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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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Nicole Hage
Miami, FL
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2002 Polo All-American - First Team
Medalist - 2002 AJGA hp Junior
Medalist - 2001 AJGA Robert Trent Jones
Runner-up - 2002 Doral
Runner-up - 2002 AJGA Shell World Golf
Village
Nicole is a senior in high school
living in Miami Florida and we spoke to
her at the Doral Junior.
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We're sitting here with Nicole who
is the "old lady" at Doral having
played here nine years, is that true?
Yeah. I was 8 years old the first
year I played Doral.
Were you born in the United States?
Yes I was, here in Miami.
You've been playing a long time.
Tell us about that.
I've been playing since I was three.
My Dad used to be a scratch golfer. I
used to throw the biggest fit if my Dad
would leave me home. He'd tried to
sneak out the door and I would go
crazy. So he would take me, go to the
end of the range, and give me a small
bucket of balls. He cut down a five
wood for me. So that's how it started,
all with Dad.
When did you play in your first
tournament?
I lived in Plano, Texas for a while
and I started playing when I was seven
in little tournaments at Hank Haney's
Golf Ranch. I had my first real
instructor there so I got a taste for
it. I played 9-hole local
tournaments.
Then came Doral?
Well we moved back to Miami and I
started playing in the Dade Area Golf
Association junior events and Broward
junior golf. When I was 13, the AJGA
created their "All Star Junior Series",
so I played in those. One of those got
me to the AJGA Polo event and I made it
to the sweet 16 in match play.
When you were 13?
Yes. Maybe I was 14, it was
1999.
Did you play any other sports?
No.I tried other sports. I tried
tennis, gymnastics, ballet, but I
didn't like it. I'm not a contact sport
person.
Well, ballet isn't suppose to be a
contact sport.
Oh yeah, you're right. I don't like
any of those type of aggressive moving
sports. I like the ball to just sit
there and I hit it.
That sounds like the start of an
answer to our next question. Why do you
play golf?
First, I've been playing since I
was little so it's sort of always been
there. But I also enjoy the
competition, meeting people from
everywhere, and travelling.
Do you like the "team" events?
Yes I do. The Canon Cup was fun. We
didn't do very well and we had to win
all our matches the second day to win
the Cup. That didn't happen but it was
still fun. The Solheim Cup, an all U.S.
girls team, was incredible. Jane Park
was my partner and she made this
downhill 40 to 50 foot putt on the
18th. We were screaming and yelling,
going crazy. It was nuts. Many of the
team are here and we've been sitting
around laughing and talking about that
event.
Tell us about the other things you
do besides golf.
Well there's shopping. I love to
shop. If I couldn't be a golfer I'd be
a shopper.
If we got some people together in a
room without you there, what would they
tell us about you? How would they
describe you?
The serious mother type, goody-
goody person. Oh and they would say
that I am brutally honest. I will tell
you how it is and there is no beating
around the bush. If someone asks me
about their makeup and it doesn't look
right I'll tell them straight up "Look,
you have too much make-up on, it
doesn't look good."
You're off to Auburn, is that
right? How many schools did you look at?
Four but when I saw Auburn that was
it. I got contacted by 50 schools
probably and Auburn really wasn't in
the picture. But I was looking for a
big school and when I saw it, that was
it. I've gone to a small school and I
wanted the whole culture shock..."Oh my
gosh" kinda thing. Auburn is 20,000
students. I also wanted a team that got
along and I've never seen a group get
along like the Auburn team does. Coach
Evans and I connected instantly too,
and that was a big deal. I also hate
cold weather, so that was a
factor.
What do you think golf has given
you?
First I would say confidence. Also
the experience of working really hard
at something and seeing the
results.
What's your practice routine like?
I don't hit a great many balls on
the range. I spend a lot of time on
chipping and putting. I'm a good ball
striker so I work on the short game. I
have to stay on top of my chipping and
putting, because if I don't it gets
away from me. If I go two days without
putting, it's horrible.
Where do we go from here?
College obviously, I'm ready to
move on. I used to hear that I was the
baby but now I see class 2006, 2007 and
I feel so old now.
Well thanks Nicole. Congratulations
on going to Auburn and we looking
forward to watching your college
career.
Thank you. This has been fun.
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