I left Austin Friday Night with my friend Mark, headed for San Antonio to play in the 36-hole San Antonio Open Saturday and Sunday. Both of us had worked a long day, all day Friday and had high hopes for the weekend. Despite not finding a lot of time for practice leading up to the event, I found myself as confident as I had been since turning professional. I felt the layout suited my game, as it didn't really allow a lot of room for long drives, and forced approaches from the 150-175 yard range.
The first round started slowly, with 8 pars. I broke the string of pars the bad way with a bogey on #9. I failed to get it back until 13, with a birdie on the par 5. I made par on every hole on the way in for an even par 72 that included 16 pars. I had only hit 11 greens, and although I missed some good opportunities, I certainly got away with a few mistakes as well. I felt I was capable of a better score but with higher winds looming for the final round I didn't know what to expect.
The final round started similarly, even par through 4, then a birdie on 5 followed by a great par saver on 6. I finished the front 9 at one under par, then that's when I turned it on. Birdies on 10, 12, and 13 got me to 4 under par for the round and the tournament. Unfortunately, a couple of bad swings down the stretch led to a couple of bogies, and the birdie train had stopped. I had to settle for a 2 under par 70, and a total of 142 for the tournament.
As it turns out, that total was good for 6th place alone, and 3rd place among the pros. That came with my largest paycheck as a professional golfer, and now that I think about it, of my life. It's a good feeling for now, but an even better feeling knowing that there is still so much room for improvement. Now I face another off-season, but unlike last year, that ended in disappointment after missing moving on at Q School by a single shot, I ended this year on a bit of a high note. Now there's a few months where I can address some minor swing issues and make plans for 2012.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
How I Play Golf
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that I should work on my attitude regarding golf I'd probably be a millionaire...Its a funny reference, because if there's anything in the world I love more than money, it's golf!
Three years ago this Saturday I arrived in Austin, TX with all of my earthly belongings packed tight in my car. Some of the things I left back in New Hampshire included my parents, the rest of my distant family, a job as an insurance professional, my health insurance, many friends, and most importantly, hundreds of people who believed in me. All of these sacrifices were made for a single love of mine, and believe me, I love my job, but it's not money...
I started a new job, my first at a golf course outside the pro shop, making minimum wage. A 30 minute drive each way on a toll road left me quickly overwhelmed and I found myself wondering whether or not I could sustain any sort of lifestyle. However, I never questioned the goal, just the circumstances leading to it. In order to adjust, I moved closer to my job, I traded my car for a far more economic one, and eliminated a few things in my life in order to free up some funds for neccessities. Do I have any regrets? Zero.
This morning, while sharing a round that could only be described as "casual" with a friend of mine, Steve, he reminded me that I am very hard on myself, even during a "fun round". Steve is a pupil of mine, and I desperately want him to improve his golf game because I can see that he loves it in a similar manner that I do. However, this comment fell on deaf ears, as I have heard it enough times that I don't allow it to hold water anymore...I tried explaining to Steve, that no matter what I may have called myself, or said outloud, that I arrive over the next shot thinking ONLY of that shot. The fact that I got upset in the first place is only evidence of my desire to succeed. I can't tell you whether Steve believed me, or whether he can fathom the concept, but I promise you it's true.
The bottom line is, telling me that I'm too hard on myself, or too negative, or hot headed, etc. is easy. It's the easiest thing you could ever say to somebody. Nobody would ever say "Craig, stop getting upset, you're just not that good..." so it's an easy out to suggest an attitude adjustment.
I admire the players out there that can maintain a calm, cool, collected demeanor on the golf course all the time, no matter what the situation. Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, The Late Payne Stewart to name a few. However, those guys are not me, and they approach the mental portion of the game as differently as they do the physical. Imagine if Rickie Fowler listened to someone that told him "The other guys don't swing like that..." and that he needed to change. Rickie Fowler has a horrific swing. If anyone else tried to hit a proper golf shot from his poisition at the top it would result in a sure shank...But, as fate would have it this swing belongs to nobody else but Rickie. It's how HE does it. He owns it.
I fully understand that my words may be choice after a bogey, a three-putt, a botched up & down, or a poor tee shot. I may refer to myself by a name I would never consider calling my biggest adversary. However, that's just how I do it. I have to release that bad energy in my body created from adversity. It's as big a flaw as Rickie's laid off backswing, but it's how I do it...If I don't, then it will affect the next shot I hit.
So how do I play golf? With passion. I play this game hard. I play it true, and I love it to death. Even if it's not always good to me...
Three years ago this Saturday I arrived in Austin, TX with all of my earthly belongings packed tight in my car. Some of the things I left back in New Hampshire included my parents, the rest of my distant family, a job as an insurance professional, my health insurance, many friends, and most importantly, hundreds of people who believed in me. All of these sacrifices were made for a single love of mine, and believe me, I love my job, but it's not money...
I started a new job, my first at a golf course outside the pro shop, making minimum wage. A 30 minute drive each way on a toll road left me quickly overwhelmed and I found myself wondering whether or not I could sustain any sort of lifestyle. However, I never questioned the goal, just the circumstances leading to it. In order to adjust, I moved closer to my job, I traded my car for a far more economic one, and eliminated a few things in my life in order to free up some funds for neccessities. Do I have any regrets? Zero.
This morning, while sharing a round that could only be described as "casual" with a friend of mine, Steve, he reminded me that I am very hard on myself, even during a "fun round". Steve is a pupil of mine, and I desperately want him to improve his golf game because I can see that he loves it in a similar manner that I do. However, this comment fell on deaf ears, as I have heard it enough times that I don't allow it to hold water anymore...I tried explaining to Steve, that no matter what I may have called myself, or said outloud, that I arrive over the next shot thinking ONLY of that shot. The fact that I got upset in the first place is only evidence of my desire to succeed. I can't tell you whether Steve believed me, or whether he can fathom the concept, but I promise you it's true.
The bottom line is, telling me that I'm too hard on myself, or too negative, or hot headed, etc. is easy. It's the easiest thing you could ever say to somebody. Nobody would ever say "Craig, stop getting upset, you're just not that good..." so it's an easy out to suggest an attitude adjustment.
I admire the players out there that can maintain a calm, cool, collected demeanor on the golf course all the time, no matter what the situation. Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, The Late Payne Stewart to name a few. However, those guys are not me, and they approach the mental portion of the game as differently as they do the physical. Imagine if Rickie Fowler listened to someone that told him "The other guys don't swing like that..." and that he needed to change. Rickie Fowler has a horrific swing. If anyone else tried to hit a proper golf shot from his poisition at the top it would result in a sure shank...But, as fate would have it this swing belongs to nobody else but Rickie. It's how HE does it. He owns it.
I fully understand that my words may be choice after a bogey, a three-putt, a botched up & down, or a poor tee shot. I may refer to myself by a name I would never consider calling my biggest adversary. However, that's just how I do it. I have to release that bad energy in my body created from adversity. It's as big a flaw as Rickie's laid off backswing, but it's how I do it...If I don't, then it will affect the next shot I hit.
So how do I play golf? With passion. I play this game hard. I play it true, and I love it to death. Even if it's not always good to me...
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