Abbotsford golfer Adam Hadwin talks about joining the PGA Tour
by Joni Krats
h3. Where are you right now?
Right now I am at home in Abbotsford getting my game ready for my first event on the Canadian Tour, the Riviera Nayarit Classic in Puerto Vallarata, Mexico. My game feels good. I did a lot of good things at the Gateway Tour Championship but I also had a lot of big numbers, which is uncharacteristic of my game. This week I’m looking to just gain a little more consistency with my iron play to take away those big numbers.
h3. How was your last round?
My last round was the final round of the Gateway Tour Winter Series Championship and it certainly had its ups and downs. I hit a lot of good shots, made some good putts, but made too many big mistakes that cost me a lot of strokes in the end. I had a very aggressive mindset going into the round and unfortunately it didn’t pay off.
h3. When you think of your many successes and challenges this season, what is your emotional state?
I am a little disappointed in my play so far this year. I have had some great rounds and hit a lot of great shots, but consistency has been lacking. Even though I made eight of 10 cuts on the Gateway Tour this year, I was looking for more. I had the mindset that beginning the year I was going to come out and play well against some better competition and I did have some good rounds but I never felt like I put three solid rounds together to complete an event.
h3. In your blog, you talked about working through your mindset with your father at one point. Please discuss the mental aspect of golf in general, and as it pertains to you.
The mental aspect of golf is the toughest part of the game to master and probably the most overlooked aspect of the game by most people. Confidence is everything, and unfortunately for a three-week span I lost mine. I had a hard time trusting what I was doing—I didn’t know where my swing was or what type of shot I was going to hit. It becomes very hard to compete when you stand over a golf shot not knowing whether or not the shot is going to go right or left. When this happens my mind begins to think even more than normal and too many swing thoughts enter into my head. When I play my best golf I don’t think about anything technical and I just see the shot I want to hit and swing the club. When my confidence goes I’m not able to see the shots anymore and I starting trying to hit shots, instead of letting them come naturally.
h3. How are you enjoying the touring life?
Well, so far it hasn’t quite felt like the touring life. Since the Gateway Tour was conducted at courses in the Phoenix area, I was able to drive to all the events and stay at home while playing them. This summer, playing on the Canadian Tour will give me a real feel for what life will be like on the PGA Tour but while doing something that I love—I’m sure it can’t be that bad!
h3. Please add anything else you would like to share with avid golfers of western Canada.
I would just like to thank everyone that has helped me get to where I am today. Without everyone’s support behind me I would not have gotten this far. A special thank-you to my parents for putting up with me every day and helping me on my journey to the PGA Tour.
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