Recent Updates

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! As the Symetra Tour (aka, Futures Tour) & the LPGA get into a full summer swing, I wanted to update all of you on a recent decision of mine. I played in the U.S. Women's Open qualifier last week in Atlanta, Georgia. The course was tough, with a lot of elevation changes, fast greens, & dog legs. The thing that hurt me the most, however, was the length. I didn't score well at all, carding an 81 that morning followed by a 76 that afternoon. While short game is imperative to a good round, it makes things all the more difficult if you have hybrids/woods in your hand into a majority of the greens. My stats for hitting the greens with hose clubs were slim & the chances of you making every up & down decrease as you miss more greens. Basically, I came to this conclusion: I will not be able to contend on the LPGA (which of course is the ultimate goal) in the way that I would like unless I gain some yardage off the tee. With that being concluded, I pulled out of the upcoming Symetra Tour events, instead, choosing to work on the issue of gaining yardage. I will still play in tournaments but not until I have addressed this problem & see some progress. Thank you all for your support, & I wanted to let you know why my blog might be quiet for a while. I have already identified some swing flaws, and look forward to working hard on making the changes necessary to my swing. I'm hopeful that this will help me to be blogging again soon! Thanks again for your support! Soli Deo Gloria

Grande Pines - Round Three

Today was not much better than yesterday. I shot 76 again. Hit 12 greens, had 32 putts (two 3-putts), and three birdies. I had one double bogey on #6 & was unable to convert some putts to save par. It was a struggle again. It all comes down to the putting! Sure, I didn't hit as many greens as I would have liked, but (with the exception of the double) I didn't miss the greens in bad places. I even hit great chips to well within 10', but I wasn't able to make the putts! Overall, I ended up 16th. The bright side is that my bad days are still getting better. I'm going home this week, determined to correct my putting! I am more determined than ever to work on short game skills because the past two tournaments have revealed how much of a difference it can make! Thanks again for following me this week! I appreciate all of your support so very much!!! Have a great weekend! Soli Deo Gloria

Grande Pines - Round Two

Overall, today was much better. I hit the ball better, hitting 14 greens total. I also gave myself lots of good looks at birdie...unfortunately, I only made ONE out of nine legitimate chances. The upside is that I hit it to at least 15' nine out of the fourteen times I hit the green! That's improvement! The weather did hit us briefly today, pulling us off the course for about 30 minutes. After the break, we finished the front nine & I made the turn at one over. I hit a great approach into #10 green & made the putt for birdie. I stayed at even par for the next five holes & had three other really good looks at birdie. Number 16 is a par four with a sharp dogleg right. The wind was coming pretty hard from behind so I took a little more than usual off the corner. It looked like a perfect drive from the tee. When I got to my ball, however, it had gone through the fairway, into the rough & behind a tree. I couldn't go for the pin, but had a pretty straight forward punch from under the tree to at worst the front of the green. My punch shot was a little harder than I planned, but I NEVER imagined it would hit in front of the green, roll over the green, through the greenside bunker & into the woods...but that's exactly what happened. It went so far into the woods that I was forced to take an unplayable & return to my original spot in the rough! I tried the same punch shot, but landed it about 30 yards shorter. Again, it kept rolling. It rolled through the fairway, over the green & came to rest in the greenside bunker. Now I was hitting shot #5 from the bunker! I hit a fantastic shot to within a few feet & made the putt to save DOUBLE. I was in shock. I regained my composure to par #17, & hit what I thought was a good drive on #18. Turns out, the fairway was a little wet & I didn't get much roll at all. I had 185 to a very intimidating pin. I hit a good shot, but it caught the false front & rolled down into the rough. I hit the worst chip of the day, that also caught the false front & rolled back down to me. I hit the next chip to inside 10', missed the putt & tapped in for DOUBLE. Again, I was shocked. I picked up all of my four strokes over par (76) on two of the last three holes. Ugh! I was really disappointed with today's finish, but I can't be totally frustrated because I played the other 16 holes even par & continually gave myself chances for birdie. I did hit 14 greens today, made some great chips & putts to save strokes, & despite my 32 putt total, I didn't have a three putt! The thing that's frustrating is that two bad holes can really put a damper on your score, especially if they're at the end of the round. Tomorrow's another day! I tee off at 10:15 EST. Thanks again for your encouragement & a special THANK YOU to the Browns & the Andrews for coming out to the course today! It was so nice to see y'all & I appreciate you taking time out of your vacation to visit me! It was a great way to start the day! Have a great night! Soli Deo Gloria

Grande Pines - Round One

Im back in Orlando this week for a Suncoast event at Grande Pines Golf Course! Today was the first round, and unfortunately, it wasn't my best. I started off pretty good with a birdie on the first hole. I made pars the next two holes, but a terrible swing left me in the right greenside bunker on the par three, #4. I hit a great shot out to five feet! Unfortunately, I missed the putt. At this point I was a little shaken about my shot, and now I was a little shaken about my putting! I hit a great approach on the next hole to 6' for birdie. It was a slider, and I misjudged the speed. I made a few more pars, but my putting "jitters" were amplified by my three putt from 15' on #8! I went on to bogey the ninth as well, making the turn at three over. Another wayward approach on #10 left me with a 60' putt up and over a huge ridge in the green. I three putted...again.i missed the green on #12 & had a tough lie in the bunker. It came out thin & sailed over the green. On the other side, I needed to hit a high flop to the pin, avoiding a severe slope coming right back at me. I hit a good shot to about 10' but missed the putt. I made double bogey. This was one of those moments that sneak up on you in tournament golf. You start to feel like you can't do anything right, and it's a quick, slippery slope to a high score. I recognized my anxiety & made a conscious decision to focus on the basics: it the fairway, hit the green, see the shot you want to hit, and commit. Of course, saying a little prayer helped, too! I birdied the next hole! I hit greens & gave myself good looks at birdie coming in. When I missed the green I didn't panic or get down on myself. I played the last six holes one under! I carded a five over, 77 for the day. Not a good day, but I was glad that I didn't succumb to the discouragement that reared its ugly head during the round. Statistically, my ball striking wasn't very good today. I only hit 10 greens. Plus, when I missed, I didn't miss in the best area, leaving myself tough up & downs. My putting wasn't so hot either. I had 32 putts total, making only two birdies, missing a couple of 5 footers, and had two three putts. This course reminds me a lot of a Robert Trent Jones course. It has intimidating approach shots, undulating & multi level greens, and can get pretty tight in some places. I think I let my nerves get the better of me today on my approach shots, and had trouble committing to the shot I wanted to hit. I worked for a while on the range afterward, and will do a better job of commenting to the shot I want to hit rather than all the other possible outcomes! I was able to get my putting instructor to take a quick look at my stroke & he noticed that my shoulders were closed at set up. This could explain the inconsistencies in my putting despite all my practice! We worked on making sure my shoulders were parallel & I feel much better about tomorrow! I tee off tomorrow at 11:48 EST! I'll keep you updated, and thank you again for checking in! I truly appreciate all of your support & encouragement! Have a good night! Soli Deo Gloria

Eagle Creek - Round One

Today was a good day!

My warm up wasn't the best. I didn't feel confident in my ball striking & was still a little nervous about using the new putting setup. I got off to a good start, though, making pars my first few holes with a GREAT save on the second. In fact, I managed to make the turn at even par!

The back nine is tough, & I made a conscious effort at the turn to refocus on fairways & greens. I hit the green on #10 & #11 and even had about 15' birdie chances! I gave them a good roll, but neither putt fell. I told myself to stay patient & keep giving myself opportunities by hitting greens. On the next hole, my approach came up short of the green. I had a pretty lengthy chip that probably would have rolled a few feet by the hole if it hadn't hit the flagstick & gone in...for birdie!!! The next hole was a par 5. I hit my approach shot to about 5' & made the putt! My one (and only...another positive on today's round) bogey resulted from a misclub on the next par 4. I was putting from the fringe above the hole. It was a very slippery pin location, and unfortunately I didn't make the slider for par coming back. I had two good approach shots on #16 & #17, making both putts for birdie! My birdie putt on the last hole came up just short & I tapped in for par!

I ended up carding a 3 under, 70 for the day! I was very pleased with my score today! I was thankful that I hit a lot of greens (14) & when I missed the green I was able to "miss" in the better places...if that makes sense. My chipping was good, too. My speed control over my putts was much better today, and I gained some confidence with the new set up.

After the round, I went to the range & tried to work out the shakiness in my swing. I didn't hit it all that bad today, but I had hit it so well over the weekend that I was a bit disappointed. I think I just didn't get into a good tempo this morning. I seemed to have a better tempo afterwards. Either way, I was very pleased with a swing that could still make it around the golf course even when I wasn't swinging my best! I was still able to hit greens and give myself opportunities! I also worked some more on chipping & sand shots this afternoon. I finished my practice by reinforcing speed control & stroke on the putting green.

I tee off tomorrow at 10:24 EST! Thanks so much for all of your thoughts, prayers, & encouraging comments! I am so very thankful for the support! Have a great night!



Soli Deo Gloria

Eagle Creek

Hey everyone! It's tournament time again! We're playing at Eagle Creek this weekend. I played my practice round yesterday morning, and got a nice, LONG look at the course! It was a Sunday morning so the course was packed. Unfortunately, it was a slow moving day, but at least I had time to hit various approach shots, chips, and putts.

This course is definitely playing longer than last week's tournament at Falcon's Fire, especially if the wind is strong like it was yesterday. There's an extra par 5, so par will be a 73 this week. This course also has an interesting array of pot bunkers. There's a good bit of sand in general, but it's a little unusual to see so many pot bunkers....needless to say, I'm going to try & hit the greens, hahaha!

Today, I had a good practice session at Eagle Creek. I spent the majority of my time on the putting green. We made a pretty big adjustment to my putting setup at my lesson Friday, so it's taking some time to get comfortable. Also, I wanted to do as much as possible to get comfortable with the speed of the greens here since that was such a struggle last week. After a lot of putting, I spent a long time practicing out of the bunkers and a variety of chip shots around the green. They didn't have any pot bunkers in the practice area, but I worked on high lofted sand shots. Obviously, my goal is the green in regulation...but I'd like to be prepared, too! I hit balls at the range, and then finished up where I began this morning: putting.

I was really pleased with both my practice round yesterday & my practice session today. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with my new putting setup as well as the green speed. My ball striking seems to be getting better, too. Hopefully it will all come together in tomorrow's round! I tee off at 11:18 EST! I'd appreciate any thoughts & prayers you could send my way! Thanks so much for checking in & have a great night!



Soli Deo Gloria

Falcon's Fire - Round Three

Hey everyone! Unfortunately, today didn't end so well. I shot 36-41, 77. I hit the ball better today than yesterday, even hitting it to a foot on two holes that lead to two tap in birdies! However, I still left myself with some longer putts and had two three-putts today. My putting got me down. I was frustrated, missing one five footer and another ten footer for birdie later in the round. Unfortunately, I gave in to the frustration. I started trying to make things happen instead of sticking to my game plan which lead to a bogey & a double one the back nine.

At this point I'm just SO frustrated!!! I am very much looking forward to a putting lesson tomorrow! I know that speed control is a major issue. I really feel (and obviously from my many three putts the past two weeks) that my line isn't all that bad. But if you can't get the speed right, it doesn't matter where you line up! Hopefully, tomorrow we can address these issues & work on a plan to correct them!

On the bright side, I hit 13 of 14 fairways, 14 greens, & am broken up over a 77 on my scorecard. That means I'm improving and my misses are getting better. I know that at least one double and one bogey can be attributed to abandoning my gameplan at the end...trying to force things. Although, I can say that I'd still be disappointed with a 74, I know that there would be no regret over the wasteful strokes I added to my score by giving in to frustration. So, another (painful) lesson learned. Won't happen again! Also, another bright spot: I ended on a regulation par on the tough, long #18!

This weekend, I'm working with Justin Blazer at the Faldo Institute to address my putting issues. Then, on to the next Suncoast event! We'll be playing at Eagle Creek Golf Course next Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday. Until then, have a great weekend & I'll keep you updated! Thanks again for all of your encouragement this week. I really appreciated it!


Soli Deo Gloria

Falcon's Fire - Round Two

Today was a struggle! I ended up carding a 76 with FOUR three-putts! Ugh! Not only was I having trouble putting today, but my ball striking was frustrating. I struggled making solid contact and hitting it somewhere towards my target.

I started out pretty well, hitting a great drive and approach into #10, par 5 (we started on the back again today) & leaving myself with a 10' putt for birdie. I wasn't able to make the putt, though. My tee shot on the next hole (par 3) found the left bunker. I hit a mediocre sand shot leaving 20' for par. I did a terrible job of committing to the line and, as a result, lost all consideration for speed. It came up 10' short. I ended up missing that putt & three putting for double. I managed to regain composure & make regulation pars on the next two holes, but my approach on the par 5, 14th was 40' short of the hole. My putting woes continued & I three putted for bogey. I finished out the first nine holes with pars, making a great sand save on #17 & a fantastic TWO putt from 50' on #18.

I took a little comfort in making the turn at the same amount over par as yesterday & told myself to be patient. Unlike yesterday though, I never hit it close today. I only had four birdie chances that we're '15 or less and didn't make any of them. I did find one birdie on #5 when a 20' putt rolled in! But a misclub on #3 led to a three putt & I three putted again on #8 from just outside 30 feet.

I can't say that today's score was solely a putting problem, although it appears to be a major contributor since I racked up 36 putts total. I hit 14 greens, which is good statistically, but I rarely gave myself good looks at birdie & hit it so far away that it made my chances at two putting even slimmer. I putted for a while afterwards, & was significantly better than on the course. I noticed that I had a tendency to "hit" at the ball on the longer putts, so I worked on feeling an even tempo stroke. They had closed the range at the course, so I went over to one of the Disney courses & worked my way through a large bucket of balls. I really seemed to make some progress there. Maybe it was the "magic" of Disney or that I was the only one on the range, but I finally got a "feel" that seemed to help me make more solid contact and hit the ball on line more consistently. I left feeling a bit better about my swing.

There were some bright spots in today's round. I hit 14 greens. That's consistent improvement! I made some really good chips and par saving putts today. All things considered, today could have easily developed into one of those days where the wheels fell off & I gave in to mounting frustration. But thank the Lord, I was able to maintain my composure & plod along. I was pretty even tempered today & didn't give up. That's also consistent improvement!

I tee off tomorrow at 11:45 EST! Thanks again for checking in & for all of your support! I'll keep you updated!


Soli Deo Gloria

Falcon's Fire - Round One

Today was a long day! The course allowed some extra public play to go out in front of our tee times, pushing us back nearly 30 minutes! Plus, mid morning tee times always seem to move slower anyways. Also, a last minute change caused us to start on #10.

My warm up wasn't that great, and I was a little anxious about my ball striking. However, when we were informed that our tee time was delayed, I went back to the range just to stay loose. My attitude was much more casual & relaxed since I had been joking around with another player in my group. For whatever reason, I hit the ball significantly better than I had earlier in my warm up. That positive momentum continued on the course, and while I still wasn't completely comfortable over the ball, I was able to put myself in good positions. In fact, I had four good looks at birdie on the first nine!

A really ridiculous miss cost me a bogey on #16. The frustration was compounded because I had hit a really great drive leaving only 90 yards into the green. I missed to the right, and had a really slick, short sided chip. My par putt just grazed the low side of the hole & I tapped in for bogey. I hit a great drive on the next hole, but my approach was badly pulled & moving left. I landed short of the green in the water hazard. I could see my ball & it was halfway in the water. There was just enough of my ball showing to tempt me to try and hit it. I took off a shoe and drenched myself, swinging through the water only to advance my ball about one foot onto the wet sand in the hazard. I caught the next shot thin. I hit it over the pin & to the back fringe. I elected to try to bump & run the next shot to the hole, but it didn't catch the right side of the slope & I was left with about a 12' putt for double. I made it! It was a double, but felt like I saved a par. In hindsight, I really should have dropped out of the hazard. Even though my drop would have left me with about a 60 yard shot, that would have made my double considerably easier! I left my birdie putt on #18 short...three inches short & dead center. Ugh!

I made the turn at 3 over, and with a little frustration lingering. I tried to settle down & refocus on fairways & greens. I would have birdie putts on the next two holes, both inside 15' but neither fell! The putt on #2 was a heartbreaking lip out! Thankfully, two putts did fall though, starting with the short par 5, #4. My second shot found the left green side bunker & I hit a great shot out to 5 feet...that birdie fell! I hit another good approach shot on #7 & made another 5' putt for birdie! I hit a great drive & approach shot on the last hole to give myself another short opportunity for birdie. The putt was over a subtle hump that pushed my ball the opposite way I thought it would break...I missed it & tapped in for par.

I carded a 73 for the day. Although that last putt left me steaming, I was proud of playing the front nine (our second nine) at two under. It was clearly not a day for me where you're making a lot of putts, but I was proud that I stayed focused, calm, & kept giving myself chances. I did make some great putts to save par today as well. I hit 14 greens, had eight chances at birdie that were 15' or less, & made two good saves for par. I was thankful that I was able to finish strong!

After grabbing lunch, I hit balls for a while, working on tempo and trying to build some confidence. Then I worked on putting a long time. I don't think I'm making bad strokes, and I don't think my line or speed are bad, but it's just mixing the two together. I was having a hard time today putting the right speed with my read. So, I worked for a while hitting lots of putts totally focused on speed. Hopefully, that will help & I will be able to keep giving myself chances tomorrow!

I tee off #1 (maybe...haha) at 11:44 EST tomorrow morning! Thanks again for keeping up with me, and I am so thankful for your encouragement as well as the opportunity to play!!! Have a great night!



Soli Deo Gloria

Falcon's Fire Golf Course

Hey everyone! I hope y'all had a wonderful Easter weekend...and we're able to catch the Masters coverage!

I'm back on the road again, and this week we're playing at Falcon's Fire in Kissimmee, Florida! I drove in today, and went straight to the course to practice for a while. I've played this course several times with the Suncoast Series, so I have a pretty good feel for the overall layout. So, this afternoon I just worked on my swing, chipping, and putting for several hours. I heard from some other girls who played today that the course is in good shape and the greens are just like the practice green. The practice green is in great shape with burmuda grass that is on the grainy side, but rolling very nicely. I really enjoyed my practice session this afternoon and I feel like I got pretty comfortable with the green.

I tee off tomorrow morning at 10:28 EST off #1! I'll keep you updated, and thanks for following me this week! Have a great night!




Soli Deo Gloria

Harmony - Round Three

As soon as I signed my scorecard, I hopped in the car & made the eight hour drive home. So this is my first chance to update my blog about yesterday's final round. If you happened to check the website, you already know it was a pretty good day! I finished with a one under, 71! I wasn't in the money this week, but at least there was consistent improvement over the three days of competition.

I was particularly proud & thankful for my finish because I did not start off as strong as yesterday. A poor drive on the first hole left me with a long iron into the green, which I I pulled left of the green. Instead of pacing a off my rather lengthy chip and trying to hit to a specific number, I briefly took in the length of my chip, "saw" the shot I wanted to play, and executed my chip with that "picture" in mind. It seemed to help. My chip finished three feet from the hole & I saved par.

Overall, I chipped & putted much better yesterday with 3 out of 5 par saves & only one 3-putt (30 total...4 better than the previous two day average 0f 34). The one three putt came on the third hole (#12). I actually made a nice lag putt from 50' to about 3 feet. I missed the three footer though. I made a very poor stroke that caused every golfer's deep buried fear of the mysterious "yips" to ever so briefly creep into the back of my mind. I concluded that I had become far more concerned on the outcome & lost focus on taking to putter head straight back. A little frustration carried over to my tee shot on the next hole (a severe dogleg right with bunkers guarding the fairway) & I hit an ugly fade that found a deep fairway bunker. I admit, I was shaken. This was not the most promising of starts. I took my medicine and hit the longest club I could get out of that bunker (8iron) which came up very short of the green at the 100 yard marker. A par save was still possible but FAR more difficult now. I took a little off my pitching wedge, & hit a great shot that landed just by the pin & rolled to 8 feet! I focused on making a good stroke, straight back & through, & made the putt for par - dead center!!!! I was pumped! What could have easily become a damaging, big number hole became a huge save & boost to my shaky confidence! I refocused on fairways & greens. My first birdie came on the par 5, #16 where I hit my approach to three feet! On #18 tee box, I knew it was going be a tough hole again today. The wind was stiff & into our face. I reminded myself to play this hole much smarter than I did the first two days. I hit a good drive but was still 200 yards out. I took a 3wood & aimed right of the pin, knowing that I would come up short, but short right was a much better chipping opportunity than anything left. The idea played out & I left myself a bump & run to the pin to save par. I didn't hit the best chip, but made a great putt to save par!

I didn't catch my approach shot clean on #1, but thankfully, it was a good miss, & ended up 10' from the hole. I made the putt for birdie to go to one-under on my round! I found myself with another 15' putt for birdie on #2, but completely misjudged the direction of the slope & missed the putt. I pulled my approach shot on the next hole, & wasn't able to make the save. However, my lengthy birdie putt on the next hole found the bottom of the cup & I was back to one-under! I gave myself two other birdie opportunities that were 15' or less, including one on the very last hole, but none fell. Nonetheless, I finished strong with a string of regulation pars to card a 71 on the day!

A 71 bumped me up to 17th place overall. I'm home this weekend, but return to Florida for two weeks on Monday. I'll be playing next week in a Suncoast event at Falcon's Fire golf course Tuesday through Thursday! Thanks again for following me this week, and I look forward to the next competition! I truly appreciate all of your kind words, thoughts, prayers, and encouragement! Have a wonderful Master's weekend and a Happy Easter! He is Risen!


Soli Deo Gloria

Harmony - Round Two

Today was almost SO good!

I started out hitting a great shot into the first green and sank the eight foot putt for birdie! I went on to par the next three holes (three strokes better than yesterday already). I missed a great opportunity on the short par 5,#14 when I left my 10 foot birdie putt short. The next hole I hit my approach to one foot and tapped in for birdie! #16 was another par 5 offering a great opportunity for birdie. I had 51 yards to the pin, but my wedge shot came up short of the green entirely. I made a good chip to a few feet and made the putt to save par. The wind was a little gusty today, and caused me to be indecisive on my club choice for #17 (par 3). I decided take an extra club but choke down on it...in hindsight...really, I'm more comfortable taking full swings so I should have just hit the full club below. My indecision led to an unsure swing which landed me short of the green in the bunker. I made a good out, but missed my 10 foot par putt. #18 was even more difficult. It was a long par 4 straight into the gusty wind. My 3wood drifted left and found the front bunker a LONG way from the back right pin position. I took a gamble on the sand shot. I had at least 50 yards and all the green in the world to work with, plus, the lip wasn't high. So...I attempted to hit a sand/bump & run shot...and it worked! I still left myself with 30' for par simply because I had never attempted that shot before. But, nonetheless, I have a new shot to work on AND I was able to limit the damage to a bogey.

At the turn, I refocused my attention to hitting fairways and greens. And I did! I hit every green on the next nine! I had a lot of good looks at birdie, but only made one (I hit it to a foot from the fairway again!). The real heartbreaker was that I had THREE three-putts, including one on the last hole. I carded a 74, hitting 14 greens, having seven birdie opportunities that were 15' or less, three three-putts (34 total), and didn't take advantage of any of the par 5s.

Obviously, there were a lot of positives to today's round, but I quickly made my way to the practice green after signing my scorecard to work on my putting. I really struggled with distance control on the longer (40-60') putts. Plus, my shorter putts just weren't falling today, so I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything technically wrong with my stroke. Hopefully, the practice will help tomorrow's putting!

I tee of #10 tomorrow at 10:30 EST! Thank you again for all of your encouraging comments and texts! Have a great night!




Soli Deo Gloria

Harmony - Round One

Well, today was not so great. I ended up shooting a 76. I have to admit that there were some positives to today's round, though! I got out to the course extra early this morning to allow myself plenty of time to warm up and seemed to get into a good rythm. But after yesterday's exhaustive battle with my swing, I was still a bit more nervous than usual on the first tee. I managed to make two regulation pars on the first two holes, and even had a 10 foot opportunity for birdie! The third hole (#12) was a tough par 3. I hit a terrible block to the right and landed in the bunker. I hit a poor sand shot that hung up in the rough. Another poor chip and two putt later, I carded a double bogey on the hole. Ouch. I was proud that I managed to keep my composure. I hit fairways and greens until #18. Another blocked approach shot to the right cost me another shot. I made the turn at 3 over.

I finally had a birdie fall on #2! I missed another green on #4, and made a terrible chip, leaving myself a 10 footer to save par. I missed the putt to go back to 3 over par. I started hitting fairways & greens again, and made par on several tough holes. I hit a great drive on the last hole (#9), and had 150 yards slightly uphill to the pin. My shot started just right of the flag, and took an unlucky hop right into a green side bunker. I missed my putt for par to add one more stroke to my score...on the LAST hole.

I really did hit the ball MUCH better today, but still was never quite comfortable, so I put in a lot of practice time after the round. I hit balls to reinforce some confidence in my swing, but what I spent more time on was chipping and putting! I hit 13 greens today, but I only made ONE par save. Sure, I really struggled with the speed of the greens and didn't take advantage of my birdie opportunities, but my chipping was terrible. So I hit some shots around the practice green similar to those I encountered today. It was much better. I think I over analyze chipping on the course during tournament rounds. I get too technically focused instead of just seeing the shot and hitting it. Finally, I worked on putting. I mentioned yesterday that the greens are a bit inconsistent, and that really got to me today. I couldn't get the speed down and left so many birdie putts short! Hopefully, all this will help tomorrow's round go much better!

I tee off #10 tomorrow morning at 11:00 EST! Thank you for all of the encouragement, and I'll keep you updated!!!



Soli Deo Gloria

Harmony Golf Preserve

Hey everyone! This week we're playing at Harmony Golf Preserve in Harmony, Florida. It's a golf community in between Kissimmee and Melbourne. The tournament is Tuesday through Thursday, so this morning I played my practice round.

The course is a good layout with some tricky shot making holes. To be honest, I didn't strike the ball well today. It was a tough practice round! I just couldn't seem to get comfortable over the ball. However, a positive was that I still managed to hit greens. Afterwards, I went to the range for a long time, determined to at least find a way to feel comfortable. I started hitting it much better, but then I'm not sure if it was the heat or simply fatigue that took over & forced me to call it quits. Hopefully, I can get into a better groove tomorrow!

I tee off tomorrow morning at 9:57 EST, and would appreciate any good vibes, thoughts, or prayers you could send my way!!! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to play again and will keep you updated! Have a great night!

LPGA International - Round Three

Hi everyone! Sorry for the delayed update, but I drove straight home from Daytona Beach yesterday after the round. I didn't get in until around 9:30, and posted a quick update to my facebook page. In case you don't keep up via Facebook...I shot an even par 72 yesterday to finish 10th for the tournament!

Yesterday's round got off to a MUCH better start! I made a conscious effort to make confident, aggressive swings towards my target. I concentrated on focusing on the shot I wanted to make happen, and not all of he possible scenarios that could happen. It seemed to work. I hit every green on the front side. I not only hit the greens, but I hit it close. I had seven looks at birdie inside of 15 feet on the front side alone. I made four of them. I was three under after he first five holes! I encountered some speed issues and three putted twice on the front side, but I made the turn at two under!

The back side is tougher than the front anyways, but it became more difficult as the wind picked up. I only hit four greens on the back and missed two up & downs for par, ending the day with a round of 34 - 38, 72!

I was very encouraged by yesterdays round not only because of the better score, but because of how many great opportunities I had for birdie! I was so thankful the Lord gave me a glimpse of everything coming together. I am encouraged to work harder and better these next few weeks!

I do have a few weeks off until my next tournament. We will be playing at Harmony Golf Preserve the first week in April. Until then, I'll be working hard...and really appreciate sleeping in my own bed, haha! Thanks to all of you who have sent encouraging texts, comments, and prayers! I am so very blessed and so very grateful! Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!



Soli Deo Gloria

LPGA International - Round Two

Today's round was a little better! I carded a 75... one stroke better...but moving in the right direction.

The morning started off a bit more shaky than yesterday. I'm not sure why, but I was more "careful" and timid over my approach shots, resulting in less than solid contact and missed greens. In fact, I missed five of the first six greens and was three over after six holes! I finally hit a green on #7, and that seemed to calm my nerves. I stuck it to six feet on the par five #8, but my birdie putt dipped in one side of the hole and came back out the other! I made the turn at three over.

The back side was a little more consistent. I hit six greens, stuck another approach to five feet and this time my putt went in for birdie! #16 is a par five, and I hit the green in regulation. I had about 25 feet for birdie, but I misjudged the speed and it slipped about six feet past the hole. My nerves got the best of me & I missed the putt coming back for par...sickening! I did make a GREAT up & down for par on #17. I was especially proud of this because 17 has played extremely long into the wind the past two days. Plus, I had a 10 foot putt for par, but I trusted my read and knocked it in the dead center of the cup! I finished with a solid par on #18 to end the day with a 75. Not the best score, but I'm pretty proud that I played the last 13 holes even par after such a shaky start!

My score puts me tied for 14th and seven strokes back from the lead. I'll tee off tomorrow morning at 9:40 EST! I'll update my Facebook page, but won't be able to update the blog since I'll be hopping in the car immediately afterwards to drive back to Alabama! Thanks again for all of your encouragement this week!!! It is truly appreciated!




Soli Deo Gloria

LPGA International - Round One

I'm back n Florida this week! We are playing the Legends course at LPGA International Golf Club. I teed off #1 at 9:40 this morning. I got off to a good start, hitting the first three greens in regulation. My first hiccup came at #7. It is a fairly long par 3 slightly uphill and into a VERY stiff wind today. If you miss anywhere, short of the green is the best place to be. I played a great shot that landed a couple of yards short of the green. I was happy with my miss, knowing that short was the best chance to save par. When I approached my ball I noticed that there was something strange about the lie. It looked to be nestled down into the ground as if it had landed in its own ball mark. However, there was a definite ball mark about a foot in front of my ball...I assumed that was mine. Lesson learned: never assume. I proceeded to flub my chip shot because it was in fact sitting in its own ball mark (had I investigated this further, I could have dropped my ball out of its plugged lie according to the rules of golf). Another poor chip left me with a 10 footer I didn't make. I left the green with a double. The only blemish on my front side, I made the turn at 2 over par. Lesson learned.

As the day progressed, that stiff wind became huge gusts from 30-40 mph. It became harder to hit greens, and I added two more bogeys to my card from missed up & downs. In fact, I only hit 4 greens on the back side. My first birdie of the day finally fell at the par 5, #16! Unfortunately #17 played particularly long into the wind, and I was unable to convert the putt for par. I ended on a good note, though, hitting #18 in regulation, and tapping in for par(after a heartbreaking lip out for birdie).

Although I'm not thrilled with a 76, I am encouraged by several things in today's round. Putting, first and foremost! If you've followed me via Facebook, you've noticed that I had a putting lesson on Friday. I learned the Aimpoint putting technique from instructor Justin Blazer at the Falo Institute in Orlando. It was quite possibly one of the greatest putting lessons I've received. If you aren't familiar with Aimpoint...google it. As great as it is, this was only my third day with the material and the first tournament round using it. My nerves were a little on edge to begin with, but I felt more comfortable by the end of the round. I found myself assessing putts quickly and being more decisive over the ball. Any concerns about the concept being too technical for me to use on the course sort of fell away, and I made some GREAT putts today (not every GREAT putt fell...but a lot of them did)! I am very excited to continue integrating this technique into my game! Also, I hit some really solid golf shots today and made some great course strategy decisions.

My score putts me 6 strokes back of the lead and tied for 11th with two more rounds to go. I'll be teeing off tomorrow at 8:20 EST off #1! As always, I am deeply grateful to even have the opportunity to play and pursue golf as a career. Thank you for your encouragement throughout this adventure & I'll keep you updated!!! Have a great night!!!




Soli Deo Gloria

Timacuan - Round One

This week we're playing at Timacuan Golf Course in Lake Mary, Florida. It's a very nice course just outside of Orlando. I teed of #10 at 12:00 EST today. There are definitely some longer holes at Timacuan, and #10 is one of them...especially with firm breeze in your face! I got off to a good start though. I was even par coming into #17 with one birdie and one bogey. I misjudged the wind on my approach shot and left myself with a 45 foot putt for birdie directly into the grain. After playing on some quicker greens, it was hard to make myself hit the ball hard enough to get to the hole, particularly on longer putts into the grain. I left my birdie attempt 12 feet short, and couldn't convert for par. My first and only three putt of the day. On #18 I hit a good drive and a good second shot...too good, in fact. I pulled it a little left, but regardless of direction, it was too much club. I found out the hard way that you should favor the front of 18 green...because there is a hazard just behind the green that I failed to notice during my practice round. I had to drop out of the hazard, but did make a decent chip and great putt to save bogey.

Although I was two over making the turn, I felt (with that previous save for bogey) I had some decent momentum going. Sure enough, my 18 foot putt for birdie on #1 just burned the lip and I tapped in for par! I missed the next green, hit a good chip, but completely and utterly misread my putt for par. I think this is where my mental game gave way. All of the sudden I went from being focused on hitting fairways and greens to being "score" focused. Not good. I missed every following green, with exception of the par 5s (both birdie putts burned the edge & didn't fall). Now although I'm not proud of that statistic, I did make some GREAT up & downs to save par on three of those five par 4s. Needless to say, it was exhausting. It felt like the harder I tried, the more I missed the greens! I finished, carding a 77 for the day. Like I said, while I'm not particularly proud of my score, I am proud that I continued to fight & didn't give up or get down on myself. I'm not sure where my score puts me in relation to the field, but hopefully I can hang in there and come back strong tomorrow! I will definitely commit myself to do a better job of focusing on hitting fairways and greens!

Thanks for checking in and for all of your encouragement via facebook, texts, and this blog!!!! I will be teeing of #1 at 12:50 tomorrow! I'll keep you updated! Thanks again, and have a great night!






Soli Deo Gloria

Reunuion - Round Three

If you were able to see my Facebook updates, you know that yesterday's round was an improvement on my first round to say the least! The weather was gorgeous, but it was still fairly windy. I got off to a rocky start, and was four over after the first five holes. I started focusing on hitting the center of the green & that helped considerably. A few birdies and bogeys later I carded a 76, which I was pretty pleased with after such a rough start.

After my round, I had dinner with some friends from college who live in Orlando. Thanks Katie and Leigh Anne for a fun night! The night got even better when my parents arrived. I was SO EXCITED that they were able to come!!!!! They watched me play the last round today & then we're going to visit Disney World for a couple of days!

Thankfully, today's round was even better than yesterday's! I got off to a much better start, hitting eight out of the first nine greens. I made the turn at two under! The back nine played a little tougher than the front. My two bogies came at 14 & 16. Both are intimidating holes on a normal day. Add a few gusts of wind, tournament pressure, and they're even harder. I was able to finish with pars on the last two holes to card an even par 72 for the day!

Today's score bumped me up to a finish in eighth place!!! I am so happy to have finished so strong after such a rough start. I am also very thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a community of family & friends who are so supportive. THANK YOU for all of your encouragement this week! My next event will be a Suncoast event in two weeks in Orlando. Thanks again for following and I'll keep you updated!



Soli Deo Gloria

Reunuion: Nicklaus Course Round One

Hey everyone, and welcome back!!! I hope you had a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season! I'm starting off my 2012 season with a Suncoast event in Orlando, Florida this week. We're playing the Nicklaus course the 7-9th.

Today was a rough start! I carded a 9-over, 81. I have to admit my nerves got the best of me in a couple of instances, particularly the first couple of holes. That's part of getting back into the competitive spirit I suppose! Today was an especially windy day in Orlando as well, making approach shots and holding greens more challenging. Despite the wind and gray skies, I was thankful it never rained on us. We endured only a light sprinkle the last few holes.

I really struggled hitting greens today, although I didn't it the ball badly. I hit 8 greens total, but actually "hit" 5 more that didn't hold. Overall, I chipped well today and gave myself great chances to save par...I just couldn't convert the save. Putting was the real problem. I had 4 three putts today, giving me a grand total of 33 putts. Yuck! I struggled reading the putts. Except for one putt (which was relatively lengthy...about 60 feet), my speed control was pretty good. I struggled with the shorter putts. I even had a couple of three footers that lipped out! For those of you that play, you know this can quickly effect your confidence. I think that's what happened today. I started second guessing & eventually made it harder for myself to commit to a read.

I did have two beautiful birdies today, which as nice to see! Also, I've recently made some pretty significant swing changes & was pretty pleased with my ball striking under tournament pressure in tough conditions. There's still a lot of room for improvement, but I'm at least feeling a little more comfortable and confident.

I'm currently tied for 22nd and take out my four three putts...I'd be top ten. I tee off tomorrow morning at 11:36 EST. I'd appreciate any thoughts, prayers, and good vibes you could send my way! Thank you so much for your support and keeping up with my adventures! Have a great night and God bless!