It's a revitalised Ben Taylor who heads back to the New Zealand PGA Q-school tomorrow in Taupo after an injury-wrecked 2011.
Taylor, part of Bay of Plenty's last interprovincial-winning team in 2009, missed out on his professional ticket 12 months ago in Taupo by a solitary shot but is enthusiastic about his chance of leaving the amateur ranks.
The 22-year-old had surgery in June on a year-old knee injury he had earlier failed to get treated and said his time away from golf allowed him to reflect on where his career was headed.
"If there was a silver lining to what was a pretty stressful year it's that the injury [and subsequent surgery] has given me a new energy for my sport and made me realise how much I missed it during the few months I couldn't play," Taylor said.
"When you get caught up in something you've been doing for a long time it's easy to lose perspective, with little things getting you down and struggling to see any improvements. Having time off and then coming back to it has really improved my attitude.
"Even if I'm not having a great game I know it's better than sitting on the couch watching TV, unable to move."
It's that improved mindset Taylor credits for a string of good results late last year when he finally got the all-clear to start playing again. Tenth at the Stewart Gold Cup at The Grange, he then finished fifth at the Omanu Class before runner-up at the Auckland strokeplay and matchplay championships at Maungakiekie.
Last year taught Taylor another key lesson - not to be a hero and shrug off injuries when they happen.
The Mt Maunganui player fractured his right knee at the Waikato strokeplay championships at St Andrews 18 months ago when he slipped down a bank walking off the 10th tee but blocked out the pain and continued playing for another 11 months, including a failed tilt at Australasian PGA Q-school in Melbourne, before the pain got too much.
What was initially a knee fracture developed into something worse when the bone broke away and began shredding knee cartilage.
"I was loading up the knee on my backswing and playing through the pain, which is pretty stupid. I battled through the back end [of 2010], thinking it would come right, but it's taught me a good lesson - get onto injuries straight away rather than thinking you're tough."
Taylor will have company at Q-school being played at Taupo's Centennial course over 54 holes, with his former Bay of Plenty teammates James Hamilton and Kieran Muir also teeing it up.
Muir got his card last year but finished 26th on the PGA's order of merit in 2011, one spot off getting his playing rights automatically renewed. Hamilton also tried and failed 12 months ago at Centennial as he battled the onset of a serious bowel disorder, but had a sublime finish to 2011 with his runaway win at the Omanu Classic and an eight-match winning streak for Bay of Plenty at the interprovincials in Gisborne.
Taylor has combined work at his father's butchery and six hours' practice a day and had a session with US-based Mt Maunganui professional Josh Geary over Christmas on dealing with the pressures of sudden-death golf.
"There's always nerves and Geary said Q-school is probably the most pressure you'll face as a golfer, no matter what level it is. But I had a taste last year and I think I'm better prepared to deal with it."