From #13 tee box. Beautiful par-3. The picture doesn't do it justice.
From #11 tee box. Great view of the St. Louis skyline the entire hole on a clear day!
From #17 tee box.
The Cox Cup was presented in 1896 by Robert Cox, of Gorgie, Edinburgh, Scotland, a member of Britain’s Parliament. It is the only USGA trophy donated by a person from another country and is the oldest survivor among trophies for USGA championships.
The backside of the clubhouse where our banquets were and we ate breakfast/lunch. The scoreboard is on the right side of the picture.
Man, what a long day! I woke up at 4am just exhausted. I made breakfast, packed up the car and left at around 4:50am. I drove four hours and was pulled over. 86 in a 70. Dammit. I continued to drive through extreme tiredness artificially covered up by Starbucks. Arrived at my host family’s home around 6:30pm. It felt good to be there! Met her for 5 minutes and she left for some plans she already had and I had her entire house to myself for the night! It was weird being in a strangers house without them there but very inviting and encouraging that someone would trust a complete stranger in her home!
August 1, 2009
1st PRACTICE ROUND
I arrived for registration to a room full of smiley volunteers. They were very nice in showing me the clubhouse and our locker, and dining room. I got my gift, a backpack and a local boutique’s necklace and signed two autographs (Ha. I was excited.)!! I went to breakfast and was just taking it all in. Meanwhile I was being waited on by some of the best waiters I have ever interacted with! Everything in the clubhouse was soo fancy and nice. I felt like I was in a Victorian mansion or something. I saw the trophy and it is one of the most beautiful trophies I’ve ever seen. I met my caddie, Tim, while I was warming up. He seemed nervous but I eased him by trying to make him laugh. We got out on the course and it started pouring. It rained for 7 holes just non stop and got everything wet. After hole 8, it cleared up a bit and was a nice afternoon! I played with a girl who was on the National Championship USC team of last year, Morgan Pressel (LPGA Pro)’s sister, and the girl who beat me by 1 at our qualifier in Denver! It was really fun meeting some new friends. Interesting getting to know their personalities behind the cutthroat competitors that they are on the golf course. My friend Alison and I practiced a bit after our round and headed to the fancy dinner they had for us at the course put on by the USGA. They had all kinds of yummy stuff there! Sushi, roast beef, pasta and bite size desserts!! They introduced all the past USGA Champions the president of the club spoke as well as the USGA president. It was a short program. Alison and I sat by a girl from England and a girl from Scotland. It was fun to meet them and hear about their stories of coming across the pond for the 18-hole qualifier. Wow. I only drove an hour to mine and they spent $1500 just for the qualifier!! I was so tuckered out so I headed home to get some much needed rest!
August 2, 2009
2nd PRACTICE ROUND
Alison and I played together today and went off early. We played with a junior golfer from California and a girl from I don’t even remember where who only spoke Korean, but then when I said nice to play with you, she said, yeah it was fun thanks. She spoke English. Ha. We had fun playing and my caddy and I had good report. I played well and made some birdies on this tough course. The ball was flying a little better due to less humidity. We finished our round and headed to lunch where we had a hot thanksgiving dinner! They had pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes (I hate mashed potatoes but these were heaven -- that's how good this food was), chicken, peas, carrots, and rolls! It was great!! Alison left me so I went down to the locker room to watch some golf on the big flat-screen they have. Tiger was especially inspiring and I made some new friends. Possibly with the oldest competitor this week (54 years old)! She is from Jamaica and has won three USGA Senior Women’s Amateur titles (2005, 2006 and 2008). I chatted with her about USGA State Teams which is another championships that the USGA puts on that I will be going to in a month. We watched Tiger and rooted him on for about 2 hours. I decided I had rested enough so I went out to practice in the St. Louis heat. Our BBQ was at 5pm so I practiced some 6' putts and hit some drivers. Alison came back to get me and we sat together. They, once again, had amazing food topped off by an incredible ice cream sundae w/ peaches and blueberries! SO yummy! After dinner I did some lag putting then headed back to my home for the week for some chatting with my host mom and a shower!
August 3, 2009
1st ROUND
I woke up around 8am for my 1pm tee time. I went to the club for breakfast and went to see the hole locations on #9 and #18. Moseyed on back to my family’s house and wrote some emails, checked the weather. When I came back to warm up, I was hitting it awesome, putting okay, and I was SO excited to play. Got up to the first tee and they do equipment checks. They look at the brands of your clubs, bag, ball, clothes, shoes, hat, glove etc. If you have ever watched golf, commercials come on that say, “Titleist. The #1 ball in golf.” It’s true and that is how they can say that. I saw on twitter that Titleist was the #1 ball at the Am 129 and the nearest competitor was 7. Ha. I teed off first and just ripped one down the middle. It was so exciting. Lots of people were on the tee watching so it was awesome. After my round, I had felt a little bittersweet about it. I had a great group of girls that I played with, but missing some short putts really killed my score. I didn't see a shot that I didn't have or have ever hit, it was just a matter of executing the right shot at that particular time. I had a double, which really frustrates me because I have had 3 in the past month and a half, which for me, has been a huge part of shooting consistently under 78 for the summer. I figured, even with the double, it was an OK first round but we gotta come back and do work tomorrow morning to make match play. I putted for a while and hit some balls until about 7pm then headed home. On tap for the night was a BBQ at my host mom’s brother’s (host uncle if you will) house with some other girls from the tournament. It was great chilling outside with some great company, great food at an incredible house. The conversation was fun and making new friends is always enjoyable for me! I was exhausted and the only one there who didn’t get to shower so I requested to head home about 9pm. Had to talk to the paparazzi (haha) and then the parents then headed to bed after watching some Golf Channel.
August 4, 2009
2nd ROUND
Morning came too soon, but I woke up excited as ever to get back out there. Had an amazing breakfast at the club and headed out to warm up. This week I made a great warm up mix with a little Britney Spears- Radar and Break the Ice and some Miike Snow- Cult Logic. Can't forget the MGMT- Kids and Electric Feel and Newpoint's cover of In The Air Tonight. Needless to say it was a sick mix. Like the previous day, I was hitting the ball very solid but I was putting a lot better. Got up to #10 tee and ripped it down the middle again. I was thinking, "man, this is fun, I could do this for a living!" I got off to a rocky start, double bogeying the par-5 that I had birdied the day before. Anytime I bogey a par-5 it feels like a double so it was a hole where I lost a lot of ground. With my length and short game I should birdie them all! This golf course was demanding on every shot and I pushed my drive a little too far right so
it was out of position. Finished that nine well with a birdie on #16 (made a 12’), birdie on #17 (drained my 3’ – par 3 185 yards hit 5 iron to 3’) and made a great up and down out of the trees for a par on #18 (made an 18’). I was heading to the back nine at 2-over and beaming with confidence. Made a 45’ on #2 for birdie and had so many chances on my back nine to make a charge and get under that cut line but nothing fell.
I limped into the clubhouse with a bogey-bogey finish and had to wait to see if I made the cut. Never a good place to be. I knew that those last two holes were going to make a difference but I dwelled on the fact that I missed some putts on those last two I should have made and that is the only difference. I also gave credit to the fact that I had a great time playing, possibly the most fun ever and of all the friendships that I had made. Around 7:30pm is when I found out I would miss a 6-for-1 playoff (6 girls for 1 spot). I was pretty devastated. I came into the week very confident. I had spent the previous week buckling down and working very hard to fine tune the scoring parts of my game – putting, wedges and long irons (because of the course’s length) not to mention the previous month working hard on my game as well. It was a good first USGA event and Alison’s dad made it a little better by saying he’d buy me a drink if I missed it. Ha. We spent the night watching the playoff and heading to Fleming’s Steakhouse for a celebration dinner. Good way to end the week.
August 5th, 2009
TRAVEL HOME
After eating at the club, paying my caddy and taking some pictures, I started home around 9:45am. At approximately 10am I was pulled over again. Ridiculous. The speed limit on the highway was 60mph. Who woulda thought?! After that I was drove 5 below, in my cruise-control-less car all the way home. It was a good drive home and I even maxed out at 490 miles for a tank of gas! My car is awesome. Got home around 10pm and my bed felt great, although the whole day I was playing the course in my head. When I passed Denver International Airport, there was a huge storm hitting Denver and I was on the outside of it. I snapped some pictures. I have never photographed lightning before. It is one of my favorite things to photograph now because you don't know what the picture is going to look like until it comes out. This was one of the better ones I got. Pretty sick.
I told the paper it was a dagger to the heart that I didn’t make it. I didn’t cry (many girls did) but I couldn’t have been more disappointed. On the same level, I was competing at the top level of amateurs. The best 150 girls in the country were here and I was T76th. It was a great accent to my amateur career. I made note yesterday that I wasn’t nervous. I believe a person gets nervous because they don't believe they should be playing at that certain level. I know I have felt like that in previous national competitions. This past week, I didn’t feel that. I felt like I belonged and that I was at the right level. The highest. It was a monumental week for my game (I have kept it below 78 all summer, which I have never done…ever) and my mental game. I am home with so much learned in St. Louis. I couldn’t have spent the week better if I tried.....well, yeah I could have won but I guess this will suffice. :)
Thanks for following! The support is forever appreciated!!!
Yesterday went alright. I teed off late and didn't really know what to do with myself. I started off great. I was a little nervous but thrived off of it. I had an awesome group of girls I was playing with, one from Australia and one from Michigan. I had a rough patch about 5 holes in but on the back I grinded it out to shoot 1-over. There are some damn long holes out there! If you are in the rough you can forget about getting to the green! I made a couple up and downs from about 100 out and was really pumped.
Today was a little better. My front nine (the back nine) where I played well yesterday, wasn't as good, but finished birdie-birdie-par. Made three 1-putts to stay 2-over for that nine. I chipped it to 10' on #16, then hit a 5 iron 185 on #17 to 3' and made an 18' on #18 to get some momentum into the back (the real front). Made a 45' on #2 to stay at 2 over then played pretty steady until the last two holes. On my 18th, I hit into the opposite fairway and had a clear shot to the green. It came to rest in the sand and I had a brilliant shot out of it to about 4' but I missed the putt. Overall it was good. If I would have not bogeyed those last two, 74 would have been pretty solid and I wouldn't really have to worry about staying at the course to avoid any playoffs. But I'm chillin with my Australian "mate" and we're about to watch Across the Universe. Gotta keep an eye on the scoreboard. I am T110th right now but there are about 50 people that still have to tee off, or have but just don't have scores updated.
I believe some weather is coming in, at least some wind (hopefully). Still having a blast though! I hung out with Tiger Wood's niece and an LPGA pro's sister last night so I am in great company and enjoying myself to the max!
Greetings from one of the oldest golf championships in the country! 109th US Women's Amateur is the most prestigious amateur tournament in the United States for women and I have the honor to play in it!
The last three days have been incredible! Filled with amazing food from Old Warson Country Club to meeting USGA officials who have officiated numerous US Opens, both men and women and being in the presence of past USGA Champions. It has been awesome!! I have met people from all over the world and made some new friends!
I am just killing time now, waiting for my tee time at 1:25pm. I believe they are doing live scoring on the US Women's Amateur website. I still have an hour before I leave for the course.
I am staying with a host family about 10 minutes away from the course and it is such a great experience. A lot better than staying in a hotel!
Anyway, pray the weather holds off (it poured our first practice round and they are calling for 70% chance at 1pm) and the putts fall! It is a great course!! I have been blogging on my computer in my room (my family doesn't have wireless) so I will post all of that when I'm home. Thanks for following and I hope you get to all week long!
Lately, golfers around North America have been makin' it rain. Makin' it rain with their putters no doubt. Mark Calcavecchia made a PGA record 9 birdies in a row, turning in a 7-under 65 in the 3rd round of the RBC Canadian Open this past weekend. Nine birdies in a row is just ridiculous but it is becoming more common for players to perform at such a high level.
Also over the weekend, John Douma from Arizona, competing in the Health One Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, birdied holes 9-11 and 13-18. He carded one double on the 12th hole (not that hard of a hole and usually birdie-able) and finished the day with a 64. Despite his back-nine charge, he still fell short of Derek Tolan, a recent CU Buff grad and rookie professional, with an un-rookie like second win this summer.
Last week, I was lucky enough to play in the Pro-Am for the Colorado Open and made 9 birdies and no bogeys. I missed a 6-footer for the 10th one too! Although they were not consecutive, it was my lowest non-competitive score, a 63.
On Tuesday I qualified for the US Women's Amateur. This is biggest amateur tournament in the country! I have tried qualifying for this tournament, the US Girl's Junior Amateur and the US Open a combined 10 times and have missed by a stroke 5 of those times. I advanced to the US Women's Open Sectional qualifier in 2006 but didn't qualify for the national tournament. This is very exciting. It is probably my last amateur tournament, but definitely the last time I will be qualifying for USGA events as an amateur.
I was scheduled to tee off at 7:40am but was delayed 3 hours due to the rather large hail storm and tornado winds wreaked havoc on Green Gables CC in Denver. Nevertheless, the maintenance crew came through and cleared the course enough for the 23 qualifiers to compete. There were 3 spots available, I took 2nd, and shot a 5 over, 76.
Anyway, here's a closer look at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, MO where the national championship will be held next week.
Yardage: 6,468 yards (match play)/6,441 yards (stroke play) Par: 36-35—71 Defending champion: Amanda Blumenherst (turned pro in June) Opened: 1954 Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
USGA championships: This will be the second USGA event contested at the club, the first since the 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur won by Danny Green. Old Warson also hosted the 1971 Ryder Cup Matches.
Design notes: Jones made use of a feature that he called the “heroic” school of architecture in which he designed alternate routes around formidable looking hazards.
Missouri and the Women’s Amateur: This is the third time the Show Me State has hosted the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Both previous championships were held at St. Louis Country Club in 1925 and ’72. Glenna Collett beat Alexa Stirling in 1925, while Mary Budke beat Cynthia Hill in ‘72. Budke would later captain the victorious 2002 USA Curtis Cup team. Collett won a record six Women’s Amateur titles.
Set-up notes: The par-3 17th hole will play at 184 yards during stroke-play qualifying and 211 yards once match play begins. Depending on the location of the tee markers, the par-4 14th hole will play either 300 or 324 yards.
Port Place: St. Louis native Ellen Port is one of Missouri’s most decorated amateur players, having won three U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur titles and representing the USA on the 1994 and ’96 Curtis Cup teams. Port has played in several U.S. Women’s Amateurs, reaching the quarterfinals in 1992.
Hopefully I'll be blogging about my experience. This is kind of a big deal and I'm so pumped to play with the best amateurs in the country!
This girl is a golfer? Haha, yeah. More and more over the last decade or so, women's golf has become sexy. Natalie Gulbis was one of the modern day trailblazers who glamorized golf. Her swimsuit calendars and short skirts on tour was marketed, and still is, toward the middle-aged-Miller-Lite-public golfer who doesn't give a rats ass about what goes on on the LPGA yet they buy the calendars and watch her reality shows. Now, seven women known as the Wilhelmina 7 or the W7, sponsored by the Wilhelmina modeling agency have created a new kind of gossip on tour: Who's going to be Miss January, because its not just Natalie Gulbis making calendars now! Before the likes of Gulbis, female golfers wore knee length shorts, shirts down to their elbows and lacked any kind of fashion on the golf course. Now, the women's golf industry has incorporated fashion icons to model their clothing and created en vogue clothing to sport on the course.
The other day I was approached by my employer because my golf shirt was not "fit to the dress code". My shirt was a sleeveless polo but the back was cut out like a sports bra and apparently wasn't acceptable. In somewhat of a shock, I started pondering about this whole subject. Does she not know that women's golf is trying to make ground on this subject? Women athletes, especially golfers, have been known to be "masculine" if they possess elite athletic skills. They are butch. These girls posing in their swimsuits are proving they have the beauty and the skill. For example, Anna Grzebien, pictured above, won three national championships at Duke and is now playing on the LPGA. I remember when I saw her at a tournament and I would have never thought that she would be part of the W7, but its getting people's attention toward golf.
The obvious argument is that this is degrading to women's character, making a mockery of their actual athletic skill and just using their bodies to give the sport notice. For Gulbis, the argument is that she hadn't won a tournament for the first 6 years she was a professional. She had the beauty but not the game to win. She was noticed for her good looks before her game. That kinda gets at me because being a girl playing a male dominated sport, it seems like I'm always swimming against the current. People don't want to play with me because I'm a girl, or they doubt my talent or skill just because I am female. This all really pisses me off but after I hit one, they shut up. Ha.
However, these girls are bringing that temporary glance at golf. They are showing people that female athletes, like I said before, have the skill and the good looks. However they arrive at the conclusion that they play professional golf for a living, golf is being noticed so I would think that is good for the game. In every aspect of a females life, they are more noticeable when wearing a short skirt and if that gets people's attention, maybe, and hopefully they will notice what great athletes they are as well.
Last night I had the honor of seeing probably one of the greatest television shows created. Allow me to explain. Tiger Woods' swing coach Hank Haney is taking on the challenge of teaching Charles Barkley. If you have never seen him swing a golf club, entertain yourself and look him up here. He is terrible. Hank Haney is easily one of the nation's best swing coaches, so this is quite a project for him.
On the show last night, Haney talks about Charles completing a Tiger day. A Tiger day consists of 6am wake up, run, lift, breakfast, on the practice tee at 9am-11am, putt for 30 min, lunch, play 9 holes, back to the practice tee at 2pm-4pm, short game practice till 5pm, putt till 5:30, play another 9 holes. Charles Barkley is by no means in any sort of shape to complete this agenda. However, he spends a solid 8 hours on the practice tee, completing over 1000 swings. Towards the end of the day Charles says, "No one can have fun working like this".
The show is brilliant. Tiger even made a cameo appearance. Here is he imitating Charles' swing.....
I am currently in a quaint little Inn, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you might know that I looooove Pinehurst. I have posted pictures of Payne Stewart's statue and written in adoration for this holy ground. Well folks, my luck here has run out. I am a senior and my last chance to play Pinehurst is gone. Two inches of snow fell last night and temperatures hoovering around freezing will keep us from teeing it up this week.
As for the remainder of our trip, it will be filled with good food, staring at books, typing, and studying till I fall asleep. Midterms this week.
College basketball has been outstanding lately, at least the games I have seen. I attended Memphis v Houston a couple weekends ago. Houston had a player that earlier that week stepped on some guys face, intentionally. Every time he was shooting free throws by our band, the kids would take off their shoes, place them by their face and scream. It was hilarious. Houston's jersey tops were bigger than their shorts and Memphis', being the hood team that they are, shorts look more like man-pri's than shorts. Kept me laughing the whole game.
Memphis played Gonzaga last Saturday. This game had a lot of hype because Memphis and Gonzaga were similar in rankings, and matched up pretty well on the floor. I was nervous because we have been throwing the ball away on stupid turnovers lately. The usual scenario played out. Memphis runs the crap out of the other team and they are just standing there spinning in circles wondering which goal is theirs. We killed them. Coach Cal says the boys are starting to come together and play like they know what they're doing. I would have to agree. Couldn't be at a better time either, its getting closer to March.
Last night Duke played UNC. The first 30 minutes of this basketball game was probably the best 30 minutes I've ever seen. Scoring a combined 50+ in the first 10 minutes left me speechless. Every possession was a field goal and the pace was very quick. It's always impressive when a college team gets to 100 especially in this rivalry so needless to say when UNC scored 101, at Cameron Indoor Arena (Duke's home), I was very impressed. That is not easy to do!
This year's NCAA tournament will be a good one I suspect with all of the upsets already and the teams inching closer to the top 10, like Memphis. March can't get here fast enough.
**Here is Memphis' intro video for this year. It's a little blurry but a fan recorded it. This is an awesome way to get the fans hyped up. Just imagine standing in a pitch black bball arena and this bad a video comes on the screen.
The hallowed Ryder Cup matches conclude today. The US has a 9 to 7 lead over the Europeans. The US hasn't brought the cup home since their monumental run in 1999 at Brookline CC. If you aren't familiar, Justin Leonard made like a 45' putt to win his match and lead the US to victory. This year, the US is competing without Tiger Woods. Having struggled the past two Ryder Cups with Tiger, commentators said the US wouldn't have a chance to beat the Euros especially with Padraig Harrington, a hot player in 2008, playing for the Euro team. Currently, if they win the matches they are leading, the cup will return to the US.
This is golf's most exciting tournament. It's not about money. It's all about bragging rights, national pride and raw competition. I would recommend tuning in (NBC) if you think golf is a boring sport.
Currently, I am watching a show on the History channel taking witness, home video accounts of 9/11. After traveling to NYC, seeing what used to be the grounds for the Two Towers leaves me in utter shock after seeing it when it actually happened. Being able to gauge the scale of how widespread the effect was throughout the city is unexplainable. Seeing the huge buildings on either side of you walking down the street and imagining one of them, well two of them could possibly collapse. What are you going to do? Seeing the people frantically running throughout the streets is shocking and sickening. Imagining a rushing wave of thick, heavy dust, about to wrap itself around you and through you would be utterly frightening. Thinking about the families of people that died that day is devastating. Trying to grasp the amount of courage and commitment to service the firefighters, police officers, and other aid teams demonstrated is beyond words. Realizing the ripple effect that disaster caused is unfathomable. Seeing it year after year I understand more about the world, and more about the effects this day, September 11, 2001 had on the rest of the world.
And I am left speechless.
**This is a shot I took looking through a blocked fence at ground zero. Construction for the memorial and the new tower are underway.
As most of you know, I'm pretty obsessed with this golf tournament. I'm pretty sure I've devoted a blog post to it, or maybe a couple, to it every year. This is the tournament you skip class for. Instead of practice you watch the Masters. Augusta's lush fairways, super slick greens, and beautiful azaleas, have me hypnotized for a week every April.
My prediction this year hasn't been totally solidified, but my tentative pick is Tiger. After breaking his 7 tournament winning streak last week, he's probably ed (you could have thought that after his threats to the camera man, for footage go to youtube). Tiger is always hungry and Augusta is his Thanksgiving Day feast. Not to mention, most of the world is scared less of the man on those greens. Ha.
I think the Masters is the best remedy after the heartbreaking loss last night in the National Championship. Sad day in Memphis for sure...
After losing the past two years in the Elite 8, we finally made it. The Final Four.
I have high hopes for this team. After watching the game against Michigan State, jumping at the tv reenacting Derek Rose and Joey Dorsey slam-down-your-throat dunks, I stand firm in my belief that we have the best team in the nation this year.
Next opponent: UCLA Bruins.
Just a reminder: Tigers are at the top of the food chain.
It's funny, I feel the sudden urge to blog when I am at 30,000 feet. After a solid 10 hours in the air coming back from Hawaii, I am exhausted. I have been up since 4:45am yesterday, played a round of golf in 40mph gusts, and about ready to really loose it. The computer screen is blurry, at times I am seeing double. My stomach is in knots and my feet hurt. But missing a week of school for the paradise known as Hawaii was well worth it. The ocean never ceases to amaze the crap out of me. That part of the world is incredibly beautiful.
I leave you with a shot from Paradise Cove, in Ko Olina.
Tomorrow the state's elite basketball teams face off in Tiger country. The city is like, totally, so excited. I have never seen so much hype for a regular season game. There are a lot of UT fans that live in Memphis and I'll see an occasional vomit orange flag flapping in the wind, but today the flags were out in force. Random banks are hanging up signs saying, "Go Tigers!" or "Go Vols!" The energy is raw, it's exciting, it's got everyone talking. Tickets are going for thousands on ebay. The UofM team is just calling it another game, and that...is...exactly...what...it...is. People say UT is our rival, but we play them once a year.
Tomorrow's 8pm tip-off will be exciting for the state of Tennessee. I am excited to watch it. I wish I was going, the atmosphere would be amazing. We are flying to Raleigh, North Carolina for our first tournament of the season. As always, I am pumped up and ready to rock it.
I'm hoping for two University of Memphis wins this week.
Apoligize Remix- OneRepublic feat. Timbaland Fidelity- Regina Spektor Faded from the Winter- Iron and Wine Here at the Right Time- Josh Ritter Bubbly- Colbie Caillat World Away- Emery Searchlights- Falling Up from Exit>Lights album Luven Me- Nelly I'm For You- Toby Mac Doe Boy Fresh- 36 Mofia A Little More- Skillet Soul Meets Body- Death Cab More Than A Feelin'- Boston Take Me Away- Lifehouse California Dreamin'- The Mamas & the Papas Tusk- Fleetwood Mac
A 5am wake up call. Put on our uniform. Breakfast soon to follow. Eggs, toast, yogurt, tea. Grab my clubs, cart bag and iPod and get in the van to head to the golf course. Organization. Depart for the range. Hit 10 balls with every other club starting at pitching wedge ending with sand wedge. Anberlin blasting into my head and me thinking of amazing shots I have hit in the past. I gather confidence as I warm up to get ready for a nice, long day of 36 holes. After the range, head over to the chipping green. 3 balls. Scatter, and hit a variety of shots. They're close. I'm pumped. I catch a teammate, and head up to putt. 2 balls. Putter. 3 footers around the hole, make them all. After a full rotation, move to the 6 feet. Go around twice. Move to 8 feet. Once. 10 feet. Once. Lag some putts from around 30 feet. Time to get it goin'. Head to the tee and let the magic happen.
This is a typical day going to the course. Tomorrow is when our season starts. We are in Louisville, KY. I have never been here and its beautiful. Rolling hills of lush, green grass and full oak trees. Crisp mornings and blazing afternoons. Golf season is starting. Yes.
I am stoked. Emery's third cd comes out on October 2. I've heard all the hype so I hope it lives up to its reputation. I have been in a musical rut lately so something new is going to be great. Don't worry, I pre-ordered a copy. Yess....
Life can seem ungrateful and not always kind... Life can pull at your heartstrings and play with your mind... Life can be blissful and happy and free... Life can put beauty in the things that you see... Life can place challenges right at your feet... Life can make good of the hardships we meet... Life can overwhelm you and make your head spin... Life can reward those determined to win... Life can be hurtful and not always fair... Life can surround you with people who care... Life clearly does offer it's up and it's downs... Life's days can bring you both smiles and frowns... Life teaches us to take the good with the bad... Life is a mixture of happy and sad..
Take the Life that you have and give it your best...Think positive, be happy, let God do the rest...Take the challenges that life has laid at your feet...Take pride and be thankful for each one you meet...To yourself give forgiveness if you stumble and fall...Take each day that is dealt you and give it your all...Take the love that you're given and return it with care...Have faith that when needed it will always be there...Take time to find the beauty in the things that you see...Take life's simple pleasures let them set your heart free...The idea here is simply to even the score as you are met and faced with Life's Tug of War. (Author Unknown)
Well, it happened. The Tour's critics are satisfied with another positive test for synthetic testosterone. As of late, the tour has not consisted of the test of the human body and what it can endure though France but it has consisted of surfaced doping allegations. Again. T-Mobile team member Patrik Sinkewitz "A" sample tested positive. This is the first sample they take, if it comes back positive, Sinkwitz can request a "B" sample to appeal the results. If the "B" sample is positive Sinkwitz will look at a possible ban from the sport. He could also be fired by his team and have to pay back his annual salary.
The news caused two German television stations to stop covering the race.
As a admirer of this sport, I am left with rolling eyes and head shaking. It is a shame that the integrity of the sport has been challenged so much in result of these drug tests. It is a real shame. Patrice Clerc, the President of Tour Amaury Sports Organization says it perfectly, "Riders are playing Russian roulette, in a way, when they are tempted to cheat."
In Sinkwitz's defense he is about to have surgery as a result and WD from the Tour on Sunday and "knew nothing about [the drug in his system]." This is the case for some of the athletes caught doping. Their trainers or doctors have to be so careful of the drugs or supplements they give the athletes. There is a black list that has so many names on it, it is practically a book. Mistakes can be made. But who are we supposed believe?
I have fallen in love with photography. My interest grows the more I use my camera and study photographs in National Geographic. I hope to start publishing some of my pictures. Here's one that struck my fancy on nationalgeographic.com.
St. George, Utah here we come. Only 9 hours away from beautiful Longmont, Colorado we will be teeing off on the 10th-12th of May. We are SO excited! The conference call was great, it's just like March Madness but not on tv. Anyway, the golf course, Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club, looks pretty amazing. Look for the results on golfstat.com on the 10th. It's live scoring.
We did it. We won. With a 3 shot lead over UTEP going into the final day, we ended up winning by 2 strokes over East Carolina University. My team is the greatest team in the world. Everyone contributed, Kathryn's amazing playing the first two days, DMC's steady playing the whole tournament, Meghan's big final round, and Stace's red numbers the last two days. Incredible team effort! Meghan, Stacey and I all had a birdie on the last hole. Way to make it interesting right? The ECU team watched it all. It was incredible and I'm grateful and honored to be a part of it. Onto regionals...
I don't want it to happen. The realization of growing up has hit me as four of my teammates are about to graduate. This is our last tournament together and I am beyond sad. Our relationships have grown immensely since the day I came to Memphis and I consider them great friends. I don't want this chapter in my life, or theirs, to be over. I know this team with them on it and it is hard to stomach the thought of them not being here next year. It is a time all of us go through and I got a taste of it in high school when Kelly and Brianne graduated leaving Steph and I to fend for a state championship by ourselves. I have hope, why wouldn't I, because our fourth state championship was soon to follow. I must admit it is a bit different in college seeing as we aren't going for our second straight NCAA title. I wish. But it is something we all must endure. The pain of growing up. Needless to say, I am excited for them as they enter life after college. They are amazing people with potential unlimited and I know whatever they set out to do, they will do it if they truly want it. My last entry, the Tiger Woods quote fits in right about here. As my other teammates, three to be exact, who will be returning and I have to bring up some freshman next year. It will be different for all of us but who said change isn't a good thing?
Friday, April 20, 2007
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.” -Tiger Woods
Travis came into town this weekend. I'm sure everyone knew that so it is really only news to me. Let me entertain you with the story. We were playing at Chickasaw CC and I was on the 4th hole walking over to my ball by the cart path. I hear the cart coming behind me and thinking it is just my coach I just kept walking. Then the cart pulls up next to me and HOLY MOTHER Trav is sitting in the cart too. I've never felt so surprised in my lifetime. I couldn't believe he was sitting there. I thought I was dreaming. It was very surreal. I was speechless. It was very cool.
We spent Easter weekend watching the Masters which was great. My family from Louisiana came up and we had a crawfish boil in our front yard. There was about a million pounds of crawfish and people ate for hours. It was a good time. Church on Easter followed by a sweet brunch made by me wrapped up the weekend. Not much happening but quality time for sure.
My car was in the shop for the past two weeks so I've been maneuvering myself through town on my friend's bike and various rides from friends. It sucked but when does car trouble not suck? It's fixed now so that's great.
Our last tournament before conference was held just outside of Atlanta. My teammate Stacey won which was awesome because she won there last year as well. So props to you Ms. Tate! Conference is on the 21st-25th which is very exciting.
School is over May 3rd for me. Hannah and Cady (my sisters) are flying out on the 1st to hang in Memphis and then drive back with me. Very stoked for that. Neither of them have been here yet and I'm anxious to see them.
This year marks the 10 year anniversary of Tiger Woods' legendary win at Augusta National. This next weekend he will try to earn another green jacket this weekend. Phil Mickelson won last year and Tiger missed out on winning his last Masters for his dad, Earl who died last May. I predict a dominating performance by Mr. Woods even though he shot +1 yesterday.
Fun fact: 10 years ago, before he set the record of -18, he shot a front 9 score of 40 (+4). Let the magic begin.
Winner of the 99th United States Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Died October 29, 1999.
One of the most charismatic players on the tour typically seen wearing knickerbockers and tam o'shanter caps. One of my favorite players to watch and certainly after he won the US Open in 1999. Recently I was lucky enough to visit the statue in memory of him just off the 18th green at Pinehurst No. 2. I did not play No. 2 (I played No. 8) but to be in that presence of where something so spectacular happened left me speechless.
The big day is in 3 days. Anberlin is coming out with their new album "Cities". I have downloaded three of their songs already and so far, its typical, amazing Anberlin. If any of you didn't know already, they are my all-time favorite. I could listen to anything they sing all day everyday. Their unique yet indie rock style is so appealing to me. Their lyrics are well written, and from what I've read, they are all genuine stories about the artists themselves. Needless to say, I'm excited. I already pre-ordered a copy and it is on its way to my house right this second. WOW.
Has anyone ever seen a sign like this? I thought it was rather odd. But beneficial, I guess. Before we know it, the "normal" spaces are going to be so far away from the store, might as well walk from home.
The clubhouse.
From #13 tee box. Beautiful par-3. The picture doesn't do it justice.
From #11 tee box. Great view of the St. Louis skyline the entire hole on a clear day!
From #17 tee box.
The Cox Cup was presented in 1896 by Robert Cox, of Gorgie, Edinburgh, Scotland, a member of Britain’s Parliament. It is the only USGA trophy donated by a person from another country and is the oldest survivor among trophies for USGA championships.
The backside of the clubhouse where our banquets were and we ate breakfast/lunch. The scoreboard is on the right side of the picture.
#18 green. Fantastic finishing hole.
