Hi all!
A few weeks ago I went to the PGA Show, which is a golf industry trade show where you can find almost every golf brand imaginable showcasing their products for the year ahead. While the days can be long, I find the experience to be energizing. I particularly enjoyed hanging around this area called "the Retreat" where some of our friends A. Putnam, Abendroth, Seamus Golf, Johnnie-O, Sierra Madre and Jan Craig were stationed. These boutique golf brands are spearheaded by inspiring entrepreneurs who had a dream and did something about it.
That seems to be my mantra as of late. We all have dreams (good and bad), but few do something about it. This doesn't have to be creating a golf brand or something grandiose. Maybe your dream is to go on a golf trip this year, play your first round of nine holes, or find new golf friends. Let's make that dream a reality. I'm fairly certain none of these entrepreneurs snapped their fingers and became a golf brand. It took them multiple steps and possibly a few setbacks, but they were doing something.
Here's to being inspired and finding something we love. This month, the newsletter crew each identified something that makes them love golf even more for their finds. Hug someone you love and cheers! Happy Valentine's Day.
Abby
President and Founder | Fore the Ladies, Inc.
Upcoming Events
Nashville Golf Clinic | March 29 | register
Nashville Golf Clinic Series | April 5, 12, 19, 26 | register
FTL Volunteering
We're busy planning and preparing for our 2025 events, and would love your help! Check out our volunteering opportunities this year, and watch this video to see what's typically expected in this role.
Spark Golf Leagues
FTL is once again teaming up with Spark Golf leagues, which are super low-key, casual and fun 9-hole rounds (sound familiar? hello, happy hour 9s!). Their welcoming format and relaxed rules are designed for players of all skill levels who are looking to have fun while playing in a friendly competition. It's free to join a league and you pay as you play. Spark Golf is helping us coordinate FTL Teams for each location.
Once you sign up for a round, email help@spark.golf. In your subject line, write "Fore the Ladies" and the course you signed up for, as well as the date. Mention, "I’m ‘Name’ with Fore the Ladies in 'League Name.' Can you add me to the Fore the Ladies group for this league?" You'll then be included in that group moving forward. We also have Fore the Ladies specific leagues in Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago!
2025 Fore the Ladies Golf Getaways and Field Trips
Big Cedar Lodge: October 17-19, 2025 | REGISTRATION
Lastly, we've started 2026 Scotland registration! Click here for our itinerary and pricing, and register if you'd like to hear more about this FTL Golf Getaway. Deposits are due March 16!
All are welcome to FTL events.
Chelsea
Fore the clean freaks: allow me to introduce you to the dimple divot. A hickory golf brush that's durable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. -chelsea
Abby
The newsletter crew always giggles about how much we love socks, but I feel like this will be my biggest sock-purchase year yet! These golf crew socks have the most adorable artwork. -abby
Something that makes me even happier than good socks is a fun golf sweater. Do I need another one? Probably not. But I want them all. This vintage style is giving me all the sweater envy. -abby
Sara
Of course I couldn't leave shoes off the list of what makes me love golf, and GFore makes some of my faves. -sara
Kristen
For me, an easy, go-to outfit that make you feel your best (and maybe play your best) is always something to love. -kristen
I love that golf not only brings people together, but can bring people together to support important causes. Puppies and golf brings together two things I love! -kristen
Fitness Focus with Samantha Rothberg
Hi, I’m Samantha! I’m a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach and a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Level 2 Fitness Coach. I live in the Hamptons year round and coach clients virtually and in-person. Over the years, I’ve helped numerous golfers in the weight room improve their game and was fortunate to work with FTL a few years back to present a series of webinars on women’s sports performance and golf fitness. I’m so excited to be back! In the theme of things we love, I truly love helping women feel more comfortable with strength training, so this feels like the perfect time to partner up with FTL again!
For years, it was fashionable for golf training to focus exclusively on mobility drills, but really, strength training is integral to a powerful golf swing. While golf season is a few months off (at least for a majority of us), this means it’s a great time to treat yourself like a pre-season athlete and begin to build your strength base in the gym. Even 20-30 minutes of strength training 2-3 times per week can help your body become accustomed to the movements needed for peak performance. By building a base in the pre-season, you’ll reduce soreness and fatigue when the season starts. Once you're “in season,” your workouts can shift to specifically sharpen your skills so that you can spend less time in the gym and more time on the course.
This month I’d like to touch on why lower body strength is necessary for a strong golf swing. Remember Newton’s Laws from high school physics? They apply to your golf swing. The first way we generate energy is through ground force reaction: the harder we press into the floor, the harder the floor presses back (an equal and opposite reaction), transferring energy through the hips, thorax, arms, and into the club. This is known as the kinematic sequence—the series of movements that start from the ground up and ultimately send energy into the golf club.
Here are just a few of the lower body exercises I have my clients focus on to improve their ground force reaction, the first link in the kinematic sequence:
Deadlifts
Box Jumps
Broad Jumps
Tempo Squats
Split Squats
If you’re unsure how to perform these movements or program them into your routine, I highly recommend working with a trainer who can guide you. I would also recommend a TPI movement screen, where a certified trainer can take you through a series of mobility and stability drills in order to assess your current golf fitness handicap and provide customized programming based off of your score.
If you would like to schedule a complimentary TPI screening over Zoom, or have an idea for something you’d like me to cover in the next newsletter, please reach out via Instagram @samantharothberg or my website www.samantharothbergfitness.com. Happy training!