Wei Under Par | A fresh and candid take on all things golf

Sep

7

2018

WUPdate: Namaste from India and see you in Paris at the Ryder Cup

By Stephanie Wei under General

Hey guys, it’s been a moment. I wish I could’ve written this post eight months ago when I began this journey, but I had no idea I’d be embarking on such a magical, healing adventure. When I left home — the good ol’ USA — it was from Kapalua, the Tournament of Champions, I ran into a player at the lobby bar and had an unexpectedly disturbing conversation that jolted me, like in seismic proportions. Luckily, I was getting ready to leave for the airport for my Mandarin immersion course in Taiwan, which turned out to be an even more of a blessing in disguise than I expected.

To have the privilege and opportunity to take a year away sounds and feels spoiled and selfish, and both are true. But I also consider it brave that having recognized I was in a bad place, a broken shell of my former self, I had the courage to change the path, move across the world, become literate in my parents’ native language, and backpack through some of the most beautiful “shithole” countries on the planet.

I tried so many times to write this update. I’m not sure why it’s been so hard. I think I’ve been scared to write publicly again. I’ve been tentative the past few years because I felt like I’ve lost my voice. I lost faith and trust in myself, but through a difficult, painful yet ultimately rewarding and beautiful journey, I’ve healed and I’m ready to kick some ass! (Not literally.)

Even though I’m not finished with this wonderful adventure filled with stories that will make you laugh cringe and perhaps cry, I feel whole again. I feel like, well, me.

5 Comments

Apr

8

2018

Vive le golf en France: 2018 Ryder Cup, Le Golf National and Paris (Part 3)

By Stephanie Wei under Ryder Cup

This is part 3 from golf party (#partiedegolf !!) in France for two weeks in December 2017. For part 1 and 2 of this series, go here and here — which are, of course, highly recommended!Like what you see? Check out and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.

Photo: Patrick Koenig

*Update: I wrote a draft of this post back in December/January, but then I traveled across the other side of the world to Taiwan to learn Mandarin and forgot I never published it! Better late than never and it’s obviously an evergreen post and I’m sure there’s even more anticipation now with the Ryder Cup just around the corner! Enjoy.

2 Comments

#2018 Ryder Cup, #France, #Le Golf National, #Paris, #Versailles

Jan

5

2018

Rickie Fowler played golf fearlessly in an untucked shirt and lived to talk about it

By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Embed from Getty Images

Rickie Fowler once again opened the new year with a sartorial splash on the links. From the moment he turned professional in 2009, he’s never been afraid to push golf’s rigid and outdated dress codes. His “brand” has always been “edgy” and “disruptive,” but “classy” and “respectful” at the same time — it’s a fine line to toe, but he has managed to pull it off with perfection.
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When Fowler stepped up to the first tee at Kapalua’s Plantation Course on Thursday, you could hear the sound of thousands of dentures fall onto marble and hardwood parquet floors in clubhouses around the globe. His opening drive in 2018 was eclipsed by his Hawaiian style golf shirt that he wore UNTUCKED. Yes, he wore an untucked Aloha shirt at a PGA Tour event and it stayed untucked for all 18 holes. And holy shit, he got through the experience relatively unscathed. At 5pm local time, the game is still alive and well.

7 Comments

#2018 Tournament of Champions, #dress codes, #golf fashion police, #Hawaiian shirt, #Kapalua, #Plantation Course, #PUMA Golf, #Rickie Fowler

Dec

26

2017

Vive le golf en France: Golf de Saint-Cloud (Part 2)

By Stephanie Wei under Travel

This is the second part about my recent adventures playing golf and hanging out in France for two weeks earlier this month. For part 1 of this series, go here — which is, of course, highly recommended! Like what you see? Check out and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat…what am I missing?

(Photo by Patrick Koenig)

After the quick jaunt in Normandy, we arrived in Paris. Oui! Who doesn’t love Paris? Oui! I mean, no! I’ve been a couple of times, but I don’t think I’d been in almost a decade, so it was definitely long overdue, not to mention it was my golfing buddy-in-crime Patrick Koenig’s first trip. Though we only had one (and a half) free evening(s), and I made the most of it and hit up a couple of the main tourist spots, where we dressed like cat burglars and performed impressive stretch routines and high-kicked our way throughout the city.

We traveled from Normandy to the Paris area to experience Golf de Saint-Cloud, where we battled the elements (again) — sleet, rain, sun, hail, snow, wind, etc. — with nine holes (plus three-five more). There are two 18-hole tracks, the Green Course, designed by some architect named Harry Colt, and the Yellow Course.

1 Comment

#2018 Ryder Cup, #Eiffel Tower, #France, #Golf de Saint-Cloud, #Harry Colt, #Paris, #Private Golf Key

Dec

22

2017

Vive le golf en France! — Normandy (Part 1)

By Stephanie Wei under Ryder Cup

Golf de Granville/Photo by Patrick Koenig

With the Ryder Cup headed to France in 2018, it seemed not only logical but practical to conduct a reconnaissance trip to play some of the country’s finest golf courses before the year end.

A couple of months ago, when I was contacted by Olivier from Private Golf Key, a Paris-based travel, golf and lifestyle company, about the potential journey to Normandy and Paris, along with Cannes, the host city for the 2017 International Golf Travel Market (it’s like the PGA Show, but for golf tourism), I felt like it would be a disservice to turn down such an opportunity, especially since interest will be piqued with Le Golf National hosting the always much-anticipated biennial matches between the premier golfers in Europe and the U.S.

2 Comments

#2018 Ryder Cup, #Battle of Normandy, #Cannes, #France, #French links, #Golf de Granville, #Hotel La Chenevière, #IGTM, #La Mer Course, #Le Golf National, #LInks golf, #Normandy, #Omaha Beach GC, #Paris, #Private Golf Key

Dec

21

2017

Be like Rickie: “P stands for” HAT GIVEAWAY! [Updated]

By Stephanie Wei under Contest

You may recall seeing Rickie Fowler wearing a super sweet hat en route to his record-breaking victory at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas earlier this month. (If you don’t, well, see photo below taken following the first round at Albany GC.)

Per usual, Rickie made a fashion statement, debuting his new PUMA Golf P Snapback Cap.

A post shared by Stephanie Wei (@stephaniemwei) on Dec 21, 2017 at 1:02pm PST

Surely everyone’s immediate reaction was similar and you were like, that’s such an awesome hat; I want one. So you added it to your Christmas wish list and you’re betting it’ll show up in your stocking, but there’s a chance that Santa decides you don’t deserve it or forgets it. Which would really suck. Alas, great news! — we’re having a giveaway for Rickie’s go-to hat for the upcoming season, and you don’t just have one chance to win, but THREE!

Learn how to enter…It’s easy!

43 Comments

#2017 Hero World Challenge, #Bahamas, #Giveaway, #Happy Holidays, #PUMA Golf, #PUMA Golf P Snapback Cap., #Rickie Fowler

Dec

4

2017

Super Hero! Rickie rules, Tiger schools

By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

I’m fairly certain that headline makes zero sense, and what’s worse, it is so basic that it makes me want to seethe in a bath of self-loathing sewer water. Okay, I can’t believe I just typed those words together because I am physically cringing and cowering at the thought. But in this rare occasion, I don’t care if the headline is dumb and trite because I like it.

Embed from Getty Images

What a week! Rickie Fowler went absolutely nuts in the final round at Albany Golf Club, kicking off the day with seven straight birdies and posting an eight-under 28 on the front nine. Fowler cooled off a bit on the back nine, but still fired an 11-under 61, setting a new course record, tournament record, and his personal career-low score. Rickie ran away with the victory by four shots.

1 Comment

#2017 Hero World Challenge, #Albany Golf Club, #Justin Thomas, #Rickie Fowler, #Tiger Woods, #Tiger's back

Dec

2

2017

KEEP CALM: Tiger Woods struggles early, finishes strong

By Stephanie Wei under PGA Tour

Embed from Getty Images

Tiger Woods got off to a rough start in Saturday’s third round of the Hero World Challenge, posting a four-over 40 on the front nine, but he finished strong, playing the last five holes at two-under to shoot three-over 75.

EVERYONE TAKE A DEEP BREATH — it’s going to be OK! Tiger was bound to have an “off” day; almost every player, including the eventual winner, has one round over four days that feels more like a grind. The difference is usually how the player manages to contain the damage. And the conditions were tougher, with the wind up from the previous days. In fact, the scoring average of the field was three shots higher.