Growing Pains

Lewine Mair reports on golf's current crop of young female talents and the issues they face as their careers develop

The 20-somethings Nilsson sees will often be victims of burnout, girls who have not taken time out to go to college and have known almost nothing but golf all their days. “When they come to us,” she explained, “they are bored and unhappy. They are going through the motions on the practice ground because that is what their parents ask of them but they don’t get any better. Their heart isn’t in it…”

What Nilsson tries to do is to help these lost souls to remember why they liked golf in the first place. Why they liked competing.

In some cases, she has succeeded by helping them to acquire a hobby. In the case of a couple of battle-weary Koreans, she encouraged them to start cooking. The two now rent a flat instead of staying in hotels and the results – both in terms of what they are cooking and how they are playing – have been staggering. “Finally,” said Nilsson, “they are able to take their minds right off golf and have a mental rest.”

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