Community News!

More Community support! Dave from Urban Links has joined my rally! For every $100 purchase, Urban Links will donate $5 to my rally! Urban Links is a Golf Training Center in Kelowna.  Train with video analysis, trackman dopler radar, or play 18 holes in the simulator! Train Smarter. Play Better.

Thank you Urban Links!

Gallagher's Canyon Game Pack Winners!  My rally was running a promotion from Dec 2 - Dec 16. Thank you to Peter and Jon at Gallagher's Canyon for donating a 2014 10-Round Game Pack to the Pinnacle, and a 10-Round Game Pack to the Canyon Course!  Congratulations to the Winners!

See video here: https://vimeo.com/82135228

~KI

Intro:

My name is Kyla Inaba. I am a professional golfer from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.  My goal is to get my game to the next level in 2014. I will do this via the Australian Tour, the Cactus Tour, the Canadian Women’s Tour, the LPGA Symetra Tour and eventually LPGA Qualifying. My aim is to raise $7,500 to get me started on my 2014 Winter Tour. 

Dream Big:

Many people don’t know or see the potential they have. Rocks often go unturned; people shy away from opportunities because of fear of failure.  Choosing a career that does not guarantee an income at any given time is a risky choice in many people’s eyes.  But choosing a career that allows me to love what I do every day, and provides me an ever evolving challenge and opportunity to improve, is a choice I’m willing to make.  My goal is to play with the best. Be one of the best in the world. It’s a big choice. A big commitment. Dream Big.

My Journey:

Born and raised in Kelowna, BC, Canada I was lucky enough to enjoy 4 solid seasons growing up. Soccer season, volleyball and basketball season, ski season, and golf season! I didn’t start competitive golf until I was 15; a relatively late bloomer as far as junior golf goes. After high school, I spent a year at the Okanagan University College in Kelowna, to work on my entry level science courses and improve my game. 

Thunderbird Life:

I developed a game that was recruit-able for University of British Columbia, the best golf program in Canada.  I spent the next four years as a Thunderbird varsity athlete balancing travel, golf, study, and exam-taking. Here I learned how to learn, learned how to communicate, and learned how to lead.  At UBC we had much success as a team:

2006 NAIA National Championship Team runner-up

2006, 2007, 2009 Golf Canada’s Collegiate Team Champions 

And success individually:

2008 NAIA National Championship Individual Runner up

2009 UBC Gail Moore Invitational Champion

2009 Golf Canada Collegiate Championship Individual Runner Up. 

After attaining my BSc in General Science in 2009, I wasn’t ready to hang up the clubs.  I spent the next three winters focusing on my amateur golf in Arizona, while balancing work and Canadian competition in the summers, featuring:

2009, 2011 Kelowna Ladies Invitational Champion. (2011 featured my lowest two round total, -8)

2010, 2011, 2012 BC Amateur Top 10

2012 BC Mid-Amateur Champion

Turning Pro:

2013 was my first year as a professional.  As much as you think you are prepared there is always a learning curve. The year started with hot and cold results correlated with high and low expectations.  By riding this emotional roller coaster, life taught me to curb my expectations and enjoy the process.  The summer was much more of an adventure; and golf along with results came much easier!

January 2013 T5 Cactus Tour @ Club West

April 2013 T4 Cactus Tour @ Seville

May/June 2013 Four (4) finishes inside the top 1/3 

Q-School:

I entered stage one of LPGA qualifying this year feeling confident in my game.  After positioning myself within the cut heading into round 4, I found myself outside the cut at the finish of the tournament. What I took away from it was J-status on the LPGA Symetra Tour, and the belief that I have the game to advance through qualifying in 2014.

The 2014 Plan:

My plan is always a mathematical function of my funds. 

Jan-Feb: Kick off the year playing the ALPGA in Australia.

March-April: Back to Phoenix, to play the Cactus Tour

May: Up to Canada for the first event of the Canadian Women’s Tour. 

May-July: A mix of Canadian Women’s Tour, and State Opens.

August-December:  Preparation for LPGA Qualifying.

* If granted entry to LPGA Symetra Tour events, they will take priority over other scheduled events. My J-status is a conditional status, and I will be placed on waitlists for entry. 

The Budget:

My goal of $7,500 will go directly towards my 2014 Winter costs. My budget for my entire 2014 season is approximately $30,000-$40,000.

 Here is an idea of costs for 2014:

Tour Membership fees: $500/tour x 3 = $1,500

Entry fees: $250-$580/event = $7,000-$10,000

LPGA Qualifying School Entry: $2,500-$5,000

Travel: $7,000/year

Accommodation:Host housing and shared accommodation if available.

Other: Equipment, Food, Travel Insurance

Thank you!

Thank you for your support!  I could not continue on this journey without your help.  I would like to thank all of those who have been a part of my team this past year, Brandt’s Creek Pub, Kelowna Periodontics, The Tour Performance Lab, Chiropractor Dr. Kevin Dieleman, my home course Gallagher’s Canyon, and Mom, Dad, Kevin and Jason for always being there for me through thick and thin.

Other ways to Help:

I appreciate every single contribution to my Rally. Thank you. Please help me spread my rally by using the links at the top to post on facebook, twitter, or email!

For more information check out my website: www.kylainabagolf.com, Follow me on Twitter @kylainaba, or find me on facebook.