Before Cristie Kerr won the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles in North
Carolina
in July, her biggest victory came in the Battle of the Bulge.
Some pros
overhaul their swings; Kerr overhauled her physique.
Struggling early in her
career, the 5-foot-3 Kerr had ballooned to 175
pounds by 1999. A self-described
“four-eyed fatty,” Kerr hired a
nutritionist and strength coach. She dropped 50
pounds and lost the
glasses, completely transforming herself and her
game.
Part of her continued commitment to a healthier lifestyle is living at
the Mirabel Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. “I grew up in south Florida,
but it’s
just too humid,” says Kerr, who turned 30 in October. “I like
the desert
landscape a lot better. I just feel healthier.”
She and her husband, Erik
Stevens, 42, moved into their
4,400-square-foot Territorial-style home in
February 2006 after
spending two years scouting various golf communities in
Scottsdale.
They bought the custom home when it was 80 percent complete,
allowing
them to add their own touches.
“We wanted to have a great house and
be at a great club and have
everything with high quality,” Kerr says. “[Mirabel]
was the answer for
us.” Adds Stevens, who oversees Kerr’s business ventures: “We
like the
attention to detail and service of the staff, the quiet pace of life
and the golf course.”
Situated on 713 acres at an elevation of 3,000 feet,
Mirabel
provides beautiful views of Pinnacle Peak, rugged desert topography and
a challenging Tom Fazio layout. With just 350 members, Kerr never has
trouble
getting a tee time when she’s home, playing four to six times a
week, sometimes
with fellow resident Notah Begay.
During the summer, when she’s not playing
in tournaments, Kerr and
Stevens stay at their apartment in New York City and at
her brother’s
house in Westport, Connecticut. “We’re sort of vagabonds,” says
Kerr,
who employs a private service to look after the home when they’re
away.
When she is at Mirabel, Kerr maintains a workout
regimen of
cardio and weightlifting four times a week at the club’s
fitness facility. She
also likes to spend time working on the house;
her decorating tastes—handwoven
rugs, heavy wooden furniture and
Western art—are in keeping with the home’s
adobe style. Says Stevens:
“We are constantly puttering and redecorating.”
Their next project may be a guest house/exercise room—family and friends,
including fellow pros Natalie Gulbis and Kelli Kuehne, are frequent
visitors.
“We entertain a lot during the off-season,” says Stevens, who
likes the flow of
the great room’s open floor plan for get-togethers.
“We love to cook and have
wine tastings.”
But don’t expect them to build a special nook for her
national
championship trophy. It is proudly displayed in the clubhouse.
