june 2013 issue of colorado avidgolfer

Nicaragua:Golfs Next Great Destination

Elevating the Game.coloradoavidgolfer.com

TaKE YOur BEST SHOT: What are the States Top Par-3s?

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Can Stem Cells Help Your Game?WEStWard, HolES! The glories of Grand Junction,Montrose, Telluride, Steamboat & Grand County

aMELia EarHarT

STaYS ON PLaNEHow golf helped launch the

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InsideContents

70Finding Amelia EarhartNamed for her legendary aviatrix ancestor, the popular KUSA reporter goes full throttle on everythingwhether thats delivering traffic news, outdriving guys off the tee or flying around the world. By Jon Rizzi

80The Colorado Par-3 ChallengeTheyre scenic, sinister and can have an incendiary im-pact on your round. Which ones are the most memora-ble? From Arrowheads 13th to Valleys 18th, we present the states best one-hit wonders.

Features

on the cover

6 ForethoughtsA Tiger in AuroraBy Jon Rizzi

9 GalleryTeam Golf with Erin Diegel and Keith Soriano, Emily Talleys Big Break, Martis Camp, Golf By Numbers, more.

88 The Games of GolfU.S. Open Basket Cases

Players Corner19 Home Course

Blackstone Country Club.20 Lesson

Get to Know the Short-Shot Family. By Larry Rinker

24 15th ClubCan Stem Cells Save Your Game? By Jon Rizzi

28 Play AwayNicaraguas Golf Nirvana. By Tony Dear

Sidebets39 Fareways

Monumental dining near Redlands Mesa. By Gary James

44 Nice Drives Lexus LS460 AWD and Infiniti JX35.By Isaac Bouchard

49Colorado GetawaysA golfers guide to the best of Telluride, Montrose, Grand Junction, Delta, Cedaredge, Steamboat Springs and Grand County.

49 70

80

In every Issue

Photograph of Amelia Earhart taken by Todd Langley at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum hangar, Centennial Airport.

39


m e d i a pa r t n e r o f c h o i c e :

p u b l i s h e r

Allen J. Walters

e d i t o r Jon Rizzi

a s s o c i a t e p u b l i s h e rChris Phillips

a r t d i r e c t o rJeremy Cantalamessa

e d i t o r - a t - l a r g eTom Ferrell

a u t o m o t i v e e d i t o rIsaac Bouchard

c o n t r i b u t o r s

Sam Adams, Andy Bigford, Tony Dear, Lynn DeBruin, Sue Drinker,

Dick Durrance II, Chris Duthie, Amy Freeland, Lois Friedland, Gary James, Barbara Hey, Ted Johnson, Kaye W. Kessler, Jake Kubi, Todd Langley, Kim D. McHugh,

Emily Ritt, Bob Russo, Jerry Walters, Neil Wolkodoff

d i g i t a l a n d s o c i a l m e d i a m a n a g e r

Kate Stromberg

o f f i c e a n d o p e r a t i o n s m a n a g e rCindy P. Nold

p r o j e c t s a n d s p e c i a l e v e n t s m a n a g e rVanessa Van Horn

p r i n c i pa l s

Ray L. Baker, C. Don Baker, Dick B. Baker

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A Tiger in AurorA

is it June already? Thanks to all that late spring snow, the 2013 golf season sort of snuck up on us. But now that were finally off the tee, its time to consider what has apparently become golf s most burning question: Is Tiger Woods a good guy?

Sergio Garcia raised it during the Players Championship, shortly af-ter Woods apparently breached etiquette during Garcias backswing.

Until recently, I couldnt care less. More often than not, when people ask me whether some noteworthy person Ive interviewed is a good guy, I shrug, as if to say, Does it really make a difference? Besides, everyones nice to the guy who buys paper by the ton and ink by the barrel (or band-width by the terabit and storage by the gigabyte).

I tended to give Tiger a wide berth because of his transcendent talent. That he dissed The International, cheated repeatedly on his wife and be-haved aloofly towards his legions of fans bothered me, but on the golf course he was must-watch TV.

But then Tiger dropped the ball. Actually, he dropped it twiceonce at the Masters and again at the Playersand both times incorrectly. And he threw the marshals under the bus with regard to Sergiogate. It seems as though his above-the-rules approach to life is now leaking onto the course. How can a guy play a game circumscribed by rules hes technically sup-posed to enforce on himself when he bends them like he allegedly bent that tee shot on the 14th at Sawgrass?

Even so, I dont think his Players win is tainted (he still double-bogeyed the hole); nor do I think he should have DQd himself from the Masters (a comedy of errors). I do think, however, that transcendent talent doesnt transcend substandard behavior with regard to the rules of the game.

But, hey, Vails Lindsey Vonn, clearly thinks Tiger is a good guy. Its Fathers Day this month, and if you want to know a good guy, look

no further than my 91-year-old dad. Closer to home, check out Lenny Ponte of Aurora. I call him my uncle because his late brother married my mothers sister. While in the Air Force in Germany, Uncle Lenny asked a woman hed dated only twice to marry him. He and Mechthild have been together 56 years, and throughout that time, hes kept the same photo of her in his walletduring more than 100 combat missions in Vietnam as an Air Force lieutenant colonel, during 30 years as a successful banker in Chicago and Denver, and as a patient with inoperable Stage 4 pancreatic cancer who has already outlived his prognosis by more than a year.

Uncle Lenny is a force of nature, a positive, energetic, fearless family man who still works every day. He loves golf, though he rarely plays now. However, he just returned from Florida, where he and his play-ing partner took second place in a tournament against 78 guys half their age, maybe younger. They might have won it, too, if he hadnt incurred some penalty strokes. Rules are rules, he says. You gotta live by them. May he continue to do so a long, long time.

Oh, and to find out if Amelia Earharts a good person, see page 70. JON RIZZI

Forethoughts

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Offer valid 5/10/13 to 9/15/13 at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa. Opening and Closing dates are weather permitting. Reservations are subject to availability and must be made at least 7 days in advance. Tee times must be set up in advance by contacting our Concierge at 1-970-827-6610. Package includes lodging for two, 2 rounds of golf including cart. Rate shown is based upon double occupancy, per room, per night, for standard room accommodations. Additional charges apply to room-type upgrades. Additional guests may be subject to additional hotel charges. Guest is responsible for all charges not included in package. No refunds for any unused portion of package. Promotional blackout periods may apply due to seasonal periods or special events, and normal arrival/departure restrictions apply. Hyatt reserves the right to alter or withdraw this program at any time without notice. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts encompasses hotels managed, franchised or leased by subsidiaries and affiliates of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. The trademarks Hyatt, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Hyatt Gold Passport, and relatedmarks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. 2013 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

PAR IT AT THE PARK

and watch your drivessoar record distance.

June 2013 |Colorado AvidGolfer 9coloradoavidgol fer.com

in 2011, when the PGa of America recognized the Colorado PGA Section with the Herb Graff-is Award for pioneering growth-of-the-game initiatives, then-Sec-

tion President Tim Lollar said, We like to think that there is no longer a box to think outside of.

That philosophy recently led the Section to promote two of its rising stars, Erin Diegel and Keith Soriano, to director positions. Diegel, who founded the successful Girl Power Golf program, will serve as Junior Golf Director; Soriano, formerly Director of Golf at City Park Den-ver and a three-time winner of the Sections Presidents Plaque, is Player Development Director.

In addition to refining and expand-

ing Golf In Schools, which is current-ly at 65 facilities and has involved 23,000 students across the state, Di-egel and Soriano are heading up a pilot program at the four Colorado Springs military courses called Team Golf, which aims to engage kids be-tween the ages of seven and 14 and allow golf facilities to build successful junior programs.

There has to be a clear next step after Golf In Schools, says Diegel. Team golf will feed junior leagues and develop players at an influential part of their lives, between fourth and sixth grade, when theyre decid-ing which sport to do.

A team can consist of two to six kids of any skill level from a facility. The team competes against other

teams on 9-hole courses between 1,600 and 2,200 yards long. Plans call for 8-inch diameter holes, roughly twice the size of regulation ones. They play a two-person best-ball or scramble, accumulating points for the team.

The idea with team golf is its completely relaxed, explains Diegel. One shot out of a bunker, and a nine-shot limit per hole. Its not seri-ous and competitive. Its fun. She en-visions it turning into a family affair, with parents caddying or following kids as if it were a soccer or volley-ball game.

If Team Golf is successful, the PGA plans to roll it out next sum-mer at 27 different facilities with four tournaments in Colorado

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YOUNG GUNS: Erin Diegel and Keith Soriano with Golf In Schools students at

Arvadas Indian Tree Golf Course.

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coloradoavidgol fer.com10 Colorado AvidGolfer | June 2013

theGallery Springs and Denver.Diegels other ideas include a

mentoring program with wom-en executives and young female golfers, since so many womens golf scholarships go unclaimed.

Although Soriano focuses primarily on adult player devel-opment through national PGA Play Golf America programs

such as the PGA Sports Acad-emy and Get Golf Ready, he sees his job as tearing down the games barriers to entry across all ages. Weve done so much but we have such a long way to go, he says. It seems like ev-erything we do makes us real-ize how much more we can do. coloradopga.com

Talley It UpAfter rewriting the record books

at the University of Colorado and leading the Buffs to their first NCAA Championship appear-ance, emily talley is compet-ing on the Golf Channel reality show Big Break, which was filmed in Mexicos Riviera Maya. Talley learned of her appearance shortly after just missing her own big break in Stage 3 of LPGA Tour

Qualifying School. She ascribes her appearance to answering a question about what kind of four-some she would play with. I said Id play with a group of guys, she explains. Theyre more fun, they bet and I like taking their money. The producers eyes got really big, and I think he liked that an-swer so I thought I was in good shape. The show will air through July 22, during which time Talley will be busy on the Symetra Tour.

BREAKING BUFF: Talley hopes to shine on television.

Junior Development

Every July, Lake Tahoe at-tracts a star-studded field of athletes and actors for the American Century Champion-ship (July 16-22). This year an-other event might just steal a bit of the spotlight. On July 22-27 some of the worlds best up-and-coming stars will take on Martis Camp Club in Truckee, California, for the U.S Junior Amateur Championship, which features a field of the best un-der-18 golfers in the world. Past champions include current and former PGA Tour stars, like Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan, Brett Quigley, Johnny Miller and Gay Brewer.

Just like the competitors, Martis Camp Club is equally as poised to become one of the best private clubs in the coun-try, having already been ranked #3 on Golf Digests list of the Best New Private Courses of 2009. The stellar 7,751-yard Tom Fazio creation blends into its High Sierra setting, offers plenty of stunning mountain views, incorporates towering stands of pines, craggy rock outcroppings and meandering streams, and features the kind of flawless grooming you would expect from a course worthy of any USGA event.

So after the big boys get done playing at Edgewood Tahoe, stick around and watch the kids. Besides, its more im-pressive to watch a 15-year-old break par than Charles Barkley break his tempo mid-swing. martiscamp.com

Golf by Numbers

3pro-am spots in next Sep-

tembers BMW Championship

at Cherry Hills will be up for grabs, thanks to George so-lich, the philanthropic entre-preneur and benefactor of the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course. One spot will go to the player who utilizes the most Academy caddies dur-ing the 2013 and 2014 seasons; one will go to the winner of a lottery between the runner-ups to the person who got the first spot; and a third will be raffled off. Raffle tickets are tentatively priced at $100. commongroundgc.com

75 years ago this month, Cherry

Hills Country Club hosted its first major, the 1938 U.S. Open. Ralph Guldahl defended the title hed won the previous year at Oakland Hills. He defeated Dick Metz by six strokes after trailing him by four to start the final round. A World Golf Hall

HAPPY CAMPERS: Martis Camp Club will host next months U.S. Junior Am.

WRECK IT RALPH: Guldahl won one of his three majors at Cherry Hills.

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B of Famer, Guldahl would win the 1939 Mas-ters and three Western Opens (1936-1938). This marked the furthest west the U.S. Open had ever taken place.

23is where Michigans Forest Dunes Golf

Club ranks on Golf Digests list of Americas 100 Greatest Public Courses Why do we care? The new owner, Lew Thompson,

who rescued the club from financial brink and has elevated the lodging, also owns the resurgent Bridges Golf and Country Club in Montrose. Members of The Bridges will have reciprocal privileges to stay and play at Forest Dunes. Thompsons purchase in-cludes the seven luxurious appointed mod-el homes on the property, as well as the 27-acre Lake AuSable for fishing, canoeing, and beach activities. The clubhouse has a spa, an exercise area, members locker

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Antler Creek, Falcon $28 Mon-Thur anytime, Fri-Sun after 11am Yes 3

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Family Sports Center, Centennial* $19/$21 Any day, anytime Yes Unlimited

Fitzsimons, Aurora EXCLUSIVE $26/$29 Mon-Fri after 11am, Sat-Sun & holidays after 1pm Yes 3

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Fox Hollow, Lakewood $44 Mon-Thur after 1pm, Fri-Sun & holidays after 2pm Yes Shoulders: Unlimited Peak: 3

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Heritage at Westmoor, Westminster $40 Monday-Thursday after 12pm Unlimited

Heritage Eagle Bend, Aurora $34/$40 Any day after 12pm Yes 2

Heritage Todd Creek, Thornton $40 Mon-Thur after 11am, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

Highland Meadows, Windsor NEW $34 Mon-Thurs after 12pm, Fri-Sun after 1pm Yes 3

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Mountain Golf Courses*Breckenridge Golf Club, Breckenridge* $99 Sun-Thur anytime, Sundays only Peak season Yes 2

Devil's Thumb, Delta $35 Any day, anytime Yes 3

Eagle Ranch, Eagle $35 Any day after 11am Yes 2

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For BaBy Boomers, the name Blackstone conjures im-ages of televisions goateed grand illusionist. For Coloradans who like to boom long drives, Black-

stone Country Club also casts a memo-rable spell. Nine of the 10 par-4s on the 7,313-yard Jay Morrish design tip out at 400 yards or longer, and the 13th clocks in at 643 yardsperfect for the famous vanishing ball trick.

But course length isnt what mem-bersmost of whom negotiate it at a comfortably challenging 6,682 yardsfind so magical about Blackstone. Its affordable, says Mitch Harr, who joined with his wife, Tiffany, and their three daughters. He considered join-ing friends who were members at Val-ley, Colorado Golf Club or Cherry Creek, but the initiations (as high as $70,000) at those clubs were just too huge to come up with.

Harr could come up with the $3,000

for an Associate Golf membership, as well as the $190 in monthly dues and marginal green fees and $10 food minimum. And we love the way the staff treats us the way the staff at any of those other clubs treat their mem-bers, he says. Were out here at least four days a week. Its our rec center. We use the pool all summer, my kids like tennis, and I quit my gym because the fitness center is so good. Harr, a 13-handicap, also admits he found the aesthetics of the 35,000-square-foot Tudor-style clubhouse so impres-sive that he joined before playing the course.

And as a member of a Canongate Colorado facility, Harr gets to play both Blackstone and Black Bear Golf Club in Parker. The flexibility to play one or the other is great, he says, and I love the difference between the two courses.

Blackstone members also love the difference between it and other clubs.

As part of Canongate family, they have privileges at properties managed by Canongates parent company, Se-quoia Golf. These include Fort Collins Country Club, some 27 clubs in Texas and Georgia and more than 450 private clubs around the country as part of the playawayclubs.com program.

Located south of the Aurora Reservoir off Smoky Hill Road, Blackstone has come a long way since it opened in 2007 as part of a 637-acre master-planned Lennar Homes community. Lennars gone, Richmond American is moving in, and Canongates involvement has brought a full roster of member ben-efits (in addition to the aforementioned, theres top-notch dining and on-site daycare) at an exceptional price. While not exactly magical, theres some wiz-ardry involved in creating that kind of unprecedented value proposition in an upscale market. canongatecolorado.com; 303-680-0245 Cag

The AmAzing BlAcksTone

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To be more proficient in your short game, you need to have a low and higher trajectory shot that you can count on. Understanding how to change your set-up to hit those shots is key to becoming a better player inside 30 yards. Learn these skills and techniques first. Dont worry about how close you hit it in the beginning. Get the contact and technique correct. Then work on your feel and controlling the distance. As the greens get faster and firmer, you will learn how to shorten your backswing to control distance. You want to accelerate on all shots in golf. This is a gradual acceleration, especially when the length of the swing is not full.

LOw-TrajEcTOry PairBoth of these families start with the club face square. With the club face square to where you want the ball to start, and the shaft leaning forward, there is little to no bounce. Must hit the ball first.

1st family. putt-chip family. Ball position is in the middle of the stance, shaft leaning slightly more forward at address than your putter. Same lie angle as putter. Play ball off of the toe of the club.

2nd family. bump & run family. Ball position is on the inside of the back foot, shaft leaning more forward at address. Ball will fly lower and run further than the putt-chip.

LOw TrajEcTOry Pairputt-chip family Use your putter set-up and stroke with the ball in the middle of your stance. More shaft lean. The lie angle of the shaft is similar to your putter set-up, with the heel of the club head slightly off the ground. Hit down and trap this shot. Think low draw just like putting. Play the ball off of the toe of the club to hit it in the toe and dead every time. An 8-iron Putt-Chip will be about the same feel and distance as your putter.

bump & run family (Variation of Putt-Chip) Play the ball back, or off of the inside of your back foot, for lower and longer shots.

HiT Em HigH, HiT Em LOw A simple system for every short-game shot. By Larry Rinker

Putt-Chip Ball middle Bump & Run Ball back Putter Lie Angle

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HigHEr TrajEcTOry Pair3rd Family. long Blast Bunker Family. Open stance, open club face, with the ball position in the middle of the stance

to your toe line. More vertical backswing than your golf swing.

4th Family. Flop or short Bunker shot Family. Ball position is more forward and stance more open. Ball goes higher and shorter with same clubhead speed.

HigHEr TrajEcTOry SHOTSlong Blast Bunker (lBB) shot FamilySimply set up with your feet slightly open and the club face slightly open to the target and make your golf swing. The backswing will be more upright than your actual golf swing. V swing vs. U swing. This will help you to hit down. This is the most likely way you will play bunker shots and softer shots from around the green in the grass. It is a much higher percentage shot than the flop.

Flop Family (Variation of Long Blast Bunker with the ball more forward in the stance, and the stance more open)If you want to hit it higher, softer, and shorter with the same swing speed; open your stance more, and play the ball more forward. Aim the club face 5 degrees open to the target, just like the Long Blast Bunker. The club face should aim five feet right of the target for right handed players. When you open way up, your forward swing path is still five feet to the left of target for right handed players, again just like Long Blast Bunker. The three rods, black = club face, yellow = target, and red = swing path are the same for LBB and Flop.

With the ball more forward and the stance more open, the sand wedge has more bounce. You will use more bounce in flops. The more loft that you have at address and impact, the more bounce that you will have. More loft = more bounce. Less loft = less bounce. You want less bounce on hardpan or tight lies.

Short Game 1011. You must hit down on the ball with your weight on your lead side (closest to target).You cant hit down on it without your weight being on your lead side.

2. Release the club head and swing through. Rotating the arms and hands helps this.

Secret: Keep the lead shoulder low as you swing through.

Larry Rinker is director of Instruction at Red Sky Golf Academy. Excerpted from the e-book Rinker Five Fundamentals (larryrinker.com). He competed in more than 500 PGA Tour events and regularly ranked among the Tour leaders in putting and sand saves.

Long Blast Bunker (LBB) Flop-Ball more forward LBB-Open stance open club face


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cAn sTem cells imProve yoUr gAme? When knees, hips or shoulders need replace-ment, a Vail doctor offers an alternative. By Jon Rizzi

like most Boulderites,61-year-old John Beeman leads an extraordinarily active life. He skis ap-proximately 50 days a year and plays 200 rounds of golfmostly on foot and mostly at Flatirons Golf Course, where, he jokes, hes an ugly 6.

Until recently, ugly might have described Beemans knees. Old injuries and three sur-geries had gutted his right ACL and MCLbasically its bone on bone in thereand 15 years ago he had reconstructive surgery on his left knee and gave up running. He would regularly ice both joints after 30,000-40,000 vertical-foot days on the slopes or after walk-ing 18 holes with his daughter, Aly, who plays on the Boulder High golf team.

The pressure Beemans golf swing put on his knees also left them sore, so every

November, between golf and ski seasons, Beeman would see Scott Brandt, M.D. of Denver Pain Management. He would inject Beemans knees with a cocktail of lubricants to reduce the friction and buy time before what Beeman says he thought would be an inevitable knee replacement.

Last August, Brandt left DPM to start ThriveMD, a Vail-based center for restor-ative and regenerative solutions to stimulate the bodys ability to heal itself. For many years he had studied the potential for mini-mally invasive stem cell therapy to repair, re-store, replace, and regenerate cells damaged by injury or normal wear. He saw Beeman as an excellent candidate for a breakthrough procedure to repair the tissue in his knees.

Beemans own research turned up noth-ing negative. The mesenchymal stem cells

would be his own, not the politically con-troversial embryonic ones (Embryonic stem cells are like Ferraris, says Brandt. Powerful but hard to control), and they would come from a half-cup of fat cells liposucted from his abdomen. Brandt would then spin the fat cells in a centrifuge to extract and wash more than 100 million progenitor stem cells of in-flammation-producing red and white blood cells, which hed combine with platelet rich plasma (PRP), which, the doctor says, serves as a super-fertilizer for the cells. Then, us-ing live X-ray fluoroscopy, he would inject the stem-cell solution to drive them pre-cisely into the damaged areas of the joints, which are often the areas of most resistance and thus least likely to be treated passively.

Beeman had Brandt treat his right knee over Thanksgiving. The entire process took

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KNEE-To-KNow BasIs: Thanks to stem-cell treat-ment, John Beeman could walk 200 rounds this year.

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two hours. He then underwent a fortnight of muscle activation to correct any imbalances or abnormal gait motions, such as incorrect load-ing of his hip or ankle. A month later he re-ceived a booster shot of cell-stimulating PRP.

During the Christmas holiday, Beeman skied seven consecutive days and never had to ice his knee. Hes already hoofed three-dozen pain-free golf rounds this spring.

An MRI at the end of the summer will deter-mine if his knee is generating new tissue. As of now, it feels better than it has in a while. He now regrets not having both knees done at the same time. The procedure cost $8,500, but the second knee would have only run $2,500 more. Since the FDA requires adult stem cells to be implanted within 24 hours of removal, to have his left knee done, hed have to go through the entire procedure and pay another $8,500.

Professional athletes such as Peyton Manning have received stem cell treatments for injuries. PHP treatments helped repair Tiger Woods knee. An alternative to joint replacement sur-gery, stem cell therapy can be used on any joint. Tendinitis or Achilles tendon injuries are also good responders to the treatment.

Golfers elbow responds very well to this treatment, says Brandt, who says the jury is out on back problemsthe bane of many a golfer. I havent seen a study for disk disease, but if the problem is in the backs synovial joints, we can help. This isnt a cure-all for everythingit wont repair a torn meniscus, for examplebut the results for most people can be life-changing, without the long recovery time. Cag

Jon Rizzi is CAGs editor. Visit thrivemdvail.com; 970-766-8245 for more on stem cell therapy.

STEMMING PAIN: Scott Brandt at his Vail Clinic.


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Read some of the highlights from the Moon Travel Guide descrip-tion of Nicaraguas capital city: If Managua were a vehicle, it would be a battered 1960s school bus,

dented and dinged on all sides, paint chipping through multiple layers of color It is loud and architecturally uninspiring Though relatively safe, it doesnt feel that way.

Why would anyone want to visit the place after reading that?

Yet the exact same text appears on the of-ficial Nicaragua Tourism web site. That the government allocated a budget of just $3 million for tourism marketing in 2012, with the country eager to emerge from neighbor Costa Ricas sizable shadow, also seems a little puzzling. Yes, Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere according to the U.S. State Department, but $3 million? Thats less than a third what the State of Colorado alone spent on tourism initiatives last yearafter a $5 million cut

and about one-sixth what Costa Rica will spend this year.

Theres more. In January 2012, the Minis-ter for Tourism, Mario Salinas Pasos, posted a letter on the same web site saying that in addition to great beaches, one-of-a-kind fishing, and world-class surfing, Nicaragua boasted top golf courses.

At the time the letter was written, how-ever, Nicaraguas inventory of courses stood at threea rather flat 18-hole private track near Managua called Nejapa, and two un-remarkable nine-holers on the Pacific coast. Seor Pasoss job is to promote his country as best he can, but labeling its golf courses as top was stretching reality further than even the most bald-faced marketer would be prepared to go.

But get this: Tourism in Nicaragua has somehow increased by over 70 percent in the past decade; it was named one of the worlds top travel destinations for 2013 on NBCs Today show; and in January The

New York Times ranked it third on a list of 46 places to visit this year.

For a country many people still associate with political unrest in the 1980sremem-ber Iran-Contra and the Sandanistas?Nica-ragua is making some serious noise in the travel trade.

The truth is, Nicaragua does have an aw-ful lot going for itsomething travelers are obviously beginning to discover.

The minister was right about the fishing for instance. You can cast your line deep into the ocean in search of marlin, sailfish, bar-racuda and dorado; fish inshore for bonito, snapper, grouper and roosterfish; or go out on Lake Nicaragua, the second largest lake in the Americas, hunting 100-lb. tarpon, or 40-lb. snook. There are 40 volcanoes down which you can try ash-boarding, a fast-ex-panding eco-tourism industry, scuba diving on untouched reefs, zip-lining in the forests, and surfing so good the 2012 ISA World Masters was held here, on a beach named

NiRvANA iN NicARAguA With Guacalito de la Isla, David McLay Kidd created a tropical heaven that could transform Nicaraguas Pacific coastand the countrys image. By Tony Dear

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Playa Colorado. And, had he delayed his

comments a year, Sr. Pasos would have had a leg to stand on (albeit a short one) with regard to golf courses.

Guacalito de la Isla, part of the super-luxurious Mu-kul Resort & Spa 20 miles north of the gorgeous coast-al town of San Juan Del Sur and about 40 miles from the Costa Rica border, was designed by David McLay Kidd who has clearly now dispensed with his fondness for theatrical, some might say over-the-top design (The Castle Course in St. Andrews, Tetherow in Or-egon) in favor of playability. Indeed, the course he built here alongside senior associ-ate Casey Krahenbuhl and eight more of his US-based staff, is playability itself.

The man behind Mukul, 60-year-old Carlos Pellas, is a multi-billionaire thought to be the wealthiest man in Latin America. A descen-dant of the Italian entrepre-neur Francisco Alfredo Pel-las, Carlos now oversees an empire that employs more than 25,000 people in the

fields of banking, insurance, healthcare, media, auto, en-tertainment, agro-energy, rum, tourism, citrus and sugar.

But for Carlos Pellass acumen, resolve, and good fortune, however, the Pellas Group certainly wouldnt be in the position it is today, and Mukul would never have happened. During the 1980s, Daniel Ortegas leftist gov-ernment nationalized much of Pellass business, and in 1989, Pellas and his wife Viv-ian were among just seven survivors when a plane tak-ing them to the Honduran city of Tegucigalpa flew into a mountainside at 500mph.

Extreme events such as these tend to have a pro-found effect on a persons temperament and approach to life so, in hindsight, per-haps its no surprise Pellas was intensely determined to restore his familys assets once his body had healed sufficiently and Ortega had been replaced by conserva-tive Violeta Chamorro who came to power in 1990. And so, between 1990 and 2000, he invested over quarter of a

billion dollars into the coun-trys economy.

At the end of 2006, how-ever, Ortegas re-election seemed to present a sig-nificant obstacle to Pellass future expansion plans. But Ortegas politics had soft-ened somewhat and he hap-pily gave Mukul the green light and assisted Pellas by fast-tracking it through the permitting process.

At the same time as plans for Mukul were taking shape, Pellas was heavily invested in a luxury development across the border in the Costa Ri-can province of Guanacaste. For the golf course at Santa Elena Preserve, Kidd had been Pellass first choice for designer. Pellas knew the Scot had built the impressive Nanea course in Hawaii for his fellow Stanford graduate Charles Schwab, and knew of Kidds policy of build-ing sustainable layouts that sought to sit as naturally and seamlessly on the land as possible (the Castle Course in St Andrews and Hunts-man Springs in Idaho not withstanding).

After a visit to Santa Elena,

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Pellas invited Kidd north to inspect a prop-erty he owned on Nicaraguas Emerald Coast, right on the Pacific Ocean.

There was obviously a great golf course underneath all the scrub, Kidd says. I knew it would be a major undertaking to clear it all.

Clearing brush while retaining the ma-ture trees would be harder still, however. But Pellas made it clear that was how it was going to be.

Oh yes, Don Carlos (Pellas is called Don Carlos in deference to his Italian roots) was very particular about the trees, says Kidd. There are well over a dozen different spe-cies in the forest at Guacalito and he can identify them all. He told us if we cut down a single tree wed be fired.

Construction on the course began in No-vember 2010 after it became clear govern-mental approval for Santa Elena was pro-ceeding at less than snails pace.

Kidd soon realized Nicaragua was actual-ly a peaceful country with friendly, welcom-ing people, and quickly established a good relationship with the locals by building a community baseball field, contributing to the nearby hospital, and hiring roughly 200 men to hack a path through all that brush.

Many of them were well-skilled, says Kidd. So in the end, not only did they clear the brush, they were operating heavy ma-chinery, building bridges, and performing a number of other important tasks.

Kidd would visit the site every six weeks and stay for five or six days. In his absence, Krahenbuhl would run the show. It all went relatively smoothly, he says. I be-came good friends with a few of the locals, and was really impressed with how hard they worked.

The golf course was completed toward the end of 2012 without, Kidd insists, the removal of a single tree. Id get nervous every time I heard Don Carloss helicop-ter approaching, he says. But we became very good at moving them.

To move the first big tree, Kidd had hired a firm from Dallas that charged $300,000. Kidd observed how they did it and moved the restwell over 100 treesfor something like $20,000. Shifting trees by themselves and deciding not to lay any drainage pipes When it rains here its so heavy theres no way a pipe could handle itallowed Kidd and his team to come in $1 million under budget. Saving $1 million probably wasnt a big deal to Don Carlos, says Kidd. But it was to me.

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The result did not strike visitors as a typi-cal David McLay Kidd course. It isnt easy by any means, but the emphasis is definitely on fun and showcasing the beauty of the land. I dont think its a bold design, says Kidd. But, unlike at the Castle Course or Hunts-man Springs, it didnt need to be. This is such a beautiful place, I just wanted to show it off to golfers without penalizing them too heav-ily for poor shots.

There are several memorable holes, but the two most notable perhaps are the final two par 3s the 184-yard 15th and 167-yard 18th.

Krahenbuhl had the idea for the peculiar, but entertaining, Redan/Biarritz green at the 15th, but it was God that came up with the 18thKidd just had the good sense to go with it. The tee shot is played from the trees to a green literally built on the beach. When we built it, we would hole out, take our shoes off and just head right out on to the sand, says Kidd.

A round at Guacalito costs $145. To stay in one of the 37 amazing accommodations (12 beach villas each with their own private pool, 23 bohios on the cliffs overlooking Playa Manzanillo, or even Casona Don Carlos or Suite Dona Vivian when the Pellases are not home) youd probably expect to pay more than $1,000 a night. But the tariff is $550, a bargain when you consider lodging, shuttle from the airport in Managua (a two-hour ride), breakfast, lunch and an open bar are all included in the price.

And considering the open bar could mean a glass or two of Flor de Caa, a world-renowned rum owned by Don Carlos (you can helicopter to the distillery near the San Cristbal Volcano in the northwest of the country, then repair to Don Carloss planta-tion house for a lunch prepared by his per-sonal chef ), the price just seems all the more reasonable.

What else might convince you Guacalito de la Isla and the Mukul Resort should become part of your travel plans (just get from Denver

HOYO BONITO: Guacalitos 11th

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to Miami, Atlanta, Houston, or Fort Lauder-dale for direct flights to Managua)?

How about a clifftop spa comprising six finely-appointed casitas, each with its own distinct architecture, interior design, and range of treatments? How about the superb Nicaraguan-inspired food on offer at La Ter-raza or La Mesa restaurants? How about the sort of efficient but friendly service you find in only a limited number of places around the world?

Other luxury golf resorts are in the pipe-line for NicaraguaMontecristo, designed by Mike Young, is being built on the Pa-cific Coast an hour west of Managua, and Milagro Del Mar, a few miles to the south, will have 27 holes in play by 2015. Its un-likely either can match Guacalito for sheer natural beauty.

Carlos Pellas could have retired long ago, but he felt compelled to leave a lasting legacy for the country he loves. After falling for the place, David McLay Kidd became just as committed to leaving his own gentle, but unmistakable, footprint. Building the first major golf course in a Central American na-tion with the hope it might inspire similar developments and thus bolster the countrys tourism industry and provide good jobs was something Kidd took very seriously.

I knew what we did here would likely im-pact what came after it, he says. So it had to be environmentally sound and a course people would enjoy. I wanted to leave a benchmark; set the bar high. I certainly felt a burden of responsibility. Cag

For further information about Mukul, mukulresort.com; 800-390-8844. Read more of Contributing Editor Tony Dears travel writing at coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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This column gives me permission to obsess over food. Any kind of preoccupation can be unfortunate, and I aspire to stay this side of normal. But then I survey The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa in Grand Junction, one of our

states most scenic courses, and look at the colors of the Grand Mesa, the worlds tallest flat-top mountainthe russet-brown soil dusted in milky-white late-spring snow with a sprinkling of evergreens and crispy shards of red rock peeking throughand all I can think about is a baked potato with sour cream, chives and bacon bits. At least my compulsion tastes good. The gateway city to the Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction is also a home for some fine eats.

il BisTro iTAliAnoRaised in the small Italian village of Bibbiano, Brunel-

la Gualerzi learned to cook at her mamas knee. Her travels brought her to Grand Junction over 20 years ago, and as chef and owner of Il Bistro Italiano, shes a stickler for authentic Italian cuisine, setting the standard for the Grand Valleys most consistently excellent food. She also offers featured events such as cooking class-es, special Tapas Nights ($22 for all-you-can-eat small plates of assorted meat, vegetarian and fish dishes) and a Split the Wheel dinner where she gives a lesson on cutting a large wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese imported from her sisters factory (it takes several dif-

monUmenTAl Dining The Grand Junction region now boasts eateries where the majesty of the food rivals the splendor of the surroundings. | by Gary James

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rusTIC PErFECTIoN: The divine rosetta at Il Bistro Italiano.

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ferent knivesmore like chiselsto crack them so the texture and structure remains intact).

My most recent experience at Il Bistro consisted of several spectac-ular courses. The Calamari, the signature appetizer, had an appeal-ing citrus pop in the breading that rendered the lemon garlic cream sauce accompaniment moot. A plate of soft warm bread came with a delicious spread involving roasted red peppers, pimento, cream cheese, ricotta and a hint of red chili pepper.

Bunella is big on seasonal entrees such as Ossobuco di Bisonte, a Colorado bison shank slowly braised with tomatoes and white wine and served with saffron risotto. It was giving way on the menu to a spring dish, Capesante e Asparagi, combining bay scallops, fresh asparagus with roasted tomatoes, shallots, white wine and a touch of cream with garganelli pasta.

Of the standard entrees, the simple Scaloppina al Limone was my tables favorite, an incredibly tender all-natural chicken breast sau-teed in a lemon and white wine sauce, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables. But I stoned my fellow diners with the Rosettahouse-made pasta rolled with rosemary ham and pro-volone cheese, baked and served with spicy tomato cream sauce. This kind of rustic, homemade Italian dish isnt found in many Colo-rado restaurants, and it was spectacular.

Wines are researched by region, and the perfect accompaniment to my repast was a bottle of Scaia, made from the Corvina grape (also used in the production of Valpolicella); I couldnt stop playing with the nifty glass stopper...or drinking, for that matter. Ive been lucky to have enjoyed the wide variety of regional Tiramisu throughout Italy (its like their potato salad), and the recipe at Il Bistro Italiano tipped me into a classic ladyfinger/coffee/marscapone jag.

Everything about the meal worked that night. Of the well-versed

and entrenched staff, we drew the young one, Nicholas Moore, who has waited tables for several years while attending Colorado Mesa University (nee Mesa State College); Brunella displays his in-spired scenic photography on the walls. My only regret was that I missed Mama puttering in the back of the kitchenshe visits from the homeland several times a year. Id pay extra to be given the com-mand: Mangia!400 Main Street 970-243-8662; ilbistroitaliano.com

reD rose cAFeNext door to Grand Junction is Palisade, a verdant valley floor cel-

ebrated for its fruit orchards (put me down for the best damn peach-es in America) and vineyards. Set downtown, the Red Rose Cafe has long been guided by Tom and Rose Cassabona, who combined their roots to bring Italian and Vietnamese choices to the menu. But theyve found it tough to operate during the winter months, like Pal-isades other independent restaurateurs (Im thinking of the equally

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delightful Inaris Bistro, which has discontin-ued its brunch and lunch service), and Tom has taken on a gig in Grand Junction. So now its the prickly Rose in the kitchen. When she ran the front of house, the service was a little unpredictable. But her Vietnamese cooking is excellent, and even if you look lost eat-ing a rice noodle bowl, shell give how to tips. Kudos for a winning all-Colorado wine menu. 235 Main Street, Palisade; 970-464-7673

leons TAQUeriAresTAUrAnT

A number of Mexican restaurants populate the Grand Junction area, including fancier, more gringofied eateries like WW Peppersand who wouldnt eat crab enchiladas in white sauce? But for authentic Mexican food, make mine Leons. It provides the key values, from a slightly out of the way location to a family friendly atmosphere to fresh chips and salsa to Formica tabletops. Go for Taco Tues-day nights; stay for the waitress to tease you into speaking Spanish.505 30 Rd #8; 970-242-1388

Courses at CoursesThe Red Canyon GRill at The Golf Club at Redlands Mesa accompanies its selec-tion of wraps, sandwiches, burgers and salads with magnificent views of Grand Mesa, the Bookcliffs and Colorado Na-tional Monument. For optimal effect, dine alfresco. More Continental fareand European ambienceawaits south on US Highway 50 at Cedaredge Golf Club, where WildfiRe Pizza turns out impec-cable pies, such as the Capricciosaa Margherita pizza baked with mushrooms, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and topped with a thin layer of prosciutto. Wildfire owner Curt Smelser imported the oven from Italy and fires it with apple wood from nearby orchards. He also flies in fresh salmon, branzino and red snap-per daily. A post-round pairing of Snapper Livornese with a sangiovese or Peroni will put you under the Tuscan sun right in the Grand Valley. Cag

Gary James is a Boulder-based writer spe-cializing in food and music.

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2013 lexuS lS460 aWdPRiCe aS TeSTed: $82,279

There is no way that the refreshed, 2013 LS flagship could be the complete game-changer its illustrious, first-generation pre-decessor was in 1989. However, the class that vehicle helped define has substan-tially impacted what this latest model has become.

A thorough refresh of last years model, the new LS460 still manages to stand out a bit more when approaching thanks to its new, aggressive spindle grill. Depart-ing the scene, though, its as anodyne as ever. Thankfully Lexus hasnt messed up the sybaritic cockpit, which stands as a

reminder of the way Lexus used to ap-proach material quality before the bean counters took over. Everything you touch is sumptuous, and there are none of the downmarket materials or cheap finishes that mar the interiors of the otherwise sumptuous BMW 7-series or Jaguar XJ.

However, the initially captivating Lexus infotainment system soon frustrates with its cluttered graphics and haptic-feedback controller that frequently overshoots its target. This means you spend too much time trying to find a song or switch func-tions with your eyes on the gorgeous 12.3-inch monitor, and not on the road. Thanks to the Mark Levinson Reference audio sys-tem, at least when you find the track youre looking for, youll be rewarded with some

of the most accurate playback available in a car, without the absurd price tags that oth-ers now charge for their upper end, name brand audio systems.

The LS460 has always been more about refinement than thrilling driver involve-ment. The original introduced a level of isolation henceforth considered imperative for success in the class, and the latest loses none of its oiled perfection, but adds a bit of attachment. Steering feel and precision are improved, body control better, and the ride (at least on the smaller standard wheels) still excellent. Whether the 460 can maintain these qualities on the out-sized footwear becoming de rigueur in the class remains questionable.

Power goes up for rear driver LS models

niche PerFecTLexus LS460 and Infiniti JX35 shoot to the head of their classes. By Isaac Bouchard

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LuXury FLaGsHIP: The Lexus Ls460

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to 386 horses, but the all-wheel-drive ma-chines still have outputs of only 360hp and 347lb-ft, channeled through a slick eight speed tranny (another Lexus first, which al-most all competitors have since adopted), giving 0-60mph in about six seconds and fuel economy that stays resolutely mid-teens in the city but can reach the higher twenties on the open road.

It is hard to find anything to criticize in the LS460, yet in some ways the Lexus has become a victim of its own success. Com-petitors have figured out how to recreate the sense of effortless progress it serves up, while imbuing their flagships with more character, visual appeal or driver involve-ment. This takes nothing away from the inherent goodness of the LS460, and for those who still value understated progress and exceptional reliability the Lexus still remains a compelling choiceall at a price that undercuts competitors by up to five figures.

2013 infiniTi Jx35 PRiCe aS TeSTed: $55,170

Exploiting a niche unfilled by competi-tors such as BMW and Lexus, Infiniti has

brought the JX35a true seven-passenger crossoverto market ahead of its rivals. Fluidic forms and lots of sweeping chrome hide this rigs true size and give it the up-market pizzazz necessary to differentiate it from its less expensive platform-mate, the Nissan Pathfinder.

Inside, it welcomes occupants with the Rubenesque curves that have come to de-fine Infinitis interiors, with more useable size and comfortable seating than its com-petitors. With three rows that can actually be inhabited by adults without dispatching them to immediate chiropractic care, the JX35 places itself ahead of the current Acu-ra MDX, Audi Q7 and BMW X5.

Not everything holds up to scrutiny; many moldings are cheaper than the price point suggests, the dash tops speaker grills dont fit flush, and a forests worth of fake wood grate. The JX35 does offer, however, most every available technology to entertain, dis-tract and save you from yourself.

In motion the JX35 is generally refined and quiet, soothing and polished. Initial ride motions are well damped, but not the big-ger bumps. Roll control is tight, so it doesnt lean much in the corners, and steering is ac-curate if numb. It comes close to the Mazda CX-9, still the dynamic benchmark in large seven-seaters, which is no small thing.

Powered by a newer version of compa-nys ubiquitous VQ-series V6, the JX35 has outputs of 265hp and 248lb-ft, channeled through a continuously variable transmis-sion and either front or all-wheel-drive. While generally loathed by enthusiasts, this is one of the best CVTs yet, with adequate throttle response in its Sport mode and no undue hunting for the right gear ratio. 0-60 arrives in a class-average 7.8 seconds, and real-world economy comes in at 18-19 mpg.

The JX35 is competitive in most every area and excels in interior space usage and accommodations. That it almost matches the class-leading Mazda dynamically is no small accomplishment. If its apparent inte-rior quality doesnt live up to an Audis or even Infinitis other products, then neither does its pricewhich comes smack be-tween the mainstream Asian and Ameri-can players and the higher end German offerings. Combined with the excellence of Infinitis post-sale service and the terrific reliability the companys products have become known for, the JX35 actually has something unique to offer. Cag

Read more of Contributing Editor Isaac Bouchards automotive writing at nicedrivz.com and coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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The layout of the Bridges Golf & Country Club is dotted by lots of waterthe historic Loutsenhizer Canal, fed by the Gunnison and Uncom-pahgre rivers, snakes through the course, which features 10 lakes and numerous water features spanned by 17 dis-tinctive golf-cart bridges (one of which is covered), giving the course its name. Coin-cidentally Montroses other course, Cobble Creek, also has 10 lakes and a creek winding through it.

tTee It High, Let It Fly

Hitting shots from elevated tees is the most exhilarating component of playing mountain courses with dramatic elevation changes, especially at Telluride Ski and Golf Club and Glacier Club. It looks like youre hitting into a vista of 14,000-foot peaks, and your ball seems to float in the air, suspended as if it was wearing a parachute before descending into a blanket of green. That sense of awe and majesty makes you feel like Tiger Woods, if not Hercules.

For more information go to

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Local Knowledget The Bridges Golf and Country Club in Montrose has found an entertaining way to generate revenueby hosting con-certs at the golf course, with performers ranging from the Wailers to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

t Glacier Club is con-structing a new nine-hole golf course, designed by Hale Irwin, on land acquired from the Forest Service. Once finished in spring 2014, 18 of Glacier Clubs 36 holes may be made available to the public.

t Dalton Ranch Golf Club is a casual and ma-jestic gem in Durango that may go private sometime in the future, so make sure to get out and play this Ken Dye design this summer.

Telluride Ski and Golf Club

Remingtons at The Bridges new Executive Chef, Roberta Masden, purveys fresh Mediterranean dishes and award-winning desserts. 2500 Bridges Cir., Montrose 970-252-1119 x2; montrosebridges.com

Enjoy mind-blowing views at Allreds Restaurant, Tel-lurides most popular happy hour destination,

june 2013 issue of colorado avidgolfer

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