Hello everyone. The 2016-17 PGA TOUR season is in the books for me. It was my first year playing out of the Past Champion Category and it was eye opening. I really thought I could keep my level of play at a high level averaging one tournament a month, but that was harder than expected and if you were following my scores during the season, you could sense my struggles on the course. With that said, I am excited for a little time off to recharge, be at home, be Dad, and gear up for another season in the Past Champion Category. I hope to start the season in Jackson, MS at one of my favorite courses on TOUR, Country Club of Jackson for the Sanderson Farms Championship in late October.
I am pleased to announce that I have been working with a new instructor, Joseph Mayo, who works out of TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, NV. If you would like some great youtube viewing, search for his name there and you will be blown away. He has helped me clean up some details in my swing and now I just need to take it the golf course. A first round 65 at the Wyndham Championship last month proved I am headed in the right direction. This season sure has reminded me how grateful I am for those weeks in my career where golf seemed quite easy. It also reminded me that those times were preceded by some hard work.
Up next for me, I’ll be hosting a charity event at Rich Harvest Farms to benefit Blessings in a Backpack October 8-9. I want to personally thank Meijer as our title sponsor, my buddy Kevin Kleczka’s Curly’s Waterfront and Grill in Pewaukee, WI for sponsoring the man cave and billiards room, and Thomas Coffee, who will be treating us to a first class coffee and dessert bar.
Jim Furyk and Peter Jacobsen will join me to make an unforgettable event for those in attendance. We still have 20 tickets left for the Sunday night event, which will include time in all the extra amenities Rich Harvest Farms has. It has a car museum with over 50 antique automobiles, a man cave where we will watch some NFL football and an indoor practice facility. Jim, Peter and I will also take part in a question and answer session, covering numerous golf topics and hearing stories from our experiences on TOUR. We will certainly touch on Jim’s current role as Ryder Cup captain, and I guarantee you will leave huge fans of Peter, Jim and maybe even yours truly.
There are also some golfing spots left to play Rich Harvest Farms the next day. There are two foursomes left to play golf and my wife came up with a few new sponsorship opportunities. One of the new ideas is the “Pro Clinic Sponsor,” which is tailored for those who only want to take part in the festivities on Monday, including breakfast, the clinic and 18 holes at Rich Harvest Farms. If interested in any of the remaining spots, you can sign up at my website, www.markwilsongolf.com and click Register to browse.
Why am I hosting this and why are Peter and Jim taking two days away from their families to join us? Well, they both get the fact that we are truly blessed to play a sport for a living and it is our responsibility to help out those in need. Having participated in many of these pro-am type events, I know we will all leave feeling like we made a difference in some children’s lives, maybe given them that small break that will help them find joy in life and ultimately be able to give back themselves. So if you aren’t already joining us October 8th and 9th, please come.
I wish you all lots of fairways, greens and one putts for the rest of the year.
Mark Wilson
