Dominick Francks writes about 3 memorable experiences in Fall quarter

My first quarter as a member of the golf team has been a whirlwind, full of unforgettable experiences and adjustments to a new situation. As I look back on that first quarter, there are countless important moments that come to mind, but for the purposes of this post, I’d like to share my top 3. So with that, here are my top 3 moments of the 2012 fall:

1.     Turnberry

Our entire trip to Scotland was something that I won’t ever forget, and

before I say any more I’d like to thank all of the donors that accompanied us and helped make our trip possible. We had an absolute blast, and we were very fortunate to have the opportunity. My most memorable moment from the trip was our opening round, on the Ailsa course at the Turnberry resort. We had just completed a marathon flight, and as I stood on the 9^th tee at Turnberry, on the edge of the sea, it hit me that we were really here. Here’s a picture on that breathtaking 9^th tee:

2.    Working on the range after our first round of the U.S. Collegiate in Georgia

               This moment was important to me because it marked a turning point

in the way that I approached rounds of tournament golf. I shot an 82 in the first round in Georgia, and I was questioning my shot selection all day. Coach Rowe and I worked on developing a focused mental pre-shot routine that would get me into the proper mental state over each shot. I came back to shoot two solid rounds to help the team gain 10 spots in the final two rounds, and I felt more comfortable on the golf course for the rest of the fall.

3.  The 16^th tee at Cypress Point in the final round 

                      Our experience at the Cypress Point Club at the Stanford Classic was another amazing opportunity. The course was magnificent, and the entire tournament was top-notch. I’d also like to thank the members of Cypress Point that helped to make this tournament possible, because it was incredible. During the final round of singles, I came to the 16^th tee 3 down to Johnathan Schnitzer of Texas. It was so foggy out that the green was completely shrouded in fog. We had to aim our crucial tee shots over a hazard stake at the edge of the tee box. The feeling of watching your tee shot sail into the abyss was certainly a unique one.

I can’t wait for the spring and to continue our pursuit of a national championship!

Dominick Francks