Golf Channel Amateur Tour - Win #3

The past few tournaments that I have played in I have felt really good about my game, but this time the only thing I knew I could count on was my short game and my putting. The country club I practice at is going through a huge remodeling project and because of this the driving range is only open on the weekend. So I am only able to practice my putting during the week and only play when someone asks me to join them for a quick nine holes.

(For those of you who missed the story here is the short version. Our club like many clubs has a rule that once children of members turn 25 they are no longer allowed to be a member and must be accompanied at all times on the club grounds and must pay to play. I turned 25 back in March and after a few months past the club notified my parents of the rules and whenever I wanted to play I would have to pay the guest fee. Obviously my parents and I didn’t take this well especially the part where I had to be accompanied at all times at the club. So, thankfully the board approved that family members after the age of 25 can use the practice facilities as much as they want as long as they continue to take lessons.)

Since the driving range is closed during the week my full swing has suffered a great deal, which is really frustrating. When my parents were on vacation I heavily relied on a few people to play with during the week which allowed me to keep my swing fresh for my tournaments. My parents are now back from vacation, but my dad has a back problem so he can’t play as much and my mom hasn’t been feeling well so she doesn’t want to go out and play. I played two times leading up to the tournament and my swing just wasn’t clicking. My tendency is to sway my hips and get ahead of the ball which is what I am doing. Going into the tournament I knew that my swing wasn’t feeling great and I would just have to grind through the day and just do the best I could. I decided to stick with my 5 wood for the entire day because I knew that even if I had a bad swing it wouldn’t get me into too much trouble. I ended the day with 7 pars which was awesome, but I ended up with too many mistakes and finished my round with a 94. Considering I wasn’t comfortable with my swing and relied heavily on my short game and putter I am pretty happy with that score. I ended up winning so I guess I can’t complain too much.

Since this is my third win on tour I qualified for the National Championship which takes place in La Quinta, CA this year. I am really excited and I hope I get to play in team play championship as well.

The biggest thing that I can take away from this tournament is that because of all the practice I have been doing on my putting I felt very comfortable with it and even though the greens were slow I was able to make the adjustment and make a lot of putts and not get too frustrated mentally with my long game. I will have to find another way to practice leading up to the National Championship which takes place in September. I know I have plenty of time to get ready, but there is more than just my golf game that needs to get ready. Last year when I played in the National Championship it was my first multiple day tournament and mentally I put a lot of pressure on myself and my body was also very tired after the third day and I just couldn’t get anything going. Hopefully I can fix that problem this year and maybe bring home a trophy! That would be nice....

Tips from The Golf Channel Amateur Tour

Another great tip from The Golf Channel Amateur Tour. I totally agree with Sam and this is something I am personally working on. I hope this helps!!! (Photo courtesy of golfwrx.com)

Keeping your upper body behind the ball on your downswing is a must if your clubhead
is to reach maximum velocity through the impact area. If you let your shoulders slide toward the target, you destroy the centrifugal force that builds up this clubhead speed. Think of keeping your head behind your right hip until the clubhead is well past the ball. This will encourage the proper sliding-turning action of the knees and hips and will discourage you from trying to hit the ball with the arms only.

-Sam Bacon

Maintain the triangle for consistent chips

Another great chipping tip from the Golf Channel Amateur Tour! Enjoy! I totally agree with it. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images...couldn't resist putting a Rory McIlroy pic up. :) )

Maintain the triangle for consistent chips

Many chips are missed because a player tries to life the ball in the air by scooping with the right hand. The common result is to skull the ball across the green or to hit it fat. To end scooping, imagine that your arms and shoulders form a triangle, with the club an extension of your left arm. Maintain the triangle during the chip shot by using little or no wrist action. The clubhead's loft will propel the ball into the air and you will strike the ball crisply and more consistently.

The Cristie Kerr Women's Health Center

As we all know Cristie Kerr is an awesome golfer and competitor. Her passion for furthering Breast Cancer awareness has evolved into a partnership with LibertyHealth in creating The Cristie Kerr Women's Health Center. Thank you Cristie for your dedication to breast health and good luck for the rest of the season.
Full article can be found below.



TOP WOMEN’S GOLFER CRISTIE KERR AND LIBERTYHEALTH
UNVEIL PLANS FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTER AT JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER

Serving the insured and uninsured, The Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center will be Hudson County’s first comprehensive breast health center

NEW YORK, NY (July 16, 2009) – Cristie Kerr, one of the world’s top women’s professional golfers, today joined LibertyHealth to announce the founding of The Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center on the Jersey City Medical Center campus. The center, to be housed in a five-story building presently under construction, will offer breast cancer screening programs including free mammograms and education to women with or without insurance.

To be equipped with both analog and digital mammography equipment, The Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center will mark the first full-service facility in the Hudson County area providing detection, healing, support, and recovery services. Cristie Kerr and LibertyHealth aim to have the center fully functioning and open to the community by February 1, 2010.

Cristie Kerr is a passionate breast cancer activist, having witnessed her mother, aunt and godmother battle the disease. In 2003, she founded the non-profit organization Birdies for Breast Cancer with a mission to raise funds and awareness. Cristie currently ranks #1 in Rolex Player of the Year points and #2 on the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s (LPGA) Money List, with nine top-10 finishes in 15 tournaments this year. On Friday, August 14, Cristie will host the fifth annual Birdies for Breast Cancer Charity Golf Classic in Jersey City at Liberty National where all proceeds will be dedicated to developing The Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center.

"We are pleased to have such an accomplished athlete and passionate advocate for breast cancer awareness come to Jersey City to lend her name and support this important new medical facility," said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy. "Education and early detection are key tools in fighting this disease and thanks to Ms. Kerr and LibertyHealth, even more Jersey City women will have these resources available to them."


“I am truly proud to be a part of something that so many women and their families will benefit from,” said Cristie Kerr. “I look forward to collaborating with LibertyHealth, which already plays such a crucial role to the Hudson County community, to accomplish our shared aspirations.”

According to Joseph F. Scott, President and Chief Executive Officer of LibertyHealth, “We are very excited about forming this partnership with Cristie Kerr in the development of what will become the area’s leading breast cancer facility. This center will further our mission of ‘enhancing life’ for those who live and work throughout Hudson County and northern New Jersey.”

Jersey City Medical Center provides nationally recognized care to the people of Hudson County and is the flagship hospital of LibertyHealth. The hospital serves as a regional referral, teaching hospital and provides the highest level of care for women, infants, trauma and cardiac patients. Jersey City Medical Center is located on a 15-acre campus overlooking the New York Harbor and Liberty State Park at Grand Street and Jersey Avenue.

About Birdies for Breast Cancer

Founded in 2003, Birdies for Breast Cancer is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that focuses its efforts on breast health awareness and raising money for breast cancer research. Cristie Kerr founded the organization after her mother, Linda Kerr, was diagnosed with the disease. Cristie donates $50 for every birdie and $100 for every eagle she makes on tour. Individuals can make direct donations by visiting cristiekerrgolf.com