Good play...and tough breaks continue! Playing last week in the Tarheel event in China Grove I shot 71-70 and missed one more cut by one shot. I bogeyed the last hole which was disappointing, although at the time I did not think 2 under would get it done.

I have been encouraged lately with my play, and I seem to be getting a little more out of my rounds than a few months ago. My scoring average the past 10 rounds is 72, and I believe I am getting better. I did have one double this week, as well as 2 three putts, but I made 8 birdies and generally kept it in play. Ann Howell came out with me the first round, and I enjoyed having her there.

I am off for 2 weeks and then to Atlanta for 2 Sunbelt Senior events in the Stone Mountain area. Looking forward to playing with the senior boys down there.

Played last week in a Tarheel event at Bermuda Run CC here in Winston-Salem. I shot 72-72 and missed another cut by a few strokes. I played well, and shooting even the first day on the original 18 with 4 birdies and 4 bogeys. Stephanie came out to watch me play for the first time, and I enjoyed having her there.

The cut line after the first roung was one under, so i knew I had some work to do the second day. I played the front 9 on the West course +1, then birdied 12 to get to even. I needed a birdie or 2 the last 6 holes, and I burned the edge on 3 of the next 4 holes. I got to the 17th hole still even, and I had 131 to this par 3. The shot was a 3/4 9-iron for me, and I hit it a little chunky. It rolled back into a greenside bunker and I had no shot. 4 whacks later I had a double bogey. I parred 18 and there was my 72. I felt good about my week, although the bottom line is 2 rounds and done!

Many thanks to Bryan Andrews who came out both days and followed me around. He is always a positive influence, and I like having him out there to watch. Another buddie Rick Bright came out for Wednesday's round, and it was good to see him.

This week (starting today) I am in China Grove at the Warrior GC and another Tarheel event. Last year the cut in this one was 5 under, so I need to play well. I really am playing with some confidence, so I am expecting to do well. It is always tough against the younger guys, but this course is not that long so I should be able to compete. Ann Howell is home from Chapel Hill for the week so she is coming out to watch the first round.

Peter is taking a few steps, and it will not be long before he is motoring around. Also, Stephanie and I are celebrating out 25th anniversary today, and wouldn't it be nice to shoot about a 65 and celebrate 25 wonderful years with my sweetie and a good opening round as well!!

Updating this blog is always fun for me regardless of what I have to write, and this entry is no exception. I have been playing well, and am heading into a stretch of tournaments that hopefully will pay dividends. (and checks!) I have been doing some fun things and experiencing new things with my golf. I played in a Pro-Junior this past Sunday at TPC Wakefield in Raleigh. The tournament was in conjunction with the Nationwide event that is taking place there this week. I was paired with 4 juniors, all seniors in HS who were going off to play in college next year. We had a great time, and the junior were vying for a sponsors exemption into the tournament. Bad weather cut short our day; but the contending juniors stuck around to complete their play and earn the spot into the event.

The following day I played in the Nationwide qualifier at Grandover Resort in Greensboro. I had Stephen on the bag and got off to a great start. I birdied the 1st hole, and had it 3 under through 7 after birdies on 6 and 7. A poor 3-hole stretch followed, and I walked off the 10th green 1 over par. That is where I finished, shooting 73 for the day. I lost my edge for about 30 minutes and hit 3 poor shots, and it was similar to the US Open qualifying in that my trouble was at the same spot in my round. I was hydrated and nourished, so I am baffled by the loss of focus. I may have been thinking ahead of myself a little, never a good thing in competitive golf.

Yesterday I volunteered a day of time to Youth Opportunities and their annual golf tournament. Bryan Andrews is very involved with this organization that helps children with developmental disabilities, and I have helped with the tournament for 3 years by hitting shots for each group as they come through on par 3. For the second year I made an ace for one of the groups, which is always fun. I was beat at the end of the day; two shotgun starts made for about 11 hours out in the sun and 175 swings! We all had a great day, and it was for a good cause.

Many readers have been asking about my schedule, and below is what I am planning through early August.

June 12-14 Tarheel Tour Bermuda Run CC-Advance, NC
June 19-21 Tarheel Tour Warrior GC-China Grove, NC
July 12-14 Tarheel Tour Southern Open - Concord, NC
July 18-20 Sunbelt Senior Stone Mountain, Ga.
July 23-25 Sunbelt Senior Stone Mountain, Ga.
August 7-9 Sunbelt Senior Tanglewood Park, Clemmons NC

The Sunbelt event at Tanglewood is the NC Senior Open. I am heading up the Pro-Am (played on Monday August 6) for Don Barnes, and we are looking for teams. A 3-person team will be paired up with a pro from the tour, and the cost is $500 per team. We also have hole sponsorships, and individuals can also sign up. There will be a pairings party Sunday, August 6, at Pig Pickin's in Winston-Salem, and we are planning a great day. If anyone would like to play you can call or e-mail me. 336.407.2650 or toddyb@bellsouth.net .

Our daughter Barrett graduates from RJ Reynolds HS this Saturday, and she will be heading off to NC State in the Fall. Steph's mom and sister Tina will be here for the big day. Barrett has done well at Reynolds, and we are delighted that she will be part of the Wolfpack nation!

US Open qualifying this past Monday was a frustrating day on a very difficult course. I shot 77 to miss advancing to the sectional by 2 shots. I had a 3 hole stretch in the middle of my round where I lost 4 strokes and that was the difference. DuPont CC was long and in great shape, and set up very tough. The greens were fast and hard, and it was difficult to get it close. No player shot under par, and 1 over was low.

I actually spent a few days up in the Del./NJ/NY and saw most of my family. I stayed with my sister Cindy in Delaware, and also with Cheryl in NJ and Jill in NY. Stephen went with me on this trip and we were golfing gypsies. I also was able to spend time with my Mom who is recovering from some surgery and is on the mend. The girls do a great job assisting her, especially Cheryl who lives closest to Mom.

We had an opportunity to play Winged Foot on this trip, and Stephen was in hog heaven. He had a chance to shoot 90 from the black tees (7000 yds) with a 8 foot putt on the last hole, but 3 whipped it for 92. We played with Kevin Ryan, a frat brother from WFU and he was a very gracious host. We also saw John Buczek, the new head pro there who has ties to wake Forest and Winston Salem as he was the pro at our club for 15 years. He has done a great job with the shop there, and I know the members will enjoy his professionalism and the way he makes everybody feel like a friend.

We got in late on Monday and I played in the Crosby on Tuesday. That charity tournament has done so much to help students pay for college and prepare for life, and I believe this year over $175,000 was raised! Great going to Paul Fulton who is the local linchpin that keeps the event going. I also met Mrs. Crosby, who was delightful and very appreciative of all who participated.

The next few weeks I will be playing locally in Charlotte and then at Bermuda Run. Barrett graduates from HS June 9, and I cant believe I will have my to oldest girls out of the nest and off to school. Time sure flies by when you are having fun!!

The action resumes. I have just returned from 2 tournaments , and the results are thankfully better. I played in a Sunbelt event in Pinehurst )one of my favorite places in the world for many reasons) and i played fairly well shooting 72-74-72 for a decent finish but no check. I hit the ball well, and putted decent also, especially the last day after a putter change. I knew I was playing better, and was beginning to score more like I should be given my play. I stayed with Stu and Retts Warshauer, and they always make me feel so welcome when I come and play in Pinehurst.

From there I went to Myrtle Beach for the Seaweed Invitational, and I made about $2,000 with scores of 70-69. I continued to strike the ball well, and i made some putts. The confidence I need to score well seems to be returning after a long time away...thank goodness!!!

Tomorrow I am off to Delaware to prepare for the US Open qualifying at DuPont CC in Wilmington on the 21st. I will be able to see my family, and I look forward to going up there. I have a renewed feeling of being able to play well, and know I will give it my best effort. Stephen will be going along to caddy.

Back from Georgia...I feel a little like the citizens of Atlanta after General Sherman burned the city during the war of Yankee aggression. The theme continues concerning my play, with fairly good ball striking and poor scoring, particularly my putting. I played 2 tournaments in the greater Atlanta area, the first being at Chateau Elan I shot 82-77-74, good for a middle of the pack finish. I had a few terrible breaks the first day, and one on the second day that cost me a quadruple bogey on the 2nd hole. I played better the final day, and that carried over to the pro-am we played the day after the tournament when I shot 73 with 2 late 3 putts.

Leaving Chateau Elan and headed for Heron Bay, (about 30 miles south of Atlanta towards Macon) I was filled with confidence and ready to play well. I hit it solid during my practice round, but I did notice the greens were somewhat quick and a little inconsistent (some were super fast and others just quick) I made a nice up-n-down on the first hole from the greenside bunker, and felt good. I turned 2 over and putted horrible on the back. I started the back with a 4 putt on 10 and 3 putts on 11 and 13. I had just hit the first 4 greens on the back and was 4 over on those holes...unbelievable. It seemed that I was always above the hole on the fastest greens, and could not get it close with my first putt. My mechanics are off a little, and I will be working hard next week to fix that. I shot 77-74-79 at the event, again somewhere in the middle of the field. I missed only 7 fairways all week and averaged 13 greens hit per round. Certainly good enough to score well. I had ten 3 putts and a 4 putt which kills everything.

You can't dwell on poor play, but you must look at it with a critical eye and learn from it. I need better pace on my longer putts, and not try to make everything...particularly down hill, down grain putts. I also need to work on my putts between 6-8 feet. I missed many of those, mostly second putts for par after hitting a green. On the positive side, I played the par 5's better (3 under for the week) and with the exception of a few sloppy shots, kept the ball in play.

Putting is both a combination of confidence and mechanics, and I need a shot of both right now. I believe I am close to putting it together, and I am upbeat about things despite my scores. My next tournament is in Pinehurst next week, and I played well there last year, finishing 10th with scores of 70-69-70. Sometimes going back to a place you played well is just what the Doctor ordered. More after Whispering Woods.

Spring is here, and hopefully my game will be coming around as well. I played in 2 CPGT events the past 2 weeks, with mixed results. I played well for one of the 2 days each tournament, and did some things that are encouraging. I was semi in contention in each event after the first round of these 2 day tournaments, and faltered on the final day. The most recent one at Regent Park in Charlotte I shot 71-77. I played really well the first day, particularly the front nine where I shot 32 with 2 bogeys. I was not very good after that, and finished well back of the winning score of 141. I have been in the arena a few times recently after one round, and I will break through one of these days and play to my potential.

I am trying to stay in the present, stick to my routine and just play, but somehow I get the ball in difficult spots that make it impossible to make pars. I have been putting better, and my work there is paying off. I am also seeing some improvement in my short game, and while my stats are only slightly better in that area, I am hitting it closer on par 5's and my birdie conversion percentage is better.

I will be making some adjustments in my schedule, due to one of the mini-tours I joined folding before playing any events. "The Senior Tour" never got off the ground, and I was planning on playing in 8-10 events there. It is disappointing, but there are plenty of Sunbelt and Tarheel events to play in to give me a full schedule.

Next week I am off to the Atlanta area to play in Sunbelt events at Chateau Elan and a new course south of Atlanta. I plan on playing well and continuing the build momentum. I have some confidence working, and need to finish the deal and put together a few complete tournaments. More after Atlanta...

Just returned from 2 Sunbelt events in south Georgia and played well for 3 rounds and poorly for 3 rounds. The first tournament was at Sanctuary Cove and I shot 82-72-82. I have been experimenting with some new contacts and played the first and third rounds with them, and my depth perception was off for sure. One might think after the first round why I would play with them in the final round, but it was raining and I thought it would help not to have to worry about water on my lenses, etc. Shows what you get for thinking.

From there I went to laurel Island Links 20 miles south down I95. I shot 73-80-72 and had some terrible breaks in the second round particularly. How about hitting a sprinkler head just off the green and going OB on a par 3? Or hitting it virtually down the middle on the 2nd hole and the ball taking a dead left into the marsh. I had 8 penalty strokes in that round, and hit 13 greens! I played well the last day despite a triple on hole #9. My putting has been fairly good, averaging under 30 putts so far this year. I also am converting nearly 25% of my birdie opportunities when I do hit the green. I need to avoid the big holes, and despite a few bad rounds am confident that I will put it together. I am off for 2 weeks before playing 2 events in Florida and one in Atlanta next month.

I was able to see several friends on this trip and made some new ones as well. I was able to see my Aunt Carol and Lou, and enjoyed a fun evening with them. They are preparing to see the country in a camper/RV, and both are very excited.

I also spent some time with Jed Simmons and his family, who happened to be at Sea Island for spring break. It is always great catching up with Jed, and it seems like no matter how much time passes between visits, we fall right into things as if we see each other daily.

I met a new friend, Lewis Gardner and his Mom at Laurel Island. Lou is a golf nut, a Dookie and a WFU law grad (in that order) who lives in Pittsburgh. We played some holes together during my practice round, as he was visiting his mother who had just moved to the area. We found out we had many common classmates, and the three of us enjoyed a great dinner at Osprey Cove CC after playing.

I also saw Chris Scully and Ken Murrah and parts of their families in Ponte Vedra Beach for some pizza. It was good to catch up with two classmates from B-school.

Finally, I spent some time with Brian Cook and his wife Traci, and their 4 1/2 month old twins James and Catherine (sp?). They are doing well, and Traci may be the best cook in all of Florida. She serves up an outstanding meal each time I visit, and it seems like she just whips it up like no big deal. Good food and good company for sure!

Anyway, it is good to be home and I will be practicing hard to straighten out the sloppy areas. It is early in the year, and I believe that I will score better sooner rather than later. More down the road...

The 2007 season is underway! I just returned from my first event of 2007, a Tarheel Tour event in Charleston, SC, and also attended the Dave Pelz Short Game School in Florida prior to going to Charleston.

The Pelz School was very good, and will really help me this year. They teach you a new way to hit all of your shots from 100 yards and in, and while it will take practice to perfect the new swing, it is nothing so radical that it cannot be learned with daily practice. They teach you to use your bigger muscles, with more body rotation, than is generally taught for these shots, and when executed properly the resulting shots are terrific, especially distance control. I also learned several new putting concepts that will help, specifically relating to my lag putting and several good practice drills and tools that will lower my putting stats.

After leaving the Pelz School, I played in my first tournament in Charleston. I shot 76-78 to miss the cut by 4, but actually played decent for the first time out and missed a few short shots where I combined my old swing with the Pelz swing, and the result was poor!! The golf course played long, almost 7300 yards, and the conditions were tough. I hit 3-4 iron into several par 3 and par 4 holes. Anytime the cut is 6 over par you know the conditions are tough. I have no excuses, but I did draw the wave where the higher scores were posted. I played late Tuesday and early Wednesday, and only one score was under par Tuesday afternoon (25-30 mile winds). It rained all day Wednesday with 15-20 mile winds, and it made for tough sledding. That is the way it goes sometimes.

There is a change in my plans for March. The two tournaments in California are being rescheduled, so I will be going to Georgia to play in two Sunbelt Events those weeks. Looking forward to seeing all of my senior buddies that have been hibernating over the winter. More after those tournaments.

I hope all is well with those following my blog. After being home for the past 2 months, I am really getting the itch to get the new season started. The amount of rest these past 2 months has been good for my wrist and my mind, and the batteries are recharged and ready to go. I have been working out some to continue to get stronger, and it has been a great time to reflect on the first year and put it all into perspective. (as well as getting re-acquainted with my family!)

I will begin the season in Charleston, S.C. (just outside) in a Tarheel event February 20-22. Prior to that I will be in Florida practicing as well as attending a 3-day Dave Pelz scoring school which emphasizes shots from inside 100 yards, as well as putting. Those of you who have followed my activity over the last year know that an improved short game is essential to my being more competitive. Having a better plan will certainly help in this area.

I have set my schedule through June, and it looks as follows:

Feb: 20-22 Tarheel Tour Charleston SC
Mar: 7-9 The Senior Tour Moorpark, CA (LA)
Mar: 14-16 The Senior Tour Chino Hills, CA (LA)
Apr: 3-5 Sunbelt Tour Gainsville, FL
Apr: 11-13 The Senior Tour Tallahassee, FL
Apr: 18-20 Sunbelt Senior Chateau Elan, GA
Apr: 23-25 Sunbelt Senior Atlanta
May: 1-3 Tarheel Tour Cabarrus CC (NC)
May: 8-10 Sunbelt Senior Pinehurst, NC
May: 24-27 Hooters Greenville, NC
May: 30-1 Tarheel Goldsboro, NC
June: 13-15 The Senior Tour Chattanooga, TN
June: 19-21 Tarheel Tour China Grove, NC

I hope to see some of my legion out there this year! I should be able to set the second half of the year up by the end of March or early April.

This will be the final post of this golf season, as I have just returned from my final event of the year. It has actually been two events since my last post, and an update is in order. I played in a Tarheel event at Bermuda Run last week and shot 70-73=143 which was good for 31st place. the first day was washed out due to rain, and I played fairly well...steady but not spectacular. My wrist continues to bother me a little, and some much needed rest will make it 100%.

My final event was in Pinehust at The National Golf Club in a Sunbelt event called The Patriot. I played poorly in every facet, and finished 31st with an aggregate of 237 (80-80-77) I could not drive, hit irons, chip or putt well for 3 days, and on that golf course it showed.

Anyway, this brings to an end my first year as a professional golfer, and what a year it has been. I have learned much, and know exactly what improvements I need to make to be more competitive next year. My plan is to take some time off to refresh the body and the mind, and to work on the parts of my game that were weak this year. There were so many adjustments this year; new career, new courses, the travel, new guys to play with, then throw in a new baby half way through the year and it doesn't get much more challenging than that. I was able to see considerable improvement during the second half of the year, and I am very excited about 2007.

I will make some decisions about my playing schedule over the next few weeks, and plan on playing about the same number of tournaments next year as this year (30). All of my sponsors have been supportive during this first year of effort, and while I did not make much money this year, it was successful in many ways. This first year was a good barometer to gauge where I need to get better. I need to putt better, and my overall short game needs to be more consistent. I need to eliminate the sloppy holes, and to avoid big numbers. I made some progress in these areas as the year went by, and I believe continued improvement will come.

Thanks to all who kept up with me through this blog, and next year will be here before you know it! Here are my final stats for the year:

30 Events - 70 competitive rounds

Average 75.5 - (last 35 rounds - 74.3) - (first 35 rounds - 76.7)
Greens hit 61% - (last 35 rounds - 63%) - ( first 35 rounds - 58%)
Fairways hit 74% - (last 35 rounds - 74%) - (first 35 rounds - 74%)
Up and down 44% - (last 35 rounds - 53%) - (first 35 rounds - 39%)
Birdies per round - 2.5 - (last 35 rounds - 3.0) - (first 35 rounds - 2.1)
Putts per round - 31.3 - (last 35 rounds - 30.4) - (first 35 rounds - 32.1)

Last week in New Jersey was poised to be a good one, and then "the rock" got in the way! I arrived up at Twisted Dunes playing well and filled with confidence. I practiced well, and the course suited my game well. I had an early tee time on Tuesday as the first group off at 7:30, and was ready to play. I parred the first 4 holes and arrived at the 14th (started on the back) in OK shape. I hooked my drive left toward some high grass, and my ball actually came to rest on a dirt path. The problem was there was a rock the size of a softball right behind my ball half way exposed above the ground. I considered taking an unplayable, but elected to hit it instead. Bad decision. I chopped it out to the fairway, but bent my 8-iron severely and jammed my right wrist. I tried to play a few more holes but was unable to continue. I withdrew from the tournament, and that was the first event of my life that I ever retired from playing. Very disappointing.

My wrist feels better now after a few days of ice and heat, and there should be no long term effects. I have 2 more events this year, and plan on competing in those tournaments. I will be at Bermuda Run next week in a Tarheel event, and then at Pinehurst for a Senior event the following week.

Well, this posting is both satisfying and painful to write, so get your Kleenex out and read on! I played in a Sunbelt tournament in Myrtle Beach this past week at Long Bay, a Nicklaus course that was tough and in great shape with really good bermuda greens. I have been playing well and fully expected to compete for a good finish. I was paired with two guys who have won on the Nationwide tour, Tim Conley and Javier Sanchez so I was very fired up.

I'll give the good news first. I made 17 birdies in the three days, a personal best, and I putted beautifully. For the first time this year I averaged under 30 putts per round. (28.67). The bad news is I shot 80-73-70 to finish 7 over and in 13th place. You might be wondering how this is possible with that many birdies. Well, there were two holes on this golf course that I did not get along with, and I was 14 over par on those two holes!!! Let me take you through my play.

I tee off the first day and birdie the first hole and shoot 33 on the front. I arrive at the par 3 13th 2 under after a stupid bogey at 11, and the island hole got the best of me. The hole was playing about 155 and I hit an 8 iron just left of the flag long and into the water. From the drop area I chipped on and 3 putted for 6. I parred 14, and from the middle of the fairway on the par 5 15th I made a 13! That's right a 13. There is a stream running down the right side of the fairway all the way to the green, and I hit my 2nd, 4th,6th,8th and 10th into this hazard. I hit the last 4 balls into the hazard from the opposite side from the rough and fatted each one. To make things worse, I could have dropped on the other side of the hazard (lateral) after my second ball went into the hazard if I had been thinking better, and that would have saved me about 6 shots. That mistake will not happen again!! I birdied 17 coming in and shot 80 with 5 birdies, a triple and a 13.

Day two I also got off to a good start. I began on the back and birdied 11 and 12, and then I promptly hit another ball in the water at 13, this time with a 9 iron. I birdied 14 to get back to 1 under, and I layed way back on 15 this time to take going for the green out of the equation. Well, this time I hooked my rescue out of bounds left! Talk about playing it safe. I had 3 more birdies and 3 bogeys on the front to shoot the 73.

The final day I did not get off to a great start, standing 3 over after 4 holes but playing well. I righted the ship by making consecutive birdies at 8,9,10,11,and 12 to get to 2 under. I was able to par 13 for a change, and actually played 15 correctly and made an easy birdie there. I reached the 18th still 3 under and ended up with basically no chance at a two putt, and 3 whipped the final hole for a 70.

After all that you might think I was devastated with my play. While disappointed with those 4 holes, (14 over) I have more confidence than at any time this year, maybe ever. I outplayed 2 guys that have been career touring pros and winners, and I made more putts and more birdies than the 2 of them combined. I can't wait until the Tour Championship next week! Feel free to comment on this posting...I can take the abuse!!! More later.

Just returned from Myrtle Beach, and the South Carolina Senior Open. I felt good all week and played decent, shooting 73-76-70 for a tie for 20th out of about 60 guys. I actually hit the ball better on the second day, but had 3 lip outs and hit a ball in the water on a par 3 that cost me 2 shots. I putted well, although I had a 4 three putts during the tournament. (all from long distance) I only missed 3 fairways all week, and averaged 14 greens hit per round. I had it 4 under the last day through 14, until being derailed by 3 putts on 15 and 17. My 70 the final round (-2) was the lowest round this year in a tournament relative to par, and I really felt in control the whole day. That is certainly something good to build on.

I head back to Myrtle Beach for a Sunbelt event at Long Bay tomorrow, and will be watching the Deacs play Duke today in football. Everybody at home is well. Ann Howell pledged Tri Delta this week at Chapel Hill, and she is very excited to become part of a great sorority. I personally can't wait for parents weekend to meet all her new friends! Young Peter is doing well also, and he is getting bigger daily. He has cut his 2 front bottom teeth (at 9 weeks!) so he has been a little fussy, but is sleeping well at night and giving Steph some much needed rest. Stephen started back to school this week, and is getting into his routine. His golf is coming along, but seems to be hovering in the 82-85 range; he is disappointed with those scores. A growth spurt should help that some. Mary has been going out to the club with me when I have been home, and she seems to enjoy it. She may just like riding in the cart and getting a snack! She will take her putter out on the green and sinks a few short putts though.

Toddy and Barrett appear to be doing fine as well, as far as I can tell. Toddy has his first lacrosse practice this Sunday, and I will not be there but will make the one the following week. Barrett has quite a full schedule this year at school, as well as taking the SAT prep class. She is one of the three co-editors of the school newspaper at Reynolds, and is taking several classes at the career center, which is a challenge. College decisions for her are just around the corner!

More after Long Bay. Go Deacs!

Royal New Kent was not kind to me this week. I probably had one of the better ball striking weeks of the year, and got some horrific breaks that resulted in a 11th place finish. The golf course was fine, but it appears that the place is having some financial problems because there were very few maintenance workers and the bunkers were not raked one time during the tournament. The fairway bunkers are very severe in the first place, and you make huge footprints getting in and out of them. I avoided them the first 2 days, but was in three the final day and had no shot each time. We're talking about being unable to move the ball more than a few feet! I was in footprints that were 4 or 5 inches deep. What a mess. The greens were good, but soft, and some had a lot of slope. I had one putt on the 6th hole the first day where I was about 60 feet for birdie and had to putt up a slope about 7 feet tall. The pin was cut about 8 feet on top of the slope, and my ball got to the rise, stopped, started coming back to me and I had 70 feet for par!. As you can guess my next putt was hit hard enough, missed the next one as well and made a routine 4 putt! I actually putted well, missing only one putt inside 4 feet all week. My lag putting was good. (except for #6 1st day) My short game was good as well, getting up-n-down 6 out of 9 times. The issue was that a few drives were severely penalized, and that led to big numbers.

I am off now until Labor Day, and I will be playing 2 events in Myrtle Beach September 5-13. More after that trip.

Bogeys, bogeys, bogeys. That was the theme of my most recent tournament on the Sunbelt Senior tour this week. I shot 72-74-75 and placed 10th. I made 11 birdies for the week, but had way too many bogeys that seemed to stop any momentum that I had. The first day I had 3 birdies and 3 bogeys, and actually hit the ball well. The middle round I hit the ball better, was close to the pin all day. I couldn't make anything over 5 or 6 feet, and got a bad break on 18 when my second shot to this short par 5 took a terrible bounce and found the hazard and I made 6. The final round I air-mailed the first green and made bogey. I hung tough and was even through 11, and made a few dumb swings coming home as well as a three putt on 13. It seemed that every green I missed yesterday resulted in a difficult chip, and I was leaving myself tough putts for par that I was unable to convert. I birdied the last hole for 75 by making a nice up-and-down from a tough lie, so I ended on a good note. I was close to putting it all together, and I am continuing to see positives that I can take from each week, and I am close to taking the next step. I am seeing evidence of better course management, and my execution is better although I continue making a sloppy swing or 2 which result in bogeys. I am learning from playing with better players, and my decision making is improving.

Next week I am back in Virginia with the Sunbelt Tour at Royal New Kent, a very hard course outside Richmond. The played the Crown Royal there, which was a big PGA Section event ($100K purse), and the scores will most likely be high, depending on the tee and pin placements. We have been playing at about 6700-6800 yards on this Tour, and if form holds the course will be set up tough but fair.

Ann Howell is due back in Chapel Hill over the weekend, and I will take her there before going to Virginia. I can't believe that she is starting her second year in college. She has had a good summer, and been helpful at home. She is really looking forward to returning to her new favorite place and being with her friends. She is planning on rushing this Fall, so that should be a fun experience.

Young Peter Champion continues to do well also, even though he seems to need very little sleep. This is proving to be somewhat disruptive to the overall operation of the Brown household, but a small price to pay for such a wonderful addition to our family! The other children are doing fine, and Barrett and Toddy (and Mom) are looking forward to school starting next week. (anything to get out of Mom's hair)

More after Royal New Kent.

Well, my first 2 day tournament on the Atlantic Coast Tour was decent. I shot 73-74 and that was good for 6th place. We played at Chapel Ridge, the same place I played the Sunbelt Senior event earlier in the week. I played that course 5 times last week, and shot between 72 and 74 every round. We played the back tees for the ACT event, so my scores were a little better than earlier in the week. I got off to good starts both days, and then fumbled a little bit in the middle and finished decent. I seemed to have trouble on the same 3 or 4 holes each round, and looking back on it I perhaps should have played those holes more conservatively. Anyway, while not satisfied in any way, I am pleased that my consistency is improving and I am making more birdies. I also am chipping the ball better and got the ball up and down more consistently this week.

No events until August, so I will be practicing and working on my game. Next post around August 15.

I completed play in the North Carolina Senior Open this week in Chapel Hill. I finished 13th with scores of 74-74-72=220. I hit the ball great, and my short game was actually pretty good. I threw away a few shots each day, and that sloppiness is what kept me from being right in the middle of things. I seem to have turned the corner a little; the scores when I do not play great are lower than they were in the beginning of the year. I am waiting for the really good rounds to come, and I know if I keep working at it, low numbers will follow. That is the big key to tournament golf, making your average rounds be around par instead of 3-5 over.

I am playing in a 2 day event this weekend on the Atlantic Coast Tour, and then off until August 8. The next events are up in the Richmond/Williamsburg area, and I have never played golf in that part of the country so should be fun.

All else is well at home. Stephen has been playing some tournaments recently, and finished 14th in his age group in the county junior with rounds of 81-82-87. The junior club championship is this week at Forsyth, and he was disappointed with his opening 82. A big comeback is planned for today.

Toddy had found a new sport in lacrosse. He wants to play next year on the club team in school, and recently purchased a couple sticks. I was trying to play catch with him last night, and it is hard to get the hang of it. Needless to say I spent a lot of time chasing after balls I missed. Toddy seemed to be enjoying my inability to catch the ball, as most 16-year-olds will when it comes to their Dads! I will be working on improving my stickwork!

I just finished up at River Hills in a Sunbelt Tournament on Thursday. I shot 224 (76-73-75) which was good for 14th place. I hit the ball fairly well, putted average, and really only made a couple bad swings each day that cost me. River Hills is very tight, and I hit a few balls OB that were not all that bad. Any way, off to Chapel Ridge next week. My confidence remains high, and I am looking forward to playing there. I will be staying with Cleta (Steph's Mom), and should play well.

After about 6 months of playing professional golf, here are the stats that matter, along with the trend over the last 10 rounds and my goals.

45 Rounds played
Scoring average: 75.8: Trend (last 10 rounds) 72.6: Goal 71.5
Greens hit 60%: Trend (last 10 rounds) 64%: Goal 70%
Fairways hit 72%: Trend (last 10 rounds) 65%: Goal 75%
Up and Down 41%: Trend (last 10 rounds) 52%: Goal 67%
Birdies per rnd 2.4: Trend (last 10 rounds) 3.4: Goal 5.0
Total Putts 31.7 Trend (last 10 rounds) 30.3: Goal 28.5

It is evident what I need to work on to get my scoring average better. I need to increase my up and down percentage, which in turn will lower my putting stats, and find a few more birdies out there particularly on the par 5's. I am settling for pars on shorter par 5's because I am not getting the ball close enough to the hole to convert a high percentage of birdie opportunities. I have been working on my short game, and will continue to put extra effort into this area of my game.

We have Peter's baptism today, and both he and Mom are doing well. More after Chapel Ridge...

Welcome to Peter Champion Brown, born July 27 and the newest member of the Brown family. He was a whopper, weighing in at 9 lbs. 3 oz. (22.5 inches long) and the biggest baby we have had by almost 2 pounds. Both Steph and the baby are well, and we have been settling into a new but familiar routine. Thanks to all who have called or e-mailed about Peters birth. We are very blessed.

I returned to the tour last week, playing in the Southern Open. I shot 74-74 to miss the cut by 3. I actually played ok, and had 2 poor swings on the first day and a couple 3 putts the second round that prevented me from scoring better.

This week I start a 4 month run of playing exclusively on the Sunbelt Senior Tour against guys my own age. These guys can play, but they certainly are inferior relative to the number of children produced! I am looking forward to the second half of the year. The Sunbelt Tour plays some great courses over the next few months, and I know I can compete out there.

Otherwise it has been fairly benign at home. The older children have been working and helping out as best that teenagers can. One sad note is that my Mustang GT convertible had to be retired last week. Ann Howell mistakenly thought a dump truck was not completely stopped on the road and somehow plowed into its rear end. She was unhurt, nor was the truck, but the Mustang was totaled! Peter was born later the same day, and I am convinced that the trauma put Steph into labor! More after the next event.