LPGA rookie Hannah Yun Hits ISPS Handa with High Hopes

Is it just me or does it seem like forever since we’ve watched the ladies tee it up on the LPGA?

Three months off the radar is much too long IMHO, so I'm excited that finally we'll see the ladies in action at the 2012 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, February 6-12.

It’s a formidable venue (remember it hosted the Presidents Cup in 2011) boasting a  world class field including  Rolex Player of the Year, Yani Tseng, 38-time champion, Karrie Webb, the unstoppable Susann Pettersen with 8 titles to her name, including 2 in 2011; and let’s not forget the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, Hee Kyung Seo.

And while all of those accomplished women will capture the attention of golf fans everywhere, my sights will be on a teenager entering her rookie year on the LPGA tour with a resume many seasoned players would envy -- 19 year old, Hannah Yun.

One of 140 talented women (many previous LPGA players) battling for the coveted top 20 at Q-school, Hannah, in her first attempt, tied for 15th place and earned her full 2012 LPGA card in the fall of 2011.

It was an amazing feat for someone so young, but Hannah isn’t unfamiliar with accomplishments and accolades.  At just 15 years of age, Hannah:

• Graduated high school with high honors
• Was her high school’s MVP after winning the Florida High School State Championship
• Received a full scholarship to the University of Florida in 2007.
• Was the youngest student in the history of the NCAA to compete in college events
• Was named the MVP of the Florida women’s team
• Was selected as an NCAA, SEC, and Golfweek first-team All-American
• Won IMG/Leadbetter Golf Academy MVP and Player of the Year

In 2009, at the age of 17 Hannah was the youngest golfer to ever play as a touring pro in the US.

When I heard about Hannah from Dave Andrews, author of the delightful novel, Pops and Sunshine, I knew I had to find out more about her.   Listen in and discover what makes this young phenom tick...

Quite the young lady don't you think?

No wonder Dave Andrews (who graciously sent me pictures of Hannah for this post) wrote this after her Q-school success, "I was thrilled for her and happy to have helped in a small way. Trust me, however, Hannah didn’t need my help. She is as good a player as most of the players currently on the LPGA tour. She is going to do very well in her rookie season on the tour, and at the young age of 19 has a brilliant career to look forward to. She is also one of the nicest, most humble and modest young women I have ever had the chance to meet."

Best of luck Hannah! I'll be cheering you on throughout 2012 and for many years to come.

Golfgal

A free Valentine's Gift for the golfer you love

I'm not a big fan of January.  The excitement of  Xmas is over and all we have to look forward to is snow, sleet and freezing rain.  Oh and did I mention darkness?  It's dark when I leave for work and dark when I come home at night.  And to top it off there are no more statuatory holidays until March.

No wonder bears hibernate at this time of year!

Oh and what about taxes?  For the self-employed like me, I enjoy visiting my tax accountant at this time of year about as much as having a root canal done. 

Sigh...

No discretionary spending for me for a while.  And it's usually shopping that gets me out of my winter funk.


So imagine my delight when I found out that I could get a $24.99 iPhone app I've been wanting to try for a while for free.  Yup, the folks at Mobitee are having a one-time promotion where you can get the app for free between January 26th - 31st at 9 pm.

Haven't heard about Mobitee?  Well, if you've been spending $60+ a year to update your SkyCaddie subscription, then you need to check them out.

Mobitee is a GPS golf app which contains over 25,000 golf courses, satellite aerial views of each hole, flyover videos, a range finder, shot tracking, score cards, and something I love...FREE updates! 

It works on the iPhone, iPod Touch (if you have Internet access) and Android and BlackBerry devices as well.

Check out this review done by Daily App Show. 



Pretty cool eh? 

I've just downloaded it for my iPhone and I can't wait to try it out on my home course in Vancouver.  Only problem is that it's too cold to play golf.  :-(

But I have a great idea.  Why don't you download it (make sure you download the premium version 2.8), try it out on your favorite courses and come back and tell me how it was.  Then I can live vicariously through you until the sun decides to honour us with his presence in this winterland.

And don't forget Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  Why not download it for the one you love at the same time?  It's never a bad thing to be early with a Valentines gift - beats the heck out of being late. ;)

Golfgal

Do your golf clubs suffer from S.A.D.?

It's January 21, 2012 -- almost two months since I lifted a golf club.  I remember the last time as if it was yesterday. 

18th hole, Ka'anapali Kai... 

My golfguy and I were reminiscing about the last 3 weeks when we played golf every day in paradise. We were moaning a bit that we were down to our last 2 or 3 shots for a very long time. 

It never occurred to us at the time that someone was listening, until I picked up my sand wedge, took an easy swing and proceeded to shank my new Prov V1 into the water.  Sandy was misbehaving.  No way was she going to let me par that last hole after hearing she was soon going to be denied active duty for many months.  At first I was angry, but then I understood...who could blame her? 

Imagine if we treated our kids like we treat our golf clubs. You try playing daily with Johnny for weeks on end and then lock him in his room for 2 or 3 months.  Family Services would be on your case faster than you can say PPSD (Post Paradise Stress Disorder). 

Golf clubs aren't just inanimate objects I've come to learn.  They need continuous tender loving care in order to do their job -- a job they do for us every chance they can, without complaint even in the foulest weather.

Clubs require regular exercise to stay fit for golf.  But instead of supporting their fitness regime, we dump them in the garage or basement when weather socks us in, just like I did upon our return from Maui.  We self-centered golfers are the reason that our clubs suffer S.A.D. (Seasonal Abandonment Disorder) every winter. 

Two months ago, my clubs went from swinging in seventh heaven to hunkering down in hell (which in our home is a cold dark shed) - all in a 24 hour period.  Talk about a shock!  No wonder they feel abandoned.

I did try and explain to them that as soon as it was 8 degrees C (46 F) I would come and take them out for a round. But that any lower temperature than that would be too cold for my hands to grip them.

Weeks went by and soon it was Xmas.  Imagine my surprise to find hand warmers in my stocking Xmas morning.  Where did they come from?   

It didn't take me long to find out.  It was all too clear who the secret Santas were when I discovered my stix waiting for me at the front door.

I confronted them as they stared out at the bleak cold day asking which of them was responsible for the toasty treats.  Not one of my sulky soldiers would look at me.  Finally Sandy peeked around her neighbor and then I knew. 

She was trying to make up for her blunder on my approach shot to 18 the month before.   I couldn't help but smile.  Unfortunately the warmers were not enough for me to take her out to play then or since.  Below freezing temperatures and snow do not a great round of golf make.

But now it's January 21, 2012.   My clubs continue to sit at the front door staring out towards the south to where the driving range awaits our return someday. 

The high today is 7 degrees C (45 F).  I'm feeling the full effects of P.P.S.D. and know that my clubs are as S.A.D. as S.A.D. can be.

1 degree is all it takes to turn our frowns upside down.  What's 1 degree?! 

The snow has been washed away, there are heaters in the driving range stalls and my handy warmers are in my bag. 

I think it's time for me to reward my loyal lasses for their patience these past 2 months.

It's time to take the plunge ladies.  Brrrr...ring it on and let the 2012 golf season begin!

Golfgal

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Don’t go to Maui unless you can risk the horrors of PPSD
Gordon Clark gclark@theprovince.com twitter.com/gordzillacity
The Province
16 Jan 2012
Ihave a warning for everyone. Do not, I repeat do not, go to Hawai‘i on vacation, particu‘ularly if you care about your mental health. I’ve just returned from a family vacation to Ka‘anapali on Maui and I’ve never been more miserable in my...read more...

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