I decided to take a break from blogging over the off-season but will do my best to keep it updated this season. I last left off in Palm Springs, CA by qualifying for the Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying School that was held in Daytona Beach, FL in early December. In between those qualifiers I jetted over to Miami, FL to visit my best friend Caitlan and enjoyed some R&R. We had a fabulous time together. I am so thankful she lives there so I have a place and car to use whenever I visit.
I traveled to Fayetteville, AR a few times to visit my good friend and fellow Futures Tour travel buddy Lucy Nunn. The golf facilities at the University of Arkansas’ home course, The Blessings, are too good to be true and with a short drive from OKC, I had to go up there and pretend to be a Razorback for a bit. My Sooners will always come first but the Razorbacks are my adopted golf team. I also traveled to Phoenix a few times to play in some events just to keep my game in check in preparation for the Final Stage of Q School. Shortly after those tournaments, I parted ways with my caddy of 6 months and quickly began to search for a looper for Q School.
My good friend Kelsey Cline helped me out in a big way. With less than a week before the tournament started, I booked him a flight to come out to Daytona Beach to help me for a week. We worked well together. He kept me loose but focused. We made the cut but did not finish high enough to receive any LPGA status for the 2011 season. I was deflated because it was my second time qualifying for Final Stage and not finishing in the top 40 was crushing. It takes a lot of hard work, time, and sometimes luck to get there so I was definitely down in the dumps about missing out once again.
KCline and I
I put the sticks up and flew back to OKC (losing my laptop along the way) just in time to get my foot operated on. I had shattered my sesmoid bone in my right big toe last February and played on it all season long. December was the only time I had to recover so that was my only option. It was my first time to be operated on due to an injury. I thought I was invincible. I woke up from surgery and asked for a Diet Coke and a refill but shortly regretted it as it all came up and out in the car. The next night my friend Egg Roll and I went to a Thunder game downtown. The next few days I felt like I had been hit by a semi so I decided to chill out and enjoy the Christmas holidays before packing up and heading back down to the Sunshine State for a New Years trip with my three best girlfriends (the Crew.)
Before I got cut on
Ouch!
The Crew consists of Caitlan, Whitney, Mindy, and myself. We are all on completely different tracks in life but that is what makes us tick and get along so well. It’s hard for us to coordinate our 4 schedules so we made a conscience effort months before our trip that we were going down to visit our lonely friend Caitlan no matter what, even if it was just for a few days. I was able to stay a little longer just because I was in the off-season and didn’t have to get back to an office job or PA school like the other two did. We enjoyed a romantic sunset boat ride with three other couples, spent our days out on the beach soaking up the sun, and partied with Caitlan’s co-workers on South Beach for New Year’s Eve. There really isn’t a better place to bring in the New Year other than the beach.
The crew on the beach
I flew back to OKC just in time to pack up and take my jeep west to Phoenix for a few months. It was time to get back to work and play some golf. Phoenix has a mini tour called the Cactus Tour, which allows girls to play all year long, especially when the main tours aren’t playing. I have a lot of friends who play in the tournaments so it’s good competition even if the money isn’t that great. I played in 4 events and finished 4th, 4th, 9th, and 2nd. I fell in love with Ping’s Anser irons so I put those bad boys into play while I was out there and will be playing those all year long. They are solid!
I was able to play all sorts of great golf courses while I was there but still have a laundry list of more that I’m dying to play. I met some wonderful people and love the city every time I visit. The weather is almost always perfect, the mountain views can’t be beat, the food is delicious (ahhhh), and the shopping is great! Other than playing in tournaments I was able to visit Sedona and see the gorgeous views, go on a hot air balloon ride, visit their zoo, meet Bubba Watson, volunteer at the TPC Scottsdale PGA tournament, go to my first Nascar/Nationwide race, hike a baby mountain to get in shape, play with LPGA players, drive indoor go-karts, and spent time with my best friend. My jeep fits in great there and I will be returning as soon as my third Futures Tour event finishes in Mexico. I love the desert if you can’t tell. It sure beat staying cooped up in Oklahoma with all the cold and snowy weather this winter. I’m very fortunate that I was able to be there for a few months and play every single day. I took one day off a week and by the time I left Phoenix last week, I had played 36 rounds. I’m going to keep track this year of how many rounds and holes I play. It could get scary.
Bubba and I
Sitting courtside at a Suns-Kings game
My friend and I working at TPC Scottsdale
I flew to OKC last week to spend some time with family and friends before my season on the LPGA Futures Tour began. It was my mom’s birthday, parents’ anniversary, and since I wasn’t home on my birthday, sort of celebrating mine as well. I got to see faces I needed and desperately wanted to see but with 4 days in 30+ mile an hour winds, I was ready to get on out of there and see some green grass.
My travel buddy Lucy Nunn and I met up at the airport and flew all day Monday to Orlando. We rented our expensive car (we need to be 25 now!) and headed to Plant City, FL where we are staying this week. Our family has strawberry fields and that’s what he’s been his whole life, a farmer! I might eat the most strawberries I’ve ever had this week. The downfall is we are staying an hour away from the course so our days have been filled with practice rounds, work outs, pro ams, parties, dinners, etc. I played in a pro am Thursday afternoon with a guy who won the lottery! He was the first and probably only person I’ll ever meet who has won the lottery.
Live scoring is on lpgafuturestour.com so if you all are bored out there, be sure to follow us. The game feels good, my head is good and if the putter wants to behave we should have a good weekend.
This has been a very hectic, crazy busy “off-season” if you want to call it that. I want to thank my true friends for always being there and being a continuous support system. Prayers were felt and things are looking up. I have grown a lot since last season and have learned so much about how important love and your own happiness is compared to other things that go on in life that shouldn’t matter. I guess that all comes with age but I am excited about this season. I am going to work extremely hard towards my goal of finishing top 5 on the money list this year and that happens with great focus and self belief every single day this season. Thanks to everyone who reads my blogs, supports me and my dream, and the positive people around me who keep me ticking. I love you all!
What I’m Reading: The Mulligan
What I’m Listening to: Adele
