Mary's golf adventures

Wrapping up!

2009-09-29T11:10:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone,

I have returned from 3+ weeks on the road with some decent results. Here's the breakdown:

Duramed Futures Tour ILOVENY Championship 79-82 MC

SunCoast Series LPGA Qualifying Prep-Palmer Course 76-76; 19th of 27

LPGA Qualifier. Rancho Mirage, CA (Mission Hills: Dinah & Palmer) 77-75 MC

I'm glad that I had the opportunity to give LPGA Qualifying one last shot after playing so strongly the 2nd half of the summer. At this point I am getting a game plan together for transitioning into a different career and will let you know what I end up doing. I have a strong interest in using my skills in event management, fund raising and team building. My hope is to end up contributing to a professional or collegiate sports organization or a university development office focusing on fund raising and alumni relations. I am excited about what the future holds and so thankful for everyone's support over these past 4+ years. It has been an AMAZING experience; I have learned so much about myself and been able to fully pursue this passion that has always peaked my interest.

As far as playing golf I will let you know what that continues to look like as well. I intend to keep playing and currently remain a professional however there are many opportunities for me to compete if I regain my amateur status. I will keep you posted on that but my primary focus remains on the career search at this point.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. More to come!

My heartfelt thanks, Friends,

Mary

Summer Synopsis and Fall preview

2009-09-04T08:39:00.002-05:00

Hi friends,

Well, I still hope you're my friends! I have had a lot to say but not taken the time to fill you in on my results and travels. Here is a quick synopsis of the 2009 season... first in scores and then in detail:

March Futures Winter Haven 83, 82 MC=Missed Cut

April Futures Daytona Beach 82, 81 MC

May US Open Local Qualifier, South Florida 79 MC

June Futures Decatur 77, 81 MC
Futures Mason 75, 83 MC

July Futures Connecticut 74, 74 MC
Futures New Hampshire 79, 75 MC
Futures Syracuse 73, 75 MC

August Massachusetts Open 75, 74 2nd place!!!
Moonlight-Grenelefe 70 1st place!!!
Moonlight-Bridgewater 76 3rd place!!

After starting off the season slowly I began to see improvement in my scores starting in May, although my consistency wasn't quite there. The 79 at the US Open local was only 1 shot from a playoff and on a rain-soaked golf course that played close to 6,700 yds. I played really steady with bogey my worst score on any given hole. I was beginning to see improvement.

My play was hot and cold in the mid-west in June but again a few scores in the mid-70's gave me some hope that what I was working on was paying off.

My July results were very encouraging, lower scores and more consistency! The play on the Futures Tour has gotten better and better each year and scores that previously would have made the cut just weren't good enough. However, I knew I was on the right track...

After 3 weeks on the road I had one more event in New England-the Massachusetts Women's Open. I fashioned two solid rounds over a firm, tight layout in Lakeville, Massachusetts (LeBaron Hills CC). I tied for 2nd with another professional, missing a playoff for first by only one shot! Oh, so close!!

I returned to Florida with renewed spirits and had some time to soul search about what I would do this fall. Throughout the summer I began to ponder what I would do "next" in my career and had begun to have some conversations with friends and mentors about what I might do. I feel very at peace about pursuing something else besides professional golf but feel it's also time to make the most of my improved play.

Knowing that future opportunities outside of professional golf might take some time to materialize, I began to craft an end of season schedule that allowed me "one last shot" at the LPGA Tour. I'm excited about my chances but also very at peace contemplating new opportunities.

So here is what is on tap: I am currently writing you from Albany, NY where I am getting ready to play the 1st round of the final Duramed Futures Tour event of the season. I am staying with good friends Tom & Nan Lanahan and enjoying a preview of cooler fall weather. It looks to be a beautiful weekend for golf.

From here I am headed to Phoenix for a few days to visit my good friend Joanna Whitley, her 4 month old, Brooks, and husband Ken. Joanna was my travel buddy for two years on the Duramed Futures Tour. From there I am driving to Palm Springs, CA and will prepare for the LPGA Qualifier by competing in a SunCoast Tour event. I also hope to visit with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew, Colin, before the qualifier begins on September 17th. There's also a chance I will get to see college roommates Karen Loane & Kelly Decker on my trip out west. Traveling has definitely afforded me the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, too!

I will return to Jacksonville on Tuesday, September 21st with a clearer picture of where I am headed. My heart and mind are telling me I am more than ready for the next chapter in my career but I am going to let the details play out and see what happens, God willing.

It's been a fun season, although as always full of the drama of high and low scores! I owe a ton of thanks to my family for always supporting me, my Summerfield small group and girlfriends back in Jacksonville who have encouraged me from start to finish and have continued to pray for me. I also must thank my dear friend Jura who seems to be on the same journey that I am currently. All my host families, sponsors and friends are so important to me, too!

One person who has not received enough credit is my swing coach and friend, Brad Lusenhop. Brad has helped me make some major changes starting back in March and has caddied for me a number of times this season. He is a patient and gifted teacher who has finally brought me to a place where the golf swing is SIMPLE again and he has given me the tools and knowledge to understand my tendencies. I am looking forward to continuing to work with him no matter what role the game plays in my life in the upcoming months and years.

I'm at a very relaxed, comfortable and thankful place right now. Thanks for reading and keep sending those positive thoughts and prayers my way over the next few weeks.

Always grateful,

MM

Upcoming events

2009-03-07T08:22:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends,

I have been busy working on my game and getting ready to kick off the "busy" season! I had the pleasure of working with my coach, Tom Lynch, during his visit for 3 days earlier this week and looking forward to upcoming events. Here is what is in store:

March 9-11 Florida Women's Open www.suncoastseries.com

March 20-22 Duramed Futures Tour-Winter Haven, FL www.duramedfuturestour.com

April 3-5 Duramed Futures Tour-Daytona Beach, FL www.duramedfuturestour.com

A recent visit from Connecticut friend, Jimmy Fitzpatrick and his friend Brad (Jimmy is an aspiring PGA Tour player and a buddy I have played a lot of golf with over the past few years) helped to get the competitive juices flowing.

Will report with upcoming results! Thanks for reading,

Mary

A win on the Moonlight!!

2009-02-13T21:31:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends,

A quick update with more to come...I shot 75 today and won a one day Moonlight Tour event at Huntington Hills! The link won't be up for long but check out the following link for results and a swing video.

More details soon,

Mary

A New Year

2009-01-30T16:15:00.002-05:00

Hi friends,

I cannot believe it is almost February. Wow, how time flies.

I had a busy and restful (a forced rest :) holiday season. My brother, Andy, and sister-in-law, Mary, joined my mom and I for Christmas for a few days and we enjoyed some family time including trips to Tampa for a Tampa Bay Lightening Game and a day trip to St. Augustine. Mom and I headed north to Cleveland, OH for a few days right after the new year for a baby shower for my sister-in-law. In between all of the family activities I was working part-time at TPC Sawgrass and doing some substitute teaching. A sinus infection sidelined me for a few days as well as an unexpected cat bite that put me on antibiotics for ten days. Too much excitement!

After our return from Cleveland I started to put on my game face :). I learned that I have "C" status on the Duramed Futures Tour which should allow me to play in every event that I want. With that in mind I began my workouts and practices again with focus. In this vein, I decided to supplement my strength program with spinning classes in the gym. It's challenging but very satisfying to burn 500 calories in an hour or less! I am thankful for my friend Deb who calls me at 4:45AM so that I can be at the gym on time for my 5:30AM class on Tuesday and Thursdays!

My coach, Tom Lynch, was in town for a few days this week on his way to Orlando and will be returning for a few more days before he departs for Pennsylvania. His visit has really helped me refine some things on which I am working and getting me prepared for the season ahead. I plan to head to Orlando on Sunday, February 8th for my first event of the season on the SunCoast Tour. After that I plan to play in the Florida Women's Open in early March and the first two Duramed Futures Tour events in Florida (Winter Haven and Daytona Beach) in March and early April.

I will keep you posted on the rest of the winter and spring as my schedule comes together but I do expect to spend most of my time based out of Jacksonville this year. For various reasons, it's been tough to move up north every spring and then move south again in the fall. Bottom line, I am trying to stretch my budget as far as possible and being in one place for the whole year makes a lot of sense. I will continue to work at TPC Sawgrass part-time and commute to Orlando to play in a lot of SunCoast Tour events.

I am looking forward to a fruitful season and an opportunity to compete. I am especially excited about the prospect of qualifying for the US Women's Open which will be held at my home course where I learned to play the game, Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Personally, I feel very refreshed after some time at home and an opportunity to get more invested in my church community and friendships in Jacksonville. I am very thankful for two groups of women who I am currently participating in a bible study with...the women of Christ Church and the women of Neptune Baptist Church. They have helped me "stay the course" and reminded me of where my hope and purpose is found.

Looking forward to sharing the year with you! More soon...

Mary

Q-school review

2008-11-19T21:25:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

As reported last week, I played great at Futures Qualifying in early November. What a boost of confidence! I knew things were coming together as my play was getting progressively better since early September. Here are some of my observations from the week.

Relaxation
After playing so much golf over the last few months I knew it was important to be loose and relaxed before each round. If I have access to one, a hot tub has been really helpful in keeping my muscles warm and limber. Stretching each morning has also helped me as well as using a foam roller for self massage (it can be torture at first as you "iron" out the tightness but well worth it!). The first round I came out of the blocks slow and it took me awhile to get settled. I had stretched that morning but I had not taken advantage of the hot tub. Needless to say, the hot tub became part of my morning routine starting the second round.

Driving to the course each morning I felt very loose, warm and free of tension. I feel this calmness helped me to transition well to the course each day.

Short game/putting
The first round was a lackluster putting round for me. When I am in the middle of an event it's always been my opinion to make small changes, if any at all. As I practiced post-round the first day, I noticed a small detail of my putting routine that I had neglected. Typically, as I take my practice putting strokes, I am looking at my target or the break point of the putt where I want the putt to die. Well, I caught myself looking down at the ball during my practice strokes. I tweaked this small detail and was able to get back on track with my putting over my last three rounds. I went from 33 putts the first round to 25 the second day (outstanding!), 27 the 3rd round and 29 the final round. I am glad I recognized this small change and adjusted quickly!

My short game was really solid all week. I was able to successfully get up and down 76.6% of the time. Very solid! I felt like a key for me was really reacting to the conditions and going with the shot or club I was feeling in my first assessment. I felt like my decisions were "athletic," like how a shooter reacts to a basket or a pitcher reacts to a hitter. All I did was focus on what I saw (low shot, high shot, soft shot, etc) and went with my gut. I was really excited about the results as I trusted in my instincts.

Belief/tunnel vision
Although it took me some time to settle down on the front nine in the first round, I felt like after getting through that short spell I continued to really believe in my process (which I have perfected thanks to my coaches and Dr. Fabbri, my sport psychologist). All I did was get my yardage, see the shot I wanted to hit and stayed committed to that shot until the ball landed. Sounds simple but it has taken some discipline and training to do it every single time. A reassurance that I should not give up on my process was on the 10th hole of the 1st round. I stood at 6 over par after 9 holes and was a little fired up because I knew I could do better. I hit a great drive on the 10th and had 8 iron into the green. I watched the ball sail towards the green, take one bounce and hit the pin. It didn't go in for eagle but it left me a short putt for birdie. I converted and was able to get back on track to finish the first round respectably, playing my last 9 holes in only one over par.

Another key was also beliving in my OWN game and playing within myself. For example, on my 15th hole, during the first round, I had a key decision to make. It's a longish par 5 with a a hazard to negotiate. If I don't hit a great drive or it's into the wind I have to lay up to the hazard. I could allow myself to get frustrated as I see my competitiors advance it over the hazard and not have to lay up but I STUCK TO MY GAMEPLAN. I had a solid par on that hole, sticking to my process.

I felt like I was able to deflect potential distractions successfully this week. There can be so many distractions like my own expectations, other players and the list goes on! I felt at peace, calm and able to put aside these potential road bumps.

Fun
Bottom line is that it was a fun week for me. I enjoyed each round, peservered when presented with obstacles and never gave up. What a great way to end a season and begin a new one.

What's next
I am back in Jacksonville and beginning to figure out what my off-season plans are. I accepted a part-time position working in the golf shop at TPC Sawgrass and am thrilled to join the team there. I will be continuing to play and practice out there as well. I also plan on doing some substitute teaching and working for another company on short term projects as they become available. I would like to try to get to Orlando once a month to play on the SunCoast tour and keep my game sharp. I hope to compete again shortly after the new year. I will let you know about my schedule as it comes together.

I am excited for the 2009 season as this will be one of the first times that I can really craft my schedule. I should get into every Futures tour event, including the high purse invitationals. In addition, I am also very excited about the fact that the US Women's Open will be contested at my home course where I learned how to play the game, Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Very exciting things lay ahead!

I will post more soon. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am certainly thankful for all the well wishes and support now, and over the years,

Mary

A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

2008-11-08T06:25:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,

I have some great news to share! I had a great week at Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying! I shot rounds of 79-72-71-76 to finish T68th out of 312 players. This finish gives me great status for the tour next year and also gives me a tremendous boost of confidence! I will write more details soon about the week. Looking forward to sharing more with you.

Until later,

Mary

Lakeland Week 2 & book recommendation

2008-10-30T21:14:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone,

After a relaxing weekend in Tampa (and taking in a Neil Diamond concert and a Tampa Bay Lightning game!) I teed it up at Imperial Lakes Country Club in a SunCoast tour event.

We were greeted with record low temperatures and windy conditions the first round (brrrr...). After a two over 38 on the front nine I limped in with 42 on the back to shoot 80. The wind over the last 4 holes produced 4 bogeys on my card. I knew I struck the ball too well that day, despite the conditions, to shoot a round that high. I was a bit fired up and ready for a comeback the next day.

Well, the next day was a comeback and I was able to harness my fire about my 1st round finish into a positive outcome. After a 1 over steady front nine (6 pars, 1 birdie, 2 bogeys) I finished with a one under 34 on the back. Highlights included birdies on 2 of my last 4 holes (a little revenge after the previous day's finish). An even par 72 put me in the mix for the final round.

I had a great pairing for the final round and had the opportunity to play with a solid Futures tour player and a current LPGA player and former US Women's Amateur Champion. My short game seemed to elude me, after being so strong the first 2 days, and I found myself 4 over after 14 holes. I was really hanging in there but two bogeys and one double bogey over the last 4 holes found me at 8 over par, 80.

It was really a good week for me. I feel like both rounds of 80 were the worst I could have shot and I learned so much from the experience this week. My ball striking over the past 4 events has improved dramatically; I am very pleased with my progress. Oh, and I did make a check which was great! You can check out full results by clicking here. I am excited and ready for Futures Qualifying this coming week!

I will be resting and doing some preparation over this weekend. You can follow results this week (we begin play on election day) at the Duramed Futures Tour website.

I wanted to share with you a book recommendation. I recently had the opportunity to re-connect with a college teammate, Bob Smiley. He is the author of a new book about Tiger Woods called Follow The Roar. Bob followed Tiger every hole of the 2008 season hoping to glean some wisdom from his play. The release date for the book is November 11th. Check it out!

Thanks for reading. More from Futures tour qualifying next week!

Mary

Lakeland Week 1 update

2008-10-24T09:44:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,

My first week in Lakeland is wrapping up. I competed in a SunCoast Series event at Huntington Hills, which is one of the courses we will compete on for Duramed Futures Tour qualifying. Check out full results.

I shot rounds of 77-79-77 to finish T27th. I have continued my streak of 8 rounds in a row under 80, which is definitely encouraging. What I thought I would do is tell you about my week in the Good, Better, How format. If you recall I used this way of analyzing my play in an earlier blog entry.

What was GOOD this week:

Putting-I averaged 29.3 putts/round. Anything under 30 is pretty solid.
Driving-I hit 85% of possible fairways this week.
Up & Downs-I was able to get up and down for par 64% of the time and during the 1st round alone I got up and down 8 out of 11 times.
Consistency-Made 14 pars each round. Really pleased with the steadiness.
Decisiveness-Played briskly and assertively, with confidence. This has been a goal of mine.
Transistion-Was pleased with my transistion back to Florida golf...bermuda grass and windy conditions are not typical during everyday play up north!

What I could have done BETTER:

Over par holes- I had 2 doubles and 1 triple over the three rounds. Need to minimize my bad holes into bogey...no worse.
Birdies- Not that you can control the putts falling in but I typically make a birdie or two per round.
Greens in Regulation (GIR)-Averaged 38% over three rounds. This needs improvement!

HOW I will prepare for next week:

Drills-Will continue to work on my ball striking to sharpen my irons.
Putting-Will work on mechanics and distance control for long putts but also on specific drills to "make" putts. For example, I like the 8 birdie drill. Setup 8 tees around a cup anywhere from 3-20 feet. Going through your routine, see how many of these birdie opportunities you can make.

It was a good week and with a bit more polish (and less doubles/triples and more birdies!) I will be in good shape for this coming week for the SunCoast event at Imperial Lakes.

I also wanted to take an opportunity to introduce you to Tom Lynch. At the end of August, at the prompting of my mother, I decided to see Tom for a few lessons. He is located in Allentown, PA, my mom's hometown. We have been working together since then on my full-swing and short game and I am pleased with results I have seen in just a short time. I have been hitting the ball longer, stronger and definitely straighter. More of my misses are pin high or long of the green. Before seeing Tom Lynch my stroke average on the Futures tour was 80.63; my stroke average from the Albany, NY Futures event including the last 3 events (NE Open, MD Open, SunCoast-Huntington Hills) is 77.8. Very exciting! I am continuing to work with Tom Garner on my short game, putting and course management. I am fortunate to have such a great team!

That is all for now. I will be resting and practicing this weekend as well as enjoying a Neil Diamond concert and Tampa Bay Lightning game. I will tee it up again on Tuesday, October 28th so check the SunCoast Series website and look for an update from me next week!

Until then,

Mary

MD Open results

2008-10-09T08:21:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

I had a solid 2 days at the Maryland Open finishing in a tie for 7th place (pros) and tie for 8th overall. I also finished "in the money."! Here are some more details:

I shot rounds of 77-79 over the 5,900 yds CC at Woodmore. In the first round I had 3 birdies shooting even par 37 on the front and 4 over 40 on the back. It was a pretty consistent day as I made nothing worse than bogey.

The second round featured 2 birdies, 4 bogeys and 2 triple bogeys. The triple bogeys were frustrating but in both cases I was able to learn something valuable so that I am prepared when I encounter a similiar situation in the future. I was pleased with my steadiness, despite the two holes, and was very pleased with playing the back nine in one over par after a triple on #12.

The course was in great shape and the greens were definitely speedier the second round. I had 34 putts the second day, which is above my norm of 30, as I think it took me the first few holes to adjust accordingly. To give you an idea I hit the first 4 greens in regulation but 3 putted 3 of them for bogey. Fortunately, I adjusted quickly and got back on track.

What I am truly encouraged about is my greens in regulation stat. I hit 8 greens in regulation the first round and 13 greens in regulation the 2nd round. This is a stat that I have really focused on in my practice and preparation and I am definitely seeing improvement!

A special thanks to my friend and caddie, Matt Aument. Matt has caddied for me in Gettysburg over the past two years and he made the short trip from the Baltimore area to caddie for me this week. His family also let me stay with them the evening before the first round so I wouldn't have to make the long trek from Arlington, VA. Love that DC traffic!

Also a special thanks to my dear friends, Elaine and Bart Jeffress. I enjoyed catching up with them and staying in their beautiful townhouse in Arlington, VA. It was also good to see my friend Andy Krauss, a co-worker from my Gainesville days.

I arrived in Jacksonville early this afternoon after some "eventful" travel (had some car trouble), but was thankful that I made the auto train so I didn't have to drive the long stretch from VA to FL. I have a week to get settled and get some practice in before I head to Lakeland for 3 weeks to play in the two SunCoast events and Futures tour qualifying. I will keep you updated!

Mary

New England Open Results

2008-10-01T18:26:00.003-05:00

Hi Friends,

Just a quick note to let you know I finished T11th at the New England Women's Open on September 30th-October 1st. I shot 2 pretty solid rounds....77, 76. No birdies for two days, which is not like me, but made nothing worse than bogey in two rounds. Was certainly pleased with my consistency and pleased with averaging 30 putts over two days and hitting 8.5 greens. We played the beautiful Shelter Harbor GC in Charlestown, RI. What a beautiful golf course and so much fun to play (think links style rustic golf, with lots of natural rocks).

It was a wonderful 3 days in coastal RI and coastal CT (Mystic). I had an opportunity to stay with my dear friend, Gina Yoder, and do some local siteseeing in the area.

I am encouraged as I make my drive south! My next event is the Maryland Open, October 6-7th. More to report soon!

Mary

ps I hope the NEPGA will publish full results. I will put up a link as soon as they do.

Long overdue update

2008-08-29T11:37:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,

Summer has flown by. It's hard to believe that fall is here!

Since my arrival in Connecticut in early July I have logged a lot of miles on my car (and have one flat tire to prove it!). I enjoyed playing in Ottawa (twice) on the Canadian Tour and in the Monday qualifier for the Canadian Open as well as Futures tour events in Syracuse, NY, Concord, NH and Gettysburg, PA. I also compted in the Massachusetts Open in Ipswich, MA.

Click on the links for scores.

Besides playing, practice and workouts I have been logging some hours in the golf shop at the Yale Golf Course. I have had a nice balance this summer between being on the road and being at "home" in Connecticut.

I have changed my game plan a bit this fall as compared to other previous falls. I decided not to attend LPGA qualifying and rather place my focus on preparation for the Duramed Futures Tour qualifier in November. I felt that it was important to be fresh for that qualifier versus being tired after LPGA qualifying. That being said this is what my schedule looks like the next two months:

September 31-October 1 New England Women's Open Shelter Harbor GC, RI

October 6-7 Maryland Women's Open Woodmere GC, MD

October 21-23 SunCoast Series Event at Huntington Hills CC, FL

October 28-30 Sun Coast Series Event at Imperial Lakes CC, FL

November 4-7 Duramed Futures Tour Qualifying School

I will keep you updated as I have results. Thanks for your support!

Mary

update

2008-07-12T09:22:00.005-05:00

Hi Everyone,

A lot has transpired since my last post including two SunCoast events, my annual trek north, and my recent arrival in beautiful Ottawa for the season culminating CN Canadian Tour event at Camelot Golf and Country Club in Cumberland, Ontario.

I have had a lot of time to think about my post as I have been recovering from either food poisoning, sallmonella or the stomach flu (most signs point to food poisoning although I did eat some jalapeno peppers earlier this week). I am moving a little slower than normal but promise to update you soon about all that has taken place.

You can follow results this week by going to the CN Tour website (you can click on it under My Favorite Sites). In the weeks following I will be playing in the next two Duramed Futures tour events in Syracuse, New York and Concord, New Hampshire.

More to come soon!

Mary

Oh, so close!

2008-06-13T06:38:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

A 5 over par round of 77 put me 5 strokes back of the winner and only one stroke "out of the money." I am taking a disciplined approach and rather than dwelling on that "one or two strokes I would like back" I am focusing on what I have learned this week. 77 in a pressure packed situation is respectable but if I want to contend out here I need to turn a 77 into a one or two over par round. I REALLY learned a lot this week! Here's some of the GOOD from this week:

Played 3 consistent rounds. Over 54 holes I made only 2 double bogeys. Lots of pars, birdies and a few bogeys.
Putted solid...28, 30 and 29 putts each round.
A stat that I have worked hard on is my greens in regulation (GIR). This week I hit a solid 9, 8 & 10 greens. I shot 73 hitting 9 greens so can still score without hitting greens in the double digits.
What you don't see about the final round is that I had 3 "almost" chip ins. Chips that grazed the hole and ended up tap in distance. My focus used to be getting chips close but my focus in the past few months has changed to "I can realistically give this a chance to go in". This is not a reckless thought but rather one bolstered by confidence.
Felt like I played agressively and decisively this week. I didn't allow a poor swing (and we all make those!) deter my focus on the next shot.
Saw that "playing within myself" was rewarded. There were 2 challenging holes (a long par 4 with a sharp dogleg and a visually challenging 2nd shot & a 560 yd par 5 that required all the distance my body can muster). I was even par for 3 days on the par 4 (a hole I am guessing the field averaged at 5 or higher) and an average of 3 over on the par 5 (which was probably average for the field). These holes helped me to trust in my ability to get up and down with my wedges from 20-60 yds. Which I did 3/5 attempts. Not a bad stat!
Was really pleased with my ball striking particularly with my long irons and my fairway woods...clubs that I at times are a bit more challenging to hit for me.

Here are a few things I am going to work on for next week. What I can do BETTER:

Wedges...although I was successful in getting up and down from 20-80 yds there were a few that got away from me. Going to work on wedges from different yardages and different situations.
Playing within myself. There were a few situations that I played a shot or shots that I should have taken a different approach (sometimes I should have been more conservative and sometimes I should have played more agressively). I am going to keep this in mind as I prepare for my next event.

I will be playing in the SunCoast tour's event at Huntington Hills this coming week. You can follow results on their website. For results from this week click here.

Feeling good about things! Will keep you posted!

Mary

2nd round at Eastwood in the books

2008-06-11T14:48:00.002-05:00

Hi all,

I shot a 3 over par 75 today in the second round of the SunCoast series event at Eastwood GC. I am tied with two others for the lead going into the final round tomorrow. Check out the story.

Tomorrow will be a fun opportunity!

Mary

newsflash!!!

2008-06-10T19:51:00.002-05:00

Hi friends,

I shot a solid one over 73 today (2 under par on the front!) to tie for the 1st round lead of the SunCoast Series event at Eastwood Golf Club. One day down, now focusing on getting it done the next two days!

Check out the story!

Mary

gaining momentum...

2008-06-07T21:24:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone,

I just returned from a fruitful two weeks on the road in Connecticut and Canada. I had an opportunity to play in two events-the Connecticut Women's Open and the CN Canadian Tour's event at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club in London, Ontario. It was nice to be back in Connecticut, back at the Yale Golf Course, and to catch up with friends.

I had a mediocre showing at the CT Open. Never really got anything going and shot rounds of 79-84. I was thrilled for my good friend, Lynn Valentine, as she won her first professional title. After a few small adjustments and a few days to work on my game, I headed to Canada to redeem myself.

After a late afternoon practice round on a Saturday, I had the privelege to play in the pro-am the following afternoon. The players who participated helped their pro-am partners with some short game and long game during the hour long clinic and we then headed out onto the course. We played a 9 hole scramble and won a nice prize (not sure if it had to do with our results or the fact there were so many ties they simply drew our names from a hat :).

I really enjoyed the golf course, the beautiful terrain and the temporary relief from the Florida heat. I shot rounds of 79-77 to finish "in the money." Check out the results on the Canadian Tour website. I was very encouraged the 2nd round. After starting out slowly with a bogey, bogey, double bogey start I played the final 15 holes in one over par. Now it's time to eliminate the big numbers and unnecessary bogeys. Definitely moving in the right direction...

I was talking to a friend about my performance and remarked that I feel like a breakthrough is around the corner. It's the combination of results and confidence that only come through experience. I am truly pleased with my ball striking and my short game. Being comfortable and prepared is a powerful combination.

So, here's what's next. I will be competing in Orlando the next three weeks on the SunCoast and Moonlight tours. After that I will head north (via the Amtrak auto train) on June 30th. I plan to play the Futures Tour and some state opens in July and August. Hope to see some of you in places like Bloomfield, CT, Syracuse, NY and Gettysburg, PA. Check out the Futures tour website for dates and courses. Make sure to check with me to ensure I am playing that week as sometimes plans change!

Will keep you posted! Be sure to follow results!

Mary

GREAT NEWS to report!

2008-05-15T19:29:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone,

I have some exciting news to share. I won my first multiple day event as a golf professional today! I shot rounds of 79-75 to win by 6 shots at the Moonlight Tour's 2 day event at Black Bear Golf Club.

I would like to fill you in on more details as well as news about some recent success on the SunCoast Tour. More to come soon...

Mary

Big Break update and Good, Better, How

2008-04-10T17:08:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,

I am sorry it has taken so long for me to send you an update. I have been busy and playing alot so I have much to report.

First off, Max and I did have our Big Break audition on April 2nd in Daytona Beach. We felt the interview went pretty well. The first part of the audition involved hitting specific golf shots. They first had us hit 3 shots each with a driver and 5 iron. We had to hit a draw, fade and straight shot with each club. We both did very well with the task. My drivers were on the mark and two of my three 5 irons were spot on. We then selected one of two targets to do a closest to the pin competition. We each could hit 4 balls and choose the 3 best. We chose a 100 yard target. Max hit two of the three tight-within 10 feet. I hit one tight, one about 15 feet and one a little short and right. We felt pretty good about this aspect of the audition.

We then sat down in front of the camera and answered some questions they had prepared of us. I was able to speak about my playing background and my coaching experience. I communicated how much I am enjoying pursuing my dream, how passionate I am about my playing career and development and excited about the possibility to gain exposure through the show. Max spoke about how he has always wanted to play but had to make his career a priority. Now that his business is getting established he can take this opportunity to work on his game. He also spoke about some of the adversity he has faced as a minority in the golf business and the struggles he encountered while dealing with lyme disease.

We feel like we did our best and have a unique story to tell on the show. We hope the producers agree! They told us that we should know more by mid-May so I will keep you posted!

Over the past few months I have played on the SunCoast tour, competing in the greater Orlando area. In the recent event at the Country Club of Mt. Dora I shot rounds of 79-82-77 to finish in a T-13th place. I found the course to be tight and I didn't hit quite as many fairways as I usually do but my short game and putting was really solid.

One way in which I evaluate a round or a tournament is doing something called: GOOD, BETTER, HOW. This is a technique that I learned from the Vision 54 seminar I attended in Phoenix this past December. It helps me to dwell on the positive while also realistically evaluating what I could do better and how I am going to accomplish getting better.

So what did I do well (GOOD) this past week? Here are some of the things I listed:

I had two chip ins this week...both for birdie!
Stayed committed to staying decisive and sure over each shot.
Putted well this week...had 25, 30 & 27 putts respectively (30 putts is my benchmark)
Had 6 birdies in 3 days.
Up & downs were solid...had 7 of 12 the first round and 4/6 the final round. Better than 50%!
Bunker saves were solid...2/3 in both the second and third rounds.
Reminded myself to stay in "my bubble" and not let outcome or things I cannot control (other players, the weather, conditions) affect me.

So what can I do BETTER:

Fairways hit percentage was low
Greens hit percentage was low

HOW am I going to get better

Work on driver...or on tight holes should I be hitting 3 wd for better position?
Work on some of the swing drills Tom suggests for my ball striking

I will be working on my HOW this week but most of my focus has been to play the golf course when I practice (hit balls only when neccessary) and work hard on my short game. When I have played well in the past I have gotten in the "groove" of playing week after week. Now that my health is good I can do that.

So, what's next? I have decided to play in the next 3 SunCoast Series events beginning April 22nd at Rio Pinar Country Club. I will then compete at the Eagles in Odessa, Florida April 29-May 1 and finally at Errol Estates in Apopka, FL May 6-8th. Since I will be in the Orlando area the next three weeks it will also allow me to work with my coach, Tom Garner.

I will return to Jacksonville on May 9th and then prepare for the US Open local qualifier which will be held in Jacksonville at San Jose Country Club on Monday, May 19th. I will wrap-up May with a trip north to Connecticut to compete in the CT Women's Open at Tumble Brook Country Club in Bloomfield, May 27-28th.

I am encouraged about where my game is right now. I have shot a number of rounds around par or a few over in practice and hope to see these results translate in competition.

Will keep you posted on my progress!

Fairways, greens, birdies & chip-ins,

Mary

The BIG BREAK interview!!!

2008-02-16T22:59:00.002-05:00

Hi friends,

I just learned earlier this week that I have been selected for the next round of interviews for the next Big Break series on the Golf Channel! The next season will be a team competition (co-ed teams only) and I am partnering with my good friend and club fitter, Max Miller. We are honored and excited about the opportunity. We will not interview until April so you will have to wait at least a month before I have any more news.

Otherwise, I am keeping busy in Jacksonville playing, practicing, working out and securing sponsorship for 2008. My next event is coming up in a few weeks. I will be competing at the Florida Women's Open March 3-5 at Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando.

I am making a trip to Orlando this week to see my coach Tom but mostly to spend a few days with my dear friends Georgia & Arnie Monahan, their daughter Jocelyn and son, Bill. I will also be meeting up with my sister-in-law's sister (can you follow that one? My brother's wife's sister), Sara Calsin. We will be enjoying a few days at Disney relaxing!

All is well. Working hard and enjoying the opportunity each day brings. Will keep you posted :)

Mary

A GREAT FINISH!!!!

2008-01-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

I had a spectacular finish at the SunCoast series event at Forest Lake. I finished in a T9th place with scores of 75-73-75. What an encouraging start to the year as the event featured 3 LPGA exempt players including the #2 player in the world, Paula Creamer. Check out results by clicking here. Be sure to check out the SunCoast Series website for upcoming events as well. In the immediate future, I will be playing at Errol Estates and Rio Pinar (Florida Women's Open)

Continuing to make great strides in the new year...

MM

Please Vote!

2008-01-10T10:52:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

My favorite golf store is up for the 2008 Best of Stamford, CT Awards. Max Miller and Paul Ferrone have been a tremendous support to me over the years and have provided me with great fitting service and equipment. They are dedicated and enthusiastic business owners and this is a great way to recognize them!

Please vote for Downtown Golf in the Best Sports Store category by clicking HERE.
You do not have to vote in every category and can simply submit the one vote for them. Vote early, vote often! You can vote every hour. Please check out their website under my favorites to look at their services.

Thank you for voting!

Mary

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

I still need to update you and post pictures from my INCREDIBLE experience at Vision 54 in Phoenix. I promise to do that soon.

In the meantime, I am in Orlando this week (braving FRIGID tempatures...coldest temps Florida has seen in 5 years that might threaten the citrus crop) preparing for the Ginn Got Game Challenge at the Reunion Resort. This event is a qualifier for the Ginn Open which will be held at Reunion in April. A great opportunity and a good way to kick off the new year!

I am in the process of sending/e-mailing my 2007 wrap-up. Hopefully you have received a copy, if you have not yet please be patient as I have a few more to send.

Happy New Year, stay warm and more to come!

Mary

Interesting commentary from qualifying school

2007-12-01T20:34:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

I thought this story might be of interest to everyone. An interesting commentary on the challenges that we face "On the road to the LPGA."

MM

An update before THE UPDATE

2007-11-28T22:28:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

It's amazing how busy one can be when not traveling, living in one place, and catching up on months of being on the road. I am currently working on a more formal wrap up of the 2007 season which many of you will be receiving in the mail. I will also post it on my blog at a later date.

I played respectably at Futures Qualifying shooting 77-81-78. I struggled a bit with my health that week, managing some soreness and discomfort in my shoulder and left rib. I did gain status to play next year, which was my primary goal, so definitely some good news came out of the week. My coach, Tom, came to caddy for me during a practice round and in the final round as well. We ended the final round well coming less than a foot to holing out for eagle on the 18th hole. A nice memory to end the "official" 2007 season!

I returned to Jacksonville and have been unpacking and organizing. I have also been seeing my physical therapist/trainer, Matt Serlo. I met Matt in 2006 when I began doing physical therapy for my shoulder. He has been a great resource and help with my therapy and fitness. He referred me to Brian Magna who I have been working with while in Connecticut. They have similar philosophies and both have experience working on the major professional golf tours so I definitely feel like I am in good hands. I am pleased to report that I really feel good, probably the best I have felt health-wise since 2003. I no longer feel like I am guarding or protecting my body but I can swing freely and live fairly normally. This is a HUGE victory!

There are a bunch of golf pros who workout at Matt's clinic, Five Star Physical Therapy, so I am in good company. Because of The Players Club (TPC), which is a PGA Facility, there seems to be a plethora of PGA Tour and Champions Tour Players who live in the greater Jacksonville area. It is always interesting to me to observe other successful athletes. Many of these guys have won and been competitive on both tours and to listen to their stories and experiences is very inspiring.

So, what's next in my schedule? I will be practicing at TPC the next few weeks and working out with Matt at Five Star as well as returning to pilates classes (I have really missed my regular pilates workouts!). On December 12th I will be traveling to Phoenix to attend a Vision 54 seminar at the Legacy Golf Resort. I call this a seminar and not a "golf school" as there will be no mechanics taught. Vision 54 originated from the theory that it's possible to make birdie on every hole, thus shooting 18 under par which is 54 (on a par 72 golf course). The instructors, Pia Nilsson & Lynn Marriott, embrace the belief that every individual has unlimited and unique potential. I have previously had the privilege to attend one of their seminars while still coaching at Yale and was able to pass along much of what I learned to my players. I am looking forward to this opportunity to further develop the mental side of my game and add valuable practice ideas and approaches.

Following my Phoenix trip, right before the Christmas holiday, I will return to Florida and head to Orlando to see Tom as well as play practice rounds for the upcoming Ginn Got Game Challenge. The winner of this "challenge" (a 2 round stroke play event) will earn a spot in the 2008 LPGA Ginn Open. I will play 2 practice rounds while in Orlando and the event will be shortly after the new year on January 5th & 6th. This plan takes me up to the Christmas and New Year's holidays. I will be spending the holidays in Florida with family and friends.

I was thinking the other day that there are some books that I would like to recommend to everyone. These books are mostly for the golf enthusiast but also for the sports/fitness enthusiast. 2 books are written by Pia and Lynn and the third is on stretching. If you are looking for holiday gift ideas check out the following titles:

Stretching, by Bob Anderson

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose, by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson

The Game Before the Game: The Perfect 30 Minute Practice, by Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson

As I reflected on this year I was able to evaulate my play and improvement. This year was truly a victory in many areas: my health, my mental game and confidence, and improved results. I will be touching upon these three areas in my wrap-up letter. I feel very comfortable on the golf course these days, in my element, and with my improved health I no longer feel like I am protecting or guarding my body. If I could describe my state of mind these days it would be of "quiet patience." I am thankful to be at this place, not placing pressure or pushing results. I am certain that results will begin to flourish as I embrace this state of mind. I already see carry over in my practice as my last 2 rounds have been 3 over 75's. I think it's a preview of what's to come next year.

Thanks for bearing with a long post but I had a lot to report! Many of you can expect to hear from me by traditional "snail mail" this holiday season. I am grateful for a successful 2007 and excited for the 2008 that lays ahead!

I wouldn't be where I am without your support and encouragement. More to come soon,

Mary

Update soon!

2007-11-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

Things are great but needless to say I am busy! In the last month I played in LPGA Qualifying in Venice, FL, flew back to Connecticut to wrap-up my duties at Yale, pack up all my belongings, and drive the 16 hours from Connecticut to Jacksonville, FL!

The last week I have been in Orlando and Lakeland preparing for Duramed Futures Tour qualifying. I have had some great practice sessions and have spent quality time with my coach, Tom Garner. I am looking forward to a great week!

When things calm down a bit I will give you more of a detailed wrap-up of the last month. Don't forget to follow results of Futures Tour qualifying!

Mary

Continuing improvement!

2007-09-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone!

My last post was following the 2nd to last event on the Futures Tour. Since then, I have played in 3 events: The Duramed Futures Tour I LOVE NY Championship, the Pacific Ladies Tour Q School Classic and the First Stage of LPGA Qualifying. Here are some details..

I made the short drive north to Albany, NY for the final event of the Duramed Futures Tour season. The tour was going "all out" for the last event. Typically the greens start out slow at the beginning of the week and by tournament time they speed them up. They were quick from the get go! I enjoy playing courses that setup difficult and when par is a good score so I was excited about the conditioning and layout of the course.

I prepared well playing practice rounds with fellow New Englanders Lynn Valentine and Kim Augusta, among others. I have known Lynn since college days when we competed against one another. She paid me a nice compliment during our practice rounds saying how well I was hitting the ball and how solid my swing was looking. I knew these things in my heart, and from the feedback I was getting from my coach and friends that I play with, but to hear it from a competitor was very affirming!

I drew an afternoon tee time the first day and shot 77 in windy conditions. It put me just about in the middle of the pack. I had three birdies on the day and played pretty solid except for a few swings. The second round I was paired with one of my former Florida players, Sam White. Her mom Nancy caddied for her so it was fun day for me. I started out hot with a birdie on the first hole but a couple of three putts forced me to post a few bogeys. After a 2nd round 79 I was disappointed to miss the cut, although encouraged by the number of birdies I was making. 3 birdies both rounds! Also, a big thanks to Tom and Nan Lanahan for a great week in Albany. I enjoyed getting to know them and really enjoyed their comfortable home.

A few days later, after returning to New Haven for some Yale duties and packing, I left for toasty Palm Desert, CA. I decided to compete in a "low key" mini tour event on the Pacific Coast Ladies Tour called the Q-school Classic. After flying out and arriving on a Wednesday afternoon I teed it up on Thursday morning. I shot 76 the first round with 2 birdies and 29 putts for the day. Not bad considering I had not played desert golf in awhile! The second round I limped to an 82. Although I had 2 birdies on the day too many bogeys were posted. 35 putts was the killer stat but it was good to know what I needed to work on to prepare for the LPGA qualifying that was ahead.

As I continued to prepare I became more comfortable with the terrain and conditions. I had figured out a good hydration regimen (being from the east coast and more humid climates, the desert is truly a different experience) and began to better understand the greens. Although it is subtle, everything in Palm Desert breaks towards the lowest point, which is Indio. Keeping this in mind, I teed it up for the 1st round of LPGA qualifying on the Arnold Palmer Course at Mission Hills. I shot a solid 3 over 75 with 2 birdies. My worst score on any given hole was bogey so it was a good start.

The 2nd round was on the Dinah Shore Course (the LPGA's first major of the year is always played here). I had a bit of a shaky start but finished my last 11 holes in even par to shoot a 5 over 77. I had 2 birdies on the day, which was encouraging, and only 29 putts. It was a pretty good day in light of a not so great start on the first few holes.

After two days of solid play I found myself 2 shots shy of making the cut. The good news is that my game is continuing to get stronger. I truly feel like with a little "polish" I will be shooting right around par more consistently. It was a great week with many thank you's to communicate. John and Joy Richards let me stay at their beautiful home in Rancho Mirage and Carol Hogan let me practice at her course, Desert Island, when I was looking for some peace and quiet. I left California very encouraged by my play and excited about my prospects for the "2nd try" coming up in Venice, FL from October 2-5th.

I am now in Venice preparing for the 2nd opportunity to qualify which begins next week. I have played the courses here before so it's all about getting familiar with them again. I tee it up tomorrow at 8:40am on the Plantation Bobcat Course. I am looking forward to playing and had a solid few days of preparation including a visit to Orlando to see my coach, Tom Garner. You can follow results on the LPGA website!

Until next time,

Another strong finish!!

2007-08-30T16:32:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

I had a great week in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the Duramed Futures Tour Gettysburg Championship. I shot rounds of 72-76-81 over a challenging 6,425 yd layout. I made the cut and made a nice check. Making more steps in the right direction! Here are more details about the week...

The skies were dark and the air cool on Monday of tournament week. On this day of travel and rest I decided to take up my host, John Kuntzman, on the offer to take a special Gettysburg battlefield tour. John is a military history buff and former West Point Military history professor so I was glad to take him up on the offer! Being a history major myself I was very interested to learn more about the war and the impact it had upon our country. We drove around the city of Gettysburg and the battlefields, stopping to look at various monuments. We saw the site of the Gettysburg address and Little Roundtop among other interesting locations. What an interesting way to start the week...and only a preview of things to come...

Tuesday morning we woke up to pouring rain so an early morning practice round became a late morning 9 hole practice round. The Links at Gettysburg is over hilly terrain and pretty spread out so the enforced cart path only rule made it a long day. Plugged balls were the norm as were sloppy conditions. At this point we began to monitor the weather and saw that the rain would break by Thursday afternoon of tournament week and then it would get hot...in the 90's for the rest of the weekend. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were in long sleeves and by Friday back in shorts trying to hydrate and stay cool.

I teed off Friday morning and had a fast start. I hit my long hybrid club (about a 3 iron) into the #10 hole (I began play on the back nine) to two feet or so. It's nice to start off the round with a birdie! I backed up the birdie with par, bogey, par and then the fun began. I rattled off 4 birdies to finish up the front 9 at 3 under par (33). I was having a blast. My caddy, Matt, and I were reading breaks and picking spots and I was simply trusting the lines and stroking the putter confidently. I backed up the front nine score with a 3 over 39 on the back nine to finish at even par 72.

Saturday afternoon rolled around and it was time to tee off for round two. Standing in a tie for 12th place I had an afternoon tee time. After playing 8 holes we began to hear rumbles of thunder and lightening bolts. The horn sounded and we headed in to allow the storm to pass. It turned into an all day affair and play was called with a 7am completion of round two on Sunday morning followed by the final round in the afternoon.

I completed round two posting a 76 followed by a final round 81 on Sunday afternoon. Sunday was a marathon playing 27 holes in hot weather and a great learning experience for me. I have gained so much confidence from my recent results and feel well equipped and capable to compete in our upcoming Duramed Futures Tour ILOVE NY Championship and in the LPGA Qualifying that follows. Be sure to follow my results on the LPGA and Duramed Futures Tour websites!

Many thanks to my Mom and my Aunt Joann for coming to watch me this past week. My family continues to provide me tremendous support in addition to my swing coach, sport psychologist, club fitter and trainer. I have a great team that I am very thankful for.

After a few days in Orlando with Tom fine tuning my short and long game I am ready to head north to Albany and finish the season strong. Check back for more updates soon. I hope you enjoy the picture of me with the Civil War re-enactors from Gettysburg!

Housing in Palm Desert, California

2007-08-22T19:46:00.001-05:00

Hi friends,

Just a quick post to put feelers out for housing. I am traveling west to Palm Desert, CA/Rancho Mirage to play in the LPGA Qualifying tournament from September 12-22nd at Mission Hills Country Club. My FANTASTIC housing from last year has downsized :( so I am in need of finding a place to stay. If anyone has any suggestions for afordable accomodations, housesits or willing hosts for the 10 days please let me know. You can contact me at marymoan@hotmail.com.

Thanks!!!

MM

GREAT NEWS from the Massachusetts Open!!!

2007-08-18T11:02:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

Well, all the hard work is beginning to pay off!! I finished 4th at the Mass Open this week at Ipswich Country Club in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Check out the results and my hole by hole scores.

Highlights include:

The first round I had 2 birdies including a great up and down on 18 from 70 yds to a blind pin. I hit 12 greens this round and got up and down 4 times in 4 attempts! My 2 over round of 75 put me in the thick of things.

The second round was a round of "resilience." After a solid par on the 1st hole I double bogeyed the 2nd hole. I hung in there and made 3 pars in a row followed by a birdie. The 8th hole ate my lunch and resulted in a double bogey but I rebounded by chipping in for birdie on #9. I played a solid 1 under par on the back nine to finish with a 74!

I feel the difference maker is a combination of things. First of all, my swing work with Tom Garner has allowed me to confidently hit the shots under pressure that I need depending upon the situation. Secondly, my visualization and relaxation work with Dr. Fabbri have helped me deal with the moment and the task at hand. I have an appetite to play and cannot wait for the next opportunity!

I feel like my focus is sharper these days and I am able to put aside the peripheral, the things I cannot control. So many things happen on the road that can distract (including delayed golf clubs on the way to Boston courtesy of Jet Blue!) and I have found myself steadfastly focused on what I can control. Going through these experiences have made me stronger and I believe, more equipped for the events that are ahead including LPGA and Futures Tour qualifying opportunities.

For those of you who follow my results on the Duramed Futures Tour website I wanted to let you know of my withdrawal this week from the event in Queenstown, MD. We returned from Boston late on Wednesday, August 15th and spent Thursday the 16th practicing and getting ready to compete from the 17th-19th. About once a month I get a massage and I definitely needed one after all the driving and traveling so that was in our plan for Thursday afternoon. Well, the massage was great until I woke up the next morning with spasms in my left shoulder and back. I played on Friday but by the 5th and 6th holes I knew something was not right. I am doing fine and treating the symptoms and resting but felt it best to withdraw so to be able to compete this coming week in Gettysburg, PA as well as the rest of the season. It's hard to back down when you're playing well but in this case I knew I had to listen to my body.

Thanks for your support! I will keep you posted on upcoming results.

MM

New Hampshire wrap-up

2007-08-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone,

I made the trip from New Haven to Concord, NH to play in this past week's Duramed Futures Tour USI Championship at Beaver Meadow Golf Club. It was a good week played in hot temperatures. I shot rounds of 77-80 over two rounds and was encouraged by my ability to recover from a a few bad shots and my over 50% up and down saves the 1st round. I also had the privelege of playing in the Pro-am this week which paired me up with 4 amateurs. Thanks to Peter, Rich, Stephanie and Vera for a great day!

This week the tour sponsored a trivia contest at a local brew pub, The Barley House. We received vouchers to eat and drink their great fare and we competed in their trivia contest. Do you know who has hosted Saturday Night Live the most times? Hint...he's wild and crazy...Although we didn't win the BIG PRIZE (tickets to the upcoming PGA Tour event in Boston) we did have a lot of fun. I did go back to the Barley House later in the week to use our complimentary gift certificate :)

I also caught up with good friend and former coaching colleague, Gina Yoder. She drove down from Hanover, NH where she is an assistant professional at Hanover CC (the course at Dartmouth College). It was great to see her and spend some time together. I also enjoyed getting to know my host family, the Berger's. Peter, Ellen, JT & Drew made me feel very at home. The meals, conversation and great accomodations made for a very comfortable week.

After a meeting with Dr. Fabbri this morning, assessing my weekend rounds and passing along my stats to Coach Tom Garner, I am prepared for a good week. I truly feel like results are in my grasp (although my focus remains on the process) and I am coming to understand what I need to do to prepare and relax so to play my best. I am off to Morgantown, WV and will be picking up good friend Joanna Whitley on the way as I travel through Harrisburg, PA. Looking forward to traveling with her for the next three weeks and four events ahead.

Hope to see you lining the fairways at any of my upcoming events. Tickets can always be had so please let me know if you would like to attend!

West Virginia, here I come!

MM

Scenes from the journey

2007-07-25T20:51:00.000-05:00

With my caddy Butch at the
Syracuse event (July)

Before a practice round in Canada (June)

Helping with Special Olympics at
Southern CT State University (June)

Having a great time with Golf teammates at Princeton Reunions

With teammate Jeff Moriarty at Princeton

alumni tournament

Catching up with friend & roommate Ashley (Puckhaber) Shine at Princeton Reunions (May)

Ladies Tournament Series event at Deer Island CC (March)

Taking in the local culture-Lafayette, LA

Futures (April)

Golf with my cousin, Eddie Moan, in Orlando
(March)

Hi everyone!

The summer is flying by! I wanted to give you an update as to how I am doing.

Since early May I have played in a number of events including Futures tour events in St. Anne, IL (just south of Chicago), Bloomfield, CT & Syracuse, NY. I also traveled to Rhode Island (New England Open), Kensington, CT (CT Open) and Barrie, Ontario (Canadian Tour). I had a strong finish just this past weekend in Syracuse shooting rounds of 74-77. I am looking to build on the momentum and confidence I gained during this event. I had the opportunity to play with the current #4 money winner on tour who has won twice this season. I held my own against her (we finished one stroke apart) and it was encouraging to me to know first hand that I can compete with the best on tour!

It has been an eventful few months but very fruitful ones as well. I am finally beginning to get settled with some of the swing changes I have made with coach, Tom Garner, and I feel like my shoulder is also feeling good. I have 5 more Futures events and looking forward to getting into the routine of being on the road the next few weeks. I will be traveling to Concord, NH, Morgantown, WV, Queenstown, MD & Gettysburg, PA in four consecutive weeks followed by the labor day week off. Our final event is in Albany, NY following the holiday. I will also be squeezing in a trip to the Mass Open between the WV & MD events. I have had 3 strong finishes there over the past 3 years (low amateur in 2004, 6th in 2005 & 4th in 2006) so I am making the trip even though it is going to be a lot of travel in a week's time.

In between the playing, practice and workouts I have been keeping busy in a number of ways. I am enjoying my part-time duties at the Course at Yale helping with our outings as well as instruction with the First Tee & Special Olympics in New Haven. I had also had some time to help the Yale women's coach, Chawwadee Rompothong, with a clinic for the Course at Yale women members as well as a clinic for visiting Chinese scholars. I recently helped to coordinate a beach day for young inner city New Haven kids through my church. These outlets have helped me keep a balance.

I am heading into the rest of the season with great confidence. I am seeing development in my course management and confidence. In addition, I am excited about my recent decision to begin working with a local sport psychologist who was recommended to me. You can read more about Dr. Fabbri using the link under my favorites. Take a look at the section titled Mental Training for Competitive Athletes. I truly believe this time of development will soon grown into outstanding results.

Thank you for your support, encouragement and faith in my talents and abilities. I hope you enjoy some selected pictures from my travels. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Friday's tee time-Futures Hartford, CT

2007-07-12T19:39:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

Hope some of you can come see me play this weekend! I tee off at 8:27am off the #10 tee tomorrow, Friday, July 13th. I have a great caddy lined up...the #1 superintendent in the country of the #1 College Golf Course in the country (I am not making either statistic up!), Scott Ramsey of the Yale Golf Course. He gets a break from his duties at Yale (although I have a feeling he might make the drive down to New Haven in the afternoon...).

My plan is to play the rest of the Futures season and then head off to LPGA qualifying. That will keep me busy until mid-October!

Now that I have a functioning computer and internet on the road I should be able to share more recent updates.

I am looking forward to a great weekend on the links in my own backyard! Will keep you posted,

MM

update to come soon-I promise!

2007-05-28T14:48:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends,

It has been a BUSY month or so. I promise to update you soon. The recent highlight was I was one stroke away from proceeding to the sectional US Open qualifying. I shot 80 in the local qualifier and missed a playoff for one of the last 5 spots by one. A heartbreaker but there has been real progress in my game.

Here's a teaser to what's ahead (news from the last few months):

Trips to Orlando; Lafayette, Louisiana; El Paso, Texas...A LONG solo drive from Jacksonville Beach, Florida to New Haven, Connecticut...

News about the new coach I am working with...

And, finally, I will be reporting scores from the Connecticut and New England Opens which will be contested this week (May 29-30) & June 4-5 (New England at Weekapaug GC in Westerly, Rhode Island). Come and watch if you are local!!!

You can follow results at www.csgalinks.org & www.nepga.com.

I have been working hard, settling into my new home in New Haven and position at the Yale Golf Course and preparing for the next month of events. More later :)

Mary

getting back to business!

2007-04-15T13:33:00.000-05:00

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

update through the Tampa Futures event

2007-03-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

*Note...I did not add the pictures yet..coming soon*

I learned a few days before the Tampa Futures event that I had gained a spot in the field! Yippee! I drove north and west from Port St. Lucie on Tuesday, March 14th to begin my week. It was a challenging week characterized by rain delays and a windswept golf course. If you watched the Saturday coverage of the PGA Tour event at Bay Hill that will give you an idea of the conditions we played in.

The week began on Tuesday with a mandatory player meeting where we learned about "branding" ourselves. It was interesting and informational session about how to gain sponsors based on our personalities and character traits. It was also announced that just a day earlier one of the players who had graduated to the LPGA tour from the Futures Tour, Meaghan Francella, had just beat Annika in a playoff in Mexico! What a testimony to the competitiveness of our tour. Needless to say, I am soaking up every minute of my experiences, even if the results are not quite what I am expecting.

On Tuesday evening we had a required "Meet the Pros party." I have included a few pictures from the evening. The first picture is of my friend Nicole Mytyk (on left) and a fellow player Christine Boucher. Nicole is a close friend from my days in Gainesville. It was wonderful to see her and catch up that evening as she recently moved to Sarasota to accept a job with....Christine is a Canadian player who I shared housing with in Lakeland. We had a great time meeting some of the sponsors for the event and enjoying some good food. As you can see Chik Fil-A was a sponsor of the event and I was lucky enough to get my picture taken with their famous cow.

I played two practice rounds one with my friend Yu-jin Bang...and another with fellow Nutmeg state resident, Lynn Valentine. I had a late tee time for Friday's first round so after practice and workout on Thursday I enjoyed a movie, dinner and relaxed by reading magazines and drinking coffee (decaf of course!) at a local Barnes and Noble.

A morning rain delay on Friday march 16th pushed my 2pm tee time to after 3pm. It was an eventful round, trying to navigate the winds. To give you an idea of how gusty it was I had an interesting situation happen to me on the 4th hole. After teeing up my ball, taking a practice swing and setting up to hit my drive, I was mid-downswing and my ball fell off the tee. I could not stop my downswing and I hit the ball while it was falling off the tee. That had never happened to me before! Good news was there was no penalty (I stumped the rules official and she had to take some time to find the rule...check out 11-2 if you are a rules nut) but I had to play the ball as it lies. I hit the par 4 in 3, hoping to make a 15 footer or so to save par but walked away with bogey.

Because of our late start we were rushing to finish 18 before dark. The rule on tour is that as long as one person has teed off before they blow the horn for darkness you can finish the hole if you choose (and if your fellow competitors want to quit and you want to keep going, that is ok too). Well, we were on 17 and one girl had putt out and we were urging her to get her driver and go to the 18th tee. Unfortunately, she was not quick enough so we returned early Saturday morning to play one hole at 8:15 and begin our second round at 9:33am. I enjoyed a quick dinner with my housing host, Linda Smith, and headed for bed to rest before a long day on Saturday.

Saturday March 17 was still windy but my results were a bit better. I finished strong with 2 over par on the back 9 with a nice birdie on the 15th and lipped out a chip for birdie on 16. The two days were "just hang in there" demanding conditions so I was glad to end on a positive note. Rounds of 85-80 didn't make the cut so I headed home Sunday morning.

I have had a productive week of practice in Jacksonville (March 19-24th) and have enjoyed visiting with my aunt who flew down for a visit. I am headed to Orlando tomorrow to play golf with my cousin, Eddie Moan and prepare to play in a Ladies Tournament Series event at Deer Island . Looking forward to a good week!

Some advice that I received from a trusted friend who is a very good amateur golfer is that *most* players make their living in a few strong finishes during a given season. A few top ten's, a top five, etc. Certainly, I aspire to play well consistently but it is important to find a way to find positives in an off week.

I will keep you posted!

Mary

Futures update and recent results

2007-03-10T07:59:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

On Tuesday, March 6th I stopped in Orlando on my way to Lakeland to play a Moonlight Tour event at Windermere CC. I placed 3rd with a 77. It was fun as they sped up the greens and tucked the pins in some interesting places. Thanks to the Greenwald's for hosting me for an evening and cooking a wonderful steak dinner!

Following the event at Windermere I traveled to Lakeland and prepared to play in the first Duramed Futures Tour event but was 3rd alternate. The first few events are very popular on tour as many of the players base themselves in Florida so I may be on the fence for the beginning of the season. I am 3rd alternate for the Greater Tampa Duramed Futures Classic and will travel to the site this week, hoping for a few to withdraw. Although I did not get in this week it was very good for me to be in Lakeland to acclimate to playing on tour again. I cannot emphasize enough (and this is something I told my players when I was coaching), being comfortable with the atmosphere is so important.

This is the last week that I will do the "wait and see" plan. There is a new tour simply called the Ladies Tournament Series in the Orlando area that runs three day events with no cuts for a reasonable entry fee. The fields are small but the competition is good so I may sign up for a few of these events if I am still on alternate lists. My former player, Jeehae, won her first professional event on this tour so congratulations to her! You can check out the schedule for more information. I am considering playing the upcoming events at Deer Island, Forest Lake & Errol Estates.

As you can tell the life of a professional golfer is always in fluctuation :). I have learned to go with the flow and simply roll with the changes. I am currently in Port St. Lucie to practice for a few days before I head to Tampa. I will keep you posted on my always changing schedule!

Until next time,

Mary

Running marathons

2007-03-04T08:49:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

Sorry it has taken so long for an update. I hope you enjoy some of the pictures!

I spent a few productive days working on my game at TJ's. We worked hard on my short game and transitioning from mechanics to feel. I have included a picture of the two of us after an afternoon session.

After working with TJ for a few days I drove north to Orlando to prepare for the Florida Women's Open. It was my first three day event post-surgery and I am happy to report that my shoulder reacted well to all the play and practice. My rust showed a bit but it was good to get back into play mode for an event that was more than one day. I shot rounds of 80-79-82. It's a place to start from and I can't wait to play next and improve upon this result. TJ and June also came up for a day to watch and took some great pictures of me on the course. The important thing for TJ was to see how my swing/course management was under pressure. I definitely learned a lot. A friend keeps reminding me that my journey is a MARATHON and not a sprint. I have an exciting season ahead and plenty more golf to play! All the ingredients are in place and soon the results will follow. I have included a picture of great form while teeing off.

I had many "fans" visit me this week. My mom traveled south for a few days along with my friend Jim Turner and my sister in-law parents, Gary and Betsy Calsin. One of the wonderful things about traveling is meeting new friends and get re-acquainted with old ones. THANK YOU for supporting me!

After a few days at home, some rest, and ALOT of needed car maintenance, I am in Orlando again. I will be on the road the next three weeks hopefully doing a lot of competing on the Duramed Futures Tour. I am still an alternate for the Lakeland event next week and the Tampa event the following week but I am high enough on the list that I am permitted to practice. So, I am in "wait and see" mode. In the meantime, I am playing at least one Moonlight Tour event and will keep you posted on my results and wait list status.

In other news I recently learned that Yale has offered me a part-time, 6 month position to become a member of the Yale Golf Course staff. I am excited about my continued relationship with the University and looking forward to working with many of my colleagues at the golf course. I am thankful for the opportunity and think the work I will be doing will only compliment my playing. I will return north sometime in April...hopefully spring will come quickly to New England this year!

I have included an additional picture for your enjoyment. The golf course picture is of Me, TJ, & Jeehae (Yale '06). We had a heated match that day!

I will have news soon about my first Duramed Futures Tour event in Lakeland, Florida and Moonlight Tour results. Check back soon!

Pacing myself for the marathon,

Mary

A solid finish and upcoming events

2007-02-20T18:36:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

A quick post to let you know that I had a SOLID FINISH today at the Moonlight Tour event at Windermere CC in Windermere, Florida (outside of Orlando). I shot a 2 over par 74 and finished 3rd...a solid start to the season! It was fun because I putted well today and played pretty steady, solid golf. All pars, 3 bogies and 1 birdie. You can check out the Moonlight website but they don't post the training division results (you will just see a video of the winner's swing.) Here it is if you are intersted in checking it out: http://www.moonlightgolf.com/index.htm. Good news is that my earnings covered my entry fee so I broke even (well, who's counting gas and lunch :)! I also stayed with some new friends in Longwood for the past few days. I really enjoyed getting to know Faye & Jeff Greenwald. Jeff is a Princeton Tiger and both Faye and Jeff grew up in Englewood, New Jersey where I was born. Small world!

I am headed to play a practice round tomorrow at Rio Pinar CC which is where the Florida Women's Open will be held beginning the 28th. I am then making a quick trip to see TJ for a few days to work mostly on short game. We will be refining some of my shots and I am sure I will be learning some new ones also. Also, we are going to play on Friday so I will try to take some pictures to update the blog.

More soon!

Mary

Pablo Creek & Upcoming Tournament Dates

2007-02-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

It has been a productive week of playing and practice. My week was capped off by being treated to play Pablo Creek, a course that I have heard about since the first day I moved to Jacksonville. It was a wonderful treat and some of the best (pure) greens that I have putted on in awhile (although tough to compare to Old Tabby Links at Spring Island..I have been spoiled lately!). The course itself was magnificant but it was also interesting to hear the history of the land and the story of the family who owned it. I guess the history major in me is still alive! Many thanks to my host Rusty Newton and his friend and fellow-member, Thad Eshelman, for treating me to a memorable day.

I enjoyed hearing many of your voices last evening when I called in to the Pampered Chef show! I am sure it was a blast.

As requested I am including a list of my upcoming events. I am also including dates and locations for my events in the northeast. I will revise dates and events as they change. Here goes:

Florida Women's Open Rio Pinar CC Orlando, FL February 26-28, 2007

Lakeland Duramed Futures Classic Cleveland Heights GC Lakeland, FL March 9-11, 2007

Greater Tampa Duramed Futures Classic Summerfield Crossings GC Riverview, FL March 16-18, 2007

Northeast events:

Connecticut Women's Open Shuttle Meadow CC Kensington, CT May 29-30, 2007

New England Women's Open Weekapaug GC Westerly, RI June 4-5, 2007

CIGNA Golf Classic Gillette Ridge GC Bloomfield, CT July 13-15, 2007

Massachusetts Women's Open Ispswich CC Ipswich, MA August 14-15, 2007

I am off to Orlando this week and will keep you posted on my prepration for the Florida Women's Open.

Mary

Finding hope in second chances & Pampered Chef details

2007-02-11T22:40:00.000-05:00

I had a productive 3 days visiting TJ this past week. We continued to make some slight changes and have been seeing some exciting results with my ball striking. I cannot wait to get out there and just PLAY and see all the changes come together on the course. The plan is to stay in Jax and practice this week and leave for Orlando next week to tune up for the Florida Women's Open February 26-28th.

It has struck me that it is a lot EASIER to do all of this the 2nd time around. I know where all the courses are located, what the layouts are and typically the conditions I will find (wind, type of terrain/grass, etc). My first three events are all at courses I have competed at so I have played at least one practice round at each plus competitive rounds. Travel is an "exciting" aspect of playing golf but can provide many unexpected twists (traffic, construction, sleeping in a different bed every week) that I believe you have to manage well. The more it becomes habit and part of your routine frees you up to just play and prepare to do your best. Needless to say, I am excited that my next 3 events are in familiar territory! I will keep you posted on my preparation and results.

As promised, here are more details about the upcoming Pampered Chef party that will be held at my friend Sam Wills' home. Our friend Hsin-Fu is driving north from Virginia Beach, VA to host the event with his proceeds going towards my career:

DATE: Saturday, February 17th
TIME: 7-9pm
PLACE: Home of Sam Wills
102 Perry Road, Hamden, CT 06514

Please RSVP to Sam at (978) 578-7410 or samantha.wills@sbcglobal.net so she can anticipate how much food to prepare

If you are unable to attend you can order products from the following website: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/wushouse?page=news-detail&featureId=774697

Thanks for reading and more updates soon!

MM

Back in the saddle again

2007-02-03T21:38:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends, Family & Sponsors,

I am happy to report that I am back in Florida devoting my energy solely to playing and practicing again. I will give you a brief update of what has been going on in the last month and a way in which you can support my career. Keep reading :)....

On the road again
A few days after the new year my friend Samantha Wills joined me for a Florida roadtrip. I had learned after a doctor's visit on December 20th that I was finally cleared to practice again! After my surgery on October 20th and 12 weeks of rehabilitation, I was able to make plans to return to Florida. Sam and I made overnight stops in Allentown, PA and Virginia Beach, VA on our way south. We enjoyed a home cooked meal at our friend Hsin-Fu Wu's home in VA Beach and were joined by my mom (she was also driving south) and another VA Beach friend, Phyllis Hoffman. We rose early the following morning to wrap up our ten hours south to our final destination-Jacksonville Beach.

Chez Tomasi
After a few days getting settled I got on the road again to head south to Port St. Lucie, chez Tomasi, to see my coach TJ and his wife June. We had a productive week and were pleased to see that post-surgery I was able to get in positions in my swing that I previously struggled with. We evaluated my swing in its current state and began to work on drills to continue re-enforcing good mechanics. By the end of the week I actually played my first 18 holes (although I hit all shots off a tee)...I was a bit uncoordinated at first but it was so wonderful to be out there again. I left TJ's with my drills in mind and a plan of attack as I returned to Jacksonville Beach (JB). TJ's indoor hitting area inspired me to construct an indoor hitting area of my own. I have found it really helpful to hit balls without being preoccupied with the ball flight and strictly focusing on the feel of the mechanics. You can see that my hitting area is multi-purpose (it's our enclosed porch), enjoyed by my cat Mr. Kitty (Picture 1)

Leah Kelley's visit
I returned to JB and a few days later my friend Leah Kelley arrived for a visit. While she was here we took a half day to explore Jacksonville. We checked out the Cummer Museum (http://www.cummer.org/) and the Jacksonville Landing (http://www.jacksonvillelanding.com/). Of course, we stuffed our faces at a Mongolian bbq at the Landing and topped it off with ice cream from the local Cold Stone Creamery. Yumm!

After Leah's departure I had a few days to work on my mechanics, hit the range and get back into my practice routine. In addition, I continued my workout/pilates and physical therapy routine. Definitely keeping busy!

PGA Merchandise Show
The last week of January was the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. I traveled south again to the equipment demo day on Wednesday. I was able to try out all the latest equipment, which is always fun. I am in the market for new irons so I was able to get a sneak preview of all the new stuff.

I had a productive time at the PGA Show connecting with potential equipment and clothing sponsors, colleagues in the golf business and some dear friends. It was especially fun to share housing with my friend Gina Yoder, a former coaching colleague, and my former assistant coach, Heidi Papoosha. We had a Yale past, present and future photo opportunity at the PGA Show including Heidi, Chawwadee Rompothong Yale '00 (also a former assistant of mine and the current Head Women's Coach at Yale) and Jeehae Lee Yale '06, a former player of mine who is also playing professionally (Picture 3). I am still learning the hang of this blog site but I hope you enjoy the pictures, regardless of my inability to place them correctly!

TJ gave a talk at the "Pros teaching the Pros" lunchtime forum. I am constantly learning from him and it was great to hear his presentation on a teacher to teacher level instead of a teacher to pupil level. His talk helped me to prepare for a clinic that I was to give just a few days later. You will see a picture of him in "teaching mode" above (Picture 2). He has a great website with tips and a list of his books. You can check it out at: http://www.golfwithtjtomasi.com/

Golf with Jeehae
I stayed a few extra days in Orlando and was able to play two rounds of golf with Jeehae. My touch was coming back quickly, which was encouraging. We played rounds at Forest Lake GC http://www.forestlakegolf.com/ and CC of Mt. Dora http://www.mtdoragolf.com/which are frequent Orlando stops for the NGA Hooters and Moonlight Tours. We had unseasonably cold weather the day we played at CC of Mt. Dora...I had on almost every layer I own! It does get cold in Florida!

Spring Island
Another focus that I continue to have while I get back into playing is building a support base. After I returned from Orlando my mom joined me in driving north to Spring Island, South Carolina to meet with various Ivy League alumni to share with them my plan to play over the next three years. We enjoyed the gracious hospitality of Bill and Penny Agnew (Princeton Tigers) who introduced us to many of the club members. I did a clinic on the driving range one afternoon and spoke about the 4 pillars of a champion (Equipment, Fitness/Nutrition, Golf Swing, Mental Game) but focused specifically on having a solid pre-shot routine. I got a lot of positive feedback and attribute much of the content of my clinic to my teaching mentors, including TJ and his writings in the book The 30 Second Swing. The day wrapped up with an opportunity for me to play with some of the members in attendance, present my "story" at a cocktail party hosted by the Agnew's and last but not least enjoy dinner at the club with fellow Tigers Bill and Penny Agnew, Ernie and Myradean Ransome & Tim and Dorothy Kilty. I want to thank all the Spring Island residents for letting me share my career goals and aspirations with them. It is a special place that I enjoyed visiting.

Upcoming plans

So what's next? I am just exhausted re-counting my recent travels but wouldn't change them for the world :)! My immediate focus is an upcoming trip to see TJ and continue refining my game. I am also looking forward to my first event at the end of February. I will be playing in the Florida Women's Open at Rio Pinar CC in Orlando the 26-28th. The Duramed Futures Tour kicks off with our first event in Lakeland the 2nd week of March. I will keep you posted on my results and hope to have my website up and going soon so you can follow me regularly http://www.marymoangolf.com/!

Church Family

Aside from the above I have been keeping grounded and building friendships at a local church in Jacksonville called Redeemer Presbyterian (http://www.jacksonvillechurch.org/app/w_page.php?id=1&type=section). Toby Dubose and the Redeemer members have made we feel very welcome. It is nice to already have a community to get involved in when I am home.

An opportunity for you to get involved!

Finally, I wanted to update you about an opportunity for you to support my career. My friend Hsin-Fu Wu (I mentioned him above) is hosting a Pampered Chef party on my behalf. He graciously is donating his cut of the profits towards my career. Details can be found at: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/wushouse?page=news-detail&featureId=774697. You don't have to attend to participate, simply order any items as instructed and you can have great cookware with proceeds benefiting your favorite professional golfer! It's not too soon to think about Mother's Day gifts, shower gifts, birthdays, etc! I will provide more details in an upcoming blog entry.

Thanks for reading and I will be back soon!

-Mary