Golf...In Utah?

The last week or so we've finally caught a glimpse of spring in Utah. It has seemed like a very long winter, but I've finally gotten in some good work on my game. I seem to be getting better in every part of my game, I just need to get back in the habit of scoring. It is much easier to score when you have been playing a lot of golf, not just working on the individual parts. The main part of my season is just about to get fully underway.

It looks as though I will be playing some big tournaments all summer long. The next couple months will be a mix-match of tournaments from various mini-tours and pro-am events. Starting in June, I will be playing in the heat on the Gateway Tour in Phoenix. I have said before that the bigger mini-tours are a risky/tough place to make money, but they really are the best place to take your game to the next level. Well, that's what I need to do. The fields are very strong, but a good week is still a good week. The winning scores aren't a whole lot different from the smaller tournaments, there are just many more players in contention every week. If you have a good week, though, you are in for a big payday.

I think my next tournament will be a little Golden State Tour event on April 10, 11. That could change, as I am still trying to fine tune the next couple month's schedule.

--Luke Swilor

AND......
I found out today that I have a new reader, Mrs. Judy Swilor. I hope she's having fun following my road. My grandparents have all been amazingly supportive my whole life, whatever it is I'm doing. From little league baseball, to school work, and now to golf. So I have to thank all of them. Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Darlene, Grandpa Milan, and Grandma Judy. You guys are the BEST!

thegolfspace.com

My friend Tony has been hard at work creating a new golf social networking site called The Golf Space . It is kind of like a Myspace for golfers. Everyone has a profile, you can have connections with other members, store photos, make blog posts, chat. The full description can be found at:

http://www.thegolfspace.com/press/aboutthegolfspace.htm

The site is in the ever popular "beta" stage right now, but it officially opens during the Masters. I have a profile there at thegolfspace.com/lukeswilor, you have to be logged in to see my pictures.

If you want to meet some golfers from around the world, check it out. It's free!

Keeping Busy

I've been a bit busy the last week or so. I've been practicing, driving, watching it snow, driving, playing Bel Air CC, working on a schedule, and a few other things. I'll be figuring some things out, then I'll be back to playing in tournaments. The season is about to get going full-steam, so I'll have a lot to talk about in the near future.

In case you missed it, I got to play Bel Air CC this week (sorry, no pics. I need to get a real camera; I don't think they allow them anyways). It was a hit-and-run trip, but I'll never forget it. My wonderful host even got the legendary little pro, Eddie Merrins, to sit with us at lunch. The golf was great (even though my game was not), and I had an amazing time.

--Luke Swilor

Spring is Coming...Someday

I walked out to my car yesterday to grab something, and we had blue sky overhead. Talk about a sucker hole. Less than a half hour later, we had a little blizzard on our hands. The news said there was something like 198 accidents on the roads during this freaky storm. It only lasted for maybe 2 hours, but it was enough to scrap golf for the day.

I'm still trying to figure out my schedule, but I think I will go down to a Golden State Tour event in about a week, maybe the Nationwide Qualifier too. My last trip had me shooting 74-72 to just miss the money. Let me tell you, missing the money SUCKS. I haven't missed the money much in two years. Out of about 60 tournaments, I think I've missed the money 8 times. It's a downer.

So I've got a few things to work on, mainly driving. After driving it perfectly in Needles, I had the pulls in Temecula. Little quick, me thinks. My short game, though, has been improving a great deal. I've been working hard on it, and I will continue to do so. I always thought I had a pretty good short game, but I have become much more confident as of late.

Hopefully Spring will start to show its head. I can't take anymore mats.

--Luke Swilor

Kirby

When I was a very young kid (5 or 6), Kirby Puckett was my idol. The Twins were in the Series right when I was beginning to like sports, and Kirby was the star. The salt lake AAA team (the Buzz) were once the Twins farm team, and I got to see Kirby play against them. It was awesome.

It is a very sad day for baseball and baseball fans.

--Luke

Q & A

I haven't done any posts dealing with the golf swing or any short game techniques that I use. If you have a question about anything (swing, chipping, putting, practice, mental, anything) this is where you should ask. Leave a comment or fire off an email. I'll try to answer everything, but being on the road so much, they might not be answered right away.

--Luke Swilor

Gotta Keep Playing

One of the biggest detriments to my game is lack of play. When I haven't been playing a lot of tournaments, my game just isn't as sharp. All the practice and fun rounds in the world just aren't enough.

My game wasn't very sharp at the beginning of the year. It has since turned around, and I am very confident right now. I hate not knowing where the ball is going, and that is how I felt for a couple of months. Now I'm feeling pretty good, so I'm going to keep playing right into the summer (where the money gets bigger).

I'm going to try to play a tournament every week. Even if it's a small one (which they most likely will be) where I can't make much money, I'm going. First up will be a Pepsi Tour event in Temecula, CA, on March 5 and 6. I will probably be playing mostly Pepsi Tour and Golden State Tour events until May, unless I get on a run. If I'm able to build up a little more money, I'll play in a few Spanos or Gateway Tour events.

I'm playing good right now, and that makes me want to keep playing even more.

--Luke Swilor