Friday, June 12, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
US Open qualifier
I was fortunate enough to qualify for the US Open yesterday in Memphis! We played 36 holes and I shot 69-67 to make it by 2 shots. I can tell I'm aging as my feet and legs are killing me today! We were able to wear shorts which helped but it is hotter than a branding iron here! I have'nt played the Open since 2000 so I'm really looking forward to the test. Bethpage is supposed to be awesome and the New York fans should be interesting! I'm playing in the St.Jude Classic this week in Memphis. I'm playing with Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington the first 2 days which should be great! Anytime you get paired with top players it really adds to the day!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
I've been asked by Scott Reid to create a blog of my weekly doings on the PGA tour so here I go! Scott is the tournament director of the Fry's.com tournament I won last fall. I must admit the word "blog" scares me to death! It brings back memories of going to school which for me was torture! I loved the social part but papers, tests, report cards, speeches just were not my thing! I will say, if doing some blogging rids me of the reoccuring dream I have about missing an entire semester of English and not being able to graduate from college I'll do it!
This week is Colonial... It is one of the premier tournaments and golf courses we play all year. I've got a great pairing the first two days with Dudley Hart and Ryan Palmer. Both are good guys and I'm sure we'll have fun! They just redid the greens so they are not mowing them as low as usual but the rest of course is perfect. My game is coming along nicely and looking forward to tomorrow. I've been working hard on my swing with my teacher Joe Caruso and worked a little with Stan Utley on my putting yesterday.
Cam’s List of Questions for the Club
What is your favorite course to play, besides Birnamwood, of course? Pheonix Open – TPC @ Scottsdale – the atmosphere is unlike any other, it’s as close as we get to arena golf! Will you ever play in Utah? I thought Utah was for skiing??…actually I played a Nationwide event a couple years ago in Sandy, Utah. I had a great time and stayed at the SnowBird Resort.
Would you ever recommend a career as a pro athlete to your kids? Or your nephew? I am all for encouraging kids to do whatever they want to do. I consider myself lucky to be doing something that I love every day. So I would want that for them regardless pro athlete or not.I have many friends who are world cup and winter sports pro-athletes. There seems to be a misconception that it is all one big party and that life on the road is all 5-star hotels, amazing room service, massages and endless fun. What is your take? Well…some of this is true…but it’s not a huge party..if I go for a massage it’s because I need time to relax or need to keep my body loose. I love to travel and each city has different something to offer. Having been out there for 10 years, I am now familiar with restaurants and fun places to go. The drawbacks are being away from my family. The max amount of time I am away from my family is two weeks, whether I go home or they join me on the road. Sunday nights are reserved for “partying”.
Did you have a mentor when you were new to the tour? I have definitely had help along the way. Hal Sutton has really helped my career and we have spent a lot of time together at his golf course in Fredricksburg, Tx. I have also been greatly influenced by other friends on tour over time. (ie Bob Tway) Briny Baird is my closest friend on tour.
Are you a mentor? I do help other players on tour when I can.
Who is hilarious on tour? John Huston – the comedy never ends.
Who's a great guy? Bob Tway….they don’t get any better!
Should the PGA allow women on tour? I am not a big fan of the idea because I think women should support the LPGA tour.
Does the PGA take care of you when you retire in terms of pension etc.? Yes. We receive retirement based on two things, how we finish each year on the money list and amount of cuts made each year. But in order to be fully vested, you need to play a full five years on tour.
Are the players generally supportive of each other or is it all business? It is a friendly atmosphere, but in the end it’s all business.
Make the courses longer or put a cap on equipment or not change a thing? The question is whether the spectators want to watch birdies or bogies, and I think it’s more fun for them to watch the birdies as opposed to struggling and getting bogey or worse. The 4 majors should be tougher and the others should be geared towards keeping the spectators engaged.
18 hole playoff or sudden death? Sudden death!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may not have won the Frys.com otherwise!
Have you always known that you wanted to play on the PGA tour growing up? No. When I was younger, I had NHL dreams but as I got older that seemed unrealistic and in highschool, the golf bug got me. Not until college when I quickly improved did I start thinking about the PGA tour dream.
What has been your most rewarding and disappointing moment in your career? Winning the Frys.com, I was at a low point in my career and I was thinking of doing something different!! But the win really invigorated me and I look forward to playing every day.
When you have down time what do you like to do? When I am by myself on the road, I read a lot. I am currently reading the Vince Flynn series. When I am at home, I do as little as possible. I used to play a lot of golf when I was home, but now I play less and spend more time with my family. I also enjoy spending time with friends when I can.
Tell us about how important Jenn has been in your career. The sacrifices she makes to keep your family together.
Through the years, Jenn has been my pillar of strength, she sacrificed her career and has supported our life together on tour. [Tiffany says: I’ve never heard Jen complain about the travel or the time she spends by herself taking care of the kids. Through all the ups and downs with tour life, she always listens and supports Cam every step of the way. I admire her for her undying support, patience and commitment to this lifestyle. It takes a special person!]
What is the best part about having the kids on the road with you? I don’t have to miss them and we get to enjoy travelling together and experiencing different things.
Do you have any charities you support or are a part of? I play in charity tournaments when I can, but I do not specifically support one organization.
How many days a year do you play a round of golf? A whole bunch…tough to calculate
Are you still doing what you love or is it a job now? Can’t wait to get up each day and either play or practice..but I do think of it as a business and a job.
I've always wondered what Cam does during his "off-season". Does he play in other non-PGA tournaments, just get away from the game, train, etc...? Off season is short, it’s really only 6 weeks. I do as little as possible, I play a little bit of golf but I spend more time working on my golf swing with my teacher. One of those weeks is usually spent back in MN with family and friends. As far as training and staying in shape, right now I am doing pilates 5 days a week.
How big of a pain in the ass are the Wednesday pro-ams??? NOT AT ALL. I use them as my practice round and it’s as close as you can get to what the course will play like on Thursday.
How do endorsements work? I have a contract with Callaway for my clubs, golf bag, hat, glove, golf shirts and golf ball. Bacterin International is on the left chest of my shirt. I wear ECCO shoes for free!
Do you have an agent that handles the contracts? Yes. SFX WORLD is the name of the firm.
How often do you change gear? I do two year contracts. I change balls every three holes. I use a new glove every round. When I get to the course for a tournament, my locker is stocked with 4 dozen balls, 6 gloves and 3 hats.
Do you have any routines that you feel superstitious about following? Not so much superstitious, but I do get stretched by a trainer before each round and I play #1 balls on day 1, #2’s on day two etc.
What is your routine before you play? I get to the course two hours before my tee time, I eat first and then I get stretched. I putt, chip, hit balls, putt and then tee off.
What qualities do you look for in a caddy? My caddy is John Burke, we’ve been together almost one year. I look for confidence, experience and someone I enjoy being with A LOT!
Does he make a percentage of your earnings? He gets $1500 per week, 6% of less than top 10 earnings, 8% on a Top 10 finish and 10% on a win.
What if you don't make the cut? He get’s the $1500.
When you win money how and when do you actually get it? It get wired into my account on Wednesday after the tournament.
How does the PGA communicate with you? I get text messages for my tee times. We have a website with anything and everything we need to know about the tournament.
Who handles all the logistics of the week (flight, hotel, tee times, proams etc)? ME! Flights, I book through PGA travel. Hotels are through the people that run the tournament. Tee times and proams – texted or posted in locker room.
Does the tour cover any expenses? We get a courtesy car each week, otherwise we handle all of our own expenses.
Will you be in MN for the 2009 PGA Championship? Naturally.
Does your family travel every week with you? No. Now that Hannah is in school, travel is more difficult, but they always get to the fun locations and others as it works with the schedule.
What is your favorite course to play, besides Birnamwood, of course? Pheonix Open – TPC @ Scottsdale – the atmosphere is unlike any other, it’s as close as we get to arena golf! Will you ever play in Utah? I thought Utah was for skiing??…actually I played a Nationwide event a couple years ago in Sandy, Utah. I had a great time and stayed at the SnowBird Resort.
Would you ever recommend a career as a pro athlete to your kids? Or your nephew? I am all for encouraging kids to do whatever they want to do. I consider myself lucky to be doing something that I love every day. So I would want that for them regardless pro athlete or not.I have many friends who are world cup and winter sports pro-athletes. There seems to be a misconception that it is all one big party and that life on the road is all 5-star hotels, amazing room service, massages and endless fun. What is your take? Well…some of this is true…but it’s not a huge party..if I go for a massage it’s because I need time to relax or need to keep my body loose. I love to travel and each city has different something to offer. Having been out there for 10 years, I am now familiar with restaurants and fun places to go. The drawbacks are being away from my family. The max amount of time I am away from my family is two weeks, whether I go home or they join me on the road. Sunday nights are reserved for “partying”.
Did you have a mentor when you were new to the tour? I have definitely had help along the way. Hal Sutton has really helped my career and we have spent a lot of time together at his golf course in Fredricksburg, Tx. I have also been greatly influenced by other friends on tour over time. (ie Bob Tway) Briny Baird is my closest friend on tour.
Are you a mentor? I do help other players on tour when I can.
Who is hilarious on tour? John Huston – the comedy never ends.
Who's a great guy? Bob Tway….they don’t get any better!
Should the PGA allow women on tour? I am not a big fan of the idea because I think women should support the LPGA tour.
Does the PGA take care of you when you retire in terms of pension etc.? Yes. We receive retirement based on two things, how we finish each year on the money list and amount of cuts made each year. But in order to be fully vested, you need to play a full five years on tour.
Are the players generally supportive of each other or is it all business? It is a friendly atmosphere, but in the end it’s all business.
Make the courses longer or put a cap on equipment or not change a thing? The question is whether the spectators want to watch birdies or bogies, and I think it’s more fun for them to watch the birdies as opposed to struggling and getting bogey or worse. The 4 majors should be tougher and the others should be geared towards keeping the spectators engaged.
18 hole playoff or sudden death? Sudden death!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may not have won the Frys.com otherwise!
Have you always known that you wanted to play on the PGA tour growing up? No. When I was younger, I had NHL dreams but as I got older that seemed unrealistic and in highschool, the golf bug got me. Not until college when I quickly improved did I start thinking about the PGA tour dream.
What has been your most rewarding and disappointing moment in your career? Winning the Frys.com, I was at a low point in my career and I was thinking of doing something different!! But the win really invigorated me and I look forward to playing every day.
When you have down time what do you like to do? When I am by myself on the road, I read a lot. I am currently reading the Vince Flynn series. When I am at home, I do as little as possible. I used to play a lot of golf when I was home, but now I play less and spend more time with my family. I also enjoy spending time with friends when I can.
Tell us about how important Jenn has been in your career. The sacrifices she makes to keep your family together.
Through the years, Jenn has been my pillar of strength, she sacrificed her career and has supported our life together on tour. [Tiffany says: I’ve never heard Jen complain about the travel or the time she spends by herself taking care of the kids. Through all the ups and downs with tour life, she always listens and supports Cam every step of the way. I admire her for her undying support, patience and commitment to this lifestyle. It takes a special person!]
What is the best part about having the kids on the road with you? I don’t have to miss them and we get to enjoy travelling together and experiencing different things.
Do you have any charities you support or are a part of? I play in charity tournaments when I can, but I do not specifically support one organization.
How many days a year do you play a round of golf? A whole bunch…tough to calculate
Are you still doing what you love or is it a job now? Can’t wait to get up each day and either play or practice..but I do think of it as a business and a job.
I've always wondered what Cam does during his "off-season". Does he play in other non-PGA tournaments, just get away from the game, train, etc...? Off season is short, it’s really only 6 weeks. I do as little as possible, I play a little bit of golf but I spend more time working on my golf swing with my teacher. One of those weeks is usually spent back in MN with family and friends. As far as training and staying in shape, right now I am doing pilates 5 days a week.
How big of a pain in the ass are the Wednesday pro-ams??? NOT AT ALL. I use them as my practice round and it’s as close as you can get to what the course will play like on Thursday.
How do endorsements work? I have a contract with Callaway for my clubs, golf bag, hat, glove, golf shirts and golf ball. Bacterin International is on the left chest of my shirt. I wear ECCO shoes for free!
Do you have an agent that handles the contracts? Yes. SFX WORLD is the name of the firm.
How often do you change gear? I do two year contracts. I change balls every three holes. I use a new glove every round. When I get to the course for a tournament, my locker is stocked with 4 dozen balls, 6 gloves and 3 hats.
Do you have any routines that you feel superstitious about following? Not so much superstitious, but I do get stretched by a trainer before each round and I play #1 balls on day 1, #2’s on day two etc.
What is your routine before you play? I get to the course two hours before my tee time, I eat first and then I get stretched. I putt, chip, hit balls, putt and then tee off.
What qualities do you look for in a caddy? My caddy is John Burke, we’ve been together almost one year. I look for confidence, experience and someone I enjoy being with A LOT!
Does he make a percentage of your earnings? He gets $1500 per week, 6% of less than top 10 earnings, 8% on a Top 10 finish and 10% on a win.
What if you don't make the cut? He get’s the $1500.
When you win money how and when do you actually get it? It get wired into my account on Wednesday after the tournament.
How does the PGA communicate with you? I get text messages for my tee times. We have a website with anything and everything we need to know about the tournament.
Who handles all the logistics of the week (flight, hotel, tee times, proams etc)? ME! Flights, I book through PGA travel. Hotels are through the people that run the tournament. Tee times and proams – texted or posted in locker room.
Does the tour cover any expenses? We get a courtesy car each week, otherwise we handle all of our own expenses.
Will you be in MN for the 2009 PGA Championship? Naturally.
Does your family travel every week with you? No. Now that Hannah is in school, travel is more difficult, but they always get to the fun locations and others as it works with the schedule.
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