East and West

But this pluckiest of competitors does not regard the observation as wholly flattering. Indeed, she wryly admits to envying those of her American and European colleagues who were tall, thin, "and great golfers as well."

She makes cheerful reference to a formal function the previous evening for which she had excitedly donned the latest in high-heeled boots. All went well until she bumped into the Michelle Wies and Paula Creamers of this world who, with their five or six inch heels, were still towering over her.

Shin says she has felt no remnants of the resentment which was visited on those of her Korean predecessors who commandeered what the Americans saw as too large a chunk of their loot. Instead, she is only conscious of the extent to which all nationalities are coming together as they share the same goals and, inevitably, the same concerns.

In the case of the former, Shin says that she, personally, has borrowed from the Westerners and Japanese alike. She practices less and she spends more of her time on physical conditioning with a view to staying on the upper echelons of the game’s leaderboards for longer.

Moving on to the concerns, she says that one mutual problem is what happens to a professional golfer when her playing days are done.

Last year, when she had a hand injury and was out of the game for much of the season, Shin never stopped worrying about what she might do instead.

"I was tired of golf – physically and mentally tired," she says. "I talked a lot about retirement but then I saw this Japanese psychologist who made me see sense. She said I should play golf while I was lucky enough to be playing well – and put any thoughts of what to do in the future on hold."

Today, Shin is enjoying the LPGA Tour as much as she ever did whilst simultaneously completing the degree course she started in 2008. She took a two-year break in 2010 but will be graduating next summer.

"I realise now," she says, "that I have this very special life in golf. Another five years or so will bring me up to 20 years of playing – amateur and professionally – on a more-or-less everyday basis and that’s when I will start thinking of the future.

All I can say for now is that I am hoping to have an equally special life after golf."