Week 3 is wrapping up for the Countdown to Grass League, and this final week of preparation has definitely felt like something is in the air! Shaking off the winter rust is a real process, and it’s remarkable how much effort it takes to get back into playing shape. I’m feeling much better than when I first began this journey—there’s only so much you can do with limited time outside, but now things are starting to come together.

Next Thursday, April 23rd, we have a team practice round with the LA Roses, and then my teammate, Blake Snyder, and I will tee off at 11 am on Friday, April 24th. We’ll be paired with another team, which will be drafted on Thursday night. That’s right—a true draft for the Grass League as teams look to bolster their rosters. This will be Blake’s and my fifth time teaming up in the Grass League. We’ve finished in the top 10 twice, so we know we can be in the mix, but we’re looking for a little more this time.

.@avl_ltc’s @GrassLeague prep continues. Less than a week before the Grass Clippings Open! pic.twitter.com/8FOaYBFkJx

— GolfWRX (@GolfWRX) April 19, 2026

This week, my preparation shifted from time on the practice tee and green to more actual golf. It was time to put what I learned from the recent pro-ams into play and revisit the fundamentals on the range and putting green. Consider it a test run—a second draft for my swing thoughts and the mental game I’ve been refining.

Friday’s Skins Game at Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane was a great trial by fire: I found myself in a stacked group with some of the Inland Empire PGA Chapter’s best players. In a group where a +4 handicap wasn’t enough to be the low man, the competition was fierce. At times, the furthest ball from the hole on a par 3 was only 12 feet—Isaac Hall even hit one to 2 feet and narrowly missed an ace from 185 yards. On the par-five 12th, Sam Pauly lipped out a 7-iron from 190 yards. Wild moments like these kept the energy high and the pressure on.

I shot 68, which ended up being the high score in our group—Sam Pauly led with 65, Isaac Hall and Carlos Davila each shot 67, and myself with 68.

Saturday, I played with my buddy Jason Welty in a club event at Qualchan. I used the round to focus on the areas I’ve been working on: grip, alignment, and making sure I’m finishing my swing. It’s always helpful teeing it up with Welty—we’ve played plenty of rounds together, and he’s got a good eye for my swing. Sometimes you just need a reminder if you’re getting too quick at the top.

I struck the ball well, but it was one of those days when nothing wanted to drop for that special score. Still, I’m heading in the right direction. Even when the putter runs cold, I know the good ones will fall soon.

The weekend wrapped up with the Kalispel Cup, an annual event where the top ten finishers in the Inland Empire PGA Chapter Pro-Am—both professionals and amateurs—compete in team match play. It was great to get some tournament reps in for the new season. Results-wise, it wasn’t my best, but it was valuable to see those swing tendencies surface in competitive situations.

On the bright side, my course management has improved over the previous years.

Now, with the final week of Grass League prep approaching—and a work trip scheduled from Sunday through Wednesday — I’ll have to squeeze in practice during the evenings and maybe hit a few balls during the day. I plan to get on a launch monitor, relate my swings on the course to practice, and finalize a game plan for my yardages. I can’t do enough putting and chipping, so I’ll be drilling those as well.

Wednesday evening starts a focused practice session with Blake Snyder, leading into Thursday’s round on the course and around the greens. Come 11 a.m., Friday, April 24th, it’s time to put all this preparation to the test and post a number on the leaderboard.