news though:  the weekend in Michigan brought sunny skies and temps in the mid- 60′s.  I caught a few rays and people remarked on how tan I got on my ‘vacation’.   Who knew I’d have to arrive back in the Winter Wonderland to actually bask in the sun?

Crystal Downs entrance......the road up to Heaven

One of the most highly favored golf invitations comes from off the bluffs near the sleepy town of Frankfort, Michigan.  Nestled peacefully in the hills and valleys near Lake Michigan, I am not speaking of Arcadia Bluffs, certainly a noted course which merits national attention and the desire to play it.    Instead, the journey heads a little farther north on M-22 to an obscure entrance you’ll probably bypass the first time.  Find that entrance, keep driving higher and higher through residential trees and glimpses of sapphire waters, and you are well on your way to a place coming closest to the fabled Kingdom of which Michael Murphy writes: Crystal Downs Country Club.

The course  was designed and built in 1932 by Dr. Alistair MacKenzie, using manpower, horsepower of the four-legged kind, and plows.  No earth was moved -

CDCC Dedication plaque, Alistair Mackenzie

only sculpted.  The design is as good today as it was 90 years ago, and the only question on the minds of members does not involve renovation, but instead whether or not to cut down a nagging tree guarding the right side of number 4;  a tree which had the nerve to grow up SO big over the years, reminiscent of the game you play with children and grandchildren.  The storied 4th is a dogleg par-4 which can play longish and brutish or shortish depending upon whether or not you carry the steep hill the troubling tree guards.  The tree was a mere sapling when Dr. MacKenzie dealt with it, and so it remained.

Mackenzie's tree, now fully grown, creates a dilemma on the dogleg par-4 4th hole.

But that is what every hole at Crystal Downs is:  a journey with options.  You can play the course dozens of times and each round is a new adventure with weather and wind always a big IF.  Long-time head golf professional Fred Muller, knowing full well his position as Keeper of the Gate is one of the best golf jobs in the world, can be seen almost daily in turtleneck and Dockers, even in the summer.  In defense, the mornings can be cool despite 80-degree days and it is not often the day is still, with no breeze whatsoever floating in from the lake, about 200 yards away.   Although, the very warm and pleasant summer of 2010 was different:  Fred sported some shorts and a Polo shirt when I joined him for an afternoon round in late July.   But even an 80-degree day with no wind was not the miracle I had in mind.

Playing Crystal Downs remains on most golfers’ Wish-List before they head toward heavenly courses beyond.  My turn originally came despite my status as a ratings panelist for Golf Digest Magazine. Many a golf rater or writer has never set foot on the grounds.  If you are either, do not assume announcing it will get you on the course.  In fact, Golf Digest Editor Jerry Tarde still lists Crystal Downs at the top of his Wish-List of courses never played.  There is one hard and fast rule which is never broken:  if you are not a member, you must play with a member or someone from the pro shop staff.  Now you may think the members are people who are untouchable or arrogant, but you would be dead wrong.   They are simply people who cherish their course and know they are favored and blessed to be members at one of the top clubs in the nation.  I am fortunate to know Fred, who has introduced me to many wonderful members, one in particular who is the true star of this story.

Long-time CDCC Professional Fred Muller, on a rare day with shorts and Polo shirt.

With visions of vast PGA souvenir mega-stores present at most Tour events, you’d think Fred’s shop would be huge and stuffed to the rafters with CDCC logo merchandise, given Crystal Downs’ 100 Greatest status.  Again, you’d be wrong.  It is a humble, warm, and cozy place, complete with a small library and easy chairs posed by large windows overlooking the first tee, which is perched at the top of the property and mere steps from the pro shop door.  Read some pages, watch a group tee off, read some more, watch another group.  A snack bar is opposite the merchandise shelves, and this time you can grab a homemade cinnamon or lemon roll, sandwich, and a glass of CDCC’s special serve-yourself-on-the-honor-system lemonade or half-tea/half-lemonade (they don’t call them Arnold Palmers here).  Find a table by the picture window between the trophy cabinets so you’ll have prime viewing of the devilish 9th, an uphill par 3 with a wicked, sloping, green.  Guaranteed, you’ll see some trick shot up-and-downs if you watch for any length of time.  Or, you can look east, out of yet another set of picture windows to observe tee-off action on the short par-4 10th, a superb hole with elevated tees to a major drop off of fairway, which then climbs up to a guarded green backed by dense woods.  Looking south, you’ll get a beautiful view of Crystal Lake.

The first time I played Crystal Downs was over 10 years ago, after meeting Fred on the range of northern Michigan’s storied Boyne Mountain’s Alpine and Monument courses.  We were both contestants in the Michigan PGA Tournament of Champions, a unique event which pits every category of golfer, amateur or professional, man or woman, senior or junior, against one another, using appropriate tee placements.  The only requirement is that you must have won a sanctioned state event.  Fred is a former Michigan Open Champion and I won the Golf Association of Michigan’s Tournament of Club Champions.  Freddy was a Golf Magazine course rater, and after some good-natured razzing about the practices of competing Golf Digest course ratings panelists – though at the time he didn’t know I was one of those with a later admission I was - he still extended an invitation to play his course.  Later that summer, up the fabled serpentine driveway I drove, and at the pinnacle of Crystal Downs, I met a man who indeed is the true miracle there and as much a part of the mystique of Crystal Downs as the course itself.

Dr. Roy Vomastek is one of a vanishing breed:  the small town doctor.  His story is unique and his golf exploits are far from the norm.  If you look him up, you’ll see he is a nationally ranked amateur and has competed in several USGA and PGA National Senior Championships as well as state and local events.  However, his accomplishments are amazing considering  he briefly and reluctantly took up the game in his youth, left it for years to hone out a career in medicine while raising a family, then came back

Dr. Roy Vomastek, champion in life.....and golf.

later to achieve some amazing golfing feats.

My best memory of that day was an all-out duel between Dr. Roy and Fred, who were even coming to the short and sweet par-4 17th hole.  With an elevated tee looking down a wide-enough descending fairway framed by thick trees, the hole then heads back uphill to seemingly major elevation, which in reality, is only slightly higher than the teeing ground, and a green with enough bunkers and trouble beyond.   Both were ardently explaining how hard this hole was, debating which iron should be hit to keep it in play.  Finally, one decided on a 4-iron, the other a 3, and both promptly found the woods on opposite sides of the fairway.   I simply chose driver because that club is as straight as anything else.  I made birdie, and they made 6 and 7.  So much for local knowledge versus beginner’s luck.

The pesky, though brilliant, 17th hole decides many matches.

At the 2010 Crystal Downs Club Championship, there was drama unlike anything anywhere.  Eleven years after Dr. Roy won his first CDCC club championship at age 67, he was playing in the finals against his son, of all people.  When the 78-year-old general practitioner sank a clutch 10-foot putt on the par-4 dogleg right 18th hole to edge out his cherished ‘opponent’, the gallery, which included his grandchildren, erupted in stunned cheers.

Playing with Doc shortly after this feat, he consistently drove the ball 280 yards with some blasts of over 300 yards. He said I inspired him, but perhaps inspiration had little to do with a flawless body rotation and metronome-like tempo.  A great disposition helps, as did a bit of harmless flirtation.  Doc takes a kind of joy in the game that is rarely seen these days.  Who else would play 18, 36, or 45 holes every day for sheer pleasure?  Or could……..at his age?  And now, he is still going strong.  Rumor has it a Hollywood screen play is being written about his life, which indicates that hopefully the entertainment industry isn’t so far gone with inane reality show concepts to allow an incredibly good and inspiring story to escape, untold.

And the 2011 Club Championship?  Did he defend?  No.  Instead he decided to retire from the event, at the top, and opening the door to allow the best player who should have won the club championship many times but never did – the joy of victory.

Like an unplayed 12-foot concert Bosendorfer adorning empty space, a golf course with no magicians or artists playing it is simply a tract of land, pretty land certainly, but with no life.  Dr. MacKenzie likely had visions of the great golfers who would follow his brilliant layout but is it possible he could have imagined a gentleman – a gentle man – approaching his ninth decade of life, paying homage to family and friends through golf, like Dr. Roy?

I’d like to think so.

When golf clubs are thrown in anger......FarmLinks at Pursell Farms puts them to good use.

When northerners anticipate Christmas, we don’t normally think of golf at the same time, except as distant memories of months past, basking in the sun.  The Christmas season actually means snow-covered courses shuttered up tightly, and clubs stored on racks in c-c-c-cold garages with no golf in the foreseeable future.  We simply revel in the newest Golf Digest or Golf Magazine, buy Christmas golf stuff, or even watch ‘silly season’ events on television because the Tours don’t start up until January.  In other words, waaahhhh!!!!

But then via e-mail comes a Christmas Greeting so refreshing and welcome that I had to take the time to view it more than once.  Not the politically correct ‘Holiday Card’ or ‘Seasons Greetings’ but a real, live celebration from wonderful people.  FarmLinks at Pursell Farms is about an hour southeast of bustling Birmingham, Alabama, and though few people know about it, everyone should.  FarmLinks is just as it sounds:  part working farm/part golf facility.   When visiting there in November, I didn’t really know what to expect.  What I found was a place I didn’t want to leave.  The Pursell family has lived on this 2500 acre farm for decades and recently fashioned it into so much more:  championship 18-hole Dr. Mike Hurdzan/Dana Fry highly ranked golf course and practice facility; a one-of-a-kind research and demonstration facility where golf course superintendents can study the latest in agronomy and environmental turf developments; a fishing and hunting paradise where you can BYOD (Bring Your Own Dogs) or use the highly trained canines housed on the premises; 5-stand Sporting Clay course (ask Manager Greg Bolton who is the Queen of the darting rabbits?); state-of-the-art meeting facilities; and historic settings for parties, weddings, and other celebrations.  Watch for a more complete story on Pursell Farms here in mid- February. 

 Meanwhile, take a moment from your busy holiday season and enjoy a few minutes of smiles……..

 

2011 FarmLinks Christmas Greeting

www.youtube.com

Golfers, shooters, anglers and the whole FarmLinks herd wish you a warm and very Merry Christmas!

Scottsdale's Troon North, a Weiskopf/Morrish creation, will test the resolve of the Golf Road Warriors.

Are you tired of receiving wacky golf gifts for Christmas albeit by well-intentioned family members, friends, and co-workers?  Do you suspect they buy just about anything – and I mean anything – with a golf club or ball or tee insignia attached, embedded, emblazoned, or stamped on it simply because you play golf?   We know they mean well, but truly, what can you do with Arnold Plumber’s Putter, yet another Golfer’s Gift Pak, the Never-Miss Chipper or the Best-Ever-Slice-Fixer?

This year, instead of only hoping to find an extra special golf item you really want under the tree, why not help Santa along a little bit?  How does this sunwashed Arizona adventure sound:

• Two nights of lodging at each of the following properties: Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, The Boulders Resort, and The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
• One round of golf for two at Troon North Golf Club, The Boulders Golf Club, and TPC Scottsdale
• Two-piece Travelpro® Platinum 7® luxury luggage set
• Custom club fitting, new driver, new golf bag, and one dozen golf balls from Callaway Golf
• One dozen premium cigars from Certifresh Cigars
• 12-month subscription for winner’s entire golf club for a white tee membership, plus six blue tee memberships to Grow The Game Golf’s new leaderboard smart phone app

Too much to expect?  Not if you go online and try to order it up yourself…..or drop hints for your little elves to do the same.   Gives ‘em an easy way out on the Christmas gift.

Here’s how:  enter the Roll Like A Warrior Sweepstakes, which begins at midnight, November 28.  Simply go to www.golfroadwarriors.com/roll-like-a-warrior-sweepstakes/ and click on Enter.

Then, follow the current Road Warriors, who are learned golf writers, broadcasters, and scholars of the game and loyal to fun-in-the-sun, Jeff Wallach, Tom Bedell, Terry Moore, and Peter Kessler, as they traipse, travel, and triumph over the trials and tribulations of too much golf, too many cigars, and way too much beer across some prime links and watering holes in the Grand Canyon state.  You’ll experience what they do…..sort of…..as they play Grayhawk, Troon North, TPC Scottsdale, and The Boulders November 28 through December 4.

Hmmm, that’s about the time the snow will fly up here in the frozen north……and a perfect time for the rest of us to be dreaming of a green Christmas.

Diet pop is one of the worst beverages to consume for weight control.

Did you know there are foods you eat that actually make you hungrier?   For better performance when playing golf, you’ll want to stay away from foods devoid of real nutrition.  They will hurt your golf game even though you may not realize it.

It is all about the way your body metabolizes food and the combinations in which you eat them.  A lot has to do with consuming ‘empty’ calories that really don’t fill you up.   Foods labeled ‘low-fat’, ‘fat-free’, ‘low-sugar’ or ‘sugar free’ should be avoided.   They all sound like great bargains for your diet and you couldn’t possibly gain weight, but the sad truth is….you do.   Your body gets no real nutrition from these foods, hence, you are still hungry and will eat more.

Think about it:  since these foodstuffs have been introduced in the past 20-30 years or so, have we, as a nation, gotten bigger or smaller?  There lies your answer…..and it is not a pretty one.  So why do we keep consuming such pretenders?  The simple truth is that we’ve become brainwashed into thinking that way.  Savvy marketers know the hot buttons to push.  We need to be smarter and not fall for claims sounding too good to be true.  Here are some ‘fooler’ foods you should avoid, particularly when getting ready to tee it up in a tournament or club event:

Plain salads with low-fat or fat-free dressing:  The dressings are loaded with sugar.  Salads are great but you need some protein, like lean meats and cheeses (NOT low-fat) for staying power.  Lean chicken breast or grilled shrimp add pure protein;  Parmesan or Romano cheeses are perfect:  they are higher in fat but if you buy a block and grate the cheese fresh, you only need a few sprinkles for superb flavor.  Try my favorite recipe for Balsamic vinaigrette:  2 parts Extra Virgin olive oil, 1 part Balsamic vinegar, a dollop of Dijon mustard, dashes of sea salt and pepper, 2 TBS of Agave nectar or organic sugar, and fresh garlic cloves.  Throw it all in a blender for about 1-2 minutes.  It keeps forever and makes a great marinade as well…..you’re welcome!

Plain rice cakes are useless.  One has to wonder who discovered these because they taste like sawdust and you need a bunch to fill you up.  If you do eat them, add some peanut butter.  Better still,  eat whole grain bread or crackers with cheese and herbs, or top with a vegetable dip made with Greek yogurt.

Plain rice cakes....useless for proper nutrition.

‘Lite’ or ‘fat-free’ yogurt….again, practically useless except for the ‘good’ digestive bacteria cultures.  They are loaded with extra sugar, which gives a quick boost, but there’s little substance.  Eat plain Greek yogurt with real fruit, add some nuts, seeds, and cinnamon for a true power snack.

Greek yogurt with raisins, walnuts, and honey - truly a power snack.

An apple a day may keep the doctor away but even though it is filled with fiber and vitamins, eat some protein with it so you won’t be ravenous an hour later…now I understand the apple-cheddar cheese connection.    And buy Michigan-grown.

Chewing gum.  People think this staves off hunger but instead, chewing gets the gastric juices flowing and prepares your body for food.  Plus, just about every brand of gum has an artificial sweetener or sugar alcohol in it, also a bad thing. Try air-popped popcorn or raw veggies instead.

Diet pop does the same thing as chewing gum.  This stuff wakes up the digestive system with a vengeance and no payoff whatsoever.  The caffeine and sugar alcohols may postpone the inevitable, but you WILL get hungry and actually eat more.  Try a warm beverage, like herbal tea or coffee, or even some diluted 100% juices.

Fat-free graham crackers or similar fat-free goodies.  The fat may be gone but excess sugar replaces it.  Don’t be fooled.  Buy regular grahams, start with one cracker, then wait 15 minutes instead of gobbling up 4 or 5 all at once.  You really don’t need that many to ease hunger pangs.   Fun Treat:  add a small piece of dark chocolate to your cracker for a tasty and healthy boost.  You can skip the marshmallow as in S’Mores:  it simply adds pure sugar and chemicals.

Forget low-fat graham crackers: go for the real thing.

Puffed cereal with skim milk; again, this sounds calorie-conscious but gives no nourishment.  Low fiber, high glycemic index with no fat equals hunger within an hour.  Instead eat steel-cut oatmeal (NOT instant).  Add real maple syrup, fruit compote (smashed fruit), and cinnamon for a delicious meal.

Again, please consume REAL FOOD.  Just eat less of it…and eat regularly.  There is no point, nor benefit, in starving yourself.

Summer's bounty...freeze or can it for the long winter months.

The golf season is waning, Daylight Savings Time is trudging up the 18^th hole, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) will begin kicking in due to decreased sunlight up here in the northern climates.  We’ll want to eat….and eat….and eat.  It is natural to crave more food in the winter so don’t beat yourself up for following the natural instinct to chow down;  after all, many animals go into hibernation but before they do, they gorge themselves to pep up their reserves and body fat to last through the long winter.  We may cocoon ourselves inside our homes to deal with cold and harsh weather, but don’t fall into the trap of eating as if you are hibernating:  the bears eat nothing when they are asleep.  We eat every day…..and don’t play much golf in the winter, walking and carrying our bag of course, to use up the calories.

We’ve come off of a great harvest of wonderful fruits and vegetables from a Michigan summer.  Heavy rains in June and September made for a strange growing season but when the produce started to arrive, it poured in all at once.   As much as we would like to continue using fresh fruits and veggies over the winter, unless you have canned or frozen your fresh food bounty, there isn’t much available.  Now, you may say, ‘What, Janina, have you gone batty?  There is fresh produce all over the supermarkets!’  True.  However, most of those fruits and vegetables are grown out of country and brought in from who-knows-where.   And, it is simply not optimal to eat certain foods out of season – nor justify the cost of transporting them all over the country.

Mother Nature has her reasons for ripening food as she does;  we are supposed to eat a variety of foods at different times of the year, not force-feed ourselves whatever we want whenever we want.  Most of you remember a time when we could not ever get sweet corn in February or strawberries in December.  Some of you may even recall getting an orange for Christmas and treasuring it.  We are spoiled – and we know it.

Many countries use growing methods, unsanitary practices, and pesticides you won’t like so it is best to avoid foods from these areas.  Following is a list of foods you should never eat out of season:

1)      Fresh peas are best eaten in the spring.  They are ripe only for about two weeks.  After that, nutrients are lost and they get starchy.  Buy frozen, with little or no added salt.

2)      Sweet corn is perfect in late summer when it is at its sweetest.  Eat or freeze corn immediately before the sugar turns to starch.  Don’t overcook:  2-3 minutes at most.

3)      Every variety of mushroom has a season: morels in the spring, truffles in the fall, others in between.  Don’t wash them – they absorb water.   Trim the ends and brush the dirt off.  Saute them in some butter and garlic for a little piece of ‘shroom heaven.

4)      Early spring and summer is best for lettuces when they are crisp, sweet, and more nutritious; otherwise, experiment with other greens like kale, Swiss chard, spinach, and cabbages for salads.  Bagged lettuces are treated with preservatives you don’t need.

5)      Peach season is short: late August.  Romeo, Michigan has an entire weekend devoted to the golden orbs.  Eat them fresh or make no-sugar-added peach butters or preserves.  Frozen?  Forget it, they taste like cardboard.  Jarred peaches are acceptable.

6)      Wax beans become fibrous and tough in early fall; use green beans, which have a longer season.  Buy frozen, never canned:  those have the highest levels of BPA.

7)      Asparagus is best only in spring, before stalks become woody.  You can pickle them for a nice crunch but if you freeze it, only use it in cooked dishes.

8)      Tomatoes are great fresh and full of lycopene (the heart protector) from August through October.  Otherwise, forget those tasteless and pale impostors.  Instead, buy crushed, in jars.  If you have ever seen the rocky, sandy soil in which ‘hothouse’ tomatoes are grown, you’ll wonder how anything nutritious grows in such conditions.

If you’re wondering what you can eat, remember that certain vegetables do have a longer holding life:  potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, other root vegetables like rutabaga, turnips, beets, carrots, and celery root, and all varieties of gourds like squash and pumpkins.

The key to good health is to eat a variety of foods.  There are enough around to offer choices for all 365 days of the year.  And, when you travel to play golf, don’t hesitate to ask about fresh and local specialties – you’ll often be pleasantly surprised by the great taste and textures of foods you’ve never heard of.

Chef on the Practice Range.....a perfect start.

It is not often I see a really great idea for golf outings pop up.  This one is so simple, so perfect and so unique that I can’t figure out why I’ve never seen it done before.

First, let’s backtrack a bit and examine the anatomy of a morning golf outing with the dreaded 8-9am, shotgun start.  For me, that means a whole litany of events:  I’ll have to get up at O-dark thirty, fight morning rush-hour traffic, and try – just try – to get to the course in time to get my bag together, shoes changed, register, chat with my hosts or other folks I know, warm up on the range along with 25 others who are waiting for the few spaces on the grass, plus get a bite to eat from the breakfast buffet….all within 45 minutes if I am lucky.   Normally I’ll pass on the buffet.  Donuts, packaged pastries, watery eggs, limp bacon or something else unhealthy all are not enough of a draw to sacrifice precious minutes warming up.  Often, there is also a shuttle involved to get to and from the clubhouse to the practice range to the cart line-up, which means there might be a wait.  All in all, the whole morning is a mad rush to accomplish way too much in a short amount of time.

But then in May I visited Wolfdancer Golf Club at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas….you know, the state where it was 90-100 degrees with no rain for months, except for the three days I was there and it dropped 40 degrees with rain and wind?  Despite the turn in the weather, our group was treated to the ultimate breakfast buffet – on the practice range – complete with the Chef, who fashioned made-to-order omelettes.  Atop beautifully appointed buffet tables, hot coffee, yogurt parfaits, granola, fresh fruit and pastries, and more awaited as we decided what to accomplish first: do stretches, eat, hit balls, eat, stay warm, eat, practice short shots, eat, or I suppose, just eat.  Getting ready for golf was a snap.  The only improvement would have been the dawning of a nice balmy morning with the sun rising low in the sky rather than cold temps, mist, and a biting wind that wildly whipped tablecloths and cooled the coffee as it was being poured into our personal Wolfdancer insulated travel cups.  Still, it was heaven.

Yogurt parfaits anyone?

The Wolfdancer practice range, which has plenty of room to accommodate such a feast for a full field of players, is perched at a high point on the property, overlooking a number of holes.  I might have been content to stay there a lot longer, practice a little more, see the views, hope for the weather to improve, and then go tackle Wolfdancer a bit later.  But certainly not to be missed is this superb course, where architects Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest were able to incorporate three very different styles of terrain into a 7200 yard natural journey from softly rolling prairie to oak and cedar woodlands, to the Colorado River valley loaded with towering pecan trees, dramatically framing the 18th hole’s entire right side.

Now that the heat of an Austin summer is waning, a visit to Wolfdancer, a stop on the Austin Golf Trail, is a must.  If you aren’t playing in an outing, that’s OK too: the food is fantastic everywhere on the Hyatt Lost Pines property.

Farr in action, during her short-lived LPGA Tour career.

Heather Farr would have loved this.  Not that anyone would wish to be famous for dealing with breast cancer but that her heroic fight was not lost, not now, almost 20 years later.  If she were alive, she’d be leading the battle with pink ribbons, pink golf gloves, pink everything. 

Unless you’ve been on a desert island, you’ll know that this month has been dedicated to breast cancer awareness.  Marches, walks, programs, and sporting events are all trying to bring attention to a very devastating disease which has hit our country as much as anywhere else.  Ms. Farr was only 24 years old when she received the bad news and staved off paying the ultimate price for four years, at age 28.  In her short career, the Arizona State Universty Sun Devil won the U.S. Girls Junior, the USGA Women’s Amateur Public Links, was a Curtis Cup team member and played on the LPGA Tour from 1986 until she passed away in 1993.  

All of us have been touched by this dreaded malady and every woman is in great fear of contracting it, me included.  Just a few weeks ago I did go in for my mammogram.  Maybe you gentlemen don’t know what that entails, but it can be very painful for women when their breasts are compressed by a square plastic plate to the thickness of pancakes in order to get a better X-Ray.  I suppose I could tell you to imagine your personal parts being squished beyond recognition and you may begin to get the point.  However, now there is digital imagery and the procedure is faster, much less invasive, and less painful.  Plus, I could actually see the images as they came onscreen and even though my eye is untrained, everything appeared to be OK.  I received my All-Clear within two weeks and was relieved.

Regarding the controversy as to when women should be getting mammograms, the jury is still out.  Generally, it is around age 40;  but consider this:  mammograms save more lives than originally thought.  New research out of Sweden following 100,000 women over 30 years shows that the risk of dying of cancer was cut by 30% by those who received regular mammograms, which translated into 15,000 – 20,000 lives saved each year.   Heather Farr’s case was unusual because she was so young and likely would not have had a mamogram at such a young age; unfortunately there is no more ‘usual’ as the age at which people contract cancer seems to decrease.

Cancer knows no boundaries and no one is exempt.  It can strike people who practice healthy lifestyles just as easily as those who abuse their bodies.  Although there is no foolproof way to prevent cancer, there certainly are ways to lessen your chances of getting it.  For women, it is VERY important to maintain a proper weight because as you age and approach or pass menopause, most of the hormone estrogen comes from fat cells and not the ovaries.  Excess estrogen can spur the growth of tumors, especially in the breast, since it is made up of a lot of fatty tissue.  If you practice hormone replacement, please make sure you are doing it under a licensed professional and not indiscriminately taking estrogen compounds without balancing them with progesterone.  Hormone replacement is risky business and should be practiced very carefully with low dosages and minimal years of use.  Remember that many soy products contain plant-based versions of estrogen and will count toward overall estrogen levels.  

The following suggestions apply to men and women alike:

If you smoke and drink alcoholic beverages to excess, STOP IT NOW.  The combination is very deadly.  In addition to the possibility of breast cancer, throat, tongue, and lung cancer can often result from that duo; and, the more you drink, the higher your risk.   I have never smoked and do have an occasional adult beverage, which by all indications is actually good for you.  As an honorary pirate, rum is for me…..but not too much.

Stay active because exercise is believed to lower cancer risk.  Try for 45-60 minutes a day at least 5 times a week.  Personally I try to walk 4-6 miles 7 days a week….and I try to walk and carry my clubs when I play golf.

Know your family history.  If someone in your family has cancer, you may be at risk as well.

Eat a balanced diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables – organic and clean if possible – and get your proper nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  There has been no diet proven to prevent cancer but there’s no need to tempt fate by eating carcinogenic foods you know are full of chemicals, additives, and preservatives.

Lucky, aka 'T-Bone', the day he was found cowering in Capers Steakhouse parking lot.

Call me a wimp, a softie, it doesn’t matter.  I can’t recall feeling better about myself than after what happened on April 15 of this year.  No, I didn’t pay extra taxes, heaven forbid.  I saved a dog……a great dog who didn’t seem to start out that way.

While turning into the parking lot of my Detroit restaurant, Capers Steakhouse, to tackle some paperwork, a brownish Tiger-striped streak dashed in front of my car and ran toward the back kitchen entrance.  Often, stray animals run around but I hadn’t seen one in a while.  As I pulled up to the back door, my kitchen manager and chef Jon and my security guard Greg were shooing the now-identifiable stray dog away.  Tail tucked and frightened, the small dog limped over to the guard shack and collapsed in the corner of the fenced-in parking lot.

I parked my car and defied security protocol by not immediately heading inside with my purse and keys.  Do understand that my restaurant is in a high crime district in Detroit, but we’ve battled on and have been successful for almost 30 years by maintaining strict methods of safety procedures.  Nevertheless, I ventured over to the lump of fur by the fence.

A dog lover from way back to my first pet, Stranger, obviously a stray my parents adopted in the 60′s, I have a huge soft spot for canines.  I don’t recall much about Stranger except that he was a mixed mutt, greyish black, and followed us everywhere.  I remember when he died:  Mom was holding him and crying, as we all were.

Looking at this sorry heap, I wanted to cry too.  He was small, skinny, terrified, and lethargic.   I knew it was a ‘he’ because he had fallen almost upside down on his back and when I got close, he wet himself, which I thought was strange.  Don’t animals normally avoid messing where they lay?

“Be careful, Boss Lady…..” warned Greg, “you don’t know if he’ll bite.  Do you want me to bring out some steak scraps or something?  Maybe something to drink?”

Hmm, good idea.  Street dogs are likely starving, so I had Greg bring out a nice pile of meat scraps and a dish of milk.  We put them on a parking bump figuring the dog would get a whiff, get up, and tear into them getting his fill, then move on.  At least that’s what we hoped.

Nothing.  Not a move, a look, a whimper, or one spark of interest in the feast before him…..or us.  This too was strange;  most dogs would frenzy-feed, keeping you at bay.

I carefully went to pet the dog – very carefully – because he appeared to be a mix of shepherd, boxer, and pit bull and a bite on the hand was definitely not something I was seeking.  He was young, probably not over 8 or 9 months.  But he withdrew even more, looking away, and wet himself again.   I then realized that this dog was probably a victim of some unspeakable horrors, though I knew not what.  Bait dog?  Not really too scratched up.  Fighting dog?  Too young and too small.   I left him with Greg and went in to do my work, thinking the pup might perk up if we left him alone.   During the next hour, I must have come out and checked on him four or five times.  Nothing.  No change.  No hint of life in him at all, though there was some evidence of a nasty vomiting spell with asphalt, concrete bits, paper wrappers, and unidentifiable bits of mystery foods pooled in bile, piled next to him.

Greg asked, “Do you want me to call the humane society?”   I knew what was in store for this poor creature there.  Any shelter would certainly have put him down immediately:  an injured pit bull mix street dog.   A lost cause.   In the news last spring, there had been a story about the rapper Hush who picked up strays and found homes for them.  I contacted the rapper’s number and was referred to another number, answered by the Anti-Cruelty Association.  “Do you work with Hush?”  I asked, and the receptionist replied that they did.

“Are you a no-kill facility?” I inquired.

“Sorry, no, we’re not,” the receptionist replied, apologetically. “Hush tries to find homes for the animals but when he can’t, he brings them here.”

There was no way I’d take him there or leave him alone where he was.  I just couldn’t abandon him, show up the next day and find him…….well, you know.

I went back outside and realized that the dog could not get up.  Funny, he had run in front of me an hour ago, but now was totally  immobile.  I asked Greg to get a steak box, which is big enough for about five 0r six 12-lb. loins – plenty big to transport the dog, who I now dubbed ‘T-Bone’.  He was filthy from road dirt and vomit and I could not put him in my new car.  I planned to take him home, even though I have other dogs, and was not sure how they would react to this interloper.  Nor did I know what was wrong with him or what I’d do when I found out.  There was a strong possibility he’d have to be put down anyway if his injuries were too debilitating;  but if that was the verdict, at least his last moments would be off the streets, far from harm’s way and in a safe place with someone who cared.

Greg picked T-Bone up ever so carefully, though he whimpered and yelped in pain, but Greg got him in the box and in my car’s back seat.  As I drove I kept checking my rear view mirror to see how he was doing, not really expecting anything beyond sleep.  Within about 10 minutes, I heard a familiar thumpa-thumpa-thumpa;  he was wagging his tail against the box!  Then, he lifted his head above the sides and looked around to see where he was, sort of a ‘Wow, what-up with this?’ look.  It was the first sign of anything positive.  I believe he knew he was finally safe.

Arriving home, I could not lift him out of the box and into the garage without cries of pain.  Finally, I rolled him out, onto an old comforter, covering him with a blanket.  He laid down and didn’t move.  That is, until I came over with some ham and turkey, which I hand fed him.  Now, he was hungrily eating!  I brought some water right up to his mouth and he drank that as well, another good sign.  I called the vet to see if he could stop by and take a look, since I didn’t really want to move T-Bone.  I live in the country and the vet, Dr. Saunders, is used to making (dog)house calls…or barn calls, as it were.  Not knowing what his injuries were, I couldn’t be sure they weren’t internal and that he might possibly bleed out. He could not see the dog until the next morning, so T-Dog (and his temp Mom) had to gut it out overnight.   So far, there had been no evidence of bodily evacuations;  whether he could even get up to do so was questionable.  I let him sleep, but did hear some whimpering.  When I checked on him, he obviously had gotten up because his blanket was elsewhere, and there were some ‘jewels’ left on the floor.  Good!  His digestive system was working.  I covered him up and he began wagging his tail again and now was licking my hand. I just wanted him to survive the night.

Lucky, newly named, lounging leisurely on the deck.

The next day, I raced into the garage – and so did Starr and Pudge, my German pointers – to see how he was.  Still alive, still wagging his tail, and very curious about these other creatures.  They made friends, Starr somewhat reluctantly, but Pudge excitedly….someone else to play with!!  He still couldn’t move easily but I fed him, he ate, and when 8:30 rolled around, it was off to the vet.  I picked up the comforter with T-Bone inside.  A few x-rays later, along with a bit of speculation, the Doc determined that T-Bone was OK internally, but had suffered a broken pelvis in two spots, probably from being kicked, and that he was about 6 or 7 months old because he still had his baby teeth.  Doc prescribed some meds for pain, to reduce inflammation, and to knock him out a little in order to keep him down.  There is no repairing a broken pelvis:  it has to heal on its own;  however, for a young dog, it is fairly quick – about 6 weeks -  if you can keep him inactive so as not to irritate the fractures.  It was a wonder he was able to walk  or run at all.  Recalling how I first saw him, limping along, we figured that it was probably T-Bone’s last run and that he had likely retreated into the fence corner to find a place to die.

I left him alone, renamed him ‘Lucky’ because he was really lucky I had found him instead of someone else.   After a couple hours, I went into the garage to check on him.  Amazingly, he was walking around.  In two hours!!  After that, his recovery was remarkable.  Within days, he was running around, negotiating the pond in my back yard, racing with the dogs, challenging their domain over various toys, eating like a horse, gaining weight, and stuck like glue to my side.  He even began to respond to his name and obey commands.  Pudge, my male dog, and Lucky were two peas in a pod, though Starr, a female and a few years older, was all too happy about that.   The next couple weeks were a whirlwind of discovery for Lucky – and for me, too.

Lucky and his buddy Pudge.....let sleeping dogs lie.

Now came the decision about what to do with Lucky.  I really could not keep 3 dogs, though I have a 1200 square foot fenced-in kennel equipped with a comfortable heated and lighted barn-doghouse, and covered food cabana;  in fact, many have said that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, they want to come back as my dog.  It is hectic enough with two dogs and my schedule.  But I knew I had to find a home for such a great and loving dog who had survived so much.  The offers were slow at first, but when word got out about how cool this guy was, they came flooding in.  Finally, another dog-loving friend suggested an elderly mother and her son who lived in her complex;  they had just lost their dog a few months ago, were mourning, but could give this pup a loving home.  Sadly, I was not anticipating Lucky’s departure at all.  In fact, I was dreading it because now, he was developing such a great personality, capable of tricks and, well, some naughty behavior.

Case in point: Lucky’s breed should not really be fond of water.  But after watching Starr and Pudge fetch the training ducks in the pond, he decided he might have a go at it as well.  But every time he’d set foot in the water, he’d pull back, not quite sure what this was.  Very likely, he had never even seen a pond before.  One day, he did walk in and swam a few yards.  But again, he was still healing and I didn’t want to encourage him to be too active, though it was difficult to discourage him.   A few days before I had to turn him over to his new owners, I took him out to the pond and put Starr and Pudge into the kennel so Lucky could have the pond to himself.  I decided to see if he would ‘fetch’ the training duck, though I figured he probably wouldn’t.  I tossed the decoy in a few feet so he could walk in and retrieve it…and he did.  I threw it out a little farther, where he’d have to swim a little to get it……and he did.  Then, I flung it into the center of the pond, some 30 yards out….and he dove in and swam out to fetch it up, bringing it right back to me and dropping it at my feet.  After a few of these tosses, I thought I shouldn’t tire him out or aggravate his injuries, so I took the decoy and placed it on the tall BBQ grill on the deck, hiding it behind some chairs, which I have to do with Starr and Pudge or they”ll take it themselves when they aren’t supposed to.  Imagine my surprise when I left, briefly, to check on the dogs in the kennel, and came back to find the scene pictured here………apparently, Lucky hadn’t had enough.  And to think that, in order to even get to the decoy, he could not jump on the chair due to his bad pelvis.  Instead, and I watched him do this, he put his front paws on the chair and pulled himself up, like an overhead ‘pull-up’ to propel himself high enough for the steal!

Caught in the act, 'stealing' the fetch dummy though it was placed far beyond where he should have been able to reach it.

Oh, it was going to be painful to give this pup up.

But, I also knew it was the best thing for him:  to have ‘Grandma’ home with him all day, and her 50-ish son, who loves to walk and hunt, and who has a cottage up north – to give him all the love he missed out on for the first few months of his street-wise life.

I made the exchange on a Saturday.  I put Lucky in the pick-up truck and he rode along in silence, looking at me, then outside, then at me.  Tears were sneaking up.  When we got to the house, he didn’t want to get out of the truck.  I finally had to pick him up and take him out.  But this time, I could pick him up, not roll him out as I had done before.  No whimpers, no pain.

His new family thought he was a beautiful Brindle, a gorgeous Tiger-striped pup.  Certainly a handsome specimen!  They took to each other immediately.

I stayed awhile but then had to leave…. I wanted to take him back.   My friend said she’d act as ‘Godmother’ (Dogmother??) and keep me posted with reports and camera phone pics.  At first, there were many pics, but in the last few months, the contact has dwindled a bit.  But that’s OK, because I figure that no news is

Lucky's thoughts, "And what will YOU do the next time you find an abused or stray animal?

good news.  And, the last I heard, Lucky is huge.  One day I’ll go over and see him, which I’ve been invited to do.  But, I’m not quite ready yet.

Until then, I’ll just do what I’ve been doing:  every time Lucky (now, renamed ‘Bear’) comes to mind, I simply smile, knowing that because someone cared, this fine dog was spared.

No danger of skin problems here......

DID YOU KNOW that your skin is your largest organ?  Yes, it is considered an organ and you certainly know it when something goes wrong and you itch, chafe, or burn.  Most people don’t take the care they should (men, take note!) and often, dry, rough skin is the result.   Golfers can be especially susceptible to skin problems because of over-exposure to the sun and wind, to pesticides which can transfer to your ball, your clubs, or your clothing, to plants and weeds in strange places while looking for a lost ball, to reactions from newer tech fabrics, and to insect sprays you apply pre-round.   As you age, moisture doesn’t hold on as well, collagen breaks down, and of course, dear old gravity takes its toll.  While you can’t do much about the effects of Old Man Time, there are some things you can do to keep your skin healthy.   Here are a few tips to help:

Vitamin E is one of your skin’s best friends:  you can get this by eating almonds.  You can also take Vitamin E tablets or break them open and use as a topical oil.

Flax seeds, oats, and Omega 3’s: these little gems are great for age spots, fine lines and wrinkles.  A half-teaspoon a day of flaxseed or meals of salmon every so often will keep you hydrated, and will also ease redness and skin irritations.  Oats are one of the best all-around foods for general good health.

Oats are great eating and even greater for you.

Cooked tomatoes and watermelon are full of free radical fighting lycopene, which will help decrease the aging of your skin.  These items are plentiful now so stock up and eat.

Vitamin C smooths out wrinkles by sparking your collagen production.  Get this great vitamin (good for preventing colds too….) by eating sweet potatoes, papaya, and citrus fruits.

Popeye's favorite: spinach

Spinach isn’t just food for Popeye: the folates in this powerhouse veggie help repair DNA, which can stop cancer cell growth in its tracks.  Eat it cooked, in salads, or throw it in your pasta sauce: guaranteed you’ll hardly know you’re eating it…that is, if you are not a fan.

Canned tuna has a special surprise: Selenium, a mineral which promotes elasticity in your skin, keeping it smooth.  It is also an antioxidant, again keeping free radicals at bay.  Eat a tuna sandwich instead of automatically reaching for that hot dog at the turn.  If your course doesn’t stock them, you can always ask.

Carrots are ‘wonder wands’: good for the eyes but also great for clearing up breakouts.  Why?  Vitamin A, which you may know as Retinol or as an active ingredient in Retin-A; this vitamin also reduces the development of skin cancer cells.

Dark Chocolate:  besides being tasty, the flavonols in this delicacy reduce roughness in the skin and provide sun protection.

A word about sun block:  I am not a fan of sunscreen and know I’ll get lambasted by those who live by it, but my opinion is that ever since we as a population have been told to stay out of the sun (and if we do go out, to slather on the SPF 35+ and ‘don’t leave home without it’), the incidence of skin cancer has gone up. Wonder if it might have anything to do with all the chemicals that make up sunscreen?  There are those who will blame ‘global warming’ and the depletion of the ozone layer.  Who really knows?  Much has also been said about dangerously low Vitamin D levels, which of course you get from being in the sun.  Vitamin D is a huge cancer fighter and if its absorption is blocked by sunscreen or you’re simply not getting any, you will have an issue.  People comment on my dark complexion all the time, lecturing me about the sun.  However, I am part Cherokee Indian and get dark at a moment’s notice.  As a golfer and outdoorswoman, I am outside a lot.  But you won’t see me get anywhere near a tanning booth. I am all about staying natural, not artificial.  I try to stick with Mother Nature and her wisdom: without the sun, plants will not grow and the cycle of life would end.   We would die.  Simple as that.  But, if you are fair-skinned and prone to burning, DO NOT try to tan because you will never get dark.  Cover up and follow the nutritional tips above.  If you see suspicious looking growths, tags, or spots on your body, get in to see a dermatologist immediately.  I’m making my appointment now….for prevention.

Hormonal changes can also result in dry, flaky skin.  If you are over 40 and have never had a complete blood panel or hormone panel done (for women, especially), I’d suggest you do it.  Deficiencies will show up and you may discover your numbers need some help.  Many women, about 40%, develop thyroid conditions during peri-menopause and menopause, which can begin even in your thirties.  If strange things are happening to your skin or your weight, insist on a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test as well as a T-3 and T-4 test for how well your thyroid gland metabolizes the thyroid hormone you are producing.  If your doctor says you don’t need any of these tests, find another doctor.  Many are woefully under-educated in these areas.

I am in that 40% that did develop a thyroid problem, though it took over four years for anyone to figure it out.  Even then, I was told my numbers were OK.  They weren’t.  Finally, I researched it myself and have been able to deal with the problem, getting my weight and skin issues back under control.