A Month on the Symetra Tour
The LPGA Qualifying School is the one tournament every aspiring professional golfer looks forward to the most. It is our chance to make it to the next level. When I didn't advance to Stage II, I thought my season was essentially over. Boy, was I wrong!
Many of my fellow Stage I-ers returned home and decided to compete in nearby mini tour events. When I saw I had a chance to get into the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge with the Symetra Tour, I booked a flight to South Dakota. I had many people asking me, "Why? What's the point?"
I love golf, and I will gratefully take any opportunity I can to compete on a larger scale. Playing in my first Symetra Tour event in Sioux Falls this summer was an amazing feeling I won't forget anytime soon. There were banners with pictures of legends graduating from the Symetra to the LPGA Tour. There were several volunteers and fans; I even gave my first autographs to two adorable sisters who also love the game! Best of all, there were golfers from whom I could learn.
One of my friends on tour shared a valuable piece of information with me: even though Qschool was over, competing in Symetra events can still affect my status for the next season. If that's not another good reason to travel around the country playing, I don't know what is! While I was happy with my long game in California this year, my short game left me a bit short of Stage II. Playing in these tournaments improved my chances of playing in more Symetra events next year, and I didn't want to miss out on that opportunity.
Lastly, the exposure of playing on such a prestigious tour is unparalleled. After just one Symetra event, I noticed that my website saw a couple thousand new visitors and I had more opportunities offered through my LinkedIn page. While we golfers are certainly out there practicing and playing on our own, we know golf is truly a team sport - we couldn't do what we love without all of your support.
I had a taste of my dream, and now I'm even more hooked. I was ecstatic to get into not just one Symetra event, but three, and now I am hungry for more. I am dedicating my year to short game work and can't wait to get out there and get started. Symetra Tour, I'm coming for ya!