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Balanced by Golf

@balancedbygolf

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⛳ Family golf & travel stories
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Exploring fairways with kids in tow
⚖️ Finding balance in busy life
📍 Based in ATL | Travel welcome

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We don't have any hobbies…

Oh wait 😅

Building the life we want with our little family.

🏌️‍♀️⛳🏌️‍♂️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💚 taken in ATL by @balancedbygolf

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6 months ago

Some days it’s 35 emails… 7 missed calls… 134 messages from work…📩📞🗨️

And yet somehow the only thing that matters is this. 🌄

A cart full of snacks, two tiny humans, and a sunset tee time we’re trying our best to chase. ☀️💚

This clip is from our very first round as a family of four 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Arnie was just three months old, bundled in the stroller, taking in the world one fairway at a time. And somehow it already feels like forever ago. 🍼⛳️

I can’t wait for warmer weather and longer days! Those summer evenings when we squeeze in “just nine more,” when Alivia runs toward the fairway like it’s her personal playground, and Arnie giggles (or naps 😴) as we roll along.

It’s not the big golf trips or the bucket-list courses that make this season special.

It’s our ritual: Friday evening rounds, chasing sunlight, grabbing a quick bite after, our daughter proudly ordering her favorite pretzel, all of us just…together. 🌿💛

These days go by so fast. ⌛

So we’re choosing to savor them — one fairway at a time.

Seize the day. ☀️⛳️ taken in TPC Sugarloaf by @balancedbygolf

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8 months ago

⛳️ 2025 Year in Review ✨
Balance in the Fairway

At the beginning of 2025, knowing we were expecting another little addition to our family, we never imagined this would become #TheYearOfGolf 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

We thought the year would be slower. Quieter. A season of waiting.

Instead… golf quietly wove itself into everything. 💚

By the end of the year:
• Mama played 90 rounds ⛳️
• Dada played around 135 (!!)
• Participated in and/or organized a dozen charity tournaments
• 3rd consecutive year volunteering at the tour championship
• We both competed in tournaments along the way
• Nearly every family vacation and work trip somehow turned into a golf trip
• Played first round abroad together
• And both kids have already spent more time on the course than we ever imagined 👧🏻👶🏻

Golf became our pause button in a busy life — a way to move our bodies, clear our minds, and spend time together, whether it was a championship venue, a neighborhood course, a muni, a resort, or a quick nine squeezed in between obligations.

So here’s a look back at the fairways that shaped our 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣:

TPC Sugarloaf
Ansley Golf Club - Midtown
Smoke Rise Golf & Country Club
North Fulton Golf Course (Chastain)
The Fields Golf Club
St. Marlo Country Club
Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes
Browns Mill Golf Course
East Lake Golf Club
TPC Sawgrass - Dye's Valley
Black Pearl Golf Club
Golf Club of Amelia Island
East Potomac Golf Links - Blue
St. Ives Country Club
Sea Island Golf Club - Seaside
Sea Island Golf Club - Retreat
Sea Island Golf Club - Plantation
Jekyll Island Golf Club - Pine Lakes
River Pines Golf Course
Atlanta National Golf Club
Cherokee Town & Country Club - South
Champions Retreat Golf Club - Nicholas/Palmer
Rivermont Golf & Country Club
Chapel Hills Golf & Country Club
The River Club
Stone Mountain Golf Club - Lakemont
Druid Hills Golf Club
Bear's Best Atlanta
Collins Hill Golf Club
The Standard Club
Heritage Golf Links by @balancedbygolf

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10 months ago

⛳️ Piedmont Driving Club
📍 Atlanta, GA
🗓 5/27/2026

Some golf experiences are memorable for the course.

Others, for the entire experience.

Piedmont Driving Club was definitely both! 💚

Founded in 1887, PDC has a rich Atlanta history, while its Rees Jones-designed golf course opened in 2000. With nine holes playing along a beautiful lake, the layout offers plenty of strategic, risk-reward golf.

We played on a cloudy day with perfect temperatures. ☁️ The course was PURE...pristine conditions, beautiful greens, and hardly another golfer in sight. Almost felt like we had the entire place to ourselves!

From the locker room and practice range to our wonderful caddie and post-round meal, the attention to detail was exceptional. And those freshly baked crackers served at the restaurant? 😍 It's the little things!

The only surprise? No weekday breakfast available. 🌯

With more course improvements on the horizon, I'm curious to see how PDC continues to evolve.

An incredibly memorable private-club experience.

Grateful for the opportunity and hoping to return someday! ❤️⛳️

#PiedmontDrivingClub
#AtlantaGolf
#GolfCourseArchitecture
#BalancedByGolf taken in Piedmont Driving Club Golf Course by @balancedbygolf

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3 days ago

⛳️ Atlanta Country Club @atlantacountryclub
📍 Marietta, GA
🗓 10/11/2021 - 2025

Five years ago today, I played in my very first charity golf tournament! 🏌‍♀️

The venue? Atlanta Country Club, a historic gem that hosted the inaugural PLAYERS Championship in 1974, won by Jack Nicklaus. The tournament eventually found its permanent home at TPC Sawgrass in 1982. ACC was also home to the PGA TOUR's Atlanta Classic from 1967 to 1996, before the event moved to TPC Sugarloaf, our home club today! ⛳️

I've been fortunate to experience ACC both before and after its recent renovation. Pristine conditions, top-notch amenities, and a relaxed, family-friendly clubhouse atmosphere make it a special place.

But what makes that first round most memorable is how far this journey has taken me.

Five years later, I'm playing FOUR charity tournaments in FIVE weeks! 😂

What started as simply playing golf for a good cause has become one of my favorite ways to give back: raising awareness, supporting meaningful missions, creating access, and connecting people who want to make a difference.

From participating to helping organize tournaments and bringing others along, I've learned that golf can open so many doors.

And perhaps the most rewarding part is finding ways to open those doors for others. ❤️

Here's to many more years of playing golf for good! ⛳️

#GolfForGood
#AtlantaCountryClub
#CharityGolf
#GrowingTheGame
#BalancedByGolf taken in Atlanta Country Club Golf Shop by @balancedbygolf

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7 days ago

🏌‍♀️ Legends of the LPGA Atlanta Classic Pro-Am
⛳️ Bridgemill Athletic Club
📍 Canton, GA
🗓 10/5/2026

What a privilege to share the fairways with some incredible LPGA legends, and a reminder that the love of this game never really fades. ❤️

Sunday brought plenty of rain, moving the Sip & Chip indoors for a fun session at the academy. Thankfully, Monday delivered nearly perfect golf weather: cool, overcast skies, no sunscreen needed, and a little blue sky breaking through just as we finished our final hole. ☁️☀️

I had the honor of playing alongside Italian LPGA legend Stefania Croce @stefania.croce. Watching her hit driver off the deck from the rough was something else! 🤯🏌️‍♀️ And I was happy to contribute a few shots to our team, too! Bridgemill was a fun, interesting layout, even if the greens had seen better days.

One of my favorite moments was asking the legends about raising children and introducing them to golf. I don't expect my kids to become elite athletes. I just hope that as they grow older, and we do too, we'll always have this game to bring us together.

Because that's what Balanced by Golf means to me: finding joy, connection, and time together on the fairways, at every stage of life. 💚

Grateful for the experience, the people, and the opportunity to support a meaningful cause. Already hoping to return next year, and maybe reunite with Team Stefania! 🇮🇹⛳️

#LegendsOfTheLPGA
#LPGALegends
#GolfForGood
#WomenInGolf
#BalancedByGolf taken in BridgeMill Athletic Club by @balancedbygolf

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11 days ago

Fall golf is officially here. 🍂⛳️

Hard to imagine a better Monday than walking East Lake in absolutely pristine condition, with greens that felt like they were probably rolling at 13 😅⚡️all while supporting @atlantaymca and Atlanta families!

Even better getting to share the day with each other (and capture a few shots by @craig.blythe.73).

Anyone need a bunker lesson from him?! 🏖

Fall tournament season has begun. ❤️⛳️ taken in East Lake Golf Club by @balancedbygolf

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16 days ago

⛳️ The Hay at Pebble Beach @pebblebeachresorts
📍 Pebble Beach, CA
🗓 8/24/2026

It’s just how we roll. 😂⛳️

Our last full day in Monterey started with a 6:30 a.m 🌅 tee time at Pacific Grove for Dada and a 3 p.m. 🌄 tee time at Poppy Hills for Mama.

So naturally, we decided there was plenty of time in between for a spontaneous family round at The Hay, par-3 at Pebble Beach, and a cruise around 17-Mile Drive. 🚗

We stopped at the Lone Cypress, took in the rugged Pacific coastline 🌊🌲, and drove past an almost ridiculous lineup of golf: Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Cypress Point and more. For golf lovers, 17-Mile Drive is basically sightseeing heaven. ⛳️

Then nine holes at The Hay with the whole family before heading to Poppy. ❤️

Some families squeeze in sightseeing between activities. Apparently we squeeze in sightseeing and more golf between golf. 😂

Monterey, you were very good to us. 💚⛳️

#CaliforniaGolf
#PebbleBeach
#FamilyGolf
#GolfTravel
#BalancedByGolf taken in Pebble Beach 17 Mile Drive by @balancedbygolf

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18 days ago

⛳️ Presidio Golf Course
📍 San Francisco, CA
🗓 8/21/2026

While I was playing TPC Harding Park, I casually mentioned to a local in my foursome that I loved the course, but the views weren’t quite as dramatic as I expected. His response: “You should check out Presidio.”

15 minutes later…tee time booked. ✅️

So the next morning, Craig headed out for a 7am wedding-day round, while the kids and I enjoyed a slow morning of hotel breakfast 🥞☕️, pool time 🏊‍♀️ and fighting West Coast jet lag. 😴

Dating back to 1895, Presidio is historic, hilly, tree-lined 🌲 and full of San Francisco character, including a quirky little tradition on No. 5, where golfers leave offerings for the gnome tucked beneath a tree. 🧙‍♂️

Craig made his offering…and apparently it worked: after having to chip out of the trees, he still managed to save par. 😂

He finished in about 3.5 hours, we picked him up, and headed right back to the Presidio, this time as a family. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

By then, the fog had cleared 🌫️➡️☀️ into blue skies and perfect weather. We explored Presidio Tunnel Tops, snapped one of my favorite family photos with the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉❤️, grabbed some donuts 🍩 and headed back to get dressed up.

Because the whole reason this California golf adventure happened was to celebrate the union of two golfers. 💍🥂⛳️

One local recommendation → one spontaneous tee time → one pretty perfect San Francisco day.

Always listen to the locals…and apparently, the gnomes. 😂🧙‍♂️⛳️

#TravelGolf
#CityGolf
#GolfFamily
#CaliforniaGolf
#BalancedByGolf taken in Presidio Golf Course by @balancedbygolf

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20 days ago

⛳️ Pacific Grove Golf Links @pacificgrovegl
📍 Pacific Grove, CA
🗓 8/23/2026

Another Monterey round I’m still thinking about. 🌫️

Known as the “Poor Man’s Pebble Beach,” Pacific Grove starts as a charming neighborhood muni 🏡 before crossing over to an incredible oceanfront back nine. 🌊

We each had the 6:30am tee time 🌅 and walked the course 🚶🏻‍♀️⛳️.

What I remember most wasn’t any particular golf shot (though I was in quite a few peculiar places), it was hearing the waves 🌊, smelling the ocean 🩵 and feeling that cool morning mist as I walked.

And the deer! 🦌🦌🦌 Everywhere. On the greens. Wandering across fairways. 🌿Casually napping next to tee boxes like we were interrupting their Sunday morning. 😂

🌊 Ocean air
🌫️ Morning mist
🦌 Deer everywhere
🌲 Monterey scenery
⛳️ Golf by the Pacific

Such a simple, beautiful and quintessentially Monterey experience.

Sometimes the experience is bigger than the scorecard. If Pebble is not on your agenda, definitely check out this gem!!

#MontereyGolf
#CaliforniaGolf
#GolfTravel taken in Pacific Grove Golf Links by @balancedbygolf

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a month ago

⛳️ Poppy Hills Golf Course @poppyhillsgc
📍 Pebble Beach, CA
🗓 8/24/2026

Three weeks later and we are still thinking about this round. 🌲⛳️

Tucked into the Del Monte Forest, Poppy Hills is the home course of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA) and was part of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am rotation from 1991–2009, alongside Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.

After a major Robert Trent Jones Jr. renovation (Poppy 2.0), it remains such a quintessential Monterey golf experience.

I got the full experience too, fog so thick from the first hole that sometimes I could barely see the pin and none of our range finders worked. 😂 It made an already beautiful course feel even more mysterious.

And because the golf world is wonderfully small, I was paired with two guys from the UK who caddie at Kingsbarns. They were in California after being invited by a member to play Cypress Point the very next day. Needless to say, I had LOTS of questions. 😂👀

Beautiful course, great company, towering pines and a round I won’t soon forget. Poppy Hills absolutely belongs on a Monterey golf trip. 🌊

#MontereyGolf
#CaliforniaGolf
#GolfTravel
#BalancedByGolf
#PebbleBeach taken in Poppy Hills Golf Course by @balancedbygolf

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a month ago

⛳️ Pasatiempo @pasatiempogolfclub
📍 Santa Cruz, CA
🗓 8/25/2026

Sometimes the best rounds are the ones you almost didn’t play. ⛳️💚

Pasatiempo wasn’t on our itinerary. We booked it that morning, while checking out of our hotel in Seaside, CA and getting ready to drive Highway 1 back to SFO for our 10 p.m. red-eye. 😂

But after enough friends told us “You HAVE to play it” and one mentioned how much Augusta National DNA you can feel here, we couldn’t leave without experiencing this Dr. Alister MacKenzie masterpiece.

Pasatiempo roughly translates to “pastime” or “hobby.” The course was the vision of MacKenzie and Marion Hollins, the 1921 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion and pioneering athlete and entrepreneur. 📜🏌‍♀️

Classic MacKenzie is everywhere: dramatic bunkering, wildly undulating greens, deceptive sightlines and angles that reward strategy over distance. The recent restoration brought much of his original 1929 vision back to life. 🏞

The member we played with shared that the par-3 15th directlu inspired Augusta National’s No. 12 "Golden Bell", argurably the most famous par-3, and somehow I made birdie there. 🐦

MacKenzie loved Pasatiempo so much he lived alongside the 6th fairway, and his ashes were later scattered over the course.

Best of all, we experienced it together. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A few putts with our one-year-old in my arms, Taco Tuesday 🌮, and a signature Burger Dog our daughter absolutely devoured. 😂

We arrived at the gate at 9:45pm for a 10pm flight. A little crazy? Absolutely.

Worth it? 100%. 💚⛳️

What a pasatiempo. We’ll be back.

#Pasatiempo
#CaliforniaGolf
#GolfTravel
#FamilyGolf
#BalancedByGolf taken in Pasatiempo Golf Club by @balancedbygolf

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a month ago