It is easy to slip out of regular physical activity and the golf routine during the off-season and winter months.  Although it is natural for us to rest more in the cold months, it is also healthy for us to stay active.

Exercise helps to cleanse the body, improve circulation, and increase mind-body coordination.  I recommend having a regular workout program for golf consisting of:  stretching, cardio-vascular exercise, core strength training, and walking.

Do yoga stretching combined with deep breathing through the nose, at least once every day for 20-30 minutes (10 or 12 stretches).  Hold each stretch for 25 – 30 seconds.  Yoga is beneficial for flexibility and creates a connection between the mind, body, and spirit.  Do a cardiovascular workout to increase your heart rate for at least 15 minutes, working up to 45 minutes, four times a week.  Core strengthening exercises should be practiced twice a week.  Include upper body training which can be done with light weights or power bands.  Also, include leg strengthening exercises such as wall squats or sprint drills twice a week.

Take time to walk the golf course during the off-season to keep the walking muscles in shape.  When golf season approaches, it is helpful to walk in golf shoes at least nine holes a day.  When the weather permits, get a carry bag and walk the golf course.  Or, at least walk between shots whenever possible.

These tips should be helpful for staying in shape and in practice during the off-season of golf.  Our body will tell us what it needs if we listen to it.  If the body feels stiff one morning, then spend more time doing yoga.  If your legs feel overly sore from wall-squats, then ease up on the leg-strengthening exercises some.  Every individual person knows their body better than anyone else.  Being in tune with the body and tending to its needs is critical to healthy, happy living and an improved golf game!   Be sure to consult with your local trainer and/or physician for specific exercises designed for your level of fitness.

Though we may not physically play as much golf in the winter, we certainly can still practice with our minds.  Visualizing hitting successful golf shots for 10 – 15 minutes a day will bring about amazing results.  This mental exercise can be practiced during workouts each day, or whenever a spare moment is available.  Listening to tapes with positive subliminal messages about golf can be helpful as well.  Use tapes that have positive affirmations about the golf game; such as,” I am a great golfer,” and,” I play to the best of my ability.”  Hearing positive affirmations, whether consciously or subliminally on a consistent basis will turn your desires into reality.

“Focus on what is wanted on each shot.  For example, aim to a spot in the fairway vs. aiming away from the water.”

- J.L. Lewis, PGA TOUR Professional

 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

The great Severiano Ballesteros passed away recently and the world lost one of the greatest players ever. His love of competition and the game of golf was legendary among golf fans around the world. He was considered the greatest short game player by his peers and his ability to make the best score possible from all situations will be remembered for eternity. I was fortunate to be paired with Seve in one round at the Players Championship. He was enjoyable to play with and put on a short game clinic by having 22 putts along with 6 of the best up and downs I’d ever seen. TPC Sawgrass is one of the toughest courses around the greens on the PGA TOUR and Seve got the ball up and down from everywhere using a variety of different clubs. He told me during the round that the biggest technological advance in golf was the 60 degree sand wedge. He gave me advice on chipping and pitching the ball and encouraged me to spend more time working on my short game. His advice has stuck with me and has made me a better player. Seve had a level of courage and charisma that may never be seen again.

Shoal Creek Country Club in Birmingham,  Alabama was the site of the first major tournament of the year on the Champions Tour, the Regions Tradition. One of the first Jack Nicklaus designed courses, Shoal Creek is considered a top 50 course in the world. Each hole is designed for the length of the shot being played into the green. Longer shots have larger greens while shots under 150 yards have smaller greens. This is a Nicklaus design feature that is found on many  of his courses around the globe. Shoal Creek is fantastic for high level players because shotmaking is essential for good scoring. A draw or a fade is required on almost every tee shot and approach shot. The greens are undulated with deep bunkers and run off areas that are difficult to get up and down from. This venue has hosted several major championships over the years and should be considered for more in the future. Shoal Creek ranks high on the list of great courses and is highly regarded among the players.

The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf is a best ball partnership that is a  popular event for players and fans. It’s played in Savannah, GA at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.  The course is a good layout with birdie opportunities on many of the holes. The Legends of Golf event was the beginning of the  Champions Tour at Onion Creek Club in 1978 in Austin, Texas, my home town.

Team golf is a nice break from the regular individual competition. The beginning of golf in Scotland was predominantly team play and the game became more individualized as the popularity grew, and as golf spread to other countries.