Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012 - (Page 74)

Golf pro for a day Doe s pl ay ing w her e wor l D - cl a s s profe s sion a l s compe t e improv e a w eek enD gol fer ’ s g a me? nichol a s s tein finDs ou t S A WORLD APART From top: The 172yard par-3 Hole 8 on the Gold Course at Tiburón Golf Club, located at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples in Florida; former No. 1 player in the world Greg Norman in December at the Shootout tournament he founded in 1989. Standing on the 18th green of the Gold Course at Tiburón Golf Club, located at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples in Florida, I can’t resist the urge to hold out my putter like a periscope, squat behind the ball until my knees brush the grass and study the 6-foot grass runway that separates me from the hole. All morning, I’ve been taking a little extra time over my shots, doublechecking my yardages and consciously avoiding hitting driver off every tee. On other days — and other courses — I’m just another weekend golfer wrestling with his game. But today something is different: I feel like a pro. A year ago on this very green, at the annual Shark Shootout (now known as the Franklin Templeton Shootout), American prodigy Dustin Johnson shook off the effects of near misses at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, and partnered with flamboyant Brit Ian Poulter to claim the title. Two weeks after my time on the Gold Course, Keegan Bradley and Brendan Steele topped the field, becoming the first PGA Tour rookies to win the Shootout. Adding to the fantasy, the resort, stately Mediterraneanstyle clubhouse and practice facilities feel a world apart from your local municipal course. Earlier this morning, as I looked out the window of my room, I could see the gleaming metal grandstand rising above the 18th green. And as I explored the locker room inside the clubhouse and warmed up on the sprawling practice tee, I kept expecting to run into Rickie Fowler or Camilo Villegas — two of the young pros in the 2011 field. Golf is unique among professional sports in that it allows amateurs to test their skills on the same playing field as the pros. You may never get the chance to hit a curveball in Yankee Stadium or catch a pass on Lambeau Field. But if you’re brave enough to play from the championship tees, you can experience the Gold Course the same way the professionals do. 74 w w w. r i t z c a r lt o n . c o m From Top: Tiburon; michael o’bryon. http://WWW.RITZCARLTON.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012
Contents
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
President’s Letter
Falling in Love With ... Tokyo
Technology
Design
On the Boulevards
Shopping
Jewelry
Watches
Family Travel
Wellness
Golf
Philadelphia
Culinary
Let Us Stay With You
Heritage

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012

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