INCAgolf All you ever wanted to know about golf (well almost)

How many times do you walk out on the first tee and end up playing with a Tour Professional? Not often. But you know what? That very thing happened to me at the Bardmoor Golf Club in Largo, Florida.
I was getting ready to tee off when a couple approached and ask if they could join me. I said by all means. As we got ready to tee off the young lady said that she preferred to play from the men’s tee. No problem, but I wondered, “Who does she think she is? A pro or something?
When her drive went straight down the middle of fairway exceeding 220 yards I said to myself “this gal can playShe pushed her second shot into the left bunker. We ended up on the green facing long putts. She then proceeded to put her bunker shot one foot from the pin. We both three putted. She won the hole with a par.We were held up on the second tee so I struck up a conversation. “Have you been playing golf long?” I asked. “My father put a golf club in my hand when I was five and now I am playing as a professional.”
“What club are you with?” I asked. “Oh I’m not with a club, I play on the LPGA tour.” I asked her what her last name was. She said, “Strudwick. Suzanne Strudwick,” WOW, How many times do you end up playing with a tour pro on a public course?

We finally teed up on the second hole. Her tee shot split the fairway, a three wood landed just short of the green, she chipped three feet from the hole and sunk the putt for another par.

So it was, hole after hole, par after par. However on the seventh hole she pushed her drive to the right and ended up in a hazard. Rather than play from the hazard she opted to hit a second tee shot which of course split the fairway. What struck me was her methodical demeanor and her calmness even though she shot her first bogie. She ended up a one over 37.

When we finished the round she thanked both of us. “This was the first fun round that I’ve played in a long time,” she said, “When you’re on tour, playing and practicing is serious business. There’s not a whole lot of time for fun”

I’m sure she was very serious when she won the 2001 LPGA Qualifying at Daytona Beach.

But it must have a lot of fun winning.

Congratulations Suzanne