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Hello, my name is Curtis Hinman, and I am from the Omaha, NE-Council Bluffs, IA area and I have a story to tell of me following my professional golf career dream. I am a single dad with an 11 year old daughter and a 13 years old son. Please take the time to read my story. Thank you.
My golf dream started 31 years ago, when I was 7 years old and picked up my first golf club. I fell in love with the game, immediately. In my early childhood days, the golf course was my playground. I was there every day. My parents got me involved in junior golf where I learned the basics and played in weekly tournaments. Then in my early teens, I spent my days during the summer at the golf course washing golf carts. Since I was too young to be on the payroll, the golf course let me play golf, where I was able to better my game and mental strength through trial and error. The golf course has become my zen over the years.
To present date, I have had 3 hole-in-ones. My first at the age of 15 a 220-yard par 3 hole, my second at the age of 20 acing a 175-yard par 3 hole, and most recently got my third hole-in-one August, 2016, 169-yard par 3 hole.
In high school I was told, by many, that I would not make varsity. I dedicated myself and played varsity golf all 4 years of high school and receiving many medalist honors, winning numerous events throughout my high school golf career. One highlight during my freshman year, I tied for first in district with a score of 72, leading into a three hole playoff where I lost by one.
After graduating high school in 1996, I attended Northeast Community College where I red shirted my freshman year. My sophomore year, I placed 6th in Junior College Nationals.
After leaving Northeast Community College in 1998, I attended the San Diego Golf Academy, Arizona Campus. I practiced and played almost every day, at least 18-54 holes. While on summer break of 1999, I came back to Council Bluffs and played in the Omaha Pub Links, where I was the second youngest to win the Championship flight. I won in a dominant fashion. After going back to Arizona and playing every day, I started to feel burned out. This taught me that even when you are doing something you love you do need a break. After graduating from the academy in 2001, I returned home to Council Bluffs and did not touch a club until the following spring. Once spring arrived the passion came back to where I wanted to pursue a professional golf career. I also knew that the starting point was on the mini tours. I did attempt a few Monday qualifiers, over the years, for the Web.Com tour, Omaha Classic. This taught me a valuable lesson: In order to succeed you must first fail. This also made me work harder at my mental and physical game.
I bounced around with golf jobs as an assistant golf pro, working long hours, sometimes seven days a week which did not allow me to spend quality time with my two children. I felt I was missing out on an important part of my life, watching my children grow up, so I put attempting to play professional golf on hold.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease, hyperthyroidism, resulting in my thyroid being ablated, killed off. About 6-8 months after being treated, I decided to research and be my own advocate about my health. I learned what I needed to avoid and what I needed to do to control my symptoms and take back control of my life. I changed careers by entering into the medical field working as a patient transport in Radiology which lead me to applying and being accepted to the Alegent Health School of Radiologic Technology. After graduating, I found the Radiologic Technologist field was saturated with applicants to where full-time jobs were scarce. I found a PRN position that gave me the opportunity to play golf and my passion was back strong as well as my mind and body. I feel I can compete at the highest level with the best with having a scoring average of 70.5 and a driving distant average of 291.6 in 2016 season, without practicing and playing everyday.
Now that my children are entering their teenage years, I have talked to them about striving and following your dreams no matter what they are and how they are to achieve. This is what I am trying to show them as I took that step in October 2016 when I became a professional golfer, my lifelong dream. I played my first competitive event in October 2016 on the Adams Pro Tour (Midwest Mini Tour) after having a 14 year layoff.
I want my children to know that the only limitation is what you put on yourself and right now the only limitation holding me back from achieving my dream and doing what I truly feel I was destine to do, “play golf for a living”, is the financial side of it. I have the ability and drive to make it happen but I need the financial support. Work, taking care of the household and raising my children leaves me with limited time to practice and play.
This is where I am asking you to contribute to get me through the season to focus on making my lifelong dream come true and show my children that dreams can happen at any age and to strive as high as you can for your dreams. After my success, from your contributions, I plan on paying it forward to helping someone worthy, in financial need in fulfilling their dream.
After re-evaluating the 2017 season, I will know on which aspects of my game I need improvement on to advance my career to full membership on Web.Com tour before the final destination of membership of the PGA tour.
One final note is my favorite quote from my father that keeps me focused and relieves stress is:
“Enjoy the walk, it’s only a game.”
I know this is soon but for me to start following my dream I would like to have funds by April 15 but will accept funds throughout the season to keep my dream continuing.
Besides the tournament entry fees the contributions will allow me to focus on my golf career, travel expenses, general golf expenses and home living expenses.
**If you would please forward this to everyone you can think of that would be interested in helping me follow my dream I would greatly appreciate all your help. Thank You.**
My golf dream started 31 years ago, when I was 7 years old and picked up my first golf club. I fell in love with the game, immediately. In my early childhood days, the golf course was my playground. I was there every day. My parents got me involved in junior golf where I learned the basics and played in weekly tournaments. Then in my early teens, I spent my days during the summer at the golf course washing golf carts. Since I was too young to be on the payroll, the golf course let me play golf, where I was able to better my game and mental strength through trial and error. The golf course has become my zen over the years.
To present date, I have had 3 hole-in-ones. My first at the age of 15 a 220-yard par 3 hole, my second at the age of 20 acing a 175-yard par 3 hole, and most recently got my third hole-in-one August, 2016, 169-yard par 3 hole.
In high school I was told, by many, that I would not make varsity. I dedicated myself and played varsity golf all 4 years of high school and receiving many medalist honors, winning numerous events throughout my high school golf career. One highlight during my freshman year, I tied for first in district with a score of 72, leading into a three hole playoff where I lost by one.
After graduating high school in 1996, I attended Northeast Community College where I red shirted my freshman year. My sophomore year, I placed 6th in Junior College Nationals.
After leaving Northeast Community College in 1998, I attended the San Diego Golf Academy, Arizona Campus. I practiced and played almost every day, at least 18-54 holes. While on summer break of 1999, I came back to Council Bluffs and played in the Omaha Pub Links, where I was the second youngest to win the Championship flight. I won in a dominant fashion. After going back to Arizona and playing every day, I started to feel burned out. This taught me that even when you are doing something you love you do need a break. After graduating from the academy in 2001, I returned home to Council Bluffs and did not touch a club until the following spring. Once spring arrived the passion came back to where I wanted to pursue a professional golf career. I also knew that the starting point was on the mini tours. I did attempt a few Monday qualifiers, over the years, for the Web.Com tour, Omaha Classic. This taught me a valuable lesson: In order to succeed you must first fail. This also made me work harder at my mental and physical game.
I bounced around with golf jobs as an assistant golf pro, working long hours, sometimes seven days a week which did not allow me to spend quality time with my two children. I felt I was missing out on an important part of my life, watching my children grow up, so I put attempting to play professional golf on hold.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease, hyperthyroidism, resulting in my thyroid being ablated, killed off. About 6-8 months after being treated, I decided to research and be my own advocate about my health. I learned what I needed to avoid and what I needed to do to control my symptoms and take back control of my life. I changed careers by entering into the medical field working as a patient transport in Radiology which lead me to applying and being accepted to the Alegent Health School of Radiologic Technology. After graduating, I found the Radiologic Technologist field was saturated with applicants to where full-time jobs were scarce. I found a PRN position that gave me the opportunity to play golf and my passion was back strong as well as my mind and body. I feel I can compete at the highest level with the best with having a scoring average of 70.5 and a driving distant average of 291.6 in 2016 season, without practicing and playing everyday.
Now that my children are entering their teenage years, I have talked to them about striving and following your dreams no matter what they are and how they are to achieve. This is what I am trying to show them as I took that step in October 2016 when I became a professional golfer, my lifelong dream. I played my first competitive event in October 2016 on the Adams Pro Tour (Midwest Mini Tour) after having a 14 year layoff.
I want my children to know that the only limitation is what you put on yourself and right now the only limitation holding me back from achieving my dream and doing what I truly feel I was destine to do, “play golf for a living”, is the financial side of it. I have the ability and drive to make it happen but I need the financial support. Work, taking care of the household and raising my children leaves me with limited time to practice and play.
This is where I am asking you to contribute to get me through the season to focus on making my lifelong dream come true and show my children that dreams can happen at any age and to strive as high as you can for your dreams. After my success, from your contributions, I plan on paying it forward to helping someone worthy, in financial need in fulfilling their dream.
After re-evaluating the 2017 season, I will know on which aspects of my game I need improvement on to advance my career to full membership on Web.Com tour before the final destination of membership of the PGA tour.
One final note is my favorite quote from my father that keeps me focused and relieves stress is:
“Enjoy the walk, it’s only a game.”
I know this is soon but for me to start following my dream I would like to have funds by April 15 but will accept funds throughout the season to keep my dream continuing.
Besides the tournament entry fees the contributions will allow me to focus on my golf career, travel expenses, general golf expenses and home living expenses.
**If you would please forward this to everyone you can think of that would be interested in helping me follow my dream I would greatly appreciate all your help. Thank You.**