Allie White, second-year member on the Epson Tour, will be sharing her adventures throughout the 2014 season. If you, the fans, have a question or topic you'd like Allie to cover just e-mail us at Epson Tour. Be sure to take a look back at her blogs from her 2013 Rookie season.

A Hot Break
There is no doubt in my mind that my Epson Tour competitors are taking full advantage of this three week spring break in the Tour Schedule. With no tournament in between Kendall Dye’s victory March 30th at the IOA Classic, and our next event in Sarasota, Florida April 24th, we all have a golden opportunity to get ready for a five week tournament stretch. In my opinion, these three weeks are the most important part of our schedule. As my Coach Sally Austin tells me… “You should chip and then putt and then chip and then putt and then work out and then chip and then putt… and then maybe on the weekend hit some bunker shots”.

So that’s pretty much what’s been going on (admittedly, I love playing nine holes so that happens maybe more than it should). I will say though, that I’ve been mixing yoga into the workout scene. And not just any kind of yoga, mind you: HOT… really flippin’ hot yoga.

Now, if you’ve never tried really flippin’ hot yoga before… well let me tell ya— you are missin’ out. So a couple of weeks ago, I strolled over to the soccer mom yoga place and I’m thinking… this yoga thing is a good idea. I figured I needed a little variety tossed in with my per usual bicycle abs deal, and I also thought well maybe this will help with that Florida heat Lake Wales so kindly reminded me about.

So I get to soccer mom yoga center and sign up for my monthly package which was way too much… I’m thinking how much do these surburbia yoga people need just to turn on a heater? But anyway, I sign up and the next day I conveniently borrow my roommate’s yoga mat (which I don’t think he’s missed yet)… and I drive off to yoga class. I plop myself down next to this older gal figuring that I’m surely more limber than she is… so I can’t look too bad. We do some nice zen breathing and so on trying to sound like the ocean and etc (I do great at this), and then right before the yoga instructor chick hits the heat and cranks the zen tunes, she tells us not to leave the room even if we get thirsty because she will have to file a report if we leave. That would have been fine if I didn’t really need to use the restroom (I had sort of over-prepared with the whole drinking water thing). So about a half hour into hot yoga… there I was holding it, slipping away on my roommates mat, unable to hold a pose, because of an absurd amount of sweat (I’m sure he is going to love getting his mat back…), and all the while taking note of the old lady kicking my butt to the left of me. Needless to say, I’ve learned to use the restroom before practice, take a towel with me, and sit by myself. All that said, I really do love yoga and appreciate the awesome instructors at my very cool soccer mom yoga room.

In between yoga this past week, I was blessed to be able to spend a day over at The Links at Stoney Point in Greenwood, South Carolina. Coming up May 8th-11th Stoney Point will be hosting the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Charity Classic, a four day event with proceeds going towards multiple women’s health charitable endeavors. After spending just one day with the folks at Stoney Point, I don’t know if I could be any more excited for a tour tournament. Not only are they doubling the average purse but, more importantly, the people at Stoney Point are exceptionally fantastic hosts. I have not been to a club where I felt more welcomed. Greenwood, South Carolina is really excited to have us. The enthusiasm is contagious.

I caught fever of the enthusiasm from my hosts, Eileen and Wally Stevenson as well as my fellow practice round buddy Ulrika Van Niekerk who kindly hooked me up with the Stevensons and a tee time.

Not only is Wally Stevenson an exceptional host, he is also in charge of tournament operations so it was really nice to stay with someone who has been putting so much effort into the event. Wally and Eileen were also great with pork on a grill, which my stomach thankfully noted. With Ulrika being from South Africa and the Stevensons having spent time in South Africa as well, I kept joking that I had been trying to drive to South Carolina and I accidentally ended up in South Africa!

Wherever the folks from Stoney Point hail from; South Africa, England, true south, or the north (shaking off the cold) they are remarkably wonderful hosts. The Women’s Health Classic as well as the other four tournaments on the way in April and May should be a great way to get back into the swing of things after our break… I mean I wouldn’t want to get too good at yoga… ya know :)

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Inside the Ropes with Allie White

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