From Fort McMurray

My caddy Jeff and I just got to Fort McMurray, a good 5 hour drive from Edmonton. Its been a long day, but what a cool ride in.

Although I have missed my first two cuts, I find myself pleased with how I rebounded off a tough start in Victoria two weeks ago.

In Victoria I shot 80-81. I was glad to see the airline did not lose my clothes or my golf bag, but what didn't show up was my game! I was mentally under prepared for the event and most importantly, I did not have a lot of confidence. The week off in between served me well, as I was able to collect myself and refocus. In Edmonton I shot 71-72, and although my ballstriking is not where I need it to be, I feel I got a lot out of the game that I had this week; something that I couldn't say in Victoria.

I have another 3 tournament weeks on the road that I am looking forward to. I'm going to get some good practice in, and if I can build off of what I had this past week, ill be okay.

Canadian Tour Card

Last week I finished tied for 15th at Canadian Tour Qualifying School which earned me full status on the Canadian Tour this summer. I am looking forward to the first event, which is held in Victoria, British Columbia. Check my website or cantour.com for upcoming tournaments and results throughout the summer.

Thanks to all my family and friends for the support last week!

-Nick

Q School Bound

I will be attending Canadian Tour Qualifying School May 8-11. Q school is held at the Country Club of Soboba Springs and Oak Valley Golf Club out in Southern California. The field will be capped at 264 players with 30 fully exempt cards and 30(+ties) conditional cards for the top 60 players.

www.backninereviews.com

Please take 5 minutes and check out my friend's company, www.backninereviews.com. Just find a course in the US that you have played and rate it. Very cool website.

2012 Kickoff

Very excited to get back into tournament mode in January. I am going to play 5-6 GOLFslinger.com events leading up to the Pre-Qualifer for the PGA Tour's Honda Classic on February 23.

Happy Holidays!

Training with Eric

I've been training for almost two months under the instruction of Eric Hallika, a Level II TPI Instructor. Eric has worked with successful players on the Minor League circuit here in South Florida. He's a motivator and an excellent addition to my team.

Our first session together involved a full body screening to identify where my strengths and weaknesses were. Following the initial screening, he planned out a series of workouts to be completed over six weeks. I have been working out 4 days a week, with Eric joining me every Monday.

We are nearing my next evaluation and I'm eager to see how I progressed!

Learning from a Great

Practicing with one of the game's greats isn't an everyday affair. During a recent afternoon range session, I crossed paths with Bernhard Langer. Bernhard was the first World #1 when the Official World Golf Rankings were introduced. He is a two-time Masters Champion, a Ryder Cup Player and Captain, and is considered one of the best iron players of all time. Mr. Langer approached me as I was hitting balls, introduced himself and asked what I was working on.

Over the next hour and a half on the back range, Bernhard watched me hit several shots and offered some advice. We talked about his swing and what he has worked on in the past. We talked about shot shaping and iron play, equipment, and the mental aspect of the game.

This was one of the best experiences I've had and am grateful that Mr. Langer spent some time with me!