This Is What I Did This Summer....

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9,000 or so miles later I am home!

Greater Richmond Classic: Round 2

Dawn and I had a mid morning round again which was nice because it has been so bloody hot here all week. I struggled right away, three over after four then I turned it around. Those are always mental victories for me because it's tough to do that. If you wake up in a funk, or sleep poorly, there are so many factors that you could let ruin your day but you have to choose to fight, everyday, otherwise you can't survive out there. Plain and simple. I made the turn in +1 after making two straight tap in birdies. The back was going well but after a poor swing on #16 found an inch into the hazard but my ball had somehow gone into a hole the perfect diameter of a golf ball, I had to drop and made double. It's tough when it comes down to one swing, but that's how this level is. You either make a lot of birdies to offset your mistakes or you don't make mistakes. It's part of the thrill and it is part of the dissapointment. It sucks to miss a cut after a semi-streak of made cuts but that's how it goes. I think I come off that it doesn't bother me to miss a cut, but it really makes me angry, for about 5 minutes, then I get into pro-active mode to find out what to work on, change, get sharp for the next event. Life is to short to get mad over missed cuts. When that happens, there is always a lesson. Whether we want to learn the lesson or not, it is there and you can either learn it and get better or you can sulk in your pride and pity and be miserable. The latter sounds like torture to me!

I am playing in a pro-am in Raleigh, NC on Monday so I will be getting ready for that. It is benefiting breast cancer research, which hits close to home. My boyfriend's mother has breast cancer for a second time and just finished chemo [Insert prayer] and thought it was a perfect opportunity to be a part of such an incredible cause.

Greater Richmond Classic: Round 1

I played with Dawn Shockley, first of all. If you don't recognize the name, she played junior golf in CO with me and we've known each other forever. The last time we played together was in high school at her home course. Crazy! Needless to say, it was fun to catch up with her and see how she has developed as a golfer since high school. We teed off in the morning so it was good to get out there early. It was a tough day though. Up and down and had a chance of rain all day so we thought we were just gonna get poured on. Well, on our 17th hole, IT POURED! We weren't pulled off the course so we had to play those last two tough finishing holes in a downpour. I had a 6' for par on #17 and I could hear the rain coming down the cart path. Rain in the south is cool like that, it comes at you in a sheet but you can see the defined line. Anyway, we both struggled with pouring in the birdies and shot the same thing, 74.

We'll be playing again tomorrow!!

Richmond, VA

I stopped on the way down from PA at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. What a find that was! I spent about 2.5 hours grazing in facts and accounts of marines who fought in all different wars. How awesome. When I left, I was just totally overcome with emotion. What an honor it was to see all that and what an incredible sacrifice. That was probably the closest I have come to trying to grasp the concept of risking a life for freedom. It was very cool. Here are some awesome pictures I took.

 {the flag that was raised on Mount Suribachi made famous by Jon Rosenthal's photograph}

{pins mark the lives lost on Iwo Jima}

{hidden photograph of Iwo Jima when taken against the same wall, but with flash}

Alliance Bank Classic: Round 3

Had another great round today, -1, 70. Really, it was nothing spectacular. Just making putts when I needed to. I actually didn't putt that great number-wise, still had two three-putts but overall my putting is loads better than it was on Friday! I hit the ball great, and chipped pretty well. Conditions were so nice, overcast and cool. We played pretty fast and I moved up twenty places on the leaderboard which is awesome! It was a good ending to a good week.

On to the next. Sad to leave Wegman's behind. World's best grocery store!!

Alliance Bank Classic: Round 2

Sometimes life gets in the way. You can't expect everything to go right. Life isn't up to your plan. Last night a little bit of life got in the way. I woke up exhausted, and with a splitting headache. I had my awesome orange plaid shorts on so I chose it was gonna be a good day. I still had some work to do. I played some really steady, good golf. Made a lot of putts (thank you Eli!!) and hit some great shots. I had a ton of fun out there. Ended up shooting -1, 70 for the day. We sped around the course, having to wait for two groups at the turn.

If you were to ask what the difference was between yesterday and today, I would say: 6 inches. Between my ears. My mental attitude/confidence was so much better than yesterday. I knew the putts were going to drop, I knew I would hit it close, yadda yadda. It's a fantastic feeling! Sometimes, I get caught up in being technical, way too much than I would like, when I just need to feel the putt and trust my stroke and just let it go.

Went to the gym after I played and routinely kicked my own butt. I tend to take it out on myself when I play bad. Today's case was yesterday's poor performance that could lead to a missed cut.

Saw the movie Salt which was pretty good. I am such a sucker for a good action flick. It could be an average movie to others but I'd love it. I just like the adrenaline rush and trying to figure out the plot.

Just saw that I made the cut, so I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. Oops.

Syracuse, NY

Okay, not gonna lie, I'm kinda getting tired of the postcards. I have been taking way better pictures of the places I have been than those postcards portray and Tiffany Joh told me that they are stupid. Anyway, this picture made me laugh so I will share.

Population: 138,068

Elevation: 400ft.

Famous people from Syracuse: Tom Cruise, Richard Gere.

Other interesting facts: The Erie Canal ran through Syracuse.

They produced the majority of the salt in the US in the late 1700s to the early 1900s, and oddly enough I saw the movie Salt here.

ING New England Golf Classic: Round 1

I have been playing well for probably the last month, month and a half, but my scores haven't really been showing it. For the two weeks, I have been pondering how to approach my game in a new way to help improve those little mistakes that keep occurring. Well, they aren't all gone but I have finally addressed putting. Yesterday, after skimming parts of Every Shot Must Have a Purpose by Pia Nilsson I came to the conclusion that my pre-shot routine for putting needs to change. Sometimes, you can be so focused looking down on the ball you forget to focus on the target and I believe this is what was happening. Now, I take my practice swings behind the ball my shoulders perpendicular to the hole, and staring straight down my line. Today was the first day in competition that I used it, and my pace was right on, and I even made some putts outside of 20'! Honestly, my birdies have been chip-ins, and tap-ins lately and it gets exhausting not making any long putts!

The course is very pretty we are playing this week, Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. Evidently it is a Pete Dye design and he charged $1 to play, ummm, like 6 years ago. Pretty cool! The greens have gotten faster everyday (YAY!) and they are finally putting pretty nice. The fairways are wide but the undulations in the green are tricky. It is a really fun track.

Today was nothing too crazy, 3 bogeys, 2 birdies on my front nine and just one birdie and a whole lotta pars on my back. It started gusting on the back nine so I'm glad I got in the clubhouse when I did. I could smell donuts with two holes left, some guy was making homemade donuts by the putting green. Haha. I'm not a big donut girl but they smelled AMAZING! I tried one, and they were pretty good, but I'd rather have a Sam Adams Summerale. Mmm I love summer.

My mom is coming tonight to watch the weekend (and for my birthday on Sunday)!! I am so excited, because no one has seen me play in one of these events and they are so fun. Bloomfield definitely has the best spectators thus far! There were a ton of people out there today which is fun to see. I heard it was senior day, so I'm sure they got a discount. Every senior loves a bargain, right?! Anyway, tomorrow is a new day, time for more birdies and fun times. I can't wait.

I'm Close To Hartford, Connecticut

Population: 124,462

Elevation: 56 feet above sea level

Nickname: The Insurance City

Home to Katherine Hepburn, J.P. Morgan

Historic Brownsville Open

Key this week: The Big Picture

Coming off a disappointing finish in Brownsville, it is easy to focus on the negatives. I didn't chip well, and putts didn't fall but instead, focusing on the positives makes me feel better. Knowing this is my first professional tournament and that there are so many different dynamics that I have never dealt with and the beginning of a new career eases my frustration a bit. It's like any first week on the job. You are a little tentative. There are new people, new protocol. Also keeping a grinders mentality. No matter what you have done during they day to keep grinding for pars and birdies is the goal. Sometimes it works in your favor and sometimes it doesn't. Attitude is huge. When you are on the cut line and you gotta put a good round together you have to know when to play aggressively and when to play a little smarter. That got me into some trouble today but out here, you have to make something happen to make some money! Many different aspects play into a week on the Duramed Futures Tour and I think a lot of girls in college have no idea what to expect. At least I didn't. Just another mile marker on this journey called life.

After the second round, I sat in the scorers tent tallying up and recalled a story I heard from Vision54. Annika Sorenstam was playing in a PGA Tour event at Colonial CC and she was walking to the 1st tee and told her sports psychologist that she was so nervous she couldn't even speak. Her SP turned to her and said think of yourself floating in space like a satellite. Look at Earth. It makes this moment feel very small. And it did. That helped her stripe it down the middle.

Perspective is everything.

When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck. -Estee Lauder

I move onward, the only direction. Can't be scared to fail, searchin' for perfection... I'm onto the next one, onto the next one. -Jay Z

The Countdown Begins...

Well, I leave in only 4 short days! I will be heading down to Brownsville, Texas for the Historic Brownsville Open. If you don't know where Brownsville is, look on a map. It is located where the Gulf of Mexico, the country of Mexico and Texas meet. Oh boy. Needless to say, I have a long trek ahead of me but years of driving Denver to Memphis have seasoned me.

My practice the last couple weeks has been awesome. I really feel productive opposed to just being out there mindlessly hitting balls. For me, it has always been a struggle to keep a purpose and practice with consequence. I keep it interesting with little games or challenges for myself. That makes time fly by and before you know it the challenge is complete and it's time to go home! I went to see Eli about my putting alignment and feel really good about it now. Sometimes, it's easy to groove a bad habit and for a set of eyes watching intently on good technique helps tremendously! It definitely avoids hours of grooving that bad habit!

I will be gone for about a month playing in three tournaments. I am very excited to start playing and getting back into that atmosphere. It is something I crave when I practice and knowing the feeling of competing on a high level also helps make practice productive becuase you want to be prepared for those high-pressure events. I feel that I have succeeded in my preparation and I am ready.

What I am reading: The American Plague by Molly Caldwell Crosby
What I am listening to: Tusk - Fleetwood Mac

Exciting News + Update

First of all, I am proud to announce a new partnership with LEFT HAND BREWING COMPANY. I am so excited about this as it something I love from my hometown and cannot wait to promote around the country! I will be sporting their logo on my hat, as well as my shirt. Thank you Left Hand for your support!!

Things have been going great lately. I spent some time on the course on Tuesday before it snowed. A quick nine holes followed by some technique on the range until it started raining sideways. Since, I have been writing some sponsor letters, and honing my mental game. I finally finished Your 15th Club. In the book it says to write down affirmations so I have been compiling something that I can take on the road but still colorfully displays the positive things that should be flowing through my brain at all times. By reading them every day, it is a small reminder what I am supposed to be focused on while I practice/play. 

My new sticks should be here any day. I got my balls and gloves on Tuesday. I am so excited to get them and take them down to Robert so he can fix them up for competition. It will depend on how they perform on the golf course if I will take them down to Texas. The FUTURES Tour does require conforming grooves but the actual rule isn't in effect until July.

The countdown is just a mere 22 days away. I will be doing the drive in two days, stopping and relaxing in Ft. Worth with my best friend for a day/dinner to hang out and catch up. I will need to stop anyway becuase the drive is 22.5 hours. Yikes!

What I am reading: Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
What I am listening to: Mercy Me - Spoken For

Week of Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving because it always leaves me to think about the things I am very thankful for. I do this way more than just during the holidays but in November it seems more special.

I have been blessed with an athletic talent that has earned me a free education, led me to travel all around the country and even to Canada and Mexico, has taught me more about life than life will ever be able to, and has connected me with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

I have a family that makes this all happen with their utmost support and I am so thankful that I have a family that believes in my dream as much as I do. Without that, it would be a hard swim upstream.

I have a roof over my head and clothes on my back and arms and legs to run and jump and skip! I could go into very small detail but you get the idea.

Down at Q-School, I couldn't help but just feel this overwhelming feeling of thankfulness. Thankfulness, not only that I have the ability to compete, but that I was even there! So that leads me to be thankful to the members of the Longmont community who say good job, or good luck, or play well, or give your money, or an ear to listen to. None of your actions go unnoticed. I am so blessed with the support!! Thank you!

This is definitely what I will be thinking about this week. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not-So-Off-Season

People hear the term "off-season" and think of time off, naturally. Well, for me, it means, "work-harder-season". Off-season is typically the time for changes to your physical routine in the gym, any swing changes and mental routine. I have stepped up workouts from 4 days a week like they were when I was playing, to 6 times a week. I have also upped the weight in all exercises. Upping the weight means upping the stretch time and yoga. I have created a workout plan based on some of the things we did in the off-season in college and added some of my own things I need to strengthen in the gym.

Off-season is also a time to work on some habits that may have hindered you in the last year or just some things you want to change about your game that you couldn't really do during season. For me these tweaks started in September with Eli and had to be put at a halt due to FUTURES Q-school. Now, those tweaks are back on track and I have been working really hard on them in the last week. When there is snow on the ground, I am working in front of a mirror and doing a lot of mental practice. Essentially, I am swinging, then imagining I am striping it down the middle. When more snow melts, I will be chipping and putting like a madwoman!

There are many different ways to work on your mental routine. One I practice is visualization. The good news is, I can work on this when there is snow on the ground and when there isn't! Some of the best books for the mental game I have read in the off-season include: Mind Gym- this is my favorite and every chapter is like gold; Every Shot Must Have a Purpose- also a go-to; and pretty much any book by Dr. Bob Rotella, especially The Golfer's Mind. These books of mine have been read many, many times and highlighted and written in as well.

One of the pinpointed things I am working on on the mental game is the art of positive thinking. I just made that up but it is an art and it is something EVERYONE needs to work on! Essentially, it is taking ANY situation and drawing ALL possible positives from it. Example: Before Q-school I was working on some swing mechanics, when in reality, before a tournament a player should be looking to find feel. Well, all the changes I was making to my swing were good for my process, and not so good for my result. This essentially means that people shouldn't be focused on the result, because there are too many variables that can reek havoc on the result. If you focus on the process, and it is constantly the same, things can rarely go wrong. SO, with those swing changes I wasn't hitting it the way I would have liked before the tournament. I had two choices at that point, pout about not hitting it perfect or taking what I had, trust in it completely and go to work! Needless to say, I chose the latter, trusting every swing in Florida and my mental practice paid off! My goal was not to play well because that goal is result-focused, my goal was to trust in my ability, no matter what my swing looked like because I know I have a solid short game and a very strong mental game. Well, I achieved my goal and that is what I am most proud of. Now, during the off-season, is the time to focus on those tweaks and work on them without having tournaments.

"Off-season is a time to work harder because someone, somewhere else is working harder than you."

Check It Out!

What Is the Duramed FUTURES Tour?? Watch and find out.....