Dedication

Alas, my 7-month hiatus from golf is coming to an end.  The coming of April should provide the first snowmelt and I’m looking forward to see some familiar faces again.  I have, to my own surprise, assiduously followed the Dr.’s orders (which I hardly ever do), and successfully healed, strengthened, and retrained my back from last year’s injury.  

Much has happened outside of golf this winter – the excitement of career and family outvies the feeling of making birdies, BUT that being said, I still plan to make some noise in Germany & Europe, so stay with me…   

20-4-13

Despite my inability to distinguish spring from winter, my motivation to relearn the game is fresh.  I love this sport and I am out here in the snow, rain, and hail for one reason: to win golf tournaments. 

TU Golf Lab, Munich

 

  

The season begins in Ascona, Switzerland at the Ticino Championship, aside the gorgeous Lago Maggiore.  If you have previously read this blog, you might remember I finished 2nd here last year shooting 70, 71, 67.  I absolutely love this venue, the surroundings and the Italian food.  We left the Bavarian snow and arrived two days early to practice... golf in pants and a polo... heaven.  

Tee 16

Round one:

I wasn't sure what to expect after nearly 8 months off from golf.  Long story short, I hit the ball OK... fairways & greens - no problem.  The putting is a disaster.  I don't even want to say how many 3-putts I had.  In the end, a 74.  The leader, a Swiss player I had never heard of, shot 68 .  I'm T-21 and 6 back.    

Day two... there was no day two.  A rather nasty storm took on the Swiss-Italian region and day two was rained out.  We spent the day practicing and working on our Italian in the town of Ascona.  

The course was unplayable.

In the end, the rain did not subside and much to our disgruntlement, we took the 6-hour drive home.  The Ticino Championship is such an incredible tournament, and I was saddened to leave on this standard.  At least I didn't shoot 64 in the first round...

We did have one evening at Grotto Baldoria.  This is the restaurant without a menu, you are just served an amazing Italian meal.  The elderly couple that run it only speak Italian.  The bill, at the end, is whatever Antonio decides you should pay.  In our case, it was 30 CHF per man.  He must have liked us.  The amazing pasta was served from a 20 KG stone pot.  Absolutely perfect. 

The next tournament is in 4 weeks and takes me to Vienna, Austria.  

The PGA of Germany: Adamstal Open.  

May 27-29.