Playing on a Sunday!!

Ok, so you know that saying that you don't know what you've got until you lose it? Well, I can't say the same is true for me and my game and my tournaments lately. I knew every Sunday morning when I had missed the cut what I should have been doing and where I should have been. Instead of practicing, or hiking, or caddying for a friend, or doing laundry and driving, I should have been playing the 3rd and final round of the tournament. Today I finally did that!!! It felt so good to make the cut yesterday and be able to tee it up on Sunday!! We had some weather that should have made me feel a little at home this week. We had 3 completely different weather situations which equals 3 completely different golf courses. Friday I got the short end of the stick with temperatures in the 60's, rain for about 9 holes, and wind. (The afternoon tee times got to enjoy their rounds in dry clothes!!) Saturday was warmer but very windy. And today, well, the conditions were perfect!
I know that a lot of you are wondering about last week and the infamous DQ that is next to a player's name. There are so many ways to get DQ-ed (Disqualified for those non-golfers) anymore that it's always the question of the day. I had about 20 people ask me that day after the round, and another 30 or so the next day who came to give me a smile or pat on the shoulder after reading that I had run out of golf balls on my 16th hole. Yes, I ran out of golf balls. This course had many places to lose balls and I seemed to find most of them. I would have been done on the 14th if not for a playing partner who climbed down a huge embankment and to my surprise, found one of my balls! So, I walked the remaining 2 and a half holes with my group with my head high and a smile on my face knowing that it was just one of those days and this didn't define who I was as a person or a golfer. I had many comments from people in my group and of the staff that helped to ease the bruise a little. I was told that I handled the situation like a champ and that it took a lot of guts to stick it out and finish (well, 16 holes that is) and most people in that situation would have walked off the course long before that point. So, I took that for what it's worth...and here we are this week playing on a Sunday. :)

A few side notes of humor...entertainment...or embarrassment in my situation!!

• Take note when you are driving in central New York. Highway 87 is not the same thing as Highway 90 (the thruway as it's known around here!). Yes, I found this out the hard way. Oh, we're not talking 20 or 30 miles, we're talking a good 130 miles in the wrong direction!!! Check it out on a map to get the full picture. I was headed to Syracuse from Hartford and going through Albany. I missed the turn-off to go West on 90 towards Syracuse and instead went North on 87 towards CANADA...Yikes!! In my defense, the directions told me that 87 would turn into 90 at some point, and I believe I was on the phone with my Dad when this happened, hence the reason I missed it. End of the story is I ended up right near Lake Placid...the Olympic training site. I did get to see some pretty places in New York that I would not have seen otherwise, but are you kidding Kailin?!! It was so far out of the way, and to make matters worse, there was no easy way to get over to Syracuse...I had to go back the same way and cut over, but it took me FOREVER! I was mad, tired, frustrated, and kind of amused all at the same time. You'll thank me if you ever get over here and have to drive on these roads yourselves..just you wait!
• I have a friend traveling with me. She doesn't talk, she doesn't take up any space with her stuff in the car, we always have the same tee times, and she's content just hanging out waiting for me. No, I am not on drugs...but I have a little spider friend that hangs out on my trunk. I know what you're thinking right now, I've gone a little nuts with all this travel. But really, there is a spider who has been through all kinds of weather, weeks of sitting in random parking lots, and many, many, many miles with me. I ruined her web a couple of weeks ago, I'm not sure why. Then when she rebuilt it and has been with me ever since, I decided that I have a little travel buddy. You might be thinking weird, but hello, doesn't anyone remember Charlotte's Web?!! (By the way, I don't actually know the sex...does anyone know how to tell with a spider?)
• At the pro-am dinner this week, in the opening speech by some guy...I can't tell you who he was, he referred to us as "a traveling circus." This made me laugh because it's so true. He made reference to our cars with all the clothes hung in them and packed to the brim and license plates from all over...so true! This should give you a pretty good image of what we look like traveling all over each week!

I am flying out tomorrow morning for Albuquerque for the week off. We play in Concord, NH next and I am assured to get there without any detours as I will have a travel companion. No, not the spider...my friend Kelley. Together, hopefully we can get there in the appropriate time estimated and in one piece!!

Just a side note, there was an article written on the Duramed Futures Tour page about me if you didn't see it. The URL is http://www.duramedfuturestour.com/News/WR071607.pdf or you can find it by going to the home website. Also, Lisa Mickey, the media person for the tour writes a side blog some weeks and she wrote one this week that has people buzzing and raving about it. It's the Mickey A La Cart side box on the left hand side of the web page and this is the URL http://www.duramedfuturestour.com/Blogs/MickeyalaCart.asp I would recommend reading it, she has a very good outlook on what it's like out here and she is one of my favorite people on the staff out here!!

Until next week...

Long time no blog...

I apologize for the delay between blogs. When I left Kankakee, Illinois 2 weeks ago...it was all craziness from there. I drove 2 days (15 hours) to Hartford, Connecticut to leave my car and fly home. Here's a new one for you...I hit a chair in the middle of the road on my drive. Yes, a chair. I never thought I would be saying this, but be careful when you're on the road, because you never know when furniture could be lying around in your lane. It was a very strange deal, and happened so quickly I couldn't even tell you details! However, it was scary and luckily my car doesn't seem to have any damage as a result. I am lucky that the car in front of me didn't hit it and send it flying into my windshield!

I was home for a week, and we worked like dogs the whole time. I never imagined that a wedding could be so much work. There are so many details that you don't even think about having to think about! I hope my sister realizes how much work it all was, because there were a lot of friends and family who put in more than a few good hours to make it all come together. My parents did a fantastic job and everything turned out beautiful and perfect! It was an emotional day, but a happy one, and it was fun to see my sister so happy and looking beautiful!!

I traveled all day Tuesday (July 10) back to Hartford, getting here at 1:00 a.m. Funny thing is, my clubs didn't arrive with me. At 1:00 in the morning, there aren't a whole lot of options to hope they come in on a later flight. I was pretty much out of luck for my 7:00 a.m. practice round the next morning. I got a set of clubs my host housing put together for me, used a putter from my car, and borrowed woods of a friend in my group and groggily played a practice round the next morning. As of 3:00 the next afternoon, I still hadn't heard a word from the airline. And as many of you know, of course the number they give you doesn't actually result in someone on the other line, it is merely an answering machine. Yeah, like anyone ever returns those calls. So, I made the 25 minute drive back to the airport to raise a little hell in person. Long story short, I spent 4 and 1/2 hours at the airport baggage claim that night and luckily received my clubs on a 9:00 pm flight from Las Vegas. I was preparing for the worst and coming up with a plan as to what clubs I could use if I didn't have my own come Friday!!

This course is challenging, but very fun to play, as it requires certain shots and requires some course management instead of bombing away at your driver every hole. I had a great day, much better than a 76 describes. Playing that way and having a few things go my way could result in a much lower score...thus, the plan for tomorrow!!! We are in Syracuse, NY next week and then have another week off. I apologize again for my lack of communication...time just goes by so quickly when you're super busy and having fun!!
Talk to you all soon!!