Transportation Club hosts golf tournament

By Rochelle Rucker

The Transportation Club of Houston hosted its annual golf tournament Oct. 25 at Longwood Golf Club in Cypress, Texas. It was a really great event on a fantastic golf course. The format was the usual four-man scramble. That's me in black posing with my team, (left) and chipping onto the green, (right).

Longwood Golf Club was designed by former touring pro Keith Fergus and University of Houston golf coach Harry Yewens. This 27-hole course combines a picturesque setting with world-class golf.

The course has also been consistently rated among the top five daily fee courses in the Houston area. Longwood Golf Club has been given four stars in Golf Digest’s Places to Play and was recently voted in the Top 25 best daily fee courses in Texas by Gulf Coast Golfer.
Its fairways are carved out of dense forest, making each hole secluded, distinctive and memorable. The small, well-bunkered greens were crafted with low handicap players in mind, while four sets of tees and generous entrances to the greens provide players of all skill levels with and enjoyable golf challenge.

Longwood Golf Club is located at 13300 Longwood Trace Drive. Rates: $26-$59

(rates include golf cart rental). To book a tee time call 281-373-4100. Directions: Take U.S. 290 West (Austin), exit Telge Road, turn right on Telge Road, turn right on Longwood Trace Drive.

Average distances for different golf clubs

Some golfers hit the ball farther than others. While most of us enjoy hitting the ball a long way, the important thing is to understand how far you can hit the ball with each club in your bag. Use this chart to fill in your own distances.

Club	MEN - Yards	Women - Yards	Your Yardage
Driver	230 and up	180 and up
3-wood	210-230	170 - 185
4-wood	190-210	155-170
5-wood	170-190	140-155
7-wood	rarely used	130-145
2-iron	170-190	rarely used
3-iron	160-180	140-160
4-iron	150-170	130-150
5-iron	140-160	120-140
6-iron	130-150	110-130
7-iron	120-140	100-120
8-iron	110-130	90-110
9-iron	100-120	80-100
pitching wedge	90-110	70-90
sand wedge	up to 100	up to 80
60 degree wedge	up to 60	up to 40

Courses, products, and tips-Sharpstown Park Golf Course - Review

By Andrew L. McCray

There are so many golf courses just in the city of Houston. With that said, I have set out to do the legwork for you, and with the help of The Houston Parks and Recreation Department, we will be grading all the public courses for you.

First up is Sharpstown Park Golf Course, located at 6600 Harbor Town in the heart of southwest Houston, one mile west of U.S. Highway 59, just one block north of Bellaire Blvd. – 713-988-2099.

This golf course is rated one of Houston’s “Best Value Courses,” and I totally agree. They provide outstanding customer service and excellent facility conditions.

Sharpstown is an 18-hole, par 70 course with four sets of tee boxes, allowing moderate degree of difficulty for the novice and beginner, yet enough length (6660 from the back tees) to test the avid and skilled player.

This course is great for any level of play, with its wide fairways (1,3,4,6,8,12 & 17), challenging par 3’s and 4’s (4,7,8, & 14), tricky holes (9,10,13 & 18) and forgiving greens makes for a balance round of golf.

I really like this course because of its flexibility and its balance of playing levels. This is the perfect course for the first timer or seasoned player. It gives the first timer a big challenge with average hazards, and the higher-level player a good workout with a focus on accuracy.

Sharpstown's amenities include a driving cage for practice or warming up, two putting greens, chipping green, full service pro shop, café and beverage cart, and golf professionals who are available for lessons. Tee-times are available on weekdays, weekends and holidays.

Sharpstown Golf Course: 4 out 4 – For balance play and price

Golf Tips

By Doug Randall, head golf professional at Sharpstown Golf Course

BASIC SET-UP

A good golf swing can only be accomplished from a good set-up position. The basic set-up includes a sound grip, proper stance and good posture.

GRIP:

To accomplish a sound grip, set the grip of the club under the heel pad of your left hand, angling it from the middle section of your left index finger parallel to your lifeline. Add your right hand, wrapping the thumb pad over your left thumb with your right palm facing the target. The V’s formed by the thumbs and forefingers of both hands should point to your right shoulder.

STANCE:

A proper stance is one that places your feet parallel to your intended target line and approximately shoulder width apart, providing balance, stability, and full range of motion during the weight transfer from the right to left side.

POSTURE:

Good posture is produced by bending forward from the hips, and keeping your back relatively straight with your chin up. Flex your knees just enough to feel balanced and athletic in your legs. Your arms should hang directly under your shoulders, allowing them to move freely and uninhibited during the swing.

Doug Randall has been a member of the Professional Golfer’s Association of America and head golf professional at Sharpstown Golf Course since 1994. For lessons and/or information about Sharpstown Park Golf Course, please call 713-988-2099.

Types of golf grip – Tips on how to hold a golf club from Doug Randall

A good golf grip helps you achieve a good swing and gives you a better chance of hitting the ball towards your target. The perfect golf grip allows you to comfortably keep control of the club and helps you feel the connection of your hands and the club head.

There are three most common types of golf grip. Choose the one that gives you the best feeling of control and is most comfortable for you.

Ten-finger / Baseball Grip

On this type of golf grip, your right hand rests next to the side of the index finger of your left hand. All your fingers are holding the club. This grip is ideal for golfers with hands that are not that strong. The grip becomes firmer with the support of all your 10 fingers. This kind of grip also allows you to uncock your wrist easier in the swing to give your swing a little more force. This grip, however, also makes it harder to control the club head.

To do the baseball grip, hold the club with your left hand. Slide your right hand and make sure all your knuckles are lined up underneath your shaft. The forefinger, middle, ring and small finger are placed on the handle.

Interlock Grip

In this type of golf grip, the pinkie of your right hand is intertwined with the index finger of your left hand. The interlock grip keeps your hands connected during the swing. The fact that this grip requires less hand and less strength than the overlapping grip makes it ideal for women golfers and other golfers with small hands or short fingers.

For the interlocking grip, hold your club with your left hand - three of your knuckles should be visible and your left thumb should slightly be at the right of the center of the grip. Then place your right hand. The index finger, middle finger and ring finger should touch the end of the club handle and the pinkie of your right hand should interlock with the left index finger.

Overlap Grip

This grip is also called the Vardon grip since it is popularized by Harry Vardon. In this golf grip, the pinkie of your right hand rests on the top of the index finger of your left hand. The ring finger of your right hand also touches the index finger of your left. This kind of grip gives you the feeling that your hands are connected and are working together during the swing. This grip is mostly used by professional golfers. This grip type requires strong hands since you will be using fewer fingers to control your club.

Doing the overlap grip is almost the same as the interlock grip. The main difference is that, for the overlap grip the pinkie of your right hand should be under the index finger of your left hand.

Putting Grips

The putting grip is how you hold your club when putting. These are modified types of the ones you used on the tee box and the fairway. Putting grips are commonly an overlapping grip or a cross-handed grip.

· Overlapping grip is a modified Vardon grip. In this type, you putt with your left index finger lying on the groove between the pinkie and ring finger of your right hand.

· Cross-handed grip. Put your right hand near the butt end of your putter grip. Then you slide your left hand onto the grip until the heel rests against the side of your right hand index finger.

To check if you’re doing it right, check your club. The clubface should not create any angle with the shaft. The sole should lie flat on the ground and the palm of your right hand should be perpendicular to the ground. Some modifications can be made on the grip to fit your swing but try not to modify too much. To create a strong grip rotate your left hand more towards the top end of the club handle. Doing this with your right hand will create a weak grip.

The most important thing to remember in the golf grip is hold the club with enough force to control it, but not tight enough to give you blisters. If you grip your club too tight, you will likely get blisters at the part of your hand that touches the butt end of your club. It will also create tension in your hands and arms making you less flexible for the swing. Also remember that your palm and finger position should not change throughout the swing.

The short game secret weapon

As I approached the first hole (par 4) at Country Place Golf Club at a recent charity golf tournament, all I could think about was teeing off and advancing down the fairway so I could pull out my secret weapon—the F2 Wedge.

When I did, you should have seen the looks on the faces of my team. “What is that?” one of them exclaimed. “That sure is a weird looking wedge,” another chimed in. “You’re not going to get the ball on the green with that thing,” the other warned.

Well to everyone’s amazement, I did get the ball on the green and birdied the hole.

Consumers have seen tremendous innovation in golf over the last 20-30 years, making the game easier to play. Cast irons have been improved with heel and toe weighting. Traditional woods have increased in size and now incorporate lightweight metals. But where are the new technological advances of the wedge?

They can be found in the F2 Wedge. F2 Wedges are sold in four lofts— 52, 56, 58 and 60 degrees—and are different from standard models in that the hosel sits more toward the rear of the sole, placing the leading edge and a significant portion of the face in front of the hosel. This "Face Foward" design facilitates a flatter arc through the sand and the ability to loft the ball from the bunker.

Around the greens, I was amazed at how very easy it is to open the club face, slide it under the ball, and hit high, soft shots. Now, I have to admit, this club takes some getting used to. I put in many hours at the driving range hitting from the bunker and around the greens to get my shots just right.

Here are some features of the F2 Wedge:

• When entering the impact zone, the face comes through and makes contact with the ball before the hosel even enters the hitting area.
• On all shots, this literally makes it impossible to shank the ball.
• In deep rough, the F2 clubhead moves through the grass with less resistance and keeps the grass from grabbing the hosel, forcing shots offline.
• In sand, the F2's unique wide-open face design allows you more opportunity to flatten the club and hit a high, short sand shots.
• When pitching the ball, the F2 design helps you setup in the desired hands forward position which makes it harder to skull or hit your shots thin.
• When chipping, the face comes through the hitting area ahead of the hosel, allowing contact to happen sooner. This lets the natural loft of the club do the work for you.

All F2 Wedges conform to the United States Golf Association (USGA) and are played by PGA professionals. For more information visit www.f2golf.com

ISLAND ESCAPE: A weekend getaway to South Padre Island—the tropical tip of Texas

I must admit, when I left Houston recently for South Padre Island, I was in no mood for relaxation. Stress, anxiety and the day-to-day problems that life can bring had overwhelmed me.

But as soon as I drove over the Queen Isabella Causeway onto South Padre Island and feasted my eyes upon the blue-green water surrounding me, all remnants of the day disappeared from my memory.

What awaited me on the other side was a beautiful tropical island with miles and miles of unspoiled beaches lying in the sun beside the sparkling Gulf of Mexico.

Only an hour by air and four hours by car from Houston, South Padre Island is a place where sparkling beaches, warm water, friendly hospitality and relaxing activities come together.

The resort area of South Padre Island offers a spectacular array of accommodations suitable for every taste and budget. Whether you prefer the service of a world-class luxury hotel or the convenience of your own private condo, the island has a vast selection from which to choose.

After arriving on the island, I checked into the Casa de Siesta Bed & Breakfast Inn where lush landscaping and a splashing fountain greeted me in the interior courtyard, complete with a swimming pool and tropical flowering plants. After securing my room key from co-owner Lynn Speier, I entered my room (The Saltillo) and knew I was in paradise. The rooms at Casa de Siesta are designed and decorated using “vigas” and carved spiral posts with corbels. The ceilings are tongue and grooved Ponderosa Pine. All rooms boast saltillo floors and hand-painted tile from Mexico and Texas. Large stained-glass windows framed in carved stone bring in outside light just enough to fill the room with a cool radiance. All rooms come equipped with cable televisions, telephones and small refrigerators for your convenience and enjoyment.

The next day, I planned a trip to the 47^th Annual Beachcombers Fine Arts Show, Sea Turtle Inc., the Laguna Madre bay to watch the dolphins swim and to the beach to relax.

My first stop was the upscale continental breakfast at Casa de Siesta to start the day off right. The breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, pastries, juices, yogurts, breakfast tacos, egg casseroles, biscuits and gravy. Then I headed over to the Beachcombers Fine Arts Show where more than 100 artists from all over Texas—including Houston artist Deborah Harris—participated in the show. The Beachcomber started back in 1960 and was originally held on the beach in Isla Blanc Park. In 1992, it moved to the South Padre Island Convention Centre. It remains the largest and longest continuously running annual art show in South Texas.

Next, it was on to Sea Turtle Inc., a place where all species of sea turtles—endangered or threatened—can find a safe haven. Founded in 1977 by Ila Loetscher, better known as "The Turtle Lady of South Padre Island," Sea Turtle Inc. was formed to aid and assist in the protection of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, and to ultimately restore the ridley population to a level that will ensure its survival. On this day me and about 15 visitors listened to Marty the tour guide teach us about the different species, how to identify them, how they’ve become injured and what we could do to help protect them.

When noon approached, I could feel the sun getting hotter, so I made my way toward Sea Ranch Dolphin Watch Headquarters where I spent two hours touring the water off of South Padre in search of spinner and bottlenose dolphins. I learned more about dolphins—from the legends and history of their relationship with man to social dynamics, feeding habits and environment during an entertaining presentation by an on-board marine biologist. Three trips leave daily from the Sea Ranch Marina. Enjoy sunshine and salt air along with refreshments and an educational presentation on dolphins aboard the 60' cruise boat M/V Diver I.

As soon as the tour ended, I was famished, so I drove a short distance north on Padre Boulevard to the bay side of the island to a restaurant called Amberjack’s Bar and Grill. Amberjack’s features waterfront dining with a postcard view of the bay and bridge and television for sporting events. Try the Shrimp and Crab Enchiladas ($14.95). They are superb!

In South Padre Island, you really do get the best of both worlds. This 34-mile long stretch of white sand is bordered to the east by the Gulf of Mexico and to the west by the Laguna Madre bay.

By 6 p.m., I was ready to take in the natural beauty of the island’s beaches and experience the miles of pristine island terrain that draws thousands of visitors to the area each year, and that caught the attention of the Travel Channel which named the area one of America’s top beaches in 2006.

For four hours, I sat and watched the waves roll in, observed the wildlife that inhabit the area and watched the sun set.

When Sunday came, I did not want to leave this beautiful tropical paradise. While driving to Tom and Jerry’s Bar and Grill for lunch (try the coconut shrimp—they’re huge, plentiful and taste great!), I was thinking of when I could escape here again soon.

With year-round moderate temperatures, South Padre is the ideal vacation spot for everyone. Whether you are a family looking for a week-long getaway, a winter visitor looking for a warm spot during the cold months in the northern states, or a college student looking for the best spot to relax during Spring Break, South Padre Island is your choice.

As the saying goes, “Some say it’s paradise. Some say it’s God’s country. Most just call it “the island.”

PLANNING A TRIP

South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://www.sopadre.com Administrative Offices, 7355 Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, TX 78597, 1-800-OKPADRE or 956-761-3005

Getting There: By air, Continental Express, 800-523-3273, www.continental.com If traveling by air, vacationers can fly into Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (30 minutes) or Valley International Airport—Harlingen (50 minutes) By land—from Houston, 367 miles.

Casa de Siesta Bed & Breakfast: 4610 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX 78597, 956-761-5656, www.casadesiesta.com info@casadesiesta.com Owners—Ron and Lynn Speier. Seasonal rates—Low season (October, November, December, January)—$99; Mid season (February, April, May, September)—$125; High season (May, June, July, August, holidays and special events)—$150. Pets are welcome—$15 per day per pet

Sea Ranch Dolphin Watch Headquarters—The Original Dolphin Watch: One Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX 78597-6402, 956-761-4243, http://www.theoriginaldolphinwatch.com SCHEDULE AND RATES: $13 and $18 adult / $15 child. Rates vary depending on time of day you take the tour. Check the Web site for more information and to book a reservation. Ages: 0-2 years old are free, 3-12 Child, 12+ Adult. Group discounts available with parties of 5 or more of $15 not including the FIreworks Cruise which is always $25 adult and $20 child.

Sea Turtle Inc.: 6617 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX 78597, Daytime, 956-761-4511, After hours, 956-761-1720, www.seaturtleinc.com seaturtleinc@yahoo.com Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., educational presentations and daily feeding at 10 a.m., guided tours, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A tax deductible donation of $3/adult and $1/child is used to care for the sea turtles and to fund other sea turtle projects.

Amberjack’s Bar and Grill: 209 W. Amberjack, South Padre Island, TX 78597-6915, 956-761-6500, Category: American & Caribbean; Price: $3.95 - $21.95; Payment: Visa, MasterCard American Express; Specialties: Seafood, take out; Amenities: TV, Live Music; Hours of Operation: 7 days a week 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Company Information: Overlooking the Laguna Madre, this fine dining restaurant is known for their gulf shrimp, Texas sweet onion blossoms, Ceviche, and steaks. They are open daily for lunch and dinner.

Tom and Jerry’s Bar and Grill: Home of the indoor beach party, 3212 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX 78597, 956-761-8999

http://www.spadre.com/tomandjerrys.htm
A Rio Grande Valley Original! If you’re looking for a casual, fun, and friendly atmosphere then Tom and Jerry's is the place to go. If you're not into watching sports, the restaurant offers free NTN Trivia for those intelligent folks. Tom and Jerry's offers a family friendly atmosphere that makes it perfect for kids of all ages.