Hello again golfers…

I’m going back to the interlock grip this week at the Knoxville Open in Knoxville, Tenn., as the overlap/Vardon grip seems to make my left hand on the club too strong.

With the interlock grip, my left hand feels and sets of the the golf club more naturally and with less tension facing the target like it should, with the “v” in the left hand pointing more in the center of my body. For me, this grip allows the club to feel weaker during the swing and feels like I can eliminate the left side of the course. This allows me to have my misses more to the right become more reliable.

I started out with this grip when my dad taught me at an early young age. I got away from it during the middle of my career, and I tried the overlap and have been using it ever since. I have tinkered with it at times during my career and put it into play during the Canadian Open last year on the PGA Tour and made the cut. I then went on to use it for the remainder of the year, making six out of my last seven cuts.

Grip is the first thing you teach a beginner, and sometimes even a professional needs to reaccess his basic fundamentals and go back to square one when things get sour at times.

I’m going to give this grip a try, and who knows? The best two players of all time use it, Nicklaus and Woods.

Good day…

CC

Note: Follow Chad’s scores online this weekend in Knoxville by clicking here.

Hoosier golfers and race fans:

This past week at home really had a spring feeling! The grass was starting to show signs of green patches, and the trees were already starting to bloom. Granted, there were some cold days that were typical of early spring weather, but nonetheless a pleasant off week!

Dad and I took my bass boat out to Racoon Lake and did some crappie fishing early on in the week. We had some decent luck off of fallen trees and rock ledges, drop-shotting with curly chartreuse curly-tailed Mister Twisters tipped with minnows, and minnows ‘n bobbers. We ended up putting about a dozen nice crappies in the live well to take home and fillet.

The Masters! By far my favorite tournament to watch and some day win! I was really pulling for Kenny Perry coming down the stretch, but that didn’t work out. I had lunch in the locker room with Kenny last year on tour at Torrey Pines, and he was very nice and cordial to me!

Down in Georgia myself for tournaments the next two weeks. Athens this week, and then down to Valdosta for next week. With some hard work on the greens this week and lots of time spent grooving my stroke once again, I look forward to some high finishes, if not a win, shortly!

Thanks for following my progress, and tune in same time, same place next week!

Good day,

CC

Note: Click here to follow Chad online in the Athens Regional Foundation Classic starting Thursday, April 16.

Hello Hoosier golf fans:

Last week, the Chitimacha Louisiana Open was the first Nationwide Tour event in the U.S. this season. I was so psyched to be back Stateside that I busted out with my second top 25 of the year.

I finished tied for 23^rd with a Sunday round of 70, 1 under. Although I finished decently, I was actually not even close to the top of my game. I missed fairways right and left, and was struggling with my putter.

Unfortunately, I cannot blame my poor putting on the greens. The greens were in great shape and set up well for my game. I just wasn’t dropping the ones that counted.

I’m feeling really optimistic heading into this week’s tournament in San Francisco. With a T13 finish in the last New Zealand tournament and now a top 25 in Louisiana, my mind is in a good place for another good finish.

I spent a good portion of my time in Louisiana out on the driving range and on the practice green. I’m still trying to shake the dust off from the offseason. I’ve also been tinkering with a new driver and hopefully will be straightening out off the tee.

If everything comes together like it should, I will be climbing up the money list on my way back to the Big Tour.

Then, after this week in San Francisco, I will head home for another week off. I am looking forward to some good fishing and some relaxation. Hopefully, I will be able to make it out to Brickyard Crossing for my second round there of the year.

I was out at the Brickyard for the St. Patrick’s Day ‘Pay the Temp’ event on the course’s opening day. It was fun to get out on the course when not really practicing or competing, and the weather was awesome.

I somehow managed to make my morning tee time even though I had just flown in from New Zealand at midnight the night before. An 18-hour time difference can cause some serious jet lag, but I didn’t want to miss out on the St. Patrick’s Day festivities! I ended up being paired with A.J. Foyt IV and his friend Luke, and there was some friendly competition on the back nine. Ha ha. It was an all-around good time.

Thank you for your support, and check in next week!

Good day,

CC

Note: You can follow Chad during every shot this weekend at the Stonebrae Classic by clicking here.

Hello again Hoosier swingers…

In Queenstown, New Zealand, this week for the New Zealand Michael Hill Open. Queenstown is a beautiful town, a cross between Aspen and Tahoe.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks. I missed the last two cuts despite hitting the ball really well.

I’ve been working on the putting a lot this week and looking for good results this week. The golf course is rather hilly, but very scenic. The mountains seem to be in every backdrop.

It’s another links-style course with bunkers spread throughout and some very interesting art pieces by the owner’s son spread throughout.

While it’s been fun to come overseas, it’s been tiring, inconvenient, and the body is ready for a return to the promised land. I’m looking forward to seeing Indiana and getting outdoors when I return home.

In memory of the late Paul Harvey,

Good day,

CC

Hoosier Golfers:

Another week, another foreign country.

I’m in Christchurch New Zealand, this week for the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship. The course this week is completely opposite of last week in Australia.

There has been a good amount of rain, and the course is very green. Going from a links course to a conventional course has been an adjustment.

Last week there were numerous holes where I couldn’t see the flag on my approach shot, whereas this week everything is right in front of me. Play starts Thursday for me at 7:30 local time.

Thanks for checking in and we will talk to you next week!!!

Good day,

CC

Hello again golf fans!

Top 20, baby…!!!

Last week in San Antonio was a great week for many reasons. Another made cut, another solid finish and best of all, got paired with Justin Leonard on Sunday!

The first round brought me a steady round of 5-under 65, not putting me behind the 8-ball after the first round. Day 2 brought total opposite winds and total opposite play for me, as well. The first day was very poor from tee to green but made a ton of putts. The second day was solid from tee to green but made nothing, which resulted in a 3-over 73.

The cut fell at 1 under par, which put me toward the back of the pack, but a solid weekend could bump me up the leaderboard, for sure. The golf course had a lot of elevation off the tee shots, which made the course play relatively short. Birdies were definitely out there if your tee ball was positioned properly and putts were executed on the tough Bermuda grass greens.

Saturday’s round felt awesome, as my all-around game was very consistent and was effortless! Another 65 put me back in the mix for an interesting Sunday finish.

The final round tee times were set: Justin Leonard and I. The 10th-ranked player in the world and the best player to date that I have ever played golf with!

The nerves brought back memories of standing on the tee at the final round of the 2006 U.S. Open! Leonard piped one down the dogleg right, long par-5, and the crowd is obviously on his side. Next on the tee is yours truly, and I can’t get the tee in the ground fast enough. A few deep breaths, and I smoked it up the right side and clipped Justin by 3 yards! WOW … glad that’s over with!

Off to the races as I chip my third shot up to about 10 feet for birdie. Another deep concentrated breath, and the putt falls! I move to 8-under for the tournament and a one-shot lead on my playing partner. I proceed to bogey my next two holes and then birdie my fourth to get back to where I started.

Time to settle down and relax! After nine holes, I found myself 1-over par and losing ground!

A long walk to the 10th tee was just what I needed to collect my thoughts and regroup for a turnaround on the back nine. Birdies on 11 and 12 got me back to red numbers and only one behind Justin. We both proceeded to birdie the 14th, and then he birdied the 15th to take a two-shot lead on me at 11-under for the tournament. We both parred out from there.

As we finished out on 18 and shook hands, he told me to have fun the rest of the year and grind it out and work hard. I said thank you and how much I enjoyed playing the round with him, and also how much of a pleasure it was to watch a world-class player in action and a genuine down-to-Earth guy in person.

Another solid tournament and another cut made! A tie for 19th was more motivation for this week’s event in Las Vegas!

Until next week, thanks for tuning in!

Good day…

CC