TEST

This is just me testing to make sure my account is still up and running... Boy have I got a lot to write about... My whole life if different at the moment and I Look foreward to filling everyone in once I get some time to do so! Check back in a week or so...

Thanks

A good end to the golf season

Well it is very hard for me to get used to accepting that this past Thursday could very well be my last "normal" round of golf for the season (season? I only know one season for golf, and it lasts all year). Yes I said season! It has been extremely cold these last few weeks creeping into the 40's on a good day and barely reaching 30 on others, and after a two day window of good weather this past Wednesday and Thursday, the weather is supposed to plunge back down with no plans of warming up until spring!!!!!! It is so hard to think that I will for the first time of my life have to stop golfing for a period of time longer than a couple days on account of weather. At first I thought What am I doing to myself? Here I am trying to compete at a world class level and I am living in a place that will prevent me from practicing for a good part of the winter season, but then it hit me. Although I still have a lot of work to do with my golf swing and other mechanical aspects of golf, the most important thing that this last season helped illustrated is my mental game. I have really struggled on and off the golf course with my mental attitude and it has prevented me from achieving my full potential in both golf and life! That is what I'm out to fix, I am just so lucky I have such a amazingly generous, and positive family out here that has taken me in without the slightest hesitation! I can tell you I have made more progress on my psyche in the past five months than I have in my 8 years playing competitive golf! What a great group of people, I cannot thank them enough!
Well that being said, I guess some of you are curious how the round went. Lets see I'll start by saying it is one of the better rounds not so much score based, but mentally and from a ball striking point of view that I can remember this year. I played at Whittaker Woods, my favorite challenge out here in Indiana (the 7300yd par 72 with a 144 slope rating) and one of Golf Digests 100 most difficult golf courses! I played the back nine which is far easier than the front first and got of to a great start birdying the par 5, 10th hole reaching the 578yd hole in 2 and 2 putting! Then lost a little steam with a three putt bogey on the 11th, one of three on that side firing a 2 over par 38. Some good stats however were hitting 8 of 9 greens and 2 for 2 in sand saves! Then I turned to the front nine where again I started off great draining a 25 foot birdie at the 1st. This side I missed all kinds of close birdie putts hitting 6 of 9 greens, and getting up and down 100% of the time for my missed greens. I was again 2 of 2 from the sand and made two birdies to one bogey for a 1 under par 35. For those not counting that's a respectable 73, with 3, 3-putts and plenty of missed 5-15 footers! As I said before though my ball-striking is what made me happy, Hitting 14 of 18 greens, getting up and down 100% of the time, and with 100% sand save percentage, I am very pleased with where my golf game is headed. I put a few pictures i took a few weeks ago of the Purdue Boilermaker complex golf course, Wow what a golf course!!!! It was easily one of the 10 best courses i've ever played, in fact it was home to the 2006 Women's NCAA golf National Chanpionship! And is currently preparing to host the 2008 Men's National Championship!

"The Commander"

Many of you over the past couple of weeks have asked about my car since i purchased it only a few day before leaving for Indiana, not many of you had the chance to see it... So here are some pictures i took the other day while testing out my new camera. FYI its very very dirty in these pics but oh well, its a trail rated jeep right?

Halloween Haunt Meet

What a terrific turn out this week at the Halloween Haunt meet down in Lafayette, IN! The weekend started out with a laugh-able morning as we all got up, checked out of our hotel rooms, and were on the road headed to the meet an hour earlier than needed!! Thanks very much to some very understanding parents and very patient gymnasts we took it in stride and decided to enjoy a leisurely breakfast as a group at a local breakfast joint right in between the hotel and gym. Once we finally arrived and began to compete I was extremely excited to start off with such a bang!!! Floor was our first event and not one of the girls scored below 8, with one of our little stars, Ziggy, scoring an amazing 9.225!!!!!!!!! With such a solid start and the girls feeling good I was pleased to move to our next and best event vault where as I anticipated we did extremely well scoring two 9.0's and a career best 8.8 for Allison Mundell ( aka money) ! Next was bars where we had some shining starts but didn't quite compete as I know we are capable so I have plenty of things to work with them on in the coming weeks... Lastly we went to beam which seems to be our weakest event and although some of the girls did wonderfully, others just cant quite seem to put it all together up there under the pressure of a meet. I am however very happy to report that this past Wednesday we had a GREAT beam workout as a team and if we continue to stay focused at practice and make progress like Wednesday I know they will be ready for the next meet! Although I know they can do better than they have what makes me the happiest is seeing how happy they all are being involved in this amazing sport and the GREAT attitudes those girls posses!!! It brightens your day just being around them! Good luck next meet girls and keep working hard!...

Also I put a few pictures in, the first one is of the whole group (at least those at the meet) the second one is Allison (money) on the left and Ashley on the right,the one below it is Sarah (Ziggy) on the left and Erika (Bob) on the right!

My Level 4's

Although not all the girls were in attendance 14 of them competed in our first meet of the year at Horizon gymnastics in Valparaiso, Indiana. Here is a few pictures that one of the other coaches (Kelly Freel level 5&6 coach) took of my level 4's
There is one of the whole group... Another of the girls on the award podium (from left to right bob(Erika) little bear (Amanda) Ziggy (Sarah) and Spark Plug (Natalie))... and the last picture is of Little Bear (Amanda B.) looking adorable in her competition Leo!

Fall Golf in Indiana

Today I played the first serious round of golf since my ankle injury and wow what a treat, the leaves are changing and for the first time ever changes in nature are illustrating the seasons change not calendar day's! As for my round of golf it was one of the best I can remember... I was very even tempered all day, I didn't miss many shot's in bad places, I putted like a champ, I made up and downs when needed and felt as confident in myself as I ever have! The course is a very very narrow setup and over 7300 yards from the back tees that proves quite the challenge for most golfers. It was rated in the top 10 most difficult public courses in America for 2003 and 2004!!! (no surprise to me just look at those narrow tree-lined fairways:) Another thing I must mention is how much I appreciate Moogie(my brother) and J's (my good friend/roommate at home) birthday gift last year, an I-pod nano! I honestly have not had a session of practice or played a round of golf without listening to it the entire time since I got it, it helps me have a very short memory on the golf course and practice tee and I have found it EXTREMELY beneficial to my mental game so Thanks Guys!! I also figure that when I make it to the PGA tour Apple will be giving me a nice contract as the only player to compete while rocking out to the ipod proudly displaying the white headphones!(*fingers crossed*)

Lets see what else is new, well I got yet another job to earn a little extra money over winter as a waiter at Chili's here in town. So far it's really great as I get to interact with a whole lot of interesting people, I am always around food (one of my favorite things ever) and the money is surprisingly pretty good! Another one of the up sides is the schedule flexibility that allows me to continue to practice and play golf every day as I prepare for competition next year! I guess that's it for now but keep the posts coming and always feel free to email and call
-Steve

I'm going to start posting again!!!!!!

Well Well Well, it has been a long time since I have posted, however I noticed that despite the lack of new information a lot of people are still checking out the site. I figure it is only fair to start posting again, besides I enjoy being able to document things and keep all those that care up to date. Lets see where do I begin? I guess by telling you yes I am still here in Indiana having a blast and living in my aunt and uncle's house in Michigan city. The weather is getting cold and the leaves are beginning to change (yay for real seasons) as it becomes more and more clear I am not in California anymore... As far as what is new well a lot I guess, I am still working at Polo Ralph Lauren part time however a recent injury has kept me off my feet for the last two weeks. I am not sure whether I broke my ankle or have a severe sprain but it sure hurts like heck! It is finally to the point where I can walk around and I have already visited the golf course a few times for some much missed putting and short game practice as I am not able to make a weight shift and swing full yet.

The other and most exciting thing I have been doing is training to and now coaching a level 4 competitive gymnastics team at my cousin Gillian's gym "Platinum Gymnastics" here in town. I am now USA Gymnastics safety certified and a professional member of USA Gymnastics (as a coach) It is the most fun I have ever had and I'm getting a paycheck every other week to do it (it's impossible to call it a job)! The team consists of 16 girls ages 8 - 11 that I will travel with all over the Midwest to compete against teams from across the country! They are the most adorable bunch you could ever imagine with nicknames ranging from Ziggy to little bear, and Spark plug to shrimp it is such a great group of girls. After preparing and coaching them for a few months now we had our first Mock Meet (a practice meet at our gym to prepare for competitions that begin next month) this past weekend set up just as a real one would be with all parents present and cheering there daughters on. Wow what a great day it was for my level 4's! I had 4 of my girls score over 9.0 on bar's and many great performances throughout the day, it was so exciting to see their progress and success in our first taste of competition. The parents I am sure have plenty of pictures of the group and I will surely post some so you can see them for yourselves, also for those of you who are interested the gym has a website that you can get details about what we do and what is happening, and view soon to be posted pictures of the girls in action! The address is www.platinumgymnastics.com

Again thank you so much for your continued interest in what I am doing in my life and please don't hesitate to post, email, or call me! I'll be posting again soon

-STEVE
Email: srt4steve@yahoo.com
Phone: (818) 268-8090

Michigan City IN home sweet home (almost)

Well I have arrived in Michigan city and have accomplished my first objective in taking time off from the tour! Yes sadly enough I got a job...Anyway I am now working at Polo Ralph Lauren in the lighthouse outlet mall here in town. It is just something to hold me over until I find a more substantial job but the perks are great! There are so many nice clothes and I get such an incredible discount it's going to be hard not to change my whole wardrobe to Polo before I get my paycheck home! (don't worry Brian still NO PINK no matter what) Also the hunt for a car continues, I have found a few great cars however sadly they are just above my price range and I am forced to hold out until the right deal presents itself. In the mean time Aunt Pam has been generous enough to let me "Roll" her ford Windstar mini van HAHA what a blast you would be amazed at the looks I get, everyone seems so shocked to see me driving it makes me laugh. Anyhow I guess I better get going I have work in a little and I have some things to do before I go in, but keep checking the site as I hope to post some pictures of whatever car I pick up and I trust it will be comical!!!! Keep the comments coming and feel free to email me or call at any time.

Sad News

Well it has been a long time since I have posted and I can’t begin to tell you why... I am sure most of you have stopped looking at my website all together and that’s understandable, but for those of you still checking I guess I better give you my last update. I have not been playing very well at all lately as many of you know and it has been getting very frustrating, I just don’t know what's wrong with me!! Anyway unfortunately my sponsor has stopped giving me money for more reasons than that and I will no longer be able to play on the Hooters Tour this year. It seems that I didn’t play well enough to continue and although discouraging I hope you all know this is not me quitting... rather I feel it will give me some time to build the much needed confidence that I have been without all season. The truth is I know deep down what I can do I just get so caught up with what I have been doing on the course lately (very poorly) that I forget what I’m capable of. I don’t know what else to say other than I am not giving up, and I have no excuse I just need to work harder and get my head in a good place before I am going to succeed, it will happen I know it will.

For those of you who don’t know I am planning to instead of returning to California, move to Indiana where I have lots of family and a very positive environment!!! I just was so happy the last week I was there and everyone seems to like me being there I think it will be a good change and I can focus more on continuing my golf career in stead of falling back into the same routine at home. I am looking foreward to spending alot of time with all of them as i get along so well with everyone so I am renting a car and driving me and all of my stuff from Virginia to Indiana on Thursday the 8th and will arrive that same day. I am just really sad that I wasn't able to finish this season on tour as the experience is very important, and I feel very strongly against quitting for any reason, unfortunately in this case I had no choice!
Thank you again for being interested and I hope to see everyone soon!!!

Rain Rain Go Away!!!!!

Wow welcome to Illinois in may I guess!!! I got back in town and played a practice round on Wednesday with weather just perfect for golf when all of the sudden it took a severe turn for the worse... Since about 8pm Wednesday evening it has been raining non-stop, temperatures in the low forties with winds of 20-50mph. In all honesty I have ventured out of the motorhome three times in the last 48 hours for no more than 30 minutes at a time! The first round has been postponed twice now and hopefully tomorrow (Saturday) we can get under way, if not the tournament will be canceled and hi ho hi ho its off to Indiana we go!!! Keep checking the NGA hooters tour web site (I have a link to it on the main page) for my scores and/or to see if the tournament even takes place, also think warm thoughts for me as the over night temps are at a record low!!! Wow it gets cold in a motor home :)

I'm Still Alive!!!!!

Well it has been way too long since I updated my website and for that I am sorry and a lot has happened in that amount of time so ill try to make sense as I explain. To start I played in my first event of the year the Major at Savanna Lakes Resort in McCormick South Carolina. I am sure most of you have looked for my results but for those of you who didn't, holy crap was I nervous!!! It is very strange what a major event and a big crowd will do to the trusty nervous system. All I can say is it was a rough start to a not so disappointing performance and let me explain why... After the first day of golf due to a fog delay with the morning tee times, the afternoon times didn't start until very late and I didn't get to finish my round, in fact I was lucky to get half way done, and by that time the tournament was already well out of reach for me and let me tell you it was rough sleeping after what I did on my first 11 holes. For those of you who didn't look it up I was 14 over par after 11 holes... Yea it was that bad, but let me get to the good part, the tour has a rule that if a player in his first round shoots 86 or higher he is cut after only one round instead of two, I guess to put him out of his misery or something, but anyhow if you haven't already done the math after 11 holes if I was to par out I would shoot 86 and be unable to play the second round missing out on the valuable tournament experience. I went into the second half of the round un-fazed by what happened the first day knowing that I needed to fire 1 under for the last seven holes and wouldn't accept any less of myself! I started off with a couple of ho hum par's on 12 and 13, followed by a tremendous par at the 14th. I then birdied the par five 15th and everything was going as I planned all I needed was three pars on the way in and I was set, so hit a great tee shot and pared the 240 yard par three 16th only to make a foolish mistake that lead to a bogey on the fairly simple par four 17th... So there I was standing atop the tee of the 470 yard par four beast of an 18th hole knowing it was birdie, or go home... So I ripped a drive down the middle of the fairway, hit a great seven iron into the green to about five feet, and drained the birdie giving the biggest fist pump ever seen after a round of 85! Although it was a difficult tournament as far as my score was concerned, I gained so much from it especially the fact that I got to play the second round, it was as valuable to me as a victory!!

With that being said I am happy to say the in the two week break between SC and IL Joe and I drove to Chicago and had a great week with my aunts and cousin from the Chicago area, what a treat it has been to enjoy all of their company, hospitality and wonderful cooking! Also I was able to give myself a great birthday present and fly home for a week where I surprised my mom who was kept in the dark about my trip thanks to all of you who kept my secret, and I was so glad because I know she was so excited to see me as I was to see her! I just arrived back in Illinois this evening and am preparing for the tournament next week. Thanks to all of you who still frequently check my website and sorry again it has been so long, I will be posting after my first practice round and probably more often after that.

The first major of the year

Well we're here in McCormick, SC preparing for the first major of the season. The course were playing on is a very familiar style for me with lots of elevation changes, and fast true greens. The layout is very challenging and requires lots of 2 irons and 3 woods off the tee even thought its over 7,000 yards. So far I have played two practice rounds and feel like I can play very well this week, I'm getting sick of missing tournament experience by playing poorly in the Monday qualifiers and want to get some real rounds under my belt. The short game is coming along nicely and my putting seems to be headed back on track, and I feel that in a few more weeks my game will be very tight. I will try to post to let you know how I do tomorrow but it may take a few days, and also for those of you trying to call me I have zero cell phone service in this whole town so far so don't think I'm ignoring anyone, leave messages and ill check them from a pay phone, or email me and ill try to get to an internet connection. Also remember I love hearing from all of you on the website as well and I will get better at posting I promise, so feel free to comment comment comment!!! Wish me luck and I miss all of you!

TPC at Sugarloaf in Deluth, GA

What a treat it was yesterday as I got to play the TPC at Sugarloaf, site of this years PGA tour Bell South Classic that took place just last week. It's the first time that I've played a golf course set up for a PGA tour event with the pins in the Sunday position (the Sunday pin is typically on the toughest part of the green for you non golfers) from the tournament still and the fairways, greens, and tee boxes still perfectly manicured and in the best condition I have ever seen any golf course. Another thing that was really neat is they have 27 holes at the course and we were able to play the 9 holes that weren't used for the tournament to see how much differently they set the course up for the PGA tour boy's...The greens were much faster on the tournament side but even more noticeable than that they were extremely hard, almost like concrete unlike any I have ever played. Another big difference is the bunkers, they have completely different sand and are manicured such that it is very hard for your ball to plug, and most of the time the ball roles to the center flat portion of sand where the lie is perfect. The most exciting thing for me however was a sneak preview of what I have to look forward to once I am an exempt member of the PGA tour. I put a few pictures in of the beautiful course and me playing it... For those of you who watched the event last week on TV the shot's of me are me hitting my approach into the 440 yard par four first hole...Also me hitting my tee shot on the par five fourth hole... The other picture is of the ninth a tough 480 yard par four that doglegs hard left.

News on latest qualifier

Well I don't know what I am doing out on the course lately but I just cant seem to play the way I need to right now! I am still working on many parts of my game that are good but not "world class" yet and it seems to be showing. My progress has still been steady, and every time I tee it up in these tournaments I get more and more confident in my ability as a player. I know I belong here and these guys have nothing I don't... In fact I have a lot that they will never have and that's what keeps me coming back. I know I belong with and can play with the best in the world, it will just take some time before it happens round after round, but I'm in this for the long haul and won't give up! Again sorry for taking so long to post I have been away from internet access for almost a week and will try to post now more often so bare with me and keep checking regularly. Also just so you know our next event is in auburn Alabama where I will Monday qualify for the fourth event of the year with my chin up and my game well on its way to superstar level!

Myrtle Beach, SC

We arrived late Saturday night in myrtle beach SC, aka Golf Heaven!!! There are over 100 championship golf courses within 20 miles of coast, I've never seen anything like it. Our friend Corey who lives here in SC invited us to come spend the week with him playing all the golf we could handle and so far it has been great... Yesterday (Saturday) we went and played at Arrowhead Country Club his home course and only about a mile from where we're staying. It was one of the best kept golf courses I've played since I've left, and all the $115 round cost us was $5 to tip one of the cart kids! The greens were running at about a 12 (very very fast and true for those who aren't avid golfers) and the fairways not too far behind almost making me feel guilty hitting a wedge since I spin the ball a lot and take very big divots. Today we played a practice round at Crow Creek just north of here in North Carolina where we signed up to play a Mini tour event (a one day professional golf tournament as opposed to the four day events we normally play) which should be good to keep me sharp for next Monday and hopefully a good chance to win some money!! I had a good practice round today and look foreword to a good tournament tomorrow, the course sets up nice for me as its very long and keeping the driver in play in key! We plan on playing golf for the rest of the week here in Myrtle Beach and leaving on Friday to arrive at our next Hooters tour even just north of Atlanta Georgia. I am very excited with where my game is headed and cant believe how much I am improving as the days go on, already I feel like I am becoming a completely different player and every tournament I play should take me to a higher level! Ill try to steal the wireless card from Joe for long enough to let you know how I do tomorrow, and I hope to be posting more regularly to keep everyone up to date, its just hard if we are not at a wifi hot-spot and I don't have access to internet. Anyway thanks for checking in and wish me luck, also the pictures included are from Monday at Arrowhead...ill put more pics in tomorrow!

Still work to be done

Well its official, I have missed the Monday qualifier spot for the second week in a row. It's very disappointing to miss two weeks in a row as I just can't seem to get it done on the course, but as my best friend Brian says this is a marathon not a sprint and it's his words I have been playing in my head over and over since last week to help from getting too discouraged. Some highlights from the round however were a good start with a believe it or not great bogey (one shot worse than allowed for the hole for you non golfers) hitting my tee shot into a water hazard off the tee and recovering quite nicely. On the second hole a 554 yard par five I hit driver, then six iron onto the green and drained a ten footer for my first eagle in a professional event!!! This propelled me in the early parts of the round making par on the next three holes, and feeling like I could score very well. I have been working very hard on my ball-striking this past week and it seemed to pay off for most of the round. Also my wedges were once again much improved as I said I had been working non stop since I left trying to dial them in. Unfortunates however the rest of the round would prove to be very poor as my confidence is at a rare low lately. I have all the shots I need, and I know what I am supposed to do, I guess I just fear the bad and it seems to be keeping me from playing well. I need to work this week more on ball-striking but more than anything getting some confidence in myself and executing when I need to. Sorry to let everyone down, I assure you I will be playing the way I was born to soon, and one positive thing I can say this has created is the hunger to become better and the feeling that once I get in to a tournament all the boys on tour better be on their game!!!... I put a picture of me kicking the sand back in place after a bunker shot during a practice round, as I felt I spent too much time on the beach in my qualifier, and it showed my opinion of my poor round hehe

Friends on the Road

Well its been a busy week so far and I haven't had much time to post as I have been preparing for the Monday qualifier that took place yesterday. Time has started to fly since the season has begun, and my game is getting closer and closer to where it needs to be. It is so nice and at times hard for me to realize that I am able to put every ounce of energy into golf and improving, and I'm so excited to see where golf takes me. Another great side to the journey to the PGA tour that I am taking part in is making some really good friends on the road. This week for instance I had the greatest time hanging out with some friend pictured in one of my last posts, as well as this one. They are some of the funniest people on the planet and together the five of us never stop laughing. JR Munson (pictured in red and on the left playing x-box)from Kansas City, Kansas is the guy pictured in red. Let me tell ya he'll put a smile on your face that doesn't leave until well after he's gone, I cant imagine being on tour without him around, it wouldn't be the same. He's a welcome break from the stresses that surround life as a professional golfer trying to make a cut. Another one of the "fella's" is named Corey Mcalarney from Pennsylvania who now lives in South Carolina, and has been hanging out with me and Joe ever since Orlando event. In fact Joe Corey and myself were all paired together on Monday... What a fun group that was!! We also all played a practice round as a fivesome, what a blast! And last but far from least a guy I met this week because he was rooming with JR; from Janesville, Wisconsin Eric Birkholz (pictured in the green hat and white shirt, also in the center playing x-box). He has a wife and son back home whom he speaks very highly of, and I have to thank them for giving Eric his deserved shot on tour and allowing him the time away from home to tour with us. He's a real blast to be around, and always good for some laugh's. I feel so lucky to have met these guys and look foreword to hanging out with them the rest of the season.

Retired at 22???

Well lets face it, here I am 22 golfing every day, living in a motor home, staying in RV parks occationally and now IM into shuffle board!!! It would appear that without the mention of my age I am definitely retired!!! Well I've found this not to be the case but let me explain why: I woke up this morning at around 9:30 there, see, already way to late to be an old retired man as they are up at something like 5:30 or so. So then once IM up I decide I am going to take part in the $3 Wednesday pancake breakfast with all of the old folks, also a very retired person move, until I arrived and realized it was over at nine "why surely nobody could possibly want pancakes after nine, we've all been up for four hours at least, its almost lunchtime!!" one of the retires chuckled upon my arrival. So I skipped breakfast and headed for the "fitness room" What a joke that was, there was more square footage taken up by the massive bookshelves than any fitness equipment, clearly no intense exercise taking place in this community. Well eventually the dead man walking on the lone treadmill was finished with his strenuous 1mph 440 yard dash HAHA and I was ready to do my exercise. I always start out warming up at 4.5 mph walking to loosen the muscles and get my blood moving to my legs, it was a bad sign however when the machine started making awful sounds at this pace as if it were going to stop all together. Next after my warm-up I increase the speed to around 7mph which I sustain for about 15 minutes. Oh boy was that an adventure! I began to run at that speed and shortly after it sounded like a machine shop with metal crashing, gears grinding and a consistent THUD THUD THUD with every stride I took. Only a few seconds had passed before I started seeing curious eyes rounding the corner trying to see what was happening. I managed to finish my workout however I must have had 20 seniors come in to check on me LOL. It sure felt great to get some good exercise in, I need to stick to a normal routine... By the way I included some intense action photos of my first ever shuffle board match where Joe and I asked these old folks if they wanted to play us, stating that it was the first time we had ever played, they agreed and sounded pretty sure that they would teach us a thing or to, but we proceeded to demolish them two games in a row. They were good sports about it though and I could tell thoroughly enjoyed that we spent the time to play with them. I very much enjoy the time spent with the older generation as they just love to tell stories and are so excited when younger people give them the time of day, it seems to be a win-win situation. Its also neat that by the end of our stays we seem to be giving our names out to more and more people who hear our story and seem very interested in following us throughout our career. Thanks for taking the time to read my long babbling posts and remember I LOVE getting comments from everyone so keep them coming, also note that if you tried earlier to comment but had to sign up I changed it so anyone can, just leave your name or something please!!

First Professional Practice Round!...Results inside

Well we got our first practice round in as professional's on Sunday at Black Bear G.C. in Eustis FL. It is so nice showing up to play and finding familiar faces from ranking school to play with, what a difference it makes playing in a foursome of professionals. It 's so much better to play with good players I feel my game improving every time I put a club in my hands, I just cant wait to get into a tournament. Yes sadly that means I regret to inform everyone that I failed to make it in my first Monday qualifier this year. Despite playing great most of the day I wasn't able to take advantage of my good shots missing many short birdie putts on the tricky bermuda greens, add a few mental errors and the score wasn't where it needed to be. One thing that was really weird however was the fairways, I think the grass must grow much slower out here because the fairways are just COVERED in divots(for you non golfers that's the hole make when hitting a golfball off the grass) as more than half of the fairways I hit my ball came to rest in a divot. Now for the golfers: the break down of my round...On the front nine I used three wood most of the time off the tee as many of the par 4's are less than 420 yards as hitting full shots into these greens is very important being that they are very small and hard. I'm hitting my three wood about 285 yards giving me very comfortable yardages to the pins and it helps to hit 5 of 7 fairways. I also hit most of the greens giving myself six birdie chances inside of 8 feet(throwing darts), 3 of which were about 4' none of which I converted! That is not like me as putting is definitely one of my strengths, but everyone has there off days. With the chances I'm giving myself and the putting I am capable of I feel I can go very low. After making the turn I started off pounding a 350 yard drive on the long 460yd par four tenth(the tees were way back) surely setting myself up for a birdie and a confidence boost but again I found my ball in a deep divot and made bogey, followed by two more. This was a discouraging start to the back, but I managed to birdie the 13th and 16th to make up for some of the foolishness on 10,11, and 12. The thing that killed me was the lack of greens hit on the back nine. I practiced from the conclusion of my round until dark and got some of the putting problems worked out, and began striking the ball much better. In overview I would say that off the tee and around the greens I was very solid today, and it was definitely my strength for the round. On the other hand my weaknesses were some poor putting and a few bad breaks landing in divots that lead to some bad iron shots. Keep pulling for me I'm getting close and thanks again for your positive golf vibes and support... By the way I put some pictures of my practice round and a friend of mine from JR from Kansas City whom I met in ranking school. He's a big old boy with a bigger heart, and always good for some laughs!

We made it!!!

We finally arrived at our first tournament site for the 2006 NGA Hooters tour Michelob Ultra Classic in Eustis, FL. After locating the course and signing up for the Monday qualifier I was pleased and relieved to speak with the friendly pro shop staff and coordinate staying for the duration of the tournament in the golf course parking lot! Then after spending a few hours practicing at the tournament site Joe and I headed south for Lakeland and my Grandpa's house. I was very excited to see Him and Joanne again so soon after our stay in January during ranking school.


After settling in us three boys went out to dinner at a local restaurant called Smokey Bones where we enjoyed some great food and we were able to watch some very missed sports. I hope grandpa and Joanne know how much I appreciate there spending time with me and welcoming me into there home. It is very nice to again meet up with some family and have a normal bed a shower to use. Also I was happy they were able to be home for the arrival of my driver! For those of you who don't know I cracked the face of my driver the night before we left on the cross country drive, and I had to have it rushed into and out of the Cleveland golf tour department and drop-shipped to FL. The picture of me off the tee is the first swing with it in my hands again. It feels great!

The next morning Joe and I headed to Lone Palm Country Club on the other side of town. Grandpa set up with one of his clients a tee time at the private club which happens to be the best course in town! And was it ever nice... The greens were so fast and the surroundings so tropical it felt like I was on the jungle cruise at Disneyland. In fact I posted a picture of one of the locals cooling off in one of the many lakes(we did see a 12' alligator however I wasn't going to go up and take a picture of it). There wasn't a hole on the course that didn't have a lake, most of which had tropical islands with hundreds of exotic birds and plants in the middle. It was so incredible! Oh well I better be going, ill post again soon, and thanks for visiting my site!

Creative Gambling

In our first couple of rounds on the road Joe and I decided that taking money from one another didn't make sense as both of us are on a strict budget, and there are many other ways of making our practice competitive. The first round in San Antonio I suggested that we wager tasks to be done for or in the motor home, and what a great idea it has turned out to be. Our first round was a wager where the loser had to hold the smelly and sometimes messy end of the hose for emptying the black holding tank (let your imagination soar in determining what that holds) when we dump it again. I am glad to report that I came up on the winning end of that match, however we haven't had to dump it yet. The second round however was a different story, despite having Joe down almost all day he staged an impressive comeback with solid play on the last few holes to win the match (and a little help from some lets say "creative shots" on my end). The wager this time was to clean the disgusting front windshield or bug graveyard as it seemed to turn into driving cross country (not the most aerodynamic vehicle on the road) and what a task it was. Joe took some great pictures of me in action paying my debt... Yes I am airborne in an effort to reach the top of the windshield!!!

Southern Hospitality

Well as little Daniel Young (my best friends 2 1/2 year old) would say "What a night!" Well it started off as any other night would after arriving late to Payne's RV park just outside Mobile, AL the very polite southern woman who waited up for us checked us in and pointed us in the direction of our parking spot. We were just getting settled in and after setting up the jacks, leveling and extending the slide-out, Joe and I were busy surfing the internet on our laptops when we heard and felt a loud CRASH!!! After about 30 seconds of staring at each other and thoughts running through my head posing questions like: Did the jack system just blow? Did an axel snap in half? And most of all $,$$$.$$ How much?? We heard a soft knock on the door and found the same polite woman who had just checked us in looking a little shaken up, explaining to us that she forgot to run the credit card for the payment and in trying to come right to our door in the RV park golf cart to inform us and cart us back, she ran right into the retractable steps below the door! It shook the whole RV and scared us to death, but after returning to the office and paying, Joe came back in to find me on the floor laughing at the poor woman's run in with the steps. After about ten minutes of uncontrollable laughter we decided to deal with it in the morning, as the polite woman assured us that if there was any damage Mr. Payne himself would fix it tomorrow.

The next morning as promised Mr Payne arrived at the door and with the funniest southern accent began asking about what happened. After a few minutes under the steps and a half an oil can later the problem was fixed and we were good as new. The characters down here in the deep south may talk funny, and some even look funny, but the saying southern hospitality has new meaning to me, and its nice to meet so many kind and caring people. By the way I included a picture of the outside of the Motor Home in Payne's RV park with the slide-out extended, and the leveling jacks down. I forgot to do an outside shot for the previous "RV pictures" post. We plan on arriving to Orlando tonight and hopefully tomorrow will begin preparing for the Monday qualifier next week!

Golf at Cinco Ranch in Huston, TX

Well we just got settled in on what is now our fifth day on the road! We played another round today at Cinco Ranch Golf Course, a beautiful 6,950yd par 71 that was at times challenging but for the most part as far as Joe and I hit the ball a very playable layout. The round started off great as I was under par for almost all of the front nine, but after the brief stretch of normal play, the fact that I haven't been practicing set in. Although I didn't finish quite as well as I had hoped, I still put together a respectable collection of holes and was pleased with my round. Also I am very happy with the practice time I got in after the round, it feels like im getting my touch back without much difficulty, and will be ready to compete by the thirteenth. I put a few action shots from today's round along with the post, I especially like the tee shot Joe got just before impact... Ill have you know I smoked that one right down the middle, one of the best shots of the day :) Well tomorrow we hope to cross through Louisiana and Mississippi and stay the night in Alabama, should be a full day of driving so ill keep you posted...

Familiar faces

I am very happy to say that I was able to visit with some family today!!! Uncle Bruce, Karen, Shelly and Loren, thank you so much for taking the time out of your weekends to visit with me. It was very nice to see some familiar faces out on the road and nice to visit them at home for the first time, and what a house. It's a beautiful two story brick house in a great neighborhood with endless activities including multiple lakes and pathways to ride bikes, jog, fish, or just about anything you could think of, all in their immediate area. The best part however may have been the break from PBJ's and hot dogs! Finally a real meal!! Thank you so much to uncle Bruce and Karen for treating Joe and I to a wonderful Italian dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in town! It was a nice unexpected treat that I appreciate so much! Not only that but we were invited over the following morning for a equally good breakfast spread with all we could eat bacon, eggs, hash-browns, toast, fresh fruit, orange juice, and pastries. It was SOOOO good!! Well thanks again for your hospitality and great food and I hope to see all of you again soon.

San Antonio, TX first round

Here I am getting ready to tee off the first round of my new life... What a great course called Canyon Springs that EAGL runs (The management company for the course i used to work at) We had so much fun despite being paired with a couple of tools!

That There's an R V

I know Moogie and Brian can appreciate the title of this post haha. Well anyway for those of you who haven't already seen it here she is... My house on wheels. So far the motor home has been great. It has taken some time getting used to piloting her but for the most part we haven't taken too long to get used to it. Some of the specs are as follows: It is a Winnebago adventurer with all the amenities... It is 37' long and has a 25 foot long 2 1/2 foot slide-out. It has a side by side refrigerator, stove, oven, microwave, satellite TV, hydraulic leveling jacks, 2 TV's a DVD player, playstation 2, x-box, a large shower, 2 A/C units and much more.

Keeping my friends and family informed

Hey everyone, and welcome to Steve Harsha.blogspot.com. I decided that the best way for me to keep my friends and family up to date on my progress this year was online with my own web address. The way it works is pretty simple... I will be regularly posting pictures and comments from my adventures to come, to which all of you can comment on all you want... I hope to talk to everyone as often as possible however with such a busy road schedule ahead it will prove difficult, and sometimes impossible. Thanks so much for all of your love and support!!!!

Steve