ALPG SUMMER SERIES 09/10

Hey team!

A quick update of my results -

St Georges Basin Country Club Pro-Am 77, 73 T10

Castle Hill Country Club Pro-Am 81 T36

Lady Anne Funerals ALPG Pro-Am 75 T14

Xstrata Coal Branxton GC Pro-Am 77, 73 15th

Jack Newton Celebrity Classic 69, 68 T6 (we play with the Male Pros, I was first in the female pro section by 7 shots!).

I was very rusty the first few tournaments. Luckily Stu was able to join me for the last two. It clearly makes a difference when I have him on my bag. Stu will be caddy for the all of the tournaments in 2010 except New Zealand (he has to work some time!).

The last event was brilliant. This is an event that hosts A list celebrities and sports star. The first day I played with Peter Phelps and the second day I played with Layne Beachley. It was great fun and I actually remembered how to play golf! I am looking forward to improving up to next year's events (another 3 pro-ams and 5 major tournaments).

I have also attached a picture in my latest Tail gear and also of Stu and I in costume at the Jack Newton tournament.

I have recently been accepted by the PGA to study their Bridging Program. This is a 1 year "traineeship". I will also work part-time at Metropolitan GC for 2010 before heading off to the LPGA qualifying school at the end of 2010. This means I will only play the Australian events in 2010. Full steam ahead!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and best wishes for much happiness and success in 2010!


Stu and I in costume at the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic -



In my new Tail gear... Ooh la la!

2009 WOMEN IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE - Luncheon!

Wednesday 14th October -

Mum and I headed south to the big smoke for an event I had been very excited about. The "2009 Women in Business Luncheon - WOMEN IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE".

This was a fabulous event, held at the Regent Plaza Grand Ballroom. A very romantic setting which was perfect.

We enjoyed a little De Bortoli Lorimer bubbly with a delicious lunch followed by the most amazing pecan pie with home made vanilla ice-cream. Yum....

I saw Mum for about 5 minutes before she wizzed off to visit every table in the room. When I heard roars of laughter I knew she was dazzling them with her AMAZING networking skills!

Below is a picture from our table. The girls were lovely, shame it had to end really! -




Mum and I misbehaving in the Ballroom -

COFFIN BAY FISHING TRIP!

Friday 2nd October - Stu and I headed off on our first holiday as a married couple (that didn't involve golf clubs!). We were off to Coffin Bay in South Australia. It was an 8 hour drive south/west of Adelaide down the Eyre Peninsula, plus the 8 hour drive to Adelaide!

Anyhoo, by the time we arrived Stu was ready to fish! I stayed back to stretch my legs with Bec and Amy while their better halves headed out with Stu.

The next day we made it to an amazing spot on the rocks of Gallipoli Beach (was the location for the movie). This beach is incredible and no-one else to be seen for miles. The girls rocked here with Amy bagging heaps of fish (she did have two hooks on her line, kind of cheating!), Bec pulling in some big ones and I also did pretty well with Whiting.


GALLIPOLI BEACH -




Bec with her dinner -




Me and my Trevally! -




Amy with one of her MASSIVE haul -




Stu making out with his Whiting -




We then tried our hand at night time squiding. Big fat waste of time. I think we were in the wrong spot and not enough lights around. The next night we headed to Almonta Beach in the National Park.


Ryan's tracks on Almonta Beach leading out to Golden Island -





Every morning this place is SWARMING with 5kg plus sized Australian Salmon. The boys had a blast fishing for these with the surf rods.


Stu with his Surf Rod and Salmon lure on at Almonta -




Hugh night fishing at Almonta Beach fishing for Shark -




On our last day Amy and Ryan wanted to head home with a few Salmon and Whiting. I was the first to come good with a 2kg Salmon which nearly ripped my arm off! Good fun though.

We then headed to the "Brydens' Secret Spot". Every afternoon around 2:30pm there was a massive school of Salmon. It was so black and big it looked like seaweed. We took the peeps there on the last day and stayed for 5 hours, just pulling them in and chucking them back. It was on the rocks, fairly dangerous but someone was always on the look out for the big swell with a swift yell "WAVE!!!".

Hugh, Ryan, Bec and Amy n the rocks at "Secret Spot" -




My and my 2kg Salmon, almost couldn't get him out of the water with the little rod! -

o

FINNAIR MASTERS 2009 - Helsinki

After a lovely stop in Bangkok I was then on to the Finnair Masters at Tali Golf Club in Helsinki.

I shot 73, 70 and 71 (+1) to finish 31st in the money. Everything was great except for my sword fighting with the putter (not good).

My caddy Karen Quinn and I chilling after round 3 -



Quinny with the scorers (they were all cute young kids) at the 12th green -



In the sauna at Ilka & Jana's before jumping in the Baltic Sea -


Me, Gregg (Dana's boyfriend), Karen Quinn, Dana Lacey (Aus), Rick (Laura's boyfriend) and Laura Tereby (USA).

The many faces of Karen Quinn (how she keeps me happy on the golf course) -









Dinner with my crew, a mix of Danish, South African, Malaysian and Aussie -


Lee-Ann Pace (SA), Julie Tvede (Denmark), Mianne Bagger (Denmark/Aus), Me, Bing Lim (Malaysia/Aus) and Amanda Motlke-Leth aka "The Mad Dane" (Denmark).

The feast to be had on the docks in Helsinki, front to back, potato, white bait, salmon, calamari and a huge pot of paella. Shame I am a vegan now! -

Thai LPGA Open - Pattana Golf & Sports Resort

On my way back to Europe I made a quick stop in Bangkok for the Thai LPGA Open. Although the golf wasn't great I had a fantastic time.

I roomed with Jody Fleming also from Melbourne and managed to eat Phad Thai almost every day!

The caddies in Thailand are amazing. They wear full bodied suits as tanned skin is frowned upon in Asian culture. I am super popular with my pasty white skin ;-). Every day I paid my caddy 300 Baht equal to roughly $10 (plus 250 Baht to the club). Outrageous.




During our practice round we had to halt play after 9 holes as a MASSIVE storm rolled in.




This is a picture over the hotel pool, past the water is the 10th fairway. This is a medium length Par 4 which wouldn't be a problem except it is lined with water on both sides and short/long/left of the green! (I made par every day, yay me!)



This is a picture from the 12th tee, over the water to the clubhouse and hotel. It was mammoth. It took 10 minutes for us to walk from our room to breakfast in the morning. Good for working up an appetite for my phad thai though!

FUN STUFF

After Malaga I spent a few days with the Jewetts at La Cala.

When I finally made it home (43 hours travel from Malaga to home), fat dog came over for a visit to with Buddy (our German Short Haired pointer). They are so cute!

Fat dog (on the left) and Buddy (on the right) -

BANESTO TOUR - Spain

After the Spanish Open I headed south to Malaga on the Costa Del Sol.

This week I competed in the Parador de Malaga Pro-Am on the Banesto Tour.

The hotel was on the course and absolutely fabulous. The view from the door was of the 7th green and the Mediterranean Sea. The view from the balcony was of the pool, 8th fairway and Mediterranean Sea.... Ahhh...


The pool -




7th Fairway -



The tournament was 36 holes. I shot 77, 77 to finish 22nd. I made 400 Euros... Yay!

I am returning home for a few weeks then heading back to LET events with a small event in Bangkok on the way.

2009 Open de Espana Femenino

2009 Open de Espana Femenino
Panoramica Country Club
SPAIN
16th - 19th July

After 5 months in the wilderness I have again experienced the feeling of tournament play... WOOH!

The Panoramica Country Club is a 2 hour drive south of Barcelona. After loads of travel (roughly 62 hours), I arrived at the club. A quick 9 holes and a little practice later I made it back to the apartment on the 9th Green and flopped on the couch.

I roomed with Mianne Bagger for the week which was lovely. She has now converted me to "going veg". So far 4.5 days and loving it...

After saying that I did enjoy plenty of local fare encluding chorizo sausages and prosciutto (eep), seafood paella (prounced pie-a-ya) and corona beer.

My game felt good going into Thursday. After my round of 76 I wasn't so sure! It wasn't too bad, on the range afterwards I realised I was SUPER tense in my hands. This may have attributed to me hitting 1/14 fairways. Oops. It was interesting my initial reaction was to doubt my swing and alignment even though they had been great in the months leading up.

Anyhoo, I learnt, trusted my gear, played better the next day (-2 on my last 9) and had 75 for the second round.

I finished +7 for the two days to miss the cut at Even par.

My score didn't quite reflect how I felt about the week. I learnt much in regards to course planning, committment to my decisions and trusting my abilities.

View of the old building outside our apartment -



View of the Par 3 7th -

Spunky Sisters

My younger sister Ally and I messing about before our cousin's 21st party, flapper themed...

Happy Birthday to me!

I am so very spoiled...

My lovely husband, Stuart, took me out for a night on the town in Melbourne to celebrate my 28th birthday. We visited two lovely wine bars with the Smiths and stayed at the Grand Hyett.



Stu taking a large chunk of the cheese we ordered (that bit on the cracker cost about $3, expensive night!)...



Hugh and Bec Smith, fellow Puckapunyal residents...

ROBC - Officer's Mess, Puckapunyal Barracks

Heidi McCulkin (my maid of honour and fellow golfer) flew down from Brisbane to help us celebrate the graduates of the ROBC course. In the picture below is Bec Smith, Sarah Coffey, myself and Heidi. Bec and Sarah are also Army wives living on base. ;-)

We had a lovely evening filled with shmoozing, dancing (poorly!) and a menu of delicious cocktails....

Barwon Heads GC Charity Day

20th February 2009

Fundraising for the GYNAECOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE of the ROYAL WOMEN'S HOSPITAL

The superstar dream team of Jason Smith (my brother), Melanie Bryden, Kris Preston and JB took out the day with an amazing score of 62 gross. The team were absolutely amazing with Kris hitting the flag stick on our final hole (17th Par 3) for an almost birdie all off her own bat.

Once again Jim Fidge organised a fantastic day and Mr Ian Cover was again at his peak during lunch time entertainment and presentations.

See the article below for a lovely picture of Kris, myself and Robyn Holmes (mum!)...

A SUMMER SPENT IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES, Brrrr...

Long time no talk! What a whirl-wind 3 months I've had. I am now married, played the ALPG Pro-Am series and tournaments in Spain, New Zealand and Australia. And Stu and I moved to the Australian Army Base at Puckapunyal north of Melbourne. I can hear them blowing up stuff as I write (this is the artillery base). Phew! Well, I'll start from the ALPG Pro-Am series along the NSW South Coast...



On the way to visit Stu at home in Wagga I passed an old friend "On the road to Gundagai" -




After a few days with Stu I drove past the Rock and the Uranqinty Bakery (AMAZING!) on my way the ALPG Pro-Am series -





Helping Kate Combes celebrate after winning the Mollymook Pro-Am, Jody Flemming hiding in the background -




Hanging with Pat Bell in Wollongong -




Mr Stuart Bryden & Mrs Melanie Bryden at Christmas dinner -




Munching on a banana & nutella crepe under the Eiffel Tower -




View of the Arc de Triumphe from the top of the Eiffel Tower -




Stuey risking life & limb to get a picture of the Arc de Triumphe down the Champs Elysees -




Still in Paris, Stuey getting stuck into the most amazing chocolate eclair -




During my 17 hour stint in bed after eating dodgy salami -




Playing golf in Scotland on New Years Eve with Mel, Gavin, Stu, Aunty Heather and Uncle John -




Visiting with Stu's family in Glasgow -




Posing in front of the La Manga strip in Spain, very similar to the Gold Coast except no attractions but beach and apartment buildings -




The dream team at the La Manga Club in Spain for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying 2009 season -




My amateur photography capturing Stu infront of the Lighthouse at Cabo de Palos in Spain -