academy4

Checking In

Some of you might be wondering where I have been over the past few weeks. I haven’t retired... I promise! As most of you know, I have been dealing with an injury that has left me unable to compete for the moment. I thought I would take this time off to update all of you on my injury and my plan to get better.

My neck had been bothering me since last year. I never worried too much about it, thinking it was simply kink or maybe a slightly pulled muscle. I continued to workout and practice almost daily, however the pain kept building and I knew something wasn't right. I worked hard in February and seemed ready to start the year in Mexico, where I played well. However, by Phoenix I found myself in the fitness trailer every morning and icing every evening. During the Kraft Nabisco, things just did not seem right and I kept telling Terry (my caddie) that I didn't feel like myself.

I was most excited about playing in the Ginn OPEN at Reunion. Ginn is a wonderful sponsor of mine, and Reunion is the location of my new school, the ANNIKA Academy. Not to mention that this is the only tournament that I play in my home town of Orlando! Unfortunately, during that week I had gotten to the point where I couldn't swing. I had pain shooting down through my right hand, along with a numb thumb. I struggled through the pro-am on Wednesday and went straight to the doctor following my press conference.

After an MRI (the very first one I have ever had), I was diagnosed with a badly ruptured C5-C6 disk in my neck, along with bulging T7. That did not mean much to me until the doctor told me that I would be unable to play for at least a month. That's when it hit me that my family, friends, advisors, and sponsors who had come in for the grand opening of my Academy would not see me play that week.

This injury was the first one of my career! Looking back, I realize how lucky I have been with my health. I have hit more balls than I can count, always workout hard and have traveled for years. Although I work to keep my body healthy and in shape, it undoubtedly suffers some "wear and tear." I suppose this goes with the territory.

I have been taking it easy over the past few weeks, going to doctor's appointments and working with my physical therapists. I know that everything happens for a reason and I have been able to take advantage of this downtime to focus and devote my attention to other things that are important to me, like my Academy, Foundation and Golf Course Design projects... along with friends and family.

I hope to return to competition for the tournament I host in South Carolina, The Ginn Tribute, Hosted by ANNIKA. I have received so many well wishes and I appreciate that everyone that kept me in their thoughts. I will keep all of you updated on my recovery and my plan for returning to competition. Until next time...

 

My Dream

The opening of my dream, the ANNIKA Academy was finally here - April 16th – a day I had been awaiting for quite some time. I am sure my sister thought it was because this day is her birthday…

My dream started about 5 years ago. I wanted to share my passion for golf and fitness, but also the expertise of my coaches. I wanted to build a platform to inspire people and help them reach their potential.

The day had arrived and the all the guests had begun to register. The napkins were folded and the champagne was chilling on ice. This day was special and the activities were planned to the minute. The day started with a little instructional clinic in which I was supposed to hit some shots. However, my herniated disc prevented me taking part, other than as the emcee. Pia Nilsson filled in to hit some shots on my behalf. Two children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation were invited to participate. I have joined forces with them as a national ambassador and thought it would be nice if some of their kids who had dreams to play golf joined me.

After the clinic, we gathered down at the Academy for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Media from all around the world were there, so were my loyal sponsors, along with many friends and family. Once Bobby Ginn and I officially opened the Academy, I took my first special guest through the facility.

Darius Rucker, the front man from Hootie and the Blowfish was the man who kindly joined us. Darius is a huge golf nut and LPGA fan, so it was a perfect fit for us to have him present. We gave him a quick tour to show off the Academy and its amenities. He tried some of the gym equipment, got to hit some shots in the hitting booth, and last but not least, we fit him with a driver using Callaway’s fitting system.

After that, everyone enjoyed a scramble golf tournament on the Ginn Open’s tournament course. The day was beautiful and everyone enjoyed the challenging course with the exact set-up the LPGA faced the day before.

The day ended in style with a cocktail party that was held at the glamorous Grande. The Golf Channel crew panned the room as the guests were greeted by a giant “ANNIKA Academy” ice sculpture. The ballroom was decorated with contemporary furniture and acrylic light pillars. The guests raved about the intimate environment in which they enjoyed the different foods and a bar that included the wonderful wine samples provided by Rombauer.

With a perfect day nearly in the books, I was finally able to relax and take it all in. As I posed for pictures with different groups of guests, I realized that I was truly living my dream. Each step of the journey has been amazing, and I look forward to watching the Academy grow.

Until next time, keep sharing my passion.