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A number of bad habits can develop in your golf swing if your clubs are too heavy
Tina Mickelson with her golf clubs
Jake Gregoire
Many golfers, especially juniors and women, have clubs that are way too heavy for them. Parents might cut down an old set of their clubs for their kids, not knowing that length is just one factor in the equation. Many women use their husbands’ old set thinking they are just fine. It’s important to pay attention to the weight, though. If the weight of the club is too heavy, especially the head of the club, a number of bad habits can develop in the golf swing.
Case in point: A few weeks ago I had a follow up lesson with one of my star junior students. I had just seen her a couple of months prior and her swing was impeccable. Imagine my surprise when I saw a completely different swing….and I’m not talking “good different.”
I whispered to her mom, “Um….what’s going on here? What evil golf demon has taken over my sweet little golfer?” Her mom whispered back, “I know, right? This is not the swing she had two months ago. Yikes! She grew out of her old clubs so we got her a new set. Her swing hasn’t been the same since.”
She went on to mention that golf is not as much fun for her daughter now and she is afraid she might start looking into other sports. That was my clue to act fast. If a junior loses interest in the game, there are so many other sports that can quickly take over their attention so the key is to never let them lose interest in the first place. The first thing I did was check her clubs. WHOA! These suckers are dead weight! No WONDER she’s having trouble! And to my surprise, they were actually JUNIOR clubs! Bummer.
U.S. Kids Golf clubs are really the way to go, especially for junior girls. They are light, reasonably priced, and it’s easy to measure correct length which pretty much guarantees the perfect club for your junior golfer.
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My little golfer had her set of clubs within the week and is now excited about the game again. Her sweet mother sent me a number of videos of her swing while they played their latest round of golf, and I think I watched each one of them at least 3 times just to see the joy in her perfect little face each time she hit a good shot. THIS is what the game is about……spending time with loved ones out on the golf course and having fun. The first step, however, is making sure your golf clubs are right for you!
We asked 12 golf pros from across the county to choose the city's top holes to create the "Dream 18"
At the top of a golf swing, the world settles into a hush. Anyone within 50 yards kindly shuts up in reverence. Steady heartbeats tuck inside the sound of the wind. Time stands still.
Or—panic sets in, a thousand warnings from coaches and YouTube tutorials prattle through your brainpan. You wonder if a good walk prepares to be ruined.
On descent, the club rearranges air particles as it slices on a perfect or unwise line toward an earth so green, it seems like AI. The iron face meets the ball, and the satisfying or unsettling thwack echoes across the fairway like a nonviolent gunshot or a cry for help. Breath catches, curse words load in the prefrontal cortex. Eyes squint to follow the hard-to-see projectile zip majestically through the air or bounce lamely along the ground like a failed hurdler.
Sometimes it goes a couple hundred yards in the right direction, other times a couple yards into uncaring swamps. Golf’s beautiful and hard as hell.
Mindfulness and stillness reign over speed and might—which goes against most basal American instincts regarding sport. Its quiet, serene mocking of our human abilities is what brings so many of us to the life-long process of sharpening the skill. Because who hasn’t stared at the most beautiful parks and lawns in the world and said, “How can I turn this into a game and win it?”
Luckily, San Diego has an abundance of courses to improve and curate self-doubt. The county is home to over 70 courses that attract the top golfers in the country. Some of the biggest names in the sport—Callaway, TaylorMade, Cobra, Titleist, Odyssey, Honma—are based here. Perfect weather never hurts. But San Diego golf courses also promise a smorgasbord of terrains: rocky canyons, hot deserts, and lush greens overlooking the expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
If you could take the 1,300-ish holes around San Diego and pick the very best ones to create your ultimate course, which would they be? We asked some of the top golf pros in the county to do just that. The result? San Diego’s Dream 18. Think fantasy football but for golf.
Just like any great course, our Dream 18 includes four par 3s, 10 par 4s, and four par 5s—everything from tricky dog legs and psychological tee shots to just pretty, pretty views. Once we had our list, we either asked the head golf pro what makes a hole so special, or other pros spoke on its behalf. Go ahead, tell us what we missed.
“One of the most iconic par 3s on the West Coast. The cliffside setting above the Pacific and the constant ocean breeze make it both beautiful and demanding.”
—Anthony Valverde, Director of Golf, The Crosby Club at Rancho Santa Fe
“It’s a downhill par 3 over water with a great view from the tee down to the green. It’s surrounded by bunkers as well, so it almost feels like an island green even though it’s not. What’s really cool is once you drive to the next hole, if you look back on No. 14, it’s a great view as well. One of the signature holes [at Santaluz].”
—Josh Rider, Head Golf Pro, The Santaluz Club
Hole 15
“Hole 15 is widely considered one of the best and most memorable holes on the course. At about 250 yards, it’s a long downhill with multiple tiers and panoramic views into the valley. It looks intimidating at first, but there are lots of recovery contours and the green is fairly large.”
—Editor’s Choice
“Sitting high above the green with views of the Pacific Ocean, this dramatically downhill par 3 requires the perfect club selection.”
—Mike Mulford, Director of Golf, Omni La Costa
“While it’s beautiful with the backdrop of the Batiquitos Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean, this finishing hole demands both precision and nerve. The water guarding the right side and fairway bunkers ahead create a visually striking, strategic tee shot, while the expansive green rewards a confident, well-placed approach. If you can make a par on this hole, you’ve played it very well.”
—Renny Brown, Director of Golf, Aviara Golf Club
“The 18th hole at Del Mar CC is a demanding par 4 with an elevated tee box. Water guards the right side of the green, and a player must hit a precise shot into this green.”
—Renny Brown, Director of Golf, Aviara Golf Club
“It’s a difficult 428-yard par 4 playing into the predominant west wind. The hole is post-renovation and the vegetation was trimmed back, so now it exposes a penalty on the right. It’s uncomfy at the tee but a good challenge. Plus, it’s the No. 1 handicap for [all players].”
—Chris Lungo, Head Golf Pro, Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club
Lili Kim is a content coordinator and writer for San Diego Magazine, with experience highlighting local businesses and communities. When not writing or shooting film, she is likely brewing her seventh cup of tea of the day or strolling along Sunset Cliffs.
18 holes with Tina Mickelson
Back in 1968, Lou Smith, John Brown, and Norrie West decided that the San Diego Junior Golf Association would host the Junior World Golf Championships. The goal was simple: to enable junior golfers to come together and enjoy a cultural exchange while sharing the game of golf. In its inaugural year, an impressive 475 junior golfers came from seven countries and 20 states.
It’s now known as the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships. Some of its past winners have gone on to enjoy famed careers in the PGA and LPGA. Among them: John Cook, Craig Stadler, Amy Alcott, Billy Mayfair, Corey Pavin, Phil Mickelson, David Toms, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Chris Riley, Lorena Ochoa, Pat Perez, Kevin Stadler, and Jason Day.
During the early years, these young talents stood posing for pictures and never imagined those photos would later be used in numerous golf magazines and TV montages to chronicle their success stories. But today, junior golfers know what’s at stake, and dream of walking in the footsteps of their heroes.
From July 14 to 18, about 1,200 participants representing 56 countries and 42 states will come to various courses around San Diego to compete—making this event the largest international junior golf tournament in the world. It is also a college coach’s dream—we’re talking recruiting utopia. Most colleges don’t have the funds for international recruiting, so this offers the opportunity to scout the top international players without having to leave the country. Last year, 124 college coaches attended, and that number is expected to increase this year.
It’s hard to imagine the pressure these kids face today. The time, effort, and financial commitment, mixed with lofty scholarship and career goals, make this tourney a defining one for junior golfers. But while there’s a lot on the line, the goal remains the same: to bring talented youngsters together and make the world a better place through the game of golf. juniorworldgolf.com
Before They Were Great
18 holes with Tina Mickelson
Back in 1968, Lou Smith, John Brown, and Norrie West decided that the San Diego Junior Golf Association would host the Junior World Golf Championships. The goal was simple: to enable junior golfers to come together and enjoy a cultural exchange while sharing the game of golf. In its inaugural year, an impressive 475 junior golfers came from seven countries and 20 states.
It’s now known as the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships. Some of its past winners have gone on to enjoy famed careers in the PGA and LPGA. Among them: John Cook, Craig Stadler, Amy Alcott, Billy Mayfair, Corey Pavin, Phil Mickelson, David Toms, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Chris Riley, Lorena Ochoa, Pat Perez, Kevin Stadler, and Jason Day.
During the early years, these young talents stood posing for pictures and never imagined those photos would later be used in numerous golf magazines and TV montages to chronicle their success stories. But today, junior golfers know what’s at stake, and dream of walking in the footsteps of their heroes.
From July 14 to 18, about 1,200 participants representing 56 countries and 42 states will come to various courses around San Diego to compete—making this event the largest international junior golf tournament in the world. It is also a college coach’s dream—we’re talking recruiting utopia. Most colleges don’t have the funds for international recruiting, so this offers the opportunity to scout the top international players without having to leave the country. Last year, 124 college coaches attended, and that number is expected to increase this year.
It’s hard to imagine the pressure these kids face today. The time, effort, and financial commitment, mixed with lofty scholarship and career goals, make this tourney a defining one for junior golfers. But while there’s a lot on the line, the goal remains the same: to bring talented youngsters together and make the world a better place through the game of golf. juniorworldgolf.com
Before They Were Great
The annual event honors middle market companies creating jobs, scaling up, and investing in the region
San Diego is known for its startup culture and innovation economy, but what happens when the company moves beyond its early-stage years? The San Diego Business Impact Awards aim to answer that question, spotlighting the middle market businesses helping drive the region’s economy.
Hosted by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards celebration takes place on Thursday, July 23, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Scripps Research Auditorium. More than 200 executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are expected to attend the networking and cocktail event honoring some of San Diego County’s fastest-growing companies.
Businesses headquartered in San Diego County that have operated for at least two years are encouraged to submit their nomination by Thursday, June 18 at 4 p.m. Companies across industries—from technology and life sciences to tourism and consumer products, as well as pre-revenue startups—are eligible for recognition.
For EDC President and CEO Mark Cafferty, the event is as much about building connections as celebrating success. “We’ve had a longtime partnership with JPMorganChase; their work aligns with our efforts to support underserved communities and drive talent development,” says Cafferty. “And the networking was invaluable last year. I’m still in touch with people I met at last year’s awards.”
EDC is an independently-funded nonprofit that works directly with San Diego companies to help them grow the local economy, make the region as a whole more competitive, and attract and retain top-tier talent with quality jobs. Through EDC, companies can get help starting or expanding their business with support for things like site selection, permit navigation, and regulatory guidance, plus connections to local resources and potential business collaborators.
The San Diego Business Impact Awards began as an idea with one of EDC’s longtime strategic partners, JPMorganChase. The two organizations share a commitment to San Diego and are dedicated to bolstering middle market businesses.
“We’re blessed with a robust innovation economy and startup community,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager for JPMorgan’s Commercial and Investment Bank and vice chair of the firm’s’ San Diego Market Leadership Team. “But one of the segments of the business community we felt was overlooked was emerging middle market companies—the businesses that are no longer small but not yet large.”
Ryan says supporting those companies is critical as they scale and decide where to invest, hire, and grow.
San Diego’s high cost of living remains one of the region’s biggest business challenges, making talent recruitment and retention increasingly competitive. But local leaders point to the region’s quality of life, climate, and collaborative business community as advantages that continue to attract employers and workers.
“In order to support thriving households, there has to be enough high-quality jobs for people to be able to afford to live here,” Cafferty says. “Once a company grows and excels past that middle market point in their growth cycle, they become much more likely to pay higher wages and compete globally.”
Both Cafferty and Ryan proudly tout the unique collaboration that exists among San Diego County businesses. Bringing together top universities producing high-quality talent, cutting-edge research institutions, a robust military and defense presence, leading ocean science and environmental organizations, and a binational, cross-border identity creates a distinct business ecosystem that defines and strengthens the San Diego region.
Last year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards celebrated nearly 60 honorees from 49 industries, representing a total of 8,232 jobs across eight sectors, including: software and technology, healthcare and life sciences, consumer goods, professional services, finance, construction and manufacturing, defense, and hospitality and tourism. On average, honoree companies doubled their revenues over the previous year, employed more than 145 San Diegans each, and offered an average annual compensation of $192,415.
Top honorees included defense contractor Innoflight, environmental consulting firm Bancroft Construction Services, life sciences startup Element Biosciences, defense technology contractor GALT Aerospace, organic grocery store chain Jimbo’s, and biopharmaceutical company LENZ Therapeutics. During the event, Innoflight Founder and CEO Jeff Janicik held a fireside chat offering his insights on investing in the community and embracing San Diego culture.
This year, organizers hope to continue highlighting the middle market players driving economic impact across the region. Nominations are now open through June 18 at 4 p.m. Get your tickets to the San Diego Business Impact Awards celebration to enjoy drinks by Snake Oil Cocktail Co., light bites, live music, and networking.
Utilizing the game of golf to help others
When Ryan Pickett played in Greg Jenning’s celebrity golf tournament three years ago he was not considered a golfer by any means. He agreed to play in the tournament because he wanted to support his friend’s event and thought, “Come on, how hard could the game really be?” After all, he WAS playing Defensive End for the Green Bay Packers at the time AND he had a Super Bowl Ring. Certainly he could hit a stationary little white ball around a patch of grass. He ended up playing with a group of older gentlemen and found out he couldn’t even begin to hang with them. He was incredibly embarrassed (and humbled), and was immediately hooked. He decided he would take up the game seriously not only because he wanted to play in future charity events with confidence, but also because the challenge of the game was addicting.
Three years later, he plays an average of three times per week in the off season and finds that it is a great way to spend time with his kids, in particular his 6 year old son RJ. Asked to recall one of his most memorable and humorous moments on the golf course, he doesn’t hesitate. He quickly dives into story-telling mode with a smile on his face and describes the time (just this past year) when he and RJ were driving together in a golf cart and Ryan made a sharp turn a little too quickly. RJ went flying out and when his tumbling came to a stop he quickly jumped up and couldn’t stop laughing. (To his father’s relief.) Once he knew his son was fine, Ryan appreciated the humor in it as well. It was the first of many memorable moments with his sons on the golf course. That is what is so great about the game of golf. Playing the game itself is a lot of fun, but the moments in between shots are pretty special, too.
Two of Ryan’s favorite San Diego courses are The Grand Del Mar (very challenging yet fair) and Maderas Golf Club for its many elevation changes and the way the holes wind through nature so seamlessly.
Ryan is finding that the game of golf is not only an enjoyable way to spend time, but it can be a very effective tool and platform as well. He hosts The Ryan Pickett Annual Celebrity Golf Classic and “Black and White” Dinner Party, benefiting the San Pasqual Academy in San Diego and the Alzheimer’s Association (San Diego Chapter). This year the event will take place June 20 and 21. The weekend kicks off Friday evening at Pamplemousse Grille with the “Black & White” Dinner Party followed by golf the next day at The Grand Golf Club. It is sure to be an exciting weekend filled with a variety of music, spectacular food, rare auction items, and some pretty special celebrity sightings.
After learning more about everything Ryan and his wife, Jennifer, do for those in need I found myself incredibly touched and inspired. What they is doing for so many foster children truly makes anyone who hears his story stand up and take notice. Before learning more about him I was simply a fan of Ryan Pickett the football player. Now I’m a fan of Ryan Pickett the man.
For more information about The Ryan Pickett Foundation or The Ryan Pickett Annual Celebrity Golf Classic & “Black and White” Dinner Party, visit theryanpickettfoundation.com.
Ryan Pickett
Utilizing the game of golf to help others
When Ryan Pickett played in Greg Jenning’s celebrity golf tournament three years ago he was not considered a golfer by any means. He agreed to play in the tournament because he wanted to support his friend’s event and thought, “Come on, how hard could the game really be?” After all, he WAS playing Defensive End for the Green Bay Packers at the time AND he had a Super Bowl Ring. Certainly he could hit a stationary little white ball around a patch of grass. He ended up playing with a group of older gentlemen and found out he couldn’t even begin to hang with them. He was incredibly embarrassed (and humbled), and was immediately hooked. He decided he would take up the game seriously not only because he wanted to play in future charity events with confidence, but also because the challenge of the game was addicting.
Three years later, he plays an average of three times per week in the off season and finds that it is a great way to spend time with his kids, in particular his 6 year old son RJ. Asked to recall one of his most memorable and humorous moments on the golf course, he doesn’t hesitate. He quickly dives into story-telling mode with a smile on his face and describes the time (just this past year) when he and RJ were driving together in a golf cart and Ryan made a sharp turn a little too quickly. RJ went flying out and when his tumbling came to a stop he quickly jumped up and couldn’t stop laughing. (To his father’s relief.) Once he knew his son was fine, Ryan appreciated the humor in it as well. It was the first of many memorable moments with his sons on the golf course. That is what is so great about the game of golf. Playing the game itself is a lot of fun, but the moments in between shots are pretty special, too.
Two of Ryan’s favorite San Diego courses are The Grand Del Mar (very challenging yet fair) and Maderas Golf Club for its many elevation changes and the way the holes wind through nature so seamlessly.
Ryan is finding that the game of golf is not only an enjoyable way to spend time, but it can be a very effective tool and platform as well. He hosts The Ryan Pickett Annual Celebrity Golf Classic and “Black and White” Dinner Party, benefiting the San Pasqual Academy in San Diego and the Alzheimer’s Association (San Diego Chapter). This year the event will take place June 20 and 21. The weekend kicks off Friday evening at Pamplemousse Grille with the “Black & White” Dinner Party followed by golf the next day at The Grand Golf Club. It is sure to be an exciting weekend filled with a variety of music, spectacular food, rare auction items, and some pretty special celebrity sightings.
After learning more about everything Ryan and his wife, Jennifer, do for those in need I found myself incredibly touched and inspired. What they is doing for so many foster children truly makes anyone who hears his story stand up and take notice. Before learning more about him I was simply a fan of Ryan Pickett the football player. Now I’m a fan of Ryan Pickett the man.
For more information about The Ryan Pickett Foundation or The Ryan Pickett Annual Celebrity Golf Classic & “Black and White” Dinner Party, visit theryanpickettfoundation.com.
Ryan Pickett
Scripps study shows that some patients may be able to taper their dose and maintain results
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
