December January 201 4-2 01 5 Departments contents Victoria Azarenka Photo by Luigi Serra ON PAR COURSE DESIGN PUBLISHER’S NOTES THE DECLINE AND REBIRTH OF THE GOLF INDUSTRY .......................................................9 There are some signs that the industry is starting to rebound ...................................................................34 ON COVER 2015 HUMANA CHALLENGE STROKE PLAY Fans can expect a great tournament, record 2015 WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN crowds and enhanced venues for 2015 .................12 It’s hard to imagine ramping up this event to even higher levels, but this may be the year ....38 THE FUTURE OF THE HUMANA CHALLENGE The tournament’s upcoming days appear far rosier than some fans think ..................................16 GOLF INSTRUCTION PIPING YOUR DRIVES WITH A “CONTROL” ON COURT TEE SHOT ....................................................................40 INSIDE TENNIS: WITH TOM GORMAN The tennis great looks back at 2014 and ahead HOT GEAR to the coming year of championship play ...........18 PETE CARLSON’S GOLF & TENNIS GOLF EXPO The popular expo returns in 2015 and will 2015 BNP PARIBAS OPEN TICKETS ON SALE NOW be bigger and better than ever .............................42 It’s great tennis, it’s an economic powerhouse in the community and the venue is better INDUSTRY’S LEADING GOLF & TENNIS GADGETS than ever so reserve your seats now ......................28 Leading GPS precision positioning technology .....44 SPOT LIGHT MAPS, DIRECTORIES AND PRIVATE CLUBS BILLIE JEAN KING Transforming society one tennis player TENNIS CLUBS ...........................................................72 at a time .......................................................................30 GOLF CLUBS ............................................................80 Cover: President Willaim Clinton Desert Golf &tennis •December January 201 4-2 01 5 5 December January 201 4-2 01 5 Lifestyle contents Mercedes-AMG GT DESERT GOLF & TENNIS REALTY FINE DINING DINING IN THE DESERT The Desert Golf & Tennis guide to eating out THE GOOD LIFE in the Coachella Valley ..............................................56 REEVALUATING YOUR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT STRATEGY ................................................48 LUXURY AUTOS GOING, GOING, BUT NOT YET GONE THE MERCEDES-AMG GT New neighborhoods and homes will soon Sleek, light, fast—exactly what a super sports be available at PGA West .........................................50 car should be ...............................................................62 STYLE REPORT FASHION DESIGNER JAMIE SADOCK DESERT GOLF & TENNIS LIFESTYLE With her battle cry of “corrosion of conformity,” this fashion rebel makes a statement ......................66 LUXURY GIFTS FINE JEWELRY MUST-HAVE LUXURY GIFTS FOR 2014 The holidays come and go, but you can use BRING ON THE BLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS much of this list for giving all year long. .................54 Stand out with jewels and baubles in bold colors and eye-catching designs ...................70 Desert Golf &tennis •December January 201 4-2 01 5 7 December January 201 4-2 01 5 Publisher’s notes by timothy J. Pade • [email protected] For many of us who have loved, even treasured, the star the player spots were more valuable to the tournament than power of the tournament once known as the Bob Hope the draw and excitement of the celebrities that made these Classic, it’s disappointing that after only four years, Humana tournaments such popular events. I believe that without is out as the title sponsor. Humana announced that it’s celebrities, ticket sales will be affected, as will player spots, ending its sponsorship after the 2015 event. The good news, now at a reported $29, 000 per spot. We hope the new however, is that the remaining partners—the William sponsor or sponsors will have the economic ability to bring Clinton Foundation, The PGA Tour and Desert Classic back the celebrities and the parties that made the Bob Hope Charities—have vowed to remain on board and are actively Classic one of the greatest events in golf. engaged in finding a new sponsor for the event. While it’s sad to see Humana end its sponsorship, we at Since 1960, Desert Classic Charities has contributed Desert Golf & Tennis thank Humana for its four years of more than $52.5 million to the Eisenhower Medical Center tournament support and for seeing the event through an and surrounding Coachella Valley nonprofit organizations. extraordinarily difficult economic time. We also thank the Without this tournament, many of these extremely William Clinton Foundation for its continuing support. important charities will not survive. This isn’t just about golf. On another note, in every issue of Desert Golf & Tennis While the organizers are optimistic and have said that the we publish club initiation fees, monthly dues, trail fees and 2016 event will be played no matter what, the clock is more. These listings are extremely popular and we take great ticking. Even with an improving economy, the PGA Tour, the pride in their accuracy. This season I personally contacted William Clinton Foundation and Desert Classic Charities each and every facility to verify the published rates. We stand have their work cut out for them. by the listings and thank each and every club for helping to The Humana Challenge isn’t the first such tournament to verify our information. Should there be any changes lose its sponsor. The Kraft Nabisco, the largest ladies event in necessary to the directory or if our information needs the region, which is played at Mission Hills Country Club, updating, we invite our readers to let us know so we can also lost its longtime title sponsor. make the changes and maintain the highest level of accuracy. Personally, I believe that sponsors for both events made a We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed fatal error when they opted to no longer include celebrities putting it together. in the tournament fields. In the case of the Humana Challenge, this was a decision made jointly a few years ago by Humana executives and the PGA Tour. They decided that Desert Golf &tennis •December January 201 4-2 01 5 9 December January 201 4-2 01 5 18th annual Vol.XViii, no.ii Editor/Publisher: TIMOTHY J. PADE Marketing/Promotion: TIMOTHY J. PADE Deputy Articles Editor: CHRISTINE LOOMIS P.O. Box 1158, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 Writers: AARON ATWOOD (760) 969-2392 • (800) 858-9677 [email protected] CLIVE CLARK DIANE MARLIN-DIRKX JOYCE HENRY ALISON ELSNER Account Executive JENELL FONTES (760) 219-1606 CHRIS LEWIS DUKE GREGORY CHRISTINE LOOMIS Account Executive MATT MCKAY 760-408-6402 JANET NEWCOMB [email protected] FRANÇOISE RHODES ROB STANGER JAY DOUGLAS Account Executive 949-278-6154 Art Director: MICHAEL UNGER [email protected] Photography: LUIGI SERRA INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EDITOR SUSANNE KEMPER DANE ANDREW P.O. Box 2537, CH1211 MARC GLASSMAN Geneva #2, Switzerland BILLIE WEISS DICK DURRANCE II VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING, HAWAII DIVISION KEN E. MAY KATHRYN HELLER JOHN HENEBRY 469 Ena Road #3507, GREGG FELSEN Honolulu, HI 96815 Marketing Pacific Northwest Region: MARY CONDY (541) 390-9504 Bend, OR 97702 [email protected] Desert Golf & Tennis is published under ISSN No. 1522-9777 five times a year by Pade Publishing L.L.C., P.O. Box 1158, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted 2014 by Pade Publishing L.L.C., all rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the editorial or graphic content of this magazine, without permis sion, in any manner, is prohibited.© To subscribe: 1yr. at $24.75, 2 yrs at $49.50 and 3 yrs. at $74.25. Send check to: P.O. Box 1158, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 TO SUBSCRIBE call: 760-969-2392 or visit dgnt.com Desert Golf & Tennis, LLC President, Timothy J. Pade In Memoriam, Executive Vice President, Ellen Meyer Secretary, Sherwood Steele Legal Counsel, Michael Henson Follow us on facebook at: facebook.com/golfmagazines Search “Desert Golf” on facebook and become a fan for updates and golf promos Desert Golf & Tennis is a division of Pade Publishing, L.L.C. Follow us on twitter at: S ASS’N R O E F T twitter.com/desertgolfguy I A R M W E R F I L C O A G National Photography Award 1st Place International Network of Golf Awards 2004, 2005 & 2008 10 Desert Golf &tennis •December January 201 4-2 01 5 By Matt Mckay • Photos by Gregg Felsen 2014 Champion Patrick Reed on cover ne only has to reflect back a few years to remember desert-style luxury. Club 17, launched two years ago, is the the time when individuals and small groups attending exclusive hospitality venue straddling the green of the par-3 17th the Bob Hope Classic, and PGA Tour event patrons, on the Arnold Palmer Private Course at PGA West. The on-course Ohad a basic plan. Get to the event. Get a beer. Find a hotspot embraces a sports bar-type atmosphere, encouraging group to follow and follow them for a few holes. Get another beer. lively participation in the action at hand. Club 17 features covered Repeat. and open-air seating overlooking the 17th green, and an interior Old-timers who stood among cigarette-puffing galleries area featuring large, flat-screen TVs turned to the tournament and utilizing paper periscopes can remember when bleachers came to the other key sports events of the day. Food and beverages are the game, offering graduated, elevated views of the competition for available for purchase inside the club. Club membership also the first time. As the years went by, tournament organizers realized allows patrons to move freely between the three tournament the new century brought with it new challenges and new demands venues with preferred parking for the entire event. from rank-and-file patrons. But it also brought organizers almost An only-slightly subdued option for those seeking upscale unlimited capability of meeting those challenges in an all-out participation is the Bob Hope Club, a luxury venue overlooking attempt to give patrons an unrivaled sports experience.