I received a question on Twitter recently that said, “Describe a moment in your golfing past when you knew you were good and could potentially become a great golfer.”

I knew I could potentially become a great golfer when I was about 11 or 12 years old, in 1971. A trick shot artist named Paul Hahn, Jr. came to the golf club I played at when I was a child, Emporia Country Club. Paul Hahn, Jr. put on an impressive trick shot performance of golf tricks like hitting shots off of two and four foot tees. Afterward in Emporia, Kansass, I was fortunate to play in a nine hole exhibition with Paul Hahn, Jr., the Emporia Country Club professional, and the club champion at the time. The trick shot artist shot 41 and I shot 40. After the round he told my parents and I that I could pursue a career in golf.  This experience and Paul Hahn’s encouragement sparked the moment.  From that point on I felt like I was capable of having a professional career in golf.

The first week of October, 2011 is the Champions Tour event, the Insperity Championship at the Woodlands Country Club in the Woodlands, Texas. The Woodlands is the former site of the PGA TOUR’s Houston Open.  In addition to competing at the Woodlands on the PGA TOUR, J.L. played the Woodlands frequently in 1996 and 1997 when he and his family lived in Houston, so this golf course is very familiar to him. J.L.’s tee time on Friday of the event is 10:50 am CST. The tournament scores can be followed live at PGATOUR.com.

The Insperity Championship puts on a project called Champions Tour Tees for Charity. This is the third year the tournament has hosted this project. In 2009, with the help of the competing golfers’ participation and creative efforts, the project raised $25,000 for charity. The project involves each Champions Tour golfer competing in the event and their wife, significant others and/or family members by asking them to decorate an oversized fibergrlass golf ball and oversized golf tee. The professional golfers autograph the ball they have decorated and it is entered into a silent auction to raise money for charity.

I helped my parents, J.L. and Dawn, with decorating their golf ball and tee this year. At the beginning of the project, the plan for the finished project was supposed to be a golfer teaching several children. However, once I realized that my adult stick figure would be larger than the trees, I decided to stick with just one golfer! Below is a picture of the project while the glue was drying.

The finished product was shipped to the Insperity Championship, where it had a plaque made for it and pictures taken in preparation for the silent auction. I had a wonderful time putting this project together! We all look forward to seeing how much money the decorated golf balls will raise for charity.

On August 23, 2011, J.L. Lewis and Bruce Fleisher were the golf professionals and instructors for the Pro Tips for Kids events, two golf clinics hosted by White Horse Golf Club and McCormick Woods Golf Club, and put on in conjunction with Poulsbo Golf Director and creator of the PuttNTrainer™ S.J. Leonard.  J.L. and Bruce taught two separate groups of children aged 12 to 16. They spoke about golf fundamentals and then watched each junior hit golf shots and gave one-on-one instruction. They taught how to hit a draw, fade, and the proper grip. This was a great opportunity for these up and coming young golfers’ to meet and work individually with veteran PGA TOUR players.  Many of the junior golfers attending were very enthusiastic about golf and had very nice golf swings. Later in the week, several of the participating juniors came to the Champions Tour’s Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge near Seattle, Washington, to follow J.L. and Bruce during their rounds.

Each junior participant in the clinic received a copy of J.L. Lewis’ book, the  Pocket Pro edition of Golf Tips from the Tour, which includes many helpful on-the-course golf tips that are useful for beginners and advanced golfers alike.

J.L. Lewis and Bruce Fleisher competed together on the PGA TOUR in the 1990s and now compete together on the Champions Tour. They enjoy teaching golf clinics together.

For more information about this event or either of the clinics’ sponsors visit Poulsbogolf.com, or Whitehorsegolfclub.com and McCormick Woods Golf Club. To learn about outings with J.L. or J.L.’s book, the Pocket Pro edition of Golf Tips from the Tour, visit www.JLLewisGolf.com.

J.L. played in the Champions Tour event, the Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, in Snoqualmie, Washington in August. TPC Snoqualmie Ridge is a beautiful golf course located in the Upper Snoqualmie Valley 25 miles outside of Seattle, Washington. J.L. and his wife, Dawn, took the ferry upon arrival in Seattle.  Seattle by water is a lovely sight to see. TPC Snoqualmie Ridge is very pretty. Snoqualmie Falls, a 300 foot waterfall, can be seen from hole number 12 tee box.

Boeing sponsors this event. Boeing had its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet “fly over” the golf course to signal start of the 2011 Boeing Classic.  The Boeing 787 Dreamliner carbon fiber all composite airplane is quieter and more fuel efficient than its other planes. Below is a video showing the “fly-over” from the clubhosue at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge.

J.L. on #7 at Westchester Country Club

Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York is a classic golf course that is a historical landmark and the home of The Barclays on the PGA TOUR for many years, as well as the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship this year. The golf course is over 100 years old with the original hotel and clubhouse still intact.  This is a favorite golf course of almost all the players because of the old style character and the demanding natural terrain that is present on every hole. From tee to green Westchester does not let up in difficulty on any shot.  Once on the green, the slope is equal to any major championship course, and on several of the holes the ball cannot be controlled going downhill.  Combine this treachery with thick rough and this course can be a real bear.  The wind is usually a factor and adds another variable to make Westchester even more difficult. The scores are usually two to four under par a day to have a chance to win and the list of winners at Weschester is an impressive one.

Grandpa J.L. and Lily

In July, my father, J.L. played in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. My husband, Ben, and daughter, Lily, and I tagged along for the week. We stayed in a beautiful, quaint house on the ocean in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. My parents are very excited to be grandparents to 15 month old Lily and loved having a week to spend with her. This was Lily’s first opportunity to see the ocean. She loved it! When we all went to play in the sand upon arrival in Pebble Beach, Lily danced to the sound of the waves!

The Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach is an amateur and junior golf event hosted by Nature Valley and The First Tee. J.L.’s First Tee junior partner was Gavin Parker. We had a nice time visiting with Gavin’s family during the first two rounds.  J.L. enjoyed playing with Gavin and the other amateur partners he played with in the tournament.

Friday after the round we went to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. We all enjoyed seeing the beautiful fish and sea life. The jellyfish exhibit was amazing. Lily made her “fish face” when she saw the fish.

Sherry and Lily

The tournament is played on the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links and Del Monte Golf Course. The golf courses were breathtakingly beautiful. Pebble Beach Golf Course winds around near the ocean and on the coast. There are amazing landscapes, cliffs and the ocean to take in. On  holes 6, 7, 8, and 17 the sea otters can be seen laying around on the rocks below. There are many seagulls, pelicans, and black birds. We saw a white collared dove that was very unique. Another pro informed us that white collared doves are the ones that were released in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. They are very aggressive birds and we saw two of them bullying on a crow.

Carmel Landscape

My husband, Ben, owns a landscaping business in Austin, Texas. He was taken away by the amazing landscapes in Carmel and on the golf courses. The moisture-rich air and fog provide the perfect climate for many plants to thrive. Flowers were blooming everywhere we looked. Lily loves flowers and will scrunch up her nose and inhale and exhale loudly, letting us know she wants to sniff them. She did this a lot in Pebble Beach as there was an abundance of flowers. It was a nice change of pace from Austin where plants are struggling to stay alive in the severe drought.

My dad played well in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. He finished tied for 23rd and made several birdies throuhgout the week. He has always loved Pebble Beach and enjoys coming back each year. Ben, Lily and I look forward to the next time we will spend a week with my family ‘on the road’ with the Champions Tour!

Pebble Beach Golf Links

On the Course at Fallen Oaks

Fallen Oaks Golf Club near Biloxi, Mississippi is the site of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Champions Tour event. This golf course is outstanding from tee to green and provides a challenging test for high level players. Last year the wind was a factor and the winning score reflected the tough conditions. Tom Fazio designed Fallen Oaks Golf Club with good players in mind. The layout is diverse with a different look on every hole. The greens are undulating and the well positioned bunkers are difficult to play from. This is one of my favorite courses so far on the Champions Tour. I am excited to play a course of this caliber.

Allianz Championship's Host Course

Yesterday I played in a Pro-Am at The Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Ratan, Florida, the host course for the Champions Tour’s Allianz Championship. This course is a good test of golf and presents many challenges for players of all levels. The greens are extremely quick and it takes some local knowledge to correctly read the greens and have a chance to make putts.  Another factor to contend with is the wind which can often blow at over 30 MPH. This adds difficulty to an already tough golf course. To score well players will need accuracy off the tee and good distance control with irons. The course will give up some good scores but they will be earned! I’m looking forward to playing in this week’s event.

Play for the Allianz Championship begins tomorrow. I tee off  at 11:12 AM off # 1 at the Old Course at Broken Sound.

J.L. Lewis in the Pro-Am at the Allianz Championship

The Old Course at Broken Sound

J.L. at the Pentagon

J.L. and Dawn Lewis had the opportunity to tour the Pentagon yesterday with First Tee member and J.L.’s First Tee partner in the Homecare and Hospice First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, Annie Diebert and her family, Major John Diebert and his wife Leilani. Major Diebert gave a fantastic tour of the Pentagon. They first met at the Air Force Memorial, which depicts the missing man formation, has  a spectacular  view of the city and overlooks the Pentagon. The Pentagon is the headquarters for the Department of Defense and is the largest office building in the country. It holds offices for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Marines.

The main entrance of the Pentagon has the feel of a shopping mall. There are approximately 23,000 employees and the building contains amenities to sustain daily living such as a post office, libraries, floral shop, video rental, restaurants, doctors, and a drug store. The facility is completely self sufficient; everything one might need can be found without leaving the building. It is thought to be one of the most efficient office buildings today; with 17.5 miles of corridors it only takes 7 minutes to walk between any two points in the building.  Constructed in the shape of a pentagon, there are 5 floors above ground, 5 concentric rings of offices, and 10 corridors set like bicycle spokes. In the center of the five sided, five story building is a beautiful courtyard and cafe. Each hall in the Pentagon has a different theme displaying a multitude of history, memorabilia, artwork and quotes from our great leaders throughout history.

9-11 Memorial

Defense of Freedom 9-11 Memorial

Exactly 60 years to the day after the groundbreaking ceremony, the September 11, 2001 attacks occurred. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon after being hijacked, killing all aboard as well as over a hundred people within the Pentagon. The flight penetrated three of the five rings of the Pentagon. Because the affected area was under renovation at the time, several offices were unoccupied, sparing many lives. At the Pentagon Memorial it is inscribed, “We claim this ground in remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001 to honor the 184 people whose lives were lost, their families, and those who sacrifice that we may live in freedom. We will never forget.” The memorial park is designed to be a place of remembrance, reflection, and  renewal, and is structured in a highly specific and unique way. Consisting of 184 memorial benches dedicated to each individual victim, the park is organized as a time line of the victims’ ages, spanning from Dana Falkenberg, age 3, to John Yamnicky, age 71. Memorial benches pointing toward the Pentagon honor the lives lost on  American  Air Flight 77 and benches pointing away from  the building honor those who died in the Pentagon.

PGA TOUR’s BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club

The third playoff event for the PGA TOUR FedEx Cup is the BMW Championship in Chicago. Cog Hill Golf and Country Club is a good golf course that has stood the test of time, as the winning scores have remained the same throughout the years. The course is undulating, tree-lined, and well bunkered to provide specific targets on each shot.

Missed shots are penalized and straight hitters are rewarded at Cog Hill. Great players do well as Tiger Woods tops the list of past champions with outstanding records. The fans are very supportive and the city of Chicago is one of the greatest golf towns in the country. There are many outstanding golf courses in the Chicago area, like Medina, Butler National, and Chicago Golf Club, to name a few and the city produces a lot of great players. Along with New York and Los Angeles, Chicago will always be  one of the elite places for the game of golf in the United States.

You will enjoy the sights and sounds of Chicago if you venture into the city. When my family and I traveled to Chicago each year, we often visited educational museums such as The Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago History Museum. To enjoy a variety of tasty foods from many different cultures visit the Taste of Chicago, which is held in July each year and is one of the largest food festivals in the world. For ten days restaurants and vendors make delicious food and serve it on the shore of Lake Michigan. Chicagoans and tourists from all around go to enjoy this delicious food festival. Remember to try the pizza-it’s the tops!

Learn more about other PGA TOUR events at JLLewisGolf.com.