A Special Day with Golfer Annika Sorenstam

Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam may officially be retired, but her professional expertise was appreciated by both children and adult golfers in a special event held Monday at the Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster. The event was a fundraiser for the golfer's nationwide ANNIKA Foundation, which encourages physical fitness for young people and aspiring golfers.

The full day of activities started with a sports clinic in the morning for about 70 area children ages 6 to 12. Children proceeded through "Nine Holes of Fun and Fitness," including how to drive the ball, pitching, putting and more general physical fitness activities such as twisting and stretching. Sorenstam joined the children in the morning. 

This is the second year that Sorenstam has brought the daylong agenda of activities to the Fiddler's Elbow, said Karen Moraghan, event coordinator.

"My children have played golf and went to [golf] camp at the Basking Ridge Country Club," said Fiona Dolan, whose children, Connor, 12, and Caroline, 10, participated in the free morning activities for children. Dolan, who said she lives in Bernards Township but is within the Bernardsville school district, said she brought two other children, Ella, 9, and Molly Kleinstein, 10, from Bernardsville.

All of the children looked forward to attending the activities with Sorenstam on Monday, which was a day off from school in Bernardsville, she said.

About 45 fourth-graders from the private Far Hills Country Day School in Bernardsville arrived by bus to participate, said Ginny Ladd, director of the intermediate school at Far Hills. Ladd said the fourth grade, including students from Basking Ridge, Bernardsville and elsewhere in Somerset Hills, coincidently have been participating in a golf session in their physical education class, she said.

The ANNIKA Foundation teaches children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offers aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams, according to a website describing the organization.

Funds for the foundation were raised during a golf clinic for adults with Sorenstam, who once golfed a 59 during a tournament round. Moraghan said 85 adults had registered to hear Sorenstam discuss the art of golf, and then review their games during a round at the country club's course.

During the clinic, Sorenstam talked about the power of positive vision, the need to find a rhythm in one's golf swing, and her belief in the practice tee. But, she advised that once golfers get a vision of where they want the ball to go, "I think it's so important to commit to the shot."

The day wrapped up with the fundraising "Annika Experience," a dinner and silent auction in the evening. Regional chefs included Walter Leffler from the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge; Antonio Berisha from Vine Restaurant in Basking Ridge; Anthony Bucco from Uproot in Warren and David Felton from Ninety Acres in Peapack-Gladstone.