Toms blog: Charity, football and a little bit more golf
By David Toms
Editor's note: David Toms will write a blog for PGATOUR.COM periodically during the 2009 season. In his most recent post, he updates us on the start of his year. For more information on David Toms, visit davidtoms.com.
Nov. 4, 2009
We are starting to dry out here in my hometown of Shreveport, La. We had record rainfall in the month of October, and some of the local golf courses are still under water. I was in Jackson, Miss., (three hours east of Shreveport) last week for the Viking Classic, and the tournament had to be canceled because the course was so saturated.
The forecast calls for sunshine in the next few days, which is perfect because I have several events going on that I don't want rained out.
I will be going to Texarkana tomorrow to conduct a clinic for The First Tee and then stay for a fundraiser dinner reception for the program. We hope to raise $100,000 for the First Tee Chapter.
This weekend, I will be going to Alabama for my annual pro-am to benefit the Big Oak Ranch. First, I will be in Tuscaloosa for the LSU-Alabama football game and then on to Birmingham for the pro-am. There are a lot of Crimson Tide fans who will be ready to give me grief if the Tigers lose the game, so I really need LSU to pull this one out.
I want to thank my fellow PGA TOUR pros who will be coming in to help with the event: Tom Lehman, Boo Weekley, J.J. Henry, Shaun Micheel, Billy Andrade, Woody Austin, Joe Durant, Johnson Wagner, Jeff Klauk, Jason Bohn (an Alabama grad) and Brian Bateman (an LSU grad). David Feherty also supports the event every year, and we are excited about him coming back. He is going to the football game with us, but I don't know which team he will be pulling for.
After the pro-am, I will head to Orlando for the last PGA TOUR event of the year. My family is excited about the trip, especially my daughter who has never been to Disney World.
After the (Children's Miracle Network Classic), I will have about two months to enjoy the holidays, relax and do a lot of duck hunting before heading to Hawaii to start the 2010 season.
Finally, congratulations to the LSU men's golf team for winning the inaugural David Toms Intercollegiate two weeks ago. We had 14 college teams from across the country participate in what turned out to be a great event. We entertained the teams at a tailgate party and provided them with tickets to the LSU-Auburn football game. I spent three days in Baton Rouge and really enjoyed being around the teams.
That's it for now.
Editor's note: To find out more about David Toms, please visit http://www.davidtoms.com/.
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Sept. 16, 2009
I'm finally at home after playing for six straight weeks. I can't remember the last time I played six events in a row, but I'm sure it was a lot easier on the body then.
Since I got home, I've been catching up around the house and the office. I've had a few business meetings this week and just finished up discussing the University Club Golf Course redesign plans with architect Jim Lipe. We will begin construction on the Baton Rouge course in a couple of months, and we feel the finished product will make it one of the best courses in the state. It will also help the LSU golf program attract the best players from around the country.
On Friday, I will be in Mathews, La., for the grand opening of LaTour Golf Club. The course has been open for a few months, but we are excited about the public grand opening events this week. The course is in fantastic condition, and everyone seems to enjoy the design.
After the grand opening, I will head to Baton Rouge for the LSU game against Louisiana-Lafayette. I can't wait to be in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
I will be in Atlanta next week for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Any time you make THE TOUR Championship, the year has to be considered a success. I'm pleased with my year so far, but I still have a few more events this year, and I want to finish strong.
I plan on playing three Fall Series events -- the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, the Viking Classic in Mississippi and the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Disney. Between those events, LSU football games and some duck hunting, I plan on staying pretty busy.
Thanks for all your support.
Editor's note: To find out more about David Toms, please visit http://www.davidtoms.com/.
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June 25, 2009
I just finished my first round at the Travelers Championship and feel good about the way I played. I only missed one fairway and shot a solid 5 under with no bogeys. This is the third consecutive year I've played in Hartford and I think the course really sets up well for me.
I've already had a busy week, but a successful one. I played with Nick Price in the CVS Charity Classic in Rhode Island on Monday and Tuesday. Nick played great the first day and I played great the second day and we won the tournament by a few shots. That is always a fun event and the people of Rhode Island do a great job of supporting it.
After the Travelers Championship I will take a week off before I start getting ready for the British Open. I will play the John Deere Classic before going over to Turnberry. My first PGA TOUR win came in Illinois when the event was called the Quad Cities Classic. We play a different course now, but it is still nice to go back to the area where I had my first win.
I have never played Turnberry, but I've heard great things about it. We never know what to expect when it comes to the weather, so we have to be ready for everything.
Speaking of links golf, the Golf Club at LaTour is now open in south Louisiana. This links-style course that I designed had a few delays during construction (hurricanes) but is now ready. I played it a few months ago and, when the wind is blowing (which it almost always does), it provides for a great test. If you find yourself in south Louisiana, I encourage you to try playing LaTour.
I have to finish by talking about the LSU baseball team. The Tigers won the national championship last night by beating Texas in what proved to be a great three-game series. I am a huge baseball fan and it was great to see LSU play so well. Congratulations to coach Paul Mainieri and the entire team for bringing another national championship to Baton Rouge.
I am off to a corporate dinner tonight. Try to stay cool this summer and I will be writing again soon.
David Toms
Editor's note: To find out more about David Toms, please visit http://www.davidtoms.com/.
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May 20, 2009
I'm headed back to work today to play in the HP Byron Nelson Championship. I enjoyed my week off and I'm ready to start playing again. As usual, my off week was still pretty busy. I went to South Louisiana for my nephew's high school graduation and watched my son play several Dixie baseball games.
On Monday I played in the Hal Sutton Charity pro-am, which raises money for the Sutton Children's Hospital in Shreveport. We had great weather and a good time. Seventeen TOUR pros came in for the event, and I know they enjoyed their stay in my hometown.
It was great to see my good friend Zach Johnson pick up another win last week in San Antonio. He has been playing so well and I am very happy for him.
I haven't played the TPC Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas since they made some changes to the course. I've heard good things about it and I'm looking forward to a great week. I have a lot of friends in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, so I know I will have a lot of support the next two weeks.
After the HP Byron Nelson Championship, I will play in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. I've said it may times that Colonial Country Club is one of my favorite courses we play all year. While I have never won at Colonial, I have had a lot of success there and I'm definitely looking forward to it.
I will take a week off before heading to Memphis for the St. Jude Championship. I've won that event twice, and much like Dallas, I have a lot of friends in the area who support me.
A decent finish this week in Dallas would automatically qualify me for the U.S. Open. Bethpage is a great course and I'm looking forward to going back there. Everyone knows that hitting fairways is essential in U.S. Opens, and so far I've been driving the ball as straight as I ever have (knock on wood).
Thanks for all your support,
David
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April 1, 2009
I hope you are enjoying the spring weather wherever you are. I'm still in my hometown of Shreveport, which is a bit unusual since I am playing this week at the Shell Houston Open. However, my son has a baseball game tonight (Tuesday) and I really want to watch him play. I won't be able to see that many games this year so I am taking the opportunity when I can get it.
I will leave (Wednesday) morning for Houston and will play in the pro-am in the afternoon. I've played many rounds at Redstone and helped Rees Jones on the design, so I know the course very well. This will be my third consecutive event and I hope to end on a high note.
I've played pretty well to start the year, but I have to keep working at it and get back into the winner's circle.
I just back from Orlando after competing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It is great to have Tiger back on the TOUR. That was another amazing performance by him.
After Houston I will take two weeks off before starting back at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. I didn't get to play in New Orleans last year because of a bad back, so I am very anxious to get down there in front of all the LSU fans. It is obviously one of my favorite events of the year.
After New Orleans I will go to Charlotte for the Quail Hollow Championship (formerly the Wachovia). As a past champion of both events, I will have a lot of confidence and expect to do well.
Thanks for your support,
David
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Feb. 6, 2009
I am in the middle of a family vacation this week, and I'm enjoying the time off. I'm really pleased with the start of the season. I have a second place finish, 25th and fourth place in my first three events. I've been in contention on Sunday in two events and on both occasions I played pretty well.
I will try to keep it going next week at Pebble Beach. After the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, I will head a little south for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. If things go as planned, I will then play in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Getting off to a solid start is much better than the alternative. I plan on having a great 2009 season.
Things are also going well in Baton Rouge. First, Les Miles and his coaching staff put together an outstanding recruiting class which was ranked No. 1 in the nation by several polls. Second, basketball coach Trent Johnson has the Tigers playing great and sitting atop the SEC. Finally, the baseball team is about to start the year off in a brand new stadium and with a No. 1 preseason ranking. It's a great time to be a Tiger.
Thanks for all the e-mails and support that I have received thus far. It really means a lot.
David
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Jan. 9, 2009
I hope you all had a great Christmas and holiday season. I've had a wonderful time at home with the family. My daughter, who is 3 ½, had a blast during Christmas. My son and I have done a lot of duck hunting and it has been fantastic. We even went hunting with the Duck Commander, an experience my son will always remember.
My swing coach, Rob Akins, came down from Memphis and we have been practicing for the past few days to get ready for the start of the season. I leave on Sunday for Hawaii and I plan on playing six of the first seven tournaments. I will start the year at the Sony Open, a tournament that I won in 2006. It would be great to start the season off with another win.
From an equipment standpoint, I am back with Cleveland Golf. It's exciting to be back with the company that I had so much success with in the past. Eleven of my 12 wins were achieved when I was playing with Cleveland equipment. I hope to add to that total in the near future.
My caddie, Scott Gneiser, and I are also back together. Like Cleveland Golf, Scott has been on my bag for the same 11 wins. I'm feeling good and I'm excited about the new year.
On the Foundation front, we recently gave the Fellowship of Christian Athletes a $25,000 grant. The local chapter in Northwest Louisiana is doing great work with the kids in our area and I want to help them in any way I can.
The Club at LaTour, an 18-hole course I designed in Mathews, La., will be opening this spring. The two hurricanes that hit in September of last year really pushed things back, but I don't foresee any more delays. I think everyone will really enjoy this course.
Thanks for the support,
David
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