2017- The Year of New

A year in Reflection 

2017 has officially come to a close and I cannot believe it is already over.

2017 was surely a year of new and a year of firsts. It was my first full year as a pro, my first year on the Ladies European Tour, my first time living the road life, and my first time to a number new countries around the world. And amidst this year of firsts there was success, struggle, and most importantly immense growth.  

The memories were endless— family living with the Sorbs, swing dancing at the buffalo chip in Arizona, assistant coaching trips with my Davis girls, cooking traditional dishes in Morocco, drinking sangria in Barcelona, standing at the side of best friends getting married, exploring the temples of Thailand, having my sister on the bag in Spain, eating way too many almond croissants in Paris, getting stuck in India (twice), and pursuing my passion of playing golf!

The list of experiences and cities I visited this year is long, and people often ask me about my favorites. But the best parts about this past year were not sights, cities, or tournaments--it has been the people! It’s the other travelers, players, locals, friends, and families that I’ve connect with along the journey that have been the most incredible. This year, I met someone new in each country, city and even on most flights, and it is my conversations and shared experience with them that I will stick with me forever. 

This was my first full year playing professionally and I am so grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dreams. Playing on the Ladies European Tour this past year was so fun, exciting, and enriching, but definitely not the easiest with unfamiliar territories, new courses, and hours of flying. However, I’ve come out of the year learning so much.

In terms of struggles, I lost my bags, battled sickness on the road, couldn’t speak the local language, couldn’t speak with my caddie, had no caddie at all, and through it all, I learned that I have the strength to rise above external barriers and fight for my success. I may have not always been the most comfortable, but I was able to make cuts and play solid golf because I didn’t let the little things bother me. 

I saw my game grow in new ways this year. I put in a lot of time and practice to execute during high pressure situations, and I set out this year with high, lofty goals. That being said, I didn’t quite preform and accomplish all that I wanted to. I made cuts and had a couple good tournaments, but also realize I have the potential to achieve so much more. Despite knowing that there are many areas in which I can improve, this year has confirmed my belief that I have what it takes to compete at the highest level among the best. 

Highlights:Change, Progress& Growth

 What I learned, the habits I built, and some of the amazing people I met  

Arizona pre season 

Finding Joy

I spent quite a bit of time alone this year on the road and learning to function alone was a very new experience. In this time I learned to find joy in the big and small. The fancy events were cool, but the joy in the little things was what really fed my soul. Finding a new coffee shop, watching an incredible sunset, receiving a hand written card--these were the things that kept me going. I learned that attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and a simple affirmation can go a long way.

Coaching trip to Maui with the Davis girls

Kenza- This is my sweet Morrocan friend Kenza! We met when I went to Morrocco for Q school in 2016 and were able to stay in touch. When I returned for our first tournament of the year in Morocco, I arrived a few days early and got to stay and spend time with her and her family. We explored the city, shopped the markets, and cooked traditional food. To fully live the Moroccan lifestyle for a weekend was an unforgettable experience. 

Fred- My travel buddy in Barcelona for two days! We were both solo traveling and met on a walking tour of the city. It was exciting to make a friend to share experiences and conversation with, and it was equally cool to learn about Fred and his home country of Brazil.

Quality time with close friends 

Balance 

Traveling and playing every week took a toll at times. And while some may not agree, I learned that there is more to life than golf. Finding the right balance of life and golf was huge for me in 2017. I realized that I needed to do fun, non-golf related things on the road to stay sharp and stay happy! On the road this looked like a practice round, a focused 2 hours practice, and then a free afternoon to explore. At home, this meant taking days off to spend time with friends, writing and journaling all morning at my favorite coffee shop, and eating all my favorite foods. Balance kept my body and mind healthy and  I believe that helped me play better golf as well. 

Celebrating my best friend's wedding with the Sorbello girls I used to live with in Davis

Goofing around outside Herman's coffee shop in Michigan with the Maki girls

Jesus

It would have been easy to feel unrooted, alone, and overwhelmed being in a different place every week, but I was able to stay grounded with Jesus. In him I find peace, rest, and strength, which is especially important with a career in sports where it is tempting to let your scores define your value. The highs and lows can get extreme and it can be emotionally draining, but with Jesus I know that my identity is in him. I have learned that I am not my performance, which gave me so much freedom and joy this past year. He has kept me patient, renews my mind, and gave me a true sense of gratefulness, which has really allowed me to stay present and appreciative of my opportunities. 

Shiloh, Sam and four of us that have lived with them 

The Sorbellos- No new people here, but a family of 6 that has supported me the last 5 years! I lived with Shiloh, Sam and their four girls for the first few months I turned pro, and they’ve unconditionally supported and loved me from the moment we met. Living with them allowed me the opportunity to stay in Davis a few extra months and being a part of their girl’s lives was so special!

Bri- This isn’t a new friend, but one of my best friends from college! She moved to Paris with her Husband for Grad School and I got the chance to visit her in France. I love exploring with a local, and it was even more special to have it be my best friend. We’ve both experienced a lot of change in 2017 and to share the struggles and triumphs of our new environments together was truly special. 

Highlight of the year: 

Exploring new countries with family. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have my sister and mom at a tournament in Spain and tour Paris with my cousins. It was really special to have my sister caddie for me and show her and my mom a bit of what my life is like on the road. Paris is an incredible city. It was everything I dreamed of and it was even more memorable being able to experience it with my cousins. 

Connection

Making connection a habit allowed me the opportunity to experience community everywhere I went. It has been so special to meet people all over the world, but this was only able to happen because I really took the time to know the people I encountered. I intentionally asked questions, truly engaged, and built real connections.

Stepping out to talk to a stranger or someone I didn't know was daunting at times, but the reward of overcoming momentary nervousness or fear was far worth it. My year taught me that as humans we are made to be in community, and cultivating friendships in far away places made them feel more like home, which got me through weeks on the road. On the tour we go back to the same places each year, and knowing that I am going back to not just another city, but to friends and people I care about makes returning so much more exciting and fun! 

Adaptability.

A new level of adaptability was the biggest take away of the year. I learned that being okay with not being okay is OKAY! Things are not always going to be perfect, but I learned that in the end everything works out and we live on. In the uncomfortable there is purpose and there is progress. 

If you've made it this far--THANK YOU, you must really care! 

2017 was an unforgettable year and it would not have been the same without you. Thank you for reading and being a part of another first—my first year blogging. I didn’t know what to expect, but I have had so much fun writing, sharing stories, and posting photos. I hope you got as much joy out of reading it as I did sharing it with you. I hope you take 2018 as your year to experience true joy, build new friendships wherever you go, and go after dreams that you may have brushed under the rug.

Thank you for following me and supporting me in dreams. I am so grateful to have such amazing friends and family. 2017 was just the beginning, and I cannot wait to see what the new year brings. I fully expect that I will continue to connect with amazing new people, to adapt to new uncomfortable situations, and to be pushed to new levels of growth. 2018 I am ready for ya!  

Lots of love, 

Dre

Up Next --> Australia