andrew scott jensen

with the off season here, I’m going to be doing many changes to my website

this will keep my occupied in the cold winter months of Ottawa.  The first thing was a great photoshoot I did yesterday with Logikal Photography.

the pictures will be great to spark the layout changes I’m designing for andrewjensen.ca

Until then, have a look at this sneak peek to tide you over

2009 will be better than 2008

I can say I’ve learned this lesson because I know that everything from this year will come together to help me out next year.  I’ll be able to draw upon every experience and take what I need to help me out next year.  My goal as a golfer is to improve every year.  I can say that over the past 5 years, that’s been the trend.  I know that the trend will continue for the years to come.  I’m not saying that every result will be better, I’m saying that the process will improve, and that’s all I can control.  I’ve made a point of improving the process every year, and the by product has been better results, but that’s not the drive.  The drive is to work hard and test myself.  Sticking to this drive is why I think next year will be better than this year.  No matter where I end up competing, I know that come next fall I will be that much closer and that much more prepared for the PGA Tour.

I can always work harder!

I’ve learned that there is no limit to hard I can and have to work to get to the PGA Tour.  As hard as I worked this past off season and tournament season, it wasn’t enough.  Not to be negative, I just mean that there is another level to reach.  I can spend more time in the gym, more time on the range, more time chipping and putting, more time working on my mental approach to the game.  The key to all of it is to spend quality time.  Hours don’t directly relate to better golf, better practice relates to better golf.

Thinking like this really motivates me to work that much harder.  I look at Camilo Villegas as my inspiration for work ethic.  He has worked so hard to get where he is and is no where near slowing down.  I’ve worked very hard to get to this level, but as my results have shown, I need to work harder.  This challenge to work harder is all the motivation I need!

My focus must change

This has to be the most important lesson I learned this year.  I spent most of my time this year worrying about everything else and not focusing 100% on the task at hand.  I focused all my energy on what my golf would do.  This was a terrible way to spend the season, but I had to experience it to learn this important lesson.  I’m very happy that I learned it in my first year.  I feel that I’ve gotten over the hurdle of trying to impress others by playing well.  My motivation and focus is now trying to see how good I can get to prove to myself that I can compete at the level I’ve always dreamed of.  I understand this all sounds very selfish, but it’s not from a selfish place.  This thinking comes from a self motivated place.  I still believe that I’m playing golf for a higher purpose, and that’s the only thing that keeps me going.  In the meantime, I’m learning that the focus has to be on the shot in front of me, and not what the results of this shot(good or bad) will have on my or anyone else’s future.

I’ve always been a worrier.  I’ve always worried about the future.  It’s something I’m slowing breaking from.  I’m slowly giving up trying to control the things I can’t control.  I’m now learning to focus my attention on what I can control.  In this case it’s hitting good golf shots, sticking to my commitments out on the course.  I can’t control where my funding will come from, what clubs I’ll use, where I’ll play further down the road, etc…

Trust me, this has been something that became apparent early in the year.  I never realized how deep an issue it was until it was fully exposed.  I feel that I’m closer to where I need to be to allow myself to really focus on the shot in front of me.  When I can check everything else at the door and focus on the task at hand and nothing else, it will be a huge personal victory, but it will also allow me to be victorious on the golf course.