Big Break PEI Finale: Gillespie Grabs the Gold!

Wow! $100,000 for 14 days work!

Hard work, mind you, and definitely work that required years of training and practice, but still...that's a lot of do re me! And in US $ too!

Congratulations Derek!!!!

It almost feels like a first place purse at a PGA Tournament - NOT! Need at least 1 more zero to come close to that. :)

But something tells me that Derek is going to hit the big leagues very soon. This is just a taste of what is to come. He's got game, he's got guts and now he's got the gold!

It seems like only yesterday that I talked to Derek before Big Break PEI even aired, for a "20 questions" interview for Inside Golf Magazine. Being the only Canadian, I thought it would be cool to let Canadian IG readers know about the only Canuck in the mix. Little did I know that he would go home the champion. I'll say it again...Well done Derek!

Last week after watching Blair play the first 9, I started to believe it was anyone's championship. And then after Blair's amazing birdie on the 10th hole, I think more than a few people were wondering if it was time for the underdog to win. But as Blair said...she played her best, but it wasn't quite good enough. Derek played better. Derek deserved to win.

But Blair never gave up - her putt on 12 showed that. As Stina said, Blair had nerves of steel after 3 putting the previous green. It was so great to see her battle to the very end. Her composure was amazing.

Before we get into the interviews this week, I want to share with you my three part series on Rodd Mill River, home of Big Break PEI. I had such a wonderful time playing there and after seeing the contestants play the 18 holes over two weeks, I felt like I had walked the fairways with them. I hope you enjoy them and give PEI and its 30 golf courses a try for yourselves. It is a golfer's playground...

Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - The Resort
Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - Mill River Golf Course - Front Nine
Golfgal's Excellent Big Break PEI Adventure - Mill River Golf Course - Back Nine

I started tonight with Michael Michaelides from Big Break X. He had some very interesting comments about playing it safe versus playing it smart when I asked him about Blair's remarks on 15...



Next up was Brian. He gave me some insights into that day and the players, but mostly he left me with a better understand of what it means to be a big breaker, what he learned from the experience, what he would do differently if given the chance again, and how much he cares for the people he came to know over the 2 weeks.

Brian may have appeared to be "The Villian", but he is actually a big softie with a big heart. I hope he does well in his chosen career as a pro golfer. His website BrianSkatellgolf.com should be live soon - be sure to check back for that.

Well, the man of the hour had a busy night being on a live chat session with the Golf Channel. They said it was supposed to be half an hour, but it's almost 2 hrs later and Derek's still there answering questions. That's impressive. But what really impressed me was that he still made time for our weekly interview. Money hasn't gone to this champ's head...

Wow, pretty cool about the Nationwide event and that sponsor exemption from Mr. 99 himself. Very very cool!

Caught up with Blair today - my what a busy woman she is! She may not have won the $100K, but something tells me Blair is about to find her own big break as a result of her strong performance on the show...

I hope Blair enjoys her week at the 5 star Rodd Crowbush Golf and Beach Resort. With all the events and travel she's been doing, I bet she'll need the rest and that's a great place to relax and enjoy 5 star pampering. I just finished up my article on that golf course/resort and will publish it later in July. The Links at Crowbush is a "must try" experience - it looks like it was plucked straight out of Ireland.

Well, it's time to say goodbye. I want to thank all the contestants who took the time to chat each week with me. What a great bunch of people! I can't wait to do it again for Big Break 12. I think it's time for another reunion don't you?

In closing, a big congratulations goes out again to Derek! And Brian shared in his interview, "The right person won."

Golfgal

Swinging at Sahalee - Home of the 2010 Senior Men’s US Open Golf Championship

In 1998, Sahalee Golf and Country Club was the host of 80th PGA Championship, where Vijay Singh won his first major championship. The players must have loved the course because it was scheduled to host that major again in 2010. Unfortunately the honor was snatched from Sahalee by the PGA when it sited corporate conflict with the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February 2010 as a potential risk for the tournament. The PGA moved the major to Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. How short sighted! Thank goodness, the USGA has more vision.

In 2010, Sahalee will host the 31st Senior Men’s US Open, July 26 – Aug 1, 2010, bringing an estimated $30M to the region. I recently attended the 2010 U.S. Senior Open Press Conference & Golf Outing at Sahalee where Tim Flaherty, Director of U.S. Senior Open & U.S. Amateur Championships, and the Sahalee Management outlined the plans for the event.

It was worth the 3 hour drive for two reasons:

1. I was able to get the inside scoop on the event and a very special offer being made by USGA that will make you sit up and take notice.


2. I had the pleasure of playing one of the best golf courses in all of Washington State.

What a great day I had! I can’t wait for next year’s major. More than 125,000 golf fans are expected to attend the U.S. Senior Open next year; I’ll be among them. I published a 2 part article to share with you and the Inside Golf Magazine readers my enthusiasm:

· Part 1: USGA Can see the forest for the trees - PGA NOT!
· Part 2: Swinging at Sahalee – Golfgal’s golf course review

And here’s the “never before offered deal” from the USGA: For those spectators who buy their tickets online or by phone (877-218-OPEN) before the end of June 2009, they will be guaranteed entry into the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

So…why is this a great deal? Well, because, the USGA sells US Open tickets by lottery and have sold out every year for the past 23 years. The chances of getting tickets to the 2015 major at Chambers Bay are slim if you go the lottery route, but by buying tickets to the Senior Open now, you are guaranteed advance opportunity to purchase Chambers Bay US Open tickets before the lottery is held.

I already have my tickets – only 1 week left for you to get in on this great deal.

Sahalee Golf Course is majestic. You almost feel like you’re in Mother Nature’s cathedral. It’s one of the quietest and most beautiful courses I’ve ever played. It is most definitely High Heavenly Ground.

I can’t wait to see my favorite Champions like Freddie Couples play it next year!

Golfgal

Big Break PEI Episode 10 - Bye Bye Brenda

Well, tonight we bid a fond, but sad farewell to a talented and very entertaining contestant on Big Break PEI -- Brenda "Sorry Mommy and Daddy" McLarnon.

I have enjoyed watching Brenda hit some clutch shots throughout the series to save herself from elmination and thought that tonight, right until the last hole when she was only down by 1, that she just might do it again. But such was not the case.

Brenda is the first one to admit that her game wasn't on par that sunny day on PEI and that nerves played a big part in her coming up short. But she is a real trooper and her disappointment watching tonight's episode didn't get in the way of her being gracious as always with me - one again, Brenda was the first one ready for our weekly interviews right after the show...






Thanks Brenda for making me laugh so much every week. I'll miss our chats, but I hope you'll join me next week for a closing interview about the final show and add some levity to what should be a very serious match of skills and wills.

I had a chance to catch Derek tonight as he landed in Calgary. He didn't get to watch the episode, but he remembered it well. He particularly remembered the 7th hole - the signature 417 par 4 that is not only beautiful...but deadly!





Speaking of the Rodd Mill River Golf Course, Part One of my article on the Big Break PEI venue was published on Inside Golf today. I did quite a long review of that resort and golf course (hmmm...maybe a tad too long ;)), so my editor has split it into three parts - the first today, the next part on Wed and the final part next Monday just before the final show. I'll be sure to share 3 links in next week's post so you can walk with me through the same holes the BB'ers travelled.

Here's a shot of the signature par 4 7th.

Next up, Michael Michaelides from Big Break X. Michael had some great commentary on the show and gave me some insights on how tee positions are set up for men and women in college (NCAA), the LPGA and the PGA. Some people think the men and women should be hitting from the same tee box when competing with each other. Listen to what Michael thinks of that...





Haha...thanks Michael! Well, you definitely sold me!

Road warrior Blair O'Neal joined me today to talk about the show, although in her busy travels she hasn't had a chance to see it. However, I had no doubt that friends and family were txting her like crazy over the episode and she probably got the whole picture from them.

Well, only 1 more episode and then we get to watch someone walk away with 100 grand in their pockets! Wow...that number looks bigger all the time, doesn't it? I can't wait to see how Blair and Derek manage their games next week after their amazing demonstations today. Will the pressure get to either of them as it did with Brenda today?

I think Brenda put it beautifully when she said tonight, "Giggle golf is over." Yup... I don't see anyone laughing next week, unless it's all the way to the bank!

Golfgal

Our Great Escape to Grayhawk Golf Club's Raptor Course

It was April Fools Day 2009 and Mother Nature was playing a cruel joke on me. I woke up, looked out the window and there it was – snow! Yes, snow… in April! Arg!!! At first I thought, “Okay, I’ll just go back to bed and maybe when I wake up, it will all be gone.” But then I got an even better idea. I turned to my husband and announced, “We’re going to the driest and warmest place I know on this planet. Pack your sunscreen, we’re heading to Arizona!”

I’m not usually quite that spontaneous, but I’d had enough of trying to play golf in conditions that required long underwear, ear muffs and duck boots. No more digging out plugged balls for me! I needed heat! So after some research (AKA, chatting with golf forum buddies), we chose 4 great courses to play – the most highly rated of those being Grayhawk.

Two weeks later, we arrived in Phoenix to a bit of a wind storm and cooler temperatures than I would have predicted, but I didn’t care. It was dry, the forecast was looking good and we were about to play at the home of the Frys.com Open - Grayhawk's Raptor.

A Tom Fazio design, The Raptor, is an immaculate golf course that is fair, but challenging, for players of all skill levels. The conditions of the fairways and greens were some of the best I’ve ever seen, and when you’re not looking down at your next shot, look up – the McDowell Mountains make a stunning backdrop.

We started the day with a delicious lunch on the spacious Quill Creek’s patio, with gorgeous views of the 18th hole. While waiting for our food, I took a quick peek at the rest of the clubhouse facilities. I started with the women’s lounge. It was better than most I’d seen so far in my travels, with lockers and a shower area. In fact, I was quite impressed when I first saw it, but laughed at loud when I got a gander of the massive men’s locker room on the Gary McCord video tour on Grayhawk’s website, complete with attendant. Next to the men’s lounge, the women’s looks like a closet. Haha! Oh well…you can’t have it all I guess.

After lunch, we headed over to the impressive practice area near the Talon course and were surprised to be greeted with very loud rock n’ roll blasting out of speakers camouflaged as rocks behind the tee boxes on the range. At first, I found this really annoying, but after a while, I got into the rhythm of it and found myself relaxing, swinging and humming to my favorite classic rock tunes.

The range itself was large and very well maintained, with an endless supply of practice balls at each tee. I loved the short game area, with its very large practice green and lots of room for pitching/chipping and sand practice. It was not a surprise to me to read that the Grayhawk Learning Center was rated the #2 golf school in the US by Golf Magazine.

Something I also noticed while warming up was the number of young men with headsets and microphones, driving around in golf carts, checking clipboards, chatting with starters and scurrying people off to their tees. I lost count, but there were a lot!

Lucky for us, one of them noticed we looked “ready” before our tee time and bumped us up, without us even asking. He then escorted us to the starter who provided all the tips, tools and trinkets one might need on course, like tees, towels and ball repair tools. The only thing missing – GPS on the carts. I really could have used some “tips” from the tees. They do give you a card which lays out all the holes with yardages, but I am not one to pull those out standing in the middle of the fairway before my next shot (I’d have to pull out my reading glasses and that would be such a pain). So, we used our range finder quite a bit on this course.

Anyway, on to the course and two holes I'll replay in my head for many years to come...

One of the most picturesque holes on the front 9 is the par 3 eighth (Aces & Eights). It’s not a long hole (131-17 yards, depending on your tee choice), but it’s not a guaranteed par by any means. There is a wash area in the front of the green, which is protected by some pretty tricky bunkers.

The green is almost bowl-like, and depending on the pin placement, it could have been an easy birdie putt….or not. Today, with our front left pin, it was an “or not”. ;)
The 15th hole is one of a few risk/reward holes on the course. Not only is it a short par 4, the green is downhill from the tee and a great drive can leave a short approach shot. But don’t get too cocky on this one. Wait until you get to the two tiered green and try putting that in two when you and the pin are on different levels.

Grayhawk Raptor is a gorgeous golf course. The conditions of the fairways and greens were some of the best I’ve ever seen, and when you’re not looking down at your next shot, look up – the McDowell Mountains make a stunning backdrop.

My husband and I were laughing at one point because even the tee boxes were pristine. But watch out for the deep and strategically placed bunkers on this course – they can gobble balls no matter what tee box you choose ;). The greens were beautifully groomed, rolled well and had lots of undulations to keep you guessing on your line. I never could quite figure out the breaks.

When we returned home, I turned on the Golf Channel and discovered Gary McCord doing a Playing Lessons from the Pros on Grayhawk’s Talon Course. I wish now I had stayed an extra day to play that course as well. It looked to be in as great shape as Raptor and I’ve heard that it plays a bit easier (always a good thing in my books). Oh well, I guess another Arizona golf escape (or 2 or 3...) is in my future.

Golfgal

*Photos of Grayhawk courtesy of Lonna Tucker.

Big Break PEI Episode 9: Gerina's Not just Anybody

At one point during tonight's show, Gerina was quoted as saying, "It's anybody's game." And she was right.

But unfortunately, Gerina wasn't anybody tonight.

Tonight's episode saw some typical Gerina shots - smoking drives we've come to expect from this long bomber. But then we witnessed the unexpected - a 147 yard shot into a greenside bunker that was instrumental in her heading into elimination with Derek. Where did that come from?

It was an emotional show from start to finish with good friends having to compete for immunity (and $1,000 cash). Did you notice? No one was smiling tonight, except maybe Blair, who appeared to be playing a different game than the rest of them. Her solid play made me think that maybe she was still feeling the confidence boost from that 40 foot putt she had against Aaron in last week's show. Whatever it was, I'd like to order two lbs of it please!

I had a chance to chat with Brenda tonight who found the show difficult to watch. Reliving that day was not a lot of fun for her, but Brenda is a real trooper and shared her thoughts about her competition with her good friend and how long it took to finally finish off that very difficult challenge (in more ways than one).

I also had a chance to talk with Michael Michealides, who was at Bethpage this week. He gave me some insights on Derek's tee shots and what was probably going wrong with them. It was also interesting to here about his trip to the US Open venue with some of his "kids".

They say that anything can happen in golf and certainly we saw that with the two arguably strongest players in the field heading into elimination. I caught up with Derek today to ask him about that whole day and how he was able to comeback after some pretty errant tee shots.

Here's a picture of hole #7 that Derek and I talked about - it's very cool - lots of different ways to play it - but all tricky!

Later this week, I will post a link to my article from Inside Golf Magazine about my recent trip to Rodd Mill River where I had the most amazing time playing the Big Break PEI course and enjoying the wonderful hospitality of the Rodd Mill River Resort team.

I was fortunate to catch up with Gerina this AM as she was driving to Ohio for the Duramed Championship. Great to hear her speak so positively about her future...



Gerina may have been eliminated this week from Big Break PEI, but she won't be easily forgotten. As the Golf Channel said in her bio, Gerina has a ton of talent and she will be somebody to watch for a very long time. I look forward to the day I can say, "Hey! I know that LPGA champion!" You go girl!

Just got off the phone with Blair, who's having a very hectic week: first at the Women's US Open qualifier with playing partner Michelle Wie (and some extra shhhh guests she wasn't expecting). Now she's in NY for the Men's US Open and then on to the Duramed Championship in Ohio.

Youth - Wow! They're like energizer bunnies!

It will certainly be an interesting episode next week as the "thorn between two roses" or is it the other way around :) battles for male supremacy. Blair won't roll over that's for sure, and something tells me that Brenda will want to avenge her friend's elimination this week. I can't wait!

Golfgal

Big Break PEI Episode 8: Aaron fights to the finish

But the question I have is, "Who was he fighting? - The other players or himself?"

Tonight while watching the Big Break PEI, I was really shocked to hear Aaron call himself a "coward" when his chip shot came up short in his playoff against Derek.

As an ex-Marine who is both physically and mentally strong, hearing him say that word really threw me. It's like that "S" word in golf - shhh...you never say it. And likewise, Marines don't call themselves the "C" word, right?

And let's not forget that at the 1992 U.S. Junior Amateur, Wright played against Tiger Woods. If that doesn't make you strong, I'm not sure what would!

I mentioned it to my husband and said,"How can someone who's been a Marine, lose his mental strength over a golf shot?" My husband had a very perceptive answer. He said, "Aaron didn't lose his mental strength; he just turned it against himself."

Hmmm...now that really made me think. How does one become mentally strong on the golf course and keep that strength focused on the target?

I decided to ask Gerina, who appears to have a lot of mental strength, grinding it out even when she was very sick with the cold/flu during the last half of the Big Break PEI filming...



I then had to ask Brenda if she was fed up hearing things like "Luck of the Irish" and "Oh, she extracted the rabbit from the hat on that one." When were people going to recognize that this woman can play golf? Okay okay...that first chunk and run was a bit lucky, but those putts weren't.



Tonight I also caught up with Derek in Ian Poulter Pink" pants to find out what he thought of his Brenda and Aaron matches. No cakewalk this week! I also wondered if he's enjoying being the "Charlie" to the 3 Angels he's left with going into next week. Well, he said in his bio that he loved Beer, Food and Women. I heard from Brenda that they wine and dine you at Rodd Mill River, so it looks like he got everything he wanted on this show ;)




Sorry I won't have any other interviews this week because I'm off to PEI first thing in the morning and will be playing the Rodd Miller River golf course on Wed. I am so excited to see and play the holes where all the challenges were played on the Big Break PEI.

Stay tuned for my posts on that experience and the other courses I'll be playing while I'm there (Dundarave Golf Course & Links at Crowbush Cove). I keep hearing that PEI's a golfer's paradise in the summer on PEI - I can't wait to experience it for myself.

Golfgal

Golf's Real Heroes are not on Tour

So often we put on pedestals people we've never met - people we only read about or see on TV - people who'd probably never even tip their hats if they passed us on the street.

Then we casually take for the granted the people who know us, love us anyway, teach us, and leave an indelible mark on our lives that we probably don't even know is there.

I am notoriously bad for this, so when I heard about a man who loved, mentored and touched the lives of his country, family and friends, and was honored by those who loved him in a very special way, I had to share it.

Theodore Adams was born in 1918, growing up in a large family of 14 children during the depression. He exemplified the characteristics of what Tom Brokaw coined The Greatest Generation.

He became a U.S. Marine in World War II, battle tested in the jungles of Guadalcanal and the black sands of Iwo Jima. Although he was proud to be a US Marine, he was never boastful; few people knew of his military service. However, his children were well aware their dad was a war hero because he never failed to sing Marine Corps Hymns while working in the backyard.

An ever faithful husband and father, he faced the pain of losing his first child at 6 months of age, and horrific accidents faced by his other children that would cause most parents to curse God. But not Ted...a man committed to his faith in GOD, he was "Semper Fi" (Latin for "Always Faithful").

A sports fanatic, Ted loved to watch and play sports, especially with his children. At 70 he was still in great shape and could keep up with the best of them.

He was a member of Pennsauken Country Club in NJ for over 35 years, shot 5 holes in one, and passed on his love of golf to his children and grandchildren.

Ted Adams died on May 20, 2009.

In honor of the man who touched so many lives, his grandson, Ray Carey, decided there needed to be a farewell to his "Pops" that would truly honor him. He decided that a 21 Golf Salute would be appropriate for a veteran who loved the game of golf.

So Ray gathered together 10 of his Pop's 11 children, 2 of his brothers, cousins and spouses and lined them up in 3 rows of 7 on the first tee of Pennsauken Country Club.

The 3 groups teed it up to drive 21 golf balls down the fairway in unison to say a sad goodbye to a man who was the epitome of Semper Fi. Hearing about it brought chills down my spine.

I wanted to talk to someone who had actually witnessed this remarkable tribute. So I called Quentin Griffith, III, PGA Golf Professional at Pennsauken Country Club. After speaking with Quentin, my chills turned into a big lump in my throat...

"After 29 years at Pennsauken Country Club, I thought I’d seen it all," said Griffith. "But this was a first for me. As luck would have it, the timing of the request couldn’t have been more perfect; there just happened to be an empty tee time available, so we decided to give it a whirl. Within 20 minutes of the initial request, we had 21 of Ted's family and friends on the first tee in groups of 7 hitting the 21 shot salute. It was perfectly scripted and amazing to watch - truly unique."

Ted Adams was a man who gave and rarely took - a man who loved God, loved life, loved his family, loved his country, loved his friends and loved golf.

His family said goodbye in a way they will always remember. I expect it would have embarrassed this humble man, but I bet it would also have brought tears to his eyes to know how much he was loved. I know it did mine.

Big Break PEI Episode 7: Eugene All Talked Out

So were you as surprised at the ending tonight as I was? I was sure from the sound of Gerina's voice during her interview that she was eliminated from Big Break PEI.

Not that Gerina was expected to lose by any means - even Stina said that Gerina and Derek were "the last two people you'd want to meet in elimination", but Gerina sounded "all choked up" on camera.

But after the show was over, I remembered her telling me last week how sick she got during the taping. So Gerina's voice was a result of a physical ailment, whereas Eugene was racked with a voice that drove him out of Big Break PEI. I think there are times when Eugene needs a muzzle, just to save himself.

I know that Eugene is loved by all the contestants and they were sorry to see him go. Even Brian said that if you didn't like Eugene, then there must be something wrong with you. I am sure Eugene is a great guy and I can see why everyone loves him, but if I was on Big Break PEI with Eugene and in an elimination challenge, I know his negative self-talk would have rubbed off badly on me. It would appear that Derek just got down to business and didn't let Eugene get to him, but something tells me that Gerina was feeling the residual effects of "You suck!" comments.

Anyway, let's hear what everyone else thought...

Brenda was driving from Chicago tonight and didn't get a chance to see the show, but she remembered the day well...

I was lucky to catch up with Brian and get his analysis of the show; remember Brian was eliminated last week from Big Break PEI, so this is the first time he was able to see what happened the day after his "E-day".

Michael Michaelides from Big Break X is off to Fort Worth for a long drive competition this week, but before he left, he shared his thoughts on the show and how he deals with negativity with the young golfers he coaches at Long Island University....

Hmmm, sounds like we could all use a little of Pia Nilsson's Vision 54's magic.

Well, Derek "The best player yet to win his PGA card" Gillespie sure had a target on his back last night after 3 straight immunities and a breakfast "roast" with the other contestants. Wonder how he liked his first "real day on the job" :)


.

Blair joined me today to talk about her head-to-head match with Gerina, her course management faux pas and the painful elimination of Eugene from Big Break PEI.




Caught up with Gerina after her workout this afternoon. I wish I had the discipline of these athletes. :) I really wanted to know what she was feeling that day, starting so strong, almost winning $2K and suddenly facing elimination...



Well, next week I'm off to PEI to play the Rodd Mill River course. Whoohoo! I can't wait! I'll be sure to take a ton of pictures and video so I can give you an inside look at the resort and the course in warmer weather ;)

Golfgal