Hello everyone!
Wow, it's been a long time since I last wrote a blog! We have been in a little bit of a break with the tour recently, but we have hit the home stretch. There is only one more event left on the schedule, which will take place this coming week. The event is at a course called Panther Trails, at the Woodlands Canongate Resort, and I am very familiar with it. It will be great to play an event on a course that I have played many times before.
Today I finished my seventh event of the winter, and again I have seen some positives in my play. While I shot 77-73, I am focusing on what was very positive over the course of the two days. This event was only a two day tournament, so instead of a cut after two days, only the top 30% of the field were paid. I finished four shots out of the money, but this was my first event where I was in contention to make some money. After struggling with getting a good score out of a mediocre day, I went into today with confidence that I could turn it around, shoot a good number, and finish in the prize money. I began the day extremely solidly, and was two under par through eight holes, and three over par for the tournament. It was expected that two over par would be in the prize money, so I knew I was close, providing I could keep my good play up.
It is a different feeling to play golf when you begin to allow a target score creep into your mind. I really felt good with my game, and my decision making was solid, but I let my mind wander to thoughts of holes ahead, or making birdies, and I let a good chance to shoot a good score slip away. I made three bogies over the last ten holes, and finished with a one over par 73, and six over par for the tournament. I take a lot of positives out of this though, as you need to put yourself into these types of situations, and into positions to make cuts and compete, to gain the experience to continue progressing. I was very happy with a number of things I saw in my game today, and I am hoping that these experiences and the feelings I felt today, will allow my to perform at the level I know I can, over the coming months.
After next week, I will be doing a little bit of travelling, and ultimately will make my way to San Diego, California, for Canadian Tour Qualifying School. The Canadian Tour has really grown into a wonderful tour, and I am really looking forward to the opportunity to playing out there this summer!
Take care everyone!
Stew
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Grinding, Pain, and Swallowing Your Pride
Hi everyone,
This week has been a strange one. On Saturday night, I began to notice some stiffness in my back. Thinking I had probably just slept on it wrong, I went to sleep expecting it to feel a little better on Sunday. Sunday was not any better. I spent the day stretching and resting, and avoided playing any golf, as I had my tournament to look out for. On Monday, with the aid of some back pain relief aspirin I bought at the grocery store, and a heat wrap, I was able to play my practice round without any real bother, and I was looking forward to this week's tournament.
Yesterday was a different story. As the round progressed, I had less and less confidence that I could swing through the golf ball, as I was worried about the pain in my back. While I grinded very well, I hit some pretty strange shots out there, and ended up shooting 77. It was a tough day, and I was fairly happy with how I kept working hard until the round was finished. There were some swings that I did not finish in fear of pain, but I was able to limit my mistakes fairly well. Aside from two double bogies on the front nine after two terrible drives, I played a fairly solid round of golf. I was also very happy that I found a way to get the golf ball into play off the tee, when I was not at my best. I saw a Chiropractor after the round, and while I had an adjustment, it did not make enough of a difference to really feel well.
Today, I only was able to play nine holes before having to withdraw from the tournament. I was in a lot of pain, and I knew that continuing to play only would increase the chance of hurting myself greater. While I wanted to finish, I knew that it was time to call it a tournament. This is the first time I have ever withdrawn from a tournament, and while it bothers me that I had to do it, I know it was the best decision. I have tried to play through pain before, and only ended up making the injury worse, and I did not want to do that again. I will take a little time off, identify what the problem is, and make sure that I give myself the best chance of not having it happen again!
It is upsetting because I was really feeling good about my game heading into this event. Even yesterday, playing through the pain I was in, I was quite happy in how I managed my game. I did learn that I do have a shot I can rely on to get the golf ball into play, as well. There have been many times that I was uncomfortable on the tee box, and I have found out a way to make sure I get the ball in play now. This will be very valuable in the future of my golf career!
I hope everyone is having a great day, and is in good health!!!
Stew
This week has been a strange one. On Saturday night, I began to notice some stiffness in my back. Thinking I had probably just slept on it wrong, I went to sleep expecting it to feel a little better on Sunday. Sunday was not any better. I spent the day stretching and resting, and avoided playing any golf, as I had my tournament to look out for. On Monday, with the aid of some back pain relief aspirin I bought at the grocery store, and a heat wrap, I was able to play my practice round without any real bother, and I was looking forward to this week's tournament.
Yesterday was a different story. As the round progressed, I had less and less confidence that I could swing through the golf ball, as I was worried about the pain in my back. While I grinded very well, I hit some pretty strange shots out there, and ended up shooting 77. It was a tough day, and I was fairly happy with how I kept working hard until the round was finished. There were some swings that I did not finish in fear of pain, but I was able to limit my mistakes fairly well. Aside from two double bogies on the front nine after two terrible drives, I played a fairly solid round of golf. I was also very happy that I found a way to get the golf ball into play off the tee, when I was not at my best. I saw a Chiropractor after the round, and while I had an adjustment, it did not make enough of a difference to really feel well.
Today, I only was able to play nine holes before having to withdraw from the tournament. I was in a lot of pain, and I knew that continuing to play only would increase the chance of hurting myself greater. While I wanted to finish, I knew that it was time to call it a tournament. This is the first time I have ever withdrawn from a tournament, and while it bothers me that I had to do it, I know it was the best decision. I have tried to play through pain before, and only ended up making the injury worse, and I did not want to do that again. I will take a little time off, identify what the problem is, and make sure that I give myself the best chance of not having it happen again!
It is upsetting because I was really feeling good about my game heading into this event. Even yesterday, playing through the pain I was in, I was quite happy in how I managed my game. I did learn that I do have a shot I can rely on to get the golf ball into play, as well. There have been many times that I was uncomfortable on the tee box, and I have found out a way to make sure I get the ball in play now. This will be very valuable in the future of my golf career!
I hope everyone is having a great day, and is in good health!!!
Stew
Friday, January 15, 2010
One Step Closer!
Hi Everyone!
Just got home from round two of the event, and I can happily report that the score was much better today. I finished with an even-par 72 on a tough day at Bentwater, which I was pleased with. I putted the ball beautifully, and the work that I did with Cory over the holidays really started to show.
I spent about an hour working on my speed after the round yesterday, and that made all the difference today. The putts that I was leaving short yesterday were finding their way to the bottom of the hole today. I did not strike the ball as solidly as yesterday, and it was quite windy out there. This meant that the putter needed to be working, and I had seven less putts than yesterday, which was great. I am very excited to continue to work on my game, and to keep working towards my goals.
This week's event is only a two-day event, so that means that there is no cut. The Tour also announced a new method of determining the cut line. The change to the rule now means that only the top thirty percent of the field makes the cut. In the past, no matter the field size, the top fifteen players made the cut, and if the top thirty percent was more than fifteen, the cut was increased. The fields have been small this year, so that means that if I want to get paid, I am going to have to keep playing good rounds! This Tour has been a wonderful experience for me so far, and I am looking forward to the upcoming events. There are five more events on the schedule, and I am looking at playing three to four more.
Thanks for reading everyone, hit it straight!
Stew
Just got home from round two of the event, and I can happily report that the score was much better today. I finished with an even-par 72 on a tough day at Bentwater, which I was pleased with. I putted the ball beautifully, and the work that I did with Cory over the holidays really started to show.
I spent about an hour working on my speed after the round yesterday, and that made all the difference today. The putts that I was leaving short yesterday were finding their way to the bottom of the hole today. I did not strike the ball as solidly as yesterday, and it was quite windy out there. This meant that the putter needed to be working, and I had seven less putts than yesterday, which was great. I am very excited to continue to work on my game, and to keep working towards my goals.
This week's event is only a two-day event, so that means that there is no cut. The Tour also announced a new method of determining the cut line. The change to the rule now means that only the top thirty percent of the field makes the cut. In the past, no matter the field size, the top fifteen players made the cut, and if the top thirty percent was more than fifteen, the cut was increased. The fields have been small this year, so that means that if I want to get paid, I am going to have to keep playing good rounds! This Tour has been a wonderful experience for me so far, and I am looking forward to the upcoming events. There are five more events on the schedule, and I am looking at playing three to four more.
Thanks for reading everyone, hit it straight!
Stew
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Shaking the Rust Off!
Hello Everyone!
Over a month since the last entry, and there really hasn't been much going on. I had a great time home for Christmas, but with the snow and cold, it sure has been nice to be back! The weather has been a little spotty here in Texas, but as long as I can get out and play golf, I certainly cannot complain.
We have started our fifth tournament, and I struggled to a 77 today. It is very frustrating to continuously show potential and not see the results. I did not control the ball as well as I did at Cypresswood, in the last event, but I did not play as poorly as my score indicated. I felt good out there, but made some mental errors that I shouldn't have made. It took me about nine holes to really feel comfortable with my alignment, and pre-shot routine. These are things I should have spent a little more time working on while warming up today, and I do not think I will make tomorrow. I hit a poor tee shot off the 7th hole, which ended up out of bounds, that I feel was directly a result of poor alignment. Once I addressed these issues, I really felt good on the back nine, and hit the ball quite well. I am looking forward to tomorrow!
While I made a few errors that I could chalk up to being rusty, after a week of practice, that is not a very good excuse! My short game was not sharp. I did hit one fantastic bunker shot on the 3rd hole, and some pretty nice bump and run chips. That was very positive. I struggled specifically with my 58 degree wedge around the greens, and that just means I need to focus a little more on that club during practice! The game ultimately comes down to getting the ball in the hole, and today I just did not do that. I had 33 putts, and you cannot be competitive at this level doing that.
I spent a good amount of time working on my putting with my coach, Cory Kartusch, while back in Winnipeg. We changed my putting posture, and it has freed me up to stroke the putts better, and see the line much better. I really stroked the ball well, but I was not hitting the putts with enough speed to go in the hole on the lines I chose. This is easy to fix, I just need to hit them a little firmer!!!
Tomorrow is round two, and I am looking forward to building on today's round. I am going to be a little harder on myself, as I expect more than what I am currently displaying. I am happy with my effort, and the work I am putting in, but it is time to start seeing better scores! We have a great schedule of tournaments coming up over the next couple months, and I cannot wait to play them!
All the best!
Stew
Over a month since the last entry, and there really hasn't been much going on. I had a great time home for Christmas, but with the snow and cold, it sure has been nice to be back! The weather has been a little spotty here in Texas, but as long as I can get out and play golf, I certainly cannot complain.
We have started our fifth tournament, and I struggled to a 77 today. It is very frustrating to continuously show potential and not see the results. I did not control the ball as well as I did at Cypresswood, in the last event, but I did not play as poorly as my score indicated. I felt good out there, but made some mental errors that I shouldn't have made. It took me about nine holes to really feel comfortable with my alignment, and pre-shot routine. These are things I should have spent a little more time working on while warming up today, and I do not think I will make tomorrow. I hit a poor tee shot off the 7th hole, which ended up out of bounds, that I feel was directly a result of poor alignment. Once I addressed these issues, I really felt good on the back nine, and hit the ball quite well. I am looking forward to tomorrow!
While I made a few errors that I could chalk up to being rusty, after a week of practice, that is not a very good excuse! My short game was not sharp. I did hit one fantastic bunker shot on the 3rd hole, and some pretty nice bump and run chips. That was very positive. I struggled specifically with my 58 degree wedge around the greens, and that just means I need to focus a little more on that club during practice! The game ultimately comes down to getting the ball in the hole, and today I just did not do that. I had 33 putts, and you cannot be competitive at this level doing that.
I spent a good amount of time working on my putting with my coach, Cory Kartusch, while back in Winnipeg. We changed my putting posture, and it has freed me up to stroke the putts better, and see the line much better. I really stroked the ball well, but I was not hitting the putts with enough speed to go in the hole on the lines I chose. This is easy to fix, I just need to hit them a little firmer!!!
Tomorrow is round two, and I am looking forward to building on today's round. I am going to be a little harder on myself, as I expect more than what I am currently displaying. I am happy with my effort, and the work I am putting in, but it is time to start seeing better scores! We have a great schedule of tournaments coming up over the next couple months, and I cannot wait to play them!
All the best!
Stew
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Getting Closer
Hi everyone!
This is sort of a combination blog, as I didn't write anything after my third event finished, and I just finished my fourth.
Progress! It was great to see some good signs at the last two events. Even though I missed both cuts, I am getting much closer. At Kingwood, I finally drove the ball very well in a tournament. I was hitting my driver with conviction and making very confident swings, which is a must at this level. I also felt I controlled the ball well with my irons, in fairly tough, windy, cold, conditions. I didn't score well, as my short game and my putting were very poor, but the ball-striking side of things made me very happy heading into our fourth event at Cypresswood GC.
It was a strange order of events leading up to the last few days. Adam Speirs and I had played a few practice rounds at the Tradition course, where our event was, and the greens were in extremely bad shape. The Tradition course is absolutely wonderful, but the greens were in close to the worst condition I have ever seen for a tournament.
On Sunday, the day before the event, we were phoned, and told that the Adams Tour had changed the venue from the Tradition course to the Cypress course at Cypresswood. Adam and I raced over to the course to play a practice round, as neither of us had seen the Cypress course before. It was a neat little track, and it was good to get the practice round in. It was a little surprising to have the venue changed so soon before the event started, but we were able to get a practice round in, which made everything ok.
I really hit the ball well the past few days during the event at Cypresswood. I would actually consider the two rounds of golf some of my finest ball-striking I've ever had in a tournament. I was never in trouble off the tee, and I hit a lot of shots very close to the hole. I shot 73-72, one over par, and even though I missed the cut, I am very happy with the progress. My putting really let me down, as I missed a very large number of putts inside ten feet, but I really felt like I belonged out there over the past few days. I need to get back into a good solid routine of practice, as I have been spending a lot more time playing lately. I had been working very hard on my short game when I first arrived in Texas, and I felt very good about it over the first few events, while my ball striking struggled. Now that my ball striking is at a good level, I need to make sure I am giving the short game the time it deserves! I am still learning a lot about how to manage my practice and playing time, and how to find the best routine for myself, but I really feel like I am on the right track.
I will be down here for another week and a half, before heading back to Winnipeg for the holidays. It will be great to see all my friends and family back up North, even if I wont be playing golf for a little while! The Adams Tour starts up again the second week of January, so I'll arrive back down here a week or so before, and get everything back in shape to give the second leg a good run!
I know I finish my blogs like this all the time, but I really appreciate the support and well-wishes I am receiving from all of you! It is great to see my E-Mail inbox filled with messages from everyone, and I can't thank you all enough!
Stew
This is sort of a combination blog, as I didn't write anything after my third event finished, and I just finished my fourth.
Progress! It was great to see some good signs at the last two events. Even though I missed both cuts, I am getting much closer. At Kingwood, I finally drove the ball very well in a tournament. I was hitting my driver with conviction and making very confident swings, which is a must at this level. I also felt I controlled the ball well with my irons, in fairly tough, windy, cold, conditions. I didn't score well, as my short game and my putting were very poor, but the ball-striking side of things made me very happy heading into our fourth event at Cypresswood GC.
It was a strange order of events leading up to the last few days. Adam Speirs and I had played a few practice rounds at the Tradition course, where our event was, and the greens were in extremely bad shape. The Tradition course is absolutely wonderful, but the greens were in close to the worst condition I have ever seen for a tournament.
On Sunday, the day before the event, we were phoned, and told that the Adams Tour had changed the venue from the Tradition course to the Cypress course at Cypresswood. Adam and I raced over to the course to play a practice round, as neither of us had seen the Cypress course before. It was a neat little track, and it was good to get the practice round in. It was a little surprising to have the venue changed so soon before the event started, but we were able to get a practice round in, which made everything ok.
I really hit the ball well the past few days during the event at Cypresswood. I would actually consider the two rounds of golf some of my finest ball-striking I've ever had in a tournament. I was never in trouble off the tee, and I hit a lot of shots very close to the hole. I shot 73-72, one over par, and even though I missed the cut, I am very happy with the progress. My putting really let me down, as I missed a very large number of putts inside ten feet, but I really felt like I belonged out there over the past few days. I need to get back into a good solid routine of practice, as I have been spending a lot more time playing lately. I had been working very hard on my short game when I first arrived in Texas, and I felt very good about it over the first few events, while my ball striking struggled. Now that my ball striking is at a good level, I need to make sure I am giving the short game the time it deserves! I am still learning a lot about how to manage my practice and playing time, and how to find the best routine for myself, but I really feel like I am on the right track.
I will be down here for another week and a half, before heading back to Winnipeg for the holidays. It will be great to see all my friends and family back up North, even if I wont be playing golf for a little while! The Adams Tour starts up again the second week of January, so I'll arrive back down here a week or so before, and get everything back in shape to give the second leg a good run!
I know I finish my blogs like this all the time, but I really appreciate the support and well-wishes I am receiving from all of you! It is great to see my E-Mail inbox filled with messages from everyone, and I can't thank you all enough!
Stew
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Back to Business!
Hello!
It's been a good while since I've written anything, but we had a small break in the schedule with the Thanksgiving holiday. I had an absolutely wonderful time in Norman, Oklahoma with my friends JR and Erin, and their families, and I can't thank them enough for being such great hosts! It was a week of great fun, great golf, great weather, great friends, and just an overall great time! We even were joined by our friends Fergal and Lindsey for the weekend, and got to witness the Oklahoma Sooners beat up on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the big Thanksgiving weekend college football game. It was an absolutely incredible week, and even though it was tough to leave, it is great to back in the Woodlands.
We start another tournament tomorrow morning on the Forest Course at Kingwood Golf Club. It is a great golf course, although it will be a little wet, as we have had a good amount of rain the last few days, and it is pouring right now! It is always tough to be patient when the course is very wet, as you will get mud on your golf ball, bad lies, have to deal with casual water, and usually just a number of frustrations that you don't normally experience. Hopefully we will be playing lift, clean and place, through the green, but if we don't, you have to accept the bad breaks, benefit from the good breaks, and just keep grinding until the last putt is holed on 18. My dad has always taught me to be prepared for anything, so I most definitely will be more ready than just about anyone else, for any type of weather or course conditions!
This week has been really fun for me because Adam Speirs is down here playing the next two tournaments as well. Adam has always been a very good friend and someone I have looked up to, and it's been a blast playing and practicing with him the past few days. Adam has accomplished quite a lot in his golfing career thus far, and I am trying as hard as I can to pick up a few pointers and tips along the way!
I have partially solved my driver dilemma, as Adam brought a driver head down for me to use while mine is being replaced. My good friends at the Caddy Shed graciously lent me one that I can play until I have received my replacement from Taylor Made, and I can't thank them enough. I heard there was a big sale down at the Shed, so go find all your Christmas presents for all your friends there, and tell them Stewart sent you!!!
Well, it's bedtime for me, and I'm really excited about getting this tournament underway tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Stew
It's been a good while since I've written anything, but we had a small break in the schedule with the Thanksgiving holiday. I had an absolutely wonderful time in Norman, Oklahoma with my friends JR and Erin, and their families, and I can't thank them enough for being such great hosts! It was a week of great fun, great golf, great weather, great friends, and just an overall great time! We even were joined by our friends Fergal and Lindsey for the weekend, and got to witness the Oklahoma Sooners beat up on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the big Thanksgiving weekend college football game. It was an absolutely incredible week, and even though it was tough to leave, it is great to back in the Woodlands.
We start another tournament tomorrow morning on the Forest Course at Kingwood Golf Club. It is a great golf course, although it will be a little wet, as we have had a good amount of rain the last few days, and it is pouring right now! It is always tough to be patient when the course is very wet, as you will get mud on your golf ball, bad lies, have to deal with casual water, and usually just a number of frustrations that you don't normally experience. Hopefully we will be playing lift, clean and place, through the green, but if we don't, you have to accept the bad breaks, benefit from the good breaks, and just keep grinding until the last putt is holed on 18. My dad has always taught me to be prepared for anything, so I most definitely will be more ready than just about anyone else, for any type of weather or course conditions!
This week has been really fun for me because Adam Speirs is down here playing the next two tournaments as well. Adam has always been a very good friend and someone I have looked up to, and it's been a blast playing and practicing with him the past few days. Adam has accomplished quite a lot in his golfing career thus far, and I am trying as hard as I can to pick up a few pointers and tips along the way!
I have partially solved my driver dilemma, as Adam brought a driver head down for me to use while mine is being replaced. My good friends at the Caddy Shed graciously lent me one that I can play until I have received my replacement from Taylor Made, and I can't thank them enough. I heard there was a big sale down at the Shed, so go find all your Christmas presents for all your friends there, and tell them Stewart sent you!!!
Well, it's bedtime for me, and I'm really excited about getting this tournament underway tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Stew
Monday, November 16, 2009
Dented Drivers, New Commitments and The Future
Hi everyone!
It's a little bit of a crummy day here in the Woodlands today, so I've been taking it easy this morning. Had my first little sleep in for quite some time, and just got back from my morning workout at the gym. The last week has been a good week, and I've been regaining my confidence on the golf course, and starting to feel a lot more comfortable again.
Unfortunately, in the middle of last week, I noticed a strange almost dent on the toe of my driver. I was cleaning the face off, and as my thumb brushed over the toe side grooves, the face felt flat. Drivers have what is called bulge and roll on the face, and there is curvature to the entire driver, from heel to toe, and top to bottom. For some reason, the toe side of my driver is almost flat. I had a few people take a look at it, and the general consensus is that the driver face has caved in. This happens with drivers, and is usually a product of hitting too many old range balls. Range balls are often solid, and they do not react exactly like a real golf ball. They are much harder in most cases, and as they get older, get put through cleaning machines, and just get more worn out, they tend to get very hard. With as thin as a driver face is, it doesn't take much if you hit the wrong ball in the wrong spot on the face, and you can run into a problem. It is funny, my friend Scott Staub almost slapped me when I said I was only bringing one driver head down here with me, and I guess he was right! This happens a lot with drivers (by my count, this is the eighth or ninth driver I've caved in since I was 13), and the driver is being replaced, very courteously, by Taylor Made.
We have a tournament on the schedule this week, at Lake Windcrest Golf Club, but I am not playing because of not having a driver. This could turn out to be a good thing, though, because I now have a two week break before our next event. Thanksgiving weekend is next week, so there is no event scheduled. This gives me a bunch of time to work hard on my game, and get myself ready for our next tournament at Kingwood Country Club, the first week of December. I am going up to Norman, Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving with my good friend J.R. and his family, and we'll have some good days of playing and practicing before and after!
I have made a very strong commitment lately to getting into a lot better shape. I have never been in bad shape, but I have never really worked hard to get into very good shape, especially on the aerobic side of things. The last week I have been waking up early every morning, and heading to the gym for around an hour of cardio work. This is very new to me, as I've always hated doing cardio, but I know it will pay off! I feel much better when I am at the course in the afternoon, I have much more energy, and I know the work I'm doing in the gym will only benefit me on the course. Once I get home from the golf course in the evenings, I also head back to the gym for my strength training workouts. I can't imagine there are many people who know me that would ever believe I'm doing two-a-days! The cardio and the strength training is something that I know will really help me reach my goals, and something I really need to do!
Things have been really good lately, and I am really looking forward to the last three events of the season. I have been spending a lot of time on the golf course working on my confidence, and it is starting to come back to the points it has been. I am working very hard on my putting, and I see it starting to pay off. I am confident that in a few weeks, when we tee it up at Kingwood, I will be ready to put my best effort forward, and continue my progress in my professional tournament play.
Take care everyone!
Stew
It's a little bit of a crummy day here in the Woodlands today, so I've been taking it easy this morning. Had my first little sleep in for quite some time, and just got back from my morning workout at the gym. The last week has been a good week, and I've been regaining my confidence on the golf course, and starting to feel a lot more comfortable again.
Unfortunately, in the middle of last week, I noticed a strange almost dent on the toe of my driver. I was cleaning the face off, and as my thumb brushed over the toe side grooves, the face felt flat. Drivers have what is called bulge and roll on the face, and there is curvature to the entire driver, from heel to toe, and top to bottom. For some reason, the toe side of my driver is almost flat. I had a few people take a look at it, and the general consensus is that the driver face has caved in. This happens with drivers, and is usually a product of hitting too many old range balls. Range balls are often solid, and they do not react exactly like a real golf ball. They are much harder in most cases, and as they get older, get put through cleaning machines, and just get more worn out, they tend to get very hard. With as thin as a driver face is, it doesn't take much if you hit the wrong ball in the wrong spot on the face, and you can run into a problem. It is funny, my friend Scott Staub almost slapped me when I said I was only bringing one driver head down here with me, and I guess he was right! This happens a lot with drivers (by my count, this is the eighth or ninth driver I've caved in since I was 13), and the driver is being replaced, very courteously, by Taylor Made.
We have a tournament on the schedule this week, at Lake Windcrest Golf Club, but I am not playing because of not having a driver. This could turn out to be a good thing, though, because I now have a two week break before our next event. Thanksgiving weekend is next week, so there is no event scheduled. This gives me a bunch of time to work hard on my game, and get myself ready for our next tournament at Kingwood Country Club, the first week of December. I am going up to Norman, Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving with my good friend J.R. and his family, and we'll have some good days of playing and practicing before and after!
I have made a very strong commitment lately to getting into a lot better shape. I have never been in bad shape, but I have never really worked hard to get into very good shape, especially on the aerobic side of things. The last week I have been waking up early every morning, and heading to the gym for around an hour of cardio work. This is very new to me, as I've always hated doing cardio, but I know it will pay off! I feel much better when I am at the course in the afternoon, I have much more energy, and I know the work I'm doing in the gym will only benefit me on the course. Once I get home from the golf course in the evenings, I also head back to the gym for my strength training workouts. I can't imagine there are many people who know me that would ever believe I'm doing two-a-days! The cardio and the strength training is something that I know will really help me reach my goals, and something I really need to do!
Things have been really good lately, and I am really looking forward to the last three events of the season. I have been spending a lot of time on the golf course working on my confidence, and it is starting to come back to the points it has been. I am working very hard on my putting, and I see it starting to pay off. I am confident that in a few weeks, when we tee it up at Kingwood, I will be ready to put my best effort forward, and continue my progress in my professional tournament play.
Take care everyone!
Stew
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