Women's Canadian PGA Championship

Hello again from the North! This week I crossed the border again after flying into Buffalo to drive to the Canadian Women's PGA Championship about an hour northwest of Toronto. I found it ironic that I crossed into Canada on Canada Day, and headed back towards the border on the 4th of July. So patriotic! I stayed at a friend's country home which was really neat and the surrounding scenery was very pretty. I'm always thankful for hospitality, especially when it comes from encouraging friends and does not have to include a dimly lit, stale hotel room.

Canadians are generally nice, hospitable people anyway, but this was especially true in the case of a young man who came in a tow truck after I called the Canadian version of AAA to help me retrieve my keys I locked in the rental car. Ok, so mayyybe I smiled and laughed a little, and mayyybe he interpreted that as some light flirting, and mayyybe he then only charged me $40 instead of the normal fee of $80, but I didn't do anything wrong... right? :)  Oh! And did I mention that occurred about an hour after I literally coasted into a gas station in the middle of nowhere? Yeah, that happened. I mean, I could've walked to the nearest, uhhh, grain silo? ...Good times.

Through a contact in South Carolina that used to live in the area, I was able to arrange a practice round with a woman that is not only a member of the course and playing in the tournament, but also a member of the Canadian Women's Amateur Hall of Fame. That was a great experience and I was fortunate that she pointed out many subtleties of the course that became useful information. The Club at North Halton is definitely a special course. I enjoyed how different each hole was, with no hole design showing characteristics of any other on the course.

I played well in the 1st round, shooting a steady even par score, and felt ready to go lower in the final round. Though I was excited to tee off in the final round, my positive energy quickly turned to struggle. I encountered an extremely bizarre situation that involved a player and caddy in my group. The situation was loud, abusive, inappropriate, and continuous, and unfortunately I became very distracted. After my confrontation did not help, I tried with all my energy to block out the distraction. Regrettably, I did a poor job of refocusing before many of my shots and ended up finishing low on the money list. While I had never played with a situation like that before, I was very disappointed in my focus. After positioning myself to make a solid charge entering the final round, it is difficult to let go of the frustration that occurred. Thankfully though, all tournaments have their positives and points from which to learn. I can now look back and know that trying to block out a thought or distraction really only makes me more aware of it. I will use this experience to my advantage the next time I face challenging people or circumstances in my group. I enjoyed the course and the area, and I know I'm playing well so I'm already looking forward to a good week of practice ahead before driving to the Tennessee Open.

Lastly, I can't forget to tell you about Niagara Falls! Since it was on my way to the airport I was able to see fireworks over the Falls after the final round last night on the 4th of July; so cool! I'm grateful for a friend I made on the practice green that was a member at the Club at North Halton. He filled me in on where I needed to go and what I needed to see, like a tour guide for my limited time I had at the Falls. I had never been before and just like its reputation, it is quite impressive. The sight, sound, and feeling of mist covering you makes it a memorable visit to a stunning display of nature and force!

Gotta go catch my flight South!

Brooke

 Panoramic view of Niagara Falls when standing near an end on the Canadian side

 

The Horseshoe end of Niagara Falls

 

The Club at North Halton, #10 tee.

  

Elevated tee shot on #11

 

 

Started the week off well, nearly buying drinks after my shot on the Par 3, 18th hole in the practice round on Canada Day

 

 Canadian Countryside Random Sightings #1...

 

Yes. Yes it is what you think you see. That would be the top half of a school bus turned into a personal storage shed. Canadians are so resourceful.

  

 Stereotypes suggest I should expect them after crossing the other border, but nonetheless they have them where you want them!

 When you're in the middle of nowhere, don't underestimate the distance to the next gas station. How ya like them MPG's?!? UP Yaris, Brooke.

Random cove/marina, "Jordan Harbour," that I saw passing on the highway & immediately exited to check it out.

 Saw this in SkyMall magazine on my flight. Fully agree.

 My friend's hunting dog at their country home... looks like a cute cartoon character, eh?