Golf & Tourism Magazine - April - June 2013 Issue

RAYMOND ARRIETA“WHOLE IN ONE”

Your Passion is Our Purpose

Torrey PinesA GOLFER’SDREAM

RAYMOND ARRIETA“WHOLE IN ONE”

ALL ABOUTPUERTO RICO OPEN 2013:MEMORABLE TIMES

ISSUE 1April - June

2013

The Puerto Rico Golf Association Shares its Success Stories

$8.95ComplimentaryCOPY

Director/Publisher

Verónica Rosario-Bautista

Editor, Proofreader, Translator

Oscar Peñalber

Art Director & Graphic Designer

Laura Wood

Photography

Priscila T. Rivera

José “Piti” Gutiérrez

Leoneill Hernández

Writers and Collaborators

Paul Stawinski

Iván O. Puig

Jorge López

Andres Subira

Leslie Rondon

Marta de Jesús Claudio

Consultant

Julio Soto

Executive Director PRGA

Sales and Marketing,

tourism expert

and Club Administrator

Charlie Bautista

Advertise your businessPlease contact us at:[email protected]

Find us in Facebook and IssuuGolf & Tourism Magazine

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners, Golf & Tourism Magazine Published by JVS Media Corporation.

©2013

JVS Media CorporationPO Box 9023856San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-3856

your passionis our purpose

8 Puerto Rico OPEN 2013

12 Learning from the Masters The Importance of the Pre-Shot Routine By Andres Subira

13 Highlights of the PRGA On the Upswing By PRGA

16 Juniors Golf Toro and Torres Repeat as Junior National Champs By PRGA

20 Cover Story Raymond Arrieta Whole in One By Marta de Jesús Claudio

24 Golf Journal A Golfers Dream By Paul Stawinski

28 Golf Course Showcase Dorado Beach By G&T

30 Our Concierge Recommends A Need to Re-think Tourism By Iván O. Puig

32 Tourism News Captain Mickey in Puerto Rico

34 Golf Gusto Leslie Rondon A Young Epicurean with a Mission By G&T

36 International Vallformosa an every day Luxury By Verónica Rosario-Bautista

6 Opening Shot Directors Letter

40 Mixology Classic and Flair Bartending National Competition By Jorge López

42 Out of the Course WorldClass Collection

44 Meeting on the Greens

46 Golf Humor 10 Fun Facts About Golf

47 Tech & Gadgets

48 G&T Restaurants Guide

50 Golf Courses Guide

Golf & Special Features Tourism

CONTENTS

Regulars

6 ISSUE 1 / APRIL-JUNE 2013

Director’s Letter

Puerto Rico is a true tropical golf paradise, and every golfer and tourist that visits it discovers reasons to return.

In every edition of Golf & Tourism Magazine you will fi nd a diversity of fun and exciting things to do and places to visit. I invite you to make the most of your vacation or leisure time and dare to journey past the shores to discover our rich culture and the warmth of our people. Our beautiful island offers picturesque sandy beaches where you can en-joy your favorite water sport; valleys and mountains with breathtaking paradisiacal sceneries; spectacular golf courses played by renowned personalities from around the world; historic landmarks; museums and art galleries; a wide array of restaurants offering local and international cuisine, and lots of shopping opportunities.

Once you are in our island you’ll know you’ve come to the right place where you can have plenty of fun and create unforgettable memories.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy and share each journey which I’ll bring to you with a welcoming heart.

Verónica Rosario Director and Publisher

My special thanks to Julio Soto of the Puerto Rico Golf Association for his help and efforts with this project, and for supporting my mission of helping others in our community.

the world ofGolf & Tourism

Welcome to


PR OPEN 2013

ISSUE 1 / APRIL-JUNE 2013

Scott Brownwins the 2013Puerto Rico OPENScott Brown calmly made a four-foot putt on the 18th hole at Trump International Golf Club to set a new tournament re-cord of -20 and notch his fi rst PGA TOUR win at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com.

Brown, who co-led with Fabián Gómez of Argentina heading into championship Sunday, was -19 and one stroke off Gómez’s lead to start the fi nal hole, a par-5 that had yielded plenty of birdies and not a few eagles throughout the tournament. “I knew I’d have to, at least, make birdie, and I fi gured I’d have to make eagle, to be honest, the way he was playing,” said Brown.

WIth the pressure on and the trophy on the line, however, Gómez stumbled. On his sec-ond shot, a wayward 3-iron land-ed in a trap short of the green. His third overshot the stick and rolled to a back bunker. Gómez lifted it out cleanly but left him-self too diffi cult a par putt and he missed it by mere inches. The resulting bogey dropped him to -19 and a momentary fi rst-place tie with Brown and Jordan Spieth, who had charged up the leaderboard en route to shoot-ing a 67.

The door was opened for Brown, who left his second shot just short of the green, chipped to within four feet and stood over the putt that would make him a champion. “I was just trying to keep my hands from shaking off

the putter,” he later recalled. They didn’t, and he sank it to card a winning 70.

The 29 year-old Brown wins $630,000, full PGA TOUR sta-tus through 2015, and 300

FedEx Cup points. He also earns automatic berths in top-fl ight events like this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, THE PLAY-ERS Championship, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the Memorial Tournament,

“It’s a dream come true, something you dream about as a kid,” said Brown. “For me, I’ve been playing golf since I was four or fi ve years old and, obviously, growing up in Augusta, Georgia, I was probably 500 yards from the front gate. So it means a great deal.”

9WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM

PR OPEN 2013

AT&T National, the PGA Cham-pionship, and the 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

For Gómez, who shot a fi nal-round 71, it was his best fi n-ish ever at a PGA TOUR event. Though obviously disappointed about the victory that slipped away, he was generally pleased with his performance.“That’s golf; you just never know,” said Gómez about his fi nish. “I felt I had to make birdie because I thought he was going to make birdie, so I tried to hit it on there with the 3-iron and just hit a bad shot.”

It had been the fi rst time the Argentinean led a PGA TOUR event, and he confessed that nerves may have gotten the best of him. “The pressure defi -nitely played its part, as did the course, which played tougher today.”

For Spieth, the 19 year-old for-mer world #1 amateur, this t- 2nd fi nish comes in just his third PGA TOUR start as a profession-al. The former Texas Longhorn had started the day four back before birdies on fi ve of the fi rst 10 holes, but a bogey on 16 cost him dearly.

Argentinian Pro Fabián Gómez

Angel Cabrera


PR OPEN 2013

“Just one short; didn’t get up and down on 15 or 16, and it cost me,” said Spieth. “But all in all, obviously I’m real excited with how the week ended, and I would have taken second at the beginning of the week if you told me. It was cool to battle on the back nine there and know that I was close in the heat and feel the pressure. First time ex-perience for me.”

Justin Bolli (66) and Brian Stu-ard (68) took home of a share of third place at -18. Andrés Romero, who led after the fi rst two rounds before a disastrous 75 on Saturday, bounced back with a 66 on the fi nal day to fi n-ish at -17, tied for sixth with for-mer U.S. Amateur champ Peter Uihlein (67).

David Hearn (66), D.J. Trahan (66), and Boo Weekley (68) fi n-

ished tied for eight to round out the top-10.

Puerto Rican pro Rafael Cam-pos carded a 74 to fi nish at even par for the tournament, the best score by a local player in the event’s history. He fi nished 76th.

“These last three days I didn’t do very well, but still happy to be here, very happy to be playing in this tournament and to make it to the fi nal day,” said Campos, who received a special trophy during the award ceremony for having the best performance by a Puerto Rican player.

Jorge García, the 17-year-old Venezuelan amateur playing in his fi rst PGA TOUR event, fi nished at -1, one spot above Campos.

“These last three days I didn’t do very well, but still happy to be here, very happy to be playing in this tournament and to make it to the fi nal day,” said Rafael Campos, who received a special trophy during the award ceremony for having the best performance by a Puerto Rican player.”

Puerto Rican Pro Rafael Campos


PR OPEN 2013

SUCCESS ON AND OFF THE COURSEWith down-to-the-wire action on the fairways and greens, and packed social events through-out tournament week, the 2013 Puerto Rico Open once again proved that it’s a unique and fun-fi lled event for both fans and players.

From the Monday qualifi er to the closing ceremony, the tournament was a resounding success on and off the course. Much of that is due to the hard work of the many organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who made it all possible.

“I would like to give our thanks to the over 80 great sponsors that have made the 2013 Puerto Rico Open a reality, specially to

Mayor Eduard Rivera, the Gov-ernment of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, our founding partners, Banco Popular and Triple-S, the late Don Arturo Díaz, Jr., and his family, Fondos Unidos, and our over 900 volunteers and staff”, said Tournament Chairman Sid-ney Wolf.

The event was also success-ful in its many charitable and community initiatives. Whether it be golf demonstrations for area youngsters, sports equip-ment collection drives, or do-nations to local hospitals, the Puerto Rico Open was, and will continue to be, a place to show appreciation for our community and help strengthen it through the game of golf.

A big part of that was on display on championship Sunday which was also Pink Day in support of women’s golf. The Puerto Rico

Open and the Puerto Rico Golf Association have made it their priority to promote golf among women in Puerto Rico, and have created two new programs ex-clusively for women. The fi rst, Golf and the City, organizes so-cial events around golfi ng to in-troduce women to golf and of-fers free clinics by professional golfer Sasha Medina. The sec-ond is the Ladies Puerto Rico Golf Association, which helps female golfers improve their skills and techniques to a pro-fessional level.

We look forward to another great year at the 2014 Puerto Rico Open.

Argentinian Pro Andrés Romero

“The 2013 Puerto Rico Open was also successful in its many charitable and community initiatives. Whether it be golf demonstrations for area youngsters, sports equipment collection drives, or donations to local hospitals, the event was, and will continue to be, a place to show appreciation for our community and help strengthen it through the game of golf.”


Learning from the

Pre-Shot RoutineThe Importance of a

Anyone who plays golf knows that no one can sustain a deep level of con-centration through a full round of

golf, which may take between two to more than six hours. The actual time it takes to hit a golf shot is about three seconds. For the aver-age golfer who shoots a score close to 100, it takes about fi ve minutes for a full round. Adding a 10 to15 seconds shot routine, a round requires about thirty minutes of intense concentration.

Although the time be-tween shots may be long, the actual time used to execute the shot is very short. Therefore, a golfer must per-form a pre-shot routine in order to re-focus the mind and body to hit the best possible shot, instead of just taking a “whack at it”, hoping for the best, wishing for divine in-tervention, praying to the gods.

A pre-shot routine is a set of steps per-formed in a specifi c order before a shot is made. The routine, however simple or complicated, must include the basic steps in preparing to hit a shot, such as target selection and alignment. Pre- routines be-

gin when you reach the tee, then select the club, consider the terrain, wind and type of shot, and may take from fi ve to fi fty steps, but it is best to keep them short. Elements may include rehearsing the swing, loosen-

ing and relaxing the body, visualizing the shot, stepping to the ball, addressing the ball, taking a stance, checking your bal-ance, verifying your grip and re-checking the target line.

With repetition, pre-shot routines become automatic and sec-ond nature and help us become better

golfers. We eliminate chance in the process of hitting a shot and make the game more enjoyable adding a better and faster fl ow.

From getting dressed to smoking a good cigar, we all have our own routines. Regardless of whether it’s a drive, an approach, a pitch, a chip, a bunker shot or a putt, every single pro golf player performs a pre-shot routine prior to hitting a shot. Freddy Couples adjusts his pants with his wrists; Kegan Bradley makes a stepping motion back and forth; Tiger Woods takes exactly nineteen seconds from the time he starts his putting routine to the time he strikes the ball.

“A pre-shot routine is a set of steps performed

in a specifi c order before a shot is made.”

Andres Subira is a Master Golf Coach, member of the United Golf Teachers Federation. Currently works as Director of Instruction, Master Club Fitter and Club Maker at Río Bayamon Golf Course.

By Andres Subira


Highlights PRGA

n theupswing:How the Puerto Rico Golf Association Helps Grow the Game

2012 was an exceptional year for golf in Puerto Rico, and for Puerto Rican golfers throughout the world. The year featured exciting new events, great success on the international stage, and the continued strong development of our junior golfers –the future stars of the game. Much of this success was made possible through the efforts and support of the Puerto Rico Golf Association (PRGA), the governing body of the sport at the amateur level on the Island.

In that role, the PRGA provides a number of technical services to the local golf community,

like course rating and handicap-ping, but its greatest mission is to promote the game at all levels. To that end, the Asso-ciation organizes professional and amateur championships, selects and supports Puerto Rico’s national teams, and runs a wildly successful junior pro-gram. The PRGA also prides itself on strong community out-reach programs; whether it be introducing ladies from diverse economic backgrounds to the game of golf, hosting clinics for undeprivileged children, or its many direct and indirect contri-butions to charity.

Here are just some of the great golf success stories from last year, proof that the Puerto Rico Golf Association is succeeding in its core mission to promote and strengthen the game.

PROFESSIONAL GOLFThe Puerto Rico Open, our Island’s most important golf event, celebrated its 5th an-niversary in 2012. The tourna-ment, held on March 8-11, was a rousing success on every level; the event featured its strongest fi eld ever and one of its most exciting fi nishes. With three straight birdies in the tourna-ment’s fi nal holes, American George McNeill took home the title.

That same month, local tour-ing pro Rafael Campos began play on the 2012 Tour de las Américas. A second-place fi nish at the International Open La Vi-talicia in Venezuela helped him fi nish third on the Tour’s Order of Merit, and granted him full membership on the new PGA TOUR Latinoamérica for its in-augural season.

The 11-tournament circuit be-gan in September, and Campos got off to a fantastic start. The 24-year-old notched top-15


Highlights PRGA

fi nishes in the tour’s fi rst four events, including two top-5 fi n-ishes. Overall, Campos made eight of 10 cuts and placed 14th on the Order of Merit, thereby ensuring his spot as a full mem-ber for the tour’s 2013 season. Other Puerto Rican pros like Max Alverio and Miguel Suárez also played at various PGA TOUR Latinoamérica events.

In November, Campos was one of hundreds of playing vying for his PGA TOUR card at the sec-ond stage of Q-School. Though he played extremely well, fi n-ishing at -6 after four rounds at Plantation Preserve in Florida, he was unable to advance to the fi nal round of qualyfi ng.

That same weekend, the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica came to the Island for the inaugural Puerto Rico Classic. Played on the East Course at Dorado Beach, this exciting new event gave golf fans a glimpse of the region’s best players and al-lowed half a dozen local pros and amateurs to enjoy some high-level competition. Sebas-tián Vázquez, of Mexico, a for-mer amateur world champion making just his second pro start, won the event. 19-year-old am-ateur Edward Figueroa was the

top amateur and top Puerto Ri-can player in the fi eld with an impressive 14th place fi nish.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONPuerto Rico’s national teams had a very successful year in 2012. First up, in July, our junior teams brought home their fi fth straight Hank James Trophy as the best overall team at the Ca-ribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships held in the Do-minican Republic. That victory was mainly due to the efforts of Puerto Rico’s junior ladies, as Diana Vélez, Yudika Rodríguez and María Torres all won their respective age categories.

Right after that tournament, Se-bastián Toro and Andrew Báez played at the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships in California. Thanks to their fi ne efforts on the course, Puerto Rico fi nished 10th in this presti-gious international tournament.

The following month, Puerto Rico once again proved itself the best team in the region, win-ning the Arthur Ziadie trophy given to the best overall country at the Caribbean Amateur Golf

Championships held in St. Kitts. Puerto Rico had top-three fi n-ishes in all of the tournament’s categories, including third place for the male amateurs and sec-ond place for the females. María Torres was once again a stand-out; the 17-year-old had the lowest individual score in the ladies’ competition.

In early September, the juniors were back in action at the 6th annual Copa de Campeones held at the Bahía Beach Golf Club. This friendly match be-tween Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic was both great fun and exciting competi-tion. Once again it was the girls leading the way, with Gabriela Santini, Kristina Ortiz, Yudika Rodríguez, and Gabriela Cidras all winning their matches on the fi nal day to secure the win for Puerto Rico.

In late September and October, Puerto Rico’s national teams traveled to Turkey for the 2012 World Amateur Team Cham-pionships. Kyle Roig, Patricia García and María Torres made up the Women’s Team, which equaled its best fi nish in his-tory by placing 20th. Torres was 26th on the individual leader-board. A week later, the Men’s

Team of Erick Morales, Robert Calvesbert and Jerónimo Es-teve placed 39th.

JUNIORS AROUND THE WORLDIn 2012, Puerto Rico’s top junior golfers literally went around the world and back to compete in some of the most prestigious tournaments on the planet. Be-low are just some of the top events and performances from our junior players.

The juniors got started in Janu-ary, with the second AJGA Puerto Rico Junior Open played right here at Trump In-ternational. The event, which would later be awarded a spe-cial Volunteer Award from the AJGA, not only was a great suc-cess, but saw Puerto Rican golf-er Edward Figueroa take home the win and a special invitation to the Puerto Rico Open. Also in January, Paola Robles, María Torres, and Kristina Ortiz played the prestigious AJGA ANNIKA Invitational.


Highlights PRGA

In April, Torres won the AJGA TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Ju-nior at Innisbrook in Florida. Just two months later, she would tee off at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

Also in July, Daniel Cabán and Valeria Pacheco went across the pond to compete at the Junior Open Championship, hosted by the legendary R&A Golf Club. The 13-year-old Pacheco won the North America & Ca-ribbean regional prize for her performance in that event.

In August, Edward Figueroa en-joyed the distinct honor of qual-ifying and playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship held at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. The following month, María Torres fi nished 19th over-all, and 5th in the Girls’ Division at the prestigious Duke of York – Champions Trophy event in Scotland. Torres was also named a second-team Rolex Junior All-American in October.

Puerto Rico’s juniors, particu-larly the girls, fi nished the year with strong performance in December. First, at the Doral Publix Junior Golf Classic in Florida, Diana Vélez placed sec-ond in the Girls’ 12-13 Division, while María Torres fi nished third in her 16-18 category. Just a few days later, Torres closed out 2012 with a victory at the Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship.

LOCAL EVENTSIn addition to its many tourna-ments throughout the year for golfers of all ages and ability levels, the Puerto Rico Golf As-sociation hosted several impor-tant events and championships. In April, at the 2012 Junior Is-land Championship, Sebastián Toro emerged as the winner in the Boys’ Division, while María Torres won the Girls’ champion-ship for the second consecutive year.

In June, Trump International Golf Club hosted the PRGA

Championships. Rafael Cam-pos won as a pro for the second consecutive year, while Edward Figueroa was crowned the Is-land’s new amateur national champion. In the Ladies’ Divi-sion, Paola Robles took home the trophy for the third straight time.

In October, the 19th Copa Mar-tín Ortiz was played at Caguas Real Golf & Country Club. An-drew Báez, María Torres, José Pedraza and Gabriel Colón fully took advantage of playing on their home course to give Caguas Real the win over the 10 other local clubs who sent their best junior teams. Later that month, at the 2012 PRGA Associate Club Championship, the squad from the Roosevelt Roads Golf Association took home the Emilio Casellas Cup.

Away from the golf course, the PRGA hosted another important event, the inaugural Golf Sum-mit. This innovative meeting brought together pros, coach-es, club managers, and many others involved in the local golf scene to share their ideas, im-prove communications, and help take the sport to the next level in Puerto Rico.

PRESENT AND FUTUREThis year, golf is off to another great start. The 2013 Puerto Rico Open and Puerto Rico Ju-nior Open both crowned new champions. Rafael Campos is back at the PGA TOUR Latinoa-mérica, and the local juniors, af-ter their national championship, are getting ready for interna-tional play.

The future of golf is bright in Puerto Rico.

Andrew Baez and Sebastian Toro at the CALLAWAY JUNIOR WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Women’s Team (2nd Place) - CARIBBEAN AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Sebastián Vazquez - PUERTO RICO CLASSIC


Juniors Golf

Toro and Torres both saved their best golf for last, though under very different circumstances. Toro began the fi nal round in second place, just one stroke off the lead, but part of a pack of players who were very close be-hind second-round leader José Cardona. Cardona stumbled a bit on Wednesday, shooting a 77 (+6), while Toro carded a 72 to fi nish at +14 and win the Hank James Trophy for the sec-ond consecutive year. Cardona fi nished second at +18, while 14-year-old Kenneth Martínez, playing with the ‘big boys’, fi n-ished third at +19.

“They were 18 very competi-tive holes,” said the champion. “I really enjoyed it because there were some very tense mo-ments.”

The 17-year-old Toro shared that he understands the importance of winning the national champi-onship on multiple occasions, like Eduardito Figueroa, Wilfre-do Morales and Rafael Campos did before him. “It means a lot to me and to my family, that has always supported me,” he said. “It means a lot to me to have my name on that trophy, along with

the names (of other players) I admire.”

On the other hand, Torres en-joyed a 12-stroke lead after the fi rst two days of play and only widened her margin of victory by shooting a fi nal-round 70 (-1). Torres won the event at +2; Yudika Rodríguez and Ga-briela Santini both shot 83 on Wednesday to take second and third place with total scores of +27 and +28, respectively.

With this win, Torres becomes the fi rst Puerto Rican golfer, male or female, to win the Ju-nior Island Championship on four occasions, thus wrapping up an extraordinary ‘career’ with the PRGA’s Junior Program.

“For me, having this record is a real accomplishment,” said Tor-res. “It was a real thrill to win the Island (Championship) for a fourth time and fi nish my time as a PRGA junior with a win.”

Torres, a talented player with vast international experience, will be off to play at the Uni-versity of Florida’s prestigious golf program later this year. She credits tournaments like this

Toro andTorresRepeat as Junior National ChampsSebastián Toro closed with the best round of the tournament in the Boys’ division, María F. Torres shot the only score under par in the event, and both players defended their titles as Puerto Rico’s junior national champions on Wednesday at the conclusion of the PRGA Junior Island Championship.


Juniors Golf

Pho

tos

by

Leo

niel

l Her

nand

ez


Juniors Golf

and the Junior Program in gen-eral with helping her get this far.“It has meant a lot. It has al-lowed me to develop in this sport, which is what I love,” she said. “I hope the girls who are staying will keep on going.”

Though Toro and Torres become junior national champions by virtue of winning the 18 & under categories, there was plenty of exciting action in the other age divisions.

Among the 15 & under boys, Leslie Rivera shot a closing-round 79 to fi nish at +26 and take home fi rst place. He beat out Josaphet Durán (+31) and José Pedraza (+33). The Boys 13 & under division had the only sudden death action of the tour-nament; after Melvin Morales and Ian Aldarondo fi nished tied at +25, Morales won the one-hole playoff on the 18th hole.

Diego Saavedra took fi rst place among the 11 & under boys, while Fabián Colón did the same in the 9 & under division.Among the girls, Diana Vélez closed with a 76 on Wednesday to complete a solid performance in the 15 & under category with a total of +14. Her sister, Alex-andra, fi nished second. Valeria Pacheco was the only Girls 13 & under participant, but she had the second-best total score of the entire tournament after fi n-ishing with a 78, for a total of +13.

Camila Robles beat out Vale-ria Jiménez in the 11 & under group, while Darianys Guzmán was unchallenged in 9 & under.

Cidras Signs Letter of IntentThough she fi nished in sixth and last place in her division at the tournament, Gabriela Cidras still had a good day on Wednesday after signing a letter of intent to play college golf at St. Andrews University in North Carolina.

St. Andrews recruiter Randy Hernández was on hand to for-mally offer Cidras a spot on the team and a substantial scholar-

ship for her university studies. “We had been following her for a while; we saw she had good scores, a good attitude on the course, and her teammates like her,’ he said. “I think she’s going to do very well with us, both on the course and in school.”

Francisco Rivera, the PRGA’s Tournament Director who also works trying to fi nd opportuni-ties for local young golfers in American colleges, was also key in helping Cidras receive this opportunity.

Winners 9 & Under Category

20

Cover Story


Cover Story

When we talk about Raymond Arrieta the first thing that comes to mind is comedy, but there is more to this beloved Puerto Rican figure than just a funny guy.

By Marta de Jesús ClaudioPhotos by José “piti” Gutiérrez

At fi rst glance you feel you are in the presence of a great human being, as

vouched by the people who know him.

Besides his strong commitment to his work, Raymond Arrieta is deeply involved sup-porting and helping different community causes. Incidentally, he got involved with golf in 2004 almost by accident. Of his fi rst game he remembers having “a few drinks too many” and losing his focus on the game. After receiving many invitations to participate in celebrity tournaments to raise funds he felt he had to learn more about the sport.

“I realized I had to take lessons, or some-one may just hand me a tennis racquet to play golf, and I don’t want that,” chuckles the comedian and entertainer. That’s when he started taking lessons with golf instruc-tor Carmen Ana, but he did not go alone, he brought along his nine-year old son Raymond Andrés. To his surprise, his kid got really involved with the sport, became a member of the Puerto Rico Golf Associa-tion and started playing in local and inter-national events.

His goal to learn the sport resulted in him spending more time with his son. When he talks about golf he cannot avoid expressing his pride about his only son’s achievements. In no uncertain way he told Golf and Tour-ism magazine “to me, golf means my son.” Raymond, who is also an announcer, feels that in other sports the father is just a spec-tator, while “the great thing about golf is that unlike with any other sport, you get the chance to spend fi ve or six hours riding a golf cart with your kid.”

After playing golf for eight years Raymond is aware that he needs to perfect his game and doesn’t consider himself an expert. “I play to have a good time. This is a very dif-fi cult sport which requires a lot of practice and it’s hard for me because I have very lit-tle time,” adding that “it’s very technical.”

“To me, golf means my son.” Raymond, feels that in other sports the father is just a spectator, while “the great thing about golf is that unlike with any other sport, you get the chance to spend fi ve or six hours riding a golf cart with your kid.”


Cover Story

Usually his handicap is the highest and his fi nal score is 98 or 99, although he has had his bright spots in golf, like when he played at the Sugarcane golf course in Dorado. “I have never been good but one time I was inspired and scored 86,” adding that he achieved that score after many practices with his son. “My son would practice Tues-days and Thursdays and play on weekends. I would follow him and start hitting the ball and getting the swing, especially with pitch shots, 100 yard shots, I loved those shots.”

His favorite golf club is the putter, especially when he plays at Río Mar in Río Grande. “I have that course pretty much fi gured out.”On the other hand, Raymond considers the Bahía Golf Club in Río Grande the hardest one to play, although he’s been told that the toughest one is the one in Isabela. “I think that the hardest course is the one you play when you have a hangover,” says Ray-mond jokingly, meaning that is very diffi cult to play when you are exhausted.

Although he has been invited to play in the Puerto Rico Open as Pro-Am twice, he has never been able to play due to time con-fl icts; nevertheless, he would love to have the chance to play along with a professional. On the other hand, he has partici-pated in different tournaments to raise funds for charity and community causes and organizations. Some of the public fi gures with whom he has played golf include: Miguel Morales, Chayanne, Iván Rodríguez, Marc Anthony, Me-lina León, Cordelia González, Michael Stuart, Ali Warrington, Bizcocho, Juan Manuel Lebrón and Chucho Avellanet. He is also friends with golfer Rafa Cam-pos whom he met when his son played in the Junior League.

The comedian considers one of his big-gest achievements the fact that at the early age of ten his son played in two world cups in San Diego, California, and Virginia; and also that Raymond An-drés has played in the Champions Cup in Puerto Rico and the Junior Golf Na-tional Tournament in Guatemala. “When your son is standing there with his uni-form, that’s something else. When we went to Guatemala and he played against Latin-American countries, that was very ex-citing,” remembers the proud father, adding that now he is a bit nervous.

While his son is playing in tournaments Raymond cannot accompany him on the course, but “I put a lot of pressure” when he is training, assures the comedian with his typical sense of humor. “He has fun with the things I tell him.”

Although Raymond has not been able to apply all the techniques, he has learned enough about golf to become a sort of critic of his son.

Therefore, it is no coincidence that his most thrilling memory of the sport is also related to his son. It was a memorable hole in one, something that had not happened

in the Puerto Rican league in eight years. Unfortunately he wasn’t there with his son. “I always accompany my son. To me golf means my son. One day I wasn’t there and he was

playing the Puerto Rico championship.

“Although he has been invited to play in the Puerto Rico Open as Pro-Am twice, he has never been able to play due to time confl icts.On the other hand, he has participated in different tournaments to raise funds for charity and community causes and organizations.”


Cover Story

That day I was in Aguadilla starting to walk for cancer. That’s the day when Willie Mi-randa Marín died and my son called me to tell me that he had made a hole in one, and I wasn’t there,” said the comedian, lament-ing not being present in Dorado to see that play.

For cancer patients

If Raymond Arrieta doesn’t spend too much time playing golf it is because his work, so-cial and family commitments keep him busy most of the time. “Everything keeps chang-ing, but once in a while I get away and play in some tournament where I have been in-vited.”

The fi rst six months of the year, the artist mainly focuses on training for the Da Vida con Raymond Walk-A-Thon to raise funds for the Puerto Rican League against Cancer and the Oncologist Hospital. This initiative that brings so much hope to cancer patients and their families will celebrate its fi fth anni-versary from June 6 to 12 starting in Maya-guez.

The training which takes an hour of intense work and includes routines of Quick Fit, CrossFit, Body Pump and Kickboxing keeps him fi t to walk 15 miles a day. This year his

cause turned more personal after his aunt was diagnosed with cancer. His goal is to raise one million dollars for cancer pa-tients.

For more information about Da Vida con Raymond Walk-A-Thon you can visit: www.facebook.com/DaVidaCaminandoConRay-mond.

MeaningsBirdie: “Maybe two or three, by accident, but not like when the ball goes into the hole, it’s more like birds flying across.”

Eagle: “Reminds me of the Boy Scouts.”

Gym: “Another sacrifice. If it wasn’t for the walk-a-thon I would take it easier.”

Hole in one: “To me it’s a miracle.”

Putting: “There are good puttings and bad puttings. Good puttings happen on the green, and bad “puttings” happen in thered light district.”

Telemundo: “It’s my home. This people welcomed me, and although I havereceived other offers, Istay here. I’m comfortable here, it is my family. And I’mhere every day.”

Tiger: “Great athlete, but unfortunately a letdown for young people.”

Walk-A-Thon: “Although I run at the front, this isnot just my sacrifice,but the sacrificeof the townand of manypeople thatwork behind me.”

ke it easier.”

one: “To me it’s a

“There are good and bad puttings.

ttings happen reen, and bad s” happen in thedistrict.”

do: “It’s my home. ple welcomed me, ough I haveother offers, I

e. I’m comfortable s my family. And I’mry day.”

Great athlete, but ately a letdown for

eople.”

Thon: “Although I e front, this is

my sacrifice,acrificewnany

hathind me.”


Golf Journal

A g lfer’sdream

I’m sure that as an avid golfer you experience the same excitement I do whenever you watch a golf

tournament like the US Open that unfolds as one of the greatest matches of all time.

By Paul Stawinski

OTorrey Pines

Hole #3 | South Fairway


Golf Journal

In June 2008 I was watching one of the greatest stories in golf, Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate playing 18 holes to de-cide the winner of the 2008 US Open. As I watched the tournament I thought how amazing it would be to play the Torrey Pines and walk down the 18th fairway while the crowd is cheering. Unfortunately for many of us amateur golfers, that will never happen but it never hurts to dream!

A few months later I was in San Diego on business and I had brought my clubs to try playing the great Torrey Pines. I tried book-ing tee times on the course’s webpage and other online golf tee time reservation pag-es, I even used my credit card concierge service to have them book tee times, and everything was 5 or 6 months out. The nearest thing to realizing my dream was to visit the clubhouse and buy a Torrey Pines golf shirt and a ball marker. I stood on the veranda and watched folks tee-off from the 1st hole of the South and North courses and kept dreaming that someday I could play here.

On another visit to San Diego I tried book-ing the Torrey Pines without any luck. My friend wanted to buy a Torrey Pines polo shirt, so we drove to the course, bought the shirt and before heading out to play an-other course in San Diego I stopped at the starter’s booth to express my frustration. The man asked me “at what time would you like to play?” It took me a few seconds to realize that he asked what time and not what day. I asked him if he had tee times for that day for the famous South course or the North Course, and to my amazement he had tee times for both. So if you want to play Torrey Pines you can always try your luck and show up at the course, but because Torrey Pines hosts many tournaments year-round, make sure to check their calendar online to confi rm that the course is available. Given that tee times are limited and in high demand, my advice is to reserve 4 or 5 months in ad-vance.

Morning tee times are usually hard to get, but if you get there around 11am you will fi nd plenty of tee times between 11am – 2pm. Remember, Torrey Pines is a munici-pal course and the rates range from $150 to $200 per person. Arrive with enough time to go to the store and buy some souvenirs; the store has a good selection of golf mer-chandise to make your fellow golfers jeal-ous. They also rent clubs and gear.

San Diego has beautiful golf weather year-round, but it you go in winter bring a light jacket or coat or buy one at the pro shop as the ocean breeze from the Pacifi c can be a bit chilly for us tropical golfers.

One of the fi rst things that will surprise you about Torrey Pines is that they ask you to keep the golf cart on the fairway at all times. What makes Torrey Pines so chal-lenging is their rough, and keeping carts out of it ensures it is kept as diffi cult as it looks on TV. So if you are like me you will fi nd yourself walking a lot to your ball on the rough and also spending time trying to fi nd it, as this is one of the thickest roughs I’ve ever played.

Hole #7 | North Fairway

“As I watched the tournament I thought how

amazing it would be to play the Torrey Pines

and walk down the 18th fairway while the crowd

is cheering.”

Photos provided by

Scott Bentley, PGA

Golf Course Manager

Torrey Pines Golf Course

11480 North Torrey Pines Road

La Jolla, CA 92037


Golf Journal

The fi rst hole that will catch your attention is the 13th hole; it is a 160 to 190 yard par 3 with the Pacifi c Ocean cliffs on the back of it. The view is simply amazing. Don’t be surprised if as you line up for your shot you spot a hang glider passing by, there is a hang glider heliport on the other side of the ravine. As with any other diffi cult par 3, if you are short you will fi nd yourself on the green side bunker, if you go long then just wave at it as it will head down the ravine toward the beach.

As you head to the 14th hole you will see a great view of the Pacifi c Ocean on your left. In this hole you will defi nitely see the hang gliders passing buy as they zoom up and down the coast. This is a great spot for a photo. On the 6th hole you’ll see where the famous black tees are located during the tournaments and realize how long pros hit the ball when they take their driver over the ravine and the trees, typically a 290 – 300 yard carry.

“When you tee off on the 18th

hole you’ll live the dream of

walking down the 18th fair-

way at Torrey Pines. Most

likely you won’t have anyone

taking your picture or asking

for your autograph, but if you

are a passionate golfer like

me, just walking the fairway

will be enough!”

Once you fi nish your round of golf you have many choices for a late lunch or early din-ner. You can go to the shop for sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs or have lunch at the hotel next door. I recommend George’s at

the Cove. It is a great restaurant in La Jolla beach, overlooking the Pacifi c Ocean, just minutes away from Torrey Pines. Make res-ervations if you plan to go between 5pm and 7pm, as tables on the deck fi ll up quick-ly with customers wanting to see a spectac-ular sunset on the West Coast.

Other courses I have played and recom-mend in San Diego are the Riverwalk Golf Course, Aviara Golf Course and Coronado Golf Course. Playing the Torrey Pines felt like an amaz-ing and memorable golf experience. Since there were no other golfers holding us up, it took us almost 5 hours to fi nish our round. You also spend a lot of time admiring the views, so remember to bring your camera or at least a phone that takes good quality pictures.


Golf Course Showcase

Located 30 minutes from Luis Muñoz International Airport

Spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean

Luxury 3-bedroom Resort Residences overlooking the beautiful Sugar Cane golf course.

Ultra-dwarf Champion Bermuda grass greens with a mixtureZoysia and 419 Bermuda grass on fairways and tees

Native golden-sand from Dorado Beach used in all bunkers

Caddie services available: $80 per bag gratuity included

Forecaddie service available: $100 per group gratuity included

Brand new Titleist AP1 and AP2 rental clubs includes two sleeves of PROV1X golf balls: $75.00 per set, plus 7% sales tax PGA instruction available for groups and individuals

La Hacienda Clubhouse features golf shop, locker rooms, bar, Members’ lounge, seating on the terrace

Zafra Restaurant features fabulous eclectic cuisine in an exquisite atmosphere

Practice facility features grass practice range, putting green and a green-side practice bunker

The tradition of golf at Dorado Beach is as rich as the property’s history. Beginning in 1955, renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. set out to create the fi nest golf resort in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, culminating in four spectacular, 18-hole layouts that have played host to celebrities, world leaders, golf legends and PGA tournaments. Today, Do-rado Beach is still the only golf venue in the Caribbean offering 72 holes.

Casa Club

FAST FACTS


Golf Course Showcase

EAST COURSE

The Re-Opening of Dorado Beach’s East Course is the fi rst in a series of events signify-ing its resurgence as one of the premier golf, leisure and private resort membership ex-periences in the world. Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s restoration of the historic East Course to the original vision put forth by his father brings this classic seaside course into the 21st century with a subtle rebirth as a mod-ern masterpiece.

Original panoramic site lines to the ocean have been restored on 15 of 18 holes. Native sand harvested from surrounding beaches highlights the con-toured bunker complexes. New ultra-dwarf Champion Bermuda greens support double-digit speeds with a number of hole locations on every green. And now, playing over 7,200 yards, Dorado Beach East is as formi-dable from the championship tee as it is forgiving from the forward tee.

PINEAPPLE COURSE

The Pineapple Course, built in 1972, was designed to be the more-friendly course for golfers. It has fewer forced carries. The bunkers are not as deep and the greens are slightly larger.

The back nine of The Pineapple Course consists of four holes with ocean views, followed by a tough fi ve-hole stretch culminating with a fantastic par-four 18th that fi nishes up on a green just below the clubhouse terrace.

For those seeking a challenge, this course will provide all you can handle from the back tees.

WEST COURSE

On the West Course, opened in 1958, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed holes running in differ-ent directions, making the ever-present breezes off the ocean a challenge to negotiate.

The four par-3 holes are consid-ered the toughest of Dorado Beach’s four courses. Ranging from 150 to 200 yards, these four holes feature sloping greens and plenty of bunkers. The 175-yard 13th hole is lined with palm trees and the green is in an oasis of rolling sand that seems to run directly into the ocean.

The Raymond Floyd Group renovated this course in 2002 keeping the original layout and vision of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Today, the West Beach course is temporarily closed for renova-tions.

SUGARCANE COURSE

The Sugarcane course, also built in 1972, is the more challenging of the two Plantation courses al-though it boasts larger fairways and greens. The course de-mands you to negotiate forced carries and deep bunkers. The back nine is surrounded by new-ly created rivers and lakes and offers a much different look.

Players have an opportunity for birdies early in the round, but by the 8th hole the course begins to show its teeth. Par is a great score on most every hole on the back nine, with a few birdie op-portunities mixed in!

Good thing the new Plantation clubhouse awaits golfers after their round, whether it’s for a cold beverage, a magnifi cent meal cooked to order, or to just relax on our deck that provides great views of the course.

Dorado Beach Resort & Club 500 Plantation Drive, Suite 1 Dorado, PR 00646Phone: 787.626.1001Fax: 787.626-1011www.doradobeachclubs.com

East Course


Our Concierge Recommends

A need to

rethinkTour!sm

By Prof. Iván O. Puig González, Dean of the International School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at Universidad del Este (UNE).

The topic of tourism can be approached from dif-ferent perspectives. Tourists view tourism as a tool to satisfy different emotional and physical needs, and such needs will largely determine the des-tinations and activities chosen. Businesses view tourism as an opportunity to generate profi ts by supplying goods and services. Government view tourism as a source of revenue for their respec-tive jurisdictions. Communities view tourism as a cultural phenomenon and employment driver.


Our Concierge Recommends

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 resulting from the World Eco-nomic Forum Now, which theme was “Re-ducing Barriers to Economic Growth and Job Creation” assessed 140 economies worldwide, based on their implementation of policies and practices to develop their respective tourism industries. Puerto Rico was ranked #52, and the main factors that negatively affected its performance were: poor quality of transportation and infra-structure; lack of training, education, re-search and development; and faulty recruit-ment process.

Based on my academic and professional experience I offer 10 recommendations to better position Puerto Rico and improve its standing:. Improve air, maritime and ground

transportation . Improve the quality of our workforce’s

education and training . Improve the management and main-

tenance of our natural and cultural re-sources

. Strengthen safety and security

. Expand and diversify our hotel, ser-vice and tourist offer, and become more competitive offering more pric-ing alternatives

. Increase the number of international fairs, exhibitions, conventions and competitions hosted in the island

. Increase government involvement to place tourism high on its priorities and development agenda

. Implement policies and regulations governing the tourism sector that support and drive continued improve-ment and development

. Enhance the awareness of citizens and employees of the tourism sector about the value of tourism in terms of economic development for Puerto Rico

. Improve health and hygiene condi-tions throughout the island

In addition, we need to rethink our mar-keting strategy as a destination. A recent article published by the “Harvard Business Review” that was written by a professor, a Senior VP and CMO and a consultant out-lines a new solution-selling strategy with a model called SAVE Framework (Solution, Access, Value and Education). With this new model, the traditional 4 P’s marketing mod-el (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) be-comes more customer-centric and shifts the

emphasis from Products to Solutions and defi nes offerings by the needs they meet, not by their features, functions or techno-logical superiority. Instead of Place it focus-es on Access and developing an integrated cross-channel presence that considers the customers’ entire purchase journey instead of emphasizing on individual purchase loca-tions and channels. In-stead of Price it focuses on Value ar-ticulating the benefi ts rela-tive to price, rather than stressing how price relates to production costs, profi t margins, or competitors’ prices. Instead of Promotion it focuses on Education and providing infor-mation relevant to customers’ specifi c needs at each point in the purchase cycle, rather than relying on advertising, public relations, and personal selling that cov-ers the waterfront. In order to implement the revamped 4 P’s model for Puerto Rico as destina-tion we must encourage a solutions mindset in the tourism industry and organiza-tions; ensure that the Puerto Rico Tourism Company mar-keting campaigns refl ect and reinforce the customer-centric focus, and foment collabora-tion between the marketing and sales strategies of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and tour-ism industry development and delivery teams.


Tourism News

In 2014, Disney Cruise Line will homeport in San Juan for the fi rst time, with the Disney Magic sailing four 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises to St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada and Barbados.

Captain Mickey in Puerto Rico

Captain Mickey visits the Castillo de

San Cristóbal in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

32

pthe fi rst time, with the DiMagic sailing four 7-nightSouthern Caribbean cruisto St. Kitts, Antigua, St. LGrenada and Barbados.

Photos and Information provided by Disney Cruise Lines

WWW.GOLFTOURISMPR.COM

Breathtaking La

Coca Waterfall

at El Yunque

National Forest.

Disney Cruise Line guests can explore Puerto

Rico with a zipline adventure through the rain

forest or a kayak river tour.

A walking tour of the Castillo de San Cristóbal led by a

heritage guide dressed in period clothing is just one of

many activities Disney Cruise Line guests may enjoy in

San Juan, Puerto Rico in the fall of 2014.

ISSUE 1 / APRIL-JUNE 201334

Golf Gusto

Leslie Rondona Young Epicureanwith a Mission

By Golf & Tourism

A seasoned professional with 12 years of experience in the gastronomy industry, Leslie represents the new generation of young chefs and her mission is to develop a crop of emerging young chefs.

Leslie is a chef instructor at the prestigious University of Puerto Rico and the MBTI

Business Training Institute in Bayamon, and a sous chef at renowned hotels such as the Carlson Hotels and Disney World Resorts in Orlando, Florida. Leslie is also the owner and chef executive

of El Meson de Leslie, an innovative chef at home full catering ser-

vice for private and business parties, receptions or events,

offer ing a wide range of culinary delica-cies cooked on site. She is also very active contributing her time and services to fund-raising and charity events that benefi t our community.

Golf & Tourism had the pleasure of talking with Leslie at her house where she made us feel welcome treating us to some of her exquisite cuisine.

What are your thoughts about culinary critique?It is always a good idea to fi nd in advance what critics say about a restaurant to have a better idea of what to expect and how your money will be spent. Besides the culinary review you can also get useful information such as prices, location, parking, etc.

What does it take to be a chef instructor?It takes passion, dedication, and especially social awareness to work with and mold young people to develop them into sea-soned professional chefs.


Golf Gusto

PREPARATION: Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or on-ion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.

Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted but-ter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don’t let the rice turn brown.

Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.

Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully ab-sorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and re-peat the process.

Note: It’s important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets ab-sorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is al-most dry.

Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is ab-sorbed. As it cooks, you’ll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.

Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still fi rm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn’t done, you can fi nish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it’s ab-sorbed.

Stir in the pre cooked pigeon peas, cooked ham, the remaining 2 Tbsp but-ter, the parmesan cheese and the pars-ley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Risotto turns glutinous if held for too long; you should serve it right away. A properly cooked risotto should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate.

Spare ribs accompanied by Risotto with pigeon Peas and Ham

INGREDIENTS:1½ cups arborio rice1 qt chicken stock½ cup white wine1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)3 Tbsp unsalted butter1 Tbsp olive oil1 cup pre cooked pigeon peas, thawed½ cup of cooked ham

Pho

tos

by

Pris

cila

Riv

era

Which has been your most rewarding experience in this industry?To watch the development of young stu-dents, many of whom have been rescued from the streets, from individuals who have come to our kitchen without any cooking skills to professional chefs. There is a sense of accomplishment when these youngsters are given a second chance to succeed in life and you are able to see the fruits of that labor of love.

Golf & Tourism is proud to welcome Leslie as a contributing writer. In upcoming edi-tions Leslie will introduce emerging chefs, review restaurants, share her culinary knowledge and provide tips to enjoy your dining experience.


International

Vallformosa:an every day

During a trip to Catalonia, located between the plains of the Mediterranean coast and the nearby mountains, I was fortunate to visit the Penedes Wine Region, located in the Southwest of Barcelona.

As I traveled through the land-scapes dominated by vineyards and wineries I was impressed and delighted to see that the Vallformosa Winery entrance was adorned with several fl ags and to my delight I saw the Puer-to Rican fl ag waving alongside. There, I met the winery owners, the wonderful Domenech fam-ily, who graciously opened their doors to Golf & Tourism Maga-zine and my Barcelona friends and hosts Miguel Angel Puerta and Sofi a Anaya.

Angels Olivella greeted us and gave us a delightful tour of the facilities and the impressive wine cellars. Her hospitality made us feel right at home and her knowledge of the region and the Vallformosa family history, passion about wine and cava, and social involvement enriched our visit.

luxuryBy Verónica Rosario-Bautista


International

Angels Olivella giving us a tour of the Vallformosa wine cellars.


International

After the tour with Angels we were received at the tast-ing room by our hosts, Jose Domenech Torne, owner of the Vallformosa winery and his son Oriol Domenech, a fi fth genera-tion Vallformosa. We enjoyed a warm and lovely wine tasting session with an array of wines with exquisite aromas and un-forgettable fl avors. Our favorite was the Vallformosa Cava, which has a fresh, light, long-lasting taste and an excellent bouquet and well-integrated bubbles.

Oriol proudly stated that the Vallformosa Cava blends ex-quisitely with a hearty lunch or a quiet diner, and due to the moderate cost, it can truly be considered an everyday luxury.

We invite you to enjoy this spec-tacular experience for yourself!

Oriol Domenech enjoying the bouquet of one of his best wines.

Verónica Rosario, José Domenech Torne

& Sofi a Anaya


MixologyPh

oto

s b

y Pr

isci

la R

iver

a


The winners chosen by the PRBA in both categories will represent us at the 2013 World Congress to be held August 16 - 22, 2013 in the Czech Republic.

The fl air bartending and classic mixing competition started at 1 p.m. with free ad-mission for PRBA members. Many of the event sponsors, such as Gasolina, Kinky, Monin, Ghirardelli, Cutty Sark, Bacardi, Don Q, Welch’s, and other companies that sup-port the association throughout the year held raffl es, said Jorge A. López Albarrán, President of the PRBA.

The PRBA attracted about 60 of the best bartenders in Puerto Rico who showed their bartending mastery, skills and talents. Prizes for the winners, whom will represent Puerto Rico at the upcoming IBA’s Bartenders Na-tional Congress, exceeded US$8,000.

López Albarrán added “Our Association keeps offering opportunities to improve and participate in IBA congresses around the world. With a membership of more than 65,000 bartenders around the world the As-sociation is considered the best known and respected globally. This year’s event was different and memorable for the estimated 400-500 attendees. They all enjoyed a hap-py atmosphere, our music, gastronomy, rum, and the routines of some of the best professional bartenders of Puerto Rico.I invite bartending afi cionados to visit www.bartenderspr.com and www.iba-world.com to fi nd out about our global initiatives and activities. Cheers to life!”

From top to bottom: The Judges; Jorge A. López Albarran, President of the PRBA and Verónica Rosario-Bautista, Director of Golf & Tourism Magazine; competitor at work; Luis Ortiz & Tanya Garcia winners of the competition; students at work; a selection of entry cocktails.

The InterContinental Hotel in Carolina became the national center of mixology when it celebrated the 25th Classic and 12th Flair National Competitions of the Puerto Rico Bartenders Association (PRBA), an affi liate of the International Bartenders Association (IBA). The event attracted the best professional mixers, students and also food and drink afi cionados from throughout Puerto Rico.


Out of the Course

Beyond high-class golf, the prestigious Puerto Rico Open was complemented with the unique experience of the WorldClass Collection Suite at Hole 18 of the Trump International Golf Club in Río Grande. The WorldClass Collection: Ketel One and CÎROC vodkas, Tanqueray No.Ten gin, Don Julio tequila, Zacapa rum, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label Suite Scottish whisky captivated and delighted the selected group of guests of this fi ne golf event.

In this elegant setting, the Suite also offered a full bar with premium liquors from the Diago Reserve portfolio. Bartenders from some of the most prestigious restaurants and bars of Puerto Rico did their magic and surprised guests with their innovative cocktails.

For rum lovers, the WorldClass Collection Suite also offered tastings of the ultra-premium Zacapa rum. Alexandra Rivera, the brand’s local representative for Méndez & Co. contributed to making this unforgettable experience possible.

World ClassCocktailscomplement thePuerto Rico OPEN

Raúl González, Irene Bartolome, Alan Cohen

Joselyn Rodríguez, Ketel One bartender in the Mingle

Lesli Cofresi winner of Worldclass Puerto Rico for his cocktail preparation


Out of the Course

José Moreno, Iván Puig, Aldo Crescioni, Rodolfo Troche

Richard Carrión, Luis Álvarez Vice President of the Liquors Division of Mendez & Co.

John Curry, Jorge Bracero de Méndez & Co., Chris Crosbie, Fermin Castañeda

Joliam Berrios, Michelle Díaz, Eugenia Díaz, Mónica

Alvarez, Eva Gadea

Shimmy McHugh,Iván Puig

Brenda Pizarro, Senior Brand Manager of Méndez & Co, Iván Rodríguez, José I. Posada


Meeting on the Greens

Multiple companies were represented by 100 plus golfers that attended the tournament. Sears Golf Classic supported the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Golf Association Junior Program, the noble cause of “Hogar Cuna San Cristobal “and “Hogar Forjadores de Esperanza”.

Sears Golf Classic

Golfers teed off atthe Trump Internationalfor the 16th annual

on March 23

SEARS TOURNAMENTRESULTS

1st Gross Ángel Ramallo DíasÁngel Ramallo JrPipe ColónCesar González

2nd GrossYuber GómezAntonio CastilloOrlando BatistaFernando Batista

3rd GrossJosé CardonaJosé Cardona JrÁngel RodríguezAnthony Pereira

1st NetLuis PalaciosErick GonzálezLuis Ramón Manuel Gómez

2nd NetSajo RuizPete BirminghamRicardo FishmanLuis Rodríguez

3rd NetFrank TorresBrighid HourihanNeg LagoyJorge Estéves

Sears Classic donation tothe PRGA received by

Jose Cardona Jr.


Meeting on the Greens

The 18th CSIF Annual Golf Classic organized by Centros Sor Isolina Ferré surpassed the institution’s expectations attracting more than one hundred players to Campo River del Rio Mar Beach Resort, a Whyndham Grand Resort.

Players enjoyed a great day of golf and contributed to the important social work carried out by the CSIF, which was founded by Sister Isolina Ferré. After a day of great golf, the participants gathered for the awards ceremony and lunch at the golf club’s Río Mar Restaurant.

As part of the awards, winners also received 22 sculptures made with poplar tree wood by artist Enrique Elustondo. The theme of these unique pieces was Old San Juan houses and seascapes, complemented by golf-related images. Alfredo Firpi and Alberto Firpi, Jr. obtained the highest gross score and won the tournament. The couple formed by Junior Álvarez and Paul Stawinski won the prize for highest net score.

“We express our gratitude on behalf of all those youngsters, adults and seniors that each day are given a new opportunity to improve their quality of life and become better human beings,” expressed José Luis Díaz Cotto, CSIF’s Chief Executive Offi cer.

Good Cause Golfi ng for a

Sisters of the “Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity Order” Juaquina Carrion - Secretary & Mission Custodian, Mildred Vazquez - Executive Director and Rosita M. Bauza - Center Historian

Paul Stawinski and Junior Alvarez take a break from the tournament to talk to our Director Verónica Rosario

Pho

to b

y Pr

isci

la R

iver

a

Pho

tos

pro

vid

ed


Tech & Gadgets

Tried &Tested

Callaway LR550 Laser Golf Rangefi nder

Provides quick and accurate distance mea-surement up to 550 yards, and features Nikon’s First Target mode technology which displays the range to the nearest target among multiple results obtained with a single measurement - useful when measuring the distance to a pin on a green with woods in the background.

When it comes to sports, golfers have the biggest choice of gadgets. Improve your game and get to the 19th hole a bit quicker, with the help of these four golf gadgets.

New GolfBuddy Voice+

The new GolfBuddy Voice+ comes equipped with an enhanced set of features including a comfortable silicone wristband to provide the user with greater comfort and usability.

1

Nike VR_S CovertTour Driver

The new Nike VR_S Covert Tour Driver is the world’s fi rst high-speed cavity back driver and Nike’s most innovative club to date. It’s designed for longer and straighter shots, so you can spend more time in the fairway and less time hacking out of the rough. The weight of the club rests within the heel and toe, allowing more forgiveness on balls that aren’t perfectly struck. And with a 45 per-cent larger hot zone, you can create more speed where it matters—at impact.

Swingbyte3D Golf Swing Analyzer

Named by Golf Digest as one of the “12 Coolest Items” at the 2012 PGA Show, Swingbyte puts answers to a better golf game on your mobile device. Immediately after a swing, the Swingbyte app displays an interactive 3D visual of your swing along with key data. With real-time feedback in the palm of your hand, Swingbyte will help you improve faster!

Connects via BluetoothWorks with iOS and Android4-hour rechargeable batteryLightweight - only 20 grams

2

3

4


AREA METRO

AGUAVIVAAguaviva specializes in the freshest fi sh and seafood prepared with Latino – Caribbean fl air, and features a wonderful oyster and ceviche bar in front of the open kitchen. Named one of the 75 best new restaurants in the world by Conde Nast Traveller magazine. 364 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan,San Juan, PR 00901787.722.0665

BARRACHINABirthplace of the Famous Piña Colada 1963 but it also sports a menu of Puerto Rican culinary classics.104 Fortaleza St., Old San Juan,San Juan, PR 00901 787.721.5852

AL DENTERistorante and Wine BarAl Dente is located in the City of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. This 15 year Italian restaurant is been known as one of the most appreciated italian eateries in the metropolitan area. The appearance is casual and the unique menu will please even the most demanding clients.309 Recinto Sur, Old San Juan,San Juan, PR787.723.7303

ALFREDORistorante and Wine BarLocated at the lower lever InterContinental San Juan Hotel & Casino 5961 ISLA VERDE AVENUE , Isla Verde, San Juan, PR 00979787.791.6100

BUDATAISecond Floor across of Ventana del MarAve. Ashford 1056, Condado,San Juan, Puerto Rico787.725.6919

DI PARMATrattoriaMediterranean food with a viewDi Parma serves Mediterranean-style tapas, seafood and pizza in a comfortable yet classy setting. The lunch menu features delicately crafted sandwiches, soups, salads

and stone-baked pizza. Dinner offerings include tapas, escargot, pasta and pizza. 1049 Ashford AvenueVentana del Mar, CondadoSan Juan, Puerto Rico 00907

DRAGONFLYLatin Asian CuisineOpening its door in the oldest city in the Caribbean in the year 2000, this unique Latin-Asian fusion of gastronomic delicacies quickly became San Juan’s biggest spot for the chic and glamorous, for both the locals and the tourists...Sexy, dark, exotic, and impeccable in Service and FoodCalle Fortaleza 364, Old San Juan,San Juan, PR 00901787.977.3886

LA CASONAHoused in a turn-of-the-20th-century mansion, La Casona is all Old World Spanish charm, with a tiled courtyard, blooming gardens, tropical birds and strolling guitarists. You can’t go wrong with the classics: Grilled red snapper is a specialty, and you can order it with almost any sauce you want. The cuisine here has both fl air and fl avor609 San Jorge St., Santurce,San Juan, PR 00907787.727.2717

SOFIAItalian Ristorante and Pizzeria located on San Francisco Street. The space evokes the personality of the mega star Sofi a Loren - beautiful, glamorous, colorful and perfumed in passion, perfectly complementing the variety of Italian dishes which are the restaurant’s main attraction. Adding to this experience is a generous list of wines and specialty cocktails. All dishes are served with passion by an extremely knowledgable team.355 San Francisco, Old San Juan,San Juan, PR 00901787.721.0396

IL NUOVO PERUGINOIn the heart of Hato Rey Financial District. Fine-dining room is design to please your senses. Popular Center Second FloorPonce de Leon Ave, Hato Rey787.722.5481

LAUREL Creative menu like Shrimp Brulée with Plantain Crust; Marinated Skirt Steak, Yukon and Manchego Mash with Cilantro and Mint Pesto; Veal Chop, Chayote and local Pumpkin Gratin with Madeira wine reduction; and Lemon Tart with local Berry Sorbet. Make you live the art!Puerto Rico Museum Of Art299 de Diego, Santurce787.522.6444

SANTAELLAChef Santaella transforms what used to be his catering workshop and a former hardware store into an architectural acclaimed space committed to offer a menu full of fl avor using many local ingredients sourced fresh daily from ‘La Placita’. Santaella’s style goes from the traditional to the modern, always giving a subtle homemade twist to classic dishes and adding ingredients and elements of international cuisine. 219 Canals St., Plaza del MercadoSanturce787.725.1611

AREA NORTH

MADE IN PUERTO RICOGreat cook Alexis Torres opens this ‘fun-fonda’ in Dorado. It’s a revival of 1940’s rural living in PR. The greeter welcomes you with rollers in her hair: “Hey, Jíbaro! You look like you’re starving, come and sit down while I get you a table.” You wait in the “living room” where a TV is playing Puerto Rican shows & commercials of the beloved era. The phonetically-perfect-yet-mispelled sayings on the wall and the traditional food, transport you to another period of island living. Great menu: just like Abuela’s cooking!Rd. 693, Bo. Higuillar, Dorado787.626.6666

LENEL Chef Andy Torres Toledo has his creative stage: The Lenel Tower, a stellar appetizer; skirt steak with plantain strips in the shape of a volcano; La Vasca: fi sh, mussels, scallops and shrimp; and Cosa Nostra, pork cutlet in haw sauce and a starchy vegetable mash.51 Palma, Arecibo 787.815.8400 lenelrestaurant.com

RESTAURANT GUIDE SELECTION


AREA WEST

FUFUA fusion of Afropuertorican cuisine and Delicious Creative dishes from all over the world. Specializes in Surf and Turfs and Sangria which change every week to maintain variety. Calle Agustan Stahl #61, Aguadilla787.891.4188

NOVECENTO ITALIAN BISTROItalian Bistro and Pizza PlaceIts modern décor and fully stocked bar, features a semi-private VIP lounge area that invites guests to relax and enjoy the ambiance with their choice of cocktails.Calle Agustan Stahl #61,Aguadilla, Puerto Rico 00603787.882.7475

ONE TEN THAILocated in Aguadilla this restaurant had its beginning in the kitchen of Chef Andrew, who started selling food to friends on weekends. Southeast Asian Inspired Cuisine, Craft Beer, Fine Wines.Rd. 110, Old Ramey Base, Aguadilla787.890.0113

VENDIMIA 305Creative Caribbean CuisineRecently opened, this creative Caribbean cuisine venue takes Puerto Rican dishes to a new level. Cocktails here are original, refreshing and fun. Variety of domestic and imported beer. A superb wine list. Chic, relaxed atmosphere. 100 Antonio Pérez, Isabela 787.830.6622

ZAFRAZafra is a unique culinary concept located amid The Plantation golf course, in West Dorado Beach Resort & Club. Among the bestsellers in their delicious dinner menu: glacéed pork chops in tamarind sauce, and from the sea, the fresh catch of the day sautéed in butter, garlic and lemon and served with rice, beans and tostones; garlic shrimp or Mahi Mahi Casserole with a side of chickpeas and chorizo. For meat lovers: Grilled Rib Eye steak and Rack of Lamb in its own juices, garlic, mashed potato and seasonal vegetables.

“Cook with your heart and respect the nature of your ingredients. This will infuse your food with fl avor,” says Chef Cedeño.Dorado Beach PlantationRd. 696; 500 Plantation Dr., Dorado787. 626.1054 / 787. 626.1031

AREA CENTER

EL OTOAO Leyend tells us that Cacique Otoao (in Taíno, “between mountains”), was the highest chief where Lagos Dos Bocas lies today. In his honor, this beautiful inn with a paradisiacal view serves dishes made with fresh produce, gifts of this sacred soil. 140 Rd., Km 31.2, Utuado 787.894.5511

RANCHO MARINAUnique! : Rabbit à l’OrangeForty-fi ve years ago, Don Harry Marrero founded this place on what used to be a bus stop. His son, Harry, and his wife, Vivian, created a spectacular menu with tropical fl avors. Best sellers: Rabbit à l’Orange, with touches of papaya.123 Rd., km. 68.0Embarcadero Lago Dos Bocas 787.894.8034 ranchomarina.com

SOUTH

ARCHIPIÉLAGOThe best mojito in the CaribbeanVeal chop breaded in onion jelly and served with mushroom risotto…it’ll drive you wild! Pair it with a delicious mojito -- they are the house specialty. All this in one place with the best panoramic view of beautiful Ponce.76 Cristina, Ponce 787.812.8822archipielagopr.com

LOLA’SJust spectacular!Within the colorful Ramada Hotel. Is Eclectic and creative cuisine. From sushi to traditional mofongo. Reina St., at the Square (Plaza) Ponce787.813.5050

AREA EAST

CERRO DE NANDYIf you like adventure, you must go up to Nandy’s hill, and you can only get up there in a 4 x 4 or a four-wheel track! Don’t worry -- they give you a lift! They have just the right transportation so you don’t miss out on this palatable, wild adventure. “Off-Road” dishes, yams, green bananas, fried pork chunks and tasty rice and pigeon peas with inland fl avor are the favorites on this mountain spot, and they’ll satisfy your ad-venturous palate.Rd. 765, Bo. Jagual San Lorenzo939.630.2297

CEVICHE HUTHe’s Peruvian. She’s Boricua. He cooks, she serves you, and brings to the table photo-graphs of the dishes to explain how they’re prepared. They employ fresh catch and fresh products daily: grouper, red snapper, coriander and spicy peppers. They prepare chicken and seafood paella with a pinch of ginger. Service’s just like home. Kiosco 38, Rd. 3, Luquillo787.942.2873

EL ESCONDITEDelicious chicken and skirt steak cracklings that you can eat with tostones or fries. Sunday music on the jukebox and an invit-ing atmosphere for all in the family. Rd. 181, int. 765, Bo. Jagual,San Lorenzo 787.715.0030

YIYA’S RESTAURANTPuerto Rican food in a family setting. Enjoy the original antique-fi lled decor. In Yiya’s dishes you fi ll fi nd the true fl avor of Puerto Rico. Her stuffed mamposteao’ (rice and beans, bacon and bell peppers), the green banana chicken breast and Yiya’s Pork Chops are the specialties. Rd. 181, Km. 30.5, San Lorenzo787.736.8427

RESTAURANT GUIDE SELECTION

Note: Information subject to change without notice during the course of the year.


PUERTO RICOGOLF COURSES GUIDEAguirre Golf Club

$10 - $15 $10 - $15

Road 705, Km 3, Aguirre, SalinasType: PublicPhone: (787) 853-4052

Bahia Beach Resort &Golf Club

$125 - $225 $125 - $275

Route 187 Kilometer 4.2, Rio GrandePhone: (866) 529-3996

Berwind Country Club

$25 - $50 Member Only

Road 187 Km 4.7, Rio GrandeType: Semi-PrivatePhone: (787) 876-3056

Caguas Real Golf &Country Club

$65 - $110 $65 - $110

700 Alhambra Blvd., CaguasPhone: (787) 653-4653

Club Deportivo Del Oeste

$22 - $33 $33 - $43

Carr. 102 KM 15.4 Int., Joyudas, Cabo RojoType: Semi-PrivatePhone: (787) 851-8880

Coamo Springs Golf &Tennis Club

$40 $60

Road 546 KM 1, CoamoType: Semi-Private

Phone: (787) 853-4052

Costa Caribe Golf &Country ClubBack Nine / Front Nine / Middle Nine

$56- $64 $45 - $69

Ponce, Porta CaribePhone: (787) 812-2650

Dorado Beach Resort & ClubEast Course

$100 - $210 $100 - $210

100 Dorado Beach Drive, DoradoPhone: (787) 626-1010

Dorado Beach Resort & ClubWest Course

$70 - $160 $70 - $160

100 Dorado Beach Drive, DoradoPhone: (787) 626-1010

El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa

Other facilities: tennis courts, casino, beach, water park1000 Conquistador Avenue, FajardoPhone: (866) 317-8932

El Legado Golf Resort

$40 - $42 $40 - $48

Carr. PR-713, KM. 2.5 Bo. Jobos y Pozo Hondo, GuayamaPhone: (787) 866-8894

Embassy Suites Dorado del Mar Beach & Golf Resort

$52 - $102 $52 - $102

201 Dorado Del Mar Boulevard,DoradoType: Semi-Private / ResortPhone: (787) 796-3070

Fort Buchanan Golf Course

Building 171, Fort BuchananType: MilitaryPhone: (787) 707-3980

Las Bambuas Golf Course

$30- $39 $40 - $49

Road 189 Km. 10.1 Jardin, GuraboPhone: (787) 712-0018

Palmas del Mar Country ClubThe Flamboyan CourseThe Palm Course

$80 $100

PO Box 2020, HumacaoPhone: (787) 656-3020

Punta Borinquen Golf and Country Club

$20 $22

Base Ramey, AguadillaType: PublicPhone: (787) 890-2987

Rio Bayamon Golf Course

$25 $25

Verdes Carr. 177, BayamonType: PublicPhone: (787) 740-1419

The Wyndham Rio Mar Beach ResortOcean CourseRiver Course

$150 $200

6000 Rio Mar Blvd., Rio GrandePhone: (877) 636-0636

TrumpInternational Golf ClubChampionship Course

$190 $235International Course

$160 $210

100 Clubhouse Drive, Rio GrandePhone:(787) 657-2000Other facilities:Meeting facilities, locker rooms, mas-sage, sauna, jacuzzi

Note: Fees subject to change without notice during the course of the year.

Be a part of Golf and Tourism Magazine andlet our readers cross paths with you

(787) 360-2093 / [email protected]

Golf & Tourism Magazine - April - June 2013 Issue

Documents

Transcript of Golf & Tourism Magazine - April - June 2013 Issue