An article from the Austin American Statesman:

Lewis mounts a run at Champions Tour major

By Kevin Robbins | Saturday, August 21, 2010, 08:09 PM

Austin resident and rookie Champions Tour player J.L. Lewis, a former golf professional at The Hills of Lakeway and Forest Creek, finished 54 holes of the Jeld-Wen Tradition at 9 under par Saturday, leaving him two shots behind leader Tom Lehman. Lewis shot a third-round 6-under-par 66 at the Crosswater Club in Sunriver, Ore., to share second place with Champions Tour major winners Bernhard Langer and Fred Funk.

That’s awfully good company for a two-time PGA Tour winner and Texas State graduate whose elbow and knee injuries all but ruined his career from 2006 on. He’s had four starts this year on the PGA Tour, four on the Nationwide Tour and three on the Champions Tour, where he had his best finish of 2010, a tie for 12th at the U.S. Senior Open.

He’ll be playing in the final group Sunday with Langer and Lehman.

PGA TOUR’s BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club

The third playoff event for the PGA TOUR FedEx Cup is the BMW Championship in Chicago. Cog Hill Golf and Country Club is a good golf course that has stood the test of time, as the winning scores have remained the same throughout the years. The course is undulating, tree-lined, and well bunkered to provide specific targets on each shot.

Missed shots are penalized and straight hitters are rewarded at Cog Hill. Great players do well as Tiger Woods tops the list of past champions with outstanding records. The fans are very supportive and the city of Chicago is one of the greatest golf towns in the country. There are many outstanding golf courses in the Chicago area, like Medina, Butler National, and Chicago Golf Club, to name a few and the city produces a lot of great players. Along with New York and Los Angeles, Chicago will always be  one of the elite places for the game of golf in the United States.

You will enjoy the sights and sounds of Chicago if you venture into the city. When my family and I traveled to Chicago each year, we often visited educational museums such as The Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago History Museum. To enjoy a variety of tasty foods from many different cultures visit the Taste of Chicago, which is held in July each year and is one of the largest food festivals in the world. For ten days restaurants and vendors make delicious food and serve it on the shore of Lake Michigan. Chicagoans and tourists from all around go to enjoy this delicious food festival. Remember to try the pizza-it’s the tops!

Learn more about other PGA TOUR events at JLLewisGolf.com.

Video Tip

Olympic gold medal winner Carl Lewis describes how his best athletic performances came after he eliminated all animal products from his diet.

For J.L. Lewis’ golf video tips visit JLLewisGolf.com.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juice Provides More Energy for Golf

It is widely known that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables leads to a longer, healthier life with less illness and “dis-ease.” While eating whole fruits and vegetables certainly has its benefits, juicing fruits and vegetables provides a means by which to obtain a significant serving of fruits and vegetables in one meal. Juiced fruits and veggies offer a tremendous amount of enzymes, which are essential for the digestion and absorption of food, and are critical for most of the metabolic activities continuously taking place in the body. Enzymes are destroyed by heat and cooking. Consuming fresh juices allow for the enzymes to stay intact. Whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which is healthy as well, although it slows the process of absorbing nutrients into the body. Juicing removes the fiber in plants, and makes food easier to assimilate. In addition, fruits and vegetables are full of fresh water as are fruit and vegetable juices. Our bodies are made up of 80% water, so fluid is essential for our bodies to operate healthily and juicing provides an abundant amount of water.

Juicing can give the body an energy and endurance boost which can be just what is needed when playing a five-hour round of golf! The process of digestion is much easier with a juicing program than when eating heavy meals. This extra energy and stamina will help you improve your scores and achieve your potential as a golfer.

“Juice Bars” are becoming common in several cities around the United States, serving yummy concoctions of fruit and vegetable juices as well as “shots” of nutrient-packed foods such as wheatgrass, ginger and aloe vera, among others. With a little bit of financial investment, time, and commitment, one can have their own juice bar at home. To learn about the various kinds of juicers at discounted prices visit www.DiscountJuicers.com. Whether you choose to buy juice at your local juice bar or create your own at home, incorporating consistent juicing  into your health and wellness program can improve every area of your life.

Are you interested in learning more about golf exercise, diet, and nutrition and how it can improve your golf game? Read other articles written by J.L. in the J.L. Lewis Team Articles section of JLLewisGolf.com.

PGA Championship at Whistling Straits

The PGA Championship in 2010 is held at Whistling Straits Golf Course.  Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin is a tremendous Pete Dye golf course design with outstanding views of Lake Michigan. The course has the feel of an oceanside links style layout with weather that changes hourly. The wind can increase or decrease by 20 miles an hour within a few minutes. The facility is remote with farm country all around. There are even a herd of sheep that owner Herb Kohler keeps on the course to enhance the rustic feel of the place. Each hole presents a different challenge and the best players in the world will use every club in the bag to get around the course. The final three holes are great television holes with a lot of risk on each shot. The whole course is undulating, especially the greens. This facility is a must see for any serious golfer.

Another great golf course in  Kolher, Wisconsin is Blackwolf Run. This course is host to many high level golf tournaments including the U.S. Women’s Open and the World Championship of Golf.

Organic Foods

Organic fruits and vegetables are grown in a way that limits the amount of synthetic materials used during production. Pesticides and herbicides were not introduced until the 20^th century, so for a large majority of history all foods were organic. In the past 100 years or so, there has been a significant increase in pesticide and herbicide use, especially in the production of food. The way these chemicals affect the human body is not totally known. It is known that these chemicals accumulate in the body’s tissues. In general, the human body sustains immunity and people feel better when they eat food that is grown as naturally as possible, without the use of synthetically derived materials.

Today organic food may be difficult to find or is more expensive than conventionally produced food. There are certain foods that consistently contain less pesticide residues than others, and these are known as the “Clean 15.”

The “Clean 15” – (Lowest in Pesticides)

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mangos
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon

Likewise, there are foods that consistently contain higher amounts of pesticide residue, and these are known as the “Dirty Dozen.”

The “Dirty Dozen” – (Buy these Organic)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (Imported)

Benefits to Buying Organic:

In addition to health benefits, organic farming is much safer and healthier for the environment since the soil is not depleted of essential nutrients, and because it does not contribute toxic runoff as their conventional counterparts do. Toxic runoff damages not only surrounding eco-systems, but those downstream as well, causing huge and damaging algal blooms at the mouths of our rivers. Organic agriculture relies on non-chemical ways of maintaining soil fertility, managing pests and controlling weeds, thus eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides.

Try it out for yourself! Make your next on-course snack an organic one. See if you are able to tell a difference in the way the food tastes or the way you feel.

Visit www.foodnews.org for more information and to get a copy of their free guide “Pesticides in Produce.”

Are you interested in other health-related articles? Visit the J.L. Lewis Team Articles section of of JLLewisGolf.com to read more articles on golf exercise and nutrition!

J.L. Lewis celebrated his 50th birthday this past Sunday, July 18, 2010 while in Scotland. He will be making his Champions Tour debut at the Senior British Open at Carnoustie this week. The tournament begins tomorrow.

PGATOUR.com will be posting a daily blog during the week of the Senior British Open about J.L.’s insights on his Champions Tour debut and his visit to Scotland. To read the daily blog, visit http://www.pgatour.com/2010/s/07/20/lewisblog_srbritish/.

Best Golf Instruction – Green Side Bunker Tip

The most important thing to remember in a green side bunker is ball position. Most golfers need to play the ball farther forward in the stance than they do.  Playing the ball farther forward will force them to be on their left side at address and create a steeper takeaway without having to think about it. This will also make it easier to use the bounce of the club and get the ball up and out of the bunker with ease. The next time you’re in a green side bunker, move the ball one inch forward in the stance and do everything else the same.

For more golf tips or to take an on-the-course golfers guide with you to the golf course, visit JLLewisGolfTips.com!

PGA TOUR’s Traveler’s Championship at TPC River Highlands

The PGA TOUR event in Cromwell, Connecticut is held at the TPC River Highlands. The golf course is one of the first stadium designed courses with areas along several of the holes for fans to sit and watch. The tournament is held in the summertime. A river runs along the east side of the golf course, adding to the beauty. “Named by Golf Digest ‘One of the Top 10 Golf Courses in the State’ and by Connecticut Golfer Online the ‘Best Private Course in the State’ for six consecutive years, the course meanders over 148 acres, with stately corridors of mature maple, oak, sycamore and eastern white pine trees framing gently rolling fairways.” (www.tpcriverhighlands.com, 5/27/10) The course is fun to play with hole numbers 15, 16, and 17 built for drama. Each hole brings water into play and the risk/reward factor always makes for a memorable finish.

Cromwell, Conecticut is one of the oldest cities in America with buildings that have been around over 300 years. There are a lot of history here as seen by the local architecture of the houses, buildings, and churches. In nearby Hartford, Connecticut, there is the popular Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, America’s oldest public art museum, which has beautiful art collections from around the world and many educational programs.

Would you like to learn about other PGA TOUR events? Visit the media section of JLLewisGolf.com.

Best Golf Instruction: Enjoy the Game of Golf

The most important reason to play golf is without question the enjoyment of the game. Golf is such a great getaway from the business world and a perfect way to de-stress after a tough day or week on the job. Working to improve or playing well in competition can best be accomplished if you  are enjoying yourself. If you are frustrated or upset in any way by the game of golf or anything else in your life then it will be more difficult to attain your playing potential. A clear mind and a light mood free from worries is a good set up for a good time and best results.

For some educated golf entertainment, play the Golf Swing Challenge Game!