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
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Lessons Learned From a Struggle
Hi everyone,
It was another tough week for me on the Adams Pro Golf Tour Winter Series. April Sound beat me up pretty good, and I wound up missing the cut after shooting scores of 78-82. I am pretty frustrated right now, but these past two weeks are showing me that I still have a long way to go before I reach where I want to be. It would be very easy to get down on myself, and start to question whether or not I am making the right choices being out here, but I am not going to allow that to happen. I am viewing every round, every day, every experience, as a very important lesson, and thus far I have learned a lot about my golf game, and about myself, that I did not know before.
I made errors today on the golf course that I do not normally make. On at least three occasions that I can think of, I let myself get out of my normal routine, and it wound up costing me shots. Whether they were slight slip-ups mentally, or lack of focus, they were inexcusable. Two of the mistakes were on the green, with putts I wound up missing, and the third was off the tee, where I got overly aggressive, stepped away from my game plan, and wound up hitting a ball out of bounds. The tee shot mistake led to a quadruple bogey 9 on the 17th hole, which is next to impossible to recover from. These types of things cannot happen, and the reason that we create our routines or our game plans is to follow them! We all make mistakes, and we will always make them, but little ones like I made today need to be eliminated in order to help me perform my best.
Golf is a cruel game, but at the same point, it is the most rewarding game in sports. You are out there by yourself. There are no teammates, no opponents affecting you, and nobody responsible for the outcome except yourself. Everything that happens on a golf course is entirely what you make of it. Golf can fill you with excitement and great feelings, or it can beat you up and leave you broken. It is incredible when you think about it.
So where do we go from here? Thus far, I have not played near the level I expect, nor the level I am capable of. I am enjoying every second of my new life, but it is clear that I need to work harder, and smarter, both on and off the course. That means a better use of my time while I am practicing at Augusta Pines. My practice sessions have to begin to include some technical work, as well as simulation of tournament-like situations. The more I can make my practice mimic a tournament, the more comfortable I will be in tournaments. I also need to make better use of my time when I am at home. My fitness needs to improve, and the frequency and quality of my gym workouts needs to improve. The better shape I can get myself into, the better I will feel on the golf course.
There is a long, hard road ahead, and even after some struggles, I still could not be happier about doing what I am doing. I wake up every morning, and I am chasing the dream I have had since I was very young. Nobody ever said it would be easy, and the most exciting thing is that the work I am putting in today will make me better tomorrow.
Take care everyone!
Stew
It was another tough week for me on the Adams Pro Golf Tour Winter Series. April Sound beat me up pretty good, and I wound up missing the cut after shooting scores of 78-82. I am pretty frustrated right now, but these past two weeks are showing me that I still have a long way to go before I reach where I want to be. It would be very easy to get down on myself, and start to question whether or not I am making the right choices being out here, but I am not going to allow that to happen. I am viewing every round, every day, every experience, as a very important lesson, and thus far I have learned a lot about my golf game, and about myself, that I did not know before.
I made errors today on the golf course that I do not normally make. On at least three occasions that I can think of, I let myself get out of my normal routine, and it wound up costing me shots. Whether they were slight slip-ups mentally, or lack of focus, they were inexcusable. Two of the mistakes were on the green, with putts I wound up missing, and the third was off the tee, where I got overly aggressive, stepped away from my game plan, and wound up hitting a ball out of bounds. The tee shot mistake led to a quadruple bogey 9 on the 17th hole, which is next to impossible to recover from. These types of things cannot happen, and the reason that we create our routines or our game plans is to follow them! We all make mistakes, and we will always make them, but little ones like I made today need to be eliminated in order to help me perform my best.
Golf is a cruel game, but at the same point, it is the most rewarding game in sports. You are out there by yourself. There are no teammates, no opponents affecting you, and nobody responsible for the outcome except yourself. Everything that happens on a golf course is entirely what you make of it. Golf can fill you with excitement and great feelings, or it can beat you up and leave you broken. It is incredible when you think about it.
So where do we go from here? Thus far, I have not played near the level I expect, nor the level I am capable of. I am enjoying every second of my new life, but it is clear that I need to work harder, and smarter, both on and off the course. That means a better use of my time while I am practicing at Augusta Pines. My practice sessions have to begin to include some technical work, as well as simulation of tournament-like situations. The more I can make my practice mimic a tournament, the more comfortable I will be in tournaments. I also need to make better use of my time when I am at home. My fitness needs to improve, and the frequency and quality of my gym workouts needs to improve. The better shape I can get myself into, the better I will feel on the golf course.
There is a long, hard road ahead, and even after some struggles, I still could not be happier about doing what I am doing. I wake up every morning, and I am chasing the dream I have had since I was very young. Nobody ever said it would be easy, and the most exciting thing is that the work I am putting in today will make me better tomorrow.
Take care everyone!
Stew
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Event #2!
Hello!
After a little bit of deliberation, I have decided that I am going to play in the second event on the Adams Winter Series. I was not sure if I was ready, but after talking with some friends and family, I have realized that I am not going to get the experience I need anywhere but playing tournaments! My golf game is progressing nicely, and the most important work that needs to be done is with how I approach tournament golf. I was not myself last week at the beginning of the week at Cypress Lakes, but as the tournament went on, I began to feel more comfortable. I know that this will continue to happen as I play more tournaments!
I had a good week after the tournament. I was able to get some good work done on the range, and had a good time off the course as well. I even went to my first Houston Rockets NBA game with some friends on Friday night. I spent a little time in Huntsville, where I went to college, as some good friends from Oklahoma were in town, and all of us got to hang out. It is most definitely important to keep busy when I'm not golfing, as it can get pretty lonely sitting in my apartment all by myself! I'm pretty lucky to have such great friends just up the road.
We played a practice round at April Sound Country Club today, which is where the tournament is this week. I felt a lot more comfortable out there, and the quality of my golf was much improved. I hit the ball much better, and on a tight course like April Sound, you need to do that! It is a very tricky golf course, and ball striking will certainly be a premium this week. I was very happy with how I struck the ball today, and I am feeling good going into tomorrow's first round. The old cliche of taking everything one shot at a time is certainly very true at this point. I still have a long way to go to reach my goals, but I am very happy with the progress so far. Every tournament round is a new lesson for me, and I am really excited to get out there!
I hope everyone is having a great time wherever they are, and I really appreciate all of the e-mails and well-wishes I have received thus far. Keep in touch, and hit it straight!
Stew
After a little bit of deliberation, I have decided that I am going to play in the second event on the Adams Winter Series. I was not sure if I was ready, but after talking with some friends and family, I have realized that I am not going to get the experience I need anywhere but playing tournaments! My golf game is progressing nicely, and the most important work that needs to be done is with how I approach tournament golf. I was not myself last week at the beginning of the week at Cypress Lakes, but as the tournament went on, I began to feel more comfortable. I know that this will continue to happen as I play more tournaments!
I had a good week after the tournament. I was able to get some good work done on the range, and had a good time off the course as well. I even went to my first Houston Rockets NBA game with some friends on Friday night. I spent a little time in Huntsville, where I went to college, as some good friends from Oklahoma were in town, and all of us got to hang out. It is most definitely important to keep busy when I'm not golfing, as it can get pretty lonely sitting in my apartment all by myself! I'm pretty lucky to have such great friends just up the road.
We played a practice round at April Sound Country Club today, which is where the tournament is this week. I felt a lot more comfortable out there, and the quality of my golf was much improved. I hit the ball much better, and on a tight course like April Sound, you need to do that! It is a very tricky golf course, and ball striking will certainly be a premium this week. I was very happy with how I struck the ball today, and I am feeling good going into tomorrow's first round. The old cliche of taking everything one shot at a time is certainly very true at this point. I still have a long way to go to reach my goals, but I am very happy with the progress so far. Every tournament round is a new lesson for me, and I am really excited to get out there!
I hope everyone is having a great time wherever they are, and I really appreciate all of the e-mails and well-wishes I have received thus far. Keep in touch, and hit it straight!
Stew
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The First Event
Well, I just finished my first tournament as a professional, and it was certainly a week of many positives and negatives for me. It was very exciting to begin this new phase in my golfing career, and there is a long, uphill battle to fight as I move ahead!
I shot 78-75, and missed the cut by quite a few shots. The field is cut to the top 30% of players after the second round, so you have to be inside of the top 20 in order to make it through to play the final round, and to make money. It was a tough two days, but it was most definitely an eye-opener to what I need to work on, and what needs to improve greatly as I progress.
I did not drive the golf ball well at all over the two days. I was very nervous, and I let this get to me when I was on the tee boxes. I have always been a big believer that the driver is the most important club in the bag, as it sets your entire hole up, and I struggled all week. I was not putting committed swings on the ball, and as a result, was hitting the golf ball into a lot of places that you cannot score well from. This is something that I most definitely need to work on, and I need to gain the confidence to make good, committed swings off the tee. There were a lot of holes at Cypress Lakes that you could make birdies on, assuming you hit good tee shots, and I let those opportunities slip by due to my inconsistency off the tee box.
I also struggled a little on the greens, missing some putts that I should have made. I found myself getting a little timid, and not finishing my putting stroke, which resulted in leaving a lot of make-able putts short. I only three-putted one time, which was decent on the fast greens we were playing, but I missed a lot of make-able putts that could have helped my scores. I have been working hard on my speed control, and striking my putts solid, and I know this will continue to improve. I was very happy with my distance control with lag putts, but the short ones need to be hit with more authority and a little better speed.
I am very happy with how my attitude was over the past few days, even though I was very nervous, and struggling with my game. It could have been very easy for me to get down on myself, get frustrated, and throw in the towel, but I grinded from the second I put the tee in the ground on the first hole until I putted out on the eighteenth, both days. I am very happy that even though I got off to poor starts both days, I was able to grind it in without giving a lot of shots away the first day, and improve my score over the last 13 holes today. With a better start, I know I could have posted some good numbers, but even though I struggled, I am happy to know that my mental attitude was positive, and I did not give up.
As I look ahead, I am not sure if I will play in the next event on the Winter Series, which begins on Monday of this coming week. I want to be ready to play, and I want to be ready to compete, and I think it might be better to spend this week working on the things I need to work on, before I hit the final stretch of four events before the Christmas break. I have not decided one way or the other, but I have until Saturday night to make a decision on whether I enter or not. No matter what happens, I know that I am moving in the right direction, and I will only get more comfortable playing professional golf. I need to begin trusting myself more that I do belong out here, and that I do have the ability to play with these guys!
Take care everyone!
Stew
I shot 78-75, and missed the cut by quite a few shots. The field is cut to the top 30% of players after the second round, so you have to be inside of the top 20 in order to make it through to play the final round, and to make money. It was a tough two days, but it was most definitely an eye-opener to what I need to work on, and what needs to improve greatly as I progress.
I did not drive the golf ball well at all over the two days. I was very nervous, and I let this get to me when I was on the tee boxes. I have always been a big believer that the driver is the most important club in the bag, as it sets your entire hole up, and I struggled all week. I was not putting committed swings on the ball, and as a result, was hitting the golf ball into a lot of places that you cannot score well from. This is something that I most definitely need to work on, and I need to gain the confidence to make good, committed swings off the tee. There were a lot of holes at Cypress Lakes that you could make birdies on, assuming you hit good tee shots, and I let those opportunities slip by due to my inconsistency off the tee box.
I also struggled a little on the greens, missing some putts that I should have made. I found myself getting a little timid, and not finishing my putting stroke, which resulted in leaving a lot of make-able putts short. I only three-putted one time, which was decent on the fast greens we were playing, but I missed a lot of make-able putts that could have helped my scores. I have been working hard on my speed control, and striking my putts solid, and I know this will continue to improve. I was very happy with my distance control with lag putts, but the short ones need to be hit with more authority and a little better speed.
I am very happy with how my attitude was over the past few days, even though I was very nervous, and struggling with my game. It could have been very easy for me to get down on myself, get frustrated, and throw in the towel, but I grinded from the second I put the tee in the ground on the first hole until I putted out on the eighteenth, both days. I am very happy that even though I got off to poor starts both days, I was able to grind it in without giving a lot of shots away the first day, and improve my score over the last 13 holes today. With a better start, I know I could have posted some good numbers, but even though I struggled, I am happy to know that my mental attitude was positive, and I did not give up.
As I look ahead, I am not sure if I will play in the next event on the Winter Series, which begins on Monday of this coming week. I want to be ready to play, and I want to be ready to compete, and I think it might be better to spend this week working on the things I need to work on, before I hit the final stretch of four events before the Christmas break. I have not decided one way or the other, but I have until Saturday night to make a decision on whether I enter or not. No matter what happens, I know that I am moving in the right direction, and I will only get more comfortable playing professional golf. I need to begin trusting myself more that I do belong out here, and that I do have the ability to play with these guys!
Take care everyone!
Stew
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Night Before!
Hi guys!
Tomorrow is the day everything gets going! At 10:00am, I begin my professional golf career in my first event. We are playing at Cypress Lakes Golf Club, in Cypress, Texas, which is a great course. I have played a tournament there many years ago, when I played on the Texas Junior Golf Tour. I wasn't too familiar with the course, but after a practice round this afternoon, I feel confident that I know enough about it to play well!
It is a very strange feeling to be beginning a new chapter in my life. Even though I have played golf all my life, and competitively since I was 13, I've never done this before. That is a pretty scary feeling! Once the tee goes into the ground on the first tee tomorrow, it's the same game, and the same feelings and emotions as normal, but everything leading up to the event has seemed very different to me. After so many years of practicing for this, and so many years of dreaming about this, it's finally here. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement. Hopefully it will all pass, but it is a strange feeling to be beginning something that shouldn't feel as different as it is!
No matter what happens tomorrow, it will be very exciting. I've thought about this, and dreamed about this, and prepared for this, and now it is finally time to start living it! I wake up in the mornings, and I'm finally doing the one thing I've wanted to do more than anything else with my life. It is all a learning experience, and no matter what happens, I know I will take a lot from it. I know I have the ability to play well, compete, and win out here. I also understand that there is a heck of a lot to learn about playing the game professionally. I am going to hit that shot off the first tee, find it, hit it again, and go from there!
Wish me luck!
Stew
Tomorrow is the day everything gets going! At 10:00am, I begin my professional golf career in my first event. We are playing at Cypress Lakes Golf Club, in Cypress, Texas, which is a great course. I have played a tournament there many years ago, when I played on the Texas Junior Golf Tour. I wasn't too familiar with the course, but after a practice round this afternoon, I feel confident that I know enough about it to play well!
It is a very strange feeling to be beginning a new chapter in my life. Even though I have played golf all my life, and competitively since I was 13, I've never done this before. That is a pretty scary feeling! Once the tee goes into the ground on the first tee tomorrow, it's the same game, and the same feelings and emotions as normal, but everything leading up to the event has seemed very different to me. After so many years of practicing for this, and so many years of dreaming about this, it's finally here. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement. Hopefully it will all pass, but it is a strange feeling to be beginning something that shouldn't feel as different as it is!
No matter what happens tomorrow, it will be very exciting. I've thought about this, and dreamed about this, and prepared for this, and now it is finally time to start living it! I wake up in the mornings, and I'm finally doing the one thing I've wanted to do more than anything else with my life. It is all a learning experience, and no matter what happens, I know I will take a lot from it. I know I have the ability to play well, compete, and win out here. I also understand that there is a heck of a lot to learn about playing the game professionally. I am going to hit that shot off the first tee, find it, hit it again, and go from there!
Wish me luck!
Stew
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