Women's Golf Team Matches

April 2 0 1 2

PHILADELPHIA, NY, MASS

WOMEN’S GOLF REPORT
There really wasn’t much of a winter in the
Northeast but, in any event, the approach of the
team match season is a sure sign that spring has
arrived. In This Issue:
This month the Women’s Golf Association of
Philadelphia will conduct its Interclub Matches WGAP Preview/Rosters
for the 112th time while, a bit to the north, the ---
Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association will kick WMGA Team Matches
off its own Interclub Team Match schedule, ---
another series that dates back more than a century. Tseng Prevails
In an earlier era, before there really was such a ---
thing as women’s professional golf, some of the Founders Cup
finest players in the country would spend a good ---
chunk of their spring playing in team matches, Na Yeon Choi
women like Maureen Orcutt or Glenna Collett ---
Vare. Philly Am
That’s not necessarily the case today but that’s ---
almost beside the point. The team matches serve a Book Review
number of useful functions apart from allowing ---
the participants a chance to get the rust off their Book Exerpt
swings.
First and foremost, the matches are all-inclusive.
All are welcome, whether they carry a handicap
of five or 15 (or higher).
For some of the participants, the team matches are
the only serious form of competitive golf they
will partake in all season. Even if they are unable
or do not wish to take part in tournaments during founding members of the LPGA Tour, Marilynn
the bulk of the season, the team matches provide Smith, Shirley Spork, and Louise Suggs were on
them with a taste of competition. hand and we fortunate enough to visit with them
Secondly, the matches offer a connection to the all. These three women, along with the 10 others
game’s history. Today’s players walk the same who founded the Ladies Professional Golfers
fairways that the greats of other eras walked Association 62 years ago were and are possessed
before them. of not just athletic ability, but indomitable
In our view, the game is more enjoyable if the courage.
player has an appreciation of the history that goes It’s vitally important that their achievements, on
with it. and off the golf course, are never forgotten or
Which brings us to the subject of the Founders overlooked.
Cup.
We had the privilege of attending the RR Rick Woelfel
Donnelley Founders Cup in Phoenix. Three of the Editor/Publisher

PHILADELPHIA WOMENS GOLF REPORT April 2012
Page2

WGAP Preview Kerry Rutan was a fixture in the lineup at
By Rick Woelfel Philadelphia Country Club before moving to
Philadelphia Cricket, where she played on a
They began in 1897 when women’s golf was team that won back-to-back Philadelphia Cups.
more a recreational activity than a competitive “Everybody wants to win," she says. "There’s a
sport. More than 11 decades later the Women’s lot of passion. People give their all. It’s very
Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Interclub emotional because there’s so much history
Matches endure and the players who participate involved."
in them are as passionate as ever. Rutan points out that preparations for the
The competition will commence for the 112th matches begin well before the opening tee shot.
time on Tuesday, April 24th, and will continue “It goes on all year,” she says. “As soon as one
on Tuesdays and Fridays through May 8th. set of matches is over you’re thinking about the
Playoff and challenge matches are scheduled next one. You’re always thinking about how to
for May 15th and 17th. put together the strongest lineup.”
The first matches, which were played on May The format of the matches is simple. Seven
6, 1897, featured two teams each from four players represent each club and compete over
different clubs, Philadelphia Country Club, 18 holes of match play with one point at stake
Merion, Belmont (later Aronimink), and in each match. Matches are decided via extra
Philadelphia Cricket. Each club fielded a first holes if necessary
and a second team. A second set of matches Merion regained the Cup last year after
was played that fall. Philadelphia Cricket prevailed in 2009 and ’10.
This year, a total of 143 teams from 71 clubs Kim Simmons will serve as Merion’s captain in
are expected to compete, divided into 25 Cups, 2012. She started out on the club’s third team
or brackets of six teams each. and gradually worked her way up to the first
Merion will field five teams this season, while unit.
DuPont, Old York Road, Aronimink, Depth is an asset in the team format and
Philadelphia Cricket, Huntingdon Valley, Simmons notes that Merion has a number of
Wilmington, and Waynesborough will each quality players in its lineup.
have four. “We have a lot of depth,” she says. “We have
The participants come from throughout the strong players really, all across the board.”
Greater Philadelphia area. Some are serious It goes without saying that Merion has a
tournament participants. Others are primarily significant home-course advantage playing on
recreational golfers looking for a taste of its historic East Course, but Simmons notes the
competition beyond the realm of their own closeness of the players contributes to the
clubs. All share a connection to the history of team’s success as well.
the game, for the traditions surrounding “I think we get along well as a team,” she says.
women’s golf along the Eastern Seaboard run “We get together a lot, not just during team
deep. matches.”
Most of the attention will be focused on the top All told, Merion has won 65 of the 111 Cups
bracket, where six teams, defending champion that have been contested, including 23 of the
Merion, Sunnybrook, Philadelphia Cricket, last 31. The other five clubs in the Philadelphia
Huntingdon Valley, Gulph Mills, and Cup bracket have won just 30 among them.
Manufacturers will compete for the Merion captured a record eight consecutive
Philadelphia Cup, one of the oldest trophies for Philadelphia Cups from 1981-88 and seven
women in all of American sport. more from 2002-2008.
The intensity surrounding the matches has not Huntingdon Valley Country Club has won 18
diminished with the passage of time. Cups, the last in 1998.

Page 3

Gulph Mills Golf Club Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
Captain: Hattie Laveran Captain: Kathy Platt
Championships: (3) 1968-70 Championships: 0

Tentative Roster Handicap Index Tentative Roster Handicap Index
Alexandra Frazier 2.1 Tracy Albertelli 5.0
Ellen Miller 7.2 Pat Hughes-Gelardi 6.5
Hattie Laveran 8.9 Sue Klauder 9.8
Molly Connell 9.5 Kathy Platt 10.1
Dina Gibson 9.9 Nancy Hopkins 10.6
Missy Wietlisbach 11.6 Ann Gilmore 11.9
Cam Peake 11.8 Anne Marie Lewis 12.3
Tricia Delaney 12.5
Merion Golf Club Jeanne McKenney 12.5
Captain: Kim Simmons: Betsy Quinn 13.0
Championships: (65) 1898-1902; 1904, 1906-07;
1909-12; 1914, 1916, 1918-20; 1924-26; 1929, 1934, 1936, Philadelphia Cricket Club
1940, 1946, 1948, 1950-54; 1956-59; 1961, 1963-66; 1971, Captain: Kerry Rutan
1978, 1981-88; 1990, 1992, 1995-97, 1999-2000; 2002-08, Championships: (8) 1913, 1915, 1917,
2011. 1921-22, 1930, 2009-10

Tentative Roster Handicap Index Tentative Roster Handicap Index
Catherine Elliott +1.2 Kerry Rutan 0.3
Liz Haines 1.9 Melana Regan 3.3
Kim Simmons 3.2 Marji Goldman 3.9
Loraine Jones 3.8 Alison Shoemaker 5.1
Nancy Porter 3.9 Cynthia Clough 5.5
Katie Sibel 4.2 Jan Albert 5.9
Vinny West 6.9 Carol Cowhey 5.9
Lindsay Forgash 7.6 Becky Sanderson 6.5
Katrina Ogilby 8.2
Sunnybrook Golf Club
Huntingdon Valley Country Club Captain: Maisie Barlow
Captain: Hilary Mainka Championships: (1) 2001
Championships: (18) 1903, 1905, 1908, 1923, 1927-28;
1931-33; 1935, 1937, 1941, 1947, 1955, 1962, 1967, 1989, Tentative Roster Handicap Index
1998. Lisa McGill 1.5
Cathy Sibel 3.8
Tentative Roster Handicap Index Lynne Thomson 7.1
Tina Gregor 3.5 Kim Whetzel 8.0
Bonnie George 4.0 Lisa Moulton 8.2
Yvonne Kukora 4.4 Debbie Maine 8.8
Hilary Mainka 6.0 Courtney Robertson 9.7
Maureen Koerwer 6.3 Maisie Barlow 10.2
Tierney Sadowl 7.8 Meg Packer 10.3
Amy Holman 9.0 Dorrian McGill 10.4
Leslie Lewis 10.4 Nina Talbot 13.3
Sue Sayer 11.1

Page 4

Team Matches to Kick off WMGA Schedule
By Rick Woelfel
The team matches serve as a prelude to the
The Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association’s tournament schedule, which features more than
Interclub Team Matches series is one of two dozen championship events for a variety of
spring’s most enduring rituals. ages and ability levels.
The season’s annual kickoff gets underway on Early highlights include the Senior A
Tuesday, April 24th and continues each Tuesday championship at Spring Lake May 22nd and
and Thursday through May 8. Challenge 23rd and the Metropolitan Amateur on June 5th
matches are scheduled for May 15th and 17th. at Stanwich.
At press time, a total of 179 teams from 140 The WMGA Match Play Championship will be
clubs were scheduled to participate. played for the 109th time at Trump National-
The clubs compete within their respective Colt’s Neck, where Phoebe Timpson is
districts, with each district divided into a series scheduled to defend.
of brackets that customarily contain six teams The Stroke Play Championship will follow on
each. Each club hosts one date during the July 18th and 19th at Rockaway Hunting Club
course of the season, with the exception, by with Denise Martorana defending.
tradition of the club that won the series the The Met Women’s Open, a joint effort between
previous year (that tradition is a mandate in the WMGA and the Met Section PGA, is set
Series One). for August 8th and 9th at North Shore.
Each team fields a five-player lineup. The
matches are 18 holes at match play, with three
points at stake in each match.
The New Jersey District will have 12 series
this season, while Westchester/Connecticut
District will have 10, and Long Island eight.
At season’s end, the Series One champions
from each district will collide in the annual
Interdistrict Playoff, which this year is
scheduled for May 17th at Fresh Meadow.
Here is how the top series sets up in each
district, with the defending series champion
listed first.
Montclair is the defending Interdistrict Playoff
champion.

New Jersey Westchester/Connecticut Long Island
Montclair Woodway Meadow Brook
Spring Lake Sleepy Hollow Bellport
Rumson Wee Burn Huntington Crescent
Basking Ridge Winged Foot Piping Rock
Somerset Hills Greenwich Glen Oaks
Cherry Valley Round Hill Southward Ho

Page5

Tseng Prevails in the Desert “I’m just very proud of myself,” Tseng said said,
By Rick Woelfel “because after nine holes I was three shots back.
I just hung in there and do my best and tried not
Phoenix, AZ – The RR Donnelley LPGA to worry about other people.”
Founders Cup is a link that connects today’s Tseng got a chance to refocus when play was
players to their forebears of yesteryear. called for the second time with the final group
On this occasion, three of the top players in the approaching the 10th green. Miyazato held a
world put on a memorable three-shot lead at the time.
performance. “I think it was a good break for
In the end, Yani Tseng prevailed me,” Tseng said, “because I
over Na Yeon Choi and Ai finished nine holes, was one over
Miyazato with an effort that was a (for the day) and I had a birdie
blend of excellence and resolve, chance on Number 10 but then we
Tseng, the top-ranked player in the have a break. So I took a little bit
world, was the best player in the of time to come back here to relax
field all week, but it took a late a little bit and rethink, and restart
charge to collect her 14th LPGA the day.”
victory. She trailed by three shots The strategy worked; by the time
with nine holes to play, but birdied the players got to the 16th tee
five of the first six holes on the Tseng had a two-shot lead. Choi
back side at the Wildfire Golf Club and Miyazato both birdied 17 but
at the JW Marriot Desert Ridge to Yani Tseng couldn’t close the gap at the finish.
get under the wire one stroke ahead of Choi, the “It was really difficult,” Miyazato said. “The
second-ranked player in the world, and most difficult thing was no warmup for us (after
Miyazato, who at one time held the number-one each delay). You’re suspended and back to the
ranking herself. golf course and suspended and back to the golf
Tseng, who had at least a share of the lead after course again. So it was a little bit difficult for me
each of the first three rounds, completed 72 holes because all my tempo comes from the warmup.”
in 18-under par 270 while Choi and Miyazato “She’s amazing,” Choi said of Tseng. “She plays
shared second place at 281. so well. I mean, she never looks nervous or like
The matter wasn’t settled until the final green, she has pressure on her. I think she has a lot of
when Tseng lagged a 40-foot birdie try to inside confidence right now.”
two feet before eventually tapping in for par. The Founders Cup is the LPGA’s equivalent to
Choi followed with a 30-foot birdie try that came the PGA Tour’s Memorial. It honors the 13
up short while Miyazato’s 25-footer burned the women who founded the LPGA Tour in 1950.
right edge before stopping five feet past. Three of the four surviving Founders, Marilynn
Tseng’s closing 68 was a remarkable Smith, Louise Suggs, and Shirley Spork were in
performance, given the conditions. After two attendance all week although they had left the
days of perfect weather and a Saturday that was golf course by Sunday evening in deference to
overcast but comfortable, Sunday dawned windy the conditions.
and chilly with storms on the horizon. The Tseng made it clear their presence was
temperature never got out of the low 50s, the appreciated by today’s players.
wind blew throughout the day, and play was “We wouldn’t be here without the Founders,” she
halted three times because of weather issues. said. “ I just really thank them for giving me and
The leaders took 8 hours and 4 minutes to finish all the junior girls a big opportunity to come here
their round and darkness was closing in by the and play on the LPGA Tour. I really appreciate it
time they finished in front of a band of hardy and it’s my honor to be a part of this.”
souls that waited for them at the 18th green.


Page 6

Yani Tseng 65-70-67-68 270 -18
Na Yeon Choi 67-69-67-68 271 -17
Ai Miyazato 68-68-66-69 271 -17
So Yeon Ryu 68-71-68-68 275 -13
Hee Young Park 65-72-73-67 277 -11
Caroline Hedwall 70-71-67-70 278 -10
Jennifer Song 69-70-69-70 278 -10
Cristie Kerr 68-73-66-71 278 -10
Hee Kyung Seo 67-71-69-71 278 -10
Chella Choi 71-70-71-67 279 -9
Mindy Kim 68-71-70-70 279 -9
Stacy Lewis 68-70-70-71 279 -9
Karin Sjodin 69-68-71-71 279 -9
Haeji Kang 70-71-70-69 280 -8
Se Ri Pak 70-69-69-72 280 -8
Hee-Won Han 69-70-68-73 280 -8
Karrie Webb 68-69-70-73 280 -8
Jiyai Shin 66-71-75-69 281 -7
Jodi Ewart 70-71-69-71 281 -7
Paula Creamer 69-68-70-74 281 -7
I.K. Kim 70-66-69-76 281 -7
Anna Nordqvist 72-68-73-69 282 -6
Katie Futcher 68-71-72-71 282 -6
Julieta Granada 70-68-73-71 282 -6 451 3305 320 1805 355
Lizette Salas 74-69-68-71 282 -6
Jee Young Lee 74-70-70-69 283 -5
Na On Min 70-70-72-71 283 -5
Mika Miyazato 69-67-75-72 283 -5
Kristy McPherson 73-65-72-73 283 -5
Suzann Pettersen 69-71-67-76 283 -5
Inbee Park 68-69-69-77 283 -5


Page 7

A Moment in Time “We just don’t celebrate our Founders
By Rick Woelfel enough,” she says. “I was lucky. Karrie Webb
and I spoke quite a while ago and we said we
Phoenix, ARIZONA – The moment epitomized were lucky to be rookies in 1996 because some
what the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup the legends of our era were still playing, like
is all about; 38-year old LPGA veteran Sophie Patty Sheehan, Pat Bradley, and Joanne Carner.
Gustafson chatting with 82-year old Marilynn (Nancy Lopez) and I became very good
Smith, LPGA legend and Founder, during a friends.
wait on the eighth tee at as gallery members “So I think the Founders, the people who made
looked on. the LPGA Tour what it is, need to be
The exchange symbolically connected Smith recognized on a regular basis, not just once a
and the other women who founded the LPGA year.”
in 1950 with today’s generation of female Amanda Blumenherst is in her third year on
golfers who may or may not be aware of all the LPGA Tour. A magna cum laude graduate
Smith and her peers did to give the sport of Duke, where she double-majored in history
credibility. and English, Blumenherst says meeting the
Three of the four living Founders, Smith, Founders is akin to getting a lesson in her
Louise Suggs, and Shirley Spork, were on sport’s history.
hand in Phoenix (Marlene Hagge was unable “It’s amazing to hear their stories,” she says,
to attend). “and what they used to do to promote golf.
The trio spent time on the golf course, signed They would put turf down on the diamond at
autographs for fans, and occupied seats of baseball games and hit shots into the outfield
honor adjacent to the 18th green at Wildfire to draw a crowd at whatever tournament they
Golf Club. Legendary teaching professionals were at.
Peggy Kirk Bell and Barbara Romack were “It’s great to hear just what they’ve done for
also in attendance, along with LPGA Hall of golf, and how far it’s come for us and how
Famers Patty Sheehan and Pat Bradley. we’ve benefited from it.”
And if not everyone attending the tournament Blumenherst says she’s particularly impressed
fully comprehended all these women did to by the idea that the Founders worked to create
make the LPGA a viable entity, the players something that has withstood the test of time.
Women’s Golf Report spoke with certainly did. “For people to have that love for the game,”
Lori Kane didn’t turn professional until she she says, “and the foresight to think that
was 28 after a distinguished amateur career. someday it might really be a big deal. They
She believes it’s vital that today’s players had amazing foresight and dedication, and
understand the contributions their forebears passion. Not many people have that towards a
made. sport or toward anything.”
“Without them we wouldn’t be here,” she said.
“ I don’t think it’s any fault of the younger Look for more from the RR Donnelley LPGA
players for not knowing the Founders but it Founders Cup in the May issue of Women’s
requires us as a tour to maybe educate them Golf Report.
better. I look at other sports and they celebrate
their builders.”
Kane grew up in Canada appreciating hockey,
a sport that embraces its history as much as
any other and more than most. She’d like to
see the LPGA adopt the same mindset.


Page 8

A Thankful Na Yeon Choi “The first time I played with her I felt very
By Rick Woelfel weird and happy, and honored, all mixed up. I
was very nervous the first time I played with
Na Yeon Choi missed the inaugural edition of her (but) I could see how hard she worked. It
the RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup. But she motivated the younger players.”
made quite an impact at the second. Choi points out that if Pak had not been
Choi was playing in a tournament in Japan successful on the LPGA Tour, her failure
when the inaugural Cup was played last year, would have discouraged her countrywomen
but she tied for second this time around. She from attempting to fulfill their own golfing
tied for second with Ai Miyazato one stroke ambitions.
behind Yani Tseng. Choi missed a 30-foot Pak was successful of course, and is today an
birdie try at the final green that would have iconic figure in her homeland.
forced a sudden-death playoff. But Choi is aware that it all could have turned
Although she grew up in Korea, Choi out differently
appreciates the efforts of the women who “If she couldn’t make it we never would have
founded the LPGA 62 years ago. tried to play on the LPGA Tour,” Choi says.
“I’m very thankful to (the Founders),” she “But she did, and Grace Park and Mi Hyun
says. If they couldn’t make this work how Kim, they all did. That’s why we had dreams
would we play on the LPGA Tour? I think all when I was young.
LPGA Players should be very thankful to them “I’m playing on the LPGA Tour and some
and I’m honored to play this tournament.” younger player I hope is looking at me.”
Choi has made quite an impact on the LPGA
Tour herself. As a rookie in 2009 she won the
Samsung World Championship and finished
second in the Rookie-of-the-Year race,
The following year she won the money title
and the Vare Trophy for having the tour’s
lowest scoring average.
Last season she was a model of consistency,
winning once and finishing in the top 10 a total
of 12 times.
“I don’t feel much pressure,” she says. “I tried
my best every time out and tried to have fun. I
just tried to follow what (the Founders) did.”
While the 24-year old Choi is too young to
have seen any of the Founders compete, she
understands what it means to follow in the
footsteps of a legend.
Around the time Choi was first taking up golf
at age 11 Se Ri Pak was launching her own
Hall-of-Fame career and changing women’s
golf forever in the process. Choi revered her
then and now.
“When I was young I watched her all the time
on TV,” Choi says. “When I was 13 or 14 she
won all the time.

Na Yeon Choi


Page 9

Riverton to Host Philadelphia Women’s Amateur
By Rick Woelfel

Riverton Country Club will host the 112th edition of the Philadelphia Women’s Amateur
Championship. The Women’s Amateur is the showcase event of the Women’s Golf Association of
Philadelphia’s tournament schedule.
The championship will be held in its traditional mid-July window, from July 16th through the 20thth.
Lauren Bernard from Aronimink is the defending champion.
The Farnum Cup, the WGAP’s stroke-play championship, is set for Aronimink on August 28th and
29th. It will be the first Farnum Cup since 2010; last year’s championship was cancelled in the wake
of Hurricane Irene.
Other feature events on the schedule include the Dorothy Porter Tournament at Riverton on May 17th,
the Barlow Cup at Merion six days later, and Philadelphia Junior Girls Championship at Old York
Road July 24-27.
The WGAP will also host this year’s edition of the Griscom Cup matches; they’re scheduled for May
30-31 at Gulph Mills.

Quinn to Head GCSAA
Sandy G. Queen, CGCS, manager of golf operations for the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan., was elected president
of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association's annual meeting March 2 in Las
Vegas.
The annual meeting was held in conjunction with the GCSAA Education Conference (Feb. 27-March 2) and Golf Industry
Show (Feb. 29-March 1).
Queen has been the manager of golf operations for the city of Overland Park (Kan.) since 1984. Previously, he served as
superintendent for the city of Overland Park. A GCSAA member for 34 years, Queen is a member and past president of the
Heart of America GCSA, a member of the Kansas Turfgrass Association and The First Tee of Greater Kansas City. He also
oversees operations for the award-winning Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead and the Overland Park Soccer Complex,
regarded as one of the top facilities of its kind in the nation.
Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, director of golf course maintenance operations at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, was elected
vice president. Finlen will be the host of the 2012 U.S. Open in June. Keith A. Ihms, CGCS at Country Club of Little Rock
(Ark.) was elected secretary/treasurer.
Rafael Barajas, CGCS at Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, Calif., and William H. Maynard, CGCS at Milburn Golf
and Country Club in Overland Park, Kan., were elected as directors. Darren J. Davis, GCSAA Class A member at Olde Florida
Golf Club in Naples, Fla., was appointed to the GCSAA Board of Directors, filling the remaining year of Ihms' term, created
by his election to secretary/treasurer.
John J. O'Keefe, CGCS, director of golf course management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., and Peter J.
Grass, CGCS at Hilands Golf Club in Billings, Mont., remain on the board with one year remaining on their two-year director
terms.
Robert M. Randquist, CGCS at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., will serve on the board for one year as immediate
past president. James R. Fitzroy, CGCS, director/superintendent at Wollaston Recreational Facility/Presidents Golf Club in
North Quincy, Mass., retires from the board after serving the last year as immediate past president.

PGA professional Matt Esposito is available for lessons at Makefield Highlands Golf Club in
Yardley, PA as well as the Golf Galaxy facility in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. He has had a
distinguished career as a golf professional, most recently at Yardley Country Club. For further
information or to schedule a lesson, contact Matt at:
215-808-4898 or rmesposito22@gmail.com


Page 10

Book Review: Swinging for Success relate to. I help them work through their
Life Lessons I Learned on the Golf Course situations.”
By Kristin Sunderhaft Sunderhaft’s book (excerpts of which appear in
© 2012 Bexsi Publishing this issue of Women’s Golf Report) is divided
113 pgs. into 19 short chapters, which are perhaps best
read separately rather than absorbed at one
Kristin Sunderhaft has been a golf professional sitting.
for more than 20 years. But her book, They cover topics such as dealing with
Swinging for Success doesn’t provide a anxieties, having the courage to make a
formula for success on the golf course so much decision and then act on the decision, and the
as it offers a recipe for dealing with the downside of multitasking.
challenges of life. Sunderhaft touts strategies she has used to deal
“It’s not a golf instruction book,” she says. with challenges in her own life, which have
“It’s a collection of lessons I’ve learned on the included divorce, a near-fatal golf-cart
golf course.” accident, and a battle with depression. She
Sunderhaft has applied many of those lessons often utilizes golf-related analogies to make
in her own life. her case.
A member of the LPGA T&CP, she spent most “Golf really is so much like life,” she says.
of her childhood in Syracuse, New York before “We have our ups and downs but I’ve learned
settling in Columbus, Ohio. She attended to turn them then around and try to make them
Upper Arlington High School, the same school positives. Life and golf have a lot of
which produced Jack Nicklaus a few years similarities.”
ago; during her college years she spent her
summers working on the grounds crew at To order a copy of Swinging for Success, go to
Scioto CC, the course where Nicklaus grew up. http://swingingforsuccess.com
Sunderhaft started playing golf at age 8 but
like Nicklaus, who was an outstanding all- Sunderhaft can be reached at
around athlete growing up, she was drawn to kristin@healthysports.com
team sports, particularly softball. She played
college softball at Division III Wittenberg
University, because the school had no golf
team at the time.
After college Sunderhaft worked briefly as an
accountant before going into the golf industry.
While she played the mini-tours and the
Futures Tour for a time, the bulk of her career
has been spent on the lesson tee,
predominantly in Las Vegas, where she’s been
for a total of 14 years. She’s also taught on
Maui, as well as in Cleveland and Chicago.
Sunderhaft often finds herself filling the role of
counselor and advisor to her students as much
as that of golf instructor.
“Sometimes my students don’t hit a whole lot
of balls,” she says. “They want to talk about Kristin Sunderhaft
things that are happening to them, things I can


Page 10

chapter Two not going to get into the background, cure or source of
anxiety. However, recognizing anxiety and how it affects your
swing and overall game is paramount to improving your game
What to Say When You Talk to
and enjoying the course.
Yourself When we are anxious, our muscles tense up. Blood pressure
The average person has 30,000-50,000 thoughts per day. and pulse rates can increase and perspiration can jump. While
Certainly, some of these thoughts repeat themselves! Who many of these physiological symptoms could actually
hasn’t mulled something over again and again in their mind, improve our game, most do not. Golf is a game of smooth
not coming movements, relaxed states and accurately trained muscles.
to a conclusion, but weighing the pros and cons of a situation? The less anxiety we have, the better our
Our brains constantly gather, filter and file away everything muscles repeat the trained movements we practiced over and
we hear, see, taste, touch and experience. However, nothing over again on the practice facility.
compares to the Anxiety is often caused by the fear of an unknown outcome.
thoughts we create irrespective of the external stimuli Human beings have a need for certainty in their lives. Just as
presented to us every day. a very young child enjoys watching the same movie over and
Our thoughts guide us to make decisions, both minor and over again, as adults, we feel secure knowing the outcome of
major. When we “talk” to ourselves, we have the proverbial a given situation.
angel and devil on our shoulder telling us the advantages and
disadvantages of a given situation. Fortunately, we can Anxiety is born from a disconnect of our need for certainty.
actually control and guide these thoughts to our advantage. When we don’t know the outcome of a situation, it creates
While it often seems as though thoughts simply anxiety. “What will happen now?” we ask ourselves. To make
pop into our head, our intelligence is strong enough to seek matters worse, our imaginations often paint a bleaker picture
out and acquire the mental discipline to put empowering than necessary. Studies have shown that in over 97% of the
thoughts into our own brains. cases, a perceived negative outcome is worse than the actual
Our brains are the most powerful supercomputers in outcome itself. Our anxiety affects our physiology, our
existence. attitude and our lives.
Our ability to swing a club at a little white ball and pretty Monitoring your breathing will help to reduce your anxiety.
accurately determine the ball’s speed, arc, distance, along More importantly, removing or reducing the source of the
with the lay of the course, winds and dew point of the grass, anxiety, of course, is the best short and long-term solution.
all within a millisecond, demonstrates that the most powerful One method, or trick, I have used to reduce my anxiety is to
computing put the source of my anxiety into perspective. For example,
system in existence is the one between our ears. there were many times when I was so nervous before a golf
tournament, that I couldn't even eat anything until I was
After a ball goes into the rough, hazard, out of bounds or we already on the course and was actually playing. I worked
miss an easy putt, many golfers become frustrated and the myself up with so much anxiety it made me physically ill.
next shot or two declines even further. Who hasn’t seen a During my high school days at Upper Arlington in Columbus,
professional Ohio (UA Golden Bears, Jack Nicklaus’ alma matter) and my
skater fall during a routine and the rest of the routine is college days at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, I
subpar? What happened? was a very successful softball player; a team sport. As I
Strangely enough, with all the power we have in our brains, began my
our sense of time isn’t always linear. The little voice in our tournament golf experience, the anxiety was horrible and in
head is beating us up over the missed putt; long after the putt golf, it's not a team sport, you are the only one in control! The
is over. anxiety I would have with tournament golf was related to the
Punishing ourselves with negative thoughts or trying to final score that would be posted at the end of the round. I was
“redo” a putt in our brain long after the event is over is so focused on what my score was and what people would
common, but rather defeating. You can’t put toothpaste back think of me when they saw that score, it made me sick! As I
in a tube and there are no began to play more, I learned
“do over’s” in professional golf. how to truly focus on one shot at a time. If it was a bad one,
The same is true in the game of life, of course. When we take accept it and move on to the next, I can't do anything about
a course of action in business, relationships or associations, the past shot.
there is
never a second chance to make a first impression. Play out Over time I learned to take it as a learning experience and
exactly where you want a conversation to go before you start move forward. I began to enjoy each shot, and just deal with
one. Practice the current situation I put myself in, at the present moment.
your short game BEFORE your round. Once you are on the Now that
course, execute what you have practiced. Once the game has I focus so much on one shot at a time, my focus improves my
begun, your self-talk must be 100% focused on the present- score. More importantly, I don’t care what my score is at the
not the past. When end of the round or what people will think of me. This, of
you make a mistake, in golf or in life, acknowledge it and course, makes me more relaxed and the anxiety has all but
instantly move on to the next shot. Replaying the mistake in disappeared from my body.
your brain only trains your brain to repeat the mistake, not the Focusing on one shot at a time, has done more to help my golf
successful shot you practiced. game than almost any other tactic. Focus improves the only
thing I have control over…the shot I am making right now.
chapter Fourteen My relaxed
Anxiety: The Doubt Creator body vibration reinforces that focus and creates seemingly
I used to have huge anxiety. effortless, world-class drives and a very respectable short
There was a long period during my life where anxiety, game. The same is true in business and in life. It is impossible
depression and self-medication were the norm. In fact, I was to change the shot you just took. All you have is the present
so used to living with anxiety, I never appeared anxious. It moment, so focus on THAT, not the past. Your relaxed focus
was a normal state for me. This isn’t a medical report, so I am WILL make you more effective.

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