Bobby Clampett introduced his new Impact Zone DVD at the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show.

Raised on the Monterey Peninsula, Clampett, now 53, attended the Robert Louis Stevenson School on 17-Mile Drive and then BYU, where he was a three-time All-American and a two-time NCAA Player of the Year. The low amateur in the 1978 U.S. Open and the 1979 Masters, Clampett attributed his success to Homer Kelley’s magnum opus The Golfing Machine.

Clampett played on the PGA Tour from 1980 to 1995, winning once, finishing in the Top-10 33 times, and amassing more than $1.8 million. Many people remember his 1982 “Swoon at Royal Troon,” where he had a seven-shot lead in The Open with 31 holes remaining but shot 78-77 to finish 10th.

During this time period, Clampett took many lessons to perfect his swing style but did not find the answer he sought. He left the Tour in 1996 and competitive golf for 15 years to become a full-time CBS golf analyst. During his time in the booth, he studied the players in their impact zones, returned to Homer Kelley’s text, and finally found the key to game improvement.

Clampett said, “The problem with golf instruction is that players take lessons but don’t show progress. All too often the emphasis is on changing the player’s swing style, with disappointing results. That’s what happened to me and led me off the Tour and into the broadcast booth. But that’s also what led me to the discovery of Impact-based teaching.”

Clampett’s new DVD, The Impact Zone Training System, is a guaranteed method for consistently making solid contact.

In 2007 Clampett published his best-selling book, The Impact Zone: Mastering Golf’s Moment of Truth, and followed it up in 2012 with his four-volume DVD The Impact Zone Training System. Clampett also became the first Tour player to be designated a PGA Certified Professional and is on track to achieve Master Certification (also a first) in instruction. And he has created his own Impact Zone instructor certification program with more than 100 teaching professionals employing his system.

Clampett currently enjoys an enviable triple play: He’s in his fourth year on the Champions Tour, having made more than $1 million by practicing what he preaches. He still returns to TV broadcasting occasionally, and he also spends time with students and professionals, espousing his Impact Zone fundamentals.

NEGM: What do you remember most about your youth on the Monterey Peninsula?
BC: I had a remarkable opportunity. I had Pebble Beach and Spyglass in my backyard, and I had the unwavering support and help of the school, golf instructors, friends, and family—especially my mother. All these elements were instrumental in my careers as they unfolded.

NEGM:What did you learn from your disappointing finish in the 1982 Open at Royal Troon?
BC: I learned that it’s part of the professional game, that a very fine line exists between winning and losing, and that everything in life happens for a reason. That moment in my life, however, has in no way prevented me from being blessed both in all my endeavors and with my wonderful wife Marianna and our family.

NEGM: What players did you particularly enjoy playing with on Tour?
BC: Johnny Miller for one. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were my mentors. Lee Trevino, also. I played, traveled, and lived within the world of superstars. Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman were good friends on Tour and now again on the Champions Tour.

Clampett demonstrated at the PGA Show why the Impact Zone is such a fundamental idea in the golf swing.

NEGM: What’s great about working for CBS Sports?
BC: The experience of being part of a team. Team play on Tour is a rarity, but Frank Chirkinian, the incomparable producer, instilled the team concept in me in the booth. And I love the team I work with.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome?
BC: I never got to play with Byron Nelson or Ben Hogan, and I have never played with Tiger Woods. I’ve played with just about everybody else.

NEGM: Are you involved in charity work?
BC: Charities are very important to me. After the death of my daughter, I founded the Sara E. Clampett Charitable Trust that supports a variety of important causes. I’m passionate about the First Tee, for what it does both for golf and for kids. I’m involved in organizations that prevent child abuse and sponsor Boys and Girls Clubs.

NEGM: What attracted you to Homer Kelley’s book, The Golfing Machine?
BC: It is a unique golf textbook. When I was in my teens, Quail Lodge GC pro Ben Doyle became the book’s first authorized instructor and imparted its knowledge to me. Considered by many to be the most complex golf book ever written, it describes the swing’s 24 components and their 15 variations. I came to embrace two crucial ideas: (1) Homer was ground breaking in his explication of the flat left wrist at impact. (2) Because Homer realized that there are almost an infinite number of swing styles, his focus was not on teaching a swing style but on teaching what matters the most, the impact zone itself and the laws of impact.

Clampett earned his pilot’s license in 1989 and frequently flies himself to tournaments.

NEGM: Are your book The Impact Zone (2007) and the DVD set The Impact Zone Training System (2012) sequels?
BC: No, not really sequels. Homer was a pioneer in the Impact-based movement, and I’ve tried to distill the essence of The Golfing Machine into a central premise that is easier to comprehend and utilize. I wanted to communicate one clear, concise idea. Understanding the impact zone is simple, and transferring that understanding to the swing itself is equally easy. My students—and you can see their testimonials in DVD #3—will say to me at the end of the lesson, “That’s it? That’s all I have to do?”

NEGM: What can you promise that a recreational golfer will learn from this technique?
BC: Recreational golfers believe that their games will improve if they find the right swing style. However, if they change their swing style but not their impact zone, then they’ve changed nothing. I promise a revelation, a completely new way of looking at things. I promise that, with Impact-based training, golfers will understand their own cause-and-effect relationships, and golf will no longer be an enigma and a mystery.

For more information, access Bobby Clampett’s website at www.impactzonegolf.com.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Bobby Clampett appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Alice Cooper at ease after the round. (All photos by Vicky MacKay)

Alice Cooper—the master of the macabre and the original shock rocker—exploited the innocence of the Love Generation and carved a musical niche that has prevailed for more than forty years. His brand of heavy metal and glam Rock ‘n’ Roll and his horror-filled showmanship took the nation by theatrical storm.

Cooper explained, “The late ’60’s and early ’70’s were a breeding ground for exciting new sounds because easy listening and folk were taking over the airwaves. I think it was a natural next step to take that blissful, easy-going sound and strangle the life out of it.”

You might not remember that Alice has sold more than 50 million records with 26 studio albums (six going platinum and two gold), 46 singles, 10 live albums, and 21 compilation albums, but you will never forget the black greasepaint around the eyes and sides of mouth, the fake blood, the boa constrictors, the guillotines, the beheaded baby dolls, and the electric chairs that turned his concerts into mind-blowing experiences.

Born Vincent Damon Furnier, he created the innocuous name Alice Cooper for his band as an ironic contrast to the on-stage devilment. Frank Zappa, legendary performer of Mothers of Invention, “discovered” the band and produced their first album in 1969.

From “Love It to Death,” “Killer,” “School’s Out,” “Billion Dollar Babies,” and “Muscle of Love,” the band was mega-successful by 1974, but then Furnier went solo, legally changed his name to Alice Cooper in 1975, and recorded his own breakout album, “Welcome to My Nightmare.” In 2011, the original band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, at 65, Alice continues to rock and roll, but his private life is without its early excesses. He founded the Hollywood Vampires, a drinking club that included such members as Mickey Dolenz (Monkees), Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Harry Nilsson, and Ringo Starr. The club’s main goal was to determine who would be the last man standing.

Alice is a six handicapper.

He voluntarily went into rehab and said he then replaced his addiction to alcohol with his addiction to golf. His recent book, “Alice Cooper, Golf Monster,” details all the significant events, including his relationship with Ely Callaway, for whom he made a number of commercials.

I tracked down Alice Cooper at the Humana Challenge in Palm Springs where he was playing in the pro-am with a six handicap. He was gracious, engaging, and articulate. Whatever happened to “No More Mr. Nice Guy”?

NEGM: From the days of the Hollywood Vampires, what will you always remember about Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and Jim Morrison?

AC: You mean besides the fact that they were all pretty good drinkers? Yeah, they were the real legends, the prototypes, the best of the best. Nobody played like Jimi, on and off the stage. He had an incredibly reckless attitude. John was the quintessential song writer and was always fun to be around with his biting wit and great insights. There’ll never be another Jim Morrison, a unique performer with an ingrained attitude of self-destruction. He could not separate his stage persona from his real life. What else will I remember? They all died way too young.

NEGM: Of what musical accomplishments are you most proud?

AC: Three in particular. The first time I heard my record [“Reflected,” 1969] played on the radio next to a Rolling Stones song. That was pretty special. I couldn’t believe it. I almost felt as if I never should have been there. But 25 or so albums later, I realized I did belong there. Two, the first time I had a #1 album [“School’s Out,” 1972]. Last, the first gold album [“Muscle of Love,” 1972].

NEGM: What are your impressions of golf in New England?

Alice made a putt for eagle on his final hole in the Humana Challenge.

AC: I love golf in New England, especially finding those rural, out-of-the way courses that are great in their own right and lots of fun to play. I also had fun at The International in Bolton, where we played it all the way back, around 8400 yards or something like that. I’ve never done anything so ridiculous like that since.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome of today? Of any time period?

AC: I’ve already played with them—John Daly, Lee Trevino, and Fuzzy Zoeller—and I would play with them again. Great golf and hysterical antics. Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis.

NEGM: How did Ely Callaway become an influence in your life?

AC: I met Ely at a party, and we hit it off immediately. He was discussing how to market Callaway clubs to the average Joe, and I said, “Well, why not let me do some humorous commercials.” Many commercials later the average Joe was buying Ely’s equipment, and the stock was going through the roof. That party was the beginning of our 25-year friendship. He was a remarkable visionary and took golf equipment to the next level.

NEGM: What inspired you to write “Alice Cooper, Golf Monster?”

AC: I wanted to write my autobiography anyway, and my life has been a marvelous combination of Rock ‘N’ Roll and golf. I connected those two passions. Basically, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi had invented me, so I was the Rock Zombie on stage and an addicted golfer off stage. My life story, about the golf monster, was easy to write.

Conducting the interview with Alice at the Humana Challenge.

NEGM: What will you always remember about your early years on stage as the original shock rock star?

AC: Mainly that there were no boundaries. The more absurd our behavior was on and off stage and the more trouble we got into, the more records we sold. But then again, people never expected an Image Band like ours to have the type of music we did—it was good and it was powerful—to back up our absurdities. I like to think that we were the band that drove the stake through the Love Generation!

The post Celebrity Golfer: Alice Cooper appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Cheryl Ladd

Charlie’s Angels not only enchanted boss Charles Townsend with their investigative efforts and beatific charms but also enchanted TV audiences from 1976-81. For Cheryl Ladd as Kris Munroe, the series catapulted her to international fame. Her career since then has ranged from TV to movies to singer to author to Broadway, attaining more than 150 roles.

A Huron, South Dakota native, Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor showed an early aptitude for singing, dancing, and acting. She took her passions to Los Angeles after high school, and in 1970 got her first break as the singing voice of Melody in the cartoon series “Josie and the Pussycats.”

In 1973 she married David Ladd, son of actor Alan Ladd, giving birth to daughter Jordan in 1975, but the marriage ended in 1980. Cheryl married writer/producer Brian Russell in 1981, and they just celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary earlier this year.

Her next big break, of course, was “Charlie’s Angels,” and the demand for her many talents has not ceased since.

The highlights have been many: her critically acclaimed performances in both the TV miniseries “The Grace Kelly Story” and on Broadway—realizing a professional dream—in “Annie Get Your Gun!”; her other TV shows such as “One West Waikiki,” “Two Guys and a Girl,” and “Las Vegas”; her guest appearances in series like “Chuck,” “NCIS,” “CSI: Miami,” and “Charmed”; and her big screen roles in “Dog of Flanders,” “Poison Ivy,” and “The Search for Santa Paws.”

In addition, she has written two best-selling books: for children, “The Adventures of Little Nettie Windship,” written with husband David; and for golfers, “Token Chick, a Woman’s Guide to Golfing with the Boys,” a droll perspective of her life in golf.

Of paramount importance to Cheryl Ladd since 1979 is her commitment to Childhelp, an international humanitarian charity that prevents and treats child abuse.

NEGM: What are your thoughts on “Charlie’s Angels”?
CL: What a unique experience it was! That first year I was working 14 hours a day and trying to raise a two-year old daughter so I really didn’t have a sense of its magnitude. Then it made me a household name. To know today that the series is still on the air somewhere and that millions around the world still love the show is pretty awesome.

NEGM: Was the “Vegas” series you starred in with James Caan and Josh Duhamel as much fun to film as it was to watch?
CL: Oh, yes, it was a hoot and a half! We had a wonderful time. Working with Josh and Jimmy was great fun, and both are avid golfers, too.

NEGM: What have been your favorite roles over the years?
CL: Interestingly enough, my two favorite roles—and I have been blessed with many excellent parts—were my portrayals of real life women: Grace Kelly and Annie Oakley.

NEGM: What is your latest project?
CL: “The Perfect Wave” filmed in South Africa starring Scott Eastwood. I play Scott’s mother, and the filming was a remarkable time for us all. It’s an inspirational story of a young man in search of the perfect wave and of himself. Should be out in May or June.

Childhelp Celebrity Invitational with John O’Hurley

NEGM: How did you become involved in Childhelp USA?
CL: When I first learned about child abuse, I was appalled. So, my husband at that time [David Ladd] and I developed a TV movie in 1978 for ABC called “When She Was Bad,” and I played the abusive mother. Then, during a guest appearance on the Dinah Shore Show, I said, “If there is any organization out there that is fighting child abuse, contact me because I want to help.” The founders of Childhelp, Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, got in touch, and I have been working with them ever since. They have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times, and they are my heroes.

NEGM: Tell us about the Childhelp Celebrity Golf Invitational that you co-sponsor with John O’Hurley.
CL: Our third annual fund raiser was held in February and was a great success because of the remarkable support of the Greater Palm Springs community, in addition to devoted Celebrity friends like Rocky Carroll, Patrick Warburton, Ron Masak, William Devane, Michael Pena, and so many other dear and devoted friends. We raised $152,000, and the money will go to Childhelp’s Merv Griffin Residential Village in Beaumont, CA, where Childhelp tirelessly provides healing treatment and tender loving care to the most at-risk youth in our society. In our three years, Childhelp has received more than $400,000 from our tournament.

NEGM: To what other philanthropic cause have you devoted your time?
CL: We support the Sports Outreach Institute in Africa, which came about by using soccer to spread the Gospel message and to help alleviate human suffering.

NEGM: How did you become interested in golf? Best handicap? Best part of your game?
CL: On a whim one day, David took me to play Rancho Park, just across the street from 20th Century Fox. We played nine holes. I was a dancer, so I kind of figured out a rhythm to the swing and really whacked a few shots. Those shots were like a drug, and I was hooked right away. The best Index I’ve had is 14. The best part of my game is my love for it!

Cheryl Ladd with comedian George Lopez at a celebrity golf event.

NEGM: Why did you write “Token Chick”? How was it received?
CL: Very few women celebrities had the confidence to play golf in pro-ams or charity events, but when I was invited, I didn’t care if I was bad. I played. Of course, I was the only woman, the token chick, but I always had a great time. Hey, I’ve played with Arnie, Jack, Chi Chi, Freddie, Johnny, Ben, and Peter [Jacobsen]! The book reveals my experiences in golf, and I believe it is the #1 women’s golf book.

NEGM: Favorite courses?
CL: Mauna Lani on the Big Island, Pebble Beach, Royal Dornoch, and St. Andrews.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome of today? Of any time period?
CL: Jack, Arnie, and Freddie. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in a match against Katharine Hepburn and me.

NEGM: What have you enjoyed most about your trips to New England?
CL: One of my most precious moments was a fall trip to Maine when I witnessed the Northern Lights. Truly amazing. I also enjoy the seasons changing in New England, something we don’t really have in LA.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Cheryl Ladd appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Bishop next entered the maelstrom created by the USGA’s proposed “anchoring” ban and emphatically said the PGA is opposed to it, again a very popular move, especially among recreational golfers nationwide.

Third, he presided over the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January and told his membership that he was in office both to perform their will and to improve their job security and working conditions. His popularity continued unabated.

The GM and Director of Golf at The Legends GC in Franklin, Indiana, since 1991, Bishop has previously been the PGA’s national spokesman for the Get Golf Ready new player development program and is devoting his presidency to growing the game.

Bishop is a graduate of Purdue with a degree in agronomy, a four-time qualifier for the Indiana Open, and the 1998 Indiana PGA Golf Professional of the Year. He lives with his wife Cindy in Franklin and has two married daughters, Ashely and Ambry, both working in the game, just like Dad.

NEGM: May I put in print that Tom Watson and Ted Bishop will return the Ryder Cup to this side of the pond?
TB: No! But you can put in print that Tom will put the U.S. team in a position to win it back. He brings a successful Ryder Cup perspective to the matches at Gleneagles in 2014. As a player, his record was 10-4-1. As a captain, Tom won in 1993 at The Belfry, our last victory on foreign soil. With four [of five] Open and three Senior Open championships in Scotland, Tom is revered there, and he’s got a tremendous understanding of the culture, the country, and its people.

NEGM: How much credence do you give to the saying, “Golf is too difficult, too time consuming, and too expensive”?
TB: I agree with it, and The PGA of America is trying to remove barriers from the game to make it more fun all the way around. With the Get Golf Ready initiative, our teaching professionals introduce newcomers to the game with five 90-minute lessons for only $99, and we provide the equipment, too. We are also promoting both nine-hole rounds to shorten the day and the Tee It Forward concept to lower scores, heighten the pleasure, and keep pace of play moving.

NEGM: Will golf in the 2016 Olympics have a major effect on the game?
TB: I think it’s going to have a greater impact worldwide than in the States, with many more countries getting exposure to the game. But just this exposure, of course, will have a positive effect on the game everywhere.

NEGM: What is most important about the PGA Merchandise Show?
TB: No question, the week is the gateway for the upcoming season. Year in and year out, this is where new technology is introduced and where people will come for the latest and greatest in golf equipment.
For the PGA professional, the educational programs we offer are extremely worthwhile, as is the exchange of ideas among the membership. The Show offers a full menu of activities and options that should interest everybody who’s in golf. The PGA of America also recognizes our 2012 national award winners for their contributions to the Association and to the game of golf.

NEGM: How can you insure that your 27,000 pros stay current with the changes in the game?
TB: Again, we offer several outstanding educational programs. For example, our innovative Golf 2.0 is a long-range strategic plan that addresses various ways to grow the game and generate revenue. Also, each PGA professional has access to up-to-date information on topics like equipment/technology, teaching techniques, marketing, and agronomy, to name a few.

NEGM: Why is the PGA of America opposing the USGA’s proposed “anchoring” ban?
TB: We polled our membership before Thanksgiving, 4,228 responded, and 63% did not support the ban. Our mission is to grow the game. Therefore, we are concerned with any legislation that would have a negative impact upon people’s enjoyment of golf and the overall growth of the game. If I lose just one member from my club as a result of this action, then I lose, too. We are asking the USGA and the R&A to seriously consider the negative impact that this ban will have on recreational golfers.

NEGM: Who are your two favorite touring professionals?
TB: Steve Stricker, a first-class guy who hit rock bottom, worked hard on his return, and restored himself among the game’s elite. Tom Watson, a great role model, always with a positive demeanor. I was so depressed when he lost the Open in 2009.

NEGM: What are your two favorite courses? And one favorite in New England?
TB: Augusta National and The Old Course. Okemo Valley in Ludlow, VT, the beautiful home course of my good friend Jim Remy [36th President of the PGA].

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome of today? Of any time period?
TB: Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, and Davis Love III. JFK, Ike, and Bill Clinton.

NEGM: What do you hope your legacy will be?
TB: History will have to judge my two years, but I’m off to a good start, I think. I hope we’ll be successful in the Ryder Cup, and I’m very proud of choosing Tom Watson as our captain. I would like to be viewed as someone not afraid to stand up to the tough issues, such as the anchoring ban, and not afraid to take a stance in line with how the The PGA of America membership felt. I would like these professionals to say, “You know what! There’s a guy who really cared about what my opinion was.” I’d feel good about that.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Ted Bishop appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

The GM and Director of Golf at The Legends GC in Franklin, Indiana, Bishop said in late November, “As our mission is to grow the game, on behalf of our 27,000 men and women PGA Professionals, we are asking [the USGA and the R&A] to seriously consider the impact this proposed ban may have on people’s enjoyment of the game and the overall growth of the game.”

Bishop used the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, as a platform to reiterate the organization’s stance.

In the January issue of the “PGA Magazine,” which was distributed at the Show and sent to the membership nationwide, he wrote in his “From the President” column: “Your PGA leaders decided to poll our membership on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. A total of 4,228 PGA Professionals responded to our survey with 63% being opposed to a ban on anchoring. The PGA issued a written statement to the USGA indicating the pulse of our membership. Going forward we will continue to reach out to our Board of Directors and the membership to determine what direction The PGA of America will take during this comment period.”

At the PGA Merchandise Show, Bishop also commented on The PGA of America’s close relationship with the PGA Tour and Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and their future plans to work together. Such a relationship might suggest an alliance to allow both Tour and recreational golfers to reject the USGA’s sanction. Bishop said, “Yes, the bifurcation [the separation into two parts] discussion is starting to heat up.”

President Bishop’s and his membership’s greatest apprehension is that the anchoring ban will chase people away from the game they are trying to grow with their Golf 2.0 and Get Golf Ready strategies. He said, “If I lose just one member from my club as a result of this action, then I lose, too. I lose not only the member but also the residual dollars he would spend on food, beverage, and merchandise at the course. That bothers me. I cannot afford to lose any revenue in today’s economy.”

The golf world will know the USGA’s final decision when the comment period ends on February 28.

The post PGA President Ted Bishop Responds to USGA’s Proposed Anchoring Ban at PGA Merchandise Show appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Brian Silva, Golf World’s 1999 “Architect of the Year,” agreed to the interview but told me, “I don’t think that I am a ‘celebrity’ golfer.”

OK, we’ll just celebrate, instead, both his original designs and course restorations – 125 and counting - that have provided countless hours of enjoyment to countless New Englanders (and others far beyond our realm) for 29 years. Raised in Framingham, MA, and a graduate of Framingham South HS, Silva learned about shaping golf courses from his father, who worked in their construction for prominent architects, among them Geoffrey Cornish, a giant among NE designers.

At Cornish’s suggestion, Silva first got a job during high school as a greenkeeper at Woodland CC in Newton, MA, and then went to UMass Amherst, where Cornish was a turf consultant, and earned three degrees – an Associate’s in Turf Management from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, a Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture, and a Master’s in Plant and Soil Sciences. After three years of teaching at Lake City Community College, FL, and a short stint as an agronomist for the USGA, Cornish, in 1983, suggested Silva join his firm as an architect, and much of the rest of that relationship has become NE golf history. From Cornish, who passed away in February at 97, Silva had a direct link to the “Golden Age” of American course design (1911-1937) and learned the thought processes of classic architects like C.B. Macdonald,

Alister Mackenzie, Seth Raynor, Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast to name a few. He learned that the game’s “unique allure,” as he calls it, comes from playing upon a “field with no rigid dimensions” and that these fields are characterized by “ample fairways, strategic and random bunkers nestled into their surroundings, and the spirited use of angles in design.” He learned that greens were situated so that second shots, pitches, and chips should be played more “on the ground” (instead of flying the ball to the pin) to allow the contour to run the ball toward the hole.

Thus, Silva’s education has made him the leader of the “retro design” movement, and he has been called the architect who takes his golfers “back to the future.” His courses, where each hole fits naturally into the landscape, demand shotmaking strategy from the tee and fairway and around the green. Some of his more critically acclaimed courses include Black Creek (TN), Black Rock (MA), Cape Cod National, Old Marsh (ME), Red Tail, (MA), Renaissance (MA), and Waverly Oaks (MA). His renovations and restorations of vintage designs include Augusta CC (Ross), Baltimore CC (Tillinghast), Brookside CC (Ross), CC of Charleston (Raynor), Old Elm (Ross), St. Louis CC (Macdonald), and Seminole (Ross).

Learn more about Brian Silva and his Brian Silva Design company on his website, www.bsilvadesign.com.

NEGM: Who have been the greatest influences in your life, especially from your formative years?
BS: It has been an embarrassment of riches in terms of influences on me that continue today. First, my mom and dad, then Norman Mucciarone, the superintendent at Woodland CC, Newton, MA, and on to Jerry Cheesman at Lake City Community College, and Jim Snow at the USGA Green Section. Of course, Mr. Cornish.

NEGM: How much golf do you get to play? Where?
BS: I don’t get to play much in summer but do play Black Rock in Hingham and some other places I have been fortunate enough to work at. In the winter I play frequently at Long Point and Oakmarsh at Amelia Island Plantation. I didn’t play enough to have a real handicap until four winters ago and took my first lesson this past spring. My current index is 10.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome?
BS: Three of the great folks I have worked with: George McGoldrick of Black Rock, Sho Tobari of Abiko in Japan, and Bill Sedgewick at St Louis CC.

NEGM: How important has UMass been to your career?
BS: All I ever wanted to do was go to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass. It has meant everything to me and my career. Being the recipient of the Bateman Honorary Scholar Award was more than I could ever imagine.

NEGM: What is Geoffrey Cornish’s legacy to New England golfers?
BS: More people in New England have been able to play the game because of one person – Mr. Cornish, the ultimate gentleman, devoid of ego in an egomaniacal business. He only wanted to do all he could to help the game, its players, and its course owners.

NEGM: What do you most admire about the classic designers?
BS: Those guys were able to build courses that kept the accomplished golfers mentally engaged while still allowing the average and less-than-average golfer to enjoy their rounds, too. Presenting alternatives in playing a hole and allowing the golfer to put the ball on the ground were their great hallmarks. And all elements were set into their sites so comfortably.

NEGM: Why do you enjoy renovating these classic courses?
BS: It is a great educational process. When I study the old plans and vintage photographs, I learn how the great ones routed and set up their courses.

NEGM: What are a few of your current projects?
BS: Renovations of the Dunes Course, Monterey Peninsula Club; Hampden CC, MA; Sunnehanna CC, PA,; Cold Spring CC, NY. Re-opening Abiko Golf Club, Japan, after its renovation and finishing the last nine of 36 greens at The Quechee Club, VT.

NEGM: What final words do you have for golfers of all abilities on how to play the courses you design and renovate?
BS: Stand on the tee and try to “read” the course – well designed courses allow you to do this. If you have some goal in mind as you stand on the tee – if you think one shot ahead, as Hogan said – you will make your road easier.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Brian Silva appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Despite the Solheim Cup loss, Stacy, after three years of steady improvement since turning pro in 2008, had a breakout year in 2011. She made her first win a major – the Kraft Nabisco Championship – coming from two strokes down on the back nine to defeat Yani Tseng, World’s #1. Stacy quickly moved into the LPGA’s elite and onto golf magazine covers. Her outstanding play also enticed sponsors, and she now has business relationships with Antigua, IQ Plus Golf Bars, KPMG, Marathon Petroleum, Mizuno, Power Balance, Pure Silk Shave Cream, Titleist/FootJoy, and Vedalo HD eyewear.

With 2011 as her watershed year on Tour, I asked her,“What is your goal for 2012?” She looked at me directly and said clearly, “I would like to become the topranked American player in the world.”

In winning her third tournament of the year on September 23, the Navistar LPGA Classic, to go along with the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic and the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Stacy, now 27, is currently the topranked American player in the world! Paula Creamer (13) and Cristie Kerr (14) are her closest American counterparts, followed by Angela Stanford (16), Brittany Lincicome (19), Lexi Thompson (22), and Brittany Lang (27).

Equally important, she is now ranked second in the Women’s World Golf Rankings behind Tseng. Most important, perhaps, with six events remaining on Tour, she is the points leader for the Rolex Player of the Year honor and should become the first American since Beth Daniel in 1994 to win it.

Stacy, who grew up outside of Houston and played at The Woodlands, was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11. She was strapped into a back brace for 18 hours a day for seven years, only taking it off when she played high school golf. In 2003 of her senior year, however, she underwent a very difficult back operation that inserted a rod and five metal screws into her spine. The surgery was a success, but she could not twist or bend for six months and was redshirted her freshman year at the University of Arkansas, from where she graduated in 2008 with a double major in finance and accounting.

When she could play golf for the Razorbacks, she was nothing short of sensational, winning 12 college tournaments, the 2007 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship, and numerous SEC and All- America accolades. In 2008, she was a member of the victorious U.S. Curtis Cup team and became the first player ever to compile a 5-0 record. For more information about Stacy, go to her website: www.StacysBack.com.

NEGM: How do you spend your “free” time while on Tour?
SL: I do not have a lot of free time, but when I do, I like to see the sights of the towns where we play or just relax. I do work out regularly and watch SEC football when I can.

NEGM: What institutions/charities do you support?
SL: I support two worth-while causes: the Scoliosis Research Society and Golf Fore Africa. In 2010 during the off-season, I traveled with [LPGA Hall of Famer] Betsy King to Rwanda to help African children orphaned by AIDS, and I met the little girl I had been sponsoring.

NEGM: What are your favorite stops on Tour?
SL: There are many that I like, but the Kraft in Palm Springs and the Arkansas event are two special ones.

NEGM: Has the 2012 season met your own expectations?
SL: Yes, the three victories have surpassed my expectations, but I still have a lot more to accomplish this year if I can.

NEGM: Where do you feel you need improvement? In your swing, short game, mental side?
SL: I need to continually improve managing my emotions down the stretch of tournaments.

NEGM: What are your goals for 2013?
SL: Truthfully, I have not gotten that far yet. I still have work to do this year. But I know I would like to get to the winner’s circle when I have that chance to win, especially in the majors.

NEGM: You must be anticipating your second Solheim Cup next year? Will the US be ready to win?
SL: Yes, I am excited for the Solheim in Colorado, and we have been looking forward to the event since Ireland. I hope we are ready.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome of today? Of any time period?
SL: My dream foursome would be my dad and my two college coaches, Shauna Estes-Taylor and Kelley Hester.

NEGM: What advice do you have for young girls who would like to become competitive golfers?
SL: Go to college, work hard, and have fun.

The rest will take care of itself.

Leigh MacKay is a freelance golf writer and a frequent contributor to New England Golf Monthly and Fairways of Life Magazine. Leigh is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the International Network of Golf.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Stacy Lewis appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

The Green Monster reverberated with this chant from the Fenway faithful from 1965-1977. It implored #6, Rico Petrocelli, one of the most popular players ever to don a pair of red socks, to deliver for them. And deliver he did. A member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame, two-time All-Star, flawless fielder at short and third, potent batter and valued team leader, Rico helped propel the Red Sox from the nadir of the American League in ’65/’66 to the “Impossible Dream” of 1967, to seven more winning seasons. Then to 1975 and one of the most exciting World Series ever.

Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe put that 1967 season into perspective in 2006 when he wrote of the Red Sox’s 21st century successes, “Everything the Red Sox are today, all the sellouts, stems from 1967. That team can never be honored enough. 1967 is the great dividing line in Red Sox history.”

Rico has written a superb chronicle that replays the historic magnitude of that season called “Tales from the Impossible Dream Red Sox.” He brings to life the diamond exploits of the “Cardiac Kids,” who won so many games in so many late innings and the “Cinderella Sox” who made the “Fall Ball” on the final day of the regular season.

Rico also relates the problems of the “country club” Sox in the early 60’s and traces the team’s fortunes up to his retirement in 1977, but mainly he brings to life all the players who made Fenway Park a special place in that special year. His final line poignantly reminds us all: “It wasn’t just a dream.” Rico, who currently lives in Nashua, NH and runs the Petrocelli Marketing Group, has become an avid golfer and belongs to Sky Meadow in Nashua.

NEGM: What was your reaction to the 100 year “Homecoming” at Fenway in April?
RP: In one word – terrific! A real thrill. I talked to my old teammates and those from other eras. There were 212 of us. I was really glad to have been a part of it.

NEGM: With which teammates do you remain in touch?
RP: Bill Lee, Jim Lonborg, Jim Rice, Bob Stanley, George omas, and Luis Tiant.

NEGM: What will you always remember about that magical 1967 season?
RP: (1) Yaz’s unbelievable Triple Crown year [.326, 44 HR, 121 RBI], (2) our 10-game win streak after the All-Star break that made us contenders and made us believe in ourselves and (3) when the Angels beat the Tigers to secure us the pennant. Absolute mayhem in the locker room…Tom Yawkey, a great man and owner, celebrated with us. He was so happy. Deservedly so.

NEGM: The equally impressive 1975 season?
RP: (1) The awesome rookie performances of Jim Rice and Fred Lynn, our excellent pitching staff, our clutch hitting, (2) sweeping Oakland in three for the pennant and (3) an incredible seven-game World Series.

NEGM: What are some other great memories from your career?
RP: (1) My first ML hit in my first game…a double off the wall, (2) my two homers in the 6th game of the ’67 World Series, (3) hitting 40 homers and batting .297 in ’69 and knocking in 103 RBI’s in ’70. and (4) playing in two All-Star games.

NEGM: Who were the toughest pitchers and the best players you faced?
RP: Pitchers: Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal - and that was in spring training! Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, and Luis Tiant with Cleveland. Best players: Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Brooks and Frank Robinson.

NEGM: Why did you write your book with Chaz Scoggins in 2007, “Tales from the Impossible Dream Red Sox”?
RP: It was the 40th anniversary of the Impossible Dream and the Sox were now World Series champs when Chaz asked me if I wanted to record what had really happened for posterity and for Red Sox fans. I thought it was a good idea and I’m glad we did it.

NEGM: Critique your golf game?
RP:I am very serious about my game and am always working on my swing and short game. I haven’t taken any formal lessons but with my handicap at 15, I know that to take my game to the next level, I’ll  have to. I’m a pretty consistent driver and can hit it off the tee around 250 yards.

NEGM: What are your favorite courses in New England and elsewhere?
RP: Ballymeade, International, Marlboro (where I had my first ace), New Seabury, Sky Meadow, Stowe, TPC at Sawgrass and Willowbend.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome today? Of any time period?
RP: I’d need fivesomes: Jack, Tiger, Tom and Bubba Watson…Hogan, Jones, Sarazen, Snead.

NEGM: Do you play in any celebrity events?
RP: About 12 a year. A lot of Jimmy Fund tournaments… Children’s Hospital hospice events. I get to see teammates and other Red Sox players which is fun for me.

NEGM: What is the “Links Fellowship”?
RP: It’s a very popular nationwide Christian Fellowship group. I started the local chapter four years ago at Green Meadow GC in Hudson, NH. We meet for lunch, have a scripture reading, end with a prayer, and then play golf. I enjoy the spirituality and fellowship very much.

NEGM: What goes on in your Petrocelli Marketing Group?
RP: We are a full-service marketing team. We cover any and every thing that needs promotion: advertising, branding, brochures, catalogs, consulting…much of my business comes from golf tournaments.

NEGM: Do you have any final words for today’s Red Sox fans?
RP: Yes, to be patient with this team. The organization is trying to rebuild while at the same time trying to win. The young players have to be brought up and played. The team has to rebuild through its farm teams, trades, and free agents. I think another Championship could be possible in the near future.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Rico Petrocelli appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

From a swivel seat mounted on a golf cart, Walters has created a unique trick-shot exhibition. With the help of his sidekick Bucky, a rescued terrier who can tee up the ball, assist in several shots, and bark out answers to numerical questions, the show is a favorite with young and old alike. Since Walters began this tour in 1977, he has made more than 3000 appearances in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and the UK. From a bag of tricks that contains about 35 “clubs,” Walters displays his remarkable repertoire. Whether he swings a fishing rod, a crutch, a hose, a shaft with three universal joints, or a three iron (a club with three heads), the result is always the same—perfectly striped. He’ll also stripe ’em off 18 and 36 inch tees, off a wristwatch and from beneath an egg that doesn’t crack. With a real driver, he’ll blast the ball 240 yards and predict the trajectory – straight, draw, or fade. Just as impressive is Walters’ deft touch in adding wit, wisdom and inspiration to his hour-long presentation.

He touches upon his anger and frustration after the accident, but he explains how his love for golf never wavered and how the months between the accident and his new career were spent in rehabilitating both his body and mind. “It was easy,” he said. “All it took was hard work, dedication, and perseverance.” “A dream is not just something you have at night,” Walters tells his audience. “A dream is having a positive thought in your head and in your heart. You have to do whatever it takes to make that dream come true. If you have a dream and it doesn’t work out, never stop dreaming. Get a new dream.” His autobiography, “In My Dream, I Walk with You,” describes the many steps in his life and, like his show, both entertains and instructs.

The resilience in his dream has earned universal recognition: the 1978 Ben Hogan Award, honorary lifetime membership in the PGA in 1992, the 1994 Graffis Award, the Mary Bea Porter Award, the Golf Digest Junior Achievement Award, and the 2008 PGA Distinguished Service Award. Walters also serves as a national spokesman for The First Tee.

NEGM: How did you become a trick-shot artist?

DW: After my accident, I was trying to cope with a hopeless situation. As rotten as I felt everywhere else, when I went to the course, I felt better. Hitting balls was great mental and physical therapy. As a kid, I had watched the great Paul Hahn in person. I first began to copy the type of trick shots he performed, and then I created many more of my own.

NEGM: How has the PGA of America helped your career?

DW: In 1977, I started to develop my show, and the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando was my first official one. I have been performing for the PGA ever since. They have been a big supporter of my career. Two awards that I appreciate tremendously from the PGA are the honorary lifetime membership and the Distinguished Service Award.

NEGM: What are your responsibilities for The First Tee?

DW: I am a national ambassador. At each show, I inform people about its good works. I visit about 35 chapters a year, too. I am pleased to help young people learn how to play golf and develop lifelong values.

NEGM: What have been some of your more enjoyable venues?

DW: St. Andrews and Augusta National. US Opens and PGA Championships where I have the chance to spend time with the world’s best players. Anchorage for The First Tee completed my 50th state visit. Actually, each venue is enjoyable!

NEGM: What are your remembrances of New England?

DW: I always have fun. I love seafood – especially lobster - the coast line, and the people. I visit TPC Boston every year in June for an area-wide youth clinic. I would be very happy to perform in NE more frequently.

NEGM: Can you play a round of golf from your cart? What do you score?

DW: Yes, and I do have fun getting out on the course. I played all 18 holes at St. Andrews, but now I usually don’t play more than nine holes and shoot around 40. The lowest score I’ve had for nine holes playing from my cart is 32, and I won $18!

NEGM: Who would be in your “dream” foursome of today? Of any time period?

DW: Palmer, Player, Nicklaus. A fivesome of Hogan, Jones, Nelson, Snead!

NEGM: How about Bucky’s dream foursome?

DW: Let me ask him. OK, Bucky said, “Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Benji.”

NEGM: Why did you write your autobiography?

DW: To detail the journey I have been on for 35 years and to show what is possible when others say it isn’t. People have written that I have made a difference in their lives, and those responses have been a great gift— that my last 35 years have, in fact, been worthwhile.

NEGM: What is your current “dream”?

DW: To inspire others, especially children and those with disabilities, to reach for their dreams, strive for excellence, and do something in their lives that they never thought they could do.

Access www.denniswalters.com for more information. Dennis Walters has copies of his autobiography to autograph at every show, and it can be purchased as e-book or hard copy from his website.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Dennis Walters appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.

Pelz attended Indiana University—majoring in physics—on a golf scholarship and played well, except when he lost to Jack Nicklaus 22 times. Although Pelz was a quality amateur, he realized that his short game fell, well, just short. So, Plan B in 1961 was to work for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in MD, where he became a senior scientist in the Explorer program. In his spare time, Pelz also used his research methods and physics to learn exactly how the mechanics of the putting stroke influence the roll of the ball.

In 1976, Pelz resigned from NASA to form his own company, Preceptor Golf, which marketed his first innovation, the Teacher Putter. He then invented “The True Roller,” which makes a perfect stroke, and was the basis for his exhaustive study of putting. In 1977, he started a three-year analysis of every shot in golf and concluded that 60% of a player’s score comes from within 100 yards, hence the short-game emphasis. This scrutiny of the game encouraged Pelz to begin teaching, to write articles for “Golf Magazine,” to publish books, to appear on the Golf Channel, and to produce videos. In 1982, he developed his first Short Game and Putting facility, and today he has his Scoring Game Schools located throughout the country and abroad.

Pelz’s methods paid off first for Andy North, who won the 1978 US Open. Other Major winners who sought his advice include Lee Janzen, Tom Kite, Vijay Singh, Payne Stewart, and Mike Weir. His most recent student has been Phil Mickelson, of course, who said to his mentor, “I couldn’t have won my Majors without you.” Pelz has written several best-selling books including his “10 Minutes a Day to Better Putting,” “Damage Control,” “Golf Without Fear,” “Putting Bible,” “Putt Like the Pros,” and “Short Game Bible.” Pelz holds 17 patents on golf equipment, but his most recognizable creations are the 2- Ball and 3-Ball putters that he has licensed to Callaway Golf for the Odyssey line. With more than 5,000,000 of these on greens around the world, they are the best selling golf club ever.

NEGM: What were your responsibilities with NASA?

DP: Basically, we were studying the earth’s atmosphere based on the sun’s radiation and behavior. Weather forecasting was in its infancy in the 1960’s, with an accuracy rate of 7-8%. Today, because of these and continuing studies, it’s around 70-80%.

NEGM: Did losing to Jack 22 times have an impact on your career?

DP: Yes, he helped convince me that Goddard needed me more than the Tour. Of course, I did not know how good Jack really was. I just knew I was not good enough.

NEGM: When you are not doing your research at the Pelz Golf Institute in Spicewood, TX, (near Austin) what else keeps you busy?

DP: I visit all seven of my schools. I get great pleasure from the teaching I do and from watching players improve their short games. I also spend a lot of time interviewing Tour players. Phil and I work together frequently, and currently we are preparing for the US Open.

NEGM: What is your next project?

DP: A book, planned for 2013, that will be on how to read greens. Too many golfers, Phil included, often don’t see what is really there and under read the breaks. I’ve been doing a lot of research and am excited about the prospects of what I am learning.

NEGM: Which one of your patents or innovations is your favorite?

DP: The two-ball and three-ball putters. Because the ball images on the club’s head are easy to align with the ball itself, golfers are almost automatically better putters. Aiming is the first major step in the putt’s success.

NEGM: How often do you get to play golf now? Do you belong to a club?

DP: Rarely in past years because I have been so busy. This year my goal has been to play once a week, and I have played about 16 times so far. My short game is OK, but my driving is too wayward. I belong to Summit Rock and Escondido, both near Austin.

NEGM: What are your favorite golf courses.?

DP: Augusta National, Pebble Beach, and Pine Valley.

NEGM: Who would be in your Dream Foursome today? Of any time period?

DP: Whenever my three sons—David, Eddie, and Mark—can play, that’s a dream for me and lots of fun. Walter Hagen, Ben Hogan, Gene Littler, and Jack Lemmon. Peter Jacobsen and I so wanted Jack to make the cut at the Crosby Pro-Am. He missed it 30 straight years.

NEGM: Which pros are the best putters?

DP: Aaron Baddeley, Luke Donald, Brad Faxon, and Brandt Snedeker.

NEGM: Is putting an innate ability?

DP: No, putting is not a God-given talent. It can be a learned skill. The most common flaw is that players tend to rotate their forearms and/or break their wrists through impact, preventing the clubhead from being square at impact. This flaw is why the Belly Putter and the Long Putter have become so popular. By locking the club against the body, the golfer’s stroke flows through impact without any breaking down. The ball rolls where it is aimed.

NEGM: Any regrets that you didn’t get a chance to play on Tour?

DP: No, not at all. Once I started to do my research, my niche in golf became evident to me. My calling is to teach the short game as effectively as I can. I want players to score better and enjoy the game more.

The post Celebrity Golfer: Dave Pelz appeared first on New England Golf Monthly.