Golf: July 2008 Archives

Cantigny Golf in Wheaton recently opened its brand-new Golf Academy, a facility dedicated to improving all aspects of one's game. It allows customers to get fitted for clubs, get their mental approach squared away, set up and exercise regimen and gain access to professional instruction, all under one roof.

The Duramed Futures Tour isn't exactly paved with gold, but Wheaton native Jenna Pearson is hoping it leads to bigger and better things in the LPGA Tour.

The 22-year-old has made $3,570 on the tour in 2008, ranking her 83rd on the money list. She doesn't exactly have a lot of leeway for spending it, either. She drives to all the tournaments, which span the eastern half of the United States. Pearson does save money by staying with host families when she can, but a good percentage of her winnings go to people who buy $1,000 "shares" in her. It's how she manages to get from place to place, and the money her investors give her is repaid with her winnings.

For more on the tour and how Pearson is faring at this weekend's USI Championship in New Hampshire, click here.

Waubonsie Valley golfer Ryan Russell has his sights set on a lot more than reducing his handicap on the course. The 16-year-old has made it his mission to provide homeless children with birthday gifts.He's always looking for help of the monetary variety, and he puts himself and his charity, Birthday Presence, out there on YouTube. Check out his video at this site.

Work with someone long enough, like Eric Johnson and Alex Evans have at Tamarack Golf Club in Naperville, and you're bound to have crazy stories. Johnson, the general manager, and Evans, who heads up golf operations at the course, both look back on this mishap from January 2006 and laugh.

Think you can hang with Tiger Woods' workout and practice schedule, even on two good knees? Hank Haney, Woods' swing coach, let us in on what Tiger's life is like away from the cameras: