New Week, Clean Slate...

After a disappointing week last time out at the opening tournament of the Gateway Pro Tour, the time came to put the nose to the grindstone. Most of my bag from mid-irons to the driver and putter just would not seem to cooperate last week. Finding the center of the club face was a major challenge, and the ball just couldn't find the bottom of the cup even when I seemed to hit good putts. With that, I'm hoping there are plenty of good shots to be had this coming week. A lesson with my swing coach and some long successful practice sessions has my game feeling closer to where I want it. Now, it's time to put it to the test at this week's Gateway event at the Raven GC in Buckeye, AZ. The first round kicks off tomorrow and runs through Thursday after a 36-hole cut. Putting last week behind me, and refocusing on the task at hand the next few days will prove critical. Playing one shot at a time, and getting lost in the process of getting better each day now become the focus when things aren't clicking on all cylinders. My 2011 stint on the Gateway Pro Tour will be one where I'll need to stay very patient. As a rookie on this tour, I will be seeing a new course each week for the very first time. Most of the guys on this tour have been playing these courses numerous times for many years and know all the ins and outs. I'll have to make sure I pay very close attention both in tournament rounds as well as practice rounds to get as comfortable as I can with the courses. Each piece of information is extremely valuable when often times tournaments come down to just one shot. Becoming acquainted and comfortable with a golf course is very important in easing the stress of the unfamiliar layouts and contours each one provides. You can follow the progress of this week's event on the Gateway Pro Tour website, as well as my Twitter feeds. My screen name is @bhanstadgolf. That's all for now from "the tips", but until next time remember....."straight is long"! Bryce