Summer 2011 - Clublink Corporation

Woodlands
Country Club
History,
SUMMER 2011
beauty,
challenge
Publications Mail Agreement #40713553
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66.
SUMMER 2011 Vo l u m e Tw o , I s s u e Tw o
Editor:
John Gordon
jgordon@clublink.ca
Art Director/Production Manager:
Marcia O’Hearn
Instruction Editor:
Tim O’Connor
Travel Editor:
Ian Cruickshank
Equipment Editor:
Scott Kramer
Writer at Large:
Jim Apfelbaum
Principal Photographer:
Peter A. Sellar
Contributing Writers:
Jim Apfelbaum, Sharon Aron Baron,
Steven Biggs, Matthew Black, Haley Borden,
Marianne Byerley, John Gordon, Scott Kramer,
Brent Long, Garry McKay, Matt McKay,
Brent McLaughlin, David McPherson,
Tim O’Connor, Dave Perkins, Patricia Uribe,
John Valk
Contributing Photographers:
Kevan Ashworth, Sharon Aron Baron,
Peter Di Bartolomeo, Haley Borden,
Peter A. Sellar, John Valk
Translation:
Language Marketplace, Janine Bouchard
Printing: RR Donnelley
ClubLink Life is published four times a year for ClubLink
Members. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part
without permission is prohibited. All related inquiries should be
directed to John Gordon, jgordon@clublink.ca or 905-841-5364.
ClubLink
15675 Dufferin Street
King City, Ontario L7B 1K5
1-800-661-1818 Fax 905-841-7033
www.clublink.ca
About ClubLink
ClubLink is engaged in golf club and resort operations under the
trade name, “ClubLink One Membership More Golf.” ClubLink
is Canada’s largest owner and operator of golf clubs with 50.5
18-hole equivalent championship and six 18-hole equivalent
academy courses at 42 locations, primarily in Ontario, Quebec and
Florida. ClubLink is also engaged in rail, tourism and port operations
based in Skagway, Alaska, which operates under the trade name
“White Pass & Yukon Route.” The railway stretches approximately
177 kilometres (110 miles) from Skagway, Alaska, through British
Columbia to Whitehorse, Yukon. In addition, ClubLink operates
three docks primarily for cruise ships.
Cover photo: Sharon Aron Baron
5. The Editor’s Page
31.
7. Guest Column: Sorry, Canadian Open.
Apologies, U.S. Open…THE Open is THE
best. By Dave Perkins.
9. Teed Up and Teed Off: Be a Rules
mythbuster, why all the sand in golf is not in
the bunkers, Golfweek likes Rocky Crest, and
a double whammy for The Abbey
13. Cover Story: The acquisition of
Woodlands Country Club means
there now are more than half a hundred
18-hole equivalent championship courses
in ClubLink. By Sharon Aron Baron.
19. The Oven: Only 50 or so “civilians” get
inside Nike Golf’s uber-exclusive R&D
facility in Fort Worth, Texas, each year.
Here’s how we did it. By John Gordon.
24. King Valley Golf Club: Now 20
years old, this superb collaboration between
Canadian architect Doug Carrick and PGA
Tour star Curtis Strange was one of the first
ClubLink Clubs. By Brent Long.
26. The National Golf In Schools Program:
ClubLink and Golf Canada deliver more
than lip service to growing the game.
By Marianne Byerley.
29. The Canadian PGA and ClubLink:
As the largest single employer of CPGA
members in Canada, ClubLink congratulates
the association on its centennial.
By Garry McKay.
31. Fashion: Hugo Boss. Bugatchi. Travis
Mathew. Nike Golf. Galvin Green. 4all by
joFit. IJP Design…Member Value Pricing…
Not shopping for the latest apparel in a
ClubLink golf shop? What a fashion
faux pas! By Patricia Uribe.
37. Sounds To Swing By: Music maven
David McPherson reviews the 13,386 tracks
on his iPod (seriously!) to give each golfing
generation its own playlist.
38. Fly Fishing: While “casting” means
something very different in golf than it does
in fly fishing, you will be amazed at the
parallels between the two pursuits.
By John Valk.
42. Gardening: ClubLink regional
gardener Cindy Rutledge shares some of her
secrets. By Steven Biggs.
45. Picnics: Recipes and advice from two of
the best chefs in the business on how to dine
al fresco in style this summer.
By Patricia Uribe.
48. Pilates For Golfers: Getting to the
“core” of better—and healthier— golf.
By Haley Borden.
51. Game Improvement: You have to learn
to learn to practise to play better.
Make sense? It does to us. Second in a series
by Tim O’Connor.
54. Equipment: Pay attention to your
grips! They’re where the rubber meets the
road…except they’re not all rubber any more
and by “road” we mean “hands,” but you get
our drift. By Scott Kramer.
57. Jason Helman: For the second year in
a row, a ClubLink instructor has received the
Canadian Teacher of the Year award.
By Tim O’Connor.
58. Turfology: The golf course is a living,
breathing thing, so show it some love.
By Matthew Black.
66. Fore Write! Jim Apfelbaum, our
esteemed writer at large, is a “glass half
full” kind of guy.
45.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3

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T h e E d i t o r ’ s P a g e
Bigger, better…
and that’s
It is obvious that ClubLink is nothing without Clubs
and Members, but we cannot overlook the invaluable
partnerships without which our Member and Signature
events would be impossible to maintain at such a high
standard. Our partners are beacons of their respective
industries: American Express, Bell, Callaway, Cleveland
Clinic, Coca-Cola, Direct Energy, Johnnie Walker,
Labatt, Lincoln, Ostaco, Roxul, ScotiaMcLeod,
TaylorMade adidas Golf, Titleist/FootJoy, UPS, WestJet,
and 407 ETR. But it is Nike Golf of which I speak today,
because I was fortunate enough to tag along on an ultraexclusive
trip to The Oven, their R&D facility in Fort
Worth, Texas. No, I didn’t see Tiger or Anthony Kim or
Michelle Wie, but I walked where they walked while
witnessing the unbelievable experience that is part of
the Nike Golf Men’s Member-Guest Championship.
You can share that experience on page 19.
Those are just teasers for what’s in this issue, the
biggest and best ClubLink Life so far, to carry on with
the theme I started this column with. From fashion to
fly fishing, gardening to game improvement, picnics to
Pilates…Just start turning the pages and enjoy!
John Gordon
Editor, ClubLink Life
ClubLink Life editor John Gordon is Director, Communications, for ClubLink.
As you saw on the cover of this issue, ClubLink keeps getting bigger and better. The
acquisition of Woodlands Country Club in April means the ClubLink family includes 50.5
18-hole equivalent championship courses and six 18-hole equivalent academy courses.
You can read all about our latest Club on page 13 and, fittingly, about one of our first—
King Valley—on page 24. I haven’t had a chance to play Woodlands but it sounds like a
solid addition to our Florida Region. On the other hand, I can look out at King Valley
(OK, so it’s a view of the maintenance facility) from my office window here at head office.
I have played it many times, dating back to when design consultant Curtis Strange was
there for the grand opening. That was 1990, before the ClubLink concept was conceived.
To think that more than 50 championship courses are available to our more than 22,000
Members…all since 1993. Very impressive, to say the least.
Witnessing the twice-daily cattle
drive through old Fort Worth was
just part of our visit to The Oven.
What’s the
connection
between Jackie
Gleason and
Woodlands CC?
See page 13.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 5

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La logistique est rapide.
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Nobody does this better than UPS.
Elle permet la livraison de vos marchandises au bon moment et au bon endroit.
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UPS est le fournisseur officiel de services de messagerie et de logistique de ClubLink.
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please visit UPS.com ® or call 1-800-Pick-UPS ® .
Pour tout savoir sur les produits et services d’UPS, visitez UPS.com MD
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America, Inc. All rights reserved.
© 2011 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. UPS, le logo UPS et la couleur brune sont des marques de commerce de United Parcel Service
of America, Inc. Tous droits réservés.

G u e s t c o l u m n
TheOpen
Championship
Not quite perfect, but still the best in golf
by Dave Perkins
few years back, when many of the touring professionals were
A shin-deep in the whins and wisp of the rough at glorious old
Carnoustie, Justin Leonard ended up close to the gallery ropes at
one point. No harm there; everybody did at some point that year.
This time, a knot of young Scots, most looking 10 or 12 years old,
stood attentively, shepherded by an adult, as Leonard assessed the
situation. Eventually, he organized the evacuation of his ball from
its nesting place. After he did, and had departed, one of the young
lads turned to the adult and said, somewhat resignedly, “Dad, he’s
pronating again.”
Imagine that. A 12-year-old kid who could pick up a swing flaw
and identify it with the right word. In North America, there aren’t
many 12-year-olds who could spell “pronate,” much less identify it.
Not unless they found an “app” for it.
Right when that kid piped up, a nearby listener decided once and
for all that, yes, the Open Championship—or, as it is sometimes
known on this side of the big water hazard, the British Open—is
pound for pound the world’s greatest golf championship. It was
reinforced the first time some yahoo visiting from the other side
of the Atlantic screamed “Get in the hole!” the instant a tee shot
was struck, only to have nearby fans turn and tell him, firmly but
politely, “We do not do that kind of thing over here.”
Yes, there’s a certain arrogance involved in calling the winner “the
champion golfer of the year” as he is handed the trophy. And yes,
the Royal and Ancient can go batty sometimes and mess up a golf
course, taking its lead from those master course-wreckers at the
United States Golf Association. (The last time the R&A visited
Royal St. George’s, scene of this year’s Open as well, they shaved
the wrong part of some fairways and caused centre-cut drives to
head for the hay. Oh, the unfairness of it all.) The Open also can
provide some ghastly weather and some nights there isn’t much on
TV over there. Yeah, yeah. Nothing’s perfect.
But where else is a golf tournament surrounded by fans of the game
who so intimately appreciate and understand it? Where else does
the Arboath Smokies man set up a tent and smoke his fish on site?
Who else has for decades featured the perfect (four-hole, one-hour)
playoff format? Where else does anyone hold a golf tournament at
the end of a two-lane road, yet every day get 40,000 spectators in
and out relatively efficiently and quickly without security people
waving guns at them?
After 15 Opens on the hoof, this voter leans toward this
championship as golf’s greatest. Others would point to the Masters
or U.S. Open and there’s a case to be made for the biennial Ryder
Cup, if only for the drama quotient. They are welcome to their
leanings and nothing ill will be said here about the legislated
gentility and chemically induced greenery of Augusta National or
the expense-account feel and the tricked-up courses at the U.S.
Open. This vote simply goes to the Open, particularly when it is
held in Scotland, the birthplace of the game.
As Eldrick Woods has said for years, he appreciates the Open fans
more than any other because they get it. They know the game’s
history, appreciate how difficult it is to play golf (let alone links
golf) properly, and respect the thinking man’s approach to the
game. They are not simply there to see backspin and scream, “You
da’ man!”
Some of them even show up to see who’s pronating.
Dave Perkins has covered sports for Toronto newspapers for 37 years,
the past couple of decades as columnist for the Toronto Star. He found
himself at 49 majors for the Star, plus several Ryder and Presidents
Cups and plenty of other PGA Tour events. When it comes to golf, he
has more enthusiasm than talent.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 7

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T e e d U p … a n d T e e d O f f
and
from the world of g lf
Rules of Golf
We’ve all heard those “urban legends,” invented stories that,
because of their apparent believability, become accepted
as fact. Golf has more than a few of those legends. Brent
McLaughlin, Golf Canada’s Director of Rules, Competitions
and Amateur Status, will dispel one of those myths in each
issue of ClubLink Life. If you want to be a Rules “mythbuster,”
get yourself a Rules of Golf book. You can also reference the
Rules of Golf online at www.usga.org (U.S.) or www.rcga.
org (Canada). Brent, a Merit of Distinction graduate of the
R&A’s Rules of Golf Referees School, also blogs on the Rules
at www.golfcanada.ca.
Myth #2: You can declare your ball lost.
This happens all the time. Statements such as “That’s lost” or “I’ll never find that one” are made
regularly through a round. Although those statements may end up becoming true, they don’t
carry any weight under the Rules. A player cannot simply declare his ball lost; there needs to be
action. If we look closely at the definition of “lost ball,” it will give us all the information needed
to bust this myth.
A ball is deemed lost if:
(a) It is not found or identified as his by the player within five minutes after the player’s side or his
or their caddies have begun search for it.
(b) The player has made a stroke at a provisional ball from the place where the original ball is
likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place.
(c) The player has put another ball into play under penalty
of stroke and distance or
(d) The player has put another ball into play because it is
known or virtually certain that the ball, which has not
been found, has been moved by an outside agency
or is in an obstruction, an abnormal ground condition
or a hazard.
So the next time you give up searching for that ball after
a minute and make the statement “It’s lost,” remember
it isn’t until one of the aforementioned actions happens.
Every golfer
needs a
handicap. Why?
1. It will act as a barometer of how your game is, and
is a great tool to track your improvement.
2. It will help you avoid embarrassing situations
when you get invited to play in a tournament.
No one wants to have a handicap “assigned” to
them, because you lose regardless—either the
assigned handicap is way too low and you finish
in last place, or the assigned handicap is too high
and you get labeled as a sandbagger. And no
self-respecting golfer wants that label.
3. It is required for entry into many events, including
provincial, state, and national competitions.
4. It legitimizes you as a golfer. What’s the first thing
someone asks you when you tell them you play
golf? They ask what your handicap is.
Matt McKay, Golf Canada’s Manager of Handicap
and Course Rating, wrote this for Golf Canada
magazine. It is reprinted with their permission.
Remember to post all your scores and have them
attested by someone with whom you played. If you
have questions about how to maintain an accurate
handicap, ask your Club’s director of operations.
As an important part of their benefits, ClubLink
Members are automatically members of their
respective provincial, state and national golf
associations. Ontario/Quebec Members should visit
www.rcga.org or www.rcganetwork.org for more
information. Florida Region Members should visit
www.gafgolf.org or www.usga.org.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 9

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T e e d U p … a n d T e e d O f f
and
from the world of g lf
Rocky Crest, Glen Abbey
honoured by Golfweek
Rocky Crest Golf Club was third in Golfweek’s inaugural ranking of the
best Canadian courses of the Modern era (post-1960) released in April.
Glen Abbey was ranked 25th in the country. To produce Golfweek’s Best
Courses lists, an expert team of 675 course raters annually identifies
the best layouts from two distinctly different eras: pre- and post-1960.
Highlands Links on Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island was No. 1 in the
Classic era (pre-1960).
Photo: Kevan Ashworth
“We are very pleased to see we have not one, but two ClubLink courses
represented in the top 30 ‘Modern’ courses in all of Canada,” said
Charles Lorimer, ClubLink Vice-President, Sales and Marketing. “If the list
was slightly longer, I have no doubt many more ClubLink courses would
have been included as well.”
Double whammy
for The Abbey
Canada’s most famous course, Glen Abbey, is in the spotlight yet again. In April, the Golf Association
of Ontario announced that Carrie Vaughan, a CPGA teaching professional at Glen Abbey, was the
inaugural recipient of the Ontario Recreational-Participation Coach of the Year (Female). The award
was presented on behalf of the GAO, the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, Golf
Canada, and the three Canadian PGA zones in Ontario.
“Carrie has been instrumental in the development of many young female golfers through her
dedication to the creation of a variety of ‘girls only’ programs,” said the press release announcing
the award. “Carrie’s passion lies in making golf fun for her students, and she has found success in
teaching good fundamentals.”
The GAO also announced that Glen Abbey would be one of the first Golf Development Centres in
the province. These centres, designed to provide a clear developmental pathway for junior golfers,
will provide structured coaching support to bridge the current gap between grassroots and highperformance
programs. The centres are established at existing golf facilities by the GAO with support
from Golf Canada and the Canadian PGA.
Carrie Vaughan was presented with her
Coach of the Year award by Jeremy Cross (left)
of the Coaching Association of Ontario and the
GAO’s Jon Roy. Photo courtesy of the GAO
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 1 1

Apply today and your first year’s on us.
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1. Points can only be redeemed for a statement credit towards a qualified travel purchase, minimum redemption required and other terms apply. 2. Point transfer ratios vary by participant and transfers can take up to 5 days. Other
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standing, charge $500 in purchases in first 3 months of Card membership. Conditions apply. ®*Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Canada Inc. ®: Used by Amex Bank of Canada under license from American Express

W o o d l a n d s C o u n t r y C l u b
History, beauty
and challenge
Woodlands has it all
by Sharon Aron Baron
ClubLink’s Florida Region has expanded
again with the acquisition of the 36-hole
Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac, just
20 minutes from Heron Bay Golf Club in
Coral Springs near Fort Lauderdale. Heron
Bay joined the ClubLink family in October
2010, shortly after the addition of six courses
in Sun City Center south of Tampa.
Photo: Sharon Aron Baron
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 1 3

W o o d l a n d s C o u n t r y C l u b
“ ClubLink Members are going
to love our two courses because
they are designed so well.”
“The acquisition of Woodlands Country Club further solidifies
southeast Florida for us,” said ClubLink President and CEO Rai
Sahi. “ClubLink Members now have convenient reciprocal play
opportunities in two major centres in South Florida.” Woodlands
will be a hybrid Club, offering Gold-level membership and premium
daily-fee access.
Woodlands is a full-service country club, featuring a striking and
recently renovated clubhouse overlooking two 18-hole golf courses
designed by Robert Von Hagge and Bruce Devlin, a practice facility,
swimming pool, and tennis courts.
Larry Torn, president of the Club, has been a Member for 16 years and
plays golf four times a week. “We’re very excited about Woodlands being
affiliated with ClubLink because of its great reputation,” said Torn.
Torn says the Woodlands courses provide an excellent challenge for
any type of player. “ClubLink Members are going to love our two
courses because they are designed so well. Not only are the courses
different, but every hole varies from one another.” But, he says, playing
golf is just part of the equation that makes Woodlands so enjoyable.
“The food, staff and friendliness are what make this Club unique and
you can’t beat the beauty of the golf course and clubhouse.”
Richard Gelman has been living full-time in the Woodlands
community since 1999. Although he has played many courses,
he says the Woodlands experience remains one of his favourites.
The location is ideal, he says, one which will appeal to ClubLink
Members from the Ontario/Quebec Region. “We are so centrally
located. We’re close to Boca [Raton], Aventura, and the beaches. We
are within 20 minutes of everything.”
Woodlands is no stranger to its neighbours to the north. A Canadian
flag is always displayed in front of the country club along with the
American flag. Many Canadians live here or visit the Woodlands every
winter. “Some of our [Woodlands] Members from Canada are already
Members of ClubLink and some were so excited about the ClubLink
purchase that they immediately bought homes here,” said Gelman.
Woodlands Country Club was created in 1968 when developer
Ken Behring wanted to build a golf community resembling Palm
Springs, Calif. He purchased more than 5,000 acres and built homes
surrounded by fairways, beautiful wooded areas, and winding streams.
Photo: Sharon Aron Baron
The golf course was carved out of 640 acres of verdant, virgin
woodlands. Legendary entertainer Jackie Gleason wanted a PGA
Tour event that would bear his name, one to outdo those headlined
by his friends and Hollywood rivals Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
Behring and Gleason entered into a contract under which a “Jackie
Gleason” championship course would be built for that purpose. But
Gleason’s demands became excessive and the deal was called off.
Von Hagge, a second-generation course architect whose father had
apprenticed under Donald Ross, and Devlin, an Australian touring
pro who would go on to design more than 140 courses worldwide,
laid out the two courses.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 1 5

Photo: Pete Di Bartolomeo
W o o d l a n d s C o u n t r y C l u b
One membership…
Way more golf …
with TravelLink!
Our innovative TravelLink program provides
all Members with three options to enjoy
every course in the ClubLink family whether
your Home Club is in our Ontario/Quebec
Region or the Florida Region.
The basic option provides all Members
with inter-regional access to all
clubhouses and courses at preferred
pricing on guest fees. TravelLink Plus
provides additional privileges at an
additional fee and TravelLink 2nd Home
Club offers Members the opportunity to
elect a second Home Club in another
Region.
For more information, visit www.clublink.ca
or call a membership consultant at
1-800-661-1818.
TravelLink: Connecting
ClubLink’s Regions!
From its inception, the roster at Woodlands Country Club read like a “who’s who” of the rich and
famous from the northeast United States. Notable members included Leonard Pines, owner of
Hebrew National Hotdogs; Herbert Gallen, owner of fashion house Ellen Tracy (until it was sold
to Liz Claiborne in 2002), and American comic-book artist Will Eisner. Most of the homes in the
Woodlands were winter homes for the elite until retirement, when they became their permanent
residences. On Saturday evenings, dinner dances were held where women dressed in their finest
gowns. There was so much expensive jewelry on display at those evenings that the Club hired
off-duty policemen to guard the premises.
ClubLink Members will enjoy the clubhouse complex which provides recreation for the entire
family, including tournament tennis on four clay courts and a swimming pool. The clubhouse is a
contemporary tri-level design overlooking a two-acre lake with outdoor patios and lounge decks.
The formal dining room is perfect for dances and other events. The clubhouse also features a
cocktail lounge, conference rooms, and men’s and women’s card rooms with bar service.
The fully stocked golf shop overlooks the large driving range as well as a practice area for chipping
and sand shots. There are two 18-hole courses: the East Course and the West Course. Just five
years ago, the East Course went through a $500,000 renovation. It measures 6,472 yards from
the back. Measuring 6,825 yards from the back tees, the West Course features five sets of tees
for different skill levels.
Fifteen years ago, Woodlands resident Mike Sahr was invited by a friend to play a round and
loved it so much that, within one week, he purchased a home. He loves living in the Woodlands
community, and he especially appreciates how Members can drive their carts from their homes
to the course.
Sahr loves both of the courses, but his favourite is the East Course. “It has a lot of sand traps and
can be a difficult course. You really have to hit the greens and miss the traps. The West Course is
more challenging and some of the holes are really tough. It’s a little more open than the East.”
After golfing at the Woodlands several days a week for many years, Torn, Sahr and Gelman all
agree that each Woodlands course has its own unique and ever-changing personality. Sahr says
that no matter which you choose, when you have a good round at the Woodlands, you know
you’ve really accomplished something.
Sharon Aron Baron is a Woodlands Country Club Member and writer/photographer for
www.thewoodlandstamarac.com.
1 6 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

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CarLEton pLaCE 613.257.7904
GananoquE 613.382.1636
Muskoka Window
BraCEBriDGE 1.800.461.5495
Schell Lumber
StouffviLLE 905.640.3440
*Centre of glass using LoE 366/LoE 366 #4/LoE-181 #6. *Data was calculated using the Window 5.2 computer program. **Exclusive to Clublink Members. Minimum $2,500 purchase required.

NIKE 20XI
NIKE ONE TOUR
–
SPIN (RPM) +
PW
DRIVER
RUBBER CORE: 80g•cm 2
RZN-CORE: 84g•cm 2
FOLLOW US

T h e O v e n
Nike Member-Guest
champions
get rare invitation
by John Gordon
Tiger Woods, Anthony Kim, Stephen
Ames, Michelle Wie, Stewart Cink,
Charl Schwartzel, Lucas Glover, Paul
Casey, Jhonattan Vegas, Suzann
Pettersen, Curtis Strange… Brandon
Phu Nguyen and Dr. Thang Le.
While they may all be champions, all but the last two are golf superstars,
headliners of Nike Golf’s stable of touring pros. However, the common thread
running through all of these names is that they have had the rare opportunity
to be invited into Nike Golf’s leading-edge research and development facility in
Fort Worth, Texas, called The Oven.
While Tiger et al got their invitations because of their stunning expertise on the
world stage, National Pines Member Brandon Phu Nguyen and Station Creek
Member Dr. Thang Le received their exclusive entrée for winning the 2010
Nike Golf Men’s Member-Guest Championship Presented by ScotiaMcLeod
over 24 other two-man teams at Rocky Crest. The prize package included an
Photo: Scott Reycraft C l u b L i n k L i f e | 1 9

T h e O v e n
The results were immediate, as he started
holing putts from all over the expansive
indoor putting green at The Oven.
all-expenses-paid trip to Fort Worth, a full complement of Nike Golf
apparel and footwear, plus a tour of The Oven and a custom fitting for
all 14 clubs, from driver to putter, using the same technology employed
by Nike Golf craftsmen when working with the aforementioned
superstars. No more than 50 or 60 “civilians”—i.e., average golfers, not
elite amateurs and pros—get to experience The Oven annually.
“It was fantastic,” said Nguyen, who is in the manufacturing business.
“I really got to understand that Nike is very committed to making the
best equipment possible and was really impressed by the technology
they use.”
During his fitting, which took several hours, Nguyen learned that Nike
Golf’s approach to every conceivable aspect of club fitting and swing
analysis is exhaustive and never-ending. “I especially couldn’t believe
what it showed about my putter. I had that putter for six years and
thought it was fine.” What he was referring to was the indisputable
fact, as revealed by Nike Golf’s technology, that his old putter skidded
the ball at impact for more than four inches while a Nike Method
putter got the ball rolling forward and online in less than one inch. He
also discovered that his putting stroke was ideal for a face-balanced
putter, rather than the toe-balanced model he had been using. The
results were immediate, as he started holing putts from all over the
expansive indoor putting green at The Oven.
The Oven’s Brooke Williams
and Brandon Phu Nguyen
The Oven is the idea tank where Tom Stites, Nike Golf’s Director of
Product Creation for Clubs, and his staff of engineers and technicians
develop, research and test the innovative technology that has helped
Nike Golf to become one of the fastest
growing companies in the history of the
golf industry. Rock Ishii, Nike Golf’s
Product Director for Golf Balls, and
his staff of engineers and technicians
also utilize the facility as the primary
location for ball testing. In conjunction
with club testing, the ball team obtains
launch parameters, tracks trajectory
and measures carry, roll and dispersion.
Ishii and his team are famous for
developing the solid-core ball in 1999,
which sounded the death knell of the
wound ball, and the incredible resincore
20XI ball, released this spring.
Tom Stites
2 0 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

T h e o v e n
The 50,000 square-foot facility is complemented by a 129,000
square-foot (about three acres) short-game area that includes three
synthetic greens, one natural grass green, bunkers and practice holes.
The practice holes and hitting areas provide various distances for short
irons so that iron and ball testing is both extensive and constructive
for Nike engineers and Nike athletes. (The Oven is closed to the
public, but you can take a virtual tour at www.nike.com.)
The genesis of The Oven occurred in 2001 when the sports juggernaut
known as Nike acquired Impact Technologies, which had its roots in
the Ben Hogan Golf Co. Stites worked for Mr. Hogan himself in Fort
Worth until 1993 when he formed Impact Technologies, and his team
of engineers, designers, machinists and club development specialists
went on to consult on golf club design for most every major club
manufacturer in the world. With its success designing clubs for the
best touring players in the world, Impact racked up 49 professional
tournament wins. Since Impact and Nike Golf joined forces, their
equipment has been used in more than 200 pro wins and more than
20 major championships. Stites and his four co-founders in Impact
have grown to 56 employees at The Oven who have a staggering total
of more than 230 years of combined expertise. They remain based in
Fort Worth because Stites says “our golf roots are here” and it’s easy
for touring professionals to visit the facility.
As part of ClubLink’s partnership with Nike Golf, several ClubLink
golf professionals also were invited to The Oven to witness Nike
Golf’s dedication to producing the finest golf equipment. Needless to
say, they also were impressed.
“My trip to the Oven was an exceptional experience,” said Greystone’s
James Hill. “It gave me new insight into Nike Golf, especially the
people behind the product.
“We had an opportunity to have dinner with Tom Stites. I found
him very interesting and genuinely believed in his vision of golf club
design, and the direction he is taking Nike Golf. In all honesty, I
was inspired by the whole team’s collective vision, the belief each
individual had in their product, the process in which it is developed,
and passion for design.
“I will take that enthusiasm and the knowledge I have gained and
relate it to our Members. Once they test Nike Golf’s product, the
performance will speak for itself.”
“It was an absolute pleasure for us to host ClubLink Members and
professionals who experienced the passion for golf of our Oven
engineers who create game-changing Nike Golf equipment that
enables everyone from amateurs to the world’s top players to play
their very best,” said Vitalis Gomes, Director of Marketing for Nike
Golf Canada.
On Aug. 28-29, 2011, the winners of the men’s Member-Guest
at each ClubLink Club will compete in the Nike Golf Men’s
Member-Guest Championship Presented by ScotiaMcLeod at Rocky
Crest. Accommodations and meals are provided to participants.
When you and your partner qualify for the Nike Golf Men’s
Member-Guest Championship Presented by ScotiaMcLeod,
you will also receive:
• A Nike VR Collegiate carry bag
• A large Departure duffle bag
• Two Nike polos (one for each day of the Championship)
• One dozen 20XI balls
• A pair of Nike Lunar Control footwear
• Tour Mesh cap
• Dri-FIT Tour glove
The winning duo will receive a magnificent crystal trophy which
will be displayed at their Home Club. That team will also receive an
exemption into the 2012 Nike Golf Member-Guest Championship
Presented by ScotiaMcLeod to have the opportunity to defend
their title.
Every team at the championship will have a chance, through a
random draw, to win an all-expenses-paid trip with their Home Club
golf professional to Fort Worth, Texas, to visit Nike’s renowned R&D
facility, The Oven, where they will be custom fitted for a complete set
of Nike clubs.
The winners of the draw will also receive three nights’ complimentary
accommodations, meals, and golf at one of three famed courses:
Colonial Country Club, Shady Oaks Country Club or the Cowboys
Golf Club.
Ask your golf professional for details today!
Don’t
miss your
chance
to visit
The
Oven!
Take a virtual tour of The Oven at www.nike.com.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 2 1

June 29 TO July 3
CLUB DE GOLF LE FONTAINEBLEAU
TICKETS 1 855 790-1245
www.championstourmontreal.com

Golf’s greatest names
IN FULL SWING
Fred
COUPLES

K i n g V a l l e y G o l f C l u b
A true gem,
polishedover
20 years
by Brent Long
Photo: Kevan Ashworth
It’s hard to imagine a golf
landscape in Ontario, or
Canada for that matter, these
days without a Doug Carrick
course, but that was the case
as the young graduate of
the University of Toronto’s
landscape architecture program searched for his first solo project in
the mid-1980s.
He’d done some renovations with mentor Robbie Robinson, supervised
construction of Glenway in Newmarket, Ont., and worked for Tom
McBroom overseeing construction of Cranberry in Collingwood,
Ont., before he received the call he had been praying for.
Peter Kanitsch, a former classmate at the University of Toronto,
called Carrick in 1986 to tell him about a property a group of friends
were looking to develop. As Carrick came on board, they sold their
initial property near Ballantrae and purchased the land where King
Valley Golf Club would be built from Tony Calverly, who lived in a
home where the current clubhouse stands today.
“It was an inspirational piece of property,” Carrick recalls. “Looking
back, I don’t think I could have asked for a better canvas for my first
solo design. When I first walked the property, I knew it had all the
hallmarks for an outstanding parkland design—a mature landscape
with rolling terrain, well-established trees and diverse wetlands.” He
reverted to his traditional roots as an apprentice for Robinson and
wove a captivating trail of 18 holes through tall pine forest with
fairways that plunge, rise and roll through a lush 165-acre valley.
Carrick also named the course—it was probably the easiest task of
the entire project. “It was located in King Township and ran through
a valley,” he says.
King Valley moved through the planning process relatively quickly but
then was sold to a group of members from the National Golf Club of
Canada. They pushed forward with construction in the spring of 1988
and brought Curtis Strange to the project part way through construction
to give the club a marquee name to help sell memberships.
“At the time Curtis was at the top of his game [he won back-toback
U.S. Opens in 1988 and 1989 as well as the 1985 and 1987
Canadian Opens],” says Nick Marinelli who was one of 10 partners at
the time. “He attracted a lot of people to the project; he was almost
the Tiger Woods of the time.” Equity memberships went on sale for
about $65,000.
Carrick says Strange made some helpful suggestions during two
construction visits. “It was a bit of a nerve-wracking time for me as
I tried to establish a name for myself,” says Carrick, who would go
on to become one of the greatest golf course architects Canada has
produced with designs that include Greystone, Bigwin Island, Eagle’s
2 4 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

K i n g V a l l e y G o l f C l u b
Nest, Osprey Valley, Angus Glen, Muskoka Bay and Magna in Ontario; Greywolf in British
Columbia; and Humber Valley in Newfoundland.
“Every time there was a new owner, I had to re-sell myself and prove that I could handle the
project. I really had to fight for my identity. It seemed like I was getting lost in the shuffle,
especially when they brought Curtis into the picture.”
Marinelli says times were tough and some of the partners couldn’t afford to continue
bankrolling the project. They made the decision to sell just before it was seeded in the fall of
1989. They sold King Valley to a Swiss consortium led by Marc Frey, of the renowned Swiss
Chocolate Frey company, which finally finished the course that opened on Aug. 15, 1990,
with the assistance of project managers Don Goldman and Jean Pierre Scheidegger. King
Valley finished runner-up in 1991 for Golf Digest’s Best New Course in Canada and has
remained a fixture on SCOREGolf’s ranking of Canada’s Top 100 courses since that time.
Architect Bill Hicks was invited to design one of the most fabulous clubhouses of its time.
“It’s the first clubhouse that we did,” says Hicks. His firm would go on to design more
than 45 clubhouses in Canada, including Rocky Crest, RattleSnake Point, King’s Riding and
Emerald Hills for ClubLink. “They wanted it to be the best. I think the way we placed it on
the landscape with the views of the ninth and 18th was special.”
Doug Carrick and Curtis Strange
ClubCorp operated King Valley for Frey and associates in 1992 and 1993, but in December
1993, Bruce Simmonds, who already owned Cherry Downs, founded ClubLink. He closed
deals on Emerald Hills and Heron Point in the same month. King Valley, which had cost
the various owners $29 million to that point, was added at a cost of $11 million, plus the
assumption of member liability/rights for the 65 members, in February 1994.
Today, King Valley remains a prized jewel in the crown that has sparkled for two decades as
a gleaming gem in ClubLink’s growth and symbolizes its evolution into one of the world’s
premier golf club ownership companies.
Brent Long owns Longshot Communications, a golf marketing, writing and photography
business based in Burlington, Ont.
Mike Weir won the 1993 Canadian Tour
Players Championship at King Valley
as a steppingstone to the PGA Tour.
Photo: Kevan Ashworth C l u b L i n k L i f e | 2 5

N a t i o n a l G o l f I n S c h o o l s
ClubLink and Canada’s
National Golf In Schools
program are bringing new life,
and new golfers, to the game
by Marianne
Byerley
Golfers, and those in the golf industry, have long been aware that the future of golf depends on younger
generations discovering the thrill of what is called, with justification, “the game for a lifetime.” A continual
stream of new golfers is vital to the continued vitality of the grand old game and that is why ClubLink teamed
up with Golf Canada in 2010 to become a principal supporter of the National Golf In Schools program.
With the ultimate goal of getting kids excited about golf, the program was designed with fun in mind and
to give school-age children an opportunity to learn about golf, develop simple skills and become familiar
with basic rules and etiquette. The equipment and lesson plans were created to fit into the
physical education curriculum taught in most Canadian schools and to make it simple for
teachers to teach the unit regardless of their golf background.
Stephanie Giovinazzo, a teacher at a ClubLink-sponsored school in Toronto, said her students
really enjoyed the activities. She was surprised at how quickly they picked up the skills, citing
“noticeable improvements in their aim, accuracy and level of concentration.” Furthermore,
by using a show of hands, she found that for about half the class, their participation in the
program was their first exposure to the sport.
Over the next 10 years, as part of an overall partnership with Golf Canada, ClubLink has
committed to providing a minimum of 110 sponsorships to elementary schools in Ontario
and Quebec. ClubLink’s intent to exceed that goal is clearly illustrated by the 45 sponsorships
that were offered to schools last year alone. Each Club responded to the project by “adopting”
at least one local school and many Clubs have been in touch with their sponsor schools to
offer their time, staff, and, in some cases, practice facilities, to round out the in-class experience.
Encouraging youngsters to take up golf is by no means a new idea and many ClubLink Clubs have already
developed relationships with schools in their communities, visiting gym classes and inviting
teachers to bring their students to the course. In fact, as a company, ClubLink has offered junior
memberships, clinics and camps for years, including the popular ClubLinksters program presented
by Pizza Pizza and TaylorMade adidas Golf. Given this, it was no surprise that ClubLink President
and CEO Rai Sahi saw partnering with Golf Canada to support golf-in-school curricula as a “natural
next step.” Sahi has pledged ClubLink’s continued support in the coming years, saying the company
is proud to partner with Golf Canada on this initiative and will continue to “work diligently to bring
new life to the game.”
Photos: Golf Canada
2 6 | C l u b L i n k L i f e
For more information on the National Golf In Schools program,
you can visit www.nationalgolfinschools.com. To learn more about
ClubLink’s involvement in the program or to nominate a school for
sponsorship, please contact your Club’s director of operations.
Marianne Byerley is ClubLink’s Manager, Brand Communications,
and our liaison with the NGIS program.

Member Name
Member Golf Club Name
123456789
C L U B L I N K P a r T n e r
Count Me In
For Golf Canada, growing the game
starts with engaging our membership
Regardless of the group or affiliation, being a member means being
part of a community.
As a ClubLink Member, you belong to a community comprised of
more than 50 golf courses and some 22,000 Members. However,
some ClubLink Members might not realize that they are also part of
a much bigger and broader group — the Golf Canada community.
With nearly 350,000 members at 1,500 golf clubs across the country,
Golf Canada represents the country’s largest golf community. With
a group that large there are bound to be questions from members of
our community. What benefits will I see as a Golf Canada member?
How are my membership dues being spent? Isn’t being a member
of Golf Canada just about keeping a
handicap factor?
Answering the last question first, being
a member does in fact allow you to keep
and track a certified handicap through
Golf Canada’s website. Keeping a handicap is as much about
tracking your overall improvement as it is about logging scores. In
2010 nearly 270,000 users posted more than five million scores to
the network — but that’s only a small piece of the membership pie.
The true value of being a Golf Canada member is the pride in
knowing that you are helping to grow the game.
“Membership dues play a vital role in the growth of our sport in
Canada,” says Golf Canada’s Executive Director and CEO Scott
Simmons. “Whether through their support of junior golf programs
or helping to fund the development of our future Olympians,
members are paving the way for excellence in our sport.”
The “growing the game” initiatives Simmons is referring to include
programs such as CN Future Links, Learn to Play and National
Golf In Schools (NGIS) — recognized by Sport Canada for
their world-class curriculum — which are introducing thousands
of future young golfers to the game; Canada’s national amateur
golf championships which are providing world-class competitive
opportunities for our country’s best players; and Canada’s National
Amateur Team Program — Team Canada — which bolstered by
the coaching expertise of the Canadian PGA is developing the
future heroes of our sport.
The true value of being a Golf Canada
member is the pride in knowing that
you are helping to grow the game.
“I talk to a lot of golfers across the country and when I tell them
about Golf in Schools, CN Future Links, Team Canada and other
programs being conducted, they are blown away,” Simmons says.
“Once they know about the things we are doing to grow the game,
golfers want to help make a difference.”
So now that you are in the know, the next step is to get involved and
take pride in being a part of the largest golf community in Canada.
The first way to get involved is by simply activity your membership
card. This will allow you to start tracking your handicap and open
the members’ area on the website that features exclusive content
and access to a suite of member benefits.
You can also get involved with National
Golf In Schools. Take ClubLink for
example, a major supporter of many
of Golf Canada’s programs, including
the National Golf In Schools “Adopt a
School” initiative. ClubLink adopts schools each year (including 45
in 2010) to help introduce the game to an entirely new generation
of kids. So, why not follow their lead and adopt a school? It could
be your child’s school, the elementary institution you attended or
even the one down the road from your business.
One way for women to get involved is through Golf Fore The Cure,
presented by Subaru. Taking part in the program can be as simple as
including a Golf Fore The Cure element to an already established
ladies’ golf day. The program encourages participation and to date,
close to 63,000 golfers have helped to raise more than $3.2 million
towards the fight against breast cancer.
Following Team Canada through the spring and summer golf season
is another way to become an engaged member. The next time
someone asks about the next wave of great Canadian golfers, you
can tell them who they are and that you are playing a role in their
success. Take it one step further—purchase your own Team Canada
gear at www.golfcanada.ca and show your support on course.
For Golf Canada members, the value of membership is being a part
of Canada’s largest golf community and knowing that together as
golfers who love the sport, we are all helping to grow the game.
F i n d o u t m o r e a t w w w . g o l f c a n a d a . c a
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 2 7

. .
.

C P g a a n d C l u b L i n k
Partners in
Canadian golf
by
Garry McKay
Blue Springs Golf Club Photo: Kevan Ashworth
Editor’s Note: This year marks the centennial of the Canadian
Professional Golfers’ Association. As the largest single employer of
CPGA members in Canada, ClubLink is pleased to congratulate the
association and its 3,700 members on this historic occasion.
Many things have changed and evolved since ClubLink was
founded, but one thing has remained constant: The strong
partnership with the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association. Today,
almost 200 CPGA members are employed at ClubLink Clubs in the
Ontario/Quebec Region. In addition, the CPGA’s national headquarters
is located at a ClubLink Club—Blue Springs in Acton, Ont.
“It’s been a very good relationship,” says CPGA Executive Director
Gary Bernard. “As an association, we’re thrilled that they see the
value in our members and what they bring to their facilities.”
Edge Caravaggio, ClubLink Vice-President,
Golf Operations, is a long-time CPGA member.
He says the management team at ClubLink
always has recognized the importance of
employing CPGA members.
“We believe that the directors of operations,
and all our CPGA-certified golf professionals,
are significant in the relationship between
ownership, which is the corporation, and the
membership. It is a very, very important liaison
Edge Caravaggio
and we believe in that golf expert to run and
manage the golf and social events at those member Clubs.”
Caravaggio noted that the role of director of operations as a link
to the membership is even more important at ClubLink Clubs
because they don’t have general managers. “We don’t need the
typical GM that traditional private clubs employ because we have
the back-of-the-house infrastructure all centralized,” he explained.
“We centralize our sales, our tee times, reservations, accounting
functions, and marketing. Golf is our core business and we believe
that the golf professional is an important link between the company
and the Member and we want him or her to foster and nourish that
relationship.”
Caravaggio also notes that having CPGA teaching pros in the system
is crucial. “One of the important amenities of a member Club is access
to qualified teaching experts. Top-notch instruction is integral to the
ongoing growth of the game, especially in encouraging new golfers
such as juniors and women, and our CPGA-certified instructors
provide that to all our Members.”
Caravaggio joined ClubLink one year after it was founded. He was
the head professional at Greystone when ClubLink purchased it in
1994. He became a regional director in 1996, was at RattleSnake Point
Golf Club for its opening in 1999, and moved to the corporation’s
head office that same year. He’s also served on the boards of both the
Ontario PGA and the Canadian PGA.
Caravaggio is not the only CPGA member who has moved up through
the ranks at ClubLink. Other members of senior management who
are CPGA members include Charles Lorimer, Vice-President, Sales
and Marketing; Brent Miller, Executive Director, Golf Operations
and Member Services; Tim Green, Executive Director, Sales and
Marketing; Grant Holcomb, Regional Executive Director, Operations,
GTA East Region; John Finlayson, Regional Executive Director,
Operations, Western GTA Region, and Mark Trepanier, Regional
Executive Director, Operations, Eastern Ontario and Quebec.
“That’s one of ClubLink’s strengths,” says Bernard. “As an individual
[CPGA] member, if you choose to work for them, and if you want
to move into a management position, there’s a pathway, there’s an
opportunity. There are ways to move through the organization if you
so desire. I think that our members find that encouraging.”
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 2 9

“If you enjoy a trip to your cellar,
I’m sure you’ll enjoy a trip to ours.”
Winemaking has been my family’s passion for three generations. A passion you’ll appreciate the
moment you step inside our winery. Spend time in our underground barrel cellar, trade knowledge
with our wine experts, and taste hard-to-find wines. Then relax in our winery restaurant
for the ultimate expression of wine and food, recently rated “Extraordinary”
by Zagat readers, the highest possible rating for food.
We are looking forward to seeing you.
www.peller.com 290 John Street East, Niagara-on-the-Lake
905-468-4678 or 1-888-673-5537
EWG_PE_WineAccessAd_A0403

C l u b L i n k s T y l e
ClubLink golf shops:
Fashion
powerhouses
by Patricia Uribe
Whether it’s hitting the malls
or designer boutiques, trolling
the internet or making crossborder
excursions, shopping
for the newest and most
fashion-forward golf outfit can
be exhausting. This is why
ClubLink makes sure all its golf
shops are stocked with outfits
and accessories made of the
best-quality materials by the
hottest designers—and offers
Member discounts, to boot.
Galvin Green
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3 1

C l u b L i n k s T y l e
Travis Mathew
“The feedback we receive from Members each season is very
important to our product selection process,” says Linda Potter,
one of ClubLink’s regional merchandise managers, “and we
strive to give them something they can’t get anywhere else.”
This year, Potter and her colleagues, Mario Vespa and Charles
Lavallee, have brought in more designers, more variety, and
more personalized articles. They closely monitor trends in the
fashion world and on the pro tours for new directions.
“ Our shops are far more than just a place
to buy golf apparel. The selection we offer
can take you right through your entire day,
whether it’s at the golf course, the office,
or out to dinner—or all of the above! ”
One big story is 4all by joFit. New to Canada, this line of
women’s high-performance golf apparel is in many ClubLink
shops this season. The clothing line designed by women for
women is very athletic in nature.
Galvin Green
3 2 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

C l u b L i n k s T y l e
In addition to
designer labels,
ClubLink provides
personalized
golf wear and
accessories.
Galvin Green
“We believe golf wear should be sexy, fun, athletic, comfortable, and very flattering,”
says 4all by joFit founder Joanne Cloak.
Pants, capris and skorts are designed with a lower rise and an adjustable waistband
that create a flat tummy and allow women to wear them higher or lower on the waist.
Tops are made using a dense cling-free fabric that allows them to hang freely without
emphasizing lumps and bumps, but are cut tight to the body for the most flattering
fit. Best of all, they do not ride up, even when taking a big swing. If worn tucked, they
stay tucked. 4all jackets are fitted and pockets are placed toward the front to prevent
visible side bulges from balls and tees stored inside. Their sleeves are removable.
Another exciting venture is the opening of a Hugo Boss Green shop-in-shop at
King Valley Golf Club. The store will boast the largest selection of Boss Green
clothes at ClubLink. The Green line is this German fashion house’s golf-style activewear
collection. This season’s line is easy to wear on and off the links. It features
bold colours paired with stark white. The look for men is striped shirts—horizontal,
vertical or diagonal lines on a white background—over slim, yet comfortable pants as
worn by Martin Kaymer, formerly the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world. For women,
cute dresses, skorts and shorts show off athletic legs and arms. The Hugo Boss Green
collection is carried in every region, but not all shops.
4all by joFit
Although Nike Golf apparel and equipment is sold throughout ClubLink, the brandnew
Nike Golf shop-in-shop at Station Creek Golf Club was custom designed and
installed by Nike Golf. This year’s Nike Golf apparel line introduces a myriad of plaids
and stripes for men and women. The line offers shoes, hats, and bags constructed
using technical fabrics, top-quality leather and high attention to detail, making articles
functional and beautiful.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3 3

Sunice is devoted to cultivating products and experiences that allow its customers the freedom to play any way they like. Our products
are designed and engineered to protect and perform from ultra mild to ultra extreme weather. We continually incorporate leading edge
technology and innovations into the design of our outerwear. Sunice is versatile without losing authenticity and purpose: It’s specific
to its sport, but general in its appeal. Backed by the Gore-Tex ® guaranteed to keep you dry promise, Sunice will keep you on course.
Offi cial Rainwear Supplier
for Team USA

Other designer brands available
at ClubLink shops include
Bugatchi, Travis Mathew,
IJP Design, and Galvin Green.
C l u b L i n k s T y l e
IJP Design
IJP Design, created by Ian Poulter— the flamboyant English
professional golfer who plays on both the PGA and European
tours—offers sizzling colours and European-influenced lines.
Galvin Green, the leading golf-wear company in Britain and
Scandinavia, is available at three Clubs, but can be ordered through
any golf shop.
In addition to designer labels, ClubLink provides personalized golf
wear and accessories. As always, only apparel purchased at ClubLink
shops can be enhanced with exclusive Club logos, making these
items stand out from the rest.
As well, new opportunities to create unique items are on offer.
Why settle for one pair of golf shoes, when you can have a
different pair to match every outfit? FootJoy MyJoys, available
through ClubLink shops, is a hot line in customized golf shoes.
Do you want a low or high shoe? Saddle, striped or plain? Classic
colours or purple, tangerine or kelly green? How about a calfskin
accent? Brown laces or white? Would you like to have them
monogrammed or add your company logo? “MyJoys” provide the
opportunity to design your own shoe. You can even order different
sized lefts and rights.
Have you, like most fashion-conscious golfers, been salivating over
Anthony Kim’s funky crystal-studded personalized belt buckles?
Well, the wait is over! A new supplier will ensure you, too, can own
the hottest accessory. You can choose a buckle design, personalize it
with your initials, and add some bling. A wide assortment of leather
belts is available, including a leather tie-dyed band for ladies.
Designer fashion, unique customizable accessories and MVP
pricing of 35-per-cent off apparel and 20-per-cent off accessories
and shoes make ClubLink shops the ideal spot to stock up.
Member Value Pricing
Along with professional advice and
personalized service, MEMbER ValUE
Pricing ensures that you receive
tremendous value on golf products in ClubLink
golf shops.
“Members Only” pricing allows ClubLink to be more than competitive
with off-course outlets and discount stores. All merchandise in ClubLink
shops will have a regular retail price displayed; the applicable discount
is applied to this price for ClubLink Members only.
As a ClubLink Member, you receive the following MVP discounts:
• 35-per-cent off soft goods (i.e., shirts, sweaters, pants, outerwear,
and other clothing)
• 20-per-cent off hard goods (i.e., shoes, headwear, and accessories)
• Best available price on golf equipment. We guarantee our
Members will always pay the lowest price for golf equipment. If you
should ever find the same product for less, we will match or better
that price.
Great ClubLink service, convenience and great pricing. MVP indeed!
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3 5

We’ve increased our flights between
Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. All day long.
We now have more flights in Canada’s busiest business corridor. † That means more flexibility
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And that’s not all. We’re offering dedicated, easy-access gates for faster boarding. Plus, guests
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You can see more at westjet.com/smartbusiness.
Smart business just got smarter.
†WestJet does not offer service between Montreal and Ottawa. ^Early and missed fl ight re-accommodation is subject to availability on the date of travel. *Some restrictions apply.
Our promise is to be on time. If your flight between the above destinations is delayed
more than 30 minutes, we’ll give you 50% off your next flight between the three cities.*

S o u n d s t o s w i n g b y
by David McPherson
From Beat It to
Straight Down The Middle,
a playlist
Music is the elixir of life. Its magic seeps into your
skin, makes you want to dance, lets you escape,
and soothes you. I’ve written about music for more
than 15 years. There are 13,386 songs in my iPod
and counting. From Abba to ZZ Top with all genres
in between. Golf is my other passion, so I figured
why not create some playlists suitable for both the
fairways and the rough?
Twenty and thirty year olds
Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” is certainly apropos. You constantly want to beat
your last score…and your opponent. Every time you stare down at your ball,
did you know it is secretly singing Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best
Shot”? If you do, head back to 1981 and put on a little Kool and the Gang’s
“Celebration” to help revel in the success. How about Katy Perry’s “Firework”?
The song is all about confidence and letting your inner beauty shine. Just listen
to the chorus to pep yourself up: “Baby you’re a firework/Come on show
‘em what you’re worth/make them go, oh, oh, oh.” Close out this playlist
with Lady Gaga’s monster hit, “Bad Romance,” symbolizing the love-hate
relationship most of us have with golf.
Sixty plus
for players of
all ages
Forty and fifty year olds
R-E-S-P-E-C-T is what the game is all about, so how could this
playlist not include “Respect” by Aretha Franklin? The Queen
of Soul gets the nod as her simple one-word message relates
on many levels to the grand old game. Respect for the rules.
Respect for the environment. Respect for your fellow players.
Next up, add in a little “Stage Fright.” This classic from The
Band is all about the fear of performing. “See the man with the
stage fright/standing up there with all his might.” Take away
“stage” and replace it with “the first tee” and I think we all can
relate. Throw in a little Fab Four to round out this list. Hey,
no matter what our handicap, we all could use a little “Help”
with our game. No playlist would be complete without a little
Robert Nesta Marley, for times when you just can’t seem to
hit it straight; maybe you’re wound up a bit too tight. Let Bob
make you “Simmer Down” and soon the reggae rhythms will
make you forget your score and you’ll “Lively Up Yourself.”
Folk icon Gordon Lightfoot needs a place on this list as he sang
about the beauty of nature, capturing the Canadian landscape.
“Early Morning Rain”—to me there’s nothing more beautiful
than walking a fairway alone at dawn with the dew still fresh;
it certainly feels like a “Carefree Highway” that I would “slip
away on” any day.
Like Mick Jagger sang with those pouty lips, there’s many a day
when no matter how hard you concentrate on having good swing
thoughts, you just can’t get no “Satisfaction.”
Finally, Bing Crosby. He was my grandfather’s favourite; I still can
picture him crooning a Crosby song to my daughter when she was
a baby. My grandpa loved golf and so did Bing. Crosby was a two
handicap and he competed in both the British and U.S. amateur
championships. With that in mind, let’s conclude with a Crosby
tune we all should be humming come the first tee: “Straight down
the Middle.” These lines sum up the song best: “Oh the life of a golfer
is not all gloom/ There’s always the lies in the locker room/ And I’m in
my glory when wrapped in a towel I say/ That it went straight down
the middle today.”
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3 7

F l y F i s h i n g
The
of
parallel
pastimes
by John Valk
Is it just me, or does each
Canadian winter get
progressively longer?
Finally, as the snow starts to melt, the anticipation of
getting the clubs out and taking a few swings outside
the confinement of a closed garage door begins to
assuage the golfer’s frustration. Excitement builds
incrementally. Then it’s here: The first tee time is
booked and the avid golfer is back in his comfort
zone. New goals are set for the year and the challenge
of conquering new courses lies ahead once again.
There is hope that the indoor winter clinics will
pay dividends and create a positive outcome to be
reflected on the scorecard.
I teach indoor classes, but not for golf. For fly fishing. Beginning in January each
year, the winter course schedule is sent out to my clientele and the e-mails
start coming in with bookings. Anglers who want to improve their fly-casting
skill by increasing their accuracy and distance. Does this sound familiar? Many
times during the indoor casting season I hear the words, “it’s similar to golf.”
The comparison is not only in the equipment (golf club shafts and fly rod
blanks both are manufactured from advanced graphite and resins), but there’s a
distinct parallel related to mechanics: The transfer of controlled energy through
the flex of the fly rod or club utilising proper arm and body movement to
achieve maximum distance most efficiently.
As for a golfer, the onset of spring creates anticipation in the fly fisher. As
the winter ice begins the annual thaw and break up, the swollen rivers carry
the melted snow into the Great Lakes. This change in water condition and
temperature draws the steelhead—large migratory rainbow trout—to the rivers
on their annual spawning run. This is what the fly angler is anxiously awaiting.
3 8 | C l u b L i n k L i f e
Photos: John Valk

F l y F i s h i n g
It’s a good possibility that the first fish of the year could be the largest of the
season; euphoric, just like a hole-in-one in the inaugural round of the year. The
thought of making that perfect cast, presenting the fly on target and having a
great fish grab the fly is what keeps the angler coming back.
Southern and Central Ontario have an incredible amount of water. The rivers
and streams that make up the Great Lakes’ various watersheds run throughout
this region like arteries pumping life through the forests and fields. The Niagara
Escarpment gives us elevated areas which create the fast flows downstream to
the lakes, facilitating incredible cold-water trout streams for anglers. For golfcourse
architecture, what more could you ask for than alternating elevations
and an abundance of water? The result is a course design sprawling with
beautiful fairways and greens that lends itself to aesthetic beauty and tantalizing
challenge. More than 60 per cent of my fly-fishing clientele spend as much
time on a golf course as they do on the river. They treasure the similarities of
the two pursuits. Both can be solitary or social, focussing on camaraderie or
competition; enjoyed in nature’s all-too-fleeting splendour.
Many ClubLink courses in Ontario are located within a short drive of a number
of wonderful fly-fishing destinations. In the Muskoka area, lakes teem with
bass and pike, warm-water species which make sporting quarry on the fly rod.
The Caledon Hills are rich with cold spring water and trout streams. A prime
example would be Heron Point near Brantford. This course is within minutes
of blue-ribbon water on the Grand River which boasts a world-class steelhead
and resident trout fishery.
When in Quebec, enjoy fly fishing for trout in the Riviere Diable (Devil’s
River) which skirts ClubLink’s magnificent Le Maitre de Mont-Tremblant.
Smaller outback spring-fed creeks contain good populations of native brook
trout. Evenings on these waters can provide some exciting action after the last
putt has dropped.
The waterways of Florida’s Gulf Coast region near Tampa, not far from
ClubLink’s Sun City Center courses, offer some of the best saltwater fly-fishing
in the world. The methods of fly-fishing the saltwater destinations are very
similar to freshwater, save for a few equipment adjustments to withstand the
salt environment. Heavier-weight rods coupled with reels and lines suitable
for use in the salt will enable you to intercept giant tarpon or fierce-fighting
snook one day, followed by a warm breezy round of
golf on the next, a wonderful cure for the common
Canadian winter.
Comparisons between golf and fly-fishing are present
in my world all the time. It is just as exciting for me
to “lay out a line” in new waters as it would be for
the avid golfer “teeing it up” on a new course. In flyfishing
our saying is “too many rivers, too little time.”
I’m sure it is no different in golf. Fortunately, where
we live allows us to enjoy and become intimately
familiar with our home waters, just like playing your
favourite ClubLink Club. Golf and fishing are the two
favoured pastimes in North America. Fly-fishing is like
progressing to a championship course.
About John Valk: Grindstone Angling is my professional
fly shop and fly-fishing business in Waterdown, Ont.
From this location, I run a full-time guide service in southcentral
Ontario. At the shop, we run a great selection of
fly-fishing and casting schools or clinics. Our fly-fishing
travel service offers trips to spectacular destinations
around the globe. Visit online at www.grindstoneangling.
com or stop by the shop to learn more.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 3 9

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Announcing the
McDivot
Memories
Photo Challenge!
When do you feel compelled to take a picture? You definitely won’t want a
memory of that three-putt you just had, but unquestionably, you will want
one of the celebration after your first hole in one.
M e m b e r C o n t e s t
Capture
the
ClubLink
life!
Sandy McDivot wants to see how you capture the ClubLink life in the McDivot
Memories Photo Challenge. Be sure to bring your camera with you on the links
and snap away. Just don’t hold up the golfers behind you if you’re trying to get the
perfect angle. You know Sandy wouldn’t approve!
Here’s how it works:
1. Take photos! The categories for entries are:
Nature: e.g., scenery, golf course, wildlife
People: e.g., camaraderie and special moments
Golf: e.g., tournaments and action shots
Miscellaneous
2. To enter, email your photo(s) to Sandy at sandymcdivot@gmail.com. Be
sure to include all pertinent information, including your name, Home
Club, and a photo caption. Members may submit a maximum of four
photos; one photo per category.
3. View the photos online on Sandy McDivot’s Facebook page. Log
in to Facebook, or if you do not currently have an account,
sign up at www.facebook.com. Add Sandy McDivot as a
friend on Facebook to receive updates regularly.
4. The contest is open to ClubLink Members in good
standing only. Photos must be taken at a ClubLink
Club. Photographs must be in JPEG or JPG format.
5. To be eligible, entries must be received before
Oct. 1, 2011. Photos will be judged on creativity
and photographic quality. Winners’ names and
photographs will be published in a future issue of
ClubLink Life. The judges’ decision is final.
Not only will the winning photos be published in
ClubLink Life, you could receive one of four prizes from Sony Canada.
Now get out there and take your best shot!
Illustration: Greg Douglas
(Full contest details including rules and regulations are available at www.clublink.ca.)
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 4 1

l
G a r d e n i n g
A
love affair
ming
by Steven Biggs
“Give me your name, and I’ll leave you a note in the golf shop,” she tells
the golfer. It might be a line from a romance novel...but the note—not
a love note—will contain her answer to the golfer’s gardening question.
Rutledge is a ClubLink regional gardener in the Toronto area,
overseeing nine Clubs—while spending most of her time at Emerald
Hills and Station Creek.
What’s her secret? It’s the extras: Extra deadheading, extra mulching,
and extra edging. With more than 25 years in the business, she knows
what she’s talking about.
Rutledge notes that the gardens at Emerald Hills have an established—
even stately—feel, which comes from the plantings and features such
as formal gates, pillars, and wrought-iron accents. She worked at
Emerald Hills 15 years ago, and then returned a couple of years back.
In the meantime, the gardens evolved. “When I originally worked here,
it was very formal,” she says, describing traditional plantings of annuals
such as alyssum, geraniums, and ageratum. “Over the years they’ve
softened the look by using perennials, grasses, and hanging baskets.”
A fan of perennials, Rutledge likes what has happened. Annuals now
make up only a quarter of the plantings.
Her ideal spot commands a view of ponds, greens, a fountain, and the
driving range. “As you walk around the golf shop you come down to
the lower patio and the gardens that surround it,” she says. There is a
feeling of seclusion thanks to surrounding perennial beds.
Comparing Station Creek to Emerald Hills, Rutledge says, “Its
distinctive characteristic is a country flair.” The clubhouse was designed
to look like an old-time railroad station. She describes gardens with soft
colours and the airy texture of hydrangea flowers and grass plumes.
When a breeze comes off the course, the swaying grasses give a sense
of movement.
Her favourite is a pathway that
meanders between the golf
shop and a gazebo past gardens
of daisies, daylilies, coneflowers,
ornamental grasses, and
hydrangeas. The patio, with
inviting wicker furniture, offers
a view of a fountain and a
pond, while still giving a sense
Cindy Rutledge Photo by Emma Rutledge
of privacy. Her “extra” here is a
display of tropical and colourful mandevilla vines that reach up to 10
feet high.
“Seasonal displays are my favourite extra, always have been,” says
Rutledge. Nearly all of the supplies come from the courses—or her
drive to and from work. “It’s not costly,” she says, listing off branches,
berries, grass plumes, and bulrushes. “The fall is my favourite because
you have so much to work with,” she exclaims as she describes red
sumac heads, coloured leaves, branches, crab apples, pumpkins, fall
mums, and corn stalks.
Rutledge’s favourite plant is sedum Autumn Joy. Not only is it a
good perennial standby that divides easily and performs well in sun
and drought, it gives her an “extra” …”that punch of colour in your
beds when everything else is dying out,” she says, and then asks a
rhetorical question, “If I was here with my grandma, where could I
stand for a picture?” Those extras—such as showy fall colour from
the sedum—ensure there’s always a place in Cindy’s garden to enjoy
such special moments.
Steven Biggs is a Toronto-based farm writer, garden writer, and the
co-author of the opinion-filled new book No Guff Vegetable Gardening.
4 2 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

G a r d e n i n g
Cindy’s Secrets
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS
Avoid high-maintenance plants such
as snapdragons (which require a lot of
deadheading) and formal roses (which are
disease prone).
Choose plants that flower consistently, what
Rutledge refers to as “sure-fire winners.”
Some of her favourite annuals are fibrous
begonias, geraniums, impatiens, dwarf
African marigolds, cleome, white alyssum,
blue salvia, and fountain grass. Some of her
favourite perennials are coreopsis, blanket
flower, shasta daisy, and purple coneflower.
AVOID UNNECESSARY WORK
Automate what you can: “There’s irrigation
for all budgets,” she says.
Mulch generously, meaning three to four
inches of mulch to keep weeds down and
keep plant roots cooler.
PLANT IN GROUPS
Plant in threes, fives, and sevens, giving
a triangular shape. “It’s more pleasing to
the eye,” she explains, adding that when
someone looks at it, there is a sense of
balance without formal rows.
REMEMBER THE SOIL
Amend soil on an ongoing basis with organic
matter such as manure or peat moss.
BE PRACTICAL
Plan beds, pathways, and lawn so it’s easy
to reach plants for maintenance—and so it’s
easy to run a lawnmower around the bed.
Leave the back of the yard for shrubs, and
grow higher-maintenance flowers closer to
sitting areas and patios.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 4 3

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Al fresco
à la
ClubLink
Classic Pancetta Quiche Lorraine
Created by Mark Stone, Glencairn Golf Club
Serves six
P i c n i c s
by Patricia Uribe
photos by Peter A. Sellar
Picnic... Just saying the word brings to mind a warm, carefree
summer day. Preparing for a picnic can be as simple as throwing
some fruits and veggies, a couple of sammies, and some paper
towels into a basket. If that’s your style, OK, but Mark Stone, Executive
Chef at Glencairn Golf Club, and Michael Wood, Executive Chef at
Wyndance Golf Club, think alfresco meals should be kicked up a
notch. Whether you are heading for a concert in the park, a visit to
the zoo, or simply an excursion into your own backyard, these chefs’
recipes are sure to change the way you look at picnics.
For the pastry
2 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4-5 tbsp ice-cold water
For the filling
1 tbsp olive oil
150g (5 ounces) pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon), diced
30g (1 ounce) gruyere cheese, grated
60g (2 ounces) medium or strong cheddar cheese, grated
2 plum tomatoes cut into small wedges
3 large free-range eggs
2 free-range egg yolks
250mL (8 ounces) 35% cream
250mL (8 ounces) 2% or whole milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Make the pastry by putting the flour, salt and butter into a
food processor and whizzing for 10 seconds until it resembles
breadcrumbs (or forking the flour, salt and butter together until it
reaches this consistency). Tip into a bowl and stir in four tablespoons
of ice-cold water using a knife. Add another tablespoon of water if
the mixture doesn’t come together or is too dry. Press the mixture
into a ball and knead lightly, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for
30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of
1 1/2 cm (1/2 inch). Use to line a 23-25 cm (nine-inch) tart tin,
3-4 cm (1.5 inches) deep, with a removable base. Press the pastry
into the edges and leave a little excess overhanging the sides. Chill
for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the pastry with foil and fill with
baking beans. Blind bake for 15-20 minutes until the sides are
lightly golden. Remove the foil and beans and return to the oven
for five minutes more until the base is golden and cooked. Remove
the pastry case from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Using a
sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry to the rim. Reduce the oven
to 325°F.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan; add the pancetta and sauté for five
minutes. Remove from the heat and drain off any fat.
5. Sprinkle the grated gruyere and cheddar over the base of the tart,
then scatter the pancetta and tomatoes over the top.
6. Whisk together the whole eggs and the yolks, followed by the cream
and milk. Season well. Pour enough egg and cream mixture into the
pastry case to fill. Bake for 40 minutes until the quiche is set and the
top golden. This quiche can be eaten hot or cold.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 4 5

P i c n i c s
Chilled Chateaubriand with Creole Sauce
Created by Michael Wood, Wyndance Golf Club
Serves two
1 thick, centre-cut tenderloin steak (approximately 450 g/1 pound)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp onion, finely chopped
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
A dash of your favourite rum
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whole tarragon leaves, for garnish
1. Preheat your oven to 375º F.
2. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on the steak. Preheat an oven-safe heavy skillet or sauté
pan over medium-high heat. Depending on your stove, this could take four or five minutes.
Add the butter and oil to the pan. When the butter stops foaming, sear the meat on all sides
until well browned.
3. Remove the meat from the pan, and place an oven-safe rack in the cooking pan. Put the
meat on the rack and roast in the oven until the meat has reached an internal temperature of
125º F. Use a probe thermometer so you don’t have to keep opening the oven. Alternately,
check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer after 10 or 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven to rest for about 15 minutes. The temperature will continue to
rise, and your meat will be a perfect medium rare. Refrigerate until fully
chilled, then slice.
4. Mix remaining ingredients for sauce. Serve with chilled beef.
Lobster Salad
Created by Michael Wood, Wyndance Golf Club
Serves two to four
Michael Wood
For the dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
For the lobster
1/2 clove of garlic
1 head fresh lettuce of your liking
450g (1 pound) cooked fresh lobster meat
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
2 chives, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/4 each yellow and red sweet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp almonds, chopped
Parmesan cheese
1. Beat all the ingredients for the dressing together until light and fluffy.
2. Rub 1/2 clove of garlic all over individual wooden salads bowls or one large salad
bowl. Make a bed with strips of washed lettuce.
3. In a separate bowl, crumble the lobster meat. Mix in the hard-boiled eggs, chives,
onion, celery and sweet peppers. Add the dressing, mix lightly and place over
lettuce. Sprinkle with almonds and cheese.
If bringing this salad to a picnic, pack the lettuce, lobster mixture and cheese and
almonds separately. For best results, everything should be tossed at the last minute.
4 6 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

P i c n i c s
Peach and Arugula Salad
Created by Mark Stone, Glencairn Golf Club
Serves six
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt (preferably sea salt)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 firm-ripe peaches (680 g/1.5 pounds total)
24 thin slices pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon; 570 g/1.25 pounds)
2 tbsp olive oil
175 g (6 ounces) baby arugula (6 cups)
75 g (3 ounces) finely crumbled ricotta (1/2 cup)
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Glencairn’s
Executive Chef
Mark Stone provides
the following tips
to ensure you
picnic safely.
• Make sure your cooler will keep foods at 4°C /40°F.
Keep drinks in a separate cooler, since it will be
opened more often.
• Plan ahead; try to take only what will be eaten so you
won’t have to worry about leftovers.
• Don’t partially pre-cook meat or poultry before
transporting; if it must be pre-cooked, cook until done,
then chill before packing in the cooler.
• Put the cooler inside the car rather than in the hot
trunk, and keep it in the shade at your destination;
replenish ice often.
• If you cook food ahead of time, chill thoroughly before
putting it in the cooler. If you take hot food, wrap the
dish in aluminum foil and towels to keep it above
60°C /140°F; if it’s a long trip, it may be best not to take
a hot dish.
1. For the dressing, whisk together vinegar, juice, and salt, then add extravirgin
oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
2. Cut an X at the bottom of each peach and immerse in boiling water 15
seconds, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peel peaches and cut each
into six wedges, then unroll pancetta slices and wrap one slice around
each wedge, overlapping ends of pancetta.
3. Heat remaining oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) non-stick skillet over moderate
heat until hot, but not smoking. Then cook peaches in two batches,
turning over occasionally with tongs, until pancetta is browned on all
sides and cooked through, about five minutes per batch.
4. Toss arugula and warm pancetta-wrapped peaches in a bowl. Drizzle with
dressing and sprinkle with ricotta and pepper. Keep in a chilled, covered
container. Alternatively, divide into six plates and serve immediately.
• Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters
for separately handling the raw foods and food after
cooking. Don’t use the same platter and utensils
for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Any bacteria
present in raw meat or juices can contaminate the
safely cooked meat. This is a prime cause of summer
food-borne illness.
• Find out if there’s a source of safe drinking water at
your destination. If not, bring water for preparation
and cleaning; or pack clean, wet, disposable cloths or
moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands
and surfaces. Put perishable foods back in the cooler
or refrigerator as soon as you finish eating.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 4 7

P i l a t e s f o r g o l f e r s
Hit the ball farther,
straighter, with
more accuracy…
and less chance
of injury by Haley Borden
Whether twisting the body on a drive, squatting to line up a putt or leaning
over to pick up a ball, golfers are constantly torquing their bodies. The
golf swing requires repeating the same essential movements. As a result, some
muscles become overused and others weaken, causing an imbalance in the body.
For a golfer, muscle imbalances can affect the legs, hips, arms, shoulders and the
lower back. Especially for those golfers over the age of 50, drives may be shorter
and less accurate, stamina may decrease, and the potential for debilitating strains,
pulls and tears increases. Core conditioning is very important for a golfer because
all movements in the entire body stem from the strength in this area. A weak
core is a major source of energy leakage in the golf swing. The core is where the
body’s centre of gravity is located and where force production begins. Having a
strong core allows you to set up to the ball correctly and efficiently without pain.
When you have the proper position, you have a better chance to swing correctly.
Professional golfers know that a strong core and increased flexibility will prevent
injuries and increase power, allowing them to drive the ball further and with more
accuracy. No matter what your current physical condition or your handicap, your
golf game can benefit by regular exercise targeted with the golf swing in mind.
The Pilatecize Program for Golf is a total body-conditioning workout that
combines the “core” principles of Pilates, the flexibility of yoga, the balance and
coordination of the exercise ball, and strength training with a resistance band
into one complete mind/body routine. This program of lengthening tightened
muscles in the lower back, hamstrings, shoulders, and strengthening core
abdominals, will increase your power, stability, flexibility, control, and range of
motion—all essential for a great golf swing.
International health and fitness expert Haley Borden is the creator of Pilatecize.
Haley has trained celebrities and professional athletes such as The Rolling Stones,
Toronto Blue Jays, pro golfers and squash players, and Fortune 500 CEOs.
w w w. p i l a t e c i z e. c o m
4 8 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

Try these exercises from
Pilatecize for Golf to help
you perform at the top
of your game.
When your body is in a bridge exercise position of maintaining
the level of your hips straight in line with your shoulders, this
exercise challenges the stability of the pelvis, lower back and
core while strengthening your buttocks, which are important
for creating power and stability during the golf swing.
P i l a t e s f o r g o l f e r s
Exercise One:
Bridge with rotation lying on the ball
1
2
3
Lying with your head and upper part of your back
on the exercise ball, maintain this position, keeping
your hips up and parallel to the floor. Visualize your
body straight like a bridge, keeping your knees, hips
and shoulders on the same level. Hold a weight in
your hands with your arms straight above your chest.
Rotate your arms to the right, keeping your hips up
and stable, as if you are going to swing your golf club.
Alternate your arms now to the left side. Continue
alternating side to side for 10 reps each side.
Exercise Two: Bridge with your legs on the ball
1
Lying on your back with the back of your calves on the exercise ball and
your arms down by your side.
2
1
2
3
4
Inhale to prepare.
Exhale as you lift your hips into a bridge position, stabilizing your
core. Keep a straight line from your shoulders to your feet; hold here.
Squeeze your buttocks tight and suck your belly button in towards
your spine.
Inhale as you lift your arms over your head, still maintaining the level
of your hips up in bridge. You will know if you are engaging your core
by remaining stable and holding this position without moving.
Exhale as you slowly lower your hips down to the floor, lengthening
your spine vertebra by vertebra, stretching as your hands stay over
your head. Inhale and return your hands down by your side.
3
Repeat this sequence five times.
After this bridge strengthening exercise, you will need to stretch and
lengthen the legs.
4
Stretch: Keep the left leg on the ball as you grab the right leg with your
hands behind your calf. Lift your upper body as you inhale; exhale as you
pull your leg slowly towards your chest. You can relax your head down
if you feel stress in your neck. You will feel the back of the hamstrings
lengthening and stretching. You want to keep your left leg stable on the
ball. Do this for a count of 10 inhales and exhales. Now do the same
movement pulling with the left leg, as the right leg stabilizes on the ball.
Photos courtesy of Haley Borden
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 4 9

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slow cooking
G a m e I m p r o v e m e n t
SECOND IN a SERIES
In a fast-food world,
game improvement is
by Tim O’Connor ClubLink Life Instruction Editor
illustration by Greg Douglas
You’ve no doubt met the guy who swears
a golf professional “ruined” his game.
The usual tale of woe goes like this: a golfer
(call him Buddy) is tired of slicing, so he books
a lesson right before a game with a pal who likes
to bet. He takes his lesson, and roars to the first
tee armed with his new anti-slice swing, knowing
he’s going to cash in.
The magic anti-slice tip sort of works initially, but
eventually he’s blown a few gaskets and is hitting
the ball practically sideways. He suffers one of his
worst games of the year, loses all ways, and declares the golf pro is a complete
idiot who ruined his swing.
Hey, Buddy: You sabotaged yourself. You had no chance of taking a new tip to
the course and expecting it to work.
Buddy is us. We want immediate response to text messages, pizzas
delivered in 30 minutes or less, and instant results on the golf course.
One problem: Our brains don’t work that way. We use our bodies to swing
the club, but it’s the brain that directs the machinery. Our grey matter works
incredibly fast at processing thoughts and signals from our senses, but it’s dadgum
slow when it comes to mastering new motor skills such as golf, playing the
violin, or learning to touch type.
Deep practice
involves isolating
one particular
movement,
working on it
over and over,
correcting
mistakes,
performing
it very slowly
sometimes, and
repeating it.
This is why the majority of golfers do not make the improvements they dream
about, despite receiving great advice from magazines, TV shows, dads. This is
another reason why golf drives us crazy.
It’s the same for trying to change ingrained habits. You may decide that, say,
you’re not going to spin your hips on your downswing anymore—which you’ve
been doing for years—but actually stopping it is extremely difficult.
So how do you get better at the devil’s game? Well, one place to start is to learn
how our brains and bodies develop new skills, and how to practise.
The following stages of mastery provide some perspective on how we learn new
motor skills and change habits.
1. Unconscious incompetence—You’re not aware that you’re doing something
incorrectly (for example, you cut across the ball at impact, imparting slice
spin on the ball)
2. Conscious incompetence—You become aware of your fault (a professional
shows your fault on video)
3. Conscious competence—You practise swinging correctly (the way the
professional showed you)
4. Unconscious competence—You can perform the move correctly without
thinking about it (you’ve mastered it)
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 5 1

G a m e I m p r o v e m e n t
A key to deep practice is feeling the physical
move with as much attention as possible.
Unfortunately, there is no passing lane to speed your way through to
Stage 4.
The neural pathways in the brain that control body movement fire
in set patterns that we have developed over years of use. This is why,
unconsciously, we do most everything exactly the same way, like
brushing our teeth with the same number of strokes every time.
If a chronic slicer, for example, tries to swing from inside
the target line to impact, it will feel really weird; the
neural pathways for the downswing are used to swinging
outside-to-in.
Through intense concentration, you can successfully guide yourself
through the correct sequence of motion, such as during a lesson. But
when you’re tired or distracted, you’ll revert to your old habits. You’re
trying to fight patterns that are encoded like wiring.
It’s an apt analogy. Just like the wires in your house, the neural pathways
in the brain become set when they become covered with a substance
called myelin.
The role of myelin is articulated in The Talent Code by author Daniel
Coyne, a must-read for every golfer seeking to improve. “Every human
skill, whether it’s playing baseball or playing Bach, is created by chains
of nerve fibres carrying a tiny electrical impulse—basically a signal
traveling through a circuit. Myelin’s vital role is to wrap those nerve
fibres the same way that rubber insulation wraps a copper wire, making
the signal stronger and faster by preventing the electrical impulses by
leaking out.
“When we fire our circuits in the right way—when we practise swinging
that bat or playing that note—our myelin responds by wrapping layers
of insulation around that neural circuit, each new layer adding a bit
more skill and speed. The thicker the myelin gets, the better it insulates,
and the faster and more accurate our movements and thoughts become.”
So how does this cranial lecture relate to golf? Well, it’s a matter of
working through the stages of mastery.
If you want to cure that slice, ideally you’ll get professional coaching so
you can learn the fundamentals and get feedback over time to ensure
you’re moving correctly. (Stages 1 and 2.) Don’t want a coach? Get a
good book or instructional DVD and use video for feedback.
To make lasting and genuine changes to your swing, you need to engage
in what experts such as Coyle call “deep practice.” (Stage 3)
Deep practice involves isolating one particular movement, working on it
over and over, correcting mistakes, performing it very slowly sometimes,
and repeating it. This is what coach Sean Foley means when he talks
about Tiger Woods getting in his “reps.”
A key to deep practice is feeling the physical move with as much
attention as possible. Performance coach Paul Dewland cautions that
working on a move doesn’t mean thinking about it, which is what most
adult golfers do.
“Good golfers focus on the feeling of what they are trying to do,” says
Dewland (www.puremindgolf.com) who gives clinics at the Academies
of ClubLink at Glen Abbey. “Say you’re working on the correct position
of your hands at the top of your swing. Seeing the position in a mirror
or video is great feedback, but until you can close your eyes and feel the
correct position of your hands, your brain won’t learn it.”
Dewland says that once you’re familiar with the feeling of a correct
move, connect it to the other parts of the swing as soon as possible. You
will no doubt make mistakes, but mistakes are an essential part of deep
practice. They let you feel the difference between what’s off track and
what’s on, magnifying the development of the neural pathways.
Practise only as long as you can stay focused. If you find your attention
drifting, take a break.
“Beating balls” is not deep practice. Your attention needs
to be focused on the move (the process), not on the flight
of the ball (the result).
Annie Mallory of Core Golf Academy in Orlando, Fla., advocates
making a number of reps—10 to 15 or so—without hitting a ball. Then
hit one ball, and start over. “It should take you about 30 minutes to hit
about 20 balls when you’re practising,” says Mallory who also coaches
tour players. “Warming up for a game is different. Hit away.”
Provided you receive feedback that keeps you on the right track, engage
in quality practice, and if you are physically capable of making the
correct motion, you will eventually own the motion you are trying to
master. (Congratulations! You’ve reached Stage 4.) In other words, the
electrical circuit in your brain that controls the move will fire faster as it
becomes insulated with myelin.
How long does it take to learn proper technique? Like everything else
in this world, the more hours invested, the greater the return. Todd
Graves of the Graves Golf Academy in Orlando says that making the
leap that most amateurs dream about—say, going from a 15 to a seven
handicap—takes “thousands of hours.”
“One of my students asked me how long it would take to train. I said,
‘Stop playing and give yourself six months.’ He said, ‘Six months! You
mean I can’t play for six months?’
“I said, ‘Hey, I didn’t design the brain.’”
Next up: Success stories. How some folks learned
to play much better—and kept their day jobs.
Tim O’Connor is ClubLink Life’s instruction editor. He apparently suffers
from a congenital lack of myelin…among other things.
5 2 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

Your Card Awaits!
2011 Golf Canada / Provincial Association member
cards are available now. All you need to do is ask.
Member Name
Member Golf Club Name
123456789
C
M
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CM
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Visit your Pro Shop
or General Manager
for details.
Love the Game. Grow the Game.
RCGA Handicap Factor", "Handicap Factor", "Factor" and "RCGA Handicap System" are registered trademarks and service marks of the RCGA.
GOLF CANADA and GOLF CANADA & Design marks are trademarks of the Royal Canadian Golf Association.

E q u i p m e n t
Hands
on
Often
overlooked
and ignored,
grips are
fundamental
to good golf
by Scott Kramer
New grips can instantly transform your game, for just a few dollars per club.
They’re a great alternative to buying pricey new clubs, when you want that “new
club” feel. You need new grips when your current ones have lost traction, leave
black residue on your glove palms, or become hardened, slick or worn down.
5 4 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

E q u i p m e n t
Now’s a great time to upgrade—as you should
annually, anyway—because there are so many
great new models out there boasting the latest
technology. Fresh, unique surface patterns and the
latest materials will give you optimum traction.
That allows you to hold the club securely with less
hand tension, lending more fluidity to your swing.
Grip companies are also adding plenty of colour
this year. For example, the emphasis on white
clubheads has helped popularize a slew of white
grips. And yes, many of them simply wipe clean
with a wet towel—a handy reminder to help you
keep them in top shape.
Sizing is also crucial to helping your swing.
Thankfully, many companies offer up to five sizes.
Choose wisely: An undersized grip promotes
increased hand action, tension in your forearms
and shoulders, and pulled shots. An oversized
grip limits wrist pronation and can prevent a snap
hook, but stifles distance. Too large, and you need
to squeeze to hold onto it, which creates tension.
Oversized grips are usually ideal for golfers with
arthritis, who won’t have to close their hands
completely around them.
So how to buy the proper grips? Hold some in the
golf shop with your normal grip pressure, while
wearing your regular glove. You’re ultimately
seeking a grip that feels comfortable and won’t slip
easily. If your hands sweat or if you play a lot in
damp weather, try a corded model, with embedded
linen threads to help absorb moisture. Beware,
though: They can feel harsh. Grips generally
are made of rubber (natural or synthetic) or
thermoplastic elastomer. Rubber grips have good
traction and cost less, but need frequent cleaning
and lack durability. Thermoplastic elastomer grips
are generally more durable and softer than rubber,
and don’t retain moisture; wipe them and they’re
like new. They also stay tacky for longer, so they’re
great for golfers with dry skin. It truly comes down
to personal preference.
If you are unsure about brand, size or composition,
ask your ClubLink golf professional for advice.
Lamkin’s R.E.L. with 3GEN is made of a synthetic rubber compound that
reduces impact jolts without dulling shot feel, while the minimal surface pattern
maximizes contact with your hands for comfort and tackiness.
Winn’s 5LF-Hero camouflage green/khaki grip for woods and irons is firm
and features WinnLite technology—it weighs just 26 grams—that is supposed
to increase your swing speed so you can hit the ball further. Shifting the club’s
balance point downward increases the launch angle for higher ball flight, as well.
Focusing on feel and performance, Golf Pride’s VDR features triple-texture
technology with three depths of surface grip texture. It’s designed for heightened
traction and all-weather performance. The texture combines with a shockreducing
rubber compound to protect your wrists on off-centre hits.
PURE Grips’ five pure rubber models now come in a variety of colours as
well as the original standard black. Included is the PURE Wrap, a classic,
perforated wrap with medium firmness, plenty of tack, and nice shock absorption.
UST Mamiya’s Pro DV is the company’s highest-performing, firmestfeeling
model. Its half-cord and dual-compound technology enhance traction
and feel. It aims to provide torsion strength and control.
The Softspikes Widow Maker midsized, paddle-style putter grip
features a hybrid, dual-compound rubber composition. It sports both smooth and
textured surfaces, which results in good traction, feel and control.
ClubLink Life Equipment Editor Scott Kramer is based in Carlsbad, Calif.,
the capital of the golf equipment world. www.mediabistro.com/scottkramer
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 5 5

Physicians
Registered
Dietitians
Exercise
Physiologists
Cardiologists
Psychologists
You need different clubs to play your game.
That’s also the philosophy behind our Executive Health program.
You wouldn’t just carry around one golf club and expect to excel at your game. It takes different strokes and different clubs to get through
18 holes. So when it comes to your overall health, we believe that it takes multiple specialists to deliver care that is centered around your
needs and personalized to your lifestyle.
At Cleveland Clinic Canada we are not just focused on disease, improving your health and enhancing your overall well-being.
Our 12 month Executive Health program includes a comprehensive medical and wellness evaluation plus use of our urgent care program.
Take control of your health today. Special rates apply to ClubLink members, their spouse or partners.
Contact us at 1.866.432.0851 to learn more.
e X e C u T i V e H e a LT H • S P O R T S H E A LT H • L I F E S T Y L E P R O G R A M S
181 Bay Street, 30th floor, Toronto, ON M5J 2T3 1.866.432.0851 clevelandclinic.ca/clublink
O f f i C i a L C L u b L i n k H e a L T H C a r e P a r T n e r

J a s o n H e l m a n
Jason Helman honoured
twice for coaching approach
by Tim O’Connor
ClubLink Life Instruction Editor
ason Helman won’t dispense quick-fix tips to his golf students, which is one reason they
Jimprove so quickly.
The Director of Instruction at Wyndance Golf Club coaches his students, helps them to
develop their skills, and practise effectively so they can coach themselves.
“I don’t give Band-Aid tips,” Helman says. “I try to help my students to learn. I lay out a
plan for them and explain it’s a process, rather than just giving them the answers. This is
how people improve. As a result, my students have a lot of ‘ah-hah!’ moments.”
In recognition of his effectiveness in advancing his profession and dedication to his craft,
Helman has been doubly honoured. In October 2010, he was named Ontario PGA Teacher
of the Year, and then in February, he was named Canadian PGA Teacher of the Year.
“It’s nice to be honoured by my peers,” said Helman as he prepared for a new season at
Wyndance. “It happened over 19 years. It was part of a process and a plan.”
Helman has worked with and built an impressive roster of students, which includes No.
1-ranked Canadian PGA professional Bryn Parry, players on the Canadian, Nationwide
and Duramed Futures tours, and amateurs who have earned scholarships to U.S. colleges.
“Winning these awards tells me that I’m doing the right things,” he said. “I’ve helped my
players and ClubLink Members, but they’ve also helped me and I’m very thankful.”
Photo courtesy of
scoreGolf Magazine
Helman does not try to adapt his students to a swing
method. Instead, he uses a coaching philosophy that
focuses on efficient body motion and proper sequence,
which is based on his assessment of a student’s physical
and athletic abilities.
I teach what’s right for
the person based on
their assessment and
their own objectives
“I teach what’s right for the person based on their assessment
and their own objectives,” Helman says. “I get my students
to set short- and long-term goals, and establish a path. I help
my students understand that getting better is a learning curve so they know they cannot fix
their slice in 45 minutes. We are developing skills.”
Helman grew up in Westport in Eastern Ontario where he worked at Cataraqui Golf and
Country Club in Kingston and golf bit him hard. He attended a golf academy for aspiring
golf professionals in Florida. After graduating in 1993, he moved to Germany to instruct
at a series of academies in Europe.
He returned to Canada a year later and worked at The Country Club (in its pre-ClubLink
years) under Master Professional Michael Schurman and Bernie Starchuk. After a threeyear
sabbatical from golf, he taught in Port Perry and in 2007 he joined Wyndance which
Helman says “has one of the best practice facilities in the country.
Photo courtesy of
the Ontario Pga
Jason with Warren Mape of FlightScope
“My coaching style provides students with the ability to gain knowledge, develop, and
apply it in a supervised learning environment. They leave their coaching session knowing
the importance of practice, performing drills, and understanding their responsibilities of
the process so they can improve. This way they can come up with some of the answers on
their own, and they can take it from the range to the course, and coach themselves when
they are playing.”
Helman’s approach is like the story that it’s better to show a man how to fish rather than
just giving him a fish. That sounds wise. Even award-winning.
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 5 7

T u r f o l o g y
(Plant) food
for thought
Bobby Jones once said “Golf is a
game that is played on a five-inch
course—the distance between your
ears.” With golf being the mental
workout that it is, it only makes
sense that ClubLink Members spend
some time thinking about how their
actions affect course conditions.
Whether it’s showing respect for
the turf by repairing divots or ball
marks or understanding why
superintendents make the decisions
they do, ClubLink Members can
truly make a difference
on behalf of everyone
while they are on
the course.
Divots:
by Matthew Black
You address your ball. The club goes back and forth, the ground goes
THUD, and a ragged chunk of turf goes flying (sometimes further than
the ball). If you’re a conscientious golfer, you retrieve the evidence and
replace it. But what does this do?
According to Glencairn Superintendent Doug Davidson, there are
different types of divots. “A divot that consists of a layer of soil (consider
it a tiny piece of sod), should be pressed firmly with the foot to establish
contact between the two soil surfaces. A divot that is composed of grass
clippings will not likely survive if pressed back into place. This divot is
best treated by applying the soil and seed provided.”
Green Speeds:
Every so often, you’ll line up a putt, determine alignment, weight and
break—only to see the ball come nowhere near your intended target.
A few days ago, the same putt dropped. How come?
Bill McAllister, RattleSnake Point’s superintendent, has the answer:
“Green speeds are 90 per cent based on weather in the spring compared
to 50 per cent in the summer. It’s about how much precipitation,
heat, wind, root growth and recovery from the winter has
occurred. When we can get warm days [in spring] with sun
that gets the plant growing early, then we have a good
start. When we are dealing with winter damage, such
as ice, desiccation, or mould, we have to allow for
recovery and create a good hearty canopy that will be
healthy come July and August and remain that way.”
It comes down to adaptability, both predictive and
reactive decisions, and also a little luck from Mother
Nature. It is fundamental that superintendents cut
and manage all of ClubLink’s greens according to
the conditions and time of year.
5 8 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

T u r f o l o g y
Ball Marks:
There’s nothing quite like hitting an approach shot and sticking it within
one-putt range. The downside is the crater-like indentation where the ball
landed on the green. These need to be repaired for obvious reasons, but
what happens when your ball-mark repair tool is used to do so? If you’re
doing it properly, how does this action affect the turf and improve its
chances of restoration?
The accompanying diagram provided by the Golf Course Superintendents
Assoc. of America illustrates the proper way to repair a ball mark using a
repair tool. Davidson says the goal in repairing the ball mark is to restore the
turf to its original location; however, it is imperative that the turf is pulled
gently back into position, not ripped or torn.
Pin Placement:
Seasons change, people change, and, yes, pins change. To maintain a
relatively equal balance of turf health and Member satisfaction, ClubLink
superintendents alter hole locations on a daily basis—in some instances twice!
Davidson is realistic in his approach: “Someone calculated that the average
golfer takes more than 150 steps on any given green. Multiply this by 200
rounds per day. Pin positions have evolved as a way to manage foot traffic
on greens.”
Aside from changing the dynamic of the way each hole plays on a daily basis,
pin placement really boils down to conservation. “When I make the decision
as to where to place the pin, I’m primarily concerned with the quality of the
grass around the hole,” says Davidson. “I avoid low-lying areas on wet days.
I avoid peaks or crests on dry days when I may be forced to hand water.
We attempt to distribute traffic from golfer footfalls over the entirety of the
playing surface; [superintendents] are always interested in the number of
entry and exit points on their [greens].”
Frost Delays:
Is there anything more frustrating for an eager golfer than the dreaded early-
April or mid-October frost delay? Whether the season is just beginning or
close to its conclusion, nobody likes to unload their clubs only to be told
that their tee time has been pushed back. But what is actually happening out
there, thanks to these sub-zero temperatures?
According to the Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. of America, “Frost is
essentially frozen dew. It can form when the temperature (or wind chill) is
near or below the freezing point. The ice crystals that form on the outside
of the plant can also harden or even freeze the cell structure of the plant.
When frosted, the normally resilient plants cells become brittle and are
easily crushed. When the cell membranes are damaged, the plant loses its
ability to function normally. It’s not much different than cracking an egg.”
Asides from the unsightly after-effects, typically a trail of brown footprints,
roll and turf quality also suffer until the turf crew is able to assess the damage
and repair it accordingly. During these frustrating stretches of the Canadian
golf season, ClubLink superintendents strive to preserve the conditions of
their Clubs; frost delays are a frustrating, yet necessary, measure they make
use of in the name of protection.
The Proper
Way to Repair
a Ball Mark
Use a pronged
ball mark repair
tool (preferably),
knife, key or tee.
Insert at the
edges of the
mark – not the
middle of the
depression.
Bring the edges
together with a
gentle twisting
motion, but don’t
lift the centre.
Try not to tear
the grass.
Smooth the
surface with
a club or foot.
You’re done
when it’s a
surface that you
would putt over.
Source: Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. of America
C l u b L i n k L i f e | 5 9

C L U B L I N K P a r T n e r
Australia W nes:
Down Under, but not out
When I visited Australia in the mid-90s there was an ambitious plan to
make Australia the planet’s largest shipper of red wine. The world was
adoring its new, rich, technically sound reds – led by shiraz – that offered
bushels of fruit in a soft style that did not require food, or cellaring.
But by the mid 2000s they had saturated the market and fatigued
consumers with an ocean of wine differentiated only by the type of
critter on the label and sales slumped. So the resourceful and derring-do
Aussies are now focusing on more elegant wines with a sense of place,
of people and of history. When I returned earlier this year as a guest
of Treasury Wine Estates to visit some of Australia’s largest wineries,
the strategy became apparent: buy upgrade historic wineries located
in older facilities; improve viticulture with a move to sustainable and/
or organic farming; express specific regions and vineyards; and gather
some of the top winemakers in the country.
Here, is a glimpse of style trends and regional winemaking that reflect
the changes under way.
Chardonnay style is doing a 180-degree flip, from the heavy-handed,
overly-sweet and oaky chardonnays to leaner, mineral driven wines
in the style of traditional white Burgundy. Seeking cooler regions is
essential. In the maritime Margaret River of Western Australia Devil’s
Lair winemaker Oliver Crawford, is transforming his favourite variety.
I was also impressed by the work of Andrew Fleming at Coldstream
Hills, in particular an elegant, nifty single-vineyard Chardonnay from
the upper (cooler) Yarra Valley.
In Australia’s hot climate areas, pinot noir tends to make wines that
pinot purists find precocious – with too much jammy fruit, alcohol
and oak that blurs the grape’s finer points. So again the race is on to
cool regions like Tasmania, the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley
of Victoria, the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, and Pemberton in
Western Australia. I was very impressed with the new Penfolds Bin 23
Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills and Coldstream Hills is a leader in
the Yarra Valley, although we will have to wait until 2010 thanks to a
bad fire season that smoke tainted the fruit in 2009.
Riesling is also in overdrive. First planted in the hot Barossa, Eden and
Clare Valleys by Germans in the 19th Century, Oz rieslings are not
about Germanic delicacy and charm, but power, austerity and bone
crushing minerality. Penfolds Bin 51 2010 Riesling from Eden is a
classic expression. The Clare Valley northwest of Adelaide may be the
single most important region for riesling, and I loved Annie’s Lane 2009
Coppertail, from a site planted in 1935.
Big, rich, high alcohol shiraz has been the flagship during both the rise
and fall of Australia’s fortunes, so de-fusing
the heat and finding more elegance is the new
mantra. Viticulturalists like Rosemount’s
Kim Ayliffe are fine tuning the vineyards
by adding subsoil compost, adjusting vine
vigour and leaf canopies. As I tasted through
the entire range of upcoming 2008 reds, I did
not write “hot” once. Nearby at Wolf Blass,
winemaker Chris Hatcher is also looking
to make more “contemporary and elegant”
shiraz in a high tech, new winery that helps
manage alcohol levels as well.
Cabernet Sauvignon soldiers on with two
cooler regions identified as prime locales
– Coonawarra and Margaret River. And
there is solid heritage here. Penfolds
Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon
vineyard was planted in 1882, making
it the oldest still-producing Cabernet
site in the world, with its fruit often
going to the famous Penfold’s Bin
707 Cabernet Sauvignon. I would
rank Wynns Coonawarra Cabernets in
that league too thanks to the elegance
of the iconic Wynns 2006 John
Riddoch, and a new single-vineyard
Block 91 Cabernet Sauvignon that
has churned out 53 vintages to date.
In the highly competitive global wine
world, Australia may be currently
Down and Under, but it is by no
means Out.
6 0 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

C L U B L I N K P a r T n e r
Time is Right for
Investing in the U.S.
Paul Danesi, CIM
Director, Portfolio Advisory Group, ScotiaMcLeod
The Portfolio Advisory Group believes investors should use
Canadian dollar strength to build exposure to international markets,
both developed and developing. The Canadian equity market
lacks depth, offers little exposure to the global economy, and is
generally a weak proxy for what would be considered a diversified
stock portfolio. The Canadian dollar’s strength against most major
currencies over the past year presents an opportunity for investors
to diversify their portfolios. Currency movements are notoriously
difficult to predict and Canadian dollar strength may not last forever.
In the meantime, investors have an attractive currency which they
can use to shop for foreign assets. We understand investors are
often reluctant to venture into foreign markets however we firmly
believe the benefits outweigh the risks in the long run.
Foreign Currency Fluctuations
and U.S. Dollar Weakness:
Many Moving Parts
While there is a long list of factors driving capital flows in foreign
exchange markets,
• Ongoing global economic recovery
• Strength in commodities markets
• Interest rate differentials and the quest for yield
• Carry trade dynamics
• Growing interest in global currency diversification among
central banks
• Intensified government intervention in currency markets
Canadian dollar strength has largely been a function of U.S. dollar
weakness. The U.S. dollar is undergoing a structural decline driven
by improving prospects for the global economy, low interest
rates, and demand for higher yielding emerging market assets.
Improvements in the global economy particularly emerging
markets and growing interest rate differentials make the U.S. dollar
less attractive. Commodity-based currencies including the Aussie
dollar, Brazilian real, and our Canadian “Loonie” have been some of
the strongest globally.
The U.S. dollar is also being used as a funding currency for carry
trades whereby investors capitalize on lower U.S. borrowing rates,
and then sell U.S. dollars to invest in higher yielding assets whether
bonds or stocks denominated in other currencies, or commodities.
The process depresses the value of the borrowed currency, in this
case the U.S. dollar.
Currency Forecast
Scotia’s foreign exchange team noted the dollar appears more
comfortable at par than at any other time over the past three
years. The overriding theme behind the move remains U.S. dollar
weakness reflecting the country’s loose monetary policy, an
ongoing deterioration in the country’s fiscal position, and a strong
desire to diversify away from the dollar. The U.S. has embarked
on a second round of quantitative easing to ward off deflation,
increasing the supply of dollars. Currency is like a commodity,
where excess supply puts downward pressure on its price. Periods
of risk aversion could drive investors temporarily back to U.S.
dollar-denominated assets, but the trend vis-à-vis the Canadian
dollar is one of continued weakness.
Traditional drivers of the Canadian dollar are also favourable.
Economic fundamentals position Canada ahead of the U.S. with
Canadian consumers, housing, and our financial system on more
solid footing. The medium-term outlook for commodity prices
looks solid. The current consensus forecast for WTI oil calls for the
commodity to average U$94 per barrel in 2011 rising to U$107 per
barrel in 2013, again supportive of our dollar.
The stronger outlook for commodities and foreign investors’ desire
to diversify their currency exposure has been to the benefit of
commodity currencies including the Canadian dollar. Although
downward pressure on the U.S. dollar is likely to persist in the near
term, we do not foresee a collapse in the currency. Such a scenario
would require the greenback to lose its status as the primary global
reserve currency or its ability to function as a global monetary
standard, neither of which appears likely.
6 2 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

C L U B L I N K P a r T n e r
Currency should not Act as an
Impediment for Long-Term Investors
Our experience tells us currency exposure represents the largest
impediment for retail clients when contemplating foreign
investments. Thankfully for many of our clients, the fund industry
has created new mutual and exchange traded funds that hedge
currency exposure allowing investors to continue to realize the two
primary benefits of international investment:
• Portfolio Diversification
• Access to higher growth regions of the world
While many investors think of currency as introducing another
layer of risk in their portfolios, it actually reduces risk. Let us
explain. From a portfolio diversification perspective, the imperfect
correlation between international markets offers risk reduction
opportunities, albeit the benefits of global diversification have been
diminishing over time. Furthermore, as the correlation between
currencies and most asset classes is low, foreign currency exposure
can provide an additional and important source of diversification.
Conclusion
The Portfolio Advisory Group believes investors should consider
building exposure to international markets. The strength of our
dollar will not last forever and is creating an attractive entry point
for long-term investors willing to venture into foreign markets.
Clients should speak with their financial advisor to determine
appropriate asset allocation strategies and security selection. For
those still uncomfortable with the idea of foreign currency risk,
there are always currency hedged Exchange Traded Funds and
mutual funds to consider.
Visit www.scotiamcleod.com to learn more and
contact one of our professional Wealth Advisors
While the information provided is believed to be accurate and reliable, neither Scotia Capital
Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the
accuracy or completeness of such information. Nothing contained in this report is or should be
relied upon as a promise or representation as to the future. This report is not intended to provide
personal investment advice and it does not take into account the specific investment objectives,
financial situation or particular needs of any specific person. Investors should seek advice regarding
the appropriateness of investing in financial instruments and implementing investment strategies
discussed or recommended in this report and should understand that statements regarding future
prospects may not be realized. The pro forma and estimated financial information contained in this
report, if any, is based on certain assumptions and management’s analysis of information available
at the time that this information was prepared, which assumptions and analysis may or may not
be correct. There is no representation, warranty or other assurance that any projections contained
in this report will be realized. The information and opinions contained in this report have been
compiled or arrived at from sources believed reliable but no representation or warranty, express or
implied, is made as to their accuracy or completeness. Neither Scotia Capital Inc. nor its affiliates
accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from any use of this report or its contents.
® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used by ScotiaMcLeod under license.
ScotiaMcLeod is a division of Scotia Capital Inc. Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of the Canadian
Investor Protection Fund.
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Find out how MeritBiz can save you
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www.meritbiz.ca
ON-4499356/4499372 | BC-33127/34799/34798 | QC-7002238 200-111 Peter Street, Toronto ON M5V 2H1 | Canadian owned

C l u b L i n k P a r t n e r
Merit
Travel
Group
M e r i t B i z ®
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M e r i t L e i s u r e G r o u p
With a team of more than 250 dedicated and experienced
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services to individuals, families, groups and commercial accounts.
This business unit also creates and delivers unique affinity
travel programs to a growing network of national and provincial
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Merit Leisure Group (MLG) is comprised of a number of leading
retail brands including Merit Vacations, Travel CUTS, Voyages
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The Official Travel
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Merit Travel Group is a privately held, owner-managed
company established in 1991. Merit has grown to
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the country provide advice and services to more than
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w w w . m e r i t . c a • 4 1 6 - 3 6 4 - 3 7 7 5
M e r i t G o l f V a c a t i o n s
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C l u b L i n k M e m b e r s
Please visit the MERIT TRAVEL
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ClubLink Members to take advantage of, such as savings
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6 4 | C l u b L i n k L i f e

F o r e W r i t e !
Silver Lining
by
Grantland Rice put it beautifully. “Golf,”
observed that eloquent, elegant
essence of sportswriting many years ago, “is
20-per-cent mechanics and technique. The
other 80 per cent is philosophy, humour,
tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship,
camaraderie, cussedness and conversation.”
Risking heresy, how about adding two
ingredients? Equal parts optimism and
delusion, as needed. You may have heard that
these are not the best of times for golf. There
is, however, a little unlikely good news. You
may have missed it.
The economic malaise, the Great Recession,
whatever you want to call it, hides a silver lining.
The theory goes like this: Long ago, golf was
the exclusive pastime of the rich. It was the
age of the great amateur. Professionals—
crass, servile—had no standing in golf. Eben
Byers, a top amateur when Bobby Jones was
emerging on the scene, was a millionaire back
when it meant something. Robert Gardner,
another top U.S. amateur, captained track and
golf teams at Andover and Yale. Jones, too, of
course, was from a well-to-do family. Their
orbit was Brookline, Newport, Philadelphia’s
Main Line, Oakmont. Lucky stiffs. All before
income tax.
Then the Depression arrived. Many clubs
were forced to close. Others made ends meet
by turning public. People like Ben Hogan,
Byron Nelson and Sam Snead would come to
present a very different face. Not exactly Ivy
League material, if you get my drift. Hogan
and Nelson were from Cowtown—Fort
Worth, Texas—their early lives as hardscrabble
as the dust bowl. Snead’s Appalachia was
Dogpatch, bucolic but economically forlorn.
Jimmy Demaret swam barefoot across
Houston bayous to caddie. His boss, Jack
Burke, Sr., the first golf pro in Texas, was lured
from Philadelphia at the height of hard times.
His employers, says his 88-year-old son, the
former PGA and Masters champion, were
“guys about a half hour off a [oil] rig.”
Rand Jerris has a word to describe what
was happening. Golf was becoming
“democratized.” Says the USGA’s museum
director and author of Golf’s Golden Age:
“During the 1930s, with all of the upheaval
in our economy and our social structure, the
game really became a game for the masses.”
Historian Richard Moss agrees. The author of
Golf And The American Country Club posits
two concurrent longstanding golf traditions;
one simple, the other complex. The simpler
is more modest, more sustainable, and, we
might add, more traditionally Scottish. The
complex tradition hardly needs explaining.
“[During the Depression] lots of the clubs
that had over-extended themselves and
had become economically unviable went
under,” says Moss. “While the clubs that had
remained simple, hadn’t gone into debt,
Jim Apfelbaum
hadn’t expanded and so on—they survived.”
Sound familiar?
I put all this to John Colligan. The longtime
course architect is grateful to have restoration
and refurbishment work as an icy chill hardens
over domestic new course projects. Could
the economic “correction” restore common
sense in contrast to the excesses and magical
thinking of the past?
He didn’t hesitate. “Without a doubt.” He
then went on to describe a fairly new course
and a renovation. As it happens, neither
course has bunkers. “That does a couple of
things,” he said. “It keeps course costs down.
But it also keeps maintenance costs down.”
The austerity, at least to his way of thinking
with these two specific projects, has been
easier to swallow than one might think. “I
have had people go out and play, and I’ll say,
‘How many bunkers did you get in?’ and
they’ll think for a moment, and say, ‘Well,
I didn’t think I got in a one.’” They hadn’t
even noticed.
Colligan notes the re-emergence of the
ground game, the recognition of the beauty
and desirability of a more natural look, about
brown being good—all positives and in tune
with a more enlightened environmental
outlook. But, sure, it all comes back to money,
mostly saving it at a time when course failures
outpace openings.
Just putting it out there. This in no way softpeddles
the very real economic hardships, the
mistakes, the optimism or the delusion. But
just maybe the austerity, as it did once before,
will again have a silver lining. Maybe it got
here just when golf needed it, and the game
will come out better because of it.
Jim Apfelbaum is ClubLink Life’s writer at large.
He lives in Austin, Texas.
Appearances can be deceiving. Early pros like
Byron Nelson, no matter how natty, had to battle
social stereotypes during golf’s “democratization.”
6 6 | C l u b L i n k L i f e