getting back to business!

Hi Friends,

I have had a busy few weeks between practice and a trip north for a doctor's visit, Easter and making summer plans. I also have two events coming up in the next two weeks that I am really looking forward to. Here's a quick re-cap and a look ahead...

On Wednesday, April 4th I flew north from Jacksonville to New York, NY. My first stop was my club fitters, Custom Golf of Connecticut. It was time to get my clubs checked out and see if there was any new technology that I could take advantage of. I had spoken with my fitter over the past year, Max Miller, about changing irons and he felt it was time but we wanted to make sure I had a few months of playing and practice under my belt, post-surgery. He fitted me to the new Taylor Made Burner HT, a new driver on the market this year. I LOVE IT! Within a few days it arrived at the TPC and I have been playing with it for a few days. My carry yardage is longer, I hit it higher and stronger which translates into MORE DISTANCE. What golfer doesn't want more distance? I also hit some of the newest irons on the market, products manufactured by Mizuno, Callaway, Taylor Made and others. I ended up in an updated iron very similar to what I currently play, the Ping G5 . I have been playing the Ping I3 for the past 7 years so it's a pretty similar feel and look. The irons are on the way and I hope they arrive tomorrow so that I can play with them in my next event. I am also carrying my irons an average of 10 yards further! Very fun! Max also switched my ball to the Callaway HX Tour 56. I used to play with the HX Tour Black so this is a very simliar feeling ball.

After the fitting extravaganza I headed to New Haven to stop by the Yale Golf Course. It was good to see my friends and colleagues. While I was north I finalized a position to work as Assistant Coordinator for Golf Outings and Outreach at the Yale Golf Course. I will be involved with the outings and teaching programs at the Yale Golf Course on a part-time basis while I am up north for the summer. It is a great opportunity to remain involved in the golf business and the Yale community. I think it's going to be a nice compliment to my playing career. I already got to work by helping with rules at the Yale Men's Spring Invitational.

I also found a place to live for the summer in Hamden, Connecticut, centrally located from downtown New Haven and the Yale Golf Course. I will be sharing my living space with 3 cats and a very cool woman named Laurie. She has a beautiful home and I am excited for the change of scenery.

If that wasn't enough running around I made it up to Avon to see my trainer/physical therapist Brian Magna for 2 pliates classes and a revision of my personal training workout. I also checked in with my doctor and he is pleased with results from a recent MRI and x-ray. My surgery did correct the issues I had in my shoulder although he did find a spot of tendonitis in my rotator cuff. I have been modifying my practice this last week or so and visiting with my Jacksonville physical therapist, Matt Serlo. I was just experiencing some lingering soreness but am really pleased with my progress (as is my therapist). I am ready to get on the road again and compete!

While up north I enjoyed my time staying with Jim and JoAnn Kupiec at their beautiful home in Madison, Connecticut. They fed me well, let me watch the final round of the Masters (I love watching the Majors) and I enjoyed the companionship of their yellow lab, Comet. We attended Easter service together and shared a meal at our friend Dan Deacon's. It was a nice and relaxing break from the busyness of my trip.

I returned to Jacksonville and have been practicing so to get ready for two upcoming events. It has been nice warm weather here but very windy. I don't mind because it makes me feel more comfortable when I encounter windy conditions in competition. To give you an idea about how windy it is here I was on the chipping green yesterday and one of the tents that the TPC Tour Academy uses to teach under (to stay out of the sun) blew away. Storms that produced tornadoes in Texas have moved east and brought wind and rain to the east coast. Looks like the PGA Tour event in Hilton Head, SC had a delay of play until Monday because of high winds. You haven't played in wind until you come to Florida!

On Tuesday, April 17th I am flying west for the Louisiana Pelican Classic an event in Lafayette, Louisiana on the Duramed Futures Tour. I will be flying in and out of Orlando so that I can play an event the following week in the Ladies Tournament Series at Errol Estates. Be sure to follow my results online!

More results and updates to come!

Mary