The bleak weather and disparaging temperatures are over now; wind chills and ice patches harsh enough to break ceiling fans and kitchen cups most likely gone. The illusion that the perfectly groomed grass of the West Coast Swing is actually in our living rooms and not on the TV has disappeared. We no longer have to take the chance that our back swing will not reach as high as the ceiling, that our ten-foot par saves will not shatter another drinking glass because the carpet slopes away from the coffee table, not towards it.

We’ve waited for this, and for most of us that haven’t wintered in places where our golf bags aren’t just another space-eater in the closet, our first swing of the year reminds us that what made us so miserable all winter long, might not be over. But playing golf here in PRIME country after a hard winter doesn’t mean we should worry that our golf swings have suffered just as much as our car batteries. Playing the first round of golf here is much more than realizing that completing a full follow through with a snow shovel all winter does not correlate to strokes on the scorecard. Playing that first round is more of an affirmation that we have survived this place.

The white blanket that covered our courses for the past however many months could not smother us with our own swing sorrows or our desperate needs to be standing on a smooth green reading the line of a snowman saving putt. As the first wooden tee slides into a soggy tee box, we know that we made it. Although our dream season is finally here, what do we do to survive our own golf games now? How do we know that the worst qualities of winter have not snuck into our Saturday rounds? We waited for these warm days during those cold temps just as we wait for the clink of our golf ball now; that rolling sound in the bottom of the cup; a soft circling golf ball; our first birdie of the year. Winter to be over quicker, a birdie putt to drop, both things that never happen as much as we would like.

Even though at times, the two are the same, both with a constant aspect of bickering and complaining, golf season is here now. We shouldn’t worry that we might feel the same cold of winter if we actually do slip into the drink trying to retrieve another ball. There is no need for us to complain or get sour on the course because if there is one thing that golf has that winter doesn’t, it’s a four-wheeled, beverage-bringing cart, waiting for us at the next hole.

AGAR
• Sutton Bay, 28950 Sutton Bay Trl, Agar, SD 57520, (605) 264-5530, Private, 18 holes, 7,245 yds, Par 72

ARLINGTON
• Lake Region Golf Club, 45369 Golf Course Rd, Arlington, SD 57212, (605) 983-5437, Public, 18 holes, 6,442 yds, Par 72

ALCESTER
• Alcester Golf Club, North Edge Of Town, Alcester, SD 57001, (605) 934-1839, Private, 9 holes, 2,545 yds, Par 34

BELLE FOURCHE
• Belle Fourche Country Club, Rfd #1, South Highway 85, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, (605) 892-3472, Public, 9 holes, 3,099 yds, Par 36

BERESFORD
• Bridges At Beresford, 101 N 3rd St, Beresford, SD 57004, (605) 763-2202, 9 holes 3,369 yds, Par 36
• Beresford Course, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,547 yds, Par 34

BISON
• Bison Country Club, PO Box 156, Bison, SD 57620, (605)244-5669, Municipal, 9 holes

BOX ELDER
• Prairie Ridge Golf Course, 239 N Ellsworth Rd, Box Elder, SD 57719, (605)923-4999, Public, 9 holes

BRANDON
• Brandon Municipal Golf Course, 2100 East Aspen Boulevard, Brandon, SD 57005, (605) 582-7100, Municipal, 18 holes, 6,243 yds, Par 71

BRITTON
• Britton Country Club, PO Box F, Britton, SD 57430, (605) 448-2512, Public, 9 holes, 2,651 yds, Par 34

BROOKINGS
• Brookings Country Club, 2180 Club House Dr, Brookings, SD 57006, (605)693-4315, Private, 18 hole, 6,548 yds, Par 72
• Edgebrook Golf Course, 1415 22nd Ave S, Brookings, SD 57006, (605) 692-6995, Municipal, 18 hole, 6,078 yds, Par 70

BUFFALO
• Buffalo Golf Course, Highway 85/Near Airport, Buffalo, SD 57720, (605) 375-3313, Public, 9 holes

BURKE
• Burke Golf Course, PO Box 323, Burke, SD 57523, (605) 775-9190, Public, 9 holes, 3,165 yds, Par 36

CANTON
• Hiawatha Golf Club, East Highway 18, Canton, SD 57013, (605) 987-2474, Public, 9 holes, 2,967 yds, Par 36

CASTLEWOOD
• Castlewood Golf Course, 411 E Cemetery Rd, Castlewood, SD 57223, (605) 793-2510, Public, 9 holes, 3,227 yds, Par 36

CHAMBERLAIN
• Chamberlain Country Club, West Highway 16, Chamberlain, SD 57325, (605) 734-4451, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,942 yds, Par 36

CLARK
• Clark Golf Club, 800 N Idaho St, Clark, SD 57225, (605) 532-5871, Public, 9 holes, 2,652 yds, Par 34

CLEAR LAKE
• Clear Lake Golf Club, Hwy 22 W, Clear Lake, SD 57226, (605) 874-2641, public, 9 holes, 2781 yds, Par 35

COLMAN
• Colman Area Recreation Golf Course, Hwy 34 At Red Rock Road, Colman, SD 57017, (605) 534-3121, Public, 9 holes, 2,825 yds, Par 36

CORSICA
• Lakeview Golf Course, 6 1/2 Miles E, Corsica, SD 57328, (605) 946-5609, Public, 9 hole, 3,128 yds, Par 36

CUSTER
• Rocky Knolls Golf Course, West Hwy. 16, Custer, SD 57730, (605) 673-4481, Public, 9 holes, 3,084 yds, Par 32

DAKOTA DUNES
• Dakota Dunes Country Club, 960 Dakota Dunes Blvd, Dakota Dunes, SD 57049, (605) 232-3000, Private, 18 holes, 7,165 yds, Par 72
• Two Rivers Golf Course, 150 Oak Tree Ln, Dakota Dunes, SD 57049, (605) 232-3241, Public, 18 holes, 5,820 yds

DE SMET
• Kingsbury County Country Club, S W Edge Of Town, De Smet, SD 57231, (605) 854-3134, Public, 9 holes, 3,322 yds, Par 36

DEADWOOD
• Tomahawk Lake Country Club Inc, Hwy 385 S, Deadwood, SD 57732, (605) 578-2080, Public, 9 holes, 3,300 yds, Par 36

DELL RAPIDS
• Dell’s Rocky Run Golf Course, 47364 Golf View Dr, Dell Rapids, SD 57022, (605) 428-3498, Public, 18 holes, 6,102 yds, Par 72

DELMONT
• Delmont Golf Course, 2 1/2 Miles East, Delmont, SD 57330, (605) 779-1100, Public, 9 holes

EDGEMONT
• Edgemont Golf Club, 511 7th Avenue, Edgemont, SD 57735, (605) 662-5100, Public, 9 holes, 2,281 yds, Par 34

ELK POINT
• Elk Point Country Club, 100 Truman Ln, Elk Point, SD 57025, (605) 356-2874, Public, 9 holes, 3,240 yds, Par 36

EUREKA
• Eureka Municipal Golf Course, Edge of town, Eureka, SD 57437, (605) 284-5266, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,692 yds, Par 35

FAITH
• North Shore Golf Course, 3 Miles South #73 At Durkee Lk, Faith, SD 57626, (605) 967-2191, Public, 9 holes

FAULKTON
• Lakeside Country Club, Faulkton Lake, S.W. City, Faulkton, SD 57438, (605) 598-4194, Public, 9 holes, 2,672 yds, Par 34

FLANDREAU
• Flandreau Park Golf Club, 48250 200 30th Street, Flandreau, SD 57028, (605) 997-3031, Public, 9 holes, 2,884 yds, Par 35

FORT PIERRE
• Dunes Golf, 807 Ft. Chouteau Road, Fort Pierre, SD 57532, (605) 223-2525, Public, 18 holes, 3,727 yds, Par 63, CR-58.8, S-88
• Willow Creek Golf Course, Highway 1434, Fort Pierre, SD 57532, (605) 223-3154, Public, 9 holes

FREEMAN
• Valley View Golf Course, 27996 438th Ave, Freeman, SD 57029, (605) 925-4929, Public, 9 holes, 3,110 yds, Par 36,

GARRETSON
• River Ridge Golf Club, 25412 485th Ave, Garretson, SD 57030, (605) 594-6234, Public, 9 holes, 3,291 yds, Par 36

GARY
• Gary Gate City Golf Course, PO Box 127, Gary, SD 57237, (605) 272-5651, Municipal, 9 holes

GETTYSBURG
• Gettysburg Country Club, Highway 212, Gettysburg, SD 57442, (605) 765-2656, Public, 9 holes

GOODWIN
• Prairie Dunes Golf Course, RR 1 Box 20, Goodwin, SD 57238, (605) 795-2321, Municipal, 9 holes, 1,862 yds, Par 31

GREGORY
• Gregory Golf Course, RR 1, Gregory, SD 57533, (605) 835-8134, Municipal, 9 holes, 3,186 yds, Par 36

GROTON
• Olive Grove Golf Course, 700 East 5th Avenue, Groton, SD 57445, (605) 397-4653, Public, 9 holes, 3,096 yds, Par 36, 3,096 yds, Par 36

HARRISBURG
• Spring Creek Country Club, 27122 480th Ave, Harrisburg, SD 57032, (605) 743-2000, Public, 18 holes, 6,301 yds, Par 72

HARTFORD
• Central Valley Golf Club, 700 East Highway 38, Hartford, SD 57033, (605) 528-6122, Public, 18 holes, 6,326 yds, Par 72

HIGHMORE
• Highmore Golf Course, 33475 198th Street, Highmore, SD 57345, (605) 852-2099, Public, 9 hole

HOT SPRINGS
• Southern Hills Golf Course, Highway 18 W, Hot Springs, SD 57747, (605) 745-6400, Municipal, 18 holes, 5,905 yds, Par 70

HOWARD
• Howard Golf Course, 107 Vermillion Ave, Howard, SD 57349, (605) 772-4669, Public, 9 holes

HURON
• Broadland Creek National Golf Course, 118 22nd St SW, Huron, SD 57350, (605) 353-8525, Municipal, 18 holes, 7,100 yds, Par 72
• Huron Country Club, N Highway 37, Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-3354, Private, 9 holes, 3,237 yds, Par 35
• Memorial Park Golf Course, Memorial Park Way, Huron, SD 57350, (605) 353-8527, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,105 yds, Par 32

IPSWICH
• Taylor Memorial Golf Course, 407 11th St, Ipswich, SD 57451, (605) 426-6961, Municipal, 9 holes

IRENE
• Glenridge Golf Course, 45157 296th St, Irene, SD 57037, (605) 263-3546, Private, 9 holes, 2,535 yds, Par 34

KADOKA
• Kadoka Golf Course, Near Airport, Kadoka, SD 57543, (605) 837-2229, Municipal, 9 holes

KIMBALL
• Kimball Golf Course, Highway 45, Lake 16, Kimball, SD 57355, (605) 778-6361, Public, 9 holes

LEAD
• Lead Country Club, Rotchford Road, Lead, SD 57754, (605) 584-1852, Public, 9 holes

LEMMON
• Lemmon Golf Course, 103 7th Ave W, Lemmon, SD 57638, (605) 374-3176, Municipal, 9 holes

LENNOX
• Lenkota Country Club, Highway #44, Lennox, SD 57039, (605) 647-5335, Public, 9 holes

LEOLA
• Leola Country Club, SD State Highway #10, Leola, SD 57456, (605) 439-3299, Private, 9 holes

MADISON
• Madison Golf & Country Club, Highway 34 & 81 West, Madison, SD 57042, (605) 256-3991, Public, 18 holes, 6,162 yds, Par 71

MARTIN
• Bennett Cty. Golf Assoc., Next to Brooks Memorial Park, Martin, SD 57551, (605) 685-6363, Municipal, 9 holes

MILBANK
• Pine Hills Golf Club, North Highway #15, Milbank, SD 57252, (605) 432-4124, Public, 18 holes, 6,052 yds, Par 72

MILLER
• Miller Country Club, 1 Mile North Highway 45, Miller, SD 57362, (605) 853-2652, Private, 9 holes, 2,905 yds, Par 36

MISSION
• Prairie Hills Golf Course, Off Highway 83, Mission, SD 57555, (605) 856-4986, Public, 9 holes, 3,113 yds, Par 36

MITCHELL
• Lakeview Municipal Golf Course, 3300 N Ohlman St, Mitchell, SD 57301, (605) 995-8460, Municipal, 18 holes, 6,670 yds, Par 72, CR-77.4, S-123
• Wild Oak Golf Club, 2500 E 1st Ave, Mitchell, SD 57301, (605) 996-2084, Public, 9 holes, 3,050 yds, Par 36,

MOBRIDGE
• Mobridge Country Club, Highway 1804, Mobridge, SD 57601, (605) 845-2307, Public, 9 holes

MURDO
• Murdo Golf Course, Interstate 90, Murdo, SD 57559, (605) 669-2300, Municipal, 9 holes

NEWELL
• Newell Golf Course, 12963 Orman Rd, Newell, SD 57760, (605) 456-2195, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,980 yds, Par 36

PARKER
• Par-Mar Valley Country Club, Highway 44, Parker, SD 57053, (605) 297-4819, Private, 9 holes, 2,858 yds, Par 35

PARKSTON
• Parkston Country Club, 2 Miles SE Of Town, Parkston, SD 57366, (605) 928-3092, Private, 9 holes, 2,661 yds, Par 35

PHILIP
• Lake Waggoner Golf Course, Highway 73 North, Philip, SD 57567, (605) 859-2211, Public, 9 holes, 2,911 yds, Par 36

PICKSTOWN
• Randall Hills Golf Club, 357 White Swan Drive, Pickstown, SD 57367, (605) 487-7884, Public, 9 holes, 3,268 yds, Par 36

PIERRE
• Hillsview Golf Club, 4125 SD Highway 34, Pierre, SD 57501, (605) 224-6191, Municipal, 18 hole, 6,828 yds, Par 72
• Trails Golf Resort, The, 101 Lake Pl, Pierre, SD 57501, (605) 224-9340, Public, 9 hole, 3,485 yds, Par 36

PLANKINTON
• Fish Lake Country Club, 39051 253rd St, Plankinton, SD 57368, (605) 942-7269, Public, 9 holes, 2,744 yds, Par 36

PLATTE
• Lake Platte Golf Club, 27574 Golf Course Road, Platte, SD 57369, (605) 337-3300, Public, 9 holes, 2,666 yds, Par 35,

PRESHO
• Medicine Creek Golf Course, IS 90, Presho, SD 57568, (605) 895-2659, Public, 9 holes

RAPID CITY
• Arrowhead Country Club, 3675 Sheridan Lake Rd, Rapid City, SD 57702, (605) 342-6477, Private, 18 holes, 6,378 yds, Par 71
• Fountain Springs Golf Club, 1750 Fountain Plaza Dr, Rapid City, SD 57702, (605) 342-4653, Public, 9 holes, 2,880 yds, Par 35
• Golf Club At Red Rock, 6520 Birkdale Dr, Rapid City, SD 57702, (605) 718-4710, 18 holes
• Red Rock 2 Course, Public, 9 holes, yds 36
• Red Rock Course, Public, 18 holes, 5,761 yds, Par 72
• Hart Ranch Golf Club, 23645 Clubhouse Dr, Rapid City, SD 57702, (605) 341-5703, Public, 18 hole, 6,841 yds, Par 72
• La Croix Links, 3820 Odde Dr, Rapid City, SD 57701, (605) 718-9953, Municipal, 9 holes, 1,205 yds, Par 27
• Meadowbrook Golf Course, 3625 Jackson Blvd, Rapid City, SD 57702, (605) 394-4191, 36 holes
• Meadowbrook Course, Municipal, 18 holes, 7,054 yds, Par 72
• La Croix Links Course, Municipal, 9 holes, 6,933 yds, Par 72
• Executive Course, Municipal, 9 holes, 6,933 yds, Par 72
• Rapid City Elks Golf Course, 3333 E 39th St, Rapid City, SD 57703, (605) 393-0522, Public, 18 hole, 6,126 yds, Par 71, CR-69.4, S-121
• Rapid City Exec. Golf Course, 12th & Omaha Streets, Rapid City, SD 57701, (605) 394-4124, Municipal, 9 hole, 1,323 yds, Par 29

REDFIELD
• Fisher Grove Golf Course, 7 Miles East Highway 212, Redfield, SD 57469, (605) 472-1336, Public, 9 holes, 2,702 yds, Par 35

ROSCOE
• Roscoe Legion Golf Course, Off Highway 12, Roscoe, SD 57471, (605) 287-4508, Public, 9 holes

SALEM
• McCook Country Club, Douglas Street, Salem, SD 57058, (605) 425-2073, Public, 9 holes

SCOTLAND
• Scotland Dawson Creek Golf Course, 1031 Stafford St, Scotland, SD 57059, (605) 583-4244, Public, 9 holes, 2,820 yds, Par 36

SELBY
• Selby Community Golf Course, S of Outskirts of Selby, Selby, SD 57472, (605) 649-7279, Public, 9 holes

SIOUX FALLS
• Bakker Crossing Golf Course, 47172 S Clubhouse Rd, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, (605) 368-9700, Public, 18 holes, 6,901 yds, Par 71
• Elmwood Park Golf Course, 2604 W Russell St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, (605) 367-7092, 27 holes
- East Nine Course, Municipal, 9 holes, 3,363 yds, Par 36
- Championship Course, Municipal, 18 holes, 6,798 yds, Par 72
• Kuehn Park Golf Course, 2901 S Kuehn Park Rd, Sioux Falls, SD 57106, (605) 362-2811, Municipal, 9 holes, 2,115 yds, Par 31
• Minnehaha Country Club, 3101 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, (605) 336-1419, Private, 18 holes, 6,437 yds, Par 71
• Northern Links Golf Course, Highway 115 & 84th Road, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, (605) 334-6679, Public, 9 holes, 3,176 yds, Par 36, CR-35, S-113
• Prairie Green Golf Course, 600 E 69th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, (605) 367-6076, Municipal, 18 holes, 7,179 yds, Par 72
• Westward Ho Country Club, 3400 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, (605) 336-3766, 27 holes
- Executive Nine Course, Private, 9 holes, 1,345 yds, Par 27
-Long Course, Private, 18 holes, 6,939 yds, Par 72
• Willow Run Golf Course, 8000 E Sd Highway 42, Sioux Falls, SD 57110, (605) 335-5900, Public, 18 holes, 6,500 yds, Par 71

SISSETON
• Valley View Country Club, RR 3, Sisseton, SD 57262, (605)698-3742, Public, 9 holes, 2,868 yds, Par 35

SPEARFISH
• Spearfish Canyon Country Club, 120 Spearfish Canyon Rd, Spearfish, SD 57783, (605)717-4653, Private, 18 holes, 6,616 yds, Par 71

SPRINGFIELD
• Springfield Golf Club, Boat Basin Road, Springfield, SD 57062, (605) 369-5525, Municipal, 9 hole, 3,005 yds, Par 36

STURGIS
• Boulder Canyon Country Club, Highway 14A, Sturgis, SD 57785, (605) 347-5108, Public, 9 holes

TIMBER LAKE
• Little Moreau Country Club, 6 Miles Out of Town, Timber Lake, SD 57656, (605) 865-3643, Private, 9 holes

TYNDALL
• Bon Homme Country Club, Highway #50, Tyndall, SD 57066, (605) 589-3186, Public, 9 holes, 2,930 yds, Par 36

VERMILLION
• Bluffs, The, 2021 E Main St, Vermillion, SD 57069, (605) 677-7058, Municipal, 18 holes, 6,684 yds, Par 72

VOLGA
• Meadow Creek Golf Course, 825 E 6th St, Volga, SD 57071, (605) 627-5444, Public, 9 holes, 3,128 yds, Par 36

WALL
• Wall Community Golf Course, 1801 Golf Course Rd, Wall, SD 57790, (605) 279-4653, Public, 9 holes, 3,861 yds, Par 36

WATERTOWN
• Prairie Winds Golf Club, 555 S Lake Dr, Watertown, SD 57201, (605) 886-3554, Private, 18 holes, 6,290 yds, Par 72, CR-68.5, S-120
• Watertown Municipal Golf Course, 351 S Lake Dr, Watertown, SD 57201, (605) 882-6262, 27 holes
-Watertown 2 Course, Municipal, 9 hole, 6,231 yds, Par 72
-Watertown 1 Course, Municipal, 18 hole, 6,205 yds, Par 72

WEBSTER
• Webster Golf Course, 1030 W 3rd St, Webster, SD 57274, (605) 345-3971, Municipal, 9 holes

WENTWORTH
• Lakes Golf Course, 19 Golf Dr, Wentworth, SD 57075, (605) 483-3535, Public, 9 holes

WESSINGTON SPRINGS
• Wessington Springs Country Club, Off of Highways 34 & 281, Wessington Springs, SD 57382, (605) 39-1944, Private, 9 holes

WHITE
• Six Mile Creek Golf Course, 20251 478th Ave, White, SD 57276, (605) 629-2121, Public, 9 holes, 3,038 yds, Par 36

WINNER
• Winner Golf Club, Country Club Road, Winner, SD 57580, (605) 842-0686, Public, 9 holes, 3,175 yds, Par 36,

WOONSOCKET
• Pony Hills Country Club, W Hwy 34, Woonsocket, SD 57385, (605) 796-4694, Private, 9 holes

YANKTON
• Fox Run Municipal Golf Course, 600 West 27th Street, Yankton, SD 57078, (605) 668-5205, Municipal, 18 holes, 6,792 yds, Par 72
• Hillcrest Golf & Country Club, 2206 Mulberry St, Yankton, SD 57078, (605) 665-4621, Public, 18 holes, 6,874 yds, Par 72

We’re talking about back and knee pain, injuries to the wrist and elbow, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Most golfing injuries can be blamed on the swing — the stance, body rotation and speed of movement required to send the ball on its way.

Golf should begin with a sound physical fitness/training program. The same performance components necessary to play good golf (flexibility, balance, posture, coordination, strength, power, endurance and mental toughness) are followed by top athletes in a variety of sports. We must prepare ourselves physically to perform at our very best, and most importantly prevent injuries.

One of the leading attractions lending to golf’s increasing popularity, is that golfers recognize the value of being able to play over their entire life span. With this increase in popularity comes an increased demand to improve on the individual’s golf performance. Most of the focus has been placed on improving equipment, but golf fitness has become a proven method that can enhance golf performance. “The most important component in a golf fitness program is flexibility, which can improve golf performance and decrease the chance of injury”, says Kevin Horner, PT, CMLD, Sanford USD Medical Center.

Inflexibility can lead to postural and structural imbalances throughout the body. These imbalances can cause the golfer to overcompensate their swing which can cause poor swing mechanics. Horner says, “Overcompensating or overuse of a particular joint or muscle can then lead to injury. An example would be if an individual has tight hip flexors (front of hip) – this can lead to increased arching in the back which can cause serious back problems over time.” Most individuals would compensate for this by not following through on their golf swing, thus limiting their power potential significantly.

Golfers, like all other athletes, must prepare physically in order to perform at their best and prevent and/or minimize the occurrence of injury. In order to achieve maximum benefit from the advanced technology, our bodies must first be physically able to perform more efficiently. The most effective and probably most important component in better enabling our bodies towards better golf and decreased injury is that of improved flexibility. This is the key to reaching full potential both as a golfer and in decreasing physical strain on your body.

We asked Dakota Golf Management’s Tom Jansa, age 46 and the recently-retired Terry Comstock that very question.

How do you two, as professionals, balance age and experience?
Tom: One of the great things about golf is that you can be competitive among a large age group. Our group that plays on Wednesdays ranges in age from 25 - 65. Many amateur golfers start to play better as they reach middle age since they have more time to play. And if they have focused on learning how to improve their course management and emotional balance, they are able to get more out of their games.
Terry: I am a big fan of stretching and some strength training. Tiger Woods has proven the importance of both. He is the first to combine flexibility, strength, and technique in the game. It’s funny, however, that he would still be just another player if he were a mediocre putter or he did not possess great determination. We need to keep a golf journal and write in it what we think about and work on. Go back to it from time to time and see what has been working. Experience is very important in playing because it should give us a sense of feel. This in turn should help us with the length of our swing as we get closer to the hole. However, most of us try to hit the ball either softer or harder and therein lies the root of many problems.
Do you have any favorite stretching routines?
Tom: I think that the most important muscles to work on with stretching are the muscles of the back and shoulders. You need to be able to make a complete turn and if your back and shoulders are stiff, it really shortens the swing.
Terry: We are all headed towards rigor mortis. So keeping joints and muscles as limber as possible for as long as possible is a good goal. Do I have favorite stretches? Yes, but anything we do is good. Start by walking a fairly fast paced mile to warm up. Then just start stretching any muscle groups you want and keep at it. Stretching sessions should last at least 15 minutes and if you spend that amount of time you can get in a lot of great stretching. My strength work does not include weights, just crunches, push ups, and lunges. I also do isometrics, working arms against each other as many ways as I can think up.

How has power changed the game, and what to do if a player is not a long hitter?
Tom: Several factors have combined to make the ball go farther. Balls and clubs are highly engineered for distance; course conditions have helped with shorter grass and firmer fairways; players are physically stronger; and swings are better with kids starting earlier and playing more. The added length has obviously made courses shorter and some courses have stretched their yardage out to accommodate. But for the average player playing from the regular tees, the game itself remains pretty much the same. You still have to get the ball in the hole. The shorter hitter who is more accurate and has a great short game will overcome the distance disadvantage a good deal of the time.
Terry: Thick tomes have been written on the subject and it is still a mystery. Power and length have changed the game at the highest levels but not much I think at the average golfer stages. Direction in the long game and distance in the short game are still very important and they can negate power for the average Joe.

How can equipment help?
Tom: It is an advantage to be able to play with equipment that is suited to your physical makeup, swing speed and other swing characteristics. Almost all of the top line manufacturers have a club fitting program and some new clubs can be adjusted to meet the needs of a golfer on a day to day basis.

Do you think that players get better every year, regardless of age?
Tom: Yes, the same driving force that produces improvements in other sports and human endeavors is at work in golf. Better instruction, more avenues for competition, more access for young players and more tools to help you improve have produced better swings and better scores since I have been in the game.

On a scale of 1-5 (being the lowest), please rate and comment on the following:

Experience
Tom: 3 - Assuming that you have had good self awareness and attitude, experience can be very valuable. Just because someone has played a lot does not mean they are experienced. To gain experience, you must constantly focus on the process and not the outcome, both in practice and when you play.
Terry: 3 - I think golfers need to understand ball flight rules, work on their balance as they swing, and leave their frustration somewhere else.

Course Management
Tom: 2 - Good self awareness of your own game and abilities is essential. Too many players lie to themselves or have an unrealistic mental image of their abilities.
Terry: 5 - Course maintenance has improved so much and soft spikes have made the greens putt so much better.

Equipment
Tom: 5 - While it can be very helpful, you still can’t buy a game. No amount of great equipment can overcome poor technique or attitude.
Terry: 4 - Equipment can be a hinderance especially if it doesn’t fit. The golf ball has changed the most in my lifetime. A beat up range ball is probably a better ball than the most expensive ball of 40 years ago.

Power
Tom: 4 - Power is only good if you can maintain your accuracy. And without a short game or course management, it becomes somewhat irrelevant. The woods are full of big hitters, as they say.

Short Game
Tom: 1 - If you want to be the best at any level, develop the best short game. 80% of practice time for most players should be spent on the short game.
Terry: 1 - I would say having a good short game is the quickest way to improvement for most people. It is, however, the last thing most people work on or think they need help with.

If you graduated from junior high in ‘91 you know Marvin Berry. He rocked a fierce lead guitar at the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance. At least he did right up until he gouged his hand with a screw driver, so Marty could leap out of the trunk of his car, so George could punch Bif in the head and win Lorraine’s heart, so the two of them, George and Lorraine, could fall in love and kiss during a rhythmic ceremonial ritual at the high-school auditorium.

Doc Brown invented the flex capacitor, which made time travel possible, but only at the movies. In real life, when a primal male wants to flex capacitate his way back in time he simply hops on over to I-29 Antiques just outside of Tea, SD. It’s no moon, it’s an antique outlet mall packed with nostalgia and crawling with people who would rather celebrate old ways than new ones. People that still drink coffee from small Styrofoam cups. People that only use their cell phones if they’ve rolled over their car or fell off of their horse – my kind of people.

Prime Magazine trusts me with an important responsibility, to wander around. It’s a job that I take kindly to, not for my own personal enjoyment of course, but for the benefit of mankind. Dedicated and loyal like a weathered Captain Woodrow F. Call I wonder, what do men in their prime do for kicks in the lesser-populated places of Middle America?

Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘Carefree Highway’ showered down from the overhead radio as we stepped inside the I-29 Antiques warp zone, too jittery to even remember to close the door behind us. “That’s alright, you’re just excited”, said a man from behind the counter. Obviously, this wasn’t the first time he’d dealt with the likes of us. Time travelers, antique tweakers, big bargain hunters, he’s seen ‘em all. We caught him in the middle of a conversation. He was telling another fella’ about how he spent a good chunk of time in Alaska working as a hunting guide.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to stand around. I was on a hunt of my own. What was I hunting? A Pez dispenser collection, a picture of John Wayne, taxidermy, a Roy Roger’s badge, an authentic Lone Ranger pedometer, bowling pins, Hot Wheels, a Cubscout Handbook from 1963 – I was hunting all of that and more.

Primal dudes avoid shopping more intensely than they avoid almost anything, with the exception of maybe talking about feelings and stuff. I know, I’m a primal dude, and I’m telling you something strange happens when you set foot inside that antique store. As odd as it may sound, as you mill about glass display cases full of old Ross Perot bumper stickers and Peterbilt belt buckles, you almost, sort of, start to enjoy shopping.

Now do me a favor. Forget you ever read that.

That’s all from 1955, next stop: Estelline SD.

Our photo pages will knock your socks off and we’ve included everything but the new car smell (note to self – next year, scratch and sniff pages for the car issue).

Also this month, we talk to Curt Ellis, from the film King Corn - he and a buddy leased some land in Iowa, grew some corn, and made a movie. Read more about how that process changed their lives, and how it can help yours.

Got an itch for golf? Our roving correspondent Mutt Helms whets your appetite even further with some fantastic photos of his experience at Augusta National. Yes, that Augusta National. The Masters is golf’s annual showcase and these images will get you chomping at the bit to tee it up and vie for your own version of the green jacket.

We also check in with Mark Cartwright, who shares his unique perspective on the month of April, and Mr. Know it All clues you in on what to expect from the NCAA hoops championship, the Twins, and the NFL draft.

Finally, I take the opportunity to say goodbye to one of my favorite athletes, Brett Favre. Don’t worry. I swear on a stack of cheese there will be no use of the word “gunslinger.”

Cheers,
John

There are vehicles from almost every manufacturer in the world, as well as some concept cars that will blow your mind.

There’s also a huge variety of restored classics, hot rods, and tricked out cars for sale — plus a boat or two. So take your time, peruse these photos, and visit your local dealer. Chances are they know way more about these things than any Internet site.

The show usually starts around the first week of March, and runs for eight days. Check out the web site for next year’s dates – www.twincitiesautoshow.com.

If you care about cars, and we sure do, we look forward to another trip next year. Hope to see you there - maybe we can organize a Sioux Falls Day. Ah, who are we kidding – those things don’t work.

Eighty years ago, Ian and Curt’s great-grandfathers lived just a few miles apart, in the same rural county in northern Iowa. Now their great-grandsons are returning with a mission: they will plant an acre of corn, follow their harvest into the world, and attempt to understand what they—and all of us—are really made of.

Ian and Curt arrive in the Midwest enthusiastic about their new endeavor. Iowa’s newest farmers lease an acre of land from a skeptical landlord and fill out a pile of paperwork to sign up for subsidies. The government will pay them $28 to grow their acre of corn—the first of many steps that reinforce the idea that more corn is what America needs.

King Corn is their feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives the nation.

In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm.

Prime spoke with Curt Ellis in advance of the television debut of their powerful film.

When will the film be available for public consumption, either for sale or on television?

King Corn is available on DVD through our website, www.kingcorn.net and will be airing on the PBS series Independent Lens on April 15. There are some theatrical dates coming up, too, and those are on our website, kingcorn.net

How has your life changed since making the movie?

I’ve changed the way I eat pretty significantly, and that’s a big change. In college I used to make a daily pilgrimage to Dunkin Donuts, and I ate my share of fast food. Now I’m really careful about what I put in my body. I don’t eat corn-fed beef, and I try to avoid high-fructose corn syrup (except for ketchup, of course). I want to eat food that was grown by a farmer I can put a face on.

The movie starts with a scene of you having your hair tested — what was that all about?

Ian and I had our hair tested when we first started work on the movie. There’s a science called Mass Spectrometry that helps you analyze your diet. It turned out that I was 53% corn and Ian was 58% corn. We’ve dropped a fair amount since we changed our diets and stopped eating fast food. I’m now 39% corn, and Ian’s 44%. I think he sneaks out at night for burgers.

Do you see any chance of the corn kingdom changing?

The system will change as soon as we decide to change it. Certainly as consumers we can do something, but fresh fruits and vegetables and farmers markets are expensive these days, and that’s largely the result of government policy. The real thing we can all do is put pressure on our legislators (and presidential candidates!) to reform the Farm Bill. Right now, we’re subsidizing fast food. We spent more than $50 billion in the last ten years subsidizing corn, and now we’re paying for it all again, with half of all obesity-related medical costs being shouldered by Medicare and Medicaid.

What memory will you always have from this experience?

That giant feedlot in Colorado. I had no idea that my meat came from a place like that. 100,000 cows standing shoulder-to-shoulder in their own waste, eating corn. It was like a vision of Hell.

With all that you know now, as well as some life-changing experiences, would you two do it again and make all the sacrifices it had to have taken?

Ha! Well, it turns out that being a corn-star isn’t particularly glamorous, but I’m glad I know what I know now. I kind of think everyone should take a year and find out where their food is coming from.

What’s next for you two?

Ian and I are releasing a new film. It’s called The Greening of Southie, and it tells the story of the men and women who built Boston’s first residential Green Building. It’s in festivals now, and will air on the Sundance Channel’s The Green series on Earth Day.

King Corn is available on DVD through their website www.kingcorn.net and airs on the PBS series Independent Lens on April 15.

Corn Facts

• Number of acres planted in corn in the U.S. in 1970: 66.9 million
• Number of acres planted in 2004: 80.9 million
• Number in 2007: 92.9 million
• Percent change since 1970: +39
• Rank of refined sugar, or sucrose, among most-used sweeteners in the U.S. in 1966: 1
• Rank of high-fructose corn syrup in 2007: 1
• Estimated percentage of high-fructose corn syrup consumed from beverages: 66
• Rank of soft drinks among top beverages consumed by Americans: 1
• Minimum percentage of a soda that is made up of high-fructose corn syrup: 7
• Maximum percentage: 14
• Percentage by which high-fructose corn syrup is cheaper than sugar: 60
• Average, in pounds, of high-fructose corn syrup consumed by an American in 1970: 0.6
• Average, in pounds, consumed in 2000: 73.5

I was just a small town South Dakota boy with big dreams, sand greens, and enough imagination to turn a beat up course into paradise. I wanted to travel the world. The fuzzy black and white pictures on my old bunny eared television showed me what a dream could turn into, and introduced me to those who followed their hearts and became legends. I’m talking about Arnie, Jack, and Bobby Jones. These are… “The Masters”.

You make the putt, you win ________. Fill in the blank. To me, it is always “The Masters”. And every April is a chance to become a legend.

Golf. What emotion does it illicit in you? Is it a pastime or is it a passion? My brothers instilled a passion in me that is still growing today. I owe much to my brother Denny for introducing me to the game of a lifetime!

I have been fortunate to visit many of golf’s great venues…but last April this big guy had tears in his eyes, when he and his family reached the hallowed ground of “The National”. The beautiful and majestic ocean holes of Pebble Beach are breath-taking, yet pale in comparison to the vibrant greens of Augusta National Golf Club.

I am a hack…. I love the game… it touches the soul. It is my essence and the playing of it has taught me much about life. I am 50… still dreaming… still practicing that putt to win… “The Masters”.
Enjoy the pictures… here is to fairways and greens every day of the year.

By Mutt Helms
With editorial assistance from Callie Helms

From his first snap, Favre was all over the yard. There were comic five-second scrambles, 40-yard lasers launched with a flick of the wrist, fumbled snaps, improvised runs gleefully finished by Favre knocking linebackers ass over tin cups, and a handful of 100-mph fastballs on 8-yard slants that nearly decapitated the intended receivers.

During this short stint in a meaningless game, Favre hit everything but the Goodyear blimp, and he would have drilled that too…but he overthrew it. After absorbing this first surreal performance, I turned to the stunned assemblage and vocalized what we all were thinking, “I’m not sure what the hell that was, but it sure was fun to wxatch.”

16 years later, that wild-eyed kid is now a middle-aged man, with gray in his hair and more than a little weariness in his voice. He’s sitting at a podium telling the world he no longer wants to play football. I listen and remember that day in 1992, and it doesn’t seem possible that the kid who ricocheted all over that field could possibly be sitting in that chair, but he is, and it’s time.

Brett Favre may not be the best quarterback to ever play the game — he’d be the first to tell you his mechanics were unorthodox, and God knows he could be reckless with the football. But when he was on the field, you couldn’t take your eyes off him.

Favre captured people’s attention for many reasons. Where most quarterbacks are only two chromosomes away from robots, with a corporate personality to match, Favre was deliciously human.

He laughed, he cried; he did great things; he screwed up; he would visit sick kids in the morning and tell fart jokes in the afternoon. He was Superman on Sunday and Everyman the rest of the week. Ordinary people liked him. Ordinary people knew him.

During his retirement speech, Favre said that despite how this last season ended, he knew he was going out on top. I couldn’t agree more. As much as I’d selfishly like to see him continue, the true mark of greatness is knowing that the time to leave the stage is before the applause subsides.

I struggle to find words to accurately convey my thanks and appreciation for what Brett Favre has contributed to my life the past 16 years. I find that I am as dumbfounded today by what I have witnessed as I was that Fall afternoon in 1992.

Ironically, it is in that beginning that I find a fitting epitaph to the unique greatness of Favre. After 16 years of watching him play, I’m still not sure what the hell that was, but it sure was fun to watch.

Thanks, Brett. For everything.