One Man's Journey To The PGA Tour

Season Kicks Off With Vancouver Golf Tour Event...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:40:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Well the first tourney of the season last Monday was a success. One over par and a pay check of $106.25. That should keep me going for a while!! The VGT (Vancouver Golf Tour) is a very well run tour with some strong competition. It was nice to get into the competitive circle again and get the juices flowing. The course was challenging and I hit the ball very well. I was a little rusty around the greens as I haven't been playing and or practicing as much as I need to. The things I have been working on are starting to show which is nice to see. I feel different on the course this year than I did last. It's a sense of quiet confidence and knowing what I am doing out there.

I have been working on the same simple things for a year now and they are really coming together. It is a good feeling to know or at least think that I know what I am working on. Always going back to the same basic principles working on mastering them as opposed to trying one thing for a week then something else, picking a tip up and trying it for a day, then the next day something else. Balance, basics, target.

The Swinkey business is going well. It is looking like I may be going to the PGA Tour event at Hilton Head to showcase the product to the PGA boys!!! Exciting stuff. It seems like the further we get with the business the more work there is. It is a great challenge and I can see my years spent as a Pro Golfer helping me deal with a lot of the workings on starting a business. One thing at a time.

The Canadian Tour will be kicking off in Mexico on April 12th for two weeks. I don't think I will be going for a couple reasons, and am focusing on the first tournament of the Canadian swing in Victoria. There is a couple events I can play on the VGT tour to gear up for the Victoria Canadian Tour event.

All the best my friend.

Brian

A Long, Busy Winter...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

It has been a while since the last update. Things have been going very well this year. I've been working hard on the Swinkey business from home. It has been nice to be home and spend time with family and friends. I do miss the road and the tour. It is a life that one can get addicted to, living in a different city each week, meeting new people at every tournament, and playing golf everyday is pretty nice too.

During the last few months I have worked with my business partners Leigh Tate and Alan Cornford of Vancouver, and Todd Halpen of Calgary on the Swinkey business. Todd, Leigh and myself are all about the same age and Alan has taken the role as Godfather and together we have taken the business a long way. We have 20 players on the PGA Tour using the Swinkey so keep an eye out when you watching golf on TV.

The amount I have learned during this endeavor could be equivalent to a college business degree. Lots of long days and I can see now why 75% of small businesses fail. There is a lot of pressure, tough decisions, hard work, excitement and trying to do 10 things at a time. It's a lot like golf in many ways and I'd like to thank my coach Anne Newman for pointing that out to me. Having to do 87 things in one day makes it tough to work on one thing at a time and stay in the moment so I used the business stress as training for golf. I can feel my mental toughness and confidence growing through this business endeavor and am looking forward to the season beginning.

I practiced a little over the winter and have started to get out to the course daily during the last couple weeks. Coach Anne and I have been working on my game on and off the course and the swing has been getting better and better. It has been nice to work with the same coach for a over a year now. We have been working on the same things ever since we started together and the swing keeps getting simpler and more on target. The George Knudson book is still my bible and always will be. RIP George.

The season will kick off on the 15th of the month in Vancouver. The event is part of the Vancouver Golf Tour which is a fairly new tour that has been doing well. I will play a couple events on the VGT before heading to Mexico for the first two events of the Canadian Tour season.

This season has started later than the last few due to my financial situation and the Swinkey business. My plan is to get the business up and running with the right people in the right place and have enough money coming in to survive the season. It is going to be tough as we are a start up business, but I am looking forward to giving it a go on my own. The last four years I have had investor/sponsors supporting me financially which has given me the chance to gain the necessary experience to compete at this game. Last year I started the with just under $10,000 in my account and at the end of the season I had a debt of $2,500 on my Visa. When I returned home from the last event of the year I did some construction work to pay off my debt and then I jumped in full bore into the Swinkey business. It has been an long and very busy winter with the business and I am looking forward to getting back on the tour.

I will be sending regular weekly updates and appreciate the support.

All the best my friend,

Brian

www.swinkeygolf.com

Brian Appears On The Golf Channel Several Times This Next Week...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Hello my friend, Brian here again,

Just wanted to let you know that the Canadian Tour's Golf Channel show "Chasing the Dream" was on the golf channel today. It airs again tonight at 2:00AM, should have told you about the show earlier today but it will be on tonight, so go ahead and set record on the ol' VCR or if you have one of those fancy cable boxes where you can record TV, go ahead and do that and have a watch, it's a half hour program and my feature is about half way through the show. My new product, the Swinkey is being featured.

Also remember that on Monday November 16th, I will be on the golf channel again between 12pm & 3pm on a product feature show.

Thanks so much, and all the best,
Brain B

A Quick Update From Brian...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:31:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian here with a quick update. Well it is nice to be home after nine months on the road. It would be nice to say that I've been resting and relaxing but work must be done. Since returning from Mexico my main focus has been the Swinkey. It has been a lot of work starting my own business, but the experience and amount I have learned has been well worth it. It is exciting to see my invention that I dreamed up and designed in my camper coming to life and being used by over 100 professionals. This summer was when I first started showing people and getting the business setup and we have made some great progress and are close to really taking off. We where on ESPN Sports Radio last week which was a cool experience.

I have been getting up to the range a couple times a week to maintain my game and for not putting much time in on the game the last few weeks the swing is feeling great. I have been thinking about my game and making lots of swings with the Swinkey while working away and I can really feel some strong golf coming up. I am really starting to find my way and feel comfortable out on tour. This season was another big step in the right direction. I can feel my confidence growing.

This winter I will be working full time on the Swinkey and full time on my game. To be able to do this I will have to make my practice count and my work efficient so keeping my golf journal and business planner going and staying fit will be top of the list.

It would be nice to be at PGA Q-School right now but working on the Swinkey for the winter and committing to playing the Canadian Tour is right for me at this time. My plan is to get Swinkeygolf Inc. off the ground and running smoothly this winter so when I go back on tour in February I will be ready to go. Being able to support myself is something I want to do. I have always been independent and take pride in taking care of myself. The last three years I have played full time tour golf except for about a month of construction work a year and I have been in the hole every year. Without the support of my sponsors I would have an awfully tough time staying out here. On the other hand maybe if I didn't have any sponsors I would bear down a bit more and win more tournaments. Hard to say on that one but, I honestly do think that getting SwinkeyGolf Inc. going and supporting myself I would play better golf. My goal is to make the PGA Tour and I will stay true to my way and do whatever I have is needed to get there. If Swinkey doesn't go then I will have to go raise sponsorship or go to work for a few months, live with my Mom, and save up for another season.

Anyhow that's what is going on here, take care and all the best my friend.
Brian B

Brian Benedictson
Swinkeygolf Inc.
brian@swinkeygolfinc.com
250.897.5750 (mobile)

Brians Finish To The 2009 Season & The Launch Of Swinkeygolf...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Well the season has come to an end on the Canadian Tour and it is nice to be home. I finished the season 76th on the Order of Merit earning $10,651 and kept my card for next season. This was my best season on the Canadian Tour and it is nice to have my status secured for next year. The Canadian Tour is an excellent place to play as the skills learned and improvement I have made while playing the tour is what is needed to move up to the next level.

In the off season last winter I made some swing changes working on getting back to basics and my natural swing. The improvement was obvoius and I am pleased with the progress that was made this year. Early in the season I had to go back to Canadian Tour Q-School to secure my card for the 2009 season, and was successful in doing so. From there the Tour began in Mexico where I got off to a strong start. From Mexico the tour moved to Canada where my play was a little up and down. When our last regular season event, The Canadian Tour Championship, came up I was sitting at 83rd on the money list and needed a strong finish. I was successful there with my best finish on the tour earning a check of $3,500 and guaranteeing my card for 2010. It felt good to have a strong finish in a tournament which was very important to me.

All season long I was working on the Swinkey project. As you may or may not know the Swinkey is a multi-functional golf training tool that I invented. It has been exciting starting my own business and seeing the idea of the Swinkey begining to flourish. I sold over 70 Swinkeys to the guys on the tour and those guys don't pay for anything so that shows how good the product is. Go to the driving range at any Canadian Tour event and you will see half the players using the Swinkey. It's a nice sight.

At this time in the season many players will be going to PGA Q-School. I would love to go but at this time my expense account is very low and I feel that the best move for myself is to take the winter and work full time on the Swinkey, my golf game, and put myself into position to have a great season next year. 2009 was my fourth year of full time professional play and I have had sponsors/investors help me out financially. This has been great and I couldn't have gone for it like I have without this support. I feel that I can only go back my supporters so many times and I would like to support myself. The Swinkey is the road to supporting myself and over the winter I am going to work very hard on the Swinkey business and my golf game so next season I can go out and be self sufficient and play some great golf.

The past years competing and traveling as a Professional Golfer has been a great advernture. I have learned so much about golf, myself, business, the world, my mind, fitness, nutrition, coaching, and being a professional. Over the winter I am going to take all I have learned and set myself for next season. I will get the Swinkey business going, continue to hone my golf game, work on my fitness regularly, and get my mind in a place where I am ready to play some great golf next year.

Thank you for your support and be sure to check out http://www.swinkeygolf.com/ as we are making some big upgrades to our website one of which is to open our online store, which will open for business this Friday October 23rd.

ESPN Golf Talk Radio (California), and The Golf Club Radio Show (Hawaii) will be doing a features on us this Saturday, October 24th. Here are the instructions for listening in online if you are not able to tune in 'live' via your radio.

0825AM PST: http://www.espnradio1280.com/ and when you go to that site click the "Listen Live" button on the top left hand side of the page, you can't miss it...I would test it prior to make sure you can get the sound!

11:00AM PST: http://www.radiogolfclub.com/ for this one click the "Listen" button on the left hand side menu bar on the sites home page...again, please test prior to make sure you can get sound.

I look forward to hearing from you all upon the launch of our online store and after the Radio shows.

The best new email address to get ahold of me on is:

brian@swinkeygolfinc.com

contactus@swinkeygolfinc.com

Thanks and take care!

Brian B

An Update From Brian In Mexico...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian here from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. How's it going? I hope all is well. Things are going good down here. It is nice and hot and the golf is good.

Last week in Cancun was a good one. It was very hot and humid and the golf course was quite challenging. Lots of trouble off the tee and greens with large slopes which made for tough chipping and putting. The resort was unreal and I passed the test of maintaining focus on the golf and not the pool. I probably did over indulge at the buffet though. I have an ice cream weakness.

The first round I played pretty well for the most part but a couple of poor short game shots lead to a round of +3. The second day I hit the ball very well but had a tough time converting my birdie putts and ended up shooting 72. On Saturday I played quite well hitting all but one fairway and shooting -3, 69. The final round was a little crazy. On the first hole I three putted and the second I made a double bogey with a pitching wedge in to the green. Talk about throwing shots away. I maintained my composure and birdied the difficult third, a long par three only to bogey the next hole which is a 285 par four. The sixth hole is one of the toughest on the course and I missed a two foot birdie putt and then double bogeyed the 7th. Ouch, 5 over after 7! I shrugged it off and birdied 8, 9, lipped out on 10, lipped out on 13, and eagled 14 to get it from five over to one over. On 16 a pretty easy par five I had a bit of trouble and made a triple bogey. It was a tough way to finish, but that's the way of the road.

This week the course is beautiful with 8 holes on the ocean and my game is feeling very good. The game plan this week is to keep it simple, have fun, and let go. By letting go I mean to play with freedom, and peace of mind, to let go of score and swing to my target, to leave worries and fear behind. Basically to play golf like a little kid.

The Canadian Tour does feature articles on players throughout the year and they have just posted an article on myself. Go to the Canadian Tour website to have a read at www.cantour.com

Anyhow my friend. All the best and I will touch base when I arrive home next week. Thanks and take care.

Brian B

The Iberostar Riviera Maya Open Tees Off Tomorrow...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Hello there friends,

Well as many of you may remember, back in May three Canadian Tour events had to be cancelled due to the Swine Flu virus outbreak in Mexico. The Canadian Tour worked long and hard to get those events re-scheduled and they had success with two of them.

This week the Iberostar Riviera Maya Open tees off with the first round of play commencing tomorrow morning at 7:00am off the first and tenth tees.

After a fantastic finish at the Canadian Tour Championship which allowed Brian to avoid the dreaded trip to Fall Q-School, Brian was unsure whether or not he would make the trip down to Mexico for the final two events of the season. After a short few days Brian had made his decision and is in the field at this weeks event and also in next weeks as well.

Heading into the Tour Championship Brian was 83rd on the Order of Merit and new he had to perform under pressure to avoid a return trip to the Fall Qualifying School. With an 18th place finish that vaulted him to 71st on the O.O.M he new his card was all but secure for the 2010 season. Heading to Mexico is strictly to keep the game going and add a little insurance on his playing privileges for the 2010 season.

For much of this year Brian has been doing a very delicate balancing act between his golf game and his new business Swinkeygolf Inc. So needless to say, it was fantastic to see him have a strong finish at the Tour Championship. The time and dedication that has gone into this project thus far has been incredible and to maintain a positive attitude through a rough stretch in the middle of the season was no easy feat, but if there was anyone who could pull it off, Brian could and he did. This is the sign of a true champion, which Brian will be one day soon.

Brian will be teeing off tomorrow in the first round at 11:50am off the tenth tee. So be sure to check in and follow along and see how Brian is doing. You can find the live leader board right here at www.questforthecard.com in the menu bar across the top of the page.

For those of you that are interested in helping support Brian's new business, Brian's revolutionary golf training aid the Swinkey is now available for purchase. If you are interested in more information on this fantastic product, please do not hesitate to send us an e-mail to: contactus@swinkeygolf.com and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the product. If you head over and have a look at www.swinkeygolf.com you can read some of the testimonials from other Tour players and amateur golfers alike who are dedicated Swinkey users. The online store is almost complete and with a few more minor tweaks should be up and running within the next week or two.

We are happy to report that we have had many phone calls stating how the Swinkey has improved customers golf games in a short amount of time. One call we received yesterday was a gentleman placing an order for four of his golfing buddies as his game has improved so much since using the Swinkey his playing companions are sick of him beating them every round now, so they all want Swinkeys as well! That was a very cool phone call to receive!

On behalf of Brian, thanks so much for following along and we look forward to hearing from you whether it be about Brian's game or any questions you may have regarding the Swinkey.

Warmest Regards,

QuestfortheCard Admin

PS. there may no update from Brian this weekend as they are having troubles with the Internet connection's at the resort in Mexico. He said he would try his best to send an update from the tour stop next week.

Brian Finishes Tied For 18th At The Tour Championship...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

It was a long drive from Toronto and it sure is nice to be home and off the road. Our Tour Championship was held last week at St. Catharines Golf Club just outside of Niagara Falls.

The course was set up very nicely with tight fairways, long rough, fast greens and the par 72 was converted to a par 70 which made it play tougher than normal to par. The Tour Championship is our biggest event of the season with a$250,000 purse. It was a big tournament for me as I was 83 on the money list going into the week and the top 80 players keep their card for the following season. I needed a strong finish to avoid going back to Q-School.

Heading into the week I was focusing on staying loose and dialing in my short game. Everyday during the week I worked on my putting and chipping for a couple hours and only a little time on the range. Playing a tournament that spans a week it is important to stay fresh and mentally strong. Every shot I hit during the week on and off the course I went through my routine and treated it as a tournament shot. I was preparing myself for tournament play as opposed to working on my swing on the range, or hitting putts again and again from the same spot.

Heading into the first round my game plan was to stay loose, have fun, swing within myself, and play BB golf. I fired clean 69 with only one bogey. The second round was a big day for me. This season I have been struggling a bit on the second day and missing cuts due to that. This is common as many players seem to miss cuts by one or two shots week after week. I stuck to my game plan and did my best to play carefree golf and stay loose. I played very well the second day shooting 68 which could have been five shots better pretty quickly.

The third round was my best round of the week even though it was my highest score. After getting off to a good start at -1 through five holes I made three putt bogeys on 6, 8, and 10 taking me in the wrong direction to two over par. I stayed loose, maintained my composure and finished strong with birdies on 16 and 17. These are the crucial times during a tournament. When you are struggling how do you handle it? What happens after a couple bad holes? I was proud of the way I handled this adversity and looking back it is what kept me in this tournament.

My tee time for the final round was 10:00 and the guys and myself at the camp ground where talking about loading up the RVs and taking them to course so we could leave after the round to get the drive home started. Usually I wouldn't want to be messing around with the trailer the morning of the final round of a tournament because I would be worried that it would take away from my pre round focus. My mindset for the week was to play like I was 14 years old which to me meant that I wouldn't think of swing mechanics, worry about what I did the night before, or the morning of the round. If this was a fun round with some friends would I be concerned about getting the trailer ready? No I wouldn't. I wouldn't even think about it. So why would I stress about it before a tournament round. What I am getting at here is that to play my best golf I need to play worry free golf like I am 14 years old. Here's the ball there's the hole, make the swing.

The last round I played very well and was the loosest I have been all year. I knew the round was a big one for me so I made a even bigger effort to say loose and play carefree golf. My 67 the final day was one of the best scores of the day and moved my from 38th place to 18th and earned me a check for $3,500. This was the biggest check of my career by $100 and moved me into 71st position on the money list.

The Canadian Tour still has two events left in Mexico that where postponed from the spring and I will be heading south for both of the events this Sunday. My game is feeling very good and I am looking forward to the last two events of the season. It has been a long year and I have been working hard. My technique has come a long way. I am hitting the ball longer and straighter than last year, my short game is miles better than last year and my putter is still solid and getting better.

After these two weeks in Mexico I will be spending the remainder of the year back home working on my game and the Swinkey project. I have thought long about going to PGA Q-School and have decided not to go this year. It is about an $8000 commitment that I don't have right now and I feel that with a winter of working on my game and the Swinkey will put me in a very good position to get after it next season. At times I think, "if I want to play this game at the highest level I should be doing everything I can to get to the PGA Qualifying." Many of my friends on the tour tell me the same thing and I see their point, but I know myself and my instincts are telling me to take the winter and get organized and prepared for next season. Keep working on my game, and get this Swinkey business rocking and I will be in a great mindset for next season. I am 30 years old and just finished my fourth year of Professional golf but I don't feel like I need to hurry or like I need to go to Q-School. My way to the PGA will be just that, my way. I love what I am doing and am not in a hurry. Patience, and perseverance will bring the results. I have committed myself to enjoy the journey and do my best in each situation and really that is all I need to do.

Thanks very much for your support and all the best my friend,

Brian

The Final Week Of Canadian Tour Action...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:05:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Well the Canadian Tour Championship is upon us and some of the players must have a fantastic finish this week to avoid the grueling "Fall Classic", also known as Q-School.

Heading into the final week, Brian is 83rd on the Official Canadian Tour Order of Merit. At the conclusion of the season the top 90 players will retain their playing privileges for next year, any player outside that number must return to qualifying school to regain their card.

In speaking with Brian on the phone today, he feels prepared for the week and is confident that a strong finish to the end of a long season will happen this weekend.

The Tour Championship is being held at the beautiful St.Catharines Golf & Country Club which is located in the Niagra region of Ontario. The field this week consists of the top 132 players on the Order of Merit and includes defending champion Tom Stankowski.

Brian will be sending in an update from the Tour Championship this weekend, so make sure you check back with us and support Brian this week on his quest for his best finish of the season.

Thanks again for following along and we look forward to seeing you soon,

QuestfortheCard Admin

An Update From The Office Here...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

On behalf of Brian, we would first of all like to thank all of you for following along and being as patient with us as you have been all season.

For those of you that don't know, Brian invented a new golf training aid and named it the Swinkey. To say the least this new project has really taken off this summer, so much so that Swinkeygolf INC. was born and is now developing into a fully functional company.

This project has really taken allot of time and dedication on the parts of all us, including Brian. It has made certain things difficult to stay on top of such as www.questforthecard.com. Having said that, we are now in a position where we have a solid grasp on where the company is heading and what needs to be done in order to get the product out on the market. For lack of a better term it has been grueling at times, but no one ever said starting a company from the ground up was going to be easy, and we have all been having a fantastic time seeing this project evolve the way it has to this point.

We just had a very exciting week in Montreal as two of our keenest Swinkey users had the best finishes you could wish for, Stuart Anderson won the event and Clayton Rask finished alone in second place. Needless to say Team Swinkey was very excited to see that. Now, time to get Brian up there!

With two weeks left in the Canadian Tour season, Brian is currently 75th on the Order of Merit. At the end of the season the top 90 players retain their cards for the following season and avoid that ever so difficult battle at the "Fall Classic" (if you said Q-School, you got it!)

This week’s event on the Canadian Tour is the Seaforth Country Classic played in Seaforth, Ontario at the Seaforth Golf Club, lots of Seaforth I know! The tournament is scheduled to kick off tomorrow, Thursday August 27th.

Brian tee’s off in the opening round at 12:30pm off the tenth tee and is feeling great about the week! So be sure to check back with us for an update from Brian over the weekend.

Again, on behalf of Brian, thank you all so much for following along and stay tuned for more frequent updates from Quest for the Card.

Also, don’t forget to check up on Brian’s swing training aid at www.swinkeygolf.com

We’ll see you all soon,

Questforthecard.com Admin

An Update From Toronto...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian here with a quick update from Toronto. This past week we played at Greystone Golf Club in the Toronto area. It was nice to get back into the swing of things after a two week break. I spent the break in Falcon Lake which is a couple hours east of Winnipeg. It was a nice break. Falcon Lake is a great spot that I have made a regular stop on my trip across Canada. My good friend Sandy Kruceba is the Head Pro at the golf course there and I have made many other friends there as well.

During the break I worked hard on the game, took a little time off and worked on the Swinkey Project. I spent most of my practice time on short game and pre-shot routine. Basically working on playing the game.

As far as the Swinkey Project goes we are making some big steps. We have a corporation set up, the manufacturing process is coming together, we are working on our business plan, instruction manual, brochures, business contacts, etc. It is a lot of work to start your own business. I have some good people working with me on this project and it is exciting to see things come along. Check us out at www.swinkeygolf.com or drop us an e-mail at contactus@swinkeygolf.com if you would like more info.

This past event was a great tournament starting with a fantastic golf course. Greystone Golf Club was a challenging course in perfect condition with long rough,and extremely fast sloping greens. Course management and good putting were a premium this week.

Heading into the first round my game plan was to play smart golf, and play with a positive, care free attitude. Of course I care, but I know that I play my best when I don't try too hard. Pick the shot and let it go. I did this for the most part and if a couple of putts would have fallen I could have been much better than the plus two that I carded.

The second day I played in the morning. After a par at the challenging first I had a run of bad swings, bad thoughts, bad bounces, lip outs, and poor decisions. I shot 6 over on the front nine and told my caddy we where going to stay positive, and keep playing smart. A three putt par at the tenth and a bogey at eleven took me to seven over on the day. I kept a positive attitude and stuck to the game plan even though my chances of making the cut looked slim.

A birdie on 14 got me back to 8 over for the tournament. I missed a short birdie at 15 and said to my caddy we need three birdies on the last three holes to make the cut. I try not to think about the cut but it was obvious to me what I needed to do. I made a five foot birdie on 16 and bounced my approach off the stick at 17 almost making an eagle and then it was off to the par 5 18th. I figured a birdie I would make the cut for sure and a par would give me a good chance. My tee shot headed a little left and after a bad bounce I had to take an unplayable lie and a drop. From there I hit a great 3 wood from 270 off the bark mulch up in front of the green and nearly holed my chip ending up with a par. Six over was good enough to make the cut. It felt good to make the cut as I have missed the last few in a row and to have such a good attitude and see it pay off was nice.

On the weekend I did a lot of things well but just didn't quite get it going. I shot 72-74 and ended up finishing 48th place and making $550. Not great, but a cheque none the less.
We have a week off prior to the Montreal event the following week. This week will be practice focusing on short game and pre-shot routine or basically preparing myself to play tournament golf. Practice like you play.

Thanks for your support and all the best my friend,

Brian

An Update From Brian Heading Into The Break...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Well to state the obvious my frustration level was high after missing my fourth cut in a row. This game sure can beat a guy up. I was sure that I would play well this week as I did everything in my power to prepare and couldn't have felt any more confident stepping on the first tee on Thursday.

In Saskatchewan last week I played very well in the first round in high winds shooting one under par. On day two I made a ten on the par four 5th hole after some bad luck combined with a poor decision and followed that up with some poor short game and ended up shooting 80 which is the worst score I’ve had in quite some time. I was pretty dejected after that round but I talked myself into a positive attitude and did my best to have a good week here in Winnipeg.

This week was even tougher. It hurts when you work so hard at something and the results don’t follow. Also I know how much potential I have and feel that I am on the right track with my game. The season got off to a good start and to miss the last four cuts in a row absolutely baffles me.

This morning I woke up early not being able to sleep because my mind was racing with thoughts of frustration and wonder. I have been to this place before and know that this is where big things come from. Sometimes hitting bottom is needed for growth. I started with cleaning the trailer up and organizing things. Then I broke out my journal reading it from front to back. This is where I realized I haven’t made an entry in over a month. I have been flying by the seat of my pants so to say, not having a game plan everyday like I told myself I would at the start of the year. I have been working hard but in a bit of an unorganized fashion. Work hard and smart with a game plan everyday is what I had for a goal this season and I realized that I haven’t been doing that.

It was obvious to me that I needed to get the pen out and map out a game plan for the day. Organized action needed to be taken. I spent half an hour and wrote down my thoughts along with a plan of attack for the rest of the day. On the list was to go and have a quality, organized practice and get my confidence back. I went to the range and got back to basics and found a couple things that where off in my swing. At the end of a quality practice session I feel like my game is as good as it has ever been.

The last few weeks has been a valuable wake up call. I’ve been working hard, but like I said in a bit of an unorganized fashion. The Swinkey project has added a new aspect to my life and it makes it all the more important to keep things organized.

After getting back on track and writing my thoughts down I can already feel my inner peace returning and am excited about what is to come. We have two weeks off from the circuit now and will resume in Toronto in August. I will be spending the next week in Falcon Lake which is a couple hours east of Winnipeg. It is a small town with a great golf course where a good friend of mine is the head pro. It will be nice to have a couple weeks to get organized and back to basics in my game. I know I have the game to win out here and make it in this game. I simply need to make good use of my time and keep my life organized.

I am excited about the rest of the season and know that the missed cuts of late are a blessing.

Thanks for your support and all the best,

Talk to you soon!

Brian B

A Calm Has Come Over In Saskatoon...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:18:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian B here with an update from Saskatoon.

The last couple tournaments have been a bit of a struggle but a good learning experience. Bobby Jones put it well when he said, " I never learned anything when I played well". Missing the cut in my last two events has been a blessing in disguise. It made me dig a little deeper and I can honestly say that I am a better player because of the last two missed cuts.

It is a fine line out here between a good finish and missing a cut. Paying attention to details and taking care of my body and mind are crucial and the last couple weeks reminded me of that.

My game feels great and has all year. My swing is so much better than last year after with the hard work I've been putting in and the quality instruction I received from Coach Anne Newman. My short game is getting closer to where it needs to be as I have been simplifying it and connecting it with my full swing. I could go into detail but to sum it up my game is miles better than last year and I know that I am going to produce the results I'm capable of soon.

Things have been a little crazy on the road the last month. As you may or may not know I have invented and patented a Golf Training Tool which I have called the Swinkey. I have been working on the Swinkey for a couple years now but after bringing a couple of friends on board to help out things have really started to fly. It is a little overwhelming at times but it is a lot of fun and exciting to see things come together. I made 70 units myself and sold them all to the guys on the tour. The comments have been very positive. Along the lines of " wow that is the best golf training tool I have ever seen. You nailed it." Ideally I would like to spend all of my time on my golf game, but this could set me up for a while and I feel that I am doing the right thing by devoting some of my time to the project. Check out Swinkeygolf.com and see for yourself.

Playing full time on the road and running a business is a lot of work and I am realizing how important it is to stay healthy and get lots of rest. This week has been a little quieter and I have been making sure to keep healthy. I can feel my body and mind are back where they need to be and am feeling good about this week.

Thanks for your support and all the best,

Brian B

Brian Tees Off At 1:40PM...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Just a quick update from Calgary here:

Brian is feeling great and we have made some great progress this week with Swinkey golf training aid. Today we will be wearing Swinkeygolf hats and shirts on the course. We're all very pumped and Brian's game looks as solid as ever.

We flew up from Las Vegas for the event again this week and I have the privilege of caddying for Brian again this week in Calgary.

Check back with us for pictures and more updates as the tournament goes on. We are far more prepared this week than we were last week in Vancouver. It is a matter of getting use to the travel and figuring out how we can set up for updates while on the road.

Well time to head to the trailer and meet up with Brian, we look forward to everyone reading the updates throughout the tournament.

Thanks again for following along, stay tuned for an update from Brian himself at the conclusion of Friday's second round.

Also, please check out www.swinkeygolf.com for all the new details of Brian's golf training aid invention!

Questforthecard.com Admin

A Very Successful Week In Vancouver...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Well thank you so much for your patience on the delay of this post. We were all in Vancouver for a week working with Brian on his new golf training aid, the Swinkey, and I also caddied for him. It was truly an amazing week from Brian's golf game to all the great work we accomplished with making the headway we did.

We were at the golf course and at the trailer for the entire week working with Brian on assembling Swinkey's and getting them out to the Canadian Tour players as well as putting together a solid business plan for our future endeavour. The response is overwhelming and we have built allot of momentum. So much momentum in fact Bennie and I will be in Calgary for the next event.

As for updating questforthecard.com, we will be much better prepared in Calgary, as we now know how we have to set up to keep everything running smoothly for Brian. Brian will have an update posted here in the next few days. He is currently on the road heading to Calgary where Bennie and I will meet him on Monday.

So please check back with us in the next few days as we have many fantastic pictures from the Vancouver event and much more information for you.

We can't thank Lynn Benedictson enough for helping us out with many aspects of what needs to be done here in a short amount of time, as well as Peter Benedictson for all his help and words of wisdom this past week in helping us with ideas for getting the project moving along.

We look forward to seeing you all soon,

Thanks so much,

Questforthecard Admin

City Of Surrey Invitational Opens Tomorrow...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0000

Hello there everyone and thanks again for following along.

Well this poses to be a fantastic week for Brian and Quest for the Card. As we're in Vancouver on a business trip for Brian's new swing training aid, Brian asked me yesterday if I would like to caddy for him this week...how could an old Canadian Tour pro myself say no to that opportunity!

Our business partner Bennie will be on the course all week taking live action photos with our Sony telephoto lens camera...this camera takes beautiful pictures and will make for a fantastic photo gallery for this weeks event.

I am really looking forward to carrying the bag for Brian this week as I feel as though we'll make a pretty good team out there. As a very experienced caddy I will play my role in keeping Brian calm and even crack a silly joke now and again to keep his mind fresh. After speaking with Brian yesterday on the phone, I hear a different tone in his voice, he seems extremely confident and excited at the opportunity that presents itself this week at Hazelmere.

We do apologize for not keeping up with live scoring last week, our intentions were there, but situations beyond our control would not allow us to load the scorecard the way we had been doing in the previous round. We have that problem fixed now, however, we will be on golf course with Brian, so the updates will come in later than usual this week.

This is going to be an extremely exciting week and we can't wait for all of you to check back with us and hear about Brian's round from himself, and I will also be back with a look at what it's like on the bag during a Canadian Tour event.

So be sure to stay tuned for more on the weeks events and even though you may not receive the updates until later in the evening's, please don't forget to check back with Quest on a regular basis.

Thanks everyone and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on Brian's week after the Vancouver event.

We'll see you soon,

Leigh Tate
questforthecard.com Admin

Bennie Leiker
questforthecard.com Admin

Brian With An Update From Vancouver...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian here with an update from Vancouver. This past week we played the Times Colonist Open in Victoria. What a great golf course. It was in perfect condition with firm fast greens, carpet like fairways, and long rough.

I was feeling very good and went out the first day and shot a -1, 69. It was a solid round, but it could have been a few better pretty quickly. One day two I got off to a good start birdying two out of my first three holes. On my 7th hole of the day number 16 our group got put on the clock. This is what happens when your group falls behind. A rules official will follow your group and time each shot you hit to determine who is the slow player in the group. I normally play at a average pace but sometimes I have a tough time getting comfortable over the ball. This is something I have struggled with for years and it usually gets worse when I try to play faster. The rules official followed us for six holes and kind of got under my skin. I played those six holes six over par and ended up with a 74 which put me at +3 and one shot outside the cut.

I am not blaming the rules official. He could of handled the situation better as he was a bit of a jerk but it's my own fault for letting it get to me. It was a good learning experience and made me realize that I truly need to get to the bottom of why I get a uncomfortable over the ball in certain situations. This is the biggest thing that I need to work on. I need to just set up to the target and let it go without anything wasted motion. The last two days I had some great practice and feel that I made a real important step in my game.

Everything happens for a reason and I am glad that I missed the cut last week. I needed that experience and nothing but good will come from it. My swing, short game and putting all feel very good. I've been working on the same things for quite some time now and my game is there. I can feel it when I'm playing. I have confidence that I didn't have last year and I am very excited about the rest of the season.

This week we are in Vancouver playing at Hazelmere Golf Club. I arrived yesterday and have the trailer all dialed in at a perfect spot. Well I'm off for a little practice. All the best and thanks for the support.

Brian

Times Colonist Open Round One Coming To A Close...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:21:00 +0000

Hello there, and thanks for checking in with us at Quest for the Card.

Here's just a quick update from the day's action;

It was good day for Brian in the opening round of play in Victoria at the Times Colonist Open being played at the Uplands Golf Club. Brian opened the round with eight straight four's on the card to complete the front nine with one birdie and one bogey for outward side of 35 (even par). On the back nine Brian scored three birdies in the first 4 holes only to finish the hard day's work with two bogeys down the stretch. However, Brian finished strong with three solid par's to close out the first round with a total score of 69 (-1).

Please be sure to check out Brian's Scorecard page here on questforthecard.com as we are updating that page live on a three hole basis (every three holes Brian has completed we will update the scorecard).

Thanks again for checking in and we look forward to having you back here with us soon,

Questforthecard.com Admin

An Update From Brian In Victoria...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:07:00 +0000

Hello Friend,

Well the Canadian swing of the Tour has begun in Victoria this week. We are playing at Uplands Country Club which is in unreal condition. The course is a traditional tree lined layout with long rough and firm, fast greens.

It is nice to get going again after being cut short in Mexico. I spent the extra couple weeks off working on my game, getting prepared for the trip across Canada, and working on my golf training aid invention the Swinkey. It was a busy few weeks and it is nice to get back on the road. We will be playing 11 events across the country this summer and I have the RV on the road again. I have an excellent spot this week. It is a nice shady spot beside the short game practice green. Life is good!

My game is feeling as good as ever and I am excited for this week. All faucets of my game are feeling good and the work I have been putting in is paying off. If I play well and manage my game I feel good about my chances. One shot at a time with good rhythm and balance, a great attitude, and smart decisions is the game plan for the week.

Thanks for the support and have a good one.

Brian

Re-Start Of The Canadian Tour Season Is Next Week...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Hello everyone and welcome back to Quest for the Card.

Well after three tournament cancellations due to the outbreak of the 'Swine Flu' in Mexico, the Canadian Tour is ready to re-start the season in Victoria with the Times Colonist Open at the Uplands Golf Club from June 1st through June 7th.

We have been working on some up-grades to Quest for the Card and you will see them as we get back into the full swing of things here next week.

Just a friendly reminder that here at Quest for the Card.com you can follow Brian Benedictson on his journey competing on the Canadian Tour all summer and then follow Brian on his quest to reach the PGA Tour. Every week we will have updates and live scoring as soon as Brian has completed his play. There will be tournament information and also updates from Brian himself after each event.

We look forward to your feedback and of course we are all looking forward to watching Brian rise to the top this year.

We're looking forward to seeing you all soon right back here at www.questforthecard.com next week.

Thanks for following along,

Quest for the Card Admin

Quick Update From Brian

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:42:00 +0000

Hello Friend,

Well I guess you have heard that the last three events in Mexico have been postponed until the Fall due to the Swine Flu. The first event went off without a hitch and once we arrived in San Luis Potosi we where informed of the Swine Flu. Right away about 20 players booked a flight home and left but the rest of us including the officials stuck around and where ready to play. On Tuesday of the tournament week the tour officials held a meeting and informed everyone that the last two tournaments in Mexico would be postponed and that the event that week would go on as planned. The next day was Wednesday and at about noon I was out on the course playing my final practice round when officials came out and told us that the event was cancelled until a later date and we should book a flight home. We all went back to the hotel and most of us got a flight out of there that night.

It was a little strange being down there with everyone wearing masks and worrying about the flu. I wasn't too concerned about it and was definitely ready to play. I knew that it would be a good chance for a solid finish as many of the players would have a tough time concentrating on their game with all that was going on.
It is too bad that the events are postponed but hey, "it is what it is and it's all meant to be". I have been home for a few days now and have kept working hard at my game. This extra time at home will give me a chance to continue to work on my game with the assistance of Coach Newman. We met yesterday and she is very impressed with how far my game has come since we started working together. I must say that I feel the same way. Since beginning my fresh start and working with Anne last winter I have played in five Canadian Tour events. The first three where in South America where I made two of three cuts and had two of my best finishes on the Tour. Then I played the Qualifying tournament in Florida where I regained my status. Then last week in Mexico I finished at -6 and in 20th place which was only five shots out of first place and two out of a top ten.

Yesterday I had a great practice and was hitting my short shots better than I ever have. It was a great feeling to start to hit the wedges like I've always wanted to. The short game has been the missing link in my game and with it coming together I can feel some wins coming this season.

Our next event will be the start of the Canadian Swing in Victoria which will start on June 1st. For the events across Canada I will be using my Dad's truck and trailer and travelling on my own which is what I feel is best for my game. Until then I will be working hard on my game, fitness, mental strength, and getting organized and prepared for the summer. I will also have some time to work on my invention which is coming along very nice.

Well my friend until next time. All the best and thanks for the support.
PS Be sure to sign up for the updates at http://www.questforthecard.com/

San Luis Potosi Open: Event Cancelled

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

Well as we are well aware, this nasty Swine Flu is rapidly spreading. As of Tuesday the Canadian Tour had to make the difficult decision to cancel this weeks event in San Luis Potosi. The Canadian Tour is working very hard with their travel agency to assure the safety of it's members on their journey home.

For more information on this decision please click the following link:

http://www.cantour.com/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3776&leagueID=0&page=35301

Quest for the Card will continue with updates and will be in touch with Brian as soon as we hear more on the cancelled events.

Thanks for checking back with us and we WILL see you soon,

Be Well,

Quest for the Card Admin

Brian's Update From San Luis Potosi

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Hello My Friend,

Brian here from San Luis Potosi, Mexico with a quick update. Yesterday we finished up the first of four events in Mexico. The tournament was held in Mazatlan which is a great spot. It is a vacation city with lots of distractions. Many players end up taking too heavy a part in the festivities and their play suffers. After a full day at the course the beach is really the last place I want to go as 5-7 hours in the sun is enough. My plan for the week was to keep my body in good shape, get plenty of rest, keep my thoughts simple with my golf game, and work on my short game everyday.

Right when I left from Canada to Mexico I felt comfortable. I knew what I was doing and handled the travel well. Having played these Mexico events last year I knew what to expect and prepared accordingly. I am starting to feel like a veteran, like someone who knows what they are doing. I can feel my confidence and game stepping up another level.

The first round was a ball striking masterpiece. The course is pretty tight with lots of trouble. Many players where hitting irons and 3 woods off the tees, but I was feeling good with the driver and hit it on many of the tighter holes. I missed only one fairway the first day and had many great looks at birdie. I ended up with a -3, 69 which could have been a 63 pretty quickly. The greens at the course where tough to putt as they where very grainy Bermuda grass. Almost everyone in the field had a tough time with the greens.

Day two I had a similar round with great ball striking and average short game. After two rounds I was at -5 and figured I was in good position. I have decided not to look at leader boards this year. I don't think it can help me as all I can control is my game.

In the third round I was in the third to last group. In the last few groups is where the Golf Channel, media, and spectators will be. It was kind of new ground for myself but I felt comfortable and thrived off the added pressure of media and spectators. I enjoy the stage and performing in front of people. If I didn't I would be in the wrong business. My play in the third round wasn't quite as good as the first two days. I hit the ball well but my short game and putting really let me down. I kept a good attitude throughout the day and ended up birdying the 15th and 18th holes to finish at even par.

Going into the last round I felt really good and just told myself to let it all hang out. No fear. No worries. No steering. Just pick my target and move towards it. On the front nine in the final round I hit the ball as well as I could. I had four birdies and one bogey which was a three putt from 15 feet,. I lipped out for another birdie on the 10th hole was feeling very good. The 11th hole is a straight forward par 3. It was playing short at only 145 yards and with the wind behind me I choose a pitching wedge. When I was over the ball I felt the wind die down so I tried to hit the shot a little harder and I pulled it into the sand trap where it plugged. It still wasn't a very hard shot but I sculled it over the green behind a tree where I had no shot and it lead to a triple bogey six. Ouch!

I regained my focus after that and birdied the next hole and parred in from there. I was proud how I hung in there after that hole. I was in great position before that and to make a triple on such an easy hole is frustrating but I didn't let it get me down. I believe that everything happens for a reason and how you deal with let downs on the course is what it is all about. Attitude is everything.

I finished in 20th place and picked up a check for $1,550. Two shots better and I am in the top 10 with a check of $5000 and if I shoot -3 on the back nine yesterday I am in a playoff for the win. All in all it was a good tournament and a sign of things to come. I feel that I am starting to come into my own and produce the kind of golf that I am capable of.

This week we are playing in San Luis Potosi at a Jack Nicklaus course. It is a long challenging course and I am looking forward to the challenges that arise during the week. My game plan for this week is as follows:

Keep my body in good shape with daily exercise, lots of water, and good food and rest.

Play smart and confidently

Play one shot at a time and thrive on challenges that arise.

Have the best attitude in the field.

Enjoy myself and be the best I can be.

Practice my short game and keep swing thoughts simple and feel related.

Well my Friend, thanks for visiting questforthecard.com and all the best to you. Come back to follow the event throughout the week and have a good one.

Brian Benedictson

Scoring Update From Mazatlan, Saturday April 25th...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:31:00 +0000

Hello everyone,
Well here we are with another scoring update from Saturday's third round of play, also known as moving day:

Corona Mazatlan Mexican PGA Championship

El Cid Golf & Country Club (par 72)

1st round:
(front nine): 34 (-2)
(back nine): 35 (-1)
(Total): 69 (-3)

2nd round:
(front nine): 35 (-1)
(back nine): 35 (-1)
(Total): 70 (-2)

Made Cut: YES

3rd round:
(front nine): 38 (+2)
(back nine): 34 (-2)
(Total): 72 (E)

4th round:
(front nine): 33 (-3)
(back nine): 38 (+2)
(Total): 71 (-1)
Current Position: tied-20th (-6)

Looks as though the 11th hole at El Cid gave Brian some troubles this week. But what a great start to the year, it looks as though Brian will have his first of many top 20 finishes. A job well done indeed.

Check in with us tomorrow for the final results of the event and a tournament round up from Brian. As you know any update that is sent from Brian will be posted immediately. Also, this scoring system we currently have is in the process of being switched to an actual Questforthecard.com scoring page which you can expect to see for the beginning of next week's event in San Luis Potosi.

We are currently having an issue with our updates reaching our subscribers as soon as we have posted an update on Brian's round, we are working feverishly to get this problem solved as quickly as possible. We will have the problem solved for next weeks event. This week has been a great "test run" so to speak, and we see where we can make some changes for the better. So for now, just log on to the site throughout the day and you can track Brian's progress. Thanks for your patience.

If you would like to contact us please drop us an e-mail to: admin@questforthecard.com

For the full field scores from round three in Mazatlan, please click this link:
Corona Mazatlan Mexican PGA Championship

Thanks,

See you soon,

Questforthecard Admin

Round Two In A Fog Delay...

noreply@blogger.com (Tater) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Good morning,

Round 2 of the Corona Mazatlan Mexican PGA Championship was delayed for fog this morning. All tee times were backed up by 1 hour and 15 minutes. Play resumed at 8:30am local time.

We are working on some small issues with our e-mail subscription program at the moment. Please remember that if you already haven't done so, go to your inbox and activate your account with us so you can receive all of our updates. Also, just a friendly reminder to make sure you come back to the actual site as often as possible as you will not receive all updates from every page via your subscription. We also are encouraging our members to PLEASE leave comments for Brian on www.questforthecard.com, at the bottom of each new post you will see a "comments" link and we will be posting all comments for Brian to see as they come in! This aspect of the site will make it more interactive for everyone, including Brian.

If you have any questions or concerns or just want to contact us please feel free to drop us an e-mail at:
admin@questforthecard.com

We look forward to hearing from you soon,

Thanks,

Questforthecard.com Admin