What I did this summer (catchy huh?):

I took up golf at age 8 following by brother, Steve, around the golf course. The first golf course I remember playing was Glen Miller Golf Course in Richmond, IN where I grew up. In high school, I played 3 years on Varsity with the highlight playing in the State Championship in 1987. Though we had the same team the next year, the roll of the golf ball just didn't go the same way to make it back to the State Finals.

I walked on to the team at Purdue University coached by former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Joe Campbell. Hitting a couple hours of range balls, playing 9-18 holes daily, and then grinding out 72 holes in two day qualifiers elevated my game to play in a couple Boilermaker Invitationals, the Zip Invitational at Firestone, and the Indiana Intercollegiate at GCI in Zionsville, IN during my 4 year collegiate career. My highlight was helping Purdue to a second place finish beating Indiana in the tiebreaker after firing a 80-76: 156 score for the 36 hole one-day tourney.

Hitting the corporate world, my number of rounds went down to about 1-2 per month. Culture shock! That went on for over 10 years... I've always had the desire to regain my game and see where it would go. This year I joined the Michelob Ultra Golf Tour. Just like college golf I had to work out all those demons that are ever present. The demons were more so after separating my shoulder while skiing in January. With the help of Greg Robertson, the assistant golf coach at Purdue and former OSU roommate of fellow Richmond native Bo VanPelt, my swing was at least to a point I couldn't embarrass myself too much. Somehow, I knew the year would be special even after the first day qualifier. Running into fellow Boilermaker Golf Team members Steve Miller and Brent Schmidt at the first tourney of the season I felt right at home.

The summer this year was a struggle. I started in the Palmer Flight but after 3 events asked to move up to Nicklaus flight. My handicap hovered just under 4. I went through a mid-summer slump bookended by a win at The Fort and a come from behind (twice) in the match play portion of our Indianapolis Tour Championship beating 2004 points winner and friend Chris Baker at GCI in Zionsville (hmmm, wonder why I like that golf course?). Though not having the most stellar of scoring averages for the year and actually being well below my expectations, you take what the course gives you and hope to improve. The Tour Championship win gave me enough momentum and confidence heading into our MUGT Tour Championship in Palm Springs, CA. Simply put, it was a fantastic experience. Our Indy Tour placed 15th out of 22 teams in the Sir Elford Cup. Teamed up with Tim Napier from Detroit and we won our 2-man scramble match against San Diego, then in 4-ball took out the team from St. Louis. I won my individual match the next day to remain undefeated in match play.

However, when one part of your game is good and another is ok the game jumps up and bites you. I had probably the best ball striking time ever during the National Championship but my short game went South. I missed the 54 hole cut to play on Sunday but nonetheless I "failed forward" and learned more about what it takes to elevate my game. I had two of my friends on the Tour make it to Sunday with Steve Miller and Chris Baker making the Indianapolis Tour proud.

I don't know where 2005 will lead me. Hopefully I can stay close to the Indianapolis Tour but being back into the job market - wherever I end up I hope there's a MUGT tour present and other amateur events that I can participate in.