New Year's Resolutions

Out with the old and in with the new; the mark of a new year inevitably brings new resolutions to better one’s life. The obvious resolutions, such as losing weight and staying healthy, spending less and saving more, and organizing your life are always bound to show up on resolution lists (top ten resolutions here). But how about some other interesting resolutions? Here is a list of our top ten things to get accomplished this year (with, of course, some of the most famous ones still on the list!).

1. Travel More. Getting out of the house can always be a refreshing experience. Travelling doesn’t always mean vacationing. Refresh yourself and cross this nugget off of your resolution list by taking overnight road trips or long weekends (some great destinations just outside of Malone include Syracuse, Lake Placid, Albany, Montreal and Ottawa). Sometimes a staycation can even settle your travel bug until you get some time to really get out. So don’t limit yourself by only thinking of travelling in week-long segments to far-away places.
2. Learn to Ski or Snowboard. Most resolution lists include some category of learning something new. Why not try out snow sports? Titus Mountain is a wonderful family resort for those who want to learn the sport. Titus has a snow sports school and rentals available at the mountain for you to try it out—and their lift tickets are an exceptional value, especially going on weekends when there is night skiing. But a disclaimer: you might just get addicted. And if you are already a skier or rider, but want to try something more advanced, check out our information on learning about Terrain Parks. Or if you are a lady giving it a go for the first time, check out our "Ladies Learn to Ski" program.
3. Eat Healthier. Whether you want to eat healthier to lose weight, maintain weight, or just feel better, there are many opportunities to do so. When ordering your coffee, get it with non-fat milk instead of whole (you could save up to 10 pounds a year!) Get water with dinner instead of soda (15 pounds a year). Order a salad for an appetizer instead of the mozzarella sticks (Mo’s has some delicious salads). And ask your waiter or waitress how to make your meal healthier—normally they can tell you the ingredients to cut out.
4. Help Others. There are many opportunities to help others inside or outside of your community. If you are having trouble finding a place to state, try checking out your local Chamber of Commerce (Malone’s Website). Or check out http://www.volunteermatch.org to find out what is available (you can also post here if you are an organization). If you don’t have spare time, monetary donations are always welcome to a plethora of organizations.
5. Get Organized. Whether you have papers overflowing on your desk or your calendar looks like a chimpanzee scribbled through it; don’t fret because you aren’t alone. There are many ways to get organized whether you are planning for an event or just trying to keep track of your life. The first step is to find out what you need help organizing; if the papers overflowing on your desk are only from trying to plan a family reunion or wedding, there is no need to uproot your bill paying system. Stay on track. And sometimes it helps to have people on your side. There are many paid services such as organizing and cleaning professionals and wedding planners, but there are also many services available at no additional cost—always ask if there is anything else that is offered by your hotel, event venue, or service company (such as automatic withdrawal or email reminders).
6. Exercise More. Again, another resolution that always makes the top ten list, though it is the most joked about because it is never followed through. Make sure that when you are making your resolution to exercise more, you are making it an attainable goal. If you travel often, fit that into your regimen (Healthy Travel Tips). If the thought of running makes you gag, try a different form of cardio such as Zumba. Just doing something active fits into this plan—think skiing, golfing, walking, biking, playing softball—activities that you enjoy are much more likely to become a lasting resolution than something that you dread.
7. Learn to Play Golf. The Malone Golf Club is a world-renowned course. What better way to learn to golf on the best course available in the area? They also offer a program, Get Golf Ready, which is available to help learn the game of golf itself as well as etiquette and rules. And you might even get the chance to get a short clinic from the Vice President of the PGA, Derek Sprague (20 Minutes with DerekSprague). How cool is that?
8. Enjoy the Small Things. Bigger isn’t always better. And farther isn’t always nicer. Take some time to enjoy small things that your community offers. Have you been to the AlmanzoWilder Homestead? Hiked Elephant’s Head? Had dinner overlooking the Malone Golf Club or the Titus Mountain slopes? Have you walked the Malone Rec Park to see the gathering of snow geese? Taken a few minutes to yourself to watch a Malone Sunset?
9. Get your Finances in Order. This is always a tricky one. The obvious is to spend less and save more, and since spending is different for everyone, why not take a look at how to save more? There are the obvious tactics, such as getting things on sale and clipping coupons. But what about the not-so-obvious savings? Use your reward cards. Whether you are a member at a grocery store, retail store, hotel chain (info on Priority Club here), or Milk Club… dollars and points add up. Why waste the money that you are already spending?
10. Spend More Time with Family. Read number 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 and just remember: have fun.

Twenty Minutes with Derek Sprague: PGA Secretary

Did you know that Malone is home to one of the officers of the PGA, the largest working sports organization in the world? Derek Sprague, a Malone native, is not only the Head Golf Pro at the Malone Golf Club, but also the Secretary of the PGA of America. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Derek the other day to ask his perspective on the game of golf and the PGA.

Growing up near the 1st Hole on the East Course at the Malone Golf Club, Sprague was no stranger to golf. In fact, his mother thought that "the golf course [was] the safest playground in America and what better place to grow up [than] on the green grass right across the road." And for many Malone residents who have known Sprague from the past 30 years from his position as the Golf Pro and Manager at the Malone Golf Club, it comes as no surprise that he has held leadership positions for the game that he grew up on--and the Secretary position was just the next step.

Q: What are the steps to becoming an officer of the PGA?
A: You run a national election, just like the presidential elections that are coming up. It lasts 15 months; I campaigned from the middle of 2009 until November of 2010. You are voted on by 115 delegates who represent 27,000 people (just like our Congress).

Q: What made you want to run for this position?
A: I've been in leadership positions for golf and this was the next logical step. I was on the board of directors for the Northeastern NY section, which is one of 41 different sections.

Q: You are going to be President of the PGA in 2014--are there any interesting events we can look forward to seeing you in?
A: I will be President from 2014 to 2016. In 2016 the PGA will celebrate their centennial and golf will be reintroduced into the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The last time that golf was an olympic sport was in 1904, so most people will have never seen it... I don't know many 112 year-olds! It will also be a Ryder Cup year, which is being held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.

Q: As an officer of the PGA, what do you envision for the future of the PGA?
A: I would like to see PGA Pros become more in-demand. They are the best trained people to run facilities, but unfortunately their qualifications as a PGA Pro have not yet translated into the field. They have shown an aptitude to play and they have the best formal training in the world.

Q: How about for the Malone Golf Club? Anything big planned or exciting when you are President?
A: Well, being in my position I do get some weird looks, like "Have I seen you on T.V.?" I think it definitely gives some credibility and stature to our club and the golf business. But, no, we don't have any big things in the works... the last thing we did was remodel our lobby to showcase PGA highlights and ties to the Club, as well as the Ryder Cup which is happening in Chicago this year.

Q: Do you have any interesting statistics on the effect of golf on the North Country?
A: Well 20,000 tourists come to the area annually, which is pretty significant to a small community like Malone. Of the 45,000 rounds that are played, roughly half of it is from non-members who are traveling in.

Q: Why do you think that they are making the trip to Malone?
A: Well, we have fantastic golf packages with the area hotels. It's a great venue--people get to play on 2 championship courses while they are here, and we have great service. And it's affordable in comparison to other venues. If you take the quality that we offer, our service and our venue, and compare it to some northern clubs, we are quite comparable but our prices are better and ancillary expenses are less.

Q: Your duties take up a considerable amount of time--how often do you actually get to golf?
A: I actually get to play more in this position than I did before, because I get to play with sponsors and business partners who are also passionate about golf.

Q: What is your handicap?
A: I play scratch, or 0. They don't give me any so I don't give them any either...

Q: What is your favorite course to play on?
A: That's tough... I've been fortunate enough to play the top 100 courses in the country, and each has it's own unique traits. It depends if you are looking for a venue like on the ocean or something like a challenge.

Q: Who is your favorite golfer?
A: It's fun to watch the new golfers that are up-and-coming and getting to see how they are perceived by the public, but it's also fun to root for the old guys that I grew up with. But I would have to say that I root for all the guys on the Ryder Cup team.

Q: Was there any golfer in particular who it was a great honor to meet?
A: I had the pleasure of sitting down with Arnold Palmer for 45 minutes and it was one of my best experiences. He's not playing anymore but he is one of the finest golfers, and he is in his early 80s now.

Q: Is there anything that you do to disconnect from golf?
A: Well, golf consumes a lot of my life, at least on different levels. Even on vacations, golf is the forefront of why we are there. It helps that the whole family enjoys the game too. But we spend time with winter activities, like skiing at the local Titus Mountain or even Whiteface.

Info on the Malone Golf Club

The Malone Golf Club is the finest golf facility in Northern New York, Southern Quebec, and Ontario. They have 36 Championship golf holes divided into two great golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones. The club was also recently awarded four and one half stars by Golf Digest and received the "Good Service" seal for both the East and West Courses. Malone Golf Club is membership owned by over 700 members. They provide professional "Country Club" services to members and guests at very affordable rates.

Eat, Sleep, Play Apps

Eat, Sleep, Play: Apps!

If you get a chance to look into my iPhone, you will see that I have a plethora of Apps ranging from the famed Temple Run to the obvious Facebook and the important Banking apps. When I am traveling, my phone is my lifeline. If I am stuck in a place, I go to my gaming folder. If I am lost, I got to my travel folder. If I need some updates, of course I go to my social folder. When I'm on my free time, I have a hiking and music folder.

So, when you come into Malone (or I suppose any place), it makes sense to have some apps to make the most of your travels.. I've gone through and compiled a list of the best apps for Eating, Sleeping, and Playing. Most of these apps I have used, though some of them I researched online because I'm not much of a golfer.

General Travel:

TripIt
Great for: Keeping tabs on your travel plans

Price: Free

Eating:
ZagatGreat for: Finding & reserving at restaurants and general food knowledge.
Price: $0.99

Sleeping:
TripAdvisorGreat for: Finding & showing prices of hotels as well as reviews from other travelers.
Price: Free

Playing-Ski:
RealSki
Great for: See lift and run names, current activities, and track your runs.
Price: Free (with available in-app purchases)

Playing-Golf:
Swing by SwingGreat for: Watching your game with graphs and stats and checking the hole with a GPS range finder.
Price: Free

Just for Fun:
SpotifyGreat for: Listening to tons of tunes on your travels.
Price: Free ($9.99 for premium service)

Keep in mind that there are over 500,000 apps for the iPhone. In no way is this a complete travel guide list or even a semi-almost-complete list. This is more of a "create a Malone folder" list. When you are coming into town, just download these babies and you'll have a great time heading back home looking at how well you golfed, the trails you skiied, or reviewing the Holiday Inn Express you stayed at with our delicious cookies!