My 2006 Golf Schedule

4.3.06 MUGT @ Cardinal Club (Lou)

4.15.06 MUGT @ Brickyard Crossing (Indy)

4.22.06-4.23.06 MUGT @ Grand Victoria (MAJOR)

4.30.06 MUGT @ Shadowood (Lou)

5.6.06 MUGT @ The Fort (Indy)

5.29.06 MUGT @ The Legends (Indy)

Indiana Amateur Qualifying - Week of 6.2.06-6.5.06

6.3.06 MUGT @ Bear Slide (Indy)

6.10.06-6.11.06 MUGT @ Swan Lake (MAJOR)

6.24.06 MUGT @ Hickory Stick (Indy)

8.26.06-8.29.06 Indiana Amateur @ Harbour Trees

7.8.06 MUGT @ Ironwood (Indy)

7.22.06 MUGT @ Otter Creek (Lou)

7.29.06-7.30.06 MUGT @ Red Hawk Run (MAJOR)

8.12.06 MUGT @ Heartland Crossing (Indy)

8.17.06-8.18.06 Indiana Mid-Am @ Tippecanoe Lake

9.10.06 MUGT @ Covered Bridge (Lou)

9.16.06 MUGT @ Indy Tour Champ. at GCI

Well... another golf season has come and gone. Since the MUGT National Championships in October I shut it down for about 10 weeks. It was good to hit golf balls again last weekend.

The 2005 golf season for me started in December 2004. Played target golf at the Keystone Golf Dome in Indianapolis. Taking time off for holidays and a snow day or two, I was able to hit about 150 golf balls a week. That certainly led to some good scoring this year. I look back at my stats improving 2 full strokes on my competitive scoring average and dropping my putting average by a 1/2 stroke which all in turn lowered my handicap to around 1. The mental game improved dramatically thanks to KC. I won't bore you with replays of all the tournaments. Sounds like a good exercise next year to have a weekly recap. <<note to self!>>

My game seemed to be going well at the beginning. Was pleased with the progress from the Winter but then went sour in a couple ways for a few weeks. Putting went out of sync starting on the back nine at the Brickyard Crossing event shooting an 82 with 33 putts (19 on the back nine), an 81 at The Fort (where I won the year) and then an 80 at the Legends. The putting was awful those 3 events with me taking 38 putts at the Legends. Went to my friends (here in Louisville) at Golf Galaxy and as I was looking at new Odyssey putters - I started to notice that my current one was bent inward slightly. Didn't take much convincing to buy a new putter. But 3 days before the first Major of the year?

But back to the Legends course for a second - I've never quite figured out that course. It did decide to take a piece of me with it though. Hitting out of a hazard doing my best Tiger Woods impression... I felt ligaments snap (and sound) like popcorn down the back of my right hand. Didn't think it was too bad as the next par 3 I put my 4 iron to about 6 inches. I had been hitting golf balls during the week about a couple times a day. The week after hurting my hand I went to hit range balls and after the first contact it nearly brought me to tears and I could barely hold a club. It was two weeks before the first Major of the year and for the first time I had to skip an event. Needless to say I was worried going into the first Major at French Lick. I ended up second to Tim Mohre of Detroit after 27 holes (rain) and a scorecard playoff. Playing through the pain in my hand as well as all the rain we had really gave me some confidence and mental aspect to stay tough.

The second Major of the year was up next. I still had boat loads of confidence even though I started to stray a bit with my driver. A long story short ... fired a -1 (71) on Saturday and had the opportunity to go even lower. Sunday came and I had to grind for every inch of my +6 (78) score. I came in second again in a Major but this time to Mike McGuire from Columbus. Believe it or not - I wasn't mad because I fought and fought and never gave up the potential to win. You don't always have to win a tournament to win in your mind and heart!

To this point I hadn't won a tournament yet but with Majors counting as double points I was doing well in the point standings dueling it out with 2004 Points Champion Chris Baker. Peaking at just the right time I played the season ending event with the Louisville Tour at Fuzzy's course in Sellersburg, IN - Covered Bridge. The weekend before they had the Wolf Challenge with Fuzzy, David Toms, John Daly, and Hank Kuehne. So the course was in excellent shape. Living in Louisville now it was only a 30 minute drive from my apartment. I was excited because I was paired with Baker but especially because I was paired with Darrell Current who seems to rule the roost in the Louisville Tour. It gave me an extra bit of adrenaline to play well against him. And that I did. Went out in -1 (35) - missing very makeable birdie putts under 10 feet - and had it to -3 thru 15 holes. Found the bunker on the 16th and lost concentration taking double bogey. Parred the last 2 holes including something sweet of a bunker shot on 18 to finish at -1 (71) for the event.

Up next was the Indy Tour Championship. I was disappointed that only 4 Nicklaus players showed up. However, it guaranteed us a spot on Sunday for match play. We were basically playing for the #1 seed as one of the golfers wasn't available to play on Sunday anyway. I struggled through the round shooting +7 (79) on a course I dearly love to play. Tied with Bob Nielson on score I then beat him on the first playoff hole. A couple cool things about getting the #1 seed was I only had to play 18 holes the next afternoon, but I also was given the opportunity to watch the LPGA stars in the Solheim Cup that morning. And I can't lose the fact that was my first playoff match. I went about it just like I had made the turn between nines keeping the same focus and determination to do the best I could. Fairway, green, and two putts wrapped up the Saturday win. Winning the Tour Championship last year, I had to come from behind in both matches. I never got rattled during those matches I was down. I just knew I what I had to do and did my best to fight back. This year I was 2 up at the turn. Something new! I don't remember hitting cruise control but Nielson kept hanging around. I had two chances in a row on 16 and 17 to close out the match and had to hit a 3 footer on 18 to take my second consecutive Indy Tour Championship. You should learn something new everytime you play golf. Last year being behind I learned what it takes to fight back. This year I learned that cruise control is not an option. Play to win - don't play "not to lose".

The National Championship is one to remember for me. We played the same courses they do for the Funai Classic in late October for the PGA Tour. I actually had a realistic goal of playing on Sunday this year. Started shaky on Thursday bogeying the first two holes but kept my mental attitude and though I bogeyed the last hole I fired a +1 (73). Solid beginning. Played the toughest of the three courses on Friday - Magnolia Course. Was -1 (35) at the turn but the driver starting getting shaky (again) and ended with +3 (75) for the round. After two days I'm +4 for the Championship and in sixth place. Palm Course is up for Saturday. I've played this course 3 times already this week. I'm ready for it! Birdie the first hole and Even par through 4 holes. But then the wheels come off the wagon and as hard as I tried I just couldn't overcome a bad day on the course. Those days happen - I shoot +9 (81) and miss the cut for Sunday by 5 strokes and finishing in 17th. I shot under 75 each time I played the Palm Course during the week and I fire that score? Oh what could have been! But looking back, I found myself trying to "not miss" my putts rather than "trying to make them." Lessons learned. Golf is a great game! Really!

Haven't touched a golf club for 10 weeks until about two weeks ago. I am on a great workout routine for the Winter and will try to sneak up to Indy to hit golf balls when I can. In March, I'll be playing in Myrtle Beach with old friends from the Purdue Golf team Brent Schmidt, Andy Kelley, and Tom Marcinko so I'm looking forward to the early competition to get the blood flowing. Getting an early peak at the 2006 Indianapolis Tour schedule it has added a 3rd Major event but the first one is in late April. This means I need to start my focus now so that I can be ready after playing in only one event prior. But overall, I don't know what this year will bring but I know what I can accomplish. I've kept the same scoring goals for this year as I did last year. You have to start somewhere. They are realistic for me. With more practice I know I can improve.

Here's hoping that everyone continues to strive for the goals they set... and if they fall short... not giving up. As the late Jimmy Valvano said. "Don't give up. Don't ever give up."