Elmcrest CC, in Cedar Rapids, is where it all started when I was growing up. The tree-lined course has a very demanding layout that requires you to be accurate off the tee and avoid a number of well-placed water hazards on some of the holes.
Early in the winter of 2002, I gave my life to the Lord. Before I was one, I always thought being a Christian would be boring. In reality, it has been the complete opposite.
Sports formed me. I was always decently skilled but lacked size, so I had to resort to using my skill versus my power. I strategically play golf because that's all I can do. It's the same on the basketball court. I try to get open and shoot it. Or I use the open space on the soccer field.
Whenever I'm in Des Moines, I always make a trip to Manhattan Deli for a sandwich. I spent a lot of time there when I was going to college at Drake, so it's usually my one 'go-to' food stop when I'm in town.
You need to make a trip to Des Moines in August, because the Iowa State Fair really is a sight to see. The Iowa Fairgrounds are usually packed for those 11 days, and you get a real sense of what a classic Midwest fair is all about.
There are a bunch of places to stay in Des Moines, but I'd suggest finding a place on the west side of town. It's a great urban area that has a lot to offer tourists.
My boring, mundane, diligent kind of golf works sometimes. Actually, it works all the time. And sometimes, on the greatest stages, it really does flourish.
If you put me in the fairway at my average distance into a par 4, 175 to 180 yards, and you put another player in the rough 120 yards from the green, over time, I'm going to wear him out.
I don't hit it as far as a lot of guys do, so I have to be in the right spot in the fairway to score, and that means driving it well. The two biggest keys for me are to make a good transition and to keep my hands ahead of the clubhead through impact. I want to feel as if my swing is two swings: one going back and another coming down.
I'm kind of a grinder. I'm a Cinderella, an underdog story who fights.
These guys that take a shower, grab a cup of coffee, and go straight to the tee? That's not the way to do it. When you warm up, hit 20 to 25 wedges, a few middle irons, and 10 to 15 3-woods and drivers. If you're going to putt, give yourself 10 minutes.
I don't hit it very far; I don't overpower a golf course, but I think I'm a pretty decent putter. At Augusta National, putting is premium.
I have no superstitions. I don't have to have a Sunday outfit. I don't have socks or underwear I have to wear.
