tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35942192993413190282024-03-13T08:18:35.364-07:00Baldwin Golf Blog SpotWritings From the RoadMark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-68657584155482695702011-07-07T15:20:00.000-07:002011-07-07T15:21:19.095-07:00Dakota Dunes Open Round 1For those of you following, you may remember last year at Dakota Dunes Golf Links on the Canadian Tour, I shot -17 and finished tied for 12th. Reliving some of those shots coming into this week, I was quite excited to build on that performance…perhaps too excited. Too much practice time on Tuesday had me spending all day Wednesday rehabbing my stiff and aching left knee. I entered today’s opening round with one goal in mind: to enjoy the day, keep my mind very quiet and worry free and stay patient. Because I continued focusing on achieving these goals, I finished by birdieing my closing two holes of the day to shoot -2, 70. I could have easily become frustrated at various moments throughout the day when my play didn’t live up to its potential. The most obvious moment came at the 7th hole (my 16th since I started on the back nine) when I hit a 340 yard drive that nestled underneath the lip of a bunker which rests in the right center of the fairway. That result led to a scrambling par effort instead of an eagle opportunity and I had lost a stroke to the leaders. I repeated to myself down the very difficult and long 8th hole that if I could hit a great approach shot, I could make up the lost stroke. A perfect 5 iron landed four feet from the hole like a butterfly with sore feet and after I made the short putt, a birdie had me under par. It was patience and the challenge I issued to myself on the approach shot that propelled me to birdies my final two holes. The 70 matches my opening score from last year, although today’s conditions were slightly more difficult. Looking forward to enjoying a great second round at 1:40 pm tomorrow!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-74670364328818960062011-06-26T21:32:00.001-07:002011-06-26T21:32:20.070-07:00SBO ResultsAfter 2 days of playing in the rain, the clouds were blown away by the blustery, swirling winds of Fort McMurray. The winds blew through the narrow tree lined holes as as if being pushed into corridors of a building and then swirling in all directions. It was common today for me to select a shot with the wind blowing in one direction and by the time I was ready to play, the wind had shifted completely. After bogeying three of the first four holes, I regrouped to shoot even par for the day. My 72 hole total of -1 left me tied for 34th position, an improvement of 12 spots from last week. While I need to play par 5s better (usually my bread and butter) and find a way to make a few more putts on the weekend, this is definitely a step in the right direction. The course was one of the narrower and most penal venues the Canadian Tour has stopped at since I gained my tour card (I only hit driver 8 times in 72 holes all week if that is any indication). Thus, my advantage of being a long driver of the ball was removed. Despite this, I still managed to give myself a plethora of very viable birdie chances this week. This means my iron play is improving and my decision making is certainly getting better. All great signs. I take 3 weeks of competitive improvement into this coming week’s event in Calgary. I’ll take tomorrow off and rest my knee in Edmonton and be back in action Tuesday at Bearspaw Country Club. Another great week ahead!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-25661221252713184682011-06-26T21:31:00.001-07:002011-06-26T21:31:54.416-07:00Hope DrenchedIt was a long, wet 3rd round today. Rain soaked the course from start to finish with 2 weather delays in between. All time compiled, the final round took just over 8 hours. It was a mental grind. I played the first 8 holes very solid making it through them in -2, then came the weather horn. Two and a half hours later, I teed up on 9. We made it 2/3 of the way down the par 5 11th hole before the rain had caused the second round of green submersion. Nearly two hours of waiting out the 2nd delay and I was back in position at 2 under par and 70 yards from the pin in the middle of the soaked fairway. It was here where the wheels came off. A dead chunked 60 degree wedge led to a bad bogey and 7 more holes of miscues. I finished the day with a disappointing score of even par, 72. The day had lots of potential, but I wasn’t able to sustain an upbeat tempo through the 4 hours of delays. I go into tomorrow’s 4th round at -1 for the tournament and will look to play great to add some momentum to the start of the next event.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-3562017789027016322011-06-26T21:30:00.000-07:002011-06-26T21:31:26.701-07:00Oil Open Round 2Wild day at the Syncrude Boreal Open. The rain drenched the course during my opening 9 and thanks to some tremendous iron play from the wet, thick rough, (which doesn’t say much about my tee shots) I stepped onto the 10th tee at -2 for the day. The rain abated and the wind kicked up. Our group had fallen 2 holes behind the group in front of us and we were placed “on the clock” (when a rules official times each player and penalizes them if they take more than :40 for one shot). During the three holes we were timed, my swing began to unravel and an indecisive swing following an aggressive approach shot into a par 5 led to a double bogey. My energy had diminished and my faith in my swing with it. A few tentative shots left me 20 feet for birdie on the par 5 8th hole (my 17th). Knowing I was towing the cut line, the putt had to go in and I drained it! I thought I was clear of the cut at -2 for the tournament on the last tee. I then blocked a tee shot 20 yards into the dense trees and found it nestled between three tree trunks. With an unplayable lie and a small opening in the trees, the cut was getting sharper by the stroke. I managed to position my ball 15 feet from the hole in 4 strokes on the par 4 9th. I was sure I had to make the bogey putt to make the cut. I focused, believed and trusted the ball would find the bottom of the cup. After I stroked the putt and looked up, I was very relieved to see the ball fall over the center of the hole with perfect speed! A few fist pumps later, I had made the cut at -1 through 36 holes and began preparing for tomorrow: moving day.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-27680734095494421192011-06-23T13:30:00.000-07:002011-06-23T13:31:13.188-07:00Syncrude Boreal Open Round 1The Canadian Tour stops in the oil capital of North America this week, Fort McMurray, Alberta, for the $150,000 Syncrude Boreal Open. Fort McMurray Golf Club features narrow holes carved through dense tree lines and attack flies larger than the horses they’re named after. A ball hit into the trees is doomed to be lost and for those crazy enough to go searching, they are at the mercy of the swarms of bugs that pounce like viscous piranhas. I started the tournament by shooting a -2, 70 on day 1. I hit solid shots off the tee and made a couple deft saves around the greens. To ascend the leaderboard tomorrow, I will need to hit my approaches closer to the hole and give myself a few more legitimate birdie opportunities. While I’m not yet healthy, I feel great about the progression of my game in the past month and look forward to a great week!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-63676903420650363092011-06-14T08:58:00.001-07:002011-06-14T09:05:36.207-07:00Canadian Open Qualifier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABWVQh4AOIT98PIk6voi3kdOOmvMPWxC5vtzGFdFr0J5SrIVuhSS3Ewf6RCQxC6N205b3PQFbLElIlPasFMajxMHpf5omELRrxAVqwdFIATGNe_zzekbcWVYj6KWF4jCaTwdBgVRn2Q4/s1600/under+tree.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABWVQh4AOIT98PIk6voi3kdOOmvMPWxC5vtzGFdFr0J5SrIVuhSS3Ewf6RCQxC6N205b3PQFbLElIlPasFMajxMHpf5omELRrxAVqwdFIATGNe_zzekbcWVYj6KWF4jCaTwdBgVRn2Q4/s320/under+tree.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618106312065128274" /></a><br />After the final round of the Western Championship presented perfect scoring condition that I wasn't able to capitalize on (I posted 72 for the day, -9 for the tournament), I drove 5 hours last night to Vancouver for the Canadian Open (5 million dollar PGA Tour event) qualifier today. The traditional layout of narrow, well framed holes and slick greens was sure to be a challenge in the windy, rainy conditions. With most of the 144 players comprising the field being Canadian Tour players, I would need to play a very solid round to advance (the top 22 moved on to the final monday qualifier). That's exactly what I did. I made a 15 foot birdie putt on the day's final hole to post -2, 70 and finish tied for 6th. I will advance to next month's final stage of Canadian Open qualifying and considering I've shot even par of better in five straight days of competition and my knees are finally beginning to feel normal, I am happy with the progression of the last week. Will write more in the coming days as I have this week off before a 5 week stretch of consecutive events. Currently sitting in Vancouver airport cheering on the Bruins....talk about dangerous!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-70223308273781618782011-06-11T20:56:00.000-07:002011-06-11T21:09:27.533-07:00Round 3 Western ChampionshipI stood on the driving range hitting the ball sideways this morning. The various pieces of my golf swing felt completely out of control and disconnected. As I walked to the first tee, my self pep talk was all about tempo and acceptance. If I could control the rhythm of my swing, I could indirectly control club positions and thus, my shots. If I happened to hit a few shots sideways, I would accept them and enjoy the challenge of scrambling from a tough spot. Well, 16 greens in regulation later (that's hitting the ball very well for all you non-golfers), a cold putter left me with a score of -2, 70 and -9 through 54 holes. Because the round had so much potential, I left the course disappointed; feeling like I had let a chance to get in the hunt (the leader is currently at -17) slip away. While that is certainly true, the larger picture indicates that I've made tremendous strides considering 2 weeks ago, I could barely walk and was convinced I wouldn't compete at all. I play tomorrow at 9:39 and will then drive immediately to Vancouver (5 hours away) for a Canadian Open qualifying round. It's been an exciting week and if a few putts fall tomorrow, a top 10 finish is very attainable.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-56398730530445861512011-06-10T19:27:00.000-07:002011-06-10T19:37:10.113-07:00Western Championship Round 2Another day of minimal winds and soft conditions left Riverside Golf Links defenseless. I played a flawless front 9 shooting -3 taking me to -7 for the event. After 3-putts on 11, 12 and a terrible wedge shot on 14, I had run off 3 bogies and was back to even par for the day, a score that would surely get lapped by the field and leave me in jeopardy of missing the cut (which ended up being -4). I needed to hit a great tee shot at the 560 yard, par 5 15th and I turned to the club I have relied heavily on in the past day, my 3 wood. I made a perfect swing hitting a 320 yard bomb downwind and proceeded to make a tap in birdie. That swing turned my mentality around and I birdied 3 of the closing 4 holes for a score of 69 (-3). I go into tomorrow 7 shots behind the leader and with no cut to consider, will play aggressively and do my best to get in the hunt for Sunday. Overall, I'm most proud of the way I was able to persevere and turn my energy around following three bogies. My decision making and outlook has been nearly perfect in the first two days and when a few more putts fall tomorrow, I'll be within striking distance on Sunday.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-88046435625645665692011-06-09T19:32:00.001-07:002011-06-09T19:40:09.193-07:00The Western Championship Round 1Beyond the massive, snow covered peaks that rise above Vancouver sits a little valley town in the Canadian desert called Kamloops. Yes, I said Canadian desert. Riverside Golf Links plays host to the Canadian Tour's Western Championship. The course is a links style with deep fescue grass lining the fairways and swirling winds. During the opening round today, I smoothly swung my way up the leaderboard, carding a -4, 68. As it's only the second week back from my formerly debilitating left knee injury, it felt amazing to regain some comfort in competition today. I strode energetically up the fairways with about a million grams of endorphins flowing through my body. Tomorrow I will continue my assault on par and look forward to positioning myself for an epic weekend run!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-57377578661307593342011-06-09T19:29:00.001-07:002011-06-09T19:29:42.158-07:00Early Exit from TCOIf you had of told me Sunday afternoon that not only was I going to compete in the Canadian Tour's Times Colonist Open, but I was going to shoot 144 for the first two rounds (73-71), I likely would have been happy. As I sat at my departure gate after being barely able to walk from my arrival gate during a layover at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, I was fairly certain it was unlikely I would compete this week. It had been over a month since I'd been able to hit any balls on the range or played a full round of golf and my left knee was just not healing. Maybe I had been overly optimistic in thinking I would find a way to compete and could ignore the vexing soreness in my knee that radiated through my leg with every swing and stride.<br /><br />I spent most of Monday resting and treating the knee. Tuesday I surprised myself by walking 18 holes during the pro-am. I had to manipulate my swing to take as much stress out of the left knee as possible (neither being easy easy to do). I was able to play 9 holes Wednesday and spent the rest of the day tending to the injury. I knew Wednesday night that achieving great results would be as easy as writing a novel using a pencil with a broken tip (but at least I had a writing utensil that might work).<br /><br />As I stood on the first tee I was exhilarated. It was as if new life had been breathed into me. Blood coursed rapidly through my veins and my body felt like it was on fire. While I limped around, was unable to crouch down and read putts and undoubtedly still swung tentatively and differently, I competed hard and almost beat the odds by making the cut (the cut at this moment, 3:50 pm Pacific time, is at 143 and will likely remain there leaving me 1 stroke out of a weekend bid and ultimately, a paycheck). It is because I devoted myself so fully to the competition this week that I am really disappointed I wasn't able to hole one more putt. There are few pains in golf that sting as deeply as missing a cut by a single stroke.<br /><br />Overall however, I believe I'm becoming healthier, healing faster and will be more poised for a great showing in the weeks that follow. If there is one thing I'm taking away from my comeback week, it is the amazing healing power of competition.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-52982181478068635222011-05-03T08:23:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:42:12.656-07:00Putting Down Pain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FhQw6lef4-swwNbkYPiw2GW18lx1qSr05H7f4xxTQJiXYvQoi-7a4NxuhOZlgAdzaPStvgOhKaMMMbEqQQRFCMaeHIlqSdsqtEVPpOv5lMZmy-n-pIFWKWfhVdPWK5i0MKgAgldg7cM/s1600/golf+swing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FhQw6lef4-swwNbkYPiw2GW18lx1qSr05H7f4xxTQJiXYvQoi-7a4NxuhOZlgAdzaPStvgOhKaMMMbEqQQRFCMaeHIlqSdsqtEVPpOv5lMZmy-n-pIFWKWfhVdPWK5i0MKgAgldg7cM/s320/golf+swing.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602514988698720322" /></a><br /><br />I've been battling a resilient torn meniscus in my right knee and because I've favored my left leg for two months now, increasing pain there as well. Because of this and the need to be ready for a full season of competition, I made the decision last week to withdraw from the Mexican PGA Championship (scheduled for this week) and visit my Doctor. Yesterday I received cortisone injections in both knees and will see the Doctor for a follow-up later this week. If these treatments create more stability and less pain, I will be ready to start playing in full week competitions within two weeks. My tentative plan is to compete in an EGolf tour event in North Carolina at the end of the month before heading to Victoria, BC for the Canadian Tour. <br /><br />I tried rushing back to competition in the past two weeks playing multiple 1 and 2 day events in south Florida. Despite two encouraging scores of 65 and 67 and making checks during those weeks, my knees left me unable to practice and compete at my full potential and led to the decision to focus on getting completely healthy. I am more optimistic this morning after yesterday's injections, that my knees won't continue to plague my progress. Pain makes you appreciate the simple luxury of a healthy body. That appreciation alone may save me one shot per side!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-36099236803102903632011-03-07T11:06:00.000-08:002011-03-07T12:48:13.209-08:00The Dark Knight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5goDPvQDPEqli_x6RKKTRb2KhEm2ACrgfinbztEgIV7H7DW4xYJ7XbhZm8amAGl7YvJMHN7O7mLo6_XgLYzqJOgB2-acFVgwt7fsjgaw8gSK28DLz76y9pB37Tykks88c-TzLHAhnyWU/s1600/dark+knight.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5goDPvQDPEqli_x6RKKTRb2KhEm2ACrgfinbztEgIV7H7DW4xYJ7XbhZm8amAGl7YvJMHN7O7mLo6_XgLYzqJOgB2-acFVgwt7fsjgaw8gSK28DLz76y9pB37Tykks88c-TzLHAhnyWU/s320/dark+knight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581441675021599330" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"The night is darkest before the dawn." ~Bruce Wayne, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Dark Knight</span><br /><br />Maybe it's the optimist in me that has shut down the Mark Baldwin golf blog in the off-season -- an identity I've clung to. An identity that wouldn't allow me to write about being broke or barely able to walk because, who wants to hear about that? I've always believed people have gravitated towards my positive outlook on life. A shortcoming of mine -- I've always valued others' perception of me. So, while I set up this blog to keep people updated about my golf career -- for you dear reader ;) -- this is not a blog post, but a journal entry for my own well being.<br /><br />Developmental tour golfers must see the scorecard half full of pars, even when the other 9 are inked in black. The lack of posts over the winter have led to emails and Facebook messages asking, "you're still trying aren't you?" And I've been trying, and trying harder. But trying harder only reinforces what you were doing when you're trying. The re-birth of this blog as "journal" isn't rooted in optimism, it's rooted in my reality. The sometimes harsh reality of entrepreneurship, of dream chasing, of professional golf: the odds aren't in your favor and there will be more setbacks than successes. But 1 success after 20 failures could get you on the PGA Tour. The odds then must be stacked against me as success is so intertwined with failure. <br /><br />The Mark Baldwin of the past may not have written the coming sentence: It's been a tough off-season plagued with injury, heart ache, and an empty bank account, maybe the most difficult yet. It started with the ending of a three year romance. I then didn't go to Q-School last fall because I couldn't scrounge up the entry fee. For a while, I was scouring the cracks between seats for enough money to buy a box of pasta, or a gallon of gas to get to a job interview. As I sit here writing this, a slowly healing meniscus tear that has kept me off my feet for the past three weeks is being iced. I tore it landing an unfortunate stride while working a demanding 6-day-a week caddy job I was grateful for.<br /><br />These types of challenges have become so common place though, my natural reaction is not to react. The goals in my mind are so clearly forged that my commitment to achieving them is unwaivering and unfazed. What many practical, intelligent people with steady jobs may call failure, I don't lend energy towards considering. These occurences are events. The sum of these events equal rock solid determination, commitment and character. I only now have come to honestly study the events of the past 6 months and provide this limited characterization. My occurrences are not uncommon. They are shared by the majority who achieve something that is truly joyous. Because of these occurrences, the smell of cut grass becomes fresher, each strike of the ball is crisper, each painless stride becomes energetic and each friend is more loved. <br /><br />My grandfather liked to use the common expression, "golf is a game of inches" and the millimeters between those inches determine who gets paid and who has to get another job. My unwaivering belief is defined by disappointment. Without setbacks synonymous with disappointment, I would not be so committed to winning on the PGA Tour. I was able to work on my short game for over and hour today and hit full sand wedges on a driving range. Time seemed to slow. The ball appeared suspended in air. Every second, I was grateful. <br /><br />From a practical perspective, the night may be shadowed with deathly hallows, from mine, the dawn approaches.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-74519186813555788112011-02-02T19:42:00.000-08:002011-02-02T19:45:14.087-08:00NEW BALDWIN GOLF WEBSITEWith an exciting 2011 season on the horizon, I wanted to bring together blog posts, tweets, news, video and other updates into one central location to make following me easier. <a href="http://www.markbaldwingolf.com">Check it out here!</a> Comments and suggestions welcome.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-42992063321663113362010-08-29T13:50:00.000-07:002010-08-29T14:09:31.726-07:00Canadian Tour ConclusionI posted 67 at the final round at the Canadian Tour Championship to finish tied for 24th place. Today was a big test for me: I've had a few very poor final rounds on tour this year which have cost me respectable finishes and important dollars. Today was an opportunity to prove to myself that this year on the Canadian Tour has been a great learning experience and I'm improving. <br /><br />I've struck the ball well all week but my wedge play and short game have held me back from shooting low scores. Today, I lacked the control over my swing I had in the first three rounds, but my short game finally shined. I added an exclamation point on the short game spectacle by making a 15 footer at the 230 yard par 3 17th and holing a 30 yard bunker shot in front of the gallery at the 18th, finishing birdie-birdie. <br /><br />After the crisply struck sand shot landed softly and bounced in the hole, did I throw a few dramatic fist pumps and take numerous bows??...you bet! I've been waiting all year to birdie the last in front of the crowd and took full advantage of the last hole at the Tour Championship. <br /><br />It's been a great summer on the Canadian Tour. I've improved, learned a great deal about how to manage my game and my energy levels for consecutive weeks of competition, and will be in the top 50 on the order of merit, gaining my tour card again for next year (top 80 retain their tour cards). <br /><br />I head back to Florida tomorrow, where I'll continue to hone my skills and fund raise for a possible Q-school bid this fall.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-45864003345613615872010-08-28T13:22:00.000-07:002010-08-28T13:36:54.583-07:00Round 3 Canadian Tour Championship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtqSwpvX26YsgP4LkjiGDsNxETGqiR2-WMhhQs3KC2wRLNGLz6CRAWZS11dIShMEkGDy-nJf8-a7xUfWz7o-izvpQUuX71UosqhpENiZ2nJp1qlU5UmPIVzl4MMs_EkUTo0Q7L8uG_Y/s1600/falls.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxtqSwpvX26YsgP4LkjiGDsNxETGqiR2-WMhhQs3KC2wRLNGLz6CRAWZS11dIShMEkGDy-nJf8-a7xUfWz7o-izvpQUuX71UosqhpENiZ2nJp1qlU5UmPIVzl4MMs_EkUTo0Q7L8uG_Y/s320/falls.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510562243877505250" /></a><br /><br />If I could take back two swings today, it would have been my best round on the Canadian Tour. I played very solid, but suffered a triple and double bogey and shot 70. The bad swings came from terrible lies in the rough and overly aggressive decisions. While my score hasn't quite reflected it, I've played better with every passing round. I'm tied for 38th going into the final round at -1 for the tournament and am 4 strokes outside the top 10. If the trend of improving play continues and a few more putts fall, a very respectable finish is in my future.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-83463639084966318732010-08-27T16:50:00.000-07:002010-08-27T16:57:54.012-07:00Making the Cut at the Falls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLe7na4jy9jaUh8LGup-FIBZRIMbtI7J9xSZRQxqrVNsbJF-pSSOQjKorWueootXWk62oht76ljHb9zJh4PTXglXf9Q8HJt1yiDAf6MFpF8GxWg4Dd4ZtRd_SHNVSXaZ9j7kt1bBkrBs/s1600/Niagara+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLe7na4jy9jaUh8LGup-FIBZRIMbtI7J9xSZRQxqrVNsbJF-pSSOQjKorWueootXWk62oht76ljHb9zJh4PTXglXf9Q8HJt1yiDAf6MFpF8GxWg4Dd4ZtRd_SHNVSXaZ9j7kt1bBkrBs/s320/Niagara+1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510242937312008082" /></a><br /><br />After an inconsistent day, I finished at +1, 71 leaving me with a 2 round total of -1, 139. I've made the cut at The Canadian Tour Championship and am 9 back of the lead, 4 back of 5th place heading into weekend play. I had 5 severe lip outs on the speedy greens, leaving me contemplating all the potential the round had. If those putts drop tomorrow, I will find myself back in contention heading into Sunday.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-79090004783148227532010-08-26T17:54:00.000-07:002010-08-26T18:02:14.044-07:00Canadian Tour Championship Round 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kz1qxVOdFMg54YQzafWIrOZWzdQU-I0TBRIMykbZ-SDxapavUdwE_NUCn0eRPVuJe6oC9cB1rqObqMmgpkZy5LjAYu0tCThe8C5U8cO8xjDKv1P0OPlKYjR8o5mlO3OwQzue1floHjc/s1600/the+boys+at+the+falls.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kz1qxVOdFMg54YQzafWIrOZWzdQU-I0TBRIMykbZ-SDxapavUdwE_NUCn0eRPVuJe6oC9cB1rqObqMmgpkZy5LjAYu0tCThe8C5U8cO8xjDKv1P0OPlKYjR8o5mlO3OwQzue1floHjc/s320/the+boys+at+the+falls.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509888636660675634" /></a><br /><br />I got off to a solid start at the Canadian Tour Championship next to Niagara Falls, by shooting -2, 68. The course is a ball strikers paradise and with soft conditions today, players were able to take advantage. I'm tied for 18th going into round 2. I will write more tomorrow after a great round.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-23750985739562240002010-08-19T17:40:00.000-07:002010-08-19T17:44:40.195-07:00Wedge WoesLast week's struggle extended into today as my wedge play was glaringly terrible. Everything else was bad, but my wedge play continues to hold me back from being a successful pro golfer. <br /><br />Tomorrow is my 27th birthday and I will need all the magic and birthday bounces August 20th can offer if I am to make the cut.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-82008692482064490452010-08-17T06:47:00.000-07:002010-08-17T07:11:01.401-07:00Artistry in SeaforthAmong the last Canadian Tour events of the year is this week's Seaforth Economical Insurance Classic. The small farm town of Seaforth is 2 and 1/2 hours outside Toronto. Surrounded by meadows rich with corn stalks and cows, and barns with handwritten advertising saying "storage space available," the tournament isn't likely to attract deep rows of spectators or ESPN coverage.<br /><br />The course is short with reachable par 4s and 5s and par 3s requiring only short irons. The greens are undulating and as receptive as metal counter tops; rock-hard. Last year, twenty-six under par won the tournament but veteran players are spreading the word that the greens were more forgiving then. Scores will be slightly higher this year. <br /><br />This will be the final tune-up event before the Tour Championship next week. I'm staying with two pottery artists on a farm ten minutes away from the course. They mold clay into a variety of beautiful shapes and sizes. I plan to be an artist of sorts this week as well, shaping shorts of various lengths beautifully close to my targets. It should be a fitting match to a great week.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-54393539948134155652010-08-13T16:52:00.000-07:002010-08-13T16:55:13.137-07:00The Bad and The UglyBad swings, worse course management and ugly short game lead to scores like I shot today. Missed the cut at the Jane Rogers Championship. Will spend the next couple days moving past this performance to be ready for next week's Canadian Tour tournament.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-78999998475188773042010-08-12T19:41:00.000-07:002010-08-12T19:51:04.098-07:00Clublink Jane Rogers Championship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieZjKiP7KC15NN4g4rqEhItgLF60H39DkRENFFrnz0gG4A-bOsOU2JOsP2WBl9LV_YSi8NCby4jrM0fwvuVOAhOp9OT_RVQ4CSeajaB4RusIZBHj39wNLqV0AEdJtK9wzFtp8ZDZe5-s/s1600/banner_clublink_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 57px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieZjKiP7KC15NN4g4rqEhItgLF60H39DkRENFFrnz0gG4A-bOsOU2JOsP2WBl9LV_YSi8NCby4jrM0fwvuVOAhOp9OT_RVQ4CSeajaB4RusIZBHj39wNLqV0AEdJtK9wzFtp8ZDZe5-s/s320/banner_clublink_01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504721230111660130" /></a><br /><br />After a great opening nine of -3, I hit two arrant shots making double bogeys and left me played defensively through the remainder of the round. In challenging conditions, I finished the day at +2, 73. While it was a frustrating end to what could have amounted to a good day, I have my favorite two days of the tournament week ahead of me. I've played some great second rounds so far this year and intend to add another second round notch on the belt. I play tomorrow at 12:30 pm and after some great results during a practice session this evening, am looking forward to going low.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-87179689275346167102010-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:002010-08-09T11:18:03.199-07:00Next StretchOntario plays host to the coming three weeks on the Canadian Tour. This week's event is the Club Car Jane Rodgers Championship at Greystone CC in Toronto. I fly into Toronto tomorrow afternoon and play the pro-am on Wednesday. While my arrival is a bit later than usual, it is part of a new strategy that helps me remain fresh and energetic throughout the entire week of competition. My goal is to win the next event and move into the top 10 on the money list. If I can improve every week I play this month, I will be prepared for the challenge of PGA Tour Q-School in the fall.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-66947190733455570722010-07-18T15:51:00.000-07:002010-07-18T16:12:09.618-07:00The Evil Round 4 MonsterA disastrous 78 today. <br /><br />Until I learn how to defeat the evil round 4 monster that I transform into on the final day of competition, I will never succeed consistently as a pro golfer. Day 4 has been my nemesis since I turned pro. I haven't fully acknowledged it until now, and maybe that is one of the issues. Instead of advancing from the top 25 into top 20 or 15, I fall off the map on the final day: from a profitable professional golfer, I transform into a useless hacker. It was very costly in Asia and it has been thus far on the Canadian Tour. <br /><br />The same swing, rhythm, energy and feel troubles inevitably show up on day 4 and I continue to react the same. It is the very definition of insanity. I have become a very solid, competitive three round professional golfer. Unfortunately, pro golf requires 4 cumulative rounds of competition. I need to prepare and train my energy levels, swing and feel for day 4 if I expect to reach my potential. <br /><br />In the last three weeks, I've made all three cuts, finished 12th shooting -17 and secured my Canadian Tour card for next year. The final round of 2/3 events have cost me thousands of dollars however and just making cuts is no longer an acceptable measure of success. <br /><br />Like I wrote two weeks ago, I need to continue to set myself up for success through the first 3 rounds of tournaments and be more prepared for final rounds with a new game plan and better preparation during off weeks. <br /><br />There are lots of great things to take away from the past three weeks on the Canadian Tour, but the most important is to learn from the round 4 failures to succeed in future events.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-58409644377009456952010-07-17T20:51:00.000-07:002010-07-17T21:01:10.139-07:00A Long RoundI teed off at 10:40 am for round 3 of the Canadian Tour Player's Cup and tapped in for 69 at 8:52 pm. With a 5 hour severe weather delay, I spent more than half the day waiting to get back on the course. Through 4 holes, I was cruising at -2 and had a great chance for birdie on 5. Then the suspension horn blew following loud thunder rumbles in the distance. It would be another 5 hours before I could hit my shot at the 5th. <br /><br />At the end of a three week stretch of hard work and competition, day 3 proved to be exhausting. I had many chances to "take it deep" today (shoot low scores), but squandered them with avoidable mistakes. <br /><br />With all the rain and difficult pin positions, very few of my competitors "took it deep," and I actually advanced my standing to 25th place today at -2 for the tournament. If I can maintain my focus for one final round tomorrow and capitalize on all the opportunities that come my way, it will be a very special week resulting in a top finish.Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3594219299341319028.post-47679510971334221232010-07-16T17:29:00.000-07:002010-07-16T17:37:36.747-07:00Player's Cup: Day 2 RecapNot much time...just finished the round, have to get out for dinner. Today's recap: Played very solid on the front nine (8 pars, 1 birdie). Hit a terrible block-slice out of play on 11 and made double bogey to go to +3 for the tournament (+1 was the cut at this time). During a 30 minute wait on the next tee, I became determined to beat the cut line and trust my swing. I took that determination over every shot and birdied three holes in closing to shoot 69 (-2). The conditions were difficult: rock hard, slick greens, windy conditions and fighting to sneak under the cut line. I am at even par for the tournament and am tied for 27th heading into weekend play. <br /><br />This is my 3rd straight cut made on the Canadian Tour and I have a great opportunity tomorrow to move up the leaderboard and position myself to make an epic Sunday run at the leaders! It's great to make cuts, but even more exciting to know I am improving and moving up in the world of pro golf!Mark Baldwin Golfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11690213628027491800noreply@blogger.com1