| You have been playing golf how long?
.
Three and a half years. I'm 14 now
and I started when I was 11. My dad
told me I wasn't playing any sports
and he said if I played golf every day
for three months he would get me a
dog.
How did you actually start? On the
driving range?
Yeah, my Dad helped me out a
little but I had a teacher
too.
How long was it before you played
in your first tournament?
About one month. It was on the
Junior Players tour in Florida. There
were ten girls in the field and I
thought I played marveously, but
apparently not. Dad saw a little
opportunity for improvement..
You have how many sisters?
I have four sisters. There are all
girls in the family.
What hooked you on golf?
I'm not really sure. I just became
addicted to it and my Dad knew it was
going to happen. 100% sure.
One on the appealing things about
golf is that it is an individual sport
and a person who plays is "in charge"
of what happens. Is that true with
you?
Definitely. I like being in charge
of what I can do and how I play. How I
am going to finish. How I'm going to
do in my next tournament.
When we talk about the four
components of the game, driving the
ball, iron play, short game and
putting, which part are you the most
confident?
Driving the ball. I'm least
confident about chipping, my short
game. I can still get it up and down
because I can make those six and seven
footers. When I play well, I putt
well. I always hit the ball decently.
I know I have to get those short shots
closer because then it won't be as
much pressure.
What is a typical practice routine
for you during a non tournament week?
I get up at 6:30AM, workout from
7AM to 8. School from 9 to 12.It's a
typical Ledbetter day, I'm on the
range from 12:30 to 1:15. I work out
again from 1:30 to 2:30. I then
practice from 2:45 approximately until
it gets dark.,
What do you like about school?
Everything. At first I did not
like the school when I first visited
so my Dad sent me to public school in
Vero Beach. Once I saw that, I threw a
major "hissy fit" and asked him to
send me back to Ledbetter. I have
loved it ever since. There wasn't
really anything wrong with the Vero
Beach school, it was just more focused
around theater and arts and not
sports.
Bob Rotella talks about
confidence, composure and
concentration in the game of golf.
Tell us about yourself in each of
those three areas.
I don't like to be over confident.
But in golf and in life you have to
have some self-confidence or you're
not going to get anywhere, but it has
to be the right amount. Composure…I
would never would do anything to lose
it. My dad preaches about that and I
agree. Concentration…it’s probably the
most neglected but the most important
thing. On the golf course I do pretty
well but during practice I don’t
concentrate that well.
If I asked your best friend to
describe you, what would she say?
She would say I am crazy. We’re
opposites. She is pretty reserved but
I like running around, talking to
people I don’t know, being nosy. I was
in a supermarket and I started talking
to people and my Dad said “Do you know
everyone on this campus?” I
said “yes”.
What do you like about the
competitive part of the game.
 I’m not sure.
It’s probably about pushing myself to
be better than everyone else, testing
myself. That’s not being cocky and I
don’t want that to sound the wrong
way. It’s the challenge. It’s one of
those things that without
competitiveness I couldn’t go on. It
gives me something to look forward to.
I thought I would like some time off
after the summer, but I drove myself
crazy. I couldn’t stand going to
practice everyday for two months
without having anything to work
for.
Do you have a serious knob that
gets turned on when you play.
Oh yeah. I’m a goof ball normally.
But when I get on that first tee it’s
just so different. I’m here to do
something.
Do you have goals, a major goal?
Yes to be number one in the world.
For the next year I want to make
Solheim Cup and Canon Cup.
How much does goal setting matter?
It matters a great deal. It
matters because it gives you something
to work towards, something that drives
you overall.
How about physical conditioning.
How does that help besides being
physically stronger?
Well it helps a great deal. If I
can get through eight workouts a weeks
then I can play a four hour round and
stay focused. It gives you the
confidence to know you can do things.
You were the runner up to Morgan
Pressel at the Polo. Do you like match
play?
I love match play. It’s one on
one. I like things that are right
there in front of you and you know
exactly what’s going on all the time.
You know what you have to do to win.
It’s so straight forward.
And if you couldn’t play golf?
I don’t know what I’d do. When
you’re on a golf course, nothing else
matters. It takes my worries away.
Everything else I was thinking about
is gone away.
What do you think the game of golf
teaches you?
It teaches you to be honest, kind
and a great deal about yourself. I
have learned so much about myself
through this game.
Marika, thank you for taking the
time to talk to us.
Thank you for asking me. I enjoyed
it.
|
Back to Off the Course(2).gif)