In today's Front Nine golf page in the Beacon News, I highly recommended making The French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind. the place you should head to for a "stay and play" golf getaway this summer.

Unfortunately, not everything can get in print, so here is what couldn't make it to black and white.

The Resort

What you see here is the atrium in the lobby of the West Baden Springs Hotel, which is nothing short of a marvel. You can see some of the balconies overlooking the space, which is a great view.
(I can only speak on the West Baden, as I did not stay at the French Lick Springs Hotel - although I did visit the lobby just to check out the look. Built at the turn of the 20th century, the only way to describe it is "they just don't make 'em like this anymore.")
Back to the West Baden - I was able to stay in one of those rooms overlooking the atrium, which was spacious and included a bath with two showers. Room service was quick and the food was amazing!
I also ate at Sinclair's, a wonderful restaurant with an atmosphere you don't see very often here. "Resort casual" was the dress code, but the place carries the feel of fine dining.
Mrs. SportsBeacon took time out to visit The Spa at West Baden, and she raved about the massage and facial treatment she received. She also thoroughly enjoyed her time at The Stables, which included a guided trail ride around the hilly terrain of the hotel.

Later on in the trip, we both visited the casino - we didn't have any luck - but we enjoyed the space, and the availability of affordable tables. For those of us now used to smoke-free gambling, French Lick offers a spacious non-smoking gaming room that includes table games and computer poker games.

The Golf

I made my affinity for The Donald Ross Course (below) known in my column, but I must admit - I'm a traditionalist when it comes to my golf courses. I love Ross designs, but I really do enjoy any layout built in the early 20th century. I just find that those tracks make you play golf, from tee to green, and this course does do that.
I mentioned the frustrating fairway rough, as I did lose 5 balls just off the fairway, and it wasn't just me - I found other balls near where I thought mine had landed, and other players on the course were having similar difficulty. It's never fun to be penalized with a "LB" if you just miss a fairway, so make sure to keep a sharp eye on where you see your ball land.

Aside from that, I had no complaints with the Ross. The design was sublime, as was the course's condition. It totally fits with the Resort's overall feel - a step back in time.

Then, you have The Pete Dye Course.....

This course hosted last year's PGA Professionals National Championship (won by Aurora native and Illinois golf coach Mike Small) and is definitely a championship layout in the modern era of golf.

It's big, it's beastly, and as I said in my column, you'll need your driver to be working to get around without too much stress.

You are required to take a caddy on The Dye, and while that can be intimidating (and oftentimes, an irritating mandate for most public golfers), you need it here. The visual deception that Dye is famous for can really play tricks with not only your eyes, but your mind. There are some holes where you swear it's 800 yards long, or you really don't know where to hit it - having a well-trained caddy is definitely a good thing.

I didn't find too many of the bunkers on either course, which is because I was smart enough (wink, wink) to play the right set of tees and therefore, avoided some of the hazards Ross and Dye designed for longer hitters off back tees. But, the result was narrower landing areas or mounds that could shoot your ball off on various angles - but that's golf.
(I did not get a chance to take a look at The Valley Links Course, but it's sawed off Tom Bendelow design that looks like a great way to get in a quick 9 holes or practice session while the Mrs./girlfriend is taking a historical tour or a qiuck dip in the pool).

And down there, I can say it's truly great golf.

While French Lick seems a world away in southern Indiana, it's not a bad drive once you get out of the west suburbs. The highway travel is smooth and easy, especially once you get out of Illinois and the speed limit hits 70.
If you're more inclined to fly, there are options. If flying privately, there is an airport near the Ross course. If you're flying commercially, you'd head into Louisville and then head north for about 70 minutes to get to the resort.

Check out today's The Front Nine where I talk about this year's featured stay-and-play gold destination: Destination Kohler in Wisconsin

As you know, we can't fit everything into print, so here are some extra goodies for those of you wanting to know more about the greatest public stay-and-play facility in the Midwest - if not the country.

Read on for more on Destination Kohler and my recommendation to stay-and-play at The Wild Rock Golf Club at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

U.S. Solheim Cup captain Beth Daniel insisted Wednesday that the event was not going to be the "Michelle Wie Solheim Cup."

That said, Daniel also knows what type of attention the talented 19-year-old brings, and as the media swarmed over her pick, Beth Daniel tried to temper the hype. She said Wie can't win the match against Europe by herself, and that it's a team event.

Which it is.

But most of Wednesday's media day centered around Wie.
So why did Daniel pick her?

"I've said from day one that I'm looking for the players who are playing the best coming into the event, and Michelle being a rookie finished 13th in the points playing in less tournaments than anybody else," Daniel said. "And as of late, she's been playing extremely well. That's the reason why I picked her. She's also just a tremendous talent."

To illustrated that talent, Daniel referenced a greenside bunker shot that Wie hit last week at the British Open that she said not many people on the planet could execute.

"She hits so many unbelievable golf shots and you're looking at her in awe," Daniel said. "She can hit any shot. I think where she's gotten better, her short game is incredible. Her shots around the green -- she can hit some shots. At Lytham last week she into a bunker and she hit a shot that you wouldn't see many human beings being able to hit. She's a remarkable talent."

Daniel then mentioned how Wie missed the ensuing putt,to still card a bogey.
Ah yes.
The Big Wiesy is not perfect. Far from it. But with an average tee shot that measures just under 270 yards, she's a big hitter with an improving short game, which will make her an excellent teammate once they tee it up for real in a couple weeks.

Aside from Wie's selection, the other news of the day centered around the treatment she received from teammates. There's been a perception - most of it based in reality - that many LPGA players don't care for the way Wie has handled her career to this point, or the attention she has received.

So all eyes weren't just on Wie, but how her teammates responded to her.

Said Daniel: "I'm an insider, obviously. I played with Michelle when she was 14 years old and I played with her when she was 15. From an insider's view, being in the locker room with her, she's always been great kid. But she got so much media attention by playing in the men's events and there was all this debate about is she doing the right thing, is she doing the wrong thing, is she getting too much, is not getting enough. People have debated that for years and I think they'll continue to debate that but she's always been a great kid and I've liked her."

While that may be true - Daniel couldn't speak for the rest of her team, and even Rich Harvest Farms owner and architect Jerry Rich observed some moments of detachment from the other players and the rookie early in the week.
"I had the opportunity to watch her over two days now and you could tell she wasn't one of the peers, and now they're giving high fives and patting each other on the back and they're really coming together as a team," he said. "She feels she's part of that team now."

Teammate and longtime friend Christina Kim then offered this up on Wie:
"It's remarkable to see her grow up into such an incredible young woman. We're really good friends and I think people have really started to embrace her and people have been able to get to know her.

"People, the media I guess, or whoever you want to say, always have these assumptions as to who we are as human beings and its really nice to see people really seeing Michelle for who she really is -- which is an incredible human being with a huge heart and one of the most fun loving, free spirited people you'll ever meet."

Read on for some quotes from Wie herself....

The Front Nine took a look at how important the mental side of golf is to your game, and how it's something you can improve upon - even without the help of golf psychologists.

Whitetail Ridge head pro Patrick MacDonald believes average players should try visualization - play the course in your head before you tee it up, and work on those shots on the range before hand.
"It's very important. Visualize each shot, visualize where you want to be on each hole. I always like to leave the range hitting whatever club I'm going to hit off the first tee and have a positive swing thought. It helps to make sure when I get on the first tee I'm prepared for that type of shot and I've thought about it."

"As you go around the course, what amateurs fail to realize is 'where is the worst place to leave it?' and play accordingly to that. If I mis-hit it, I'll end up here because it's not the worst place to be because I've thought about it ahead of time."

Another key for average players would be to after a bad shot.

"Once the golf ball leaves the club face, it's over. You can't do anything about it when it's in the air," MacDonald said. "The quicker you can put a bad shot out of your mind is only going to lead to better scores in your round. You just have to let it go and forget about it. It's hard to do, but the quicker all golfers can do that, the better they can score."

Then there is the "zone' that you hear athletes talk about from time to time. Here's what Davis Love III said about it...
"You get in a zone. I have had a couple really good streaks, three or four weeks or two or three months, and when you get in those streaks you're not thinking about how to go through your routine or how to play, how to turn it on and turn it off on the golf course, how to focus or how to get lost in the process. Right now I'm working on it, you know, and that's the difference."

Unfortunately for you and me, finding the "zone" might be a little tougher than working on visualization and working on "one shot at a time."

Said MacDonald: "Unfortunately I think that's directly related to talent. If you think about it, you're going to be out there for 4, 4 1/2 hours, and unless you're Tiger or something with unbelievable mental fortitude, you're not going to be able to keep it together for that long.

They key is if you get that rhythmn, to use it as long as you can and then once it goes away - which it will - is to not get wrapped up in it, just go with the flow, keep swinging the way you are."

namely area high school golfers.

There are three current high schoolers in the field, but that's not nearly enough. The tournament, which is contested at both Phillips Park and Fox Valley Golf Club, is a great opportunity for high school players to compete against skilled amateurs that have much more experience than they do.

And, a four day 72-hole tournament would be a departure from the types of tourneys they usually compete in.

On a related note, head pro Jeff Schmidt is looking for some help in determining the official start of the city tourney, as well as former champions.

Record keeping has been spotty at best. Throw in the fact that no tourney was held during the Phillips Park renovation, plus the real chance it didn't happen during WWII, there's a good chance it hasn't been held consecutively since its inception.

My colleague Rick Armstrong has narrowed down the start date of the tournament to either 1932 or 1933, but we could use your help. Call Schmidt at 630-499-0670 or e-mail the Beacon at beaconsports@scn1.com

Tinley Park-based Bettinardi, long known for its fine putters - has ventured into golf fashion by making belt buckles.

Owner Robert Bettinardi kind of fell into that business, and in the last six months the pieces have become his hottest seller.

"I decided to start making them for the country clubs - the Medinah's, the Butler's, the Rich Harvest Farm's," Bettinardi said. "So that was very unique because now I'm customizing all the belt buckles. There are probably 20 million golfers in the United States, say 15 million of them are men, but there are 50 million men in American and there are probably 50 million of that wear belts. So you're talking about a bigger demographic, a bigger base."

The buckles are custom made on the Bettinardi C&C Milling machines in their Tinley building, and can be hand painted to match any color scheme.

"Everybody wants silver, but silver is very expensive," he said. "Stainless steel is beautiful because it doesn't rust. You can do all kinds of stuff (to it)."

The buckles (& leather belt) retail at $175 each, but if you're into fashion and having something no one else in the world will own - it's worth picking one up.

"Our motif is 'you want something that's really nice? You want something that's going to really last a long time? You want something that's guaranteed to last a lifetime?' Go get yourself a Bettinardi - whether it's a belt buckle, a putter, a headcover - whatever it is," Bettinardi said. "Bettinardi is really high quality stuff. That's what we're all about. That's what I'm proud of. "

Winfield native & Wheaton Warrenville South alumnus Kevin Streelman is the first player to endorse the buckles. A second year PGA Tour pro, Streelman has about 15 buckles that he wears.

"It's been fun yo be able to have my own input on a couple buckles and they've done some custom things for me," he said. "I've gotten asked by a lot of people 'where'd you get this?'"

Streelman has taken advantage of Bettinardi's ability to customize the buckles, wearing different buckles for different tour stops.

"They did a killer whale like Shamu for San Diego, they did a really cool desert scene for the FBR in Phoenix," Streelman said. "They did 'Bettinardi' in like the Hollywood-sign (design) for Riviera. (My wife) Courtney and I will brainstorm and say 'hey, why don't you try this for this week?' He's been really responsive and able to do a lot of the custom stuff."

Today The Front Nine talked about playing some games within the game of golf, especially for the average player.

Yes, you can play match play, or alternate shot, or better ball or even four ball when you pair up. And, aside from alt. shot, you play your own ball anyway. It just adds some fun to the round. In the spirit of the upcoming Solheim Cup, bring some games within your game.

But there are some things to know.
On the serious side, there are some different rules for match play. Be sure to check them out here.

On the fun side, PGA and Wilson Golf professional Billy Nestel gives you a couple of other match play games:

Scotch Game
This is a great 2 Person Best Ball Game to play if your looking for something different this US Open weekend.

If all six points are won by one team, then the points are doubled, equaling 12pts.
Otherwise known as a "Blitz or Umbrella"
This is a great game to keep everyone involved on every hole, while getting a taste of both, stroke and match play!

Nestel was also kind enough to give you some strategic tips for playing match play...

Match Play Strategies

As a PGA Member, I have commonly been asked if I prepare differently for match play events versus stroke play events. The answer is, yes!

I will always break a match play event into 3, six hole matches when preparing. Just like a team in baseball, football, or basketball, in match play there are always in game adjustments that need to be made.

Holes 1 - 6
I will prepare for these first six as if it were a stoke play event. I want to play my game against the course and remain focused on how I want to play each shot on each hole. I will normally play all six holes in my mind on the range before I tee off. This gives me a sense of relaxation that I have already played this hole or hit this shot.

Holes 7 - 12
As I enter the seventh hole I want to know exactly where the match stands and at that point will have a general idea of how my opponent is playing. My first "In Game" adjustments are then put into play. If we are all square, I continue to play my own game. If I am 2 down or more I will begin to play much more aggressive. I may hit driver off the tee where I normally would or aim at flags that I wouldn't usually go at. If I am up 2, I do the opposite. Play for middle of fairway and center of greens!

Holes 13 - 18
If the match goes this far you should have a pretty good idea of where this match is headed. At this point you may need to make another "In Game" adjustment. I always try to keep in mind that there is no, let's make a couple pars and get to the clubhouse and we make some birdies tomorrow. In match play there is no tomorrow!