Tag: #LymanGolfCenter

My Current Situation – Part III

We are now entering the 6th month of living in a pandemic and needless to say, things have changed for me in Connecticut… here’s what I’m noticing:

Masks are still required when you walk into any workplace/school/retail store/restaurant/bank etc. (which, by the way, is not a problem to me…)

 

 

Gyms continue to operate at 50% capacity which forces me to work out from home on an online app 3 days out of the 5…and go to my gym I Love Kickboxing (at 5am) the other 2 days..

 

 

We Local Account Executives at News 8 continue to work from home every other day in a team hybrid fashion and to be honest, I’m not mad about it (smile).

 

 

Zoom calls (the way we now converse with each other and with our clients) are beginning to feel “natural” and “the norm.”

 

 

And I just returned from an actual vacay in Delaware where we drove to visit family and because I brought my latop with me, I did not miss a beat on my work load…

 

 

Virtual church is becoming “a thing” now, I can hear ‘The Word” from Pastor King at Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church right from the safety of my living room…

 

 

As far as golf goes, social distancing was already in place so other than having an electric cart all to myself, not much has changed there…

 

 

Self Care is becoming extremely important during this anxiety-ridden time…I am not feeling guilt at all about taking out quality time for myself as often as I need it…

 

 

And finally, my father and sibs mean the world to me so catching up with them via consistent family Facetime chats has become the best part of my week (smile).

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 Things I do not want to give up in 2020

With the arrival of Lent it got me thinking of what I would like to give up this year.  But before I get to that, here are 20 things I do not want to give up in 2020 (in no particular order):

 

 

Kombucha – I discovered this delish drink during Dry January at the beginning of the year when I was purposely seeking out cool refreshing drinks with a kick (smile).  Kombucha hit the spot and the fact that it is Gluten Free and Dairy Free is an added bonus.

 

Red Wine – It’s no surprise that this one made my list before:  9 things I do not want to give up in 2019.     My new favorite reds are Pinots and my new favorite Pinot (discovered on my recent trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL) is Meiomi.

 

 

Kickboxing – I joined the specialty gym I Love Kickboxing this month because I needed something that was going to challenge me and kick my butt all at the same time (smile).  So far…so good.

 

Golf – It’s still cold here in New England (at least for another month or so) but once it warms up I will be back with my ladies hitting the links in Golf Fore Women 401.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Green Tea – I like to order hot green tea when I eat in or out of a Japanese restaurant.  It not only tastes good but it’s extremely good for you.

 

 

Speaking of Japanese, I def do not want to give up Sushi this year, it’s become a regular part of my bi-monthly cuisine and just thinking of it makes me want to call in an order or two (smile).

 

 

Staycations – what a novel idea – discovering fun things to do in your own state.  I feel like when we staycate in Connecticut the time to go back to work moves slower (smile).

 

 

Bikini Waxes – Summer is not the only time to get a bikini wax (Vacays count too!) and Tommy K’s Wax Center offers your first bikini line for free, if you are a first time customer.

 

 

Blueberry Ale – I’ve never been a big beer drinker but Elm City Market in New Haven has this delish brand from Wachusett Brewing Company that tastes more like something you eat than drink.

 

 

Oysters – I can eat this delicacy any season of the year but I have to admit that they taste infinitely better in the Summer than they do in the Winter.

 

Homemade Soups – I love soups made from scratch especially in the Winter so I’m truly enjoying the likes of homemade Lentil, Split Green Pea, Red Kidney Bean, 16 Bean Soup and more~

 

 

Candles –  I like burning things in a safe way (smile) so scented candles are high on the list Put your slippers on….

 

Bananas – I buy and eat bananas on a daily basis as the potassium and fiber help me out during super intense workouts  – and I buy organic so I don’t have to worry about pesticides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salad – This was on my list before because it is also something I can eat any time of the year (as long as it contains protein).  Cafe Java in New Haven has my all time fave Bosco Salad which I probably eat at least once a week…

 

 

Spinach and Mozzarella Pie  – Bar Pizza in New Haven has the best Spinach and Mozzarella Pizza I have ever eaten – I love veggie pizza and this place gets it done!

 

Edamame –  Steamed lightly salted soybeans are my favorite appetizer before a japanese meal.   They are high in protein and fiber and relatively low in calories so for me they are an obvious snacking choice.

 

Trail Mix – I might have hiked maybe once, maybe twice in my lifetime but if you saw me eating raw trail mix you might think I was an avid hiker (smile).

 

 

Sirius (XM) radio – I love listening to music and happen to have eclectic tastes so my satellite radio (at just $6.99 a month) puts Terrestrial radio to shame and keeps me entertained (smile).

 

Netflix TV and Movies  – I just love the original content of the re-occuring Series on this channel as well as the Movies.  It takes binge watching to a whole ‘nother level for me…

 

 

My Iphone  – I won’t leave the house without it, I won’t sit still anywhere without it nearby, I won’t rest knowing that it needs re-charging, am I addicted (the answer is a resounding Yes!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting my game on: GFW 201 & 301

Yikes,  it is hard to believe that it’s November already and 2019 is coming to a close.  I feel like this year flew by and the top 3 goals I set for myself in the month of January were stabbed at but not completely realized…My Top 3 Goals in the New Year

I do, however, have something I’m particularly proud of this year:  namely improving on my game of Golf.

Thanks to the Lyman Orchards Golf Center I spent the majority of my Summer and more than half of my Fall golfing.   And Summer started late this year in Connecticut  – remember the month of May?!?   I had to count it out for starting play as it was rainy and miserable.   Consequently I did not pick up my clubs until mid-June but then I made up for it by playing until the last weekend of October.

I learned a lot this year both on the course and off.   I had previously taken Golf Fore Women 101 (last September 2018) so some of what I learned this year felt like a refresher course but in a good way Ready Fore Golf

However, the majority of what I learned I took and turned into real application on the course.   And I had the added benefit of being taught and supervised by the award-winning LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow as well as her 2 trusty teammates Dan Hannibal and Andra Frappier…

 

LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow (in the purple Calloway Golf hat)

 

PGA Associate Teaching Professional Dan Hannibal

 

PGA Apprentice Teaching Professional Andra Frappier (in the lime green golf shirt and glasses)

 

June

 

Golf Fore Women 201 with LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow – club selection

 

Trying out my swing on the putting green

 

Getting good use out of my club on the course, as opposed to the driving range

 

July

 

Golf Fore Women 201 with Marissa Kulig Crow in black

 

Golf Fore Women 201 – learning how to stand correctly

 

It was a hotttttt one on the Apple 9 today!  I’ll never forget this day:  Saturday, July 20th!

 

Golf fore Women 201 – Marissa’s in black

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Golf fore Women 201 – another fun day with my new lady golf friends

 

Ending the day with my old (starter) set of clubs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August

 

Golf fore Women 301 –  The Apple 9 course is our classroom now (smile).

 

Coincidentally my workplace, News 8, held a client golf appreciation day at Lyman’s Player Course which I had the distinct pleasure of playing in (as opposed to volunteering to drive the bar cart)

 

I didn’t only play at Lyman this Summer – me and my bf managed to squeeze in 9 holes at Sleeping Giant in Hamden the last Saturday in August

 

September

 

Practice with a Pro x 2  with Dan Hannibal

 

Make-up session with Marissa Kulig Crow

 

Happy Surprise on the Apple 9: me and my bf (a 2some) had the pleasure of being matched up as a 4some with this young lady and her husband on a crowded Sunday in late September – we played a good match and made some new friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October

 

Player Course this time with my new lady golf friend Mary Ann, one of The Fab 4 (smile)

 

The Fab 4 now at Player Course honing our skills – on an overcast and rainy day

 

The Fab 4 at Player Course cutting up (smile)

 

The Fab 4 at Player Course  – photo shoot (smile)

 

On the  Apple 9 – the very last day of the season for me

 

Margot me and Jill on the Apple 9,  my very last day of Golf for the season- it was sunny but quite chilly…

 

Sooooo…I finally broke down at the end of October and invested in some new clubs.  And I actually played with them the last 2 weekends of the month.  I must admit that my game has improved with my new set of clubs (smile).   Not trying to rush time but I sure can’t wait ’till next Summer (double smile).

 

Love my burgundy and gray Ping Golf clubs

 

 

 

 

9 things I do not want to give up in 2019

My good, good work friend and fellow CT blogger Jamie Taylor (jamieeverafter dot com) inspired me to write this blog today when she recently posted about the things she was not willing to give up in the year 2019.   I “liked” her Insta post because this kind of thinking is the polar opposite of what you expect to hear from anyone in the early days of a New Year 😄.

At any rate, it got me thinking about my own will not give up list for 2019 so here  is that list (in no particular order):

 

Coffee

 I cannot leave the house without my coffee – nothing fancy, just a dark roast, completely black with natural sugar does the trick – I tried leaving the house without coffee once and it wasn’t pretty – I seriously thought I was coming down with something 😀

 

 

Edge Strong workouts

I cannot imagine doing what I do for a living without the benefits of a good workout each weekday morning.  It is not only a stress reliever but it also keeps me physically fit:   LJ: Stronger than before…

 

 

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Yelp, you name it – I’m on it and loving every minute of it 😀   R U Social?

 

 

Pampering (hair/feet/nails)

It’s no secret that I have a weekly standing hair appointment at the salon every Saturday morning so getting my nails and/or feet done on a monthly basis is par for the course:    Put your slippers on…

 

 

Wine

I make my living as a TV/Digital/Social Media Account Executive in a highly competitive, pressure-cooker work environment.  I do this all on 100 percent commission so a nice glass (or two) of red wine is more than welcome on the weekends 😀    10 things I cannot live without today

 

 

Movies

As I’ve posted about before in TVFL, Growing up Hollis my mother Jean would take her 7 children to the movies on Saturdays armed with candy and snacks:    Movie Buff   To this day watching movies on TV, Mobile tablets or even at the theater is a regular pastime.

 

Salad (with protein)

I loooooove salad any time of the year – not just the Summertime and I pile my salad with some or all of the following ingredients: romaine lettuce, fresh veggies, mixed nuts, cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, sesame seeds, chick peas, grilled chicken, homemade croutons and low fat dressing.   The low fat dressing is a semi-joke considering what goes into building my salads 😀    New Haven, CT Fall(ish) eats! 

 

 

Golf

I finally learned how to play Golf last Summer at Lyman Orchards Golf Center in Golf Fore Women 101 and I must say I’m truly looking forward to the Summer again so I can hit the links with my newfound lady golf friends!   Ready Fore Golf

 

 

Beauty Sleep

Over the years I have alternatively read or heard that a good night’s sleep is overrated and you really don’t need that much rest for your body to function at it’s best.  I disagree.  When I get at least 7 hours of sleep at night I tend to be more mentally alert and better able to handle multiple tasks at hand the following day.    What it means to be a woman of a certain age…  

 

 

So that’s my list for 2019, what’s your’s?!?

 

 

Ready Fore Golf

So glad I finally got off my duff last summer and signed up for golf lessons for women (smile).

Here’s what happened:  I was leafing through the Hamden/North Haven Adult Ed catalog when I happened upon a course listing in the Enrichment Class section called Golf Fore Women 101.   It felt serendipitious as I have been talking about taking golf lessons for what felt like ages so I promptly called to register for the Saturday morning 5-week session.

Then I called my girlfriend and broadcast industry colleague Ginger, who, like me, owned her own set of golf clubs but still did not know how to play.  Ginger was grateful that I thought of her and I felt lucky to know her (smile).

 

Me and Ginger

 

The reason why I felt so lucky was because I actually bought my own set of golf clubs 11 years ago but for some reason or another, nothing ever seemed to come together for me in terms of taking golf lessons or being consistent about actually wanting to play.  Here’s the rundown:

 

2007

I purchased my own set of “lady” golf clubs (down to the shoes, hat, gloves, pink golf balls, etc.) and although I initially had good intentions, this set mostly sat in my garage collecting dust…

 

My set of lady golf clubs

 

2011/2012/2013/2014

Since by now I still had not learned how to play, I spent multiple years volunteering as a “driver” at our News 8 company golf event at Yale delivering beverages and snacks to the “players.”

 

Driving the golf cart stocked with beverages and snacks on Yale’s golf course

 

2015

I finally took two private lessons (a gift from my bf) at Lyman Golf Center in Middlefield, CT with John Wilson, who came highly recommended from a former News 8 co-worker and female golfer.

 

Lyman Golf Center – this is  3 years ago…

 

After my two lessons with John,  I wrote a blog post about my experience in The View from Lajeune:   Taking fun seriously…my very first golf lesson

 

2016/2017

At the annual Travelers Tournament in Cromwell, CT (one of my fave live golfing events and spectator sports)

 

Always a good time for spectators at the Travelers Tourney

 

2018

By now I was so desperate I even fake caddied for my boyfriend last Summer while he enjoyed ‘the game’ (smile).

 

‘Fake’ caddying for my man

 

And it was right after this fake caddy moment when I happened upon the Enrichment course listing in the Hamden/North Haven Adult Ed catalog…

 

Golf Fore Women 101

The Saturday morning Fall classes I registered for ran from September 15 – October 13 (10am -11am) and consisted of about 10 women.  Our first session was mostly in the classroom where we talked about ourselves and what brought us there and then learned about Golf from a theoretical perspective.

 

My Saturday morning classmates – I’m gonna miss these ladies

 

Let me tell you, there is a lot to learn here.  Golf  is truly a game of and for life… Throughout our introductory 5-week course Marissa Kulig Crow, our LPGA Coach and Club Professional, patiently taught us the following:

 

  • Essentials – equipment selection and approprate golf attire
  • Golf Clubs
  • Golf  Course Layout
  • Golf Terms
  • Golf Scores
  • Forms of Golf Games
  • Golf Shots
  • Networking
  • Stretching and Yoga
  • Golf Etiquette 101

 

Lesson 1 –  The Driving Range

 

My first time on the Driving range in a long while and I’m a little rusty…

 

Lesson 2 – The Full Swing

 

The full swing – one of my personal favorites

 

Lesson 3 – Chipping/Pitching/Sand

 

Tubing – catching golf balls on the Green with a long tube.  By the way, Chipping/Pitching/Sand Wedge was probably one of the most difficult lessons

 

Lesson 4 –  On the Putting Green

 

This is where I need the most practice – it’s called ‘the short game’

 

Lesson 5 – The Apple 9 Hole course 

 

It felt funny golfing on this 9 hole course after spending time practicing on the driving range and putting green.  We played 3 holes during our last lesson.  I’m soooo  looking forward to next Summer and Fall where I can start perfecting my game (smile).

 

Marissa Kulig Crow, our LPGA Coach and Club Professional and yours truly on the Apple 9 Golf course