Well hell yeah!

 A super nervous me on the way from the driving range to chip and putt some. I have a very consistent pre round routine ~ I practice on the range for 20 minutes, going from low to high clubs, only hitting the ones that I most use in my round, then work back again visualizing the first two holes, now that I know which clubs I am going to hit. I then go hit some sand shots, some bump and runs, then putt.

My girlfriends. Upon coming in my opponent wanted to buy me a drink. I was in a rush so declined as I was meeting the family for dinner out, but found out that drinks were all on the house as my good friends husband had hit a hole in on while we were on the course! The tradition when one holes out is to buy everyone a drink. At a club, this can get VERY expensive! Having foresight, the club charges an annual hole in one due, its cheap, but it pays into a bank, so that whenever a member holes one, the actual lucky person doesn't have to buy anyone anything, the fund pays for a drink for everyone at the club. Good idea! After hearing that my buddy Mike holed one I had to go up and congratulate him. 

SO?

I won! I'm thrilled! I went down one on the first hole after a bit of needless rushery due to my opponent going to the tee 8 minutes ahead of our tee time (I'm so on time that this threw off my entire pre round routine……) I then left a wedge, went running around looking for it, and arriven at the tee breathless and out of sync. After feeling totally ON IT on the driving range I got flustered and blew my tee shot (we play these matches from the front tees, shorter and easier than the Gold tees which I am used to competing from). Anyway….match play is all about being present. Lost a hole? Its done. Forgiven. All about the next hole. Won the next. Lost the next. Back and forth a bit, but went into the turn plus two, then was three up after 12, three up at 13, and 4 up at 14. That made us "dormie"…..which means that I'm up 4 with 4 to play. She needed to win each hole, or it would be over. We went to 15 and actually each parred it, but a push (meaning we each got the same score) meant that I was up 4 with 3 to play………so I won. 

I've never closed out my opponent that early (in fact, in single match play, I've only played my 5 gap matches then the first round of this tournament which I won on 17, so this was only my 2nd match play win ever). 

I loved playing with my opponent. She was great, so friendly, so fair and fun and wonderful, but TOUGH, aha actually shot her year round low score, so she was out there to play, as was I. 

It was a thrill. I have to quickly schedule my Semi Final round before next Sunday which would be the Championship round. Did I mention that people actually follow the finals around in golf carts and on foot watching? And the winner is forever memorialized on a plaque? My next opponent is a sweet woman, super kind, but another person who I haven't played with. She is a wGAP player, so very used to match play. 

I'm nervous and excited! Big morning of teaching at 8 (75 min power vinyasa flow, and I can't wait to incorporate some new things I picked up in the workshop) then 9:45 at Crossfit. Directly from there to the kids swim team banquet and a lovely afternoon at the pool with the family. 

One of the best parts of my round today? Putting on 9 to look up and see 4 people who love me to the moon and back looking at me and clapping. Nate had the kids in a cart coming back from the range and had tried to time it so that they could see me playing. I think that there is so much to be said for allowing your children to see their parents following their dreams. Nothing made me more emotional than seeing my kids at the finish line of my races, and now I have the same feeling as I finish a hole in competion and see my people there supporting me. 

A good day. Such a good day. 

I was so in my center, so in my light in me. I was able to honor the light in my opponent because I was only playing my game ~ unlike previous matches I didnt have to have that feeling of hoping that she would hit a bad shot. I could truly honor the light in her and hope for her to find her best player, on each shot. That is what honoring one another is. That is it. 

Namaste.