Albright drives her way back to the Tea Cup

Bryce Alderton

Debbie Albright is taking a light-hearted approach to her golf game

as Tea Cup VII approaches at 1 p.m. Friday at Mesa Verde Country

Club.

The New Zealand native, who won the Tea Cup in 2001, changed to a

Henry Griffith-brand driver during the women’s club championship at

Newport Beach Country Club in May to fit with the rest of the clubs

in her bag.

The results speak for themselves. Albright won her eighth

consecutive club crown by 11 shots, producing rounds of 85-82-80-77,

for a 72-hole total of 324.

“I was going through the change in drivers and I teed off on a few

holes with the 5-wood,” Albright recalled. “I always resort to other

clubs when one is not working, so it made it pretty exciting.”

Albright began her final round of the women’s club championship

with three birdies and was well on her way to victory.

In addition to the brand change for her driver, the 45-year-old

Albright has converted the shafts in her wedges to graphite from

steel to match her irons.

“I got them [July 9] and really liked the way they feel,” Albright

said.

She considers herself more of a “feel player,” preferring practice

to work out any kinks in her swing.

“And there are some big kinks,” Albright said laughing.

A meticulous worker on the range, Albright takes lessons from NBCC

head professional Paul Hahn.

He will occasionally video tape Albright’s swing to allow her to

focus on her mechanics.

She prefers to think of the swing in its simplest parts, allowing

the muscles to do the work.

“When I play really well, it is effortless, without thinking too

much,” Albright said. “I’m not one to sit down and read golf tips. I

know some [people] benefit from reading magazines, but I don’t. I

learn from being out on the golf course, trying different shots and

getting instructions from Paul.”

Getting out on the course has become more of a chore for Albright

these days. She is a stay-at-home mom helping raise two teenage

children, Charlie and Katie, who will both attend Corona del Mar High

in the fall.

Her husband Joch has begun a charter sport fishing business to add

another dimension to a busy lifestyle.

She takes it all in stride.

“I have to keep myself available for the children,” Albright said.

“I thought I would have more free time with the kids getting older. I

don’t know where it goes.”

Albright competed against defending Tea Cup champion Marianne

Towersey (Santa Ana Country Club) and Mesa Verde’s Akemi Khaiat, in

women’s Southern California team play last month. Mesa Verde took

first in the gross while Newport came in second, Albright said.

Even though Albright said she hasn’t played as much as Towersey or

Khaiat, once the four women’s club champions from the four private

courses in Newport-Mesa tee off Friday at 1 p.m., everyone starts

from scratch. Sally Holstein, a two-time club champion from Big

Canyon, rounds out the foursome.

Albright hopes Friday will provide a better result than the 91 she

shot at last year’s Tea Cup.

“It comes down to who plays well that day,” Albright said. “I hope

I play better than last year, but I’ve put that behind me.”