The week started off taking the milk route back from the PGA Show. There were no direct flights to Calgary. There was a faster flight home, but didn’t get in until 11 p.m., and I wanted to be back to have supper with my family, thus I picked the longer travel plan.
I was at the airport at the crack of dawn, flew Orlando to Toronto, followed by a four-hour layover, Toronto to Winnipeg (don’t ask, even Canadians don’t know where it is) and then Winnipeg to Calgary. In the mean time I got hit by a horrible cold and flu and had the pleasure of the company of an extremely robust man who kindly took half of my seat and the one of the girl in the aisle. Did you know there are seat belt extenders? This gentleman required one to abide by the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign. A long journey to say the least.
Once home I could barely move. I hadn’t been that sick in years. After dropping my little man off Monday morning at kindergarten I didn’t stir until that night. During the day, I received an email reminding me that I had a video shoot the next day for the United Way awards video. Thank goodness for good drugs!
It was -20 degrees Celsius in Calgary so luckily we had planned for an indoor shoot at the Golf Canada Center. The crew was great and I was thrilled to have flash cards to help me through my speech. I teased with the guys that I wanted to be the “one-take wonder” and was pretty darn close.
The next morning I had an hour-long interview with the website www.golfermoms.com. I was honored to be selected to be featured as a mom that has been able to balance golf and family. I truly believe to grow the game of golf we need to get more women involved in golf, which hopefully will help get more juniors involved. Golf is one of those great games that can be played as a family.
Many women start to play golf but take a hiatus once they start a family, many not coming back until they are empty-nesters. If we can make golf fun, inviting and social for moms with children of any age, I think they will start to bring their children to the course. Instead of just thinking of registering your kids in baseball, soccer, dance or football classes, maybe golf will also become a popular extracurricular choice as well. The kids are at junior night and mom and dad get to play nine holes or go to the range to hit balls or practice putting. Love it!
After the interview I went to the doctor but was told antibiotics would be useless. I was angry I was so sick because I was not able to work out. I had just finished P90x prior to the Show and wanted to start the “Insanity” program when I got back. Word to the wise, one thing I have learned as an athlete is to let your body rest and heal when you are sick. It is painful but will lead to a speedier recovery. Off-season training would have to wait.
I did start to hit balls later in the week when it warmed up and worked a lot on tempo. I am desperately working on a new move to take the club inside and I am thinking too much, never a good thing in golf. I needed to get back to a rhythm where I was actually saying “tick-tock” silently in my head and resorting to three quarter and half swings. Sometimes in golf you have to go backward to move forward.
I wrapped up my week speaking at a new inspirational evening entitled MoMondays. There are monthly meetings currently running in Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal and now Calgary. The format is six speakers that share their stories with the audience in a feel –good-make-you-smile kind of way. I had a great time.
It was a little daunting speaking after people who shared stories of losing family members to leukemia, children with cerebral palsy traveling to Vietnam to save other disabled children and foster fathers giving to those that have no families. What I came to find, even though the audience was primarily non golfers, my story resonated with them. The notion of following your passion and that golf, a game, can become a way of life touched a chord as well.
Until next week, go long!
