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GOLF DREAMS: WRITINGS ON GOLF by John Updike.

No other writer brings the pain and the pleasure of golf to life as intensely and as exquisitely as John Updike. In this compilation of pub­lished essays and excerpts from his works of fiction, Updike portrays himself and his characters as morose, gloomy and immersed in a futile, maddening pastime (a topic addressed in “Is Life Too Short for Golf?”).

While it has an indisputably male perspective, Golf Dreams is worth reading for the beauty and originality of its language—Updike’s description of making a great shot in “Tips on a Trip” should be read aloud. Our favorite chapter is “Women’s Work,” a fascinating glimpse into a man’s thoughts on watching women compete, origi­nally published in the program for the 1984 U.S. Women’s Open. While other great writers of the 20th century didn’t bother to veil their misogyny, Updike writes of his awe of the players, whom he compares to Amazon warriors “doing authen­tic battle.” Read the rest of this entry »

Back in June 2006, Jane Seymour, the British-born actor best known Stateside as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, was invited to play in the Northern Rock All-Star Cup, a celebrity golf tournament at The Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales, that pits a European team against an American one. Seymour, who grew up in Wimbledon, a London suburb, had just become a U.S. citizen, so she agreed to play for her new country. She compares playing golf to being on stage—”It’s your moment,” she says—and while she had played in corporate outings and celebrity tournaments before, the Wales event promised to be her biggest golf stage yet. The previous year’s tournament, which featured Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones playing on opposing teams, had attracted thousands of spectators and international press cover­age. Seymour, a perfectionist, gives her all to everything she does, so in true fashion, she dedicated herself to improving her game before the August event. “I said to myself, ‘For the next two months, I will train for golf.” Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t always hit the fairway with my drives. But rather than muscle a 5- or 6-iron out of the rough, I prefer to use my highest-lofted wood (7-wood) and play a long punch-and-run shot, landing the ball short of the green and letting it run up.

There are several advantages to hitting a wood or hybrid from the rough. A wood is lighter, so you can generate more club- head speed—crucial to getting the ball out of the deep grass; it has a wider sole than an iron, which allows the club-head to glide through the grass more easily; and the shallow clubface and lower, deeper center of gravity make it easier to launch the ball into the air.

Try using a wood the next time you find yourself in moderate rough more than a 9-iron distance from the flag. Make sure the front of the green is open and try to land the ball about 20 yards short of the green, chasing it up toward the hole. Read the rest of this entry »

Though its coastal courses have grabbed the headlines in recent years, Oregon’s central region continues to stand tall as one of the top golf destinations in America. Any lover of the great outdoors would consider the area to be paradise found thanks to endless blue skies, clean crisp air and the rich diversity of both landscape and activities. Rugged lava flows, sage-scented high desert, spectacular snowy peaks and sparkling alpine lakes are the perfect elixir for invigorating the senses. They are also an idyllic setting for sonar of the country’s best and most playable golf courses. Read the rest of this entry »

Train like an elite athlete at the ANNIKA Academy at Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando. The Academy’s holistic approach allows you to hone your golf skills with individual instruction from Annika’s personal swing coach, Henri Reis, and boost your fitness and nutrition programs with the help of her personal trainer, Kai Fusser. Select packages even include mental- game preparation with Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. For the ultimate learning experience, attend a group clinic with Annika or play nine holes with the legend herself. Read the rest of this entry »