Hope springs eternal, especially in the hearts of golfers. Every spring we wake up from our winter sleep hoping for a spectacular new swing or a miraculous new putting stroke that will get us closer to par. As far as that goes, every single time we tee it up, we hope to shoot a lower score than last time – it’s one big reason we play.
As we put together this year’s Golf Guide, our hope was to help you increase your enjoyment of the game — regardless of your score. To that end, we added several golf features to our websites at westchestermagazine.com and hvmag.com. We also expanded our coverage of golf courses in the area with an update on the six public courses owned by Westchester County as well as features on four wonderful private clubs in the Hudson Valley. We also chose 18 never-written-about-here holes to make up our popular composite course, Secret Pleasures.
Looking for an untrampled but terrific destination for your next golf trip? Check out Wales, site of this year’s Ryder Cup competition on the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor. I played there as well as several other excellent courses on the southeast coast during a golf trip that even my wife enjoyed — and she doesn’t even play the game!
We didn’t overlook some useful how-to features, either. Michael Breed, head professional at Sunningdale Country Club, Met PGA Teacher of the Year, and host of the Golf Channel’s high-energy program, Golf Fix, gave us his insights into the all-important short game (pg. 12). Writer John Quartuccio and photographer John O’Donnell visited Yoga instructor Gwen Lawrence for some guidance on strengthening your golf muscles.
For a dose of real optimism, read “Golf For The Ageless”. We didn’t have to search very hard to find living proof that golf is truly a sport that can be played by people of all ages. From a ten-year-old boy with a swing like a well-oiled machine to a women north of retirement age shooting for her thirtieth championship trophy this year, you’re bound to find someone to give you hope.
Dave Donelson
Executive Editor
