Today I had a great session down at the Colorado Golf Academy. My swing is feeling really good, but more importantly I am fundamentally better than I have ever been before. I am really happy that all my hard work has solidified a great swing and it can just get better. I have never moved the golf club so efficiently and I am really excited to put this into contention and see how great it can get. I hit so many balls today I have blisters on my hands. I have never been so excited to see them.
What I am reading: The Fundamentals of Hogan by David Leadbetter and Lorne Rubenstein
What I am listening to: Flyleaf
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Comeback 2.0
I am a huge fan of Lance Armstrong. His story truly inspires me. I have read all of his books and follow his Tour de France campaigns closely. I just got his newest book Comeback 2.0 about his 2008/2009 comeback to competitive cycling. I read it in about 2 hours. Ha. It's awesome. His work ethic and drive are incredible.
Best quote in the book: "For me, living life to the fullest is about testing myself, accepting challenges, training hard, and then going for it." -Lance Armstrong
Yes, please.
Best quote in the book: "For me, living life to the fullest is about testing myself, accepting challenges, training hard, and then going for it." -Lance Armstrong
Yes, please.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Update
I got in some great practice last week and it has been showing in my lessons with Eli. He is a fantastic teacher and we connect well which helps a lot! I always look forward to the challenges he gives me during our lessons because they aren't easy. We are working on some great stuff and I have really noticed a difference in my ball striking. It has been a huge decision trying to find an instructor and the first one I tried has worked out beyond what I could have imagined!
I have also been trying out various Sandbagger Inc. shoes. They are so comfortable and look really edgy. I have been wearing them in the wet weather here in Colorado and they are holding up great. Here is the pair I am favoring right now.
My first event looks like it is going to be in Rancho Viejo, Texas April 19-25. I am really counting down the days till I leave. All the preparation during the off-season has me giddy to get back to tournaments. I have been working really hard on the course and off to be ready to go. Mentally it has been my strongest off-season so I am very pleased and beyond excited!
I have also been trying out various Sandbagger Inc. shoes. They are so comfortable and look really edgy. I have been wearing them in the wet weather here in Colorado and they are holding up great. Here is the pair I am favoring right now.
My first event looks like it is going to be in Rancho Viejo, Texas April 19-25. I am really counting down the days till I leave. All the preparation during the off-season has me giddy to get back to tournaments. I have been working really hard on the course and off to be ready to go. Mentally it has been my strongest off-season so I am very pleased and beyond excited!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Art
My older brother Aaron is an esteemed artist (among other impressive talents) and a doctoral student at Princeton University. Here is his guinea pig cartoon of me playing golf. I love it. 
[drawing by Aaron Hostetter as seen on his blog]
He drew it 2 years ago, but I just found it and figured I'd share. Enjoy!
[drawing by Aaron Hostetter as seen on his blog]
He drew it 2 years ago, but I just found it and figured I'd share. Enjoy!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Result vs. Process
Awesome day in Colorado today! I was on the range by 9am! No frost, just a little sunshine to keep me company. It was fantastic. Hoping for some more days like today!
When I was working on the range today, I was thinking to myself that if people were watching the drill I was doing right now, they would be thinking to themselves, "what is she doing out there?", "might as well not hit balls". Haha. Well I just laugh to myself because those people are RESULT orientated.
Golf requires practice right? Yes. But why would you practice your strengths? That is what silences people when they criticize someone who isn't hitting it well or not making every putt, especially if they are a "pro". Well this was written with them in mind. If you have read any sort of mental game book they will tell you it is about how good your process is, not how good your result is. You can't control your result! Playing a game on natural surfaces might be one the most inconsistent and frustrating things about the game. However, it is what makes the game truly unique. It can cause a well executed golf shot to go wayward or end up in a hazard. That is simply why being mentally tough will get you to the highest level (along with some skill, no doubt).
So I'm there on the range doing my drill, and laughing at this phenomenon because you go to any proshop in America and there are guys playing cards or having a drink in the pub talking about this kind of stuff. But for any golfer it is not about your result it is about your process. So right now, as you might have guessed, I am working on my process. That's what is required of all good players that want to improve. Working on weaknesses and improving the process. The process is important. It saves you when your mind might be in an uncomfortable place. It has come through for guys down the stretch in majors on the PGA tour and the same with girls on the LPGA tour. Every good player knows that if you are in that unfamiliar territory your process/pre-shot routine will save you....if you have put in that work.
This was one of the hardest things for me to learn as a golfer in college. All I saw were results and before you have that mental turnaround, you are not going to play to your potential. Like I’ve said, I’ve seen it in almost every mental game book I’ve picked up but I don’t think it is emphasized enough. It’s a shame because when you have a round that is not result orientated, it’s so much easier to go out the next day and perform consistently if not better. Being process orientated will get you focusing on things that only you can control and that’s all you can do on the golf course. If you let yourself worry about things you can’t control, you might as well hang up the clubs and take up a new hobby.
For me, it is one of my goals to always stay with my process and perfect my process, not worry about my results.
Michael Jordan, one of the world's finest athletes in his day said, “I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.” It is one of the most solid statements an athlete can hold on to because it’s true.
When I was working on the range today, I was thinking to myself that if people were watching the drill I was doing right now, they would be thinking to themselves, "what is she doing out there?", "might as well not hit balls". Haha. Well I just laugh to myself because those people are RESULT orientated.
Golf requires practice right? Yes. But why would you practice your strengths? That is what silences people when they criticize someone who isn't hitting it well or not making every putt, especially if they are a "pro". Well this was written with them in mind. If you have read any sort of mental game book they will tell you it is about how good your process is, not how good your result is. You can't control your result! Playing a game on natural surfaces might be one the most inconsistent and frustrating things about the game. However, it is what makes the game truly unique. It can cause a well executed golf shot to go wayward or end up in a hazard. That is simply why being mentally tough will get you to the highest level (along with some skill, no doubt).
So I'm there on the range doing my drill, and laughing at this phenomenon because you go to any proshop in America and there are guys playing cards or having a drink in the pub talking about this kind of stuff. But for any golfer it is not about your result it is about your process. So right now, as you might have guessed, I am working on my process. That's what is required of all good players that want to improve. Working on weaknesses and improving the process. The process is important. It saves you when your mind might be in an uncomfortable place. It has come through for guys down the stretch in majors on the PGA tour and the same with girls on the LPGA tour. Every good player knows that if you are in that unfamiliar territory your process/pre-shot routine will save you....if you have put in that work.
This was one of the hardest things for me to learn as a golfer in college. All I saw were results and before you have that mental turnaround, you are not going to play to your potential. Like I’ve said, I’ve seen it in almost every mental game book I’ve picked up but I don’t think it is emphasized enough. It’s a shame because when you have a round that is not result orientated, it’s so much easier to go out the next day and perform consistently if not better. Being process orientated will get you focusing on things that only you can control and that’s all you can do on the golf course. If you let yourself worry about things you can’t control, you might as well hang up the clubs and take up a new hobby.
For me, it is one of my goals to always stay with my process and perfect my process, not worry about my results.
Michael Jordan, one of the world's finest athletes in his day said, “I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.” It is one of the most solid statements an athlete can hold on to because it’s true.
Monday, February 1, 2010
February Golf in CO
Today looks like a perfect day! High of 44*! Perfect!
I am just waiting for some frost to melt and I will be heading out to Colorado National to get in some practice. Things with my swing have been going really well. Eli and I are still working hard on it building a solid foundation to carry me through the year. I am beyond excited to start playing and for the weather to start cooperating! Hopefully some more of this snow can melt. In the meantime, I will be playing around it! Yippee!
I am just waiting for some frost to melt and I will be heading out to Colorado National to get in some practice. Things with my swing have been going really well. Eli and I are still working hard on it building a solid foundation to carry me through the year. I am beyond excited to start playing and for the weather to start cooperating! Hopefully some more of this snow can melt. In the meantime, I will be playing around it! Yippee!
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