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"Off the Course" is where we talk to the players, learn about who they are, and get their thoughts about playing the game. From time to time we'll also interview college players about their junior careers and how college golf is different. We welcome your comments and suggestions. E-mail us or call toll free- 888-549-4653.
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Paula Creamer
Pleasanton, CA
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2001 AJGA All American - First Team
Medalist - 2002 Scott Robertson
Medalist – 2001 Junior Champions – El
Conqusitador
Medalist – 2001 AJGA Robert Trent Jones
Medalist – 2001 AJGA Buick Open
Medalist – 2001 AJGA Trophy Lake
Medalist – 2001 AJGA Aspen Junior
Classic
Medalist - 2001 Worldcom Junior Classic
Medalist – 2000 Castlewood Junior
Medalist – 2000 Tokay Junior
Paula is an AJGA All American and
a freshman at the Leadbetter Academy in
Florida. We sat down with her at the
Doral Junior last December.
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Hi Paula. To get started tell us
about your family.
Well I’m an only child. No brothers
and sisters.
Where does your family live?
We live in Pleasanton, CA but now
I’m a student at the David Leadbetter
Academy here in Florida. I’m a
freshman.
We’re sure this is the same question
you hear in every interview but tell us
how you got started playing golf?
I started playing golf when I was
about 10. It wasn’t competitive golf,
just playing more with my Dad. Then
about age 11 I started playing in some
small tournaments. I really started to
love the competitiveness and the
pressure. It was also something I could
do with my Dad. I had been a gymnast
and doing all that with my Mom and not
spending anytime with my Dad, so golf
helped me do that. I actually played in
about 15 tournaments in northern
California the summer I was 11.
How well does your Dad play?
He does well. He does fine.
Were there other sports you played?
Yes, I played tennis. I also played
soccer. But I didn’t like the running
so that didn’t last too long.
So we’re not going to see you
anytime soon in “speed golf”?
No, I don’t think so. Definitely
not. Definitely not.
When you started to play did you
take lessons or did you just hit the
ball around in the beginning?
I had the chance to work with a lot
of good teaching pros. I played around
with my Dad a great deal. I’ve had
quite a few lessons in my life and
right now it’s everyday at the
Academy.
Can you tell us about your first
tournament? Do you remember it?
Actually I do. On the very first
hole I had a putt of about two inches
and I whiffed it! That’s what I
remember about my very first
tournament, missing a two inch putt.
But I played a lot of tournaments, as I
said, when I was 11. They were nine
holes for 11 and under and I loved
playing them.
Do you remember your first win?
Hmmm. I’m not sure but when I was 11
I had 13 wins in a row. I really don’t
remember the very first one.
Do you remember the first time you
broke 40 for nine holes and par for 18
holes?
Breaking 40 for nine holes came
pretty quickly and I think I was still
11. Breaking par happened when I was
13. It was a tournament round and in
fact it may have been the AJGA Lucent
Girls, my first AJGA event. I finished
7th and then I got into everything.
So you’re now at the Leadbetter
Academy. Are your
parents staying there with you?
We live on campus and it’s nice.
It’s right there and convenient. We
have a regular family life. Not a lot
of free time. On a typical day I get
out of bed at 5AM, go work out for
about an hour, and get to class by 7:30
(AM)
Do you work out alone or with fellow
students?
By myself. Then I go to class from
7:30 to 12 noon. Then it’s home, eat
lunch, and off to the course or
practice range until dark. After that I
eat a quick dinner and then I go to a
school study hall at Pendleton Academy
from 7 to 9. Then I’ll study until 10
at home and then I go to bed.
People are always interested in how
a player of your caliber approaches a
tournament. Is there something special
you do to get ready?
When you’re on the golf course you
cannot be thinking about your swing.
You’ve already done all the work and it
all depends on how hard you practice.
You might work on technical things
about a week or so before and then play
a lot. It’s hard playing competitively
by yourself so you try to play in a
group. Then you go to the tournament
and if you’re ready, you’re ready. If
you’re not, you’re not.
Do you have a circle of friends at
school?
Yes quite a few. Aree and Naree
(Wongluekiet) and Taylor Leon are a
few. Taylor and I are best friends. It
was hard last year talking to the
tennis players and the hockey players
but now this year I’m meeting more
people. It’s a lot of fun, the social…
everyone is coming from the same place,
they want to be number one. You make
friends forever.
If we put those friends in a room
and ask them about you, what are they
going to say about you personally?
They’d probably say I’m outgoing,
that I have a lot of energy. On the
golf course I’m a totally different
person. I do not talk on the golf
course. It’s very hard for me to start
conversations because I’m there for
four or five hours. But afterwards I’m
totally different person. On the golf
course I am very serious.
Favorite color?
Pink.
Lucky number?
1,089.No reason, I just thought of
it.
Take us through the four parts of
your game, driving the ball, irons,
short game and putting and describe
each for us.
My irons and my woods are the
strongest part of my game. My short
game is the weakest. I’m been working
really hard on that. I’m a decent
putter but if you want to be good you
have to be an excellent putter. I’m not
quite there yet. I keep statistics
after the round. Our instructors have
us do that. Ian, my instructor, will
look at those and say “We need to work
on that.” and we do.
What’s coming up for the 2002 season?
Normal schedule. All the big junior
events, maybe a few women’s amateur
events. Maybe an LPGA but I try to stay
in the present. I have a few more
years before I graduate from high school
and I definitely want to go to college.
Then I want to be on the tour. But for
now, getting into an LPGA event is not
a major priority.
Take us through your bag. What are
you playing?
Titleist 975J driver, Vokey wedges,
990 irons, Cobra 7-wood, Newport Middle
Spec (Titleist)putter.
What is it about golf that you love.
You love the sport. Why is that? What
is it about the nature of the game that
attracts you.
You meet so many nice people and
families. Every tournament you go to
you meet new people. I have friends
I’ll know forever from playing
golf.
What’s the toughest part of the game?
Golf is all mental, so controlling
your emotions. Attitude also. I worked
with a sports psychologist once or
twice a week on attitude going into a
tournament, how to react after a shot.
She would ask me if I had a game plan,
was I being too technical, things like
that.
How do you manage the course?
I’m a very aggressive player. If I
have a shot, I will take it. I will not
hesitiate. You know you can do it
because you’ve practiced it. It’s also
a huge help to know you’ve done it
before and that’s all
experience.
How do you handle keeping from
getting burned out on the sport?
It’s hard for me to get burned out.
But I will take half the day off, say
on a Sunday. But it’s my decision to be
around the sport all the time.
What would you want people to know
about
you?
That I’m fun to be around. That I’m
doing what I really love with golf.
That I want to be number one without
that sounding bad. I don’t think that’s
arrogant, it’s a goal, you cannot deny
that, and it’s part of your self
confidence to perform.
What about the role parents play?
My parents go to every single
tournament. Their support is important.
To be walking along and seeing them on
the cart path is huge! Just looking at
them over there just helps so much. My
Dad is always ready to help me with
golf, school work, whatever. Mom is
always there. She’s outgoing and fun
and very supportive.
Last question…look out to the
foreseeable future and how would
define your success?
I want to be able to do everything I
can, help people too, that’s important,
make the LPGA when the time comes, just
live life every day and don’t take it
for granted.
Thanks Paula. We enjoyed it.
I did too. Thank you. I appreciated
it.
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