II SS SS U U EE 34 91
Q UA R T E R LY
SWUI M NM T EERR 22001177
The King of Speech
How Arnold Palmer became master of the media
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Reade Tilley
Matthew Squire
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m a n a g i n g e d i to r
a r t d i r e c to r
e d i to r
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Arnold Palmer special contributors
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Joe Velotta
special thanks & contributors
Tony Abou-Ganim Madison Bellante Steven Green Jessica Hodge Miranda Jarrell Kevin Lewis Hideki Matsuyama Iain McAlister Jim McMahon Ryan Mihalik Jae Omar Mark Peifer Bakary Sako Cheryl Sinkinson David Southworth Art Spander Paul Trow Michael Yamaki
cov e r i m ag e
arnold palmer
talks to the press during the 1960 Masters at Augusta National
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Kingdom magazine was first available to friends & associates of Arnold Palmer, members & guests of his designed and managed courses. Now it is available at distinguished private clubs and for discerning golfers everywhere. Printed in the USA
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Editor’s Letter
W
Vintage
hen it comes to my long game, give me the latest and greatest. Add 10 yards to my drive with NASA-derived technology? Improve my accuracy with computerbalanced irons? I’ll have whatever proven tech came out last week. Same with the tech on medical procedures, dentistry and electronics. But when it comes to the most honest expressions of any great pursuit, give me the old school. Putters, for example, are a matter of taste, and a 1960s blade might be the best club in your bag. Likewise, no one wants a computer-designed wine or a modern Scotch aged by machine. My gut tells me that this is one of the reasons that motorcycles endure, because no matter how much tech you throw at them, they ultimately come down to two wheels, an engine and the competency of the rider. They’re dangerous, which is why so many mothers said “no” when their sons first demanded them. How wonderful, then, that boys grow to become men, better able to afford the toys of their dreams and better equipped (hormonally speaking) to enjoy them without as great a chance of injury. And when it comes to vintage design? There’s no comparison to the modern day, at least as far as I’m concerned. We look at motorcycle dreams revisited on page 34. We also consider modern interpretations of classic baggage (p100), a classic cocktail (p140) and a classic Rat Pack hero (p82). Beyond
that, this issue celebrates the greatest golf moments of the year (p28) and, a personal favorite, quarterback Jim McMahon of the legendary Chicago Bears team that earned rings and a [dubious] place in music history with the “Super Bowl Shuffle.” As old school as it gets, their 1985-86 season was as much a part of my young life as were my motorcycle dreams. Celebrating all of the above and hoping that Santa brings you everything on your list, I wish you all a very merry holiday season and a tremendously happy new year. Best to you and to your families, and let’s catch up on course next year. If Santa comes through, I’ll show off my new anti-gravity driver—and arrive at the club on a Vincent Black Shadow. Merry happy,
Reade Tilley
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Publisher’s Foreword
A
Mixed Emotions
s we reach the end of 2017, I inevitably reflect on the previous 12 months. Just over a year on since Arnold passed away I lost a close friend to cancer and am about to lose another close friend who—despite every effort—cannot be saved. Arnie’s Army supports charities fighting this horrible disease, as does the American Cancer Society (who by the way run some great golf days) so if you have the time and depth of pocket please do what you can to support these and anyone else who is working to defeat this horrible curse on mankind. On a more positive note, I have been fortunate to share a wealth of great and happy moments with both the friends I mention and these days I frequently look back upon them with great fondness. It is a time of conflicting emotions—a lot of sadness, many smiles, and ultimately, further down the road, I know the happy moments will stay with me. In fact, like so many of my fondest memories, several of these come from the game of golf. From playing with friends, work colleagues and business associates I have been fortunate to play many of the world’s great golf courses, but even if we had been playing at a local municipal course, the experience would have been just as enjoyable simply because of the companionship of my playing partners—long may that continue! Since my mum and dad bought me my first set of clubs when I was seven years old, the game of golf has enriched my life and, if it were not for the game, I would not be where I am today. For that, like Arnie, I will always be extremely grateful.
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Our sport has been given a bit of a hard time recently and there remains a segment of younger generations who see the game as a haven for grumpy, old, out-of-date guys who dress weird! Those of us who appreciate the game know this is not the case (although they may occasionally have a point on dress sense...). Perhaps if people who put the sport down would put their tablets down instead and breathed the air scented with freshly cut grass, they could better perceive the values of a game that cultivates courtesy, respect for those around you, instils good manners and fair play and shows you how to win by the rules. Oh, and did I mention that the average age on PGA Tour is 20-something and it is the world’s most financially lucrative major sport played by collectively the most affluent of demographics? But enough lecturing; as we approach the season of goodwill I want to thank my family for their continued support and to say thank you to everyone associated with this publication: colleagues, readers and advertisers—your hard work, appreciation and support is greatly valued. I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018 wherever you may be! Warmest personal regards,
Matthew Squire
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Contents
Kingdom Magazine ISSUE 41
54 62 70 76 82 88
Q UA R T E R LY
WINTER 2017
28
34
46
Top 6
Motorcycles
Machrihanish
Our favorite moments in the game this year, subject to discussion
A range of thoughts on climbing off—and then back on—the saddle
Discovering a new lease of life to some age old golf and whiskies
Jim One of the greatest (and most interesting) quarterbacks of all time talks it out London Drawing on some local knowledge in the “Big Smoke” Hideki The Japanese golfer on the cusp of major success Palmer An insider’s view on how golf’s greatest icon mastered the media SoCal From a lifetime’s research: the best places to go big in Southern California Dean Martin Consummate crooner, this Rat Pack star loved to play a round (or two)
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Contents
Kingdom Magazine ISSUE 41
WINTER 2017
94
100
104
Riviera
Luggage
18th
The best of American golf is set to host the Olympic Games—again
History of the humble bag, with classically modern options aplenty
Dreams set down on paper, a view of the epic courses in our heads
115 123 132 134 140 144
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Life in Pics How some of golf’s finest entertain themselves off the course Gift Guide Expressions of that festive spirit Health Maintaining focus by managing a major distraction Ornamental All that glitters is fit for home and hearth this holiday season Drinks A master’s Neighborhood Negroni and winter’s perfect complement Food Simple and perfect, an apple tart that’s easy to make—and easier to enjoy
WINTER 2017
Growing the legacy of our mentor and friend, Arnold Palmer.
Driving legendar y golf cour se design. ArnoldPalmerDesign.com
MOTORCYCLE
I
t’s incredible, the power of the motorcycle, imbuing young boys and grown men alike with dreams of speed and adventure. For some it means camaraderie, for some it means escape. For nearly everyone who climbs upon two wheels and sets out on the road, it means change. But how does the motorcycle itself contend with the changes it facilitates? Or rather, how does a rider navigate abrupt changes of direction in life if those shifts mean potentially climbing off the one vehicle on which he’s always felt sure of his direction? We speak with a few men who have thoughts on this and are left wondering: Can a motorcyclist ever really climb off his bike?
Feature on page 34
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DEFYING AGE
E
stablished in 1876, The Machrihanish Golf Club sits beside a relative newcomer in Machrihanish Dunes, although to play it you would never guess its youth. The game is coming full circle, with serious attention paid to golf ’s environmental impact, and in this regard one of Scotland’s most stunning tracks is both old school and ahead of its time. With only seven acres of the property’s
259 disturbed during construction, Machrihanish Dunes is one of the most natural courses anywhere. Routing was dictated by the land, not by a bulldozer, and with endangered flora and fauna the course is proud to be the only one on a Site of Special Scientific Interest. But what would you have added anyway? With a landscape like this and the Atlantic as a backdrop, it’s perfect in any century.
Feature on page 46
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00 25
CHAMPION
T
he man who once called himself “the punky QB known as McMahon” in the now-cringeworthy “Super Bowl Shuffle” rap song of 1985 silenced any laughter about his rapping when he took to the field that year and led the Chicago Bears through a winning season and onto domination in two playoff games, where they outscored their opponents 45–0 en route to a recordsetting performance in Super Bowl XX. Jim McMahon and the Bears beat the New England Patriots 46–10, made a case for themselves as the greatest NFL team ever, and even reached No.41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with their rap, which benefitted charity. This is what a champion looks like.
Feature on page 54
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Celebrating Signet Armorlite’s
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Our favorites from the year in golf, as voted upon after careful consideration by the expert staff of Kingdom magazine… During a night out after work. Honestly, there was so much great golf this year it’s tough to pick just six “top” moments, but the following represent some of the reasons we can’t stop watching, can’t stop playing and can’t stop loving the most beautiful game ever invented. Enjoy
NEW COURSE OF THE YEAR
Sand Valley FedEx Cup The reputation of course duo Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore continues to be enhanced. The men responsible for restoring Pinehurst No. 2 to its past glory have masterminded what is hands-down the finest new course of 2017, the Sand Valley course at the new Sand Valley Golf Resort in Wisconsin. The golf course offers a stunning blend of wind-blown bunkers, exposed sand dunes and fescue turf, while the variety of holes and risk/reward propositions is exceptional. “Made of sand, the perfect sculpting medium for the creation of natural-looking, interesting features for golf, the terrain at Sand Valley is a collection of meandering ridges and valleys over which and through the course has been routed,” explains Coore. The welcoming course is built for everyone, with six sets of tees giving offering a range from just 3,883 yards up to 6,913. This golf course is a lot of fun and accessible to all— and it will get you fit, too, as it is a walking course (except for golfers with injuries or disabilities). Golf played the way it is meant to be, then. Sand Valley is on a trajectory to become as famous as Oregon’s Bandon Dunes, the first golf resort developed by Sand Valley owner Mike Keiser. Scheduled to open next year is its Mammoth Dunes course, designed by David McLay Kidd, which promises to be yet another contemporary classic. Well done, gents.
Sandvalleygolfresort.com
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Follow-through is everything
Success in business, just as in golf, is all about follow-through. Working hard. Minding the details. Keeping your commitments. Insperity’s pledge is to follow through for our clients, every time. We do that by providing the leading HR, payroll, benefits and business performance solutions to America’s best small and mid-size businesses, and doing it better than anyone else in the industry. What kind of follow-through is your HR provider giving you? insperity.com | 800-465-3800
WIN OF THE YEAR
John Daly Insperity Invitational He could have burned out, he could have faded away. Instead, the golfer most likely to be the subject of an "is he dead or alive?" Google search joined the Champions Tour and won this year’s Insperity Invitational—because ultimately John Daly is a champ, a champ who hits it hard. Kissing the Arnold Palmer umbrella on the 18th fairway at Woodlands only underlined why we love this guy. For us, the win of the year.
LOSS OF THE YEAR
Matt Kuchar The Open Championship Leading the British Open with five to play, Matt Kuchar suddenly felt the heat from Jordan Spieth’s engines on 17. The 39-year-old could taste his first major victory but just as he prepared to bite down, Spieth posted birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie and took the Claret Jug by three. “It’s crushing,” Kuchar said. "You work so hard to have a chance to make history… You don't get many opportunities. And to be this close, to taste it with five holes to go, it's a hard one to take.” Ever a fighter, Kuchar's moment may yet arrive.
STRIKE OF THE YEAR
Jon Rahm PGA Championship With his ball just along the hazard line on the creek bank, 50 yards out at Quail Hollow’s finishing hole, rather than get wet, the Spaniard put his back to the pin, flicked his wedge around and swung under his arm. Straight and well struck, his ball found the green but Rahm missed the putt for par, ultimately settling for bogey (in thrilling fashion) and a final round 75 on the tourney’s last day.
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MOMENT OF THE YEAR
Stacy Lewis Cambia Portland Classic Texan Stacy Lewis lives in Houston with her husband Gerrod Chadwell, who is women’s golf coach at the University of Houston. When the floods caused by Hurricane Harvey struck at the end of August, Lewis’ home was okay but thousands in her hometown were not. It was with a heavy heart that she arrived at the Cambia Portland Classic in Oregon the following week. She announced: “It has been so hard being away from home and my family the last week. It’s been even harder watching what my hometown is going through. The pictures and the stories unimaginable. My home and family have been extremely lucky but
many others have not been so lucky. I will be playing this week at the Portland Classic and will donate 100 percent of my earnings to Houston and the victims of Hurricane Harvey. I can’t wait to get home and help my hometown recover!” And what did 32-year-old Lewis do? She went and won for the first time in three years, earning a cheque for $195,000. Not only that, her sponsors KPMG matched the donation. “We're going to be able to help people rebuild houses and get their homes back,” said Lewis afterwards. “That's more important than any win." The best of the game this year.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR
Eddie Pepperell This from Eddie Pepperell, the 26-year-old Englishman on the European Tour who has enjoyed the best season of his career in 2017. Look out for him on winners’ podiums next year, particularly with this sense of perspective...
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“I’ve played long enough to know the warm-up is merely an outfit that falls off on the first tee to reveal your nakedness”
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H T
S I S M IN E
Piece
G
My motorcycle is half an hour away, parked under a tarp that’s carefully fastened so that the rain we do not have in Southern California and the sun, which we do, will not trouble the leather seat, the chrome exhaust or the fenders that I last polished so many months ago
I think about it often, cool and quiet under darkness, hot in the day as dust and leaves are blown under its cover, and I wonder if it is sad sitting there. It’s been months since we shot up the coast, soaring along with the light of the Pacific on my left shoulder and the entire country to my right, and I feel guilty I think. The trouble I went through to get it, the joy that it’s brought me, and now… Would it bite me if I took it for a ride after so much neglect, lose traction in a turn for a half a breath to teach me a lesson? Does it know? It’s for sale, or it will be as soon as I clean it up. And then it will be gone and I’ll be missing something, though it’s tough to say what, exactly, will be absent. Georg Büchner wrote that “there is no emptiness. Everything swarms and seethes. The void has destroyed itself; creation is its wound.” And maybe that’s it. Maybe I’m terrified that I won’t have any space left, that my last blank page, the one that my motorcycle allows me to write and to re-write with every ride, finally will be filled, a period put at the end of the final sentence, and the chapter that I do not wish to end will be finished and I’ll have to begin work on the next. But then I have already. And so I find myself with a page not quite turned, curled over but not set down, and me looking at my 4-year-old daughter and my wife and pretending that I have a decision to make.
People who give up motorcycling to raise a family (or for whatever reason) and then return to two wheels later in life sometimes are called “retreads,” after a kind of used tire that’s been given a second chance. There’s even a club sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association, the RETREADS Motorcycle Club International, Inc, founded in 1969 by Naval Chief Petty Officer George Spidell. The club’s rudimentary website, which features an animated graphic of a globe spinning too fast, years flying by, has it that membership was once at 25,000, with chapters as far afield as the UK and New Zealand. Many of us began our motorcycling years back when we were young. When we got married and started raising a family, many of us had no time or money available for such luxuries as motorcycles. However, once the children were well on their own, and free time and more money were available, our thoughts of motorcycles returned and we were itching to get back on the bikes we loved so much. So in a way, we were ‘Retreaded.’ Retread tires often come apart, explode in violent fashion and end up in so many scraps all over the highway. Perhaps it’s better to not stop rolling until you’re done and then to stop for good. Right now, promise of a distant ride
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sounds desperate to me and yet, while I’m at peace today with my decision to sell my motorcycle, it seems inevitable that I will be back on a another eventually. I’ve loved motorcycles since I was first set on a gas tank and ridden around the block by a family friend at the age of 4 or so. I’ve ridden them all over the world and across the United States, in blizzards and deserts and through some of the most beautiful places on Earth (and some of the ugliest). I’ve had and sold motorcycles before and somehow, years later, another has always managed to find its way into my garage, and so now doesn’t feel final, exactly. But it’s certainly different this time. One was stolen. Others were sold to make room for new options. But this isn’t about the next ride, it’s about the last. Or the last for a while anyway. This decision involves others, and I’m hardly the first to face it, as evidenced on v-twinforum.com, a discussion site primarily populated by Harley Davidson riders. In response to the question: “Did you quit riding to raise a family?” here’s a selection from a range of answers: I did. I quit a lot of things that could’ve hurt me. The way I figured it, one jackwagon turns left in front of me, or a life altering crash desert racing, and my kids’ educations would suffer. My baby is now 30. I’ve been riding for about 8 years now. — A guy in Arizona My wife and I raised two children and I always kept a good insurance policy to prepare for any bad outcomes. I haven’t ever given up riding willingly. It sounds like I’m pretty lucky. My wife always accepted me for being what I am. — A guy in Indiana I didn’t start riding until after my youngest left home. It meant a lot to me to be a great dad and husband so for 18 years I tried very hard to do that. Finally I told my wife that I wanted a Harley, she smiled and said “what took you so long?” — A guy in Michigan Part of the dilemma for anyone who rides is trying to communicate the motorcycle’s profound effects to non-motorcyclists. Those effects unexplained, non-riders see the subtraction of the motorcycle only as an elimination of danger, a step closer to life and thus, presumably, away from death. But herein lies one of the vehicle’s many paradoxes, nicely mirrored in religious authority John H Groberg’s attempt to explain an aspect of faith: “There is a connection between heaven and earth. Finding that connection gives meaning to everything, including death. Missing it makes everything meaningless, including life.” I don’t know that giving up riding moves one further from death, exactly, although a motorcycle accident certainly is less likely. And here is where some will roll their eyes because yes, there are an awful lot of ruminations around riding and they have as much appeal to non-motorcyclists
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as the average fervent flyer from a streetcorner disciple. More readily likable are the motorcycle-related platitudes that adorn so many office walls, T-shirts and coffee mugs: • • • •
You don’t always need a plan, just go We only regret the rides we didn’t take The brave don’t live forever; the cautious don’t live at all Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself
I recently saw an advertorial entitled “Why Accounting Software Technology Will Liberate You.” Unlikely. In contrast, while the above lines and others might seem like the worst kind of bumper-sticker koans, the motorcycle actually delivers on its promises of freedom, and it’s very difficult to leave that behind. Steven Green did. Now 73, the former engineer turned publisher turned builder raised his daughters largely motorcycle-free, then returned to two wheels later with astouding effect. Now he’s enjoying some time in motorcycle sales, “living the dream of working around my hobby,” as he says, even as he begins a new building project.
The motorcycle delivers on its promises of freedom On the other hand, a friend of mine, Jae Omar, has no immediate plans to climb off his bike. His son is in pre-school with my daughter and, with no small amount of consideration, Jae’s doing what works for him. Creative Director at Jae Omar Design in Los Angeles, his identity and vision seem to be informed by his relationship with riding, the access to life that it provides, and I get it. Mark Peifer does as well. The former golf pro at Tierra Rejada Golf Club in Southern California, he left the game to work in motorcycle sales at Thousand Oaks Powersports. He insists that his current job shares themes with his previous work, that essentially it’s about helping people to enjoy their lives. Once that’s sorted, he says, they might be surprised by what they find. Looking for some perspective on the conflux of family, identity, responsibility and Harley, I spoke with all of the above. Paraphrased in their own words, here are guys who’ve been there, who are there, and who see it all every day. Maybe when the tarp is removed and my bike’s cleaned up, it will go by them on the road soon. As for me, for now, I’m turning the page. (And so are you...)
Honoring Their Sacrifce Educating Their Legacy
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Mark Peifer 44, TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE
W
We get these guys, I call them the ‘empty nesters,’ right around August, September, and they’re going ‘the deal was I can’t have a motorcycle while the kid’s in the house, and I just dropped ‘em off at college last week and I can’t wait to ride again.’ There are clearly good reasons why they stopped, but coming back to it is like beginning all over again, so the joy they get out of it, it’s been great to see. Yeah, they’re totally missing something. One customer, married, things were just stale, you know? Go home, watch the TV and Friday night we do what we do; 20 years of the same thing. So he decided he was going to get a side-by-side, one of the four-wheelers, and on a whim he bought this thing and takes it home. He used to race desert back in the day, and had kids, had to quit, but always had that in his blood. So he came in and bought this thing. His wife’s like ‘you’re crazy.’ He says no, just give me a chance. So he takes her out to the desert and they’re cruising down some trail, he told me, ‘I make a left-hand turn across the desert and start gassing it and I’m running over all these bushes and going though all these washes and the smile on my wife’s face, I haven’t seen it in years!’ And he realized, ‘I should have done this 20 years ago.’ I love taking long road trips and that’s what I do now, I get on the bike, the Bonneville, and go out to North Dakota or Montana and just ride as far as I can. You spend a lot of time on the road alone and you get what I call being lost in your helmet, and you have time to think and it just messes with your head, you get really emotional. Oh it’s freedom, yeah. And it’s not because you’re not wearing a helmet—that’s not the freedom we’re talking about. The freedom is the feeling like you’re not chained to anything. When you’re on a motorcycle you can’t carry a lot
with you. The freedom is not being tied down, being able to move around and see what’s out there. When I get back from a long trip? Totally sad. Yeah. Every time I come home from a long trip. And the longest trip I did was about 6,000 miles, three weeks by myself and that was an emotional trip. I saw some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life and I couldn’t tell you what the best part of it was because it just depends on the time of the day or the mood or whatever it is; it was just great. But I remember walking into my house and sitting on the couch and I thought, ‘Well this is comfortable, somewhere soft to sit for the first time in three weeks,’ and looking at all of my possessions and thinking ‘I don’t need any of this stuff.’ And I spent the next three days getting rid of almost all of my posessions: ‘I don’t need it, I don’t want it.’ Just emptying out my place. Camping. Hotels when you need to; sometimes it’s that the weather doesn’t work in your favor. But you try to rough it as much as you can because really, the worst nights are the nights you remember the most. You laugh in the face of it when you get there: it’s raining, it’s freezing cold, you’re trying to put a tent up and you’re like, ‘what am I doing?’ And you realize in the moment that that makes it more fun. The adventure doesn’t start until something goes wrong.
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Redefining Global Connectivity
Cruise Ships
Island Nations
Disaster Areas
Oil Platforms
Rural Areas
Airborne Wireless Network is in the development stage of building the world’s first airborne fully meshed communications network by attempting to use commercial aircraft as mini satellites with the goal of delivering a continuous data signal around the globe. The Company’s primary target customer-base will be existing worldwide data and communications service providers. Once developed, this technology could be able to connect areas previously not able to receive broadband signals, potentially creating the possibility of connecting the entire globe. Airborne Wireless Network is working with the following companies to help advance its development:
Air Lease Corporation, ViaLight Communications, Jet Midwest, Inflight Canada
airbornewirelessnetwork.com / ticker: ABWN
Jae Omar 4 7, T R I U M P H T H R U X TO N
T
That’s pretty much how I spent from 10 to 16, riding dirt bikes outside of Plymouth, Mass. Everybody did, and we’d fairly regularly get chased by police. You weren’t supposed to be out there but it was kind of like saying, ‘Hey kids, here’s Disneyland but nobody gets to go.’ I think about sending my son out to do that and it’s inconceivable. But we were out there, 11 years old, on 175cc bikes that could go 80mph in the dirt with no supervision. It was just, ‘Come back for dinner!’ Years later I moved to California, got a sport bike and got into canyon carving with friends, but one of my friends had a close call and that kind of ended our weekend assaults. The motorcycle ended up under a tarp in the garage. I got married, almost 14 years ago. She was like, ‘Get rid of it, you don’t need a motorcycle.’ I’m smitten, so there it goes. We moved downtown, and every few months I’d get the itch because you never lose the itch to ride, and then lo and behold a Triumph dealer popped up on the corner. It was a rainy day in winter and I made them the most insane low offer on a bike I’d always wanted, and they took it. There’s the doghouse, and then if you go through the doghouse, out the back, there’s another house somewhere back there… It did not go well. I had it a year and sold it. She was relieved. Few years later we move to Topanga Canyon, my son was a year old, and I’m driving up and down the canyon in my car and there’s just no way I’m not going to get another bike. And so I told her and she said ‘Yeah, sure, Ok.’ I think she’d sort of convinced herself that I didn’t like motorcycling, and then I got another one and I was back in the doghouse. My son, he’ll want to sit on the bike—boys like motorcycles, it’s just in the DNA—and when he’s sitting up there leaning over the tank, she’s looking at me, shaking her head, knowing that in 10 years it’s something we’re going to
have to contend with. I can’t say that I won’t be terrified, but then I don’t want him to do half the things I did, but then at the same time it’s what makes you who you are. I know. I’m the sole income provider for my family, I shouldn’t take unnecessary risks. But some of these things have become a part of me, and to let go of a part of who I am makes me ‘less than,’ and then I’m suddenly less of a great dad and less of a champion for my family... It’s a very, very, very fine line. I do think it would be dishonest somehow if I didn’t ride, and that’s a good way to put it. Maybe at some point I’ll hang up the helmet. As for right now, I take every precaution I can. I pay my life insurance premium [smiling]. This morning I went on a ride with a friend. We get to the top of Saddle Peak, there’s an older gentleman up there with a long-lens camera, and we make conversation. ‘What are you taking pictures of?’ And he said, ‘there’s a pod of blue whales migrating through.’ And we looked. So there’s a fog in the canyon low above the trees, the green, which gives way to the ocean. The sun is starting to glint off the horizon line and there’s a pod of whales going by, and what could be wrong with the universe at that moment—if you’re in the moment, if you’re there and not anywhere else? It’s things like that that make it hard to stop.
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Steven Green 73, BMW R 1200GS ADVENTURE
I
I went out and bought a 350 Honda Scrambler. This was 1968. After that, there was a steady progression in motorcycles, Yamaha dirt bikes, a four-cylinder Honda road bike, desert riding on Huskys... Then I decided to build a house for myself, wound up marrying, had kids, two daughters. You wind up going to soccer games and other events and parenting and business, and it all got in the way of motorcycling. Fast forward: my younger daughter was in college and came home one day with a motorcycle of her own. And as a father I was unable to speak. I wanted to say... I don’t know. It’s like, ‘I want to guide you. I appreciate your independence but is that the best bike, you know?’ I was obviously concerned for her safety. Much later, on a different bike, she said dad, you need to get back on a motorcycle, come riding. My ex-wife encouraged me: ‘dad and daughter time.’ So I went out and rode a couple of Harleys, but they just didn’t talk to me. I took a BMW out for three blocks, turned around and came back and bought it. An R1200 GS. I was living in Nevada, but I later moved to California and met the crew at BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County, just a great bunch of people. They have classes called ‘Campology,’ so you learn how to go motorcycle camping, and it opened a whole new world for me. Fast forward two years, I’m on the new version, the R1200 GS Adventure, and I decide I’m going to go to Alaska. I left on my 69th birthday. And if you go to YouTube, you can find it, ‘Steves Alaska Adventure.’ No apostrophe. I have 3,342 Facebook friends, and almost all are from motorcycling. During the trip I had this epiphany: I was happier on the motorcycle living in a tent than I was married to a woman that I should have left decades earlier, living in this
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huge 9,000-square-foot house. So I had this life-changing event where I decided to get a divorce, to reinvent myself. When you’re on a motorcycle and you go to a strange place, motorcyclists talk to you, people walk up to you and ask you where you’re coming from, where you’re going. You’re not isolated, there’s not a wall, a steel cage around you—motorcyclists call people in cars ‘cagers’—so you have that ability to be able to talk and meet folks and go from there. Riding through the Yukon surrounded by millions if not billions of pine trees and nothing else except a ribbon of asphalt that is drenched in a fire-hose-intensity rain storm, and you’re alone and the rain is pelting your helmet… You can’t help but be struck by the awesomeness of what we have and what we experience and what we take for granted every day. These are seminal moments, and to have this experience gives you a whole new perspective on life and meaning. The University of Alaska opens its dorms during summer for travelers, so camping in a tent is great but every once in a while a soft bed and a shower really feels good. It was 20 bucks a night or 25 bucks a night. I was unpacking my motorcycle, getting ready to take my gear into the dorm, and two professorial types walked by. One said to the other, 'See that guy? He’s living my dream.’
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ASK YOUR DOCTOR if Myrbetriq® (mirabegron) may help you manage your overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms of urgency, frequency, and leakage If you’re dealing with urges, frequency, and leaks on your own, or if you have ever taken an OAB medicine and stopped, ask your doctor if Myrbetriq may be an appropriate treatment option for you.
Are bladder symptoms affecting you?
Myrbetriq ® (mirabegron) is approved by the FDA to treat OAB symptoms of: Urgency
Frequency
TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR OAB SYMPTOMS STARTS WITH TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR
Leakage
Visit MyBossyBladder.com for doctor discussion tips. Ask your doctor if Myrbetriq may be right for you.
In clinical trials, those taking Myrbetriq made fewer trips to the bathroom and had fewer leaks than those not taking Myrbetriq. Your results may vary.
USE OF MYRBETRIQ Myrbetriq® (mirabegron) is a prescription medicine for adults used to treat overactive bladder (OAB) with symptoms of urgency, frequency and leakage. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Myrbetriq is not for everyone. Do not use Myrbetriq if you have an allergy to mirabegron or any ingredients in Myrbetriq. Myrbetriq may cause your blood pressure to increase or make your blood pressure worse if you have a history of high blood pressure. It is recommended that your doctor check your blood pressure while you are taking Myrbetriq. Myrbetriq may increase your chances of not being able to empty your bladder. Tell your doctor right away if you have trouble emptying your bladder or you have a weak urine stream. Myrbetriq may cause allergic reactions that may be serious. If you experience swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue, with or without difficulty breathing, stop taking Myrbetriq and tell your doctor right away. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including medications for overactive bladder or other medicines such as thioridazine (Mellaril™ and Mellaril-S™), flecainide (Tambocor®), propafenone (Rythmol®), digoxin (Lanoxin®). Myrbetriq may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Myrbetriq works. Before taking Myrbetriq, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. The most common side effects of Myrbetriq include increased blood pressure, common cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis), urinary tract infection, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, and headache. For further information, please talk to your healthcare professional and see Brief Summary of Prescribing Information for Myrbetriq® (mirabegron) on the following page. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Myrbetriq is a registered trademark of Astellas Pharma Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2016 Astellas Pharma US, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Printed in USA
057-1576-PM
November 2016
Myrbetriq® (mirabegron) extended-release tablets 25 mg, 50 mg Brief Summary based on FDA-approved patient labeling Read the Patient Information that comes with Myrbetriq® (mirabegron) before you start taking it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This summary does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment. What is Myrbetriq (meer-BEH-trick)? Myrbetriq is a prescription medication for adults used to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder: • urge urinary incontinence: a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents • urgency: a strong need to urinate right away • frequency: urinating often It is not known if Myrbetriq is safe and effective in children. Who should not use Myrbetriq? Do not use Myrbetriq if you have an allergy to mirabegron or any of the ingredients in Myrbetriq. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in Myrbetriq. What is overactive bladder? Overactive bladder occurs when you cannot control your bladder contractions. When these muscle contractions happen too often or cannot be controlled, you can get symptoms of overactive bladder, which are urinary frequency, urinary urgency, and urinary incontinence (leakage). What should I tell my doctor before taking Myrbetriq? Before you take Myrbetriq, tell your doctor if you: • have liver problems or kidney problems • have very high uncontrolled blood pressure • have trouble emptying your bladder or you have a weak urine stream • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Myrbetriq will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Myrbetriq passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take Myrbetriq or breastfeed. You should not do both. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Myrbetriq may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Myrbetriq works. Tell your doctor if you take: • thioridazine (Mellaril™ or Mellaril-S™) • flecainide (Tambocor®) • propafenone (Rythmol®) • digoxin (Lanoxin®) How should I take Myrbetriq? • Take Myrbetriq exactly as your doctor tells you to take it. • You should take 1 Myrbetriq tablet 1 time a day. • You should take Myrbetriq with water and swallow the tablet whole. • Do not crush or chew the tablet. • You can take Myrbetriq with or without food. • If you miss a dose of Myrbetriq, begin taking Myrbetriq again the next day. Do not take 2 doses of Myrbetriq the same day. • If you take too much Myrbetriq, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. What are the possible side effects of Myrbetriq? Myrbetriq may cause serious side effects including: • increased blood pressure. Myrbetriq may cause your blood pressure to increase or make your blood pressure worse if you have a history of high blood pressure. It is recommended that your doctor check your blood pressure while you are taking Myrbetriq. • inability to empty your bladder (urinary retention). Myrbetriq may increase your chances of not being able to empty your bladder if you have bladder outlet obstruction or if you are taking other medicines to treat overactive bladder. Tell your doctor right away if you are unable to empty your bladder. • angioedema. Myrbetriq may cause an allergic reaction with swelling of the lips, face, tongue, throat with or without difficulty breathing. Stop using Myrbetriq and tell your doctor right away.
The most common side effects of Myrbetriq include: • increased blood pressure • common cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis) • urinary tract infection • constipation • diarrhea • dizziness • headache Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away or if you have swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, hives, skin rash or itching while taking Myrbetriq. These are not all the possible side effects of Myrbetriq. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. How should I store Myrbetriq? • Store Myrbetriq between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C). Keep the bottle closed. • Safely throw away medicine that is out of date or no longer needed. Keep Myrbetriq and all medicines out of the reach of children. General information about the safe and effective use of Myrbetriq Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in the Patient Information leaflet. Do not use Myrbetriq for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Myrbetriq to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. Where can I go for more information? This is a summary of the most important information about Myrbetriq. If you would like more information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about Myrbetriq that is written for health professionals. For more information, visit www.Myrbetriq.com or call (800) 727-7003. What are the ingredients in Myrbetriq? Active ingredient: mirabegron Inactive ingredients: polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, butylated hydroxytoluene, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, yellow ferric oxide and red ferric oxide (25 mg Myrbetriq tablet only). Rx Only PRODUCT OF JAPAN OR IRELAND – See bottle label or blister package for origin Marketed and Distributed by: Astellas Pharma US, Inc. Northbrook, Illinois 60062
Myrbetriq® is a registered trademark of Astellas Pharma Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2016 Astellas Pharma US, Inc. Revised: August 2016 16A006-MIR-BRFS 057-1331-PM
OLD TOWN, NEW LOOK
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m p b elt
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ow
In a remote corner of the Kintyre peninsula, the Scottish town of Campbeltown was easily forgotten for a couple generations when its distilleries all but closed down. But a new lease of life has dawned, its single malts are in demand and as Robin Barwick discovered, its golf is also reaching new heights
N
ot many people can pinpoint Campbeltown on a map. It is only 35 miles to the south west of Glasgow yet it remains one of the most remote towns in the UK. Campbeltown sits at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula, which stretches out from the Scottish mainland, around the Isle of Arran and down to where the waters of the Firth of Clyde (from the east) and the Irish Sea (from the south) meet the Atlantic (from the west). By land, Campbeltown is a 140-mile drive from Glasgow and one of the most stunning journeys you can make. The three-hour trek passes by the western flank of Loch Lomond before heading west and past the northern end of Loch Long, and then south, down the western shore of Loch Fyne and through the historic town of Inveraray. The heavily wooded hills of this Argyll region rise steeply from the loch shores to create one striking postcard scene after another. After skimming past the sandy beaches along the Atlantic coast, the one road south eventually reaches the modest outpost of Campbeltown.
“The remoteness here gives you a sense of community,” starts Iain McAlister, who is Campbeltown born and bred and distillery manager of the harbor town’s Glen Scotia whisky distillery, which was founded in 1832. “But going back to the 19th century the town would not have felt isolated at all thanks to the whisky industry, the herring fishing and trade with the Americas, and there were continual connections with Glasgow via steam ships. You could jump on a steam ship right in the heart of Glasgow and be in Campbeltown within two and a half hours— quicker than it takes to drive here today.” Campbeltown has a population of 6,000 today and three distilleries—Glen Scotia, Springbank and Glengyle— but at the turn of the 19th century it had a population of 9,000 thanks to a thriving industry of 36 distilleries. It may have been at the end of the road to nowhere but it was the whisky capital of the world, and strategically placed for the ships out of Glasgow to make an early stop before enduring the Atlantic crossing. The ships carried whisky out west and returned home laden with tobacco.
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Distilling in Campbeltown dates back to the beginning of the 17th century at the very least, and probably far earlier, but the late 19th century was the town’s distilling heyday. With the turn of the 20th century came the First World War, the Great Depression and the emergence of Speyside—near Inverness in Scotland's northeast—as a center of whisky production. The whisky trade of Campbeltown suffered a rapid decline but today, as single malts are enjoying a revival against blended whiskies—with the tastes of discerning consumers becoming ever more sophisticated—so Campbeltown is enjoying resurgence. “You get oiliness, maritime influence and saltiness in all Campbeltown whiskies,” adds McAlister, whose distillery is just a short walk from Springbank, the town's other grandee, also dating back to the mid 19th century. “With Glen Scotia you think of a perfect nose and light oily balance, elegant yet flavorsome. Spicy, rich notes come through, with a slightly salty finish.” Glen Scotia offers seven core single malts, ranging from the award-winning Double Cask to the 1832 Campbeltown 25-year-old, for the collector. This starts out in refill bourbon casks and culminates in fresh bourbon barrels and leads to hints of exotic spices and fresh citrus fruits. Not to be missed is Glen Scotia’s Victoriana, which is a throwback to the Campbeltown malts of the turn of the 20th century.
“The deep char of the casks gives the Victoriana its beautiful, dark color and it comes with a fantastic sherry sweetness and richness” “Our Victoriana is unique,” says McAlister as he rolls a dram around a tasting glass. “We take the 12-year-old Glen Scotia and put 30 percent of it into sherry casks and 70 percent into [American white oak] bourbon barrels with a deep, deep char. We leave the casks for 12 months before bringing the two together, and then leave it for another six months in vats before bottling. “The deep char of the casks gives the Victoriana its beautiful, dark color and it comes with a fantastic sherry sweetness and richness.” Those who venture to Campbeltown will be welcomed for tours and tastings at all three distilleries. The annual Campbeltown Malts Festival takes place over three days each May for those who really want to explore the depths of the Campbeltown flavor profiles, while the town’s Ardshiel whisky bar is the ideal spot to reflect on the craft of distilling the finest single malts and to toast good health. “Slainte”, as goes the Gaelic tradition [pronounced “Slan-ja”].
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The Glen Scotia distillery and shop [above] and Iain McAlister inspects the produce [left]
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WHERE
OLD TOM TROD
The par-4 third hole at Machrihanish GC
Y
ou would need to be a serious whisky devotee to make the long journey to Campbeltown for its whisky heritage alone, but for whisky swiggers who golf, welcome to Mecca (but with alcohol freely available). Five miles to the west of Campbeltown, straight across the Kintyre peninsula, Machrihanish Golf Club hugs the beaches of the Atlantic and is one of the great old links of 19th century Scotland. It dates back to 1876 and it is no co-incidence that the club was formed during the golden era of Campbeltown whisky, with plenty of wealthy, resident businessmen requiring a game. The club brought in Charles Hunter from Prestwick to mastermind its original 12 holes. Hunter had learned his trade under Old Tom Morris when Morris was the founding professional at Prestwick, and in 1879 Morris himself was recruited by Machrihanish to extend the course to the 18 holes that remain today. One of the changes Morris made
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was to move the first hole to beside the beach, demanding that golfers open their round with a tee shot not dissimilar to that on the 18th at Pebble Beach. The dare is how much of the crescent of beach to take on because a well-measured drive opens up a birdie chance. The first at Machrihanish has become one of the most famous opening challenges in British golf, defying convention of modern design by presenting golfers with a real test of nerve with the very first swing. It is ruthless by nature but it also stands as testimony to the bold and uncompromising personality of Morris. By modern standards of design, Morris would be considered a maverick. Across the Firth of Clyde at Prestwick, for example, lies the first course Morris designed and built in 1851 and it features a rare treasure—a blind par-3 with a towering sand dune between tee and green. “Tom’s approach to golf course design was to first find a good place for a green,” explains Ken Goodwin, secretary
at Prestwick. “Once he had identified that, he would find another good place for a green, and so it went on. If there happened to be a sand dune or a depression on the road to the green then it was up to the golfer to negotiate it, one way or another.” Morris set the standard for the design of links courses for generations to come. At courses like Prestwick and Machrihanish, if newcomers stand on a tee and can see a flag ahead, they are probably not facing in the right direction. Call it Victorian charm. The front nine at Machrihanish runs up the Atlantic coastline, with blind tee shots aplenty but with the prevailing westerly wind hopefully helping along, before the course turns around at the 10th tee, zigzagging its way back towards the village. The course measures only 6,473 yards from the back tees, but coming down the homeward stretch into the westerly breeze quickly turns a short hole on the card into a battle of attrition. Here lies the genius of Morris in 18 holes. Raising Machrihanish from an isolated golfing outpost into a destination of true class is the old course’s young neighbor, Machrihanish Dunes, established by American company Southworth Development. Like many great British links that literally lie side by side—like 2017 [British] Open venue Royal Birkdale and Hillside—Machrihanish GC and Machrihanish Dunes seamlessly adjoin.
“Machrihanish Dunes was done with shovels and wheelbarrows, just as golf courses were first built, way back” Machrihanish Dunes was designed by David McLay Kidd and was the first golf course built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Scotland in over 100 years, opening in 2009. Yet “built” was not the operative word. The conditions of construction were that no heavy equipment could be used on this duneland, so McLay Kidd reverted to an “Old Tom” style of design. He located 18 natural greens, found 18 areas for tees and the rest was fine tuning. “Machrihanish Dunes was an opportunity to do something unique and special in terms of building a true links golf course by hand,” starts David Southworth, whose company owns and operates the golf course and two hotels in Machrihanish and Campbeltown. “I loved the challenge. There was a little bit of a risk, but also it was not as expensive as some other developments because we were not moving lots of earth to build the course.
The 7th hole at Machrihanish Dunes [top], the 18th green [middle] and looking out to the north [above]
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“It was done with shovels and wheelbarrows, just as golf courses were first built. The process was invigorating and—really a labor of love—and we are very proud of it.” So they should be. Machrihanish Dunes literally feels and plays as promised, just with some mown areas between the tees and greens to serve as fairways. And true to the old designs of Morris, there are plenty of blind tee shots over dips and dunes; strikes of the golf ball for which the newcomer just hopes are fairway bound as they fly over the crest of a dune and out of sight. “I recommend golfers take a caddie the first time they play,” says Kevin Lewis, General Manager of The Village of Machrihanish Dunes. “It helps a lot to be pointed in the right direction. The key is to keep the ball in play although the course is open enough and players can find their ball most of the time. Golfers really need to play it twice, because on the second round they know where they are going and they are going to feel a lot more comfortable.” If anything, Machrihanish Dunes is the wilder of the two neighbors. It is a walking rollercoaster through the dunes, up, down and around, with bumps and slopes delivering the golf ball into unexpected swales. The bunkers have been left natural and unfettered, as they would have been throughout Scotland in the 19th century, so golfers get a genuine sense of what the game was like for its founding fathers (but without the hickory shafts, in my bag anyway). On this particular visit in the fall, Peter, the manager, kindly accompanied me from the clubhouse to the first tee, where I was about to take on Machrihanish Dunes for the first time, by myself on this occasion and, er, without a caddie. I felt brave and intrepid. Peter pointed me in the right direction and then asked, “Do you have a GPS unit?” “No.” “Good,” he said, and marched back to the warmly lit shelter of the clubhouse. And that is the whole point here, on both courses. It is old school and it’s a blast.
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Where to stay Southworth Development owns both of the best hotels in these parts, the Royal Hotel, by the harbor in Campbeltown, and the Ugadale Hotel (middle picture), by the first tee of Machrihanish GC. The Royal is very good, with the Harbourview Grille and Black Sheep pub attached, but the pick of the two is the Ugadale, which was originally built in 1871. A small hotel with 22 classic rooms, its Kintyre Club bar and restaurant (pictured below) offers a steakhouse theme, while its Old Clubhouse Pub serves as a casual and convivial alternative. All venues stock a suitable selection of local whiskies too. Self-catering cottages are also available at The Village at Machrihanish Dunes, just a few steps from the pub. Machrihanishdunes.com
SOTHEBYSREALTY.COM
A L BA N Y, BA HA M AS
Contemporary 10,000 sq. ft., 7 bedroom, situated on the 5th hole of the world-renowned golf course in the exclusive resort community, Albany. Built with luxury finishes and Smart Home Technology. WEB: PWC45M. $11,500,000 US. Mark.Hussey@SIR.com
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty +1 242.424.9193 | SIRbahamas.com
M E S A , A R I Z ONA
Highest hillside view lots in Diamond Point at Las Sendas. Panoramic mountain and city lights views. 1+ acres single level estate with state-of-the-art theater, wine cellar, separate guest quarters, 4 car garage. Elaborate and detailed finishes. Gated, elevated, private. $3,000,000. Frank Aazami.
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty +1 480.266.0240 | DiamondPointHillside.com
K E Y L A RG O, F L OR I DA
Exceptional family compound in the Ocean Reef community boasting 6 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, magnificent courtyard pool and adjacent guest house with an additional 2 bedroom, kitchenette and spacious living room. $8,500,000. Helena.Morton@sothebysrealty.com
Russell Post Sotheby’s International Realty +1 305.367.2027 | RussellPostSIR.com
M A RC O I SL A N D, F L OR I DA
Displaying exquisite architectural details and enjoying a magnificent beachfront position, this impressive residence bears all the characteristics of a quality property. $8,950,000. Michelle Thomas. michelle.thomas@premiersir.com
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty +1 239.860.7176 | premiersothebysrealty.com
GR AND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS
Palatial Asian-style hideaway. Private waterfront estate on 2.28 acres with 288 ft. of ocean frontage. 5 bedrooms and canopy suite. Private 6,000 ft. runway, gym, infinity pool, and docks. WEB: L3M3ER. $14,900,000 US. George.Damianos@SIR.com
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty +1 242.424.9699 | SIRbahamas.com
PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZONA
Tranquil 2+ acre Spanish adobe estate on one of the most exclusive streets in PV capturing Camelback Mountain views and panoramic vistas of Mummy Mountain. Authentic, high-end finishes. Salt water pool, level yard. Offering creative terms. $3,500,000. Frank Aazami.
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty +1 480.266.0240 | NauniValley.com
K E Y L A RG O, F L OR I DA
Rare opportunity to own a dock parcel allowing up to 132 ft. yacht within the Ocean Reef Marina. Includes 2 (100) amp and 2 (50) amp plugs and superb location along the seawall with views from your deck out to the ocean. $4,350,000. Russell.Post@sothebysrealty.com
Russell Post Sotheby’s International Realty +1 305.367.2027 | RussellPostSIR.com
M A RC O I SL A N D, F L OR I DA
Sunset views over waters of the Gulf enhance the architecture of this beachfront estate home with sun-kissed interiors and views from virtually all rooms. $4,400,000. Michelle Thomas. michelle.thomas@premiersir.com
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty +1 239.860.7176 | premiersothebysrealty.com
LY F OR D C AY, BA HA M AS
Immaculate, newly-constructed 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath, 5,620 sq. ft. home with pool overlooking the manicured fairways of the Lyford Cay Golf Course. Luxury custom kitchen, hurricane impact windows. Turn key. WEB: 31097. $4,150,00 US. Nick.Damianos@SIR.com
Lyford Cay Sotheby’s International Realty +1 242.376.1841 | SIRbahamas.com
PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZONA
One-of-a-kind garage on a one acre estate in gated Clearview Edition community at the heart of Paradise Valley. Elevated lot with Camelback Mountain views. Patio areas, fountain, rose gardens. Car lover’s dream with 7 car garage. $2,750,000. Frank Aazami.
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty +1 480.266.0240 | ClearViewEditionEstate.com
K E Y L A RG O, F L OR I DA
Stunning penthouse in the private Ocean Reef community featuring over 5,300 sq. ft. with panoramic views, 3 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, plus additional guest suite (optional 5th bedroom) with 2 full baths on the mezzanine level. $4,285,000. Jay.Rourke@sothebysrealty.com
Russell Post Sotheby’s International Realty +1 305.367.2027 | RussellPostSIR.com
M A RC O I SL A N D, F L OR I DA
This exquisite waterfront home was built and designed for the most discriminate buyer. Every inch is absolute perfection and no detail has been overlooked. $3,465,000. Michelle Thomas. michelle.thomas@premiersir.com
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty +1 239.860.7176 | premiersothebysrealty.com
PARADISE ISL AND, BAHAMAS
Ocean Club Estates. 5 bedroom, 7,100 sq. ft. classic European style home, fully furnished and sold with a 45 ft. dock slip with boat lift at Ocean Club Marina. WEB: NRQ7RQ. $5,900,000 US. Nick.Damianos@SIR.com
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty +1 242.376.1841 | SIRbahamas.com
S C OT T SDA L E , A R I Z ONA
Privately gated elegant estate on 1.7 acres. This fortress built home offers 7 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, and a 5 car garage. European kitchen, Romeo & Juliet master balcony, wine cellar, theater and more. $2,690,000. Frank Aazami. frank@pcgagents.com
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty +1 480.266.0240 | GoldDustResidence.com
K E Y L A RG O, F L OR I DA
Private custom home in Ocean Reef with multiple down fairway and lake views. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 4 baths in an open floor plan with multiple seating areas inside and out, wet bar, pool and spa, interior atrium, and built-in BBQ. $2,750,000. Barbara.Sibley@sothebysrealty.com
Russell Post Sotheby's International Realty +1 305.367.3131 | RussellPostSIR.com
NA P L E S , F L OR I DA
Lakefront home in an award-winning golf community with excellent amenities. The spacious lanai hosts a beach-entry pool with spa and waterfall feature. $1,390,000. Michelle Thomas. michelle.thomas@premiersir.com
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty +1 239.860.7176 | premiersothebysrealty.com
© MMXVII Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. a Realogy Company. All Rights Reserved. Barges, used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.
One of the most charismatic and controversial figures in NFL history, Jim McMahon has fluid drained from his brain four times per year. He speaks eloquently about coping with his football injuries, he rails against the pharmaceutical industry and its DC cronies, and during nearly half of the year, he plays golf — which is how Paul Trow met him. Paul kept his shoes on. Jim did not. Here's why...
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Bermuda is a beautiful, expensive and conservative island; some might even call it “twee” due to its spotless pink beaches, eponymous shorts, fastidious financial discretion and 20mph speed limit. Yet it was in this unlikely setting— a monument to politeness and colonial gentility—that I became acquainted with a true force of nature. Step forward, always barefoot when golfing, Jim McMahon. With monikers like “Mad Mac” and “McManiac” stalking him still as he strides unconventionally yet purposefully through the second half of his life, the 58-year-old former quarterback—a proud possessor of two Super Bowl rings—is still picking out his targets with pinpoint accuracy. During our sojourn to Bermuda for an unimportant yet fiercely contested golf match between American and British media folk, I asked him whether he’d do anything different if he had his career to do over. “Paul,” he barked, “you’re just like those fans who gave me a hard time in Philadelphia [the third of his seven teams]. Even when we were 30 points up they used to holler at me.” Back in the 1980s, McMahon was a brash playmaker who scaled the game’s pinnacle with the Chicago Bears despite clashing frequently over tactics and discipline with coach Mike Ditka, a man renowned for his short fuse. The press and public loved McMahon for his outspoken views and outlandish behavior and it's no wonder that he starred as the “punky QB” in the Bears’ 1985 rap video, The Super Bowl Shuffle, filmed to raise funds for a Chicago charity. He once mooned sports writers when they asked about an injury to his buttocks, and he made his first public appearance for the Bears holding a can of beer. Despite all of this, however, he was the real deal, the best rollout passer of his era and incredibly adaptable to changes on the field. In 1985 his sharpened talents were complemented by an amazing cast of teammates that included the wondrous running back, the late Walter Payton—aka “Sweetness”— the gargantuan defensive lineman William “Refrigerator” Perry, and legendary linebacker Mike Singletary. Together they achieved sporting immortality with a 46-10 demolition of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. They were legends, regarded by many as the greatest NFL team in history, a claim that would be indisputed were it not for the undefeated 1972 Dolphins (and it's still a toss-up).
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Arnold Palmer told me that playing in bare feet never hurt Sam Snead
On Port Royal's 16th [left] and under pressure from Tampa Bay in 1985
Six teams and 10 years later McMahon signed on for the 1995-96 season with Chicago's fiercest rivals, the Green Bay Packers, as a backup QB to Brett Favre. He threw only five passes as a Packer, and the Green Bay fans (along with much of the football world) never really could accept him in the green-and-gold uniform that he'd so happily walked all over as a Bear. McMahon was still on the team when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI, and though they released him after the victory he was invited to accompany the team to the White House to meet the President. He accepted, but—in true McMahon fashion—he showed up in a Bear's jersey. That is the McMahon people love to recall, the brash, strong, do-as-I-please leader. But his career as a warrior came with a price, which he's now paying. After numerous concussions, a broken neck and a lacerated kidney, the retired football star has more recently been diagnosed with early onset dementia. “All my joints hurt but the headaches are the worst,” he says. “My head used to hurt so bad I would mostly stay in my room for months at a time with the shades down. Any kind of light hurt. Often, I couldn’t remember where I was or what I was supposed to do. The pain was like somebody sticking ice picks in my head.” His struggles with headaches, dizziness, depression and memory were revealed in a 2012 Sports Illustrated article that drew attention to the long-term health consequences of playing football and prompted a phone call from New York chiropractor Scott Rosa offering his help. McMahon flew to New York and, after a week of analysis, Dr. Rosa told him his neck was out of alignment and had caused a blockage that trapped fluid on his brain. The solution was to manipulate his neck vertebrae on the treatment table to open the blockage. “It’s called ‘image guided atlas treatment,’” McMahon explains. “The first time he did it, my head was so full of stuff it literally felt like a toilet being flushed. I could actually feel the stuff draining out of my head. There’s no cure for this condition so I go back to New York every three months because the fluid keeps building up in my brain. “During the three months before my next check-up I get increasingly bad headaches. It’s hell getting on a plane with your head all swelled up. I literally squeeze my head for four or five hours on a flight. But as soon as he adjusts me, I’m good again.” With the NFL becoming increasingly concerned about long-term head injuries, McMahon urged Commissioner Roger Goodell to speak with Rosa. But he says Goodell rebuffed him, saying he trusted the Harvard neurosurgeons the league had hired to study the issue. Another bone of contention with NFL officialdom concerns marijuana. “In-between my visits to New York, the only way I can ease the pain is to smoke a joint,” he says. “Here in Arizona it’s legal medically, to relieve inflammation. I
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When I was playing, some weeks I'd be forced to take more than 100 pills
Filming the Super Bowl Shuffle in 1985 [top]; during the third round of a 2014 BMW Charity Pro-Am in South Carolina
use Cannabidiol—a marijuana derivative known as CBD— which would work for a large percentage of the population with chronic injuries and doesn’t make you feel stoned. “When I was playing, the team doctors would hand out painkillers—Vicodin, Percocet or Oxycontin—like candy, and keep shooting you up to deaden joint pain. But according to the NFL you can’t smoke a joint because that’s bad and addictive. That’s ridiculous. Marijuana is a medicinal herb, not a drug, it’s not addictive and it’s not a chemical. It’s been demonized because it’s got natural healing properties. I was in pain my whole career and some weeks I’d be forced to take more than 100 pills. This is McMahon in full flow. A man on a mission. “You can’t stop the head trauma—it’s part of the game—but we’re trying to make sure that guys are checked regularly,” he says. He delivers an especially tough message when speaking to parents about youth football, telling them to keep their kids off the gridiron until they are juniors in high school. “They can learn the fundamentals playing flag football,” he says. “When they’re in high school, their bodies are physically able to hold up. A lot of parents and kids don’t want to hear it. But I ask parents, ‘would you rather see your son play football or be in a wheelchair?’” To back up his commitment to providing effective treatment for traumatic injuries—those suffered by war veterans as well as footballers—he is setting up an alternative dispensary business with some investors in Los Angeles. He also plans to donate his brain for research. “I’m not going to need it after I’m dead,” he says. Born in New Jersey and raised in San Jose and Utah, McMahon first came to prominence as a standout at Brigham Young, though he explains his family was Catholic, not Mormon. “My father was an accountant who worked for a paper company that moved him around during his working life. My parents, who will soon be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, have lived near Las Vegas for the last 22 years.” McMahon completed his communications degree at Brigham Young in 2014—37 years after beginning it—and 18 years after quitting as a player. “I promised my elder daughter I’d stop when she got to high school. I’d uprooted my kids all through their early childhood with my various moves to different teams and the time had come, when I was 37, to call it a day. " Father to four (two boys and two girls) and now a grandfather to two ("one of each") McMahon has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 2010: “I’m not a member of a golf club as such. I play mostly at Grayhawk and Troon North when I’m here as they’re only five minutes from where I live. My handicap has drifted out to eight. But I travel almost 200 days a year and most of that is for golf—charity events and fund-raisers for veterans, mainly.”
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When we talked after meeting in Bermuda, McMahon had just returned from an event in Florida organized by Robert Gamez (who won the 1990 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill), and I wondered: why golf in bare feet? “I had my feet stepped on so many times by linemen that the restrictions I suffer wearing golf shoes now bring back those pains,” he explains. “It’s not a rule of golf that you have to wear shoes to play. In any case it helps me keep my tempo. It’s fine when I’m playing on grass or out of sand traps, but a little more awkward if I have to go into the cactus and rocks we get here in Arizona. That gives me an incentive to keep it straight! “Mr. Palmer, who I met a few times, once asked me why I did it and upon hearing the reason he commented that Sam Snead used to do it, ‘and it never did him any harm.’” For his next act, the intense player-turned-medical crusader is doing a show in Vegas at Cesar's Palace, appearing with former running back Ricky Williams and baseball's Jose Canseco to chat sports and answer audience questions. He's in the College Football Hall of Fame but conspicuously absent from the pro hall: “That’s all about statistics, and you don’t have good stats when you play for Ditka,” he explains. “He didn’t like me changing the plays and always thought I did it to piss him off. But I did it to win games. He wasn’t a very good offensive coordinator. He didn’t know what the hell he was doing.” It’s not too late for McMahon to be inducted in recognition of his playing exploits, and it could happen anyway if he helps to make the game less dangerous. Whatever happens the man's a legend in our book, and for us he'll always “motivate the cats, like to tease, play it so cool and aim to please.” We'll get there on the double to catch you doin' the Super Bowl Shuffle any time, Jim. So bad you're good, still blowing our minds like you knew you would.
BORN
August 21, 1959 in Jersey City, NJ
COLLEGE
Brigham Young (BYU) 1977-81; All-American in 1980 and 1981
NFL DRAFT
1982, Round 1, Pick 5 Chicago Bears (1982-88) SUPER BOWL WINNER 1986;
NFL CAREER
San Diego Chargers (1989); Philadelphia Eagles (1990-92); Minnesota Vikings (1993); Arizona Cardinals (1994); Cleveland Browns (1995, pre-season only); Green Bay Packers (1995-96) SUPER BOWL WINNER 1996
NFL RECORD
Games played 119; Yards thrown 18,148 Pro Bowl: 1986 1999: Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame 2014: Inducted into BYU Athletics Hall of Fame, when his #9 jersey was retired
McMahon and Walter Payton sign autographs for fans in 1986 at Bears training camp [above]; framed college jersey with Brigham Young University president Kevin J Worthen, after it was retired in 2014; McMahon was also inducted into the school's Hall of Fame
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Living London
As regular Kingdom readers may know, this magazine is a transAtlantic production. We’ve got people in New York and L.A., close connections in Western Pennsylvania and Orlando, and also a team based in London’s Docklands. We usually visit new destinations and investigate their culture and customs, but here we consult from within to offer a guide to England’s capital from people who live, work and play on its myriad streets. This is a guide that digs beneath the brochures and package deals and it’s timely too, with the dollar about as strong against the British pound as ever. You book the flights and we’ll do the rest
Columbia Flower Market, Columbia Road, E2 7RG
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MARKET TOWN
L
Like most great cities that have risen from ancient origins, London possesses a rich market culture. It is at these markets where you find the genuine Londoners in all their multicultural and multi-ethnic diversity, where you can taste the authentic flavors and sniff the real smells of the city and almost always, where you can find the best pow for your pounds. Actually we are three years late. We should have produced this feature in 2014 to mark the millennium anniversary of south London’s Borough Market. You read correctly; they don’t know exactly when Borough Market began—there was no press release at the time—but records show it was in operation from 1014 for sure, and probably earlier. Even by the UK standards of the archaic, a 1,003year-old market is going some. Borough Market is London’s oldest food market and it remains today—more or less—where it began, at the southern approach to London Bridge, which itself dates back to the 990s. For centuries it was the only Thames river crossing so passing custom was guaranteed. In the 19th century Borough Market became renowned for wholesale “fruit ‘n’ veg”—supplying independent green grocers around the south of England—but since supermarket chains have put most of them out of business, over the last 40 years, Borough Market has evolved into a thriving retail hub for artisan foods, six days a week. If you are south of the river and in need of a quick
Borough Market, Southwark Street, SE1 1TL
bite without the formality of taking a table, and prefer handmade to massproduced, Borough Market is the place. Less than a mile southeast from Borough Market, just off Tower Bridge Road, lies Bermondsey Square, where the Bermondsey Antiques Market is held on Fridays from 6am to 2pm. The best antique deals in London are struck here, mainly by the early birds. Some say the market really opens at 4am, a routine established when the ancient law of “Market ouvert” still stood, allowing items of unknown provenance (i.e. stolen goods) to be sold legally between dusk and dawn. What more encouragement did burglars of the East End need? Bermondsey Market remains a fascinating treasure trove today. If the law of market ouvert is not surprising enough in itself, it is startling that it was only abolished in 1995. Not that ancient after all. Columbia Road is one of the streets connecting London’s East End to its “City” financial district, and is home to London’s most famous flower market every Sunday, 8am to 3pm (get there early to beat the crowds). Every other day of the week you can enjoy a bright array of 60 independent shops, galleries, delis, cafes and pubs. Not a mass-market chain in sight.
Operational enlightenment Old Operating Theatre, St. Thomas Street, SE1 9RY
Across the street from Borough Market is St. Thomas’s church, and up in the attic is the Old Operating Theatre Museum, occupying the only surviving operating theatre in Europe from the 19th century, dating back to 1822. It was originally part of St. Thomas’s hospital, but when the hospital relocated in 1862 the theatre was bricked up and forgotten, until uncovered in 1956. The tiered room had a capacity for over 100 people—medical students and professionals—to view operations, and the theater’s first 25 years of use pre-date the use of anaesthetic…
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TIME FOR A SWIFT ONE
Bermondsey Beer Mile Bermondsey, SE16
London is producing some of the world’s finest craft beers, with a stretch of “Arches”—the redbrick, arch-shaped premises built beneath railway lines all around London— in Bermondsey now known as the “Bermondsey Beer Mile”. Just south of the Thames and without the frills of the West End or the polish of the City, many of these microbreweries have established their own bars and are welcoming punters right into the Arches, either for tasting experiences for just for a few new-school pints. Three micros leading the charge are Brew by Numbers, Partizan Brewing and Fourpure. Fourpure Taproom
Merchant House of Bow Lane 13 Well Court, off Bow Lane, EC4M 9DN
Merchant House of Bow Lane, in the heart of London’s “City”, boasts over 300 different gins and over 300 rums— probably London’s most extensive collections of each—along with a cocktail menu packed with originality while charting significant moments in the history of the old British and European empires. Its “Van Verre” is a tribute to Dutch Genever, the spirit from which London dry gin derives.
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YOUR TABLE IS READY
Rules 35 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7LB
While we are concentrating on charms of which you might not have already heard, the first restaurant to recommend is in fact one of the most famous: Rules, in Covent Garden, the oldest restaurant in all of London. Rakish aristocrat Thomas Rule opened Rules as an oyster house in 1798 and left his doubting relatives in disbelief when the restaurant took off. It has continued to thrive ever since and has to be included here not just for its heritage but because Rules serves traditional British food at its best; classic game creations, pies, puddings and of course, oysters.
108 Bar, Marylebone Hotel
by Adam Handling
Frog
108 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2QE
34-35 Southampton Street, WC2E 7HF
The Marylebone Hotel’s vibrant 108 cocktail bar (above) brings art deco elegance and even features a working gin still, belonging to the local Pleasure Gardens Distilling company, which produces the excellent small-batch Marylebone London Dry Gin. The bar’s signature cocktail is the Rhubarb Sour, made with gin, Cointreau, rhubarb bitters and egg white, or for a classic G&T try the Marylebone with Fever Tree tonic and a slice of red grapefruit.
Staying in the fashionable Covent Garden but moving from the traditional to the innovative, Frog by Adam Handling is a restaurant owned by young Scottish chef Adam Handling, whose creativity with Japanese influences is award-winning. Handling’s crab doughnuts come recommended in particular, while tantalizingly pictured here is Kingfish, Jalapeno, Avocado.
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It’s Palace, but not palatial… Selhurst Park, Whitehorse Lane, SE25 6PU
There is a rash of Premier League soccer in London—five Premier League teams in the 2017-2018 season, or six if you include Watford, out in Greater London’s northwest limits— but getting tickets can be a headache. Arsenal has the best stadium but only the atmosphere to go with it on the biggest occasions; Tottenham was noisy at its old place, White Hart Lane, but they are renting national stadium Wembley while they re-develop and Wembley is too big for league soccer. And outside the stadium it is hard to recommend anything else in the Wembley area. Trying to get tickets for Chelsea can be a bind as the club has outgrown its home, Stamford Bridge. West Ham is struggling to fill the soulless Olympic stadium in the East End—so at least tickets are not hard to come by, even if the seats are a long way from the pitch—but a visit to Crystal Palace in south London, unlikely as it might seem, offers a traditional, London soccer experience. “Palace” has played at Selhurst Park since 1924 and while the stadium
ain’t pretty, it is easy to reach from central London and Selhurst Park is typical of the old British grounds inasmuch as it was built in the heart of a heavily populated working-class neighborhood. Such communities are the life-blood of soccer clubs in the UK. Despite the name you don’t head to Palace for glamor, but for South London grime, peppered with grit, and this is authentic English soccer. The Palace crowds serve up one of the best atmospheres in London, despite the team languishing at the very bottom of the Premier League standings at the time of writing (from their first 12 games of the season they have won only once). There is always a lot of noise at Selhurst, but make sure you book tickets in advance. Oh, and don’t wait too long, because with English soccer’s league system of promotion and relegation, Palace are odds-on to drop out of the Premier League at the end of this season, in May. If you head to Palace and see them win a league game, that is a real collectors’ item this season.
Crystal Palace [in red and blue] take on London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park earlier this season
Christmas spirit St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, SW1P 3HA
If you seek the cultural antidote to a mid-week evening game at Palace, you don’t have to join the throng at the headline venues like the Royal Albert Hall. Central London is rife with musical brilliance—and spiritual cleansing if that’s what you need—for all tastes, any day and practically at any time, somewhere. As the holiday season gathers momentum, a programme of particular diversity and quality is the Christmas Festival at the cultural haven of St John’s Smith Square, just to the north of Lambeth Bridge in Westminster. The 32nd Christmas Festival here runs from December 9-23 and a 14-concert programme features the City of London Choir’s Carols by Candlelight and works up to a crescendo on December 23 with a performance of Handel's Messiah by the brilliant Polyphony choir, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
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BOOK A ROOM
The Rookery 12 Peter’s Lane, Cowcross Street, EC1M 6DS
Surround yourself with a sense of Dickensian London—but with more than a hint of luxury—at The Rookery in Clerkenwell. This boutique hotel is found down a narrow lane, but is well placed between London’s West End and the City, and for short walks to St. Pauls Cathedral and to the legendary Old Bailey courthouse. Inside you’ll find beautifully preserved wood panelling, stone flagged floors, open fires, antique furniture (probably sourced at Bermondsey Square) to give the Rookery the feel of a private club, more than a hotel. And some of the rooms are sumptuous [right].
Blakes 33 Roland Gardens, Kensington, SW7 3PF
Or head out west to Kensington to one of the world’s most fashionable and luxurious small hotels, Blakes. Each room has its own individual theme and the hotel’s signature suites are completely seductive thanks to their exquisite artistry and absolute attention to detail. The hotel describes itself as a “sensual and esoteric place of unconventional luxury”. Yeah, we’ll go with that. If you are in London on business or don’t have time to spend where you stay, don’t come here— Blakes is not about practicality—but if you are looking to indulge someone special, look no further.
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Hideki Matsuyama does not court publicity. The quiet Japanese golfer is so private that his marriage earlier this year was not known publicly until months afterwards. Yet Matsuyama cannot be ignored and all indications are that he is on the cusp of major success
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I
In the 2017 PGA Tour grand finale, the Tour Championship at East Lake, Hideki Matsuyama opened with a 75, five over par. It left him 11 shots off the first-round lead and almost out of contention. Disaster. Not really, though, not to Matsuyama. Bad golf scores disappoint the 25-year-old Japanese golfer and they sometimes infuriate him, but disaster is when more than 18,000 people lose their lives in an earthquake and tsunami, which is what happened in Matsuyama’s home city of Sendai on March 11, 2011. The Great Sendai Earthquake, with a magnitude of 9.0, was the strongest to strike the region since records began in the 19th century, and like so many from Sendai, Matsuyama lost friends. Matsuyama was one of the “lucky ones”, as he was not in Japan when the tsunami struck, while his dorm building at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai was all but destroyed. He was 19 at the time, and his flourishing amateur golf career presented him with a dilemma. “I wasn't sure if I should play in my first Masters,” recalls Matsuyama, now 25, whose Augusta debut was due less than a month after Sendai had been struck. Ultimately he did travel to Georgia, yet even on the eve of the tournament he openly voiced his doubts in a press conference over whether he should tee up on the world’s most pristine golf course while his countrymen were sorting through the wreckage at home. “Because of the encouragement I received from those close to me in Sendai and the other people in Sendai, I feel I should play,” he said at the time, through a translator. “My fellow students, my teammates, my parents and friends—all the people who have supported my golf—they all pushed for me to play. So I have decided I will, not just for myself but for the people who made me who I am. I hope I can play my best to lift the spirits of those who are rooting for me back home, supporting me even though they are suffering. The Masters is not just my dream, but their dream as well. Doing my best is my obligation to them. ” You could have heard a pin drop in the press conference room that afternoon. Matsuyama’s road to the Masters began in October 2010, the year before, when he won the second-ever AsiaPacific Amateur Championship. The relatively inexperienced teenager had not been expected to contend and was only in the field because Japan was the host country and so was allowed to enter 10 players. Matsuyama won at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe City by five shots after he posted four successive, fearless sub-70 scores,
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Recovering from the strongest earthquake and tsunami since records began
and with the title he earned the right to become the first Japanese amateur to play in the Masters, in April 2011. The boy from Sendai shone on his Masters debut. Proudly wearing the colors of Tohoku Fukushi University, Matsuyama finished in a tie for 27th—tied with Phil Mickelson among others—to win the Silver Cup as low amateur. Of the five amateurs in the field that week he was the only one to make the cut and it was a sign of things to come. Matsuyama even finished with a birdie on the final hole, triggering a rapturous and lasting ovation, to which he bowed to the crowd repeatedly, in humble thanks. “Being low amateur was a direct result of the people of Japan and of Sendai encouraging me,” recalls Matsuyama. “I felt their spirits throughout the event. “After the earthquake was an incredibly hard time for so many people, but the mood for revival was very strong. We received so many heart-warming messages and relief activities from around the world. When hardship arose, we were moved by how we could see one community of the Earth.”
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While Sendai and much of the northeastern region of Japan continues to rebuild, so the career of its young golfing hero has risen, and it has been almost irresistible. After the Masters in 2011, Matsuyama won the Japan Collegiate Championship and the World University Championship, and then made it three in a row when he successfully defended his Asia-Pacific Amateur title at Singapore Island, leading from beginning to end and setting an 18-under–par scoring record. He didn’t drop a single shot over the last 42 holes, and so played in the Masters again in 2012. “At my first Asian Amateur Championship I was able to enjoy the tournament because it was my first time and I did not have a lot of pressure,” he says. “But the second time there was extra pressure for me and it is something I’d never been through before. I think it was because I wanted so badly to go back to play Augusta again.” By the time Matsuyama arrived at the 2012 Masters he had become only the third amateur golfer to win on
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the Japan Tour, when he eagled the final hole to beat Charl Schwartzel—who was Masters champion at the time—by two at the Taiheiyo Masters. The Sendai golfer reached number one in the world amateur ranking that year, keeping at bay in second place a promising young Texan called Jordan Someone-or-other. Abe Yasuhiro, who was Matsuyama’s golf coach at Tohoku Fukushi, accompanied his protégé to the 2012 Masters, where he told Kingdom magazine: “If Matsuyama had ambition to play on the Japan Tour alone he would already be professional. Matsuyama’s ambitions are to play in the majors. He is looking at the bigger picture.” He made the cut again, finishing tied for 57th. Level-headed and patient, Matsuyama completed his degree in social welfare before turning professional in 2013, in the firm belief that completing university was the best preparation for competition at the highest level for the long term.
Matsuyama reached number one in the amateur ranking, keeping at bay a young Jordan Someone-or-other
Hideki Matsuyama making his Masters debut in 2011 [left] and winning the 2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational [above]
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Matsuyama wins the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open [left] and teeing off at the PGA Championship [below], also in 2015
“He's the future of Asian golf,” said Adam Scott. “He is the one they've been waiting for” Matsuyama won four times in Japan in 2013 before making his mark on the PGA Tour in 2014, by becoming the youngest ever winner of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, aged 22 years and three months. Then back at Augusta for the 2015 Masters, he shot a final round of 66, six under par, to finish in a tie for fifth while his former amateur rival, Spieth, tried on the Green Jacket for size. Matsuyama finished tied-seventh at Augusta in 2016 and tied-11th this year, before edging even closer to becoming Japan’s first men's major champ with a runner-up finish behind Brooks Koepka at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills. He won four times on the PGA Tour in 2017, which saw him rise to number two on the World Ranking—the highest position ever for a Japanese golfer—while he sits fourth at the time of writing. “To be world number one has always been one of my goals,” says the golfer who plays with a distinct pause at the top of every backswing. “But you don’t know if it will happen or when. I’ll just keep working hard.” There are some golfers who just have a particular affinity with Augusta. Spieth has it, so does Bubba Watson and so did Arnold Palmer, and Matsuyama’s consistency over the masterpiece created by Bobby Jones and Alister
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Mackenzie earmarks him as a very serious contender there next spring. “I feel like I can go low at Augusta,” admits Matsuyama, who is now undoubtedly the world’s best player not to have won a major. “If I can put every part of my game together a good score is waiting for me out there. I would really like to become a Masters champion some day.” “Hideki’s game has long been major ready,” said Spieth on the eve of the PGA Championship this year at Quail Hollow, and Matsuyama followed up by taking the lead with nine holes to play, before Justin Thomas surged through to win. Matsuyama finished tied-fifth for his fifth straight top-15 finish in the majors. “For sure, he’s the future of Asian golf,” said Adam Scott. “He is the one they’ve been waiting for.” “I really can't think about winning a major until maybe after I do it,” says Matsuyama, which sounds like a tall order. “But for any Japanese golfer to win a major, it would be great for golf in Japan.” Matsuyama has the game for success in the majors, he is gaining the experience and he has proven that he knows how to win when he gets into contention, and don’t forget, Matsuyama is still only 25 (he turns 26 in February). Time in on his side, as is the whole of Sendai.
Doc Giffin worked as a reporter on the Pittsburgh Press newspaper and as press secretary for the PGA Tour before accepting the role as Assistant to Arnold Palmer in 1966. It was a job he fulfilled for the rest of Palmer’s life, for more than 50 years. Here Giffin reflects on Palmer’s natural flair and inimitable manner in dealing with the media
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Anguish enveloped the face of the college radio reporter. He had just finished an interview with Arnold Palmer at the end of a long post-round pressroom session at the Western Open in Chicago in the early 1960s and realized he had forgotten to hit the record button. He had nothing on tape. No problem. This was Arnold Palmer. Rather than express annoyance or walk away, as many people of his stature might have done, Arnold simply had the flustered young man turn on the recorder and they re-did the interview. That relatively insignificant moment is a microcosm of Arnold Palmer’s lifetime with the media. Willing. Accommodating. Understanding. Admired. I feel qualified to say this, having spent more than 50 years on the inside as Arnold’s personal assistant and media representative. He was a remarkable athlete and celebrity, willing and almost anxious to deal with the demands of the media that came with his exalted position. That attitude remained with him all his life. Admittedly, I did a little filtering, but he rarely turned down an interview request that I brought to him and they were not always in the most comfortable of circumstances. Nor did he often complain when an occasional one didn’t go too well. I got vivid evidence of his understanding of the media’s role even before my work for him began. I was in my first year as press secretary on the PGA Tour when he won the Texas Open for the third year in a row, in 1962. In those days he was still doing his long-range traveling on commercial airliners and he faced a tight squeeze to make his flight after he won that Sunday afternoon. Rather than kiss off the normal post-victory press conference, though, he said, “I’ll just catch the next flight,” and headed for the media center. He knew what it meant not only to the press but also to the tournament and its sponsors. Noted British golf journalist Donald Steel once observed: “He always said he realized the press had a job to do and it was his duty to help them do it.”
“He always said he realized the press had a job to do and it was his duty to help them do it” — Donald Steel
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More recently, Doug Ferguson, who has covered golf for Associated Press in noteworthy fashion for 20 years, said: “Arnold remains the model for a relationship with the press. I always felt the greatest trait of Arnold was that he made everyone around him feel important, and that was particularly true with the press. Even someone asking an awkward or pedantic question was treated with respect.” Marino Parascenzo, long-time golf writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, recalls a locker room incident early in his golf-writing days after Palmer shot 81 and missed the cut in the 1976 Masters: “I really didn’t want to have to ask the great Arnie Palmer about shooting 81, but, as a journalist, you have to. Four or five other writers felt the same way. We were lined up in front of a dejected Palmer, slumped over in front of his locker. After an embarrassing spell of silence, one of the writers delicately said to him, ‘We hate to have to talk to you at a time like this.’ Arnie looked up and replied, ‘Fellas, we talked when times were good, we’ll talk when times are bad’.” Parascenzo and other Western Pennsylvania writers who covered the golf beat in more recent times, as well as a large number of local TV and radio sportscasters, relished their opportunities to talk to Palmer, who always made sure to take care of the media reporters from his home area and around his winter residence in Orlando, Florida. Says Gerry Dulac, who succeeded Parascenzo at the Post-Gazette and has covered the game for 28 years: “What I have come to realize about my time around Arnold Palmer was not necessarily the moments I enjoyed as a professional interviewing and writing about the man who changed the way golf was viewed around the world. Instead, it dawned on me how easy it was to take his immense presence for granted because of how easy he made everyone around him feel.”
ON SCREEN Arnold Palmer teamed up with Joe Gibbs to launch the Golf Channel in 1995; the first single-sport cable network in the United States. In the 22 years since it has expanded to become available in more than 200 million homes, in 84 countries and in 11 languages. As Palmer once told Kingdom: “The Golf Channel is one of the greatest things that ever happened to the sport. [Cable television entrepreneur] Joe Gibbs and I started it when we made a deal with Mark McCormack. In particular, he brought footage of the European Tour to the Golf Channel’s American viewers. It’s made all the best golf action around the world available to a much wider audience.”
FORESEEING STARDOM To get some idea of why Palmer got such great press coverage almost universally throughout his career—and looking beyond his innate warmth toward people of all ilks—you have to go back to his days at Latrobe High School when he was dominating junior golf in the area. His exploits were well-chronicled in the home area and in Pittsburgh’s three daily newspapers at the time, but one writer took particular interest in the young man and became fairly close to him and his family as he started piling up victories in the area’s top scholastic and amateur tournaments. That man, who went on to gain considerable acclaim himself in the world of golf, was the bombastic and irrepressible Bob Drum, the quick-witted scribe of the then-existing Pittsburgh Press. Drum was the first writer to foresee the stardom that was to come years later for Palmer and counseled him about the importance of befriending and co-operating with the national and international press. Years later, as Palmer followed Drum’s advice and became the game’s most-popular hero, Drum loved to brag in one of his uniquely-exaggerated bellows: “Arnold Palmer? I invented Arnold Palmer.” That master of acerbic one-liners had a role in what was perhaps the finest hour of Palmer’s astounding career, at the 1960 U.S. Open Championship at Denver’s Cherry Hills Country Club. The story of Arnold’s remarkable final round has been told over and over with slight variations, but the gist of it was this: Palmer, who had won his second Masters two months earlier, had his problems during the first three rounds. As he grabbed a quick hamburger in the company of Drum, the incomparable Dan Jenkins and a couple of the other competitors before heading out for the final 18 holes, he was 13 players back and seven strokes behind leader Mike Souchak. Still, having made 12 birdies already, Arnold felt he could win the tournament. “What if I shot 65? Two-eighty always wins the Open,” Arnold mused aloud. Rather than offering encouraging words, though, Drum shot back: “Two-eighty won’t do you one bit of good.” Teed off no end by that response, Palmer stormed out, drove the first green, something he had failed to do the three previous rounds, birdied it and five of the next six holes, shot the 65 and 280, right on the button, to win his first and only U.S. Open. The press had a part in what followed Cherry Hills that summer, too. Despite his locker-room barb, Drum remained close to Palmer and was a member of the small entourage of family and friends that left within days for Ireland and the Canada Cup (later renamed the World Cup) and on to Scotland for the Open Championship at St. Andrews. On the flight over, Arnold and Bob got to talking about Bobby Jones’ historic Grand Slam—the U.S. and British Opens and the U.S. and British Amateurs—a feat that almost certainly will never be
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matched. That’s when Palmer came up with what is now known as the modern or professional Grand Slam—the two Opens, the Masters and the PGA Championship. Drum knew a good idea when he heard one and at the Canada Cup and subsequently at St. Andrews sowed it among the members of the international press. Thus, golf had that target of excellence that remains unreached to this day. It was during the week at St. Andrews—when Palmer nearly won the third leg of that feat—that he gained the admiration of not only the golfing public of the British Isles but also of the complement of fine writers who covered the game for the British press, respected men such as Henry Longhurst, Pat Ward-Thomas, Peter Ryde, Leonard Crawley, to name just a few. Palmer provided a foreword for Forgive Us Our Press Passes, a book published by their Association of Golf Writers, in which he wrote: “I always seemed to get along with the press and I counted many writers as friends. Then, in 1960, when I crossed the Atlantic for the first time to play in the Canada Cup and the Open Championship at St. Andrews, fulfilling a life-long dream, I met a whole new battery of golf writers who were unique and singularly charming and treated me wonderfully.”
IN PRINT By the turn of the Millennium, Arnold Palmer’s golf course design and management businesses were so far-reaching that Palmer could not possibly sustain the regular personal visits to each and every club, visits that he always enjoyed and took pride in making. Even traveling in his Cessna jet, there were not enough days of the year. So Palmer wanted his own magazine, exclusively for the clubs associated with his work. Teaming up with TMC USA, Kingdom magazine was inaugurated in 2002 and like most of Palmer’s enterprises, it has flourished with time, going from one annual issue at the beginning, to four each year today. Palmer’s legacy is so diverse—and Kingdom represents just one small part—but it has grown from being the magazine just for his clubs to being America's private club magazine of choice .
Palmer salutes the crowds as he completes his final U.S. Open round at Oakmont in 1994
Arnold's exploits and personality played an important role in the explosive growth in popularity of the game in the latter half of the 20th Century, but they also give proper credit to the expanding attention national television gave the sport. The crowning touch in that regard came in 1995 when Palmer, the player, hopped over the fence and became Palmer, co-founder of Golf Channel, which now airs to some 200-million homes in 84 countries around the world. Of all of his significant achievements during his lifetime, Palmer ranked the creation of Golf Channel at the top of the heap, just as he felt, at age 65, the final moments of his last U.S. Open in 1994 at famed Oakmont were the most memorable and heartwarming. Again, it was a mediadriven circumstance. An emotional man by nature, he had been overwhelmed by the reception of the galleries all day and particularly as he played the 18th hole in his final competitive round at a course he first played as a teenager. He had a hard time maintaining his composure in a TV interview after holing out and when he met with the assembled press in the media center afterward. It is not unusual for the press to applaud the winners of tournaments when they arrive for the obligatory, post-victory interviews. That afternoon, though, when Arnold, sobbing into a towel, rose to leave after struggling to control his emotions as he talked about the finality of the day, the room exploded with applause. That was unprecedented… just as he was.
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Palmer Park
6 new luxury cottages
a new concept in retirement living...
“Arnold Palmer Design is proud to partner with Liberty Lutheran and The Village at Penn State to create the world’s first Palmer Park, a bold new lifestyle amenity with golf at its core and an emphasis on the active in active adult living. “ – Thad Layton Senior Golf Course Architect
The Village at Penn State, a retirement community in State College, Pennsylvania is introducing Palmer Park, a first-ofits kind fully landscaped park and gardens, featuring professionally contoured putting green and golf practice areas, multi-purpose village green and recreational areas , complemented by world-class-designed gardens, walkways, and a terrace-bistro featuring el fresco dining. The Cottages will include two bedrooms and two-full bathrooms, an open floorplan with 1,800 square feet of living space, 2 car garages, vaulted ceilings, dramatic windows and spacious rear outdoor terrace decks that overlook the beautiful Palmer Park and Gardens
For additional information on The Village at Penn State and Palmer Park, please contact us at 877-206-4776 or www.retireatpennstate.org/cottages
lo ca l v i e w :
SoCal Golf By Madison Bellante of Women’s Golf Journal
Of the 20 years I’ve played golf, 18 have been on Southern California grass—in Los Angeles, to be precise. I played a lot of unforgettable courses as a Division 1 athlete in the Midwest, golfing in South Carolina, all over Florida and elsewhere.
Candice Marie Photography
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But there’s something special about California—and no, it’s not the celebrity sightings. Those are regular but they don't make the West Coast game great. Nor is it the “star” layouts. It’s something else, and the best way to “get it” is to play here. Of course, if you get a member invite to play Riveria or Bel-Air Country Club, drop everything and go. But if you’re planning a vacation in the Golden State I would give the overpriced likes of Pebble Beach Resort a complete miss. You genuinely don’t need hundreds of dollars to play stunning, quality golf out West— unless you really want to, and then go for it. We’re “live and let live” out here. Otherwise, let me take a trip down memory lane and show you 10 of my favorite SoCal tracks, all of which challenge your game, only one of which will hurt your wallet. Get your sunglasses on and lets go...
Torrey Pines (South Course) This is where I spent my first 72 hours as a married woman. My husband and I put all our eggs in this basket by staying at the lodge and playing the famous South Course, and it was well worth it. Its about two hours away from Los Angeles, and a little pricier than everything else on this list (unless you’re a San Diego resident,) but it really is a treat. I got to play a “bucket list course,” but not only that, it’s the home to a major (2008 US Open.) Side note: Even if you can’t stay at the lodge, be sure to make a reservation at A.R. Valentien—the most contemporary and delicious restaurant I’ve ever been to. Greens fees average: $200
Patrick Drickey | stonehousegolf.com
Olivas Links Golf Course
Sterling Hills Golf Course
Is it 100˚F in LA? Cruise down the 101 to the city of Ventura where you’ll find a cool 75˚ on this linksstyle course. It’s called Olivas Links for a reason: plenty of sand dunes, flat and almost no trees— just a whole lot of brush and fox-tails. A majority of my time in junior college was spent practicing and playing tournaments here. You best have your putter under control—I was on in regulation all the time… and made three putts all the time. When it’s time to celebrate (or forget) your round, the Ventura Harbor is just down the street for you to enjoy some marina life. Greens fees average: $50
I have only played here once, but I cannot wait to play it again. You know it’s a good course when you play terribly but still have an amazing day of golf—which definitely happened to me. I left very impressed by architects Robert Muir Graves and Damian Pascuzzo, because the course design was so memorable and every hole was a joy in its own unique way. It makes sense: Graves and Pascuzzo have a combined total of over 80 course designs under their belts. Greens fees average: $41
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Los Verdes Golf Club This is your ultimate ocean-view LA golf experience on a budget. For a better understanding of its A+ location, Los Verdes is directly next door to Trump National. A tasty $120 difference. This is where I play when I have an itch to visit Redondo Beach— my hometown. A perfect beach day: wake up early, play Los Verdes and eat crab legs on the strand while watching the sunset. Greens fees average: $30
Wilson/Harding Golf Course When I got my driver's license and spent summers selling programs at the Hollywood Bowl, I would come here and play before work. This course is perfect for one of those “tourist trap” days. Grab coffee at Alfred Coffee for a true “Hollywood” aesthetic, play Wilson or Harding, then head next door to the Griffith Observatory (or see a show at the Bowl). It’s a smooth track, always in great condition, and, as it was established in 1915, full of history. Fun Fact: The architect also developed well known high-end courses such as Los Angeles CC, Riviera, Bel-Air, and Ojai Valley Inn. Greens fees average: $35
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De Bell Golf Course Here’s another central LA course, tucked in the mountains of Burbank. I almost got lost the first time I played here, as it’s hidden in the windy roads of a residential neighborhood. De Bell is a classic tight layout that’s tree-lined and filled with deer. No need for long hitting as accuracy is your friend on this short 5,608-yard course (from the tips). De Bell is the place to go for a fun, quick round and time away from that city life. Not to mention it’s one of the best values in the area, with a twilight fee of $15 including a cart. Greens fees average: $45
The Conejo Valley contains cities in both
LA county and Ventura county—and it’s flush with golf. If you’re a real golf enthusiast, you have to make it out here for at least a few rounds. Here are just a few options I recommend:
Moorpark Country Club This is a special place to me: I broke 80 here for the first time on my 17th birthday. I played golf here the day before my wedding, with my entire family. I got married here. You can tell I’m a big fan. It’s a blast, but you do have to be strategic at times in order to even stay in play. Wind is a regular here, and makes it an entirely different course—so be careful. In short, it’s a stunning facility with a fantastic 27-hole layout that’s in perfect condition all year round. Greens fees average: $80
Tierra Rejada Golf Club Talk about an underrated spot! I have played this course too many times to not break 80, but I never get that upset because it’s such a fun, gorgeous course to play. On every hole, Tierra offers stunning views of the Conejo Valley. It’s full of wildlife—my husband used to put his fishing pole in his bag and cast a few in-between shots (but shh… don’t tell!). This is where I learned to account uphill and downhill into my yardages, because you’ll have one or the other on almost every shot. Greens fees average: $50
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Simi Hills Golf Course
Rustic Canyon Golf Course I have a very strong love/hate relationship with this course. I had my second hole-in-one and my first eagle here in one round, but I also had a 10 in that same round. This links course is tricky, but you are rewarded for excellent play. Rustic’s short game facility is one of the best in the area—my sand skills are all thanks to that practice bunker. Greens fees average: $40
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At first glance you may not think much, but I urge you to take a chance on this little public course in the heart of Simi Valley. I have been going to this course since I was two years old, when my dad worked in the pro shop. As I have played countless rounds of Twilight with my dad over the years, for me it has grown into so much more than a local club in a small town. The grounds crew keep it stunning year round—especially in June for the Simi City Championship, when the greens are smooth like butter. The layout is clean, with the ability to play safe, or take the risk for that reward. All I can say is that I’ve played here for 20 years, and I still keep coming back for more. Side Note: They have a BBQ set up on the weekends and the Tri-Tip sandwich is to die for. Greens fees average: $49
Auckland, New Zealand A VIBRANT CITY AND OUTDOOR WONDERLAND Auckland is a natural wonder, dynamic metropolis, and renowned golf destination. Whether you are looking for world-class resort courses with sea views and rolling hills or picturesque local gems, there is a perfect round for players of all abilities. In between tee times, discover beautiful beaches, climb a dormant volcano, day trip to an island overflowing with wineries or explore the city’s dinning, art and shopping scene. Auckland, New Zealand provides endless opportunities for cultural explorations, unique landscapes, distinct golfing experiences and one-of-a-kind accommodations. To start planning, contact your local Travel Professional. Call 1-800-227-9246 and visit swaindestinations.com/golf
Waiheke Island
Gulf Harbour Country Club
Auckland Harbour
Waitakere Ranges
Titirangi Golf Club
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Dean Martin was a high school dropout from Ohio, no better as an amateur boxer than he was as a student. But once he found his voice, everything changed. Then came Martin-Lewis, the Rat Pack, the go-for-broke reputation and all the rest of it. In his newfound Hollywood madness, Martin needed an escape. And as Art Spander writes, it came on the golf course
H His image and his routine made us think of Dean Martin grasping a cocktail glass when, if truth tells, he would more likely be holding a 5-iron. Martin would stand on stage, guzzle what appeared to be something alcoholic—but in actuality was apple juice—and advise, “If you drink, don’t drive. Don’t even putt.” Martin loved the game. And he could play it. Maybe not quite as well as Bing Crosby or Bob Hope, but
well enough and as often as possible. “He was a particularly good golfer,” recalled Eddie Merrins, the long-time pro at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. “A six handicap and played to it” …When he wasn’t playing to an audience. Or sometimes when he was; as Crosby’s and Hope’s were, Martin’s name was on a PGA Tour tournament, his the Dean Martin Tucson Open. Like Crosby and Hope, he was a big noise in the Bing Crosby Pro-Am, which evolved into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He had his own caddy at Riviera Country Club—to which he switched from Bel-Air—called Barry Jaeckel, who would become a pro. And Martin played a caddy in a comedy film, “The Caddy,” handing clubs and giving instructions to his one-time working partner, zany Jerry Lewis.
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Lewis, whose partnership with Martin broke up in the mid 1950s after 10 years, wasn’t much of a golfer. “But I played Dean twice,” said Lewis, who died at 91 in 2017, “and I beat him the first time. I was so proud.” Mixed into all this was Don Cherry. Like Martin, Cherry belted out tunes—“Band of Gold” was his most famous—and as Martin he also could belt the ball. So well in fact that as an amateur Cherry played the Masters nine times and then after eventually turning pro was Martin’s playing partner in various events, notably the 1968 Crosby. “Roughly speaking,” wrote Al Wright in Sports Illustrated, “this year the crowds divided into two groups, those who came to see golf and those who came to see Dean Martin. Playing in partnership with Don Cherry, the PGA’s only legitimate crooner, and paired with Tommy Bolt and Phil Harris, Martin attracted a stampede of worshippers. "At the 15th," Cherry groaned after his round at Cypress Point, "I thought Dean was going to throw himself in the ocean just to get away. It was the wildest gallery I ever saw." Hearing about the mob, Crosby himself assigned some protection to the group, but it would have taken a platoon of the Coldstream Guards to keep it entirely subdued. The people could not get enough of Martin and his natural, easy charm. By the 1970s, golf and show biz were having wonderful romances. Bing and Bob had their tournaments and so did Andy Williams (San Diego) and Glen Campbell (Los Angeles). Even Jackie Gleason (Inverrary, Florida) and Sammy Davis Jr. (Hartford) were attached to events. It was inevitable Martin would be linked to one. The Martin people first checked with the USGA and wondered if Dean could sponsor the U.S. Open. Nice try. So Martin turned his attention to Tucson, which by the early 1970s was caught between the California tournaments and the swing to Florida, the tournament lacked names and was in danger of being cancelled. Martin had made films near Tucson and liked the area and the Dean Martin Tucson Open was on the bill for five years from 1972. Martin, an NBC star, persuaded the network to televise the tournament on both Saturday and Sunday; the first time the last two rounds of the tournament had been shown nationally. When he flew into Tucson, according to Walt Bingham of Sports Illustrated, arriving with a golf bag over a shoulder and a young lady on his arm, a photo made the front page of the local morning paper. The next day the largest crowd in the Tucson Open’s history showed up for the pro-am.
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Martin convinced the network to broadcast the tournament, his star power (and beautiful guest) ensuring an audience
Dino Paul Crocetti was born in Steubenville, Ohio on June 7, 1917—with both his hometown and Las Vegas holding celebrations this year on the 100th anniversary of his birth. He worked in steel mills, boxed—“I won all but 11 of my fights”, said Martin of his 12-bout amateur career—he sang with local bands and along the way found golf, which gave him a chance to escape as he became a celebrity, TV star and part of the “Rat Pack” with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. He signed a $34 million television contract in 1968, but a stand-in would take his place for rehearsals so he could take a place on the tee. Elvis Presley labelled the ultra-relaxed Martin “The King of Cool,” meaning he was as different as imaginable from his pal Cherry, whose temper and outbursts were legendary.
Asked for the happiest memory of her father, daughter Deana, one of seven children by the twice-married Martin, told Robin Leach in the Las Vegas Review Journal, it was at a driving range. “He would show me how to hit the ball,” she said. “He would put his arms around me, and he would show me how to grip the club, and he would swing my arms back and say, ‘Now keep your arms straight and swing through the ball’.” One-time caddy Jaeckel—son of Western actor Richard Jaeckel—would sneak on to Riviera, which is tucked away in a coastal canyon in the suburbs of Los Angeles, until his father finally got him a membership. Despite turning pro, winning titles and playing in majors, Jaeckel was always best known as caddy for his idol. “We rode (in a buggy) and he didn’t hit a club for two years that I didn’t advise him on,” Jaeckel recalled of their
[Far left] The Caddy poster. [Left] Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop outside Sands Casino, 1960. [Above] During the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am Golf Tournament and Clambake Weekend at Pebble Beach, 1970
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"I can make it faster than you can win it from me," said Martin
Dean Martin on stage
days at Riviera. “He was a regular, unaffected guy. He’d be gambling was rampant. Martin heard that a young player out there six days a week. Shot in the high 70s, low 80s. He there had been kicked off his university team, UCLA—which liked being under the radar, loved being out in the sun. He used Riviera as one of its home courses—and that the kid was fanatical about the game. He would play and I would “could really play,” and Martin wanted to see for himself. enjoy the scenery.” It sounds like Vegas fluff but Martin is said to have It was in Las Vegas where the lives of Martin and been escorted to the tee by two showgirls. On arrival he Cherry connected. Their night jobs were lived out on stage asked, “Pete, what’s the game?” When the young man said, while their day jobs consisted of golfing for fun and doing “How about $100 Nassau,” Martin responded, “I did not get their best to win each others’ money. out of bed with these two beautiful women to win a couple “Dean was the dearest friend I had,” Cherry said. “We hundred bucks. What do you think you’ll shoot?” played golf every single day at the (Las Vegas) Country Pete thought he could go two-under. Martin’s goal Club. We played golf everywhere he went; if he would go was always even par 72 and he asked for strokes, starting somewhere like Lake Tahoe they would book me up there. I out with a $500 Nassau. When they walked off 18 the kid worked at the Riviera, at the Sands—everywhere when Dean apologized for beating Martin out of $20,500. was there.” “Don’t worry about it, son,” Martin reportedly One story from golf writer R.J. Smiley surfaced from said. “I can make it faster than you can win it from me.” the Sands Course in Las Vegas, where, not unexpectedly, And that was true.
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DIS TINGUISHED BY TASTE
Enjoy elit® Vodka responsibly. elit® Vodka. 40% Alc/Vol. (80 proof). Distilled from grain. Stoli Group USA, LLC, New York, NY ©2017. All rights reserved. ® - registered trademarks of ZHS IP Americas Sàrl or Spirits International B.V.
The Riviera
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I
t begins when you make the turn off of Sunset Boulevard and the gates of the Riviera Country Club come into view. Pass through them and you enter a world long inhabited by presidents, movie stars, pro athletes, team owners, captains of industry and some of the greatest golfers in the history of the game. Since the Riviera opened in 1927 in Pacific Palisades, all of those and more have walked through its entrance, crossed its impossibly clean marble floors and stepped onto the rear patio to stand, awe-struck by the view over the club’s legendary golf course. The feeling is incomparable. This is Hogan’s Alley, where Ben Hogan found so much success. This is where a 16-year-old Tiger Woods made his pro debut, shooting 72 and sitting 8 back by the end of day one at the 1992 LA Open. And this is where the City of Los Angeles came when it wanted to showcase its greatness to the world in the 1932 Olympic Games, staging equestrian events at a center where a young Elizabeth Taylor would later learn to ride before appearing in National Velvet. Again set to host an Olympics, the 2028 Summer Games, Los Angeles is turning to Riviera once more, this time for golf. As a true test of
the game, few courses can match Riviera’s combination of sophistication and fight; and as an example of a world-class stage on which great moments are guaranteed, there is perhaps no better venue for Olympic golf. “We have to wait 11 years, but it’s going to be incredible,” says Michael Yamaki, who runs the club as Riviera’s corporate officer. Yamaki points out that Riviera has a long tradition of hosting complex events and tournaments, and that it’s well prepared for the Games already. “The infrastructure you need, the logistics of it all, organizing volunteers and things like that… I think people don’t always recognize how hard it is to put on a tournament, but we’re very good at that.” For evidence, look no further than the 117th U.S. Amateur in August. Not only did the tournament go off without a hitch, but it added to Riviera’s lore in terms of drama. Starting the second round of the 36-hole finale, 21-year-old University of Texas senior Doug Ghim was one down to 19-year-old Clemson freshman Doc
Liz Taylor + Tiger at the 1992 LA Open
Patrick Drickey | stonehousegolf.com
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Redman, with the golfers shooting 67 and 66, respectively. By the 34th hole, though, Ghim was two up and set to win, and his 3-wood on the par-5 17TH set him up for birdie to close. Redman was facing a 60-foot downhill putt for eagle—his only chance to stay in it. Incredibly, he came through. Redman followed his eagle with a masterful birdie at 18 and the tournament went to a playoff on the historic 10th hole, which Redman clinched. Classic drama. With both players headed for the Masters after their exceptional match, this year’s Amateur is regarded as one of the greatest in recent history, and as much as it was a showcase for the competitors’ skills it was a testament to the dynamism of Riviera’s beautiful, dangerous course. “The course is so subtle,” Yamaki says, “and people try to overpower it sometimes. It beats them up.” Taken as a whole, Riviera’s course is a beautifully paced, flowing round of golf. Examined more closely, the whole is composed of some rather remarkable pieces. Standing 75 feet above the fairway on the tee at the first hole, “it looks like you could hit the ball a mile, right?” asks Yamaki, and he’s not wrong. It’s a breathtaking opening hole, with the added factor of having each player’s name announced as they step to the tee. It’s an enjoyable
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Michael Yamaki with Annika Sorenstam; Hole 4 [middle]; Hole 10 [bottom]
surprise for guests and first-timers, but combined with the intimidation of teeing off on one of the world’s most iconic courses, it can also be rattling: “I’ve seen people top the ball, completely blow it,” says Yamaki, smiling. “And I tell them, ‘no mulligans!’ You’ve got to play it.” Hole 1 is incredible, as is the legendary Hole 18, one of golf’s greatest finishing holes. A 475-yard par-4, it features a blind tee shot to an elevated fairway and then a tricky shot to the green, just below the clubhouse. But if the opening and closing holes are amazing, as one would expect, holes 9 and 10 are no less so. A longish par-4 at 458 yards, Hole 9 has one of the club’s toughest approach shots, while Hole 10 is often regarded as Riviera’s finest, an impossibly complex conundrum that leaves the best pros second-guessing themselves on repeat visits. “Say you only played nine,” Yamaki says. “So you finished up on 9. No.9 is equally as good as 18. And then, say, you started off on 10 instead of 1. You're starting on another world famous hole. We have pretty much four iconic opening and closing holes, and there aren’t too many courses with that.” Ben Hogan called Hole 4 “the greatest par-3 hole in America.” Hole 5 is regularly studied by course architects for its brilliant design. The pot bunker cut into the green on Hole 6 is one of the most recognizable and oft-discussed features on the PGA TOUR. And so on, with each hole revealing another great design or key point of history. Humphrey Bogart used to relax under the large sycamore on Hole 12. Katherine Hepburn rolled-in a 15-foot putt on 18 in the movie Pat and Mike. Dean Martin, Jack Nicholson, Douglas Fairbanks and stars of every era have played here, and continue to do so, along with luminaries like President Obama, who visited recently. And going way, way back, during construction, developers found cannonballs in the trees on what is now Hole 16, purportedly shot as target practice from the ships of 16-century explorers Juan Cabrillo or Hernán Cortés. “The sense of history… It adds something to your experience here because you know every great golfer and so many others have been on this course,” Yamaki explains. “When you walk up 18, every great golfer has walked up 18 and talked about what it’s like to come back toward the clubhouse with that amphitheater and with all the fans and the energy. There’s a magic to this place.” That magic is on display every day for Riviera's 300 or so members and their guests, and in 11 years it
Hogan’s Alley Following his horrific head-on collision with a Greyhound bus in 1949, Ben Hogan made a dramatic return to golf at the 1950 LA Open at Riviera Country Club. He tied Sam Snead over 72 holes but ultimately lost in the playoff. Still, his remarkable feat was just one more bit of lore at the club that was already referred to as “Hogan’s Alley.” The moniker stemmed from Hogan’s three victories at Riviera in 18 months: the LA Open in 1947 and 1948 and the 1948 U.S. Open, with the incredible comeback in 1950 another great piece of the story. Today, among the 28 rooms upstairs at Riviera, “The Hogan Room,” where Hogan frequently stayed, is still available to members, there are numerous photos of the great golfer throughout the clubhouse and a statue of him near the upper putting green, all fitting testaments to the Texan who found a home for his game in California.
Ben Hogan called Hole 4 “the greatest par-3 hole in America” Hepburn, from Pat and Mike; Ben Hogan
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will be showcased to the world again as the site of what is sure to be an incredible Olympic Games. More than just reinforcing Riviera’s reputation as one of America’s crown jewels, the Games will benefit from the club’s legacy of integrity and high standards, which complement the best of golf and the best of international competition. “The Olympics give everyone a dog in the fight,” says Yamaki. “And that's what's often missing in golf, in professional golf. You’re looking for your flag going back and forth, right? That's what the Olympics can do for the game: even someone who doesn't know anything about golf will be rooting for his or her country, to see their flag… “When Rory McIlroy came here, he wrote me a letter and he said, ‘We don’t get to play on courses like this very often.’ In the UK and across Europe, they know this course. And I’ll tell you, in the UK, I remember a guy went back and his friend says, ‘Where did you play golf?’ He said ‘I played at Riviera.’ And the guy said, ‘THE Rivera?!’ And it made him so proud. In Asia, it’s the same thing; we’re pretty much one of the few courses in the United States where everybody at least has heard of the course. I think there are very few months out of the year that Riviera is not named in some publication. We get a mention in something like 10,000 different books that are written on golf. I think that’s why it’s such an emotional experience for people to play here: wherever you go around the world, someone will talk about Riviera.” Lauded Olympian medalist Jesse Owens once said that “The road to the Olympics leads to no city, no country… The road to the Olympics leads—in the end—to the best within us.” In 2028 that best will be at the Riviera Country Club, and no doubt the whole world will indeed be talking about it. ’Til then, it’s business as usual. Namely, excellence.
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Olympic Course Michael Yamaki, who runs Riviera Country Club as its corporate officer, says no great changes are anticipated to the club’s storied course in advance of the 2028 Olympic Games. However, he says, he is hopeful that the barranca will be restored in time for the games. In the days of Ben Hogan and Hollywood’s Golden Age, the course featured a winding 20-foot-wide barranca, a miniature gorge of sorts, running throughout the course. It acted as a kind of wetland drainage system and featured a series of small bridges along its path, but a large (big enough to drive through) storm drain channel was cut under the property some years ago, the bridges were removed and the barranca became more of a grassy depression. Originally set to be restored in the late 1990s, the effort stalled, but Yamaki says it’s on deck again. It would be a hallmark feature and one that harkens back to the club’s early days, but for now it’s still a plan. Stay tuned.
Wherever you go around the world, someone will talk about Riviera Sam Snead and Rory McIlroy
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Emotional Baggage “I don’t believe in a lot of baggage,” declared the voyaging Doctor Doolittle in Hugh Lofting’s fanciful book about the man who spoke with animals. “It’s such a nuisance. Life’s too short to fuss with it. And it isn’t really necessary.” Absolutely right on the first two points, but we’re not so sure on that last bit. After all, one can hardly carry clean underwear and a toothbrush in one’s coat pocket (we have a big toothbrush) and so baggage it is, carried on or checked, dropped, kicked and rolled.
Ghurka Military Stripe Trolley: $7,500
FleroL Large Leather Duffel by Maxwell Scott: $831
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If you look carefully at Benozzo Gozzoli’s “Procession of the Magi,” a 15th century fresco depicting, in great detail, the journey of the three wise men on their way to Bethlehem to pay tribute to the baby Jesus, you will see a huge number of people walking or on horseback, making a journey. What you will not see are any suitcases. That’s not because the Italian painter hated luggage—it’s because suitcases hadn’t been invented yet. Really. So where did the Magi put their clean underwear and toothbrushes, you ask? In their coat pockets of course. But I jest. They used whatever worked, for the story of baggage is the story of human movement, with every advancement in the means of transport yielding an evolution in baggage design. Today’s carbon fibre rolling carry-ons fit into overhead baggage compartments on airplanes. Why carry so little if you’re going by covered wagon or steamship? Likewise, imagine the airline baggage fee for a proper 1920s’ steamer trunk with multiple drawers, a mirror, wooden racks for hanging suits and more. As for the kind of suitcases you’re always stepping over in your closet or garage, those didn’t come along until the end of the 19th century and their design coincided with an economic shift in travel that spurred the beginning of the tourism industry. Prior to the 20th century, travel was primarily the privilege of the let’s-bringeverything-along-with-us rich, who could afford to leave the trunk-carrying to porters and servants. As the Smithsonian historians have it, the masses traveling for the sake of travel is a relatively recent phenomenon: “by 1900 or so, hotels in Switzerland were recording millions of overnight stays per year, and a summer day could draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to British beaches,” says a 2014 Smithsonian article on the history of the suitcase. “Travel wasn’t just for the wealthy anymore.”
Valextra Valigia Costa Suitcase: $6,750
Speedy Crocodile Duffel Bagg by Santiago Gonzalez: $6,750
Kate Spade New York Stowaway: $490
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Bally Tammi Leather Weekender with Patches: $1,595
Suitcases—which in the early days were genuinely just cases for suits, with enough space for a few shirts and maybe a hat—began as smaller companions to the large “steamer” trunks that were popular in the age of ship travel. But the hoi polloi had no need for a giant trunk and couldn’t afford one anyway, much less lug it around, and so suitcases became the go-to travel accessory for the masses, perfect for trains as well. By the end of the 1920s they’d found their stride and started appearing in book illustrations and advertising. Had Gozzoli been painting in the 1930s, he might have snuck a wicker suitcase or two onto a Magi’s camel, and had he been around in the 1960s the cases might have been made of plastic. If he wanted it to have wheels, he would have had to have waited until 1970, believe it or not. That’s when inventor Bernard Sadow patented his “wheeled suitcase,” which became the foundation for the modern designs we trip over today. The Smithsonian points out that in the two decades prior to the patent, flights had increased passenger numbers by a factor of 10, “from 17 million on 1949 to 172 million in 1969.” The rolling carryon with its collapsing handle arrived in 1987 and here we are today, with bags increasingly designed to handle the constraints of modern travel: namely, security issues, high baggage fees and limited space. Still, that clean underwear and those toothbrushes can’t carry themselves, after all. Still, who knows: if the hyperloop comes along or teleportation has us “beaming” from LA to Tokyo for lunch, then we might forego the need for baggage altogether. Doctor Doolittle would be well pleased.
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Globe-Trotter Deco 20” Trolley Case: $1,790
Weekend Satchel by J.W. Hulme Co.: $1,295
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The Last Call And to the end of an epic journey. We embarked on this series of fantasy courses in 2010. The adventure has brought in six continents, scenes of famous tour drama and without fail, golf’s most desirable landscapes. So to the closer. There has been anguish in reducing the world’s finest last holes to 18. The result is a course without a single par-3. But as ever we make no apology. Our final 18 could be the greatest of them all
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1
Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland
Par 4, 356 yards, H/cap 18 Our compilation of the world’s finest closers take us to where the whole show began, the Old Course at St Andrews, which is over 500 years old. The natural amphitheater around the first and 18th holes—which effectively share the widest fairway in golf—is a hallowed site of pilgrimage to all golfers. Even without the vast crowds of an Open the setting has a special atmosphere as visitors follow in footsteps of the greats, from Old Tom Morris to Tiger Woods, who said: “I am inclined to believe that winning The Open at the Home of Golf is the ultimate achievement in the sport.” The line off the 18th tee is the clock on the R&A clubhouse to avoid ‘OB’ on the right. But from the left the approach must clear the Valley of Sin, that magnetic hollow in front of the green.
2
Whistling Straits (Straits), Wisconsin
Par 4, 424 yards, H/cap 5 The Straits Course is architect Pete Dye’s tribute to British links, dipping and weaving along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It opened in 1998 featuring pot bunkers, vast sand dunes, rolling greens, exposure to the elements and even a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep to add links authenticity. They call 18 “Dyeabolical” and from the back tee at 520 yards it is inconceivably long for most club players. We will play to 424; still tough when the green rises from the fairway. The fairway is split; the right side is safer but leaves a long approach into a huge multi-tiered green. Tee shots to the left must carry extensive dunes but stop short of Seven Mile Creek. Dustin Johnson drove to the right in the 2010 PGA and incurred a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in a sprawling bunker. It cost him a play-off place.
Photo: Kohler Co.
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3
Cherry Hills, Colorado
4
Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
Par 5, 487 yards, H/cap 13
Par 4, 444 yards, H/cap 1
Cherry Hills has set the stage for many a great championship, but none more famous than the U.S. Open of 1960, when Arnold Palmer shot 65 in the final round to win, having begun the fourth round seven shots behind. The uphill 18th plays as a par-5 for members and ordinary mortals and as a par-4 whenever a major championship is in town. Quite simply, it has it all: water left, length, elevation, out-of-bounds right and a testing, undulating green. We will take it on from the back tee but with the extra shot to give more players a birdie chance. Longer hitters need to beware how much they cut off the left side of the lake. The more you dare, the shorter the uphill approach, but this water has had famous victims, most notably Ben Hogan in that final round of the ‘60 U.S. Open, and Lorena Ochoa in the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open, when par would have got her into a play-off with Birdie Kim.
They say golf has been played at Carnoustie since the 16th century. Allan Robertson, golf’s first pro, laid out the first 10 holes before Old Tom Morris and later James Braid oversaw extensions that resulted in Carnoustie hosting the Open. It has now done so seven times and the longest course on the Open rota—at 7,421 yards—will stage the 2018 Open. Carnoustie’s 18th is where Frenchman Jean Van de Velde capitulated at the 1999 Open. Leading by three, he needed a six to win but contrived to take seven, before losing a play-off to Scotland’s Paul Lawrie. On the 72nd hole he struck a grandstand before his third shot found the Barry Burn. Then he hit into a bunker before holing for a triple bogey. It was the greatest catalogue of disasters played out by a potential Open champ. Rather than go off the back at 499 yards, we are showing a softer side by taking the White tee at 444.
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5
Plantation Course, Kapalua, Hawaii
6
Kauri Cliffs, Northland, New Zealand
Par-5, 585 yards, H/cap 16
Par 5, 501 yards, H/cap 11
Widely considered Hawaii’s finest course, the Plantation Course at Kapalua on Maui, designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, is a January fixture on the PGA Tour schedule when it hosts the Sentry Tournament of Champions. The Plantation was routed around its magnificent 18th, running across an old pineapple grove on Maui’s northwest shore. “Home” is an extremely long, downhill, generally downwind par-5 with a magnificent Pacific backdrop. The Tour players take it on from the Championship tee at 663 yards but the Regular yardage of 585 is more than ample. The green slopes away from front to back and is reachable in two powerful blows. But, wide and receptive though both fairway and green may be, it can be difficult to judge shot distance into the green. Any mistake with the approach might bring a huge, impenetrable ravine into play.
No matter where you are in New Zealand, you’ll never be more than 80 miles from the sea. The pair of elongated main islands feature 9,400 miles of coastline, some of which is decorated by some of the world’s most dramatic golf courses, like Kauri Cliffs. Built by American Julian Robertson and designed by Florida’s David Harman, 15 of the 18 holes here overlook the Pacific, with six running along the high cliffs. The 18th, “Tana Mahuta”, is a par-5—the third in six holes of our fantasy layout but believe us, it’s worth it—and while it plays away from the sea, it does so in dramatic fashion nonetheless. Playing to 539 yards from the tips, it is such a steep uphill climb towards the clubhouse that we are opting for the White tee and a distance of 501. It is more than enough and golfers must clear a ravine to reach the fairway.
7 Harbour Town Links, South Carolina
Par 4, 444 yards, H/cap 7
The Sea Pines Resort is the crown of Hilton Head and its famous Harbour Town Links is the jewel. The Links opened in 1969, designed by Pete Dye with Jack Nicklaus, and it is beloved on the PGA Tour as a course that places a premium on shot-making and creativity rather than the power game that dominates tour golf today. The course has staged the RBC Heritage since the year it opened and its closing hole has become one of the most famous in America, with the resort’s iconic red and white lighthouse sitting as a beacon behind the green. The hole measures 472 yards from the tournament Heritage tee, but we will offer more golfers a chance to reach in two by playing off the Dye tee at 444. Golfers must know their yardage off the tee to find a wide yet shallow landing area which opens out towards the sandy beach of Calibogue Sound. A great closing pin position tempts golfers out towards the ocean again, to the left, but golfers need to be weary because any kind of pulled approach could finish among the “fishes”.
Photo: The Sea Pines Resort
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8
Pine Valley GC, Pine Valley, New Jersey
9
Royal Birkdale, Lancashire, England
Par 4, 425 yards, H/cap 4
Par 5, 472 yards, H/cap 15
Pine Valley Golf Club near Philadelphia is to many the Holy Grail of courses. Or there was late British writer Peter Dobereiner, who likened the course to a “chamber of horrors”. Alister Mackenzie, of Augusta National fame, was nearer the truth when he described it as, “with the possible exception of Cypress Point, by far the most spectacular course in the world”. Hotelier George Crump created the course and enlisted Harry Colt to assist, while A.W. Tillinghast had a hand in the final shape of some holes. The closing hole is as spectacular as any. From a raised tee golfers must clear an area of sandy scrub to reach a generous landing area before a second shot must be played over a sloping swathe of broad sand traps. Reaching the green in two is one of the great joys in golf.
Complementing a storied Open heritage at Birkdale, the Ryder Cup was played here in 1965 and 1969 and it was on this 18th green where Jack Nicklaus made golf’s most famous concession, picking up opponent Tony Jacklin’s marker for a two-foot putt that the Englishman needed to secure a half in their decisive singles match. The halved point halved the final score for the first time in a Ryder Cup, at 16-16, and some of Big Jack’s teammates were livid. Members play the 18th as a par-5, and so are we, although as a par-4 in championships it offers a true test of nerve. The best line is down the right of the fairway but out of bounds also lurks. Playing safe with a 3-wood leaves a lengthy approach through a narrow entrance and to a green guarded by three bunkers.
10 The Belfry (Brabazon)
Par 4, 441 yards, H/cap 2
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The Brabazon holds iconic status among European Ryder Cup fans, and in particular its 18th. It was here in 1985 that Sam Torrance holed the winning putt for the hosts for the first time in 28 years. Then in 2002 Paul McGinley holed the winning putt for Europe on the same green. The Brabazon was purpose-built for the Ryder Cup in 1977—a potato field converted by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas—and has hosted the matches four times. The 18th is a matchplay masterpiece, with golfers required to clear the same lake with both tee shot and approach, as the hole doglegs to the left. Precision and nerve are critical, although the hole lacks the length to intimidate the world’s best players today. Measuring 473 yards off the back, we are going off the White tee and a distance of 441 to give more players a fighting chance.
Photo: Mr. Taku Miyamoto
11 Riviera, California
Par-4, 422 yards, H/cap 6
12
Riviera is the most famous club in Los Angeles, and the George Thomas-designed course has hosted a U.S. Open—when Ben Hogan won in 1948—two PGA Championships and a U.S. Senior Open, as well as hosting the Genesis Open on the PGA Tour. Thanks to television, Riviera’s 18th is Hollywood’s most instantly recognized finishing hole. Over the years, the tee has kept creeping back so that on most courses the hole would now be rated a par-5. The hole plays to 475 yards on tour, although we are going off the White yardage of 422, which is plenty as the hole runs steeply uphill towards the clubhouse. In January, when the PGA Tour comes to town, there is little run on the fairway to make it play even longer. The tee shot is blind and uphill to a wide fairway. Assuming the drive finds its mark, the second shot flies straight uphill to a raised kidney-shaped green set in a natural amphitheater.
Pebble Beach, California
13
East Lake, Georgia
Par 5, 543 yards, H/cap 10
Par 5, 530 yards, H/cap 12
Pebble Beach, designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant along an intoxicating stretch of cliff-top Pacific coastline, has become synonymous with the U.S. Open, having staged it five times since 1972. The course opened in 1919 and its centenary in 2019 will be marked with another U.S. Open. Renovated extensively by Arnold Palmer, who took the course back towards its original design, the par-5 18th remains a genuine three-shotter for many pros, with the ocean a constant threat down the left. It measures 543 yards from the back and it will for us too, to offer an authentic U.S. Open experience. Breathe in the sea air and think only of delivering down a line that is left of the trees. The second shot should finish on the left of the fairway to avoid the tree overhanging the green, before approaches need to avoid the front bunker. Then remember that putts on 18 tend to fall towards the ocean.
East Lake is a grandee of American courses. Atlanta’s oldest course was shaped to greatness by Donald Ross in 1913, from Tom Bendelow’s original design, and having served as Bobby Jones’ home club before he established Augusta National, it has staged the PGA Tour’s season closer, the Tour Championship, since 2004. East Lake permanently switched its nines around in 2016, meaning the 18th today is a classic par-5. First it leans to the right, then the fairway breaks back to the left, leaving golfers with a testing second shot that must clear a lake which encroaches from the right. Tour players can sometimes reach in two but most club players need to ensure their second shot just stays dry. The pros play this hole to 590 but we are moving up to the Blue tee at 530. The green is well protected by bunkers and shots that go through the green leave players with a difficult up-and-down.
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14
Bay Hill, Florida
15
Valhalla, Kentucky
Par 4, 437 yards, H/cap 8
Par 5, 490 yards, H/cap 14
Intertwined with Orlando’s Butler Chain of Lakes, Bay Hill was originally designed by Dick Wilson and opened in 1961, and the course was revised by Arnold Palmer and his design partner Ed Seay once Palmer had bought the club. Bay Hill has been home to the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational since 1979. The first part of the hole is as simple as it gets: a wide, flat fairway, yet with thick Bermuda rough on its peripheries. But the kidney-shaped green is fronted by rocks and water and requires a longer carry across the lake to the right half where, invariably, the weekend pins are set for the API. Meanwhile, a cluster of three bunkers behind and left of the green await errant, hydrophobic bale-outs. Robert Gamez played the shot of his career here in 1990 in the final round, holing his 176-yard, 7-iron second shot for an eagle and a one-shot victory. While the tour pros play this hole to 458 yards, we are skipping ahead to the Blue tee and a slightly shorter 437.
‘Valhalla’ is the great hall in Norse mythology where souls of slayed vikings feast with gods. Louisville businessman Dwight Gahm brought in Jack Nicklaus to design this mighty course, which occupies a 486-acre property without a single house or condominium in sight. Valhalla opened in 1986, and once Gahm had agreed shared ownership with the PGA of America, the PGA Championships of 1996, 2000 and 2014 came to Valhalla, as well as the Ryder Cup in 2008, when Paul Azinger’s team won back the Ryder Cup. The dramatic 18th at Valhalla is called “Gahm Over”, and it will be game over for any (right-handed) sliced tee shots, which might find the extended water feature on the right, which cascades down the hill and feeds a stream which crosses in front of the tee. The raised tees offer a tantalizing tee shot, but once the ball hits the ground it is uphill all the way. Beyond the water, the fairway splits into two, leading up to a large, horseshoe green. The hole plays to 545 from the back but Black yardage of 490 is plenty.
Photo: Jason Brown
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16
Augusta National, Georgia
17
Olympic (Lake), California
Par 4, 385 yards, H/cap 9
Par-4, 322 yards, H/cap 17
Augusta National’s closer, “Holly”, contends with those at the Old Course, St Andrews and Pebble Beach as the most famous final hole in the game. And what you have probably heard about this hole—if you have not seen it with your own eyes—is absolutely true; the TV pictures flatten a hill that is one of the steepest inclines in majors golf. Masters golfers play it at 465 yards, but as this compilation is without a single par-3, and what with the slope, we are going off the Members tee at a more civilized 385. When you are faced with the narrow corridor from the tee through to the rising fairway, you will be grateful to play off the Members’ box. Bernhard Langer, twice the Masters champ, tells us: “This tee is one of golf’s tightest and longest shoots. The key is to hit a slight fade for the dogleg, then it could be a mid-iron or longer to the elevated, two-tier green, depending on wind direction and pin position. There is a birdie chance if you find the right plateau.”
The Lake Course at Olympic has staged the U.S. Open five times, dating back to 1955, but perhaps the most famous was its second in 1966. From Arnold Palmer’s perspective it was for all the wrong reasons though. Palmer won and lost tournaments with drama no one else could match, and here he squandered a seven-shot lead over Billy Casper over the last nine holes. Casper would win after a play-off. The 18th—the second shortest par-4 on the course—is the shortest hole of our 18 altogether, and devilish with it. From the tee it is an inviting prospect as the fairway rises gently towards the green, beneath the clubhouse. Critical here is accuracy of the approach as a quartet of bunkers will swallow anything short, while shots played beyond the pin will often leave a knee-knocker of a putt coming down a treacherous slope. The back tee plays at 347 yards but we’ll play off the Whites and a distance of 322 yards to emphasize its intended nature. Sharpen your wedges.
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Patrick Drickey | stonehousegolf.com
KINGDOM SCORECARD
18
Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Par 4, 430 yards, H/cap 3 Just outside Pittsburgh in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, Oakmont opened in 1904, letting the world know what “penal” in golf really means. And without the need for water hazards and forced carries. The USGA enjoys the notion so much that it has held a record nine U.S. Opens at Oakmont. The most recent was in 2016 when Dustin Johnson finally claimed a first major title that had evaded the world number one for so long. H.C. Fownes, Pittsburgh iron-and-steel magnate, came to golf in his late 30s, got good fast and when he couldn’t find a course that could give him a proper fight he designed and built Oakmont. Perhaps the most picturesque hole at mighty Oakmont, the 18th demands two shots, both long and straight, if birdie or par can be contemplated. The uphill fairway has five deep bunkers clustered around the landing area for drives, while six more sand traps need to be avoided up and around the green. The hole measures 484 yards from the tips. That’s fine for Johnson and his majors rivals, but not for 99.9 percent of the rest of us. We’ll go off the Blue tee, thanks all the same.
Hole
Course
1
St Andrews (Old)
Par 4
356
Yards
18
H/cp
2
Whistling Straits (Straits)
4
424
5
3
Cherry Hills
5
487
13
4
Carnoustie
4
444
1
5
Kapalua (Plantation)
5
585
16
6
Kauri Cliffs
5
501
11
7
Harbour Town
4
444
7
8
Pine Valley
4
425
4
9
Royal Birkdale
5
472
15
FRONT 9
40
4 ,1 3 8
10
Belfry (Brabazon)
4
441
2
11
Riviera
4
422
6
12
Pebble Beach
5
543
10
13
East Lake
5
530
12
14
Bay Hill
4
437
8
15
Valhalla
5
490
14
16
Augusta National
4
385
9
17
Olympic (Lake)
4
322
17
18
Oakmont
4
430
3
BAC K 9
39
4 ,0 0 0
TOTA L
79
8 ,1 3 8
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C LUB S EL ECTION I S EVERY TH I NG
TPC Scottsdale
TPC River’s Bend
TPC Craig Ranch
TPC San Antonio
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It’s a good day for golf.
Holiday Plans Arnold Palmer lands at Worcester Airport, Mass., for the 1968 Kemper Open. Palmer said if he had not been a golfer he would have flown for a living
Tour golf does not really have an off-season as such these days, but tour golfers still need a life away from the golf course. Here are snapshots of what some of them get up to when the spikes are off
Aussie Adam Scott has enjoyed surfing for much of his life. He lives by the beach in the Bahamas so opportunities to hit the waves come easy when he’s at home
It’s no co-incidence that golfers seek peace and tranquility when they are off the tour, preferably somewhere with no cell phone signal. Jack Nicklaus has been fly-fishing all around the world
Gary Player practices at Hoylake [Royal Liverpool] for the 1967 Open
South Africa’s Gary Player, nine times a major champ, has also enjoyed exceptional success as a race horse breeder, having bought a stud farm in 1974
Rickie Fowler was a talented dirt-bike rider as a teenager, but when golf became serious he had to stay off the track, so today the Californian gets his adrenalin shots on four wheels
Bruce Lietzke owns a notable car collection featuring a 1967 Corvette C2 Stingray 427 [lower left of picture] and a pair of 1960s Ford Shelby Mustangs [top left and bottom right]
Bubba Watson is among a broad fraternity of tour golfers who have kept close ties with their alma mater. In Watson’s case it’s the Georgia Bulldogs
Jordan Spieth’s first love was baseball. Growing up he regularly attended Texas Rangers games and in 2015 he came full circle by throwing the first pitch
Miguel Angel Jimenez maintains a stock of 400 Cuban cigars. His favorite is the Siglo VI and the Spaniard loves to pair it with a Lagavulin single malt
If you like a friendly game of ping pong probably don’t ask Matt Kuchar. He is the man to beat when Team USA comes together for the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup
Rory McIlroy is devoted to Manchester United. He took the Claret Jug to Man U’s Old Trafford as 2014 Open champ but couldn’t defend the title after injuring an ankle playing soccer
Gary Player practices at Hoylake [Royal Liverpool] for the 1967 Open
Danny Willett at the World Snooker Championship at the renowned Crucible Theatre in his home city, Sheffield. Willett is a regular attendee at snooker’s pre-eminent tournament
Strumming singer John Daly has released two country albums—both in collaboration with Darius Rucker—the second being ‘I only know one way’, released in 2010
Throughout his life, Arnold Palmer gave generously of himself. He gave his full effort to his work. He gave his full attention to every person who crossed his path. It didn’t matter how busy or tired he was, how famous he became, or who the person in front of him was. His powerful example reminded us that no matter who you are, the most precious gift you can give is your time and attention – yourself. That’s the kind of gift that is remembered – the kind that changes lives. The newly-formed Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation intends to show the world what can happen when we all take the time to give of ourselves the way Arnie did. Visit ArniesArmy.org today and learn how the Foundation is continuing that good work, starting with the #LifeWellPlayed Challenge. After all, what better way is there to honor Arnold Palmer than to follow his example. Give your time and attention to something bigger than yourself. Mr. Palmer made you feel like what you did mattered. And it does.
©2017 Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation. All rights reserved.
GIFT GUIDE
Unwrapped Whether given or received, the following gifts are sure to bring brilliance to your holiday season
Loch Lomond Whiskies Inchmurrin Named after an island in Loch Lomond that is rich in meadow and woodland, this fine 18 year aged scotch has an upright oak backbone, with hints of summer grass, tropical fruit and citrus zest notes. It was originally barrelled by the Master Cooper, Tommy Wallace, who carefully selected suitable casks to mature the liquid for a minimum of 18 years, allowing time and nature to bring out the sweet character of the wood. Inchmurrin 18 year old is non-chill filtered to keep it as nature intended. Savor it neat, on the rocks or with a drop of water. lochlomondwhiskies.com
Rolex Sky-Dweller Seen here in steel and yellow gold, this astounding timepiece is a masterpiece of technology, featuring between 11 and 14 patents, depending on the particular model. Ideal for global travelers, its sophistication is epitomised by Rolesor, a signature Rolex feature that incorporates gold—for its lustre and nobility—and steel, for its strength and reliability. rolex.com
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Leith Silver Thistle tumble cup A traditional but standout design, this sterling silver drinking vessel is perfect for those who like to savor their whisky or bourbon with style. The original tumble cups were designed for gentlemen traveling in carriages, allowing the cups to rock but no drink to spill. The contours lead to the name “Thistle”, very appropriate given the hallmarks of the Edinburgh Assay Office proudly displayed on the front. Your drink becomes alive and its colors dance as it rolls around the gold cup interior, warming in your hand. Leithsilver.com
Liebherr HWg 1803 Wine cabinet Fine wine deserves fine storage, and Liebherr’s HWg 1803 wine cabinets are among the best. TipOpen technology partially opens the door when tipped, while tinted, insulated safety glass ensures protection against damaging UV rays. Untreated beechwood shelves store up to 18 bottles vertically, horizontally, or at different angles. Virtually silent, the units are ideal for the premium wine collector. liebherr.com
Millesima Millennial collection Since 2006, Millesima USA has provided American fine wine aficionados with an unparalleled selection and the same dedicated service that its parent company, Millesima S.A. in Bordeaux, provides to its European clients. Millesima USA is proud to introduce its Discover Bordeaux Case, a curated selection of wines representing the very best of Bordeaux and a unique impression of the exquisite 2000 vintage. Each case holds 12 top wines from Bordeaux’s Left and Right Banks, sourced directly from the cellars of the chateaux, ensuring ideal provenance. millesima-usa.com
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GIFT GUIDE
Eco Terreno Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon Swirl a glass of double Gold-winning Eco Terreno’s Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 and its dark crimson color with a bright purple rim hints at the depth of flavors contained within. Exclusively from 43-year-old vines, flavors of cassis, black cherry and spice combine seamlessly with notes of dark chocolate and espresso. This lush, fruit driven wine is as smooth as silk with a lingering finish rooted in the flavor palette of the famed Alexander Valley terroir. Enjoy now, or cellar for delayed gratification over the next five years. Only 612 cases were produced by the renowned winemaker Mark Lyon. ecoterreno.com
KitchenAid® Siphon Coffee Brewer Simple Science Of Complex Flavor
CORAVIN™
The science and complex flavor of siphon brewing comes from vapor pressure pushing the water up through the siphon tube. Then, vacuum suction and gravity draw the coffee down through the grounds. KitchenAid has simplified this process to extract a cup of coffee that showcases all the distinctive flavors of your favorite beans.
Model Two Elite Wine System
kitchenaid.com
Clamp the Coravin Model Two Elite atop a bottle of your favorite wine and pour away, without ever pulling the cork. The Coravin’s specially designed Wine Needle is gentle on the cork but ensures a perfect pour, and argon gas in the premium Coravin Capsules protect the wine in the bottle from oxidation. Featuring sophisticated colors and chrome accents, this innovative system for the home is the perfect accompaniment to a joyous holiday season. coravin.com
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Stonehouse Desk caddie Why not bring the beauty of the golf course to your desk with the Stonehouse Desk Caddie keepsake box? Perfect for storing your personal belongings, or even the remote controls in your TV room. Each caddie box features a rich mahogany finish, is velvet lined and showcases a mini-edition from the Stonehouse Golf Collection. stonehousegolf.com
Reel Spectrum LT With its ultra-light rigid frame, the Spectrum LT from Sage delivers the kind of power and smoothness one would expect from a larger system, thanks to its fantastic engineering and One Revolution Drag Knob—high performance fly fishing without the bulk or weight. sageflyfish.com
Rubber B Watch strap If you own a fine timepiece and need a rubber strap for skin, aesthetic or active reasons then make sure you invest in the best. Rubber B is the original and the only rubber strap for Rolex watches actually made in Switzerland. They also make straps to fit Patek Phillip, Jaeger Le Coutre and countless other fine brands. Beware of cheap imitations; Rubber B ’s genuine vulcanized rubber meets FDA and BVGG specifications, is non toxic, non marking, non allergen and does not produce odor. With age, a Rubber B strap develops a natural “patina”, making it seem darker and satin finished as if personalized to you. Rubberb.com
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GIFT GUIDE
Stylmartin Cafe Racer Boots Stylmartin’s Rocket boots were created in the spirit of the vintage military, but they deliver all of the modern comfort and performace demanded by today’s motorcyclists and others in need of beautiful, fashionable, durable footwear. Made using dark chocolate, full-grain leather, these are great cool-weather boots, featuring a triple fastening system, breathable internal membrane, water-repellant thread for external stitching and semi-rigid thermoplastic inserts placed around the most vulnerable parts of the foot for protection. Classic all the way. stylmartin.it
Baseball Bat C271 America Louisville Slugger’s most popular turning model at Major League level, the C271 is the base for all medium barrel turning model bats. The new version features a split finish with a navy handle and natural barrel, along with red branding inspired by the Stars and Stripes. With consistent hardness, a standard handle, medium barrel and max knob taper, power hitters and contact hitters alike can play America’s game with America’s bat, made exclusively with MLB-grade wood. slugger.com
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Snell Golf
Ketel One
MTB Balls
Collector’s Edition Palmer bottle
Dean Snell, co-creator of the original Titleist Pro V1, started his own direct-to-consumer golf ball company in an effort to help make the game more affordable for consumers. After being a trusted ball designer for the best players in the world, Dean now puts his years of R&D acumen to work delivering pro-level performance at a fraction of the cost of other brands. Snell Golf ’s MTB is a three-piece, Cast Urethane construction ball designed to provide optimum tee-to-green performance. Several of us have played with them for months now and they are an absolute Kingdom staff favorite.
Honoring the King, Ketel One has produced a special collectors’ edition Arnold Palmer bottle. A must have for Arnie fans and vodka aficionados alike, the brand is also making a sizeable donation to Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation. Stocks are dwindling so don’t delay your purchase.
snellgolf.com
XXIO Premium manufacturer XXIO (pronounced zek-si-oh) is one of the world’s fastest growing equipment companies, with a full range of products designed and crafted specifically for the discerning golfer with a moderate swing speed. This is in stark contrast to the philosophies of the mainstream manufacturers, who design their equipment for the world’s best players— those with swing speeds far beyond the capability of most club players—and then use the tour players to market the equipment to golfers who shouldn’t be using it. XXIO has thrown this age-old golf marketing deception where it belongs, in the trash. No wonder golfers are gravitating towards XXIO. xxiousa.com
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ketelone.com
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Full Round It doesn’t make for great dinner conversation, but millions of men deal with symptoms of an overactive bladder and so it is worth talking about. Here are a few thoughts to help start the discussion‌
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here are many conditions that cause symptoms that may be interrupting your game. One such, which affects nearly 10 million men, is OAB, otherwise known as an overactive bladder. While it’s an annoying and potentially embarrassing condition (not least for golfers who regularly play a full round), the good news is that it can be manageable. Medication is one option, and it’s worth discussing that with your doctor, but there are steps you can take on your own that might help to mitigate some of the symptoms, and they begin with what you eat and drink. Here, then, are a few simple ideas to help you keep your mind on the game—and off the obvious.
What’s happening In the most simple terms: urine comes into the bladder via a couple of tubes (ureters) and leaves through another, the urethra. When your bladder is full, your brain gets the message that it’s time to find a toilet. You find one and get ready to do your business, then one set of muscles opens the gate and another set helps to expel the urine. Trouble is, various parts of this system can get off their game. The brain can get an urgent “go” message long before your bladder is full, the “expel” muscles might start doing their job before they’re needed (or wanted) and the “gatekeeper” muscles might forget what they’re meant to be doing, which would lead to urgency, increased frequency and leakage. Why any of this happens can be unclear and is sometimes related to some of the conditions mentioned above. Sometimes it’s not, however, and it’s more than a little likely that simply aging plays a part. Annoying to be sure, and sometimes worse, but there are a few things you can do. Various pelvic floor exercises might help and there are medications designed to help manage this condition that have proven to be effective, and you should discuss both of those options with your health care provider. In the meantime, however, take a look at your diet. Some food and drink can irritate your bladder or urinary tract; accordingly, avoiding them can make life much easier.
Foods that might irritate OAB symptoms: • • • • • • • •
Carbonated beverages, even non-caffeinated ones Caffeinated beverages, including soda, coffee, etc Concentrated citrus drinks and/or citrus fruits Alcohol Spicy foods Some sports drinks Tomatoes and related foods (e.g. ketchup, chili and so on) Honey
Intake You cannot (and should not) avoid drinking water; you need to stay hydrated, especially if you’re playing golf, and so don’t try the “no fluids in = no fluids out” approach to managing OAB. In fact, it could simply cause your urine to be more concentrated and thus more irritating to your system, and provoke the exact kind of stimulation you were hoping to avoid. Rather, examine the “irritate” list to the right and note if any are particularly present in your diet. Cutting back could make a difference, and obviously talk with your health care provider about which might be particularly unhelpful to you (e.g., if you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, then breaded foods most likely will not help with OAB as they’ll be irritating your body anyway). Likewise, consider a few foods that might actually improve your bladder health, helping to avoid constipation (which can pressure the bladder) or contributing to general bladder wellness. While it probably won’t solve the problem completely, keeping an eye on what you eat and drink can help to manage the symptoms of OAB. Talk with your health care provider about other steps or medication you can take to deal with the problem as well, but don’t feel like there’s nothing you can do in the meantime. After all, any distraction at all on course can get you off your game, and when you’re playing 18 you should enjoy each and every hole.
Foods that might help with bladder health • • • • • • • •
bananas apples grapes coconut watermelon strawberries blackberries asparagus
• • • • • • •
broccoli cucumbers kale carrots celery lettuce peppers
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Ornamental Tis the season for things to shine, illuminated baubles and treasures to bring a sense of wonder to any hearth or home; indulge the shimmering glow and anticipate a brilliant new year
Flamingo Snow Globe via West Elm w e s t e l m . co m
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Dandelion Sculpture via H.D. Buttercup h d b u t t e r c u p . co m
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Papillon Lucky Butterfly by Baccarat u s . b acc a r at . co m
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Afrodite Vase Lilac by Martti Rytkonen orrefors.us
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The Neighborhood Negroni
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Neighborhood Negroni 1oz Junipero gin 1oz Campari 1oz Martini and Rossi sweet vermouth In an ice-filled mixing glass, add gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a burnt orange twist. For the Italian version, build the drink in an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass by adding gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Stir and garnish with an orange slice.
M
aster Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim has a special place in his heart for the Negroni, and that should make you sit up on your barstool and take notice. The man Chef Mario Batali referred to as “the poster boy for modern mixology,” Tony developed the cocktail programs at both the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and at Caesars Palace, just a couple of entries on an unbelievable résumé that also includes headlining some of the most prestigious culinary and social events in the world, being the go-to guy for countless top cocktail venues and, early in his career, opening Harry Denton’s Starlight Room atop the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. A legend, then. Currently he’s heading the cocktail program at Libertine Social, a new social dining concept at Mandalay Bay in Vegas, and he was kind enough to spare some time and some knowledge for us there. Among the wide array of fantastic craft cocktails he built during our visit, his Neighborhood Negroni stood out as particularly appropriate for the cool season. As he points out in his fine book, The Modern Mixologist, the sophisticated cocktail invented in the early 1920s by Count Camillo Negroni and bartender Fosco Scarselli at a cafe in Florence, Italy, isn’t to everyone’s taste, but refined palates will find it a near-perfect cocktail. Tony’s version uses Junipero gin from San Francisco’s Anchor Distilling Company, and it’s worth finding if a Negroni is in your future. Whether you take it low and on the rocks, in the Italian fashion, or up in a Martini glass is up to you. Whichever you choose, enjoy it with friends. It’s the drink Tony chose to serve when we sat down for a chat, and we can tell you from experience that it’s the perfect complement to a firm handshake, a relaxed smile, and great conversation. Learn more about Tony and find his his book at themodernmixologist.com
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Whiteout If winter were a spirit, we’re sure that it would be vodka. Clear and bracing, the distillation is at its most pleasant when it is cold, and arguably the best of it comes from countries known for shiver-worthy climates. Accordingly, it’s a great libation during the holiday season, where its adaptability allows it to please all manner of palates. Surround it with complex flavors, dress it in juices, pour it over ice or even—in a twist—heat it up with some chocolate. Here are a few options from our friends at Stolichnaya, a traditionally minded premium vodka with coldweather credibility. However you like your vodka, enjoy it responsibly and with friends. After all, winter is better together. Now bundle up…
Milkshake
This milkshake recipe is as much a dessert as it is a party favor, and it’s sure to make you shiver. We suggest you adjust the recipe for scale and make a pitcher as these will be popular 1 part 1 part 2 scoops 1 cup
Stoli Vanil White Creme de Menthe Vanilla Ice Cream ice
Garnish with mint leaves and a cookie
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Creamsicle
This evokes memories of the frozen treat you enjoyed as a kid—with a little extra kick 3 parts 1 part 1 part 1/2 part
Stoli Ohranj Stoli Vanil Fresh orange juice Cream
Garnish with an orange slice
1 9 3 8 In 1938, the same year Stolichnaya was born:
Above: James Ferebee golfed 600 holes in 96 hours on a bet; Below: Alfred "Alf" Padgham with a 2-iron in bad weather at the 1938 Open Championship
In June, at the U.S. Open, Ray Ainsley shoots a 19 on the par-4 16th hole at Cherry Hills in Colorado. His ball found the creek and he opted to play rather than to drop, ultimately setting a dubious record. In July, at the [British] Open Championship, Alf Padgham drives the green on Royal St. George's 384-yard 11th hole perhaps helped by gale conditions that destroyed tournament infrastructure and scattered debris for miles. Only seven sub-80 scores are recorded on the final day, with Reg Whitcombe's 75-78 good enough for the win, his only major title. In September, 32-year-old Chicago stockbroker James Ferebee agrees to play 600 holes of golf on a $20,000 bet with a friend. The Great Golf Marathon of 1938, as it become known, required Ferebee to golf in eight cities, traveling from Los Angeles to New York and playing more than 33 rounds in 96 hours. There was a 100-stroke limit on each round, he had to tee up (and pick up from the cup) his own balls on every hole and he was required to walk each course, more than 40 miles per day and 182 miles total. Eight pairs of shoes and countless blisters later, at 10:30pm on September 28, with help from people holding flashlights, Ferebee made a 5-foot putt and his odyssey came to a successful end. The feat was chronicled in the book King of Clubs, by sportswriter Jim Ducibella.
Vanilla Hot Chocolate
Start the fire, get your robe on and put your feet up; this is the perfect end to any winter's day 11/2 parts Stoli Vanil 1/2 part Coffee Liqueur 4 parts Your favorite hot chocolate Combine, then top with marshmallows (toasted marshmallows, if you can be bothered)
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Rustic Apple Tart 144
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eekend BBQ? No problem. The odd pasta dinner? Fine. But laying out a holiday spread for the whole family, friends, significant others and insignificant others who somehow manage to invite themselves… That’s what catering is for, right? Well, yes and no. There’s something immensely satisfying about having a dish on the table that’s yours, that you made, and if it’s a hit with the guests then so much the better. Dessert’s a sure bet to win “most popular,” and so we’re going with that. The following is a near-bulletproof recipe for holiday (or any day) success, a rustic apple tart that requires almost no skills and which yields tremendous results. Read it through, then read it again. Really, it ain’t tough. Just be sure to remember to say the “rustic” bit when you lay it on the table; “rustic” is a great euphemism for “unsophisticated” and “straightforward.” And at the end of the day, isn’t that exactly what the holidays should be? Merry happy, everyone. Don’t forget to wash your hands…
The Crust • • • • •
3 cups flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 10 oz butter, very cold 2/3 cup very cold water
We use our KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment for this. Prep the butter by cutting it into cubes, then refrigerating. The butter needs to be as cold as possible without being frozen. Likewise, go ahead and measure out 2/3 cup of water and put that in the fridge as well. Put all the dry ingredients in the KitchenAid’s large mixing bowl and get it mixed. Add the butter and mix it on a low-medium speed until the flour+butter mix looks like bits of shredded cloth (if you’re using a food processor it should look like pebbles). Add the cold water until the dough comes together. It should be Play-Doughy, not overly wet but not crumbling apart either. Mash it into a ball with your hands, pat it to a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
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The Tart • • • • •
2 Pink Lady apples (or Galas, or some kind of tasty red) 2 Granny Smith apples 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla
Peel and slice the apples, at least 8 slices per apple. Drop the slices in a bowl with the other ingredients and stir until they’re coated. You might want to drop in a little flour as well, just to help everything hold together. And with the maple, really, just adjust to taste. It’s a sugar substitute and you’ll have to find your own personal preference with regard to balancing the cinnamon, which you can also increase as per your liking. Preheat your oven to 375˚. Roll out half of the dough (save the other half for another tart) until it’s “crust thin,” then place it on a parchment-paper-covered cookie sheet. Place the apple mix in the middle and then fold the dough up and around the mix, being sure to build a nice little wall all the way around so that the apple juices don’t run amok and create a mess in your oven. Shape is relatively unimportant; just make sure there’s equal coverage and apple distribution. Throw a few slices of butter on top in various spots, maybe brush the dough with an egg if you’re bothered about browning it nicely, then place the whole thing in the oven for 35-40 minutes or so. Look in on it at the half-hour mark to see if things are crisping and cooking as you like them. You want the apples soft and the crust crisp. If the crust or apples go black, you’ve overdone it. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and watch for the smiles. If you want to guarantee success, serve with one of our drinks recipes (see page 142).
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rolls-royce.com
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