Students Making Me Proud!

The last two weeks I have had two students make me very proud.  Michael was one of my first students when I moved to Charleston.  He is 24 but still in college. ( Definitely living the dream and postponing joining the real world. :) )  He plays for a small college in South Carolina called Erskine.  He is a good player but has only gotten better since we have started working together.  

Every year Snee Farm CC hosts an amateur tournament called the Rice Planters.  It started in 1973 and has been attended by a number of tour players in the past.  Past participants include, Tom Lehman, Davis Love III, Andy Bean, Stewart Cink, Scott Verplank, Duffy Waldorf, Scott Hoch, Hal Sutton, Jeff Sluman, Steve Jones and Mark O'Meara. A lot of college students come to play in the tournament as well as some top state amateurs.  Michael has played in it the last few years but last year did not play well since we had just started working together and were making swing changes, and unfortunately missed the cut.  This year he played really well, made the cut and finished -1 for the tournament.  He shot rounds of 71,74,71,71.  I caddied for him during his last round as well as the back nine the day before.  It was fun to be out there and help him with some decision making and help keep him positive and focused.  Great Playing Michael and hope it's just the start of lots of good tournaments for you this summer!

Michael warming up for his third round!

Michael putting during the 3rd round!

His biggest fan, his new niece Stella!

I have been working with another student, Kayla who is 9 years old.  She loves golf and has been doing really well.  She plays in tournaments during the summer and has been shooting in the low 50's for 9 holes.  This past Monday she played in a tournament, shot her best round of 41 and WON!!!  Yeah Kayla!!!  I was so proud of her and excited to see our work together is paying off!!!

Summer Junior Golf Camps

Summer Junior Golf Camps have begun! This last week we had a group of 10 kids and myself and William one of our assistant golf professionals taught.  It was a fun week and the kids for the most part were well behaved.  The hightlight of the week was having a chipping contest that they could earn water balloons by chipping it in the circle.  The kids loved throwing the water balloons at eachother and of course at William and I!  3 down and 3 camps to go!

Call me Coach

I am really excited for this Fall. I was asked to coach a high school girls golf team. Ashley Hall is a private all girls school in downtown Charleston. (Barbara Bush went to Ashley Hall!) They have only had a golf team for about three years and therefore most of the players are relatively new to the game. The woman who coached the team before was a member at one of the clubs I work at and she played in college herself and actually played on the mini tours. She enjoyed coaching but has two young kids and really couldn't give the job all it needed. She asked me if I was interested and I jumped at the chance.

The season is short just a little over two months. Last year they only played 4, 9-hole matches and then the championship. This year I have 9, 9-hole matches scheduled, an 18 hole invitational tournament and the championship! They have never had team golf bags and the girls have just used their own. The athletic director ok'd me to order them golf bags. They will be school property so the girls will only use them for the two month season and then return them. I also bought hats and towels for the girls as well as team shirts so we should be good to go!  I hope it is a great season that I am good at this coaching thing since it is my first go round!  So wish me luck and Go Panthers!!

Lucky Duck

Last Saturday the Rotary Club did their big fundraiser which is a duck race.  For $10 you "adopt" a rubber duck the winner won $10,000.  There were 25,000 ducks that were dropped off the bridge over the Wando River.  Then they have boats in the water with the same ropes and stuff they use for oil spills to contain the oil.  It was fun to watch.  I had two ducks in the race.  My friend Meredith and I shared custody of a duck and then I bought a duck on my own as well. I was not the lucky winner but it was a fun event and nice to know I had a chance. 

I brought the dogs with me down there and while we were watching I let them wade in the water since it was so hot.  While walking in the sand there were a TON of little crabs.  All those little dots are crabs.  Kind of cute!