@LET

Hello Emma, ​​how was the confinement for you?

It's almost horrible to say, because it's been a tough time for a lot of people, but I lived it well. I took the opportunity to rest and spend time with my family. I communicated a lot with my coach, Hugues Soulas, I watched videos on golf. I started cooking, I read a lot, especially Stefan Zweig or JK Rowling, because I am a fan of Harry Potter…

Were you able to practice a bit anyway?

I live in the city, in Bordeaux. Golf At Home sent me a cage with a net. At home, there is a small courtyard, so I hit balls for an average of an hour a day at first, but after a while I got bored. I also had a putting mat, I juggled to keep feeling with the ball ...

Your juggling record?

In fact, I do more tricks, but smaller, I had achieved 300.

Doesn't your arm hurt when you juggle 300?

Of course, if you take a slightly heavy shaft of 95 grams, it quickly hurts your arm. (Laughter). It is better to use a junior club in these cases.

How did you find out about golf?

My grandmother had health concerns and she was advised to go for a walk. With her character, she told herself that even if it meant walking, she might as well play golf. I was 10 at the time and I played judo and tennis. My grandmother suggested that I participate in an initiation day in Lacanau, then paid me a four-day internship at UCPA. I immediately hooked, the adventure was launched ...

Your father was a top cyclist. Do you think this played a role in your desire to be a top-level golfer?

Yes, because we were fed up with sports, my little sister and me. We all love sports in the family. In the hallway at home, there was my father's French champion jersey which was put up. Me too, I told myself that I wanted to be champion of France, but I did not yet know what (Laughter). At 12, I played my first French championships with the Aquitaine League and it was like a revelation. I told my dad that I wanted to do a lot of competitions. He replied that we could even make a living being a top athlete and I said banco. It was clear in my head and it helped me to accept some sacrifices more easily, like when your friends go out at night and you can't join them because you have a tournament the next day.

What is your short or medium term goal and your ultimate golfing dream?

In the medium term, I would like to settle on the European circuit and win a tournament. My ultimate dream is to participate in the Olympic Games, to win in Evian and to win at least two Majors.

Why two Majors?

Because no Frenchwoman has ever managed to do it (Laughter) !

You know that at the beginning of the month, we interviewed the last Frenchwoman to win a Major, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc *.

I love Patricia! We have a little the same character, calm, calm. She had selected me for the French ladies team in 2017.

Your victory at Belfius in Belgium, last year on LETAS, is it the best memory of your young career? ?

In fact, there are two. My biggest emotion is perhaps my victory in the minimal French championship in 2014, at the Golf National. I had succeeded in doing like my father: champion of France! In addition it was at the National Golf! It also made me realize that I had the level. It was a special emotion because my mother, my grandmother who had introduced me to golf, my sister and my trainer were present. Not my father, but he was there the following year for my second title of champion of France, in Massane. And then there is also my victory in Belgium over LETAS. It's always important to have a first title on the pro circuit, especially since I was not expecting it at all because I was coming out of a complicated week in Montauban. I went to play the tournament without pressure and on my own, because usually I always come with my parents or my coach. It was really a nice surprise.

What's your best move?

In general, it's more the regularity of my iron game. But at the moment, it's more of a game, putting, chipping. I have been working my little game a lot with my coach for a year and a half now. I'm starting to have good stats in this area.

Your weak point?

(She thinks) Maybe the balls in draw, because I tend to be bland.

Your best score?

-9 at the Toulouse Seilh golf course. I was the sponsor of a youth event two years ago.

Have you ever done a hole in one?

I did two but unfortunately not in competition. My first, I was 12 years old and it was during a reconnaissance course on the Eagle, at the Golf National. I do a toppled ball, not beautiful, I polish up a bit… and then I hear other players screaming because my ball has fallen into the hole! My second hole in one was more recently in the Médoc, hole n ° 2 in Les Vignes, 175 meters. I play a hybrid that goes to the right, I hope that the slope will bring it back to me but I lose sight of it. With my partner, we look everywhere for my ball. After a while, I'll see in the hole, cause you never know (Laughter). And she was there!

A word about the golf course of Villenave d'Ornon, which is your training ground?

My coach was the director of golf, after being Margaux's, so I followed him. It's a young, dynamic club, where there is my partner, UGOLF. They also have a different way of teaching people how to golf because beginners go straight to the course. I feel good there and the course, narrow, is very strategic.

Speaking of routes, what is your favorite in France?

Evian! The environment is magnificent. I really like the layout, you always have to anticipate the next shot and calculate where to put the ball, even on iron shots because the greens are very tortuous. It is always a pleasure for me to play this course on the occasion of the Jabra.

What do you think is the most common fault in hobbyists?

This is not necessarily a technical fault, because anyone can hit a ball. I find they practice too much and don't go enough on the course. Their strategy is not good enough, you have to determine it according to your objective, know where you want and don't want to send the ball ...

Should the strategy also take into account our feelings of the moment? For example, if you water at the drive, you also have to know how to change clubs?

Yes, of course, there are plenty of parameters to take into account. There is always the solution to change clubs if it's not having a good day, there are times when you have to know how to limit the damage. There are times when you can score +2 coupons.

Apart from golf, what are your interests?

I love music, I listen to everything, Cure, ACDC, Nirvana… I love 80s music. And then I watch a lot of sports on TV. Rugby first, I am Bègles-Bordeaux thoroughly (Laughter). I love watching judo, fencing, cycling… The Olympic years are great for me, even curling I watch!

Golf too?

Paradoxically less, apart from the biggest events. When you spend 8 hours a day playing golf, you also have to know how to take a break ...

Interview by Franck Crudo

*https://swing-feminin.com/patricia-meunier-lebouc-marie-laure-de-lorenzi-et-bernhard-langer-etaient-mes-modeles/