Golf Digest Woman

Girl wins boys' high school championship at Bethpage

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:49:30 -0500

Two years ago, when back-to-back champ Matt Lowe, now a sophomore at Farmingdale High, first won the Nassau Boys' High School Championship in New York, he shot 2-under par over 36 holes and won by nine strokes. This week, he shot the same score in the same event at Bethpage State Park's Blue and Red courses and lost by six. To a girl.

Annie Park set a new record at Bethpage.
(Photo by J. Conrad Williams, Jr., Newsday)

Seventeen-year-old Annie Park of Levittown, N.Y., was only one of two girls playing in the 135-player event -- Lowe's 14-year-old sister Alix was the other. Park's school district doesn't have a girls' golf team so she plays on the boys' team, from the same tees as her male teammates. An accomplished junior who won medalist honors at the New Jersey sectional qualifier for the U.S. Women's Open in May, Park put on a show that, according to New York Newsday, drew "a caravan of onlookers as the afternoon progressed."

Lowe, who was tied with Park at 4-under after day one and got to see her play up close, compared the experience to being "hit by a freight train" (Park's 8-under 134 also annihilated Lowe's old scoring record for the event by six shots). "She must be one of the best female golfers in the world," he told Newsday. Maybe not yet, but it looks like she has great potential. Once Park graduates from high school in January, she's going to the University of Southern California on a full golf scholarship.

Read the whole story here.

--Stina Sternberg

Video: Azahara Munoz's 5 Favorite Things

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:13:58 -0500

Azahara Munoz's win at last weekend's Sybase Match Play might've gotten lost with all the attention focused on the slow-play story.

A 24-year-old from Spain, Munoz won her first LPGA title in the tour's only match-play event, beating Morgan Pressel with a controversial rules decision.

What you haven't heard much, though, over the last few days, is that Munoz is a rising start in women's golf.

The native of San Pedro del Alcantara, Spain, who played college golf at Arizona State University, made her mark in her first appearance on the Solheim Cup team, going 2-1-1 to help Europe to a win over the U.S.

She obviously likes the match-play format, too, beating LPGA legend Karrie Webb in the second round, American stud Stacy Lewis handily in the quarters, 5 and 4, and Jodi Ewart, who had previously knocked off Solheim Cup veterans Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson, the round previous.

While the focus has all been on Pressel and their rules dispute, we caught up with Munoz on her way to the practice green, to give you a little idea of who Munoz is.

--Stephen Hennessey

Follow @s_hennesseyGD

LPGA throws baby out with the bath water

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:57:29 -0500

"Slow play" has become golf's most bandied-about expletive in recent months, for good reason. A round of golf is supposed to take no more than four hours, but at many public and resort courses, a weekend 18 can take up to six. Adding plenty of fuel to the fire are the recent successful runs of more, say, deliberate PGA Tour players such as Ben Crane, Webb Simpson and Kevin Na. Since their good scores have warranted them more air time on golf telecasts, their hemming, hawing, waggling and re-gripping have become fodder for discussion among every average Joe, Jane and golf scribe in the world. Suddenly, we've all banded together to declare slow play golf's Enemy No. 1.

Morgan Pressel lost her Sybase Match Play semifinal against Azahara Munoz after being assessed a slow-play penalty on the 12th hole Sunday.
(Photo by Getty Images)

Cut to the dramatic scene at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N.J., on Sunday. Azahara Munoz and Morgan Pressel were playing their semifinal in the Sybase Match Play Championship, with Pressel in control of the match on the back nine. The group had fallen behind the only other twosome on the course and were warned, then put on the clock before getting to the 12th hole. As Pressel, who was 2 up in the match and had the honors, approached her tee shot on the par 3, the wind picked up and she stepped back. Assessing the new wind conditions with her caddie, Pressel took a while to rethink her club selection. Her tee shot then missed the green left, leaving her with a tricky pitch shot up a steep embankment. As many professionals do when they're close to the green and need to get up and down, Pressel walked up to the green from her ball and back before taking her stance and executing her shot. Her opponent was also in trouble on the hole and salvaging par could mean going 3 up. Pressel's second shot left her with a par putt that was certainly no gimmie, so she took some time over that as well, but made it and saved par while Munoz bogeyed.

Morgan Pressel in position to capture first victory since 2008

Sat, 19 May 2012 20:48:16 -0500

GLADSTONE, N.J. -- Winning the Sybase Match Play Championship would be quite an early birthday present for Morgan Pressel, who turns 24 next Wednesday. Given the recent arc of her career, though, just making it to Sunday morning's semifinals is a well-earned gift in itself.

Pressel's best finish in 2012 was a T-20 at the Kia Classic. She is looking for her first victory since 2008. After a rousing comeback victory over No. 2 seed Na Yeon Choi Saturday morning, Pressel defeated Anna Nordqvist 5 and 4 Saturday afternoon. For Pressel, who will face 24-year-old Azahara Munoz of Spain on Sunday, this week has been a big step forward. (Candie Kung and Vicky Hurst will square off in the other semifinal.)

"No matter what happens, this is the best I've played in a long time," Pressel said. "I finally feel comfortable with my game again to a point where I haven't been in a while. I'm going to give it everything I have tomorrow. But I just have a lot of confidence going into the heart of the season."

Pressel has been working recently with instructor Ron Stockton, previously her short-game coach, on all parts of her game. She is trying to recapture some of the magic that made her the youngest winner (18 years, 10 months, 9 days) of an LPGA major championship at the 2007 Kraft Nabsico.

"Certainly people put expectations on me -- the media, the fans, my sponsors, everybody wants me to play well," Pressel said. "Having won the Kraft so young, I'm never going to say it was a bad thing. I mean, I'm a major champion, the youngest in LPGA history. I probably more than anybody else put extra pressure on myself to really be a world-beater, and I don't think I was quite ready for that and don't think I was quite mature enough for that."

-- Bill Fields

Tseng falls in Match Play as upset theme continues

Sat, 19 May 2012 13:37:20 -0500

GLADSTONE, N.J. -- It's match play. Upsets happen. And they have at the LPGA's Sybase Match Play Championship at Hamilton Farm GC.

The week's underdog theme continued unbridled Saturday morning in the third round as Rolex Rankings No. 1 and top tournament seed Yani Tseng was defeated by No. 49 Candie Kung.

Yani Tseng plays her third shot on No. 15 at Hamilton Farm GC in third-round loss.
Photo by Bill Fields

Tseng, who scraped out tough wins in the first two matches, talked briefly through tears after losing 3-and-2 to Kung. Trailing 1 down through 14 holes, Tseng bogeyed No. 15 from behind the green to go 2-down, then lost on the par-3 16th when Kung made a birdie.

Kung will face No. 41 Julieta Granada in the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon. The other quarterfinal matches are Morgan Pressel (19) vs. Anna Nordqvist (26), So Yeon Ryu (13) vs. Vicky Hurst and Stacy Lewis (6) vs. Azahara Munoz (19).

--Bill Fields

The LPGA Tour: Indeed, it's different out here

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:38:38 -0500

GLADSTONE, N.J. - Can you picture a PGA Tour pro teeing it up with a group of amateurs on a Friday morning of a tournament week?

No? Well that's because that would never happen.

It's just one reason it's different out here on the LPGA Tour.

"If we just try to do what the PGA Tour does, we can't really win," Karin Sjodin said. "They're doing it at such a high level already and have the pull that their stars do. So we have to kind of branch out in other ways so we can get other people involved and get more tournaments for us, too."

(Photo of Mozo at Hamilton Farms' picturesque 16th hole: Chris Trotman/Getty Images. Mozo played the par-3 course in a pro-am on Friday.)

Nearly every player who lost their first round matches at the Sybase Match Play Championship played in a pro-am on the Hamilton Farms' par-3 Hickory Course on Friday. Defending champion Suzanne Pettersen, knocked off by 62-seed Jodi Ewart in the first round, was the only one to decline the offer.

Sybase defending champ bows out in opening match

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:18:50 -0500

GLADSTONE, N.J. -- Down two after two holes, Jodi Ewart thought she was going to get "absolutely thrashed."

She didn't put much pressure on herself coming into the match. She was the third-lowest ranked player in the field. Matched up against defending Sybase champion and 2011 Solheim Cup slayer Suzann Pettersen, it didn't matter if she exited early and got ready for tomorrow's pro-am with losing players. Yet she also didn't want to waste a chance against one of the game's elite.

"This was my opportunity to show people what I can do and what my golf game is like," Ewart said. "Obviously, you know, I'm playing the world No. 3, so it was probably the most mentally draining match I've ever gone through."

It was worth the stress. The 62nd-ranked native of England rallied back to go 1-up after 16, and Pettersen conceded her a 15-footer for birdie on the 17th hole to end the match. Ewart's 3 and 1 upset of Pettersen was the biggest surprise of Thursday's opening round of the Sybase Match Play Championship at Hamilton Farm Golf Club.

The recently-engaged Ewart (the wedding's set for January) said she wanted to get off to a good start to have a chance against Pettersen. That didn't happen, but she still stormed back to even the match with birdies at Nos. 3 and 4, then won three straight holes (11-13) to put pressure on the No. 3-ranked player in the world.

Once Pettersen ran her 20-foot birdie try about eight feet past on No. 17, she conceded the match to Ewart, who would've had to three-putt from 15 feet to drop the hole. But she had three-putted No. 14 and almost lipped out a short putt on 15, so it was a bit of a shock when Pettersen took off her cap to congratulate her.

"I just played awful from the fairway to the green," Pettersen said. "I missed more greens today than I have all year."

Pettersen didn't lose to a slouch, though.

Pettersen looks to defend at Sybase Match Play

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:33:09 -0500

GLADSTONE, N.J. -- Everyone knows about Yani Tseng's 13 tournament titles last year, but one of 2011's most underrated feats in women's golf was Suzann Pettersen's dominant match-play record.

Across the continent last year at Killeen Castle, the No. 3-ranked player in the world helped Europe grab the Solheim Cup in spectacular fashion when she birdied three straight holes to complete a comeback against Michelle Wie on the final day in the Europe's 15-13 win over the U.S.

Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Even before crushing the U.S. team's hopes last year, Pettersen won the only match-play event on the LPGA Tour. She's back to defend at this week's Sybase Match Play Championship, opening up against Jodi Ewart of England tomorrow.

"You have to bring your 'A' game and you can't take anything for granted," Pettersen said Wednesday at Hamilton Farm G.C. "If you're playing Cristie [Kerr], or you're playing who ever else it might be, you just have to bring it on and take on every shot and try to win as many holes as you can."

Ask Stina: All's fair in love and golf

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:34:19 -0500

Q: I've been playing golf for 20 years and enjoy my regular round with the same group of buddies every Sunday. My wife has recently decided to take up the game and now wants us to play together on her day off (you guessed it: Sunday). I accept her new hobby but she shoots in the 120s and I could never get the guys to include her, nor do I want to. How do I tell her I'd much rather keep Sundays for my regular foursome?
A: You "accept" her new hobby? That's awfully generous of you, considering golf has been a pastime of your own for two decades. Your wife is showing you a nice gesture by learning to play and you should do everything you can to encourage her. That doesn't mean you have to give up your regular Nassau, or make your wife a part of it. The key word here is "balance."
My mother resisted taking up golf for the first 35 years of her relationship with my golf-crazed father, but finally decided that if she ever wanted to spend some quality time with him, she'd better follow the old "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" adage. While my father was initially reluctant to play with a triple-bogey shooter, especially at the expense of golf with "serious" players, he eventually learned to balance his competitive golf with rounds with mom. It takes some planning, but as long as he fits her in on a regular basis, she's happy, and they're both thrilled with the added benefits of their shared interest in the game. They take golf vacations together and there are much fewer spats about time spent on the course. It's been a win-win situation for everybody involved.
As far as I can tell, if Sunday is the only day your wife can play, you have two choices: Move your regular round with the guys to Saturday, or make Sunday a 36-hole day and try to fit in both. Trust me, it'll be worth it in the long run.

Q: It seems physically impossible for the men at our club to let a group of women through, even if they're keeping us up. Yet if we don't let them through, we have a ranger on our backs in a matter of minutes. How do we deal with this unfairness?

A: In Sweden, where I grew up, it's a punishable offense not to let a faster group play through, and every golfer is educated and tested on how to execute a quick and proper transition. If you're a two- or threesome at any average Swedish course, you can play through five or six groups in one round without incident. It happens all the time, and rounds rarely take over four hours. Here in the U.S., I hardly ever see golfers play through.
I think you're right--there's a male-ego thing involved--but I also think many golfers in this country are either too polite to ask, to ignorant to step aside, or too unsure of how to play through properly. So instead, everybody stays where they are and rounds keep getting slower.
You say the men at your club "refuse" to let women through, but have you ever actually walked up to a group and flat-out asked them to? I can't imagine any player would turn you down if you addressed them in a confident way and promised to make it fast. Wait until the group in front of you has teed off on an appropriate take-over hole (usually a par-5 or a long par-4; that way, they don't have to wait for you to putt out), then ask to sneak through. Do not take any practice swings, be ready with the right club in hand, tee off and get out of their hair. Once they see that you can move through fast, they won't be as reluctant in the future.
As for dealing with quick-to-judge rangers, I'd suggest simply pointing out that you're keeping pace with the group in front of you and are not holding up anyone. If you don't have players in front of you but a group is on your back, then the ranger is right--you should let the players behind you, no matter what gender, play through.

Q: My wife and I are trying hard to get our 14-year-old daughter interested in golf, but she doesn't want to hear it. She spends her weekends by the pool at our club with her girlfriends but won't even consider coming down to the practice range to take a lesson. How do we get her excited about the game?
A: If memory serves me correctly, there's not much you can do to convince a 14-year-old of anything, especially if you're her parent. The only way you're going to get golf to compete with your daughter's social life is to ease off on the pressure and let her find the game on her own. Right now, there's little hope she'll give it the time of day, simply because you keep badgering her about it. In fact, even if she feels a slight curiosity, she's probably repressing it just to go against your wishes. She's 14; that's her job. Take the reverse-psychology approach. Stop talking to her about golf for a while. Let her know it's okay if she doesn't like the game, but that you still do. On your next family vacation (with no girlfriends around), take her to an LPGA tournament--don't force her to come, but sure, if she wants to, make room in the car. Watching girls close to her own age hit 300-yard drives in trendy outfits can do wonders for any teenager's perception of golf's cool factor. And if your daughter decides to experiment with the game after that, don't get too visibly excited. Let her discover how much fun it can be at her own pace.

--Stina Sternberg (Photo courtesy of Barrysworld.biz)

The Style Blog: Bright Ideas

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:10:15 -0500

Ever let your clothes do your talking for you? Watching Rickie Fowler in his head-to-toe Sunday orange makes that old adage "silence is golden" pop into my head. If clothes can actually speak, Fowler's get-ups scream.

I love bright, bold hues but I don't want to be dipped in one color from top to bottom. There's something energetic and fun about a pop of yellow, a dash of purple, a hint of turquoise, and all go amazingly well with a pair of understated khakis (ahem, ever try that, Rickie?). Wearing a shirt and pants in the same tone denotes a remedial style -- even my 3-year-old niece knows pink goes with pink.

My point is, when I'm in a group of people and everyone is speaking really loudly to be heard, my attention usually goes to the person using the softest tone. Style is the same; a little goes a long way. Here are some polos in fun colors, and I suggest pairing them with a pair of khakis from The Gap or H&M. It will make a great statement of just the right volume.

Lacoste Original Fit Short Sleeve Non-stretch Pique Polo; $58, Visit website
Ralph Lauren Blue Label #4 Big Pony Tropic Purple Polo; $98, Visit website
Puma Golf Duo-Swing Graphic Golf Polo; $75, Visit website
Nike Golf Sport Novelty Pocket Polo; $75, Visit website
Athleta Fairway Polo; $49, Visit website
Khakis by Gap; $50-$55, Visit website

--Argy Koutsothanasis

Smart shopping: A woman's guide to buying new clubs

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:17:18 -0500

A golf retail store can be an incredibly intimidating environment for a woman golfer -- so much so that many cite it as the sole reason for why they're still playing with their husband's hand-me-down set from 1993. We've done enough "undercover shopper" articles to know the feeling -- sadly, we've also learned that even if a woman dares to venture into a golf store with the hopes of buying new clubs, her odds of getting good service aren't the same as a man's. Unless she comes prepared.

The bottom line is simple: If you play with clubs that suit your game and fit your swing, you will hit the ball farther, straighter and more consistently well. Hitting better golf shots will elevate your enjoyment of the game tremendously. So using the right equipment is a crucial component of this hobby of yours, which means you need to set your fears aside and go shopping, no matter how much you dread the thought. If you plan ahead and put in some work, you will to get the service you deserve.

Here's our step-by-step guide to getting the most out of your club-shopping experience:

1. Do your homework. Go online and look up the latest women's-club offerings from key manufacturers such as Ping, Callaway, Nike, Adams, Cobra, TaylorMade, Tour Edge, Mizuno, Titleist and Cleveland Golf (you can find reviews of many sets in our Golf Digest Woman Gear Spotlight section). Make a note of the different model names, and go to a reputable online retailer like golfsmith.com to find out the current street price for each product or set of clubs. Mark those prices on your list.

2. Find a demo day. Call the big on- and off-course golf retailers in your area and ask when they're hosting their next demo day. If there are none on the calendar in the near future, go to a store that you know carries a full line of brands and has either an outdoor or indoor hitting area. Bring your list of club brands and models, and ask to test every one (if the store doesn't have designated demo clubs in certain models, ask them to tape up the face of a new 7-iron or driver).

3. Narrow down the field. After hitting as many demo clubs as you can find, identify the two or three models you like the look, feel and performance of best and take down all the details of those clubs.

4. Bring your list to a reputable fitter. If the facility where you tested demo clubs offers professional fittings, you can get your clubs fitted there. But in most cases, you will get the best results at a smaller facility that specializes in independent launch-monitor fittings. Consult the Golf Digest ranking of America's 100 Best Clubfitters (if you don't find a fitter in your area in the ranking, there's a link to a list of 600 other fitters across the country on the same page). Ask around at your club, talk to other golfers--no matter how you go about it, identify the most reputable, unbiased fitter in your area. Call and book a launch-monitor fitting. Be prepared to pay for this service; it's worth it.

5. Ask to hit your finalists, as well as your current set, on the launch monitor. This will help you and the fitter identify which model gives you the best launch data. Things to compare are ball speed (you want it to be as high as possible), launch angle and spin rates. One note of caution: do NOT use taped-up clubs for launch-monitor testing. The tape renders the grooves useless and your resulting numbers inaccurate.

6. Get a thorough set-makeup evaluation. Depending on your launch conditions and clubhead speed, you might only need 10 clubs in your bag--or you might need 14. You might do better with five hybrids and two wedges, or you may be more successful having all fairway woods down to the 9-wood, then going in to the short irons. This is what a good fitter will help you discern.

7. Be prepared for surprises. You may learn that the clubs you thought were the best for you are nothing of the kind. Try to keep an open mind and embrace change. The launch-monitor numbers don't lie, and you'll be surprised how quickly you can get used to the look and feel of a club when you start hitting twice as many greens with it.

8. Turn on your BS radar. Remember that YOU are in charge. If a salesperson or fitter seems to be pushing you into a certain club without first going through the proper demo and fitting steps, pack up your things and take your money elsewhere. Never let anyone intimidate you into a sale.

--Stina Sternberg (Photo by Jonathan Tay)

Finchem's Augusta response takes hypocrisy to a new level

Thu, 10 May 2012 06:34:52 -0500

Remember as a child when you'd question your parents' reasoning about a curfew or a bedtime and they'd tell you "Because we said so" in a dismissive tone? Remember the way it left you confused, angry and a little bit humiliated? I had flashbacks to those moments Wednesday evening while reading PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem's explanation for why the PGA Tour has put no pressure on Augusta National to admit female members.

Related: Private Versus Public: Why everybody's missing the point about Augusta National

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, 65, answered media questions on Wednesday in preparation for the Players Champion. (Photo by Getty Images)

In a pre-tournament press conference at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Finchem was asked why the tour continues to sanction the Masters when it has a policy that states it will not partner with courses that practice discrimination of any kind. The commissioner's response defied second-grade logic. "The position of the PGA Tour hasn't changed,'' he said. "We have a policy that says when we go out and do a co-sanctioned event, we are going to play it at a club that is open to women members, open to minority members, etc. And we follow that policy carefully." Then, in the next breath, "In the case of the Masters, we have concluded a number of times... we are not going to give up the Masters as a tournament on our tour. It's too important. So at the end of the day, the membership of that club has to determine their membership. And they are not doing anything illegal."

That's right, Mr. Finchem, Augusta National is not doing anything illegal. Indeed, we live in a free country. But Augusta is going directly against the anti-discrimination policy you follow so "carefully," yet you choose to look the other way because the tournament is "too important"? That reaches a level of hypocrisy that has rarely been delivered with a straight face by anyone in your position.

Eva Longoria shows off her golf moves

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:03:51 -0500

After eight seasons of cat fights, murders and adulterous affairs, the hit ABC prime time soap Desperate Housewives will bid adieu to viewers for good next week. The show's youngest star, 37-year-old Eva Longoria, has yet to announce her next professional role, but it looks like she's picked up a new hobby that will help her fill the time.

As one of the participants in Monday's George Lopez Celebrity Golf Classic at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake, Calif., Longoria proudly showcased a not-too-shabby (in the future, with some help) golf swing. Let's take a look:

Nice finish, Eva. One tip: swinging with your eyes closed usually leads to missing the ball.

Not what you'd hoped? Don't be upset. You're no more than 5-feet-1 and that's a men's driver. Even your glove looks four sizes too big. Not many women would pull off a good drive under those circumstances.

Now you're talking. Excellent weight shift, great balance, and that hair looks good enough to frame. You definitely have a future in this game.

All kidding aside, we find it very exciting when a new Hollywood starlet decides to pick up the game. It helps secure golf's coolness factors among young girls, and encourages more women to follow suit.

--Stina Sternberg (Photos by Getty Images)

The Style Blog: Know when to fold 'em

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:51:32 -0500

Most days I walk around with a tote bag so big that the majority of airlines wouldn't allow me to use it as a carry-on. It's a jam-packed and heavy "purse" that takes its toll on my shoulders and spinal cord, but somehow I can live with that. The thing that's beyond my comprehension is how many sunglasses I've scratched, chipped and broken inside this black hole of a bag. The glasses are too big to put in one of the inside pockets, which means they have to battle with the rest of the junk I carry around. It's the same thing on the golf course: my sunglasses don't quite fit in the smaller compartments of my golf bag, so I have to place them in one of the bigger pockets, where they get lost or damaged.

The answer to my dilemma is sunglasses that fold. They take up so little space that they can easily be placed in a make-up bag or small pocket on my bag, so I'll never misplace or break them. Here are some of my favorites:

Ralph Lauren Purple Label Foldable Sunglasses; $425, Visit website
Ray-Ban 4105 Wayfarer Folding 50 Medium; $150, Visit website
Sunpocket SPKT2 Foldable Sunglasses; $82, Visit website
Burberry Folding Sunglasses; $250, Visit website
American Eagle AE White Foldable Sunglasses; $9.50, Visit website

--Argy Koutsothanasis

Ask Stina: All's fair in love and golf

Wed, 02 May 2012 19:11:10 -0500

Q. My buddy is a golf pro, and the last time we played together I asked him to tell me what I was doing wrong. He did, and the advice helped. Then I felt awkward. Should I pay him for his time?

A. This is like being friends with your doctor or financial consultant: You have to try to keep your personal and professional relationships separate. Avoid soliciting advice when the two of you are playing golf, no matter how much you're struggling. Instead, tell your friend to put you on his teaching calendar for the next available weekend so that you can take a proper lesson from him, and pay him for that. However, if he offers you tips during a round--and even if those tips help--don't give him cash; that would be tacky. Rather, buy him lunch or dinner after the round.

Q. Whenever a male colleague hears that I'm a golfer, he acts really surprised, which irks me. Why should it be so strange that a woman plays golf? What's the best way to respond?

A. Have you considered that your co-workers might be pleasantly surprised and are just happy to have found another potential golf partner? If you're a reader of this column, you know that I'm a staunch proponent of equality between women and men--in golf and in life. But sometimes we women have to stop taking everything as an insult. The fact is, women golfers are rare in this country (there are about 5.3 million of us), so it is surprising when a woman says she plays golf. But to most men, it's a good surprise.

Q. My wife drives the ball well over 200 yards, but she uses women's golf balls. I think she should use a higher-compression men's ball. Do you agree?

A. Golf balls marketed to women typically have very soft cores so they can be easily compressed by players with slower swing speeds. But that doesn't mean soft-compression balls are only for women. In fact, many balls marketed to men also have low-compression cores to generate more ball speed. The big difference between men's and women's golf balls is usually the dimple pattern. Women's balls typically have dimple patterns that give them more lift, because keeping the ball airborne is a key to distance for players with slow swing speeds. Unless your wife's tee shots are flying too high, she can still play well with women's balls. That said, all golfers--even slow swingers--could benefit from using the multilayer, urethane-covered golf balls used on the pro tours. That's because those balls spin more around the greens and stop faster on wedge shots. But they are more expensive.

Click here for more Ask Stina!

--Stina Sternberg