As a relative newcomer to golf, I have taken lessons, watched countless useless feeds on Instagram and stalked the pros on tv in total bamboozlement.  Then there’s my bestie, who constantly says, ‘keep your head down.’ I just want to cry.

So, I decided to hone my skills and booked a week away at Ladies’ Golf School on the Gold Coast with Golf Journeys.

It did raise some eyebrows from family and friends, fascinated that I wanted to spend a week learning golf rather than sit on a beach with a good book.

Joining me were nine other women of varying ages, from different parts of the country coming together for one purpose, to learn more about this addictive sport that has us all under its spell.

We were under the excellent guidance of AAA accredited PGA Professional Coach Loic Truet.  Each day we undertook different coaching classes to improve our swing and technique.

A highlight of the trip was one on one tuition on the course.  Ditch the relentless drills on social media, the personalised tuition with Loic is guaranteed to improve your handicap.

Not only did it assist with my mental game, a week away with these wonderful ladies also helped me forge some new and lifelong friendships.

Before I boarded my flight back to Melbourne, Loic kindly shared his own personal golfing journey with me.  It truly is the game of life, and we are all the better for having it in our lives.  

Loic, how did your love affair with golf start?

My parents and my sister were living in New Caledonia, an area where it was quite remote, and we only had the golf course next to our house.

My dad was a mad tennis man and he injured himself on the tennis court and couldn't run anymore. Just walking. So, he switched from tennis and decided to play golf.

He loved it so much that we had to play golf to spend time with him. We played every day on the golf course because that's the only place that was nearby.

I think I was 11 when I first started and never stopped.

When did you know it was going to be a profession for you?

Pretty much at about 14 or 15. A big tournament came to that golf course, because that was the only golf course at the time on the island. I saw all the pros and what they were doing and then I knew straight away.

At 16, I said to Dad and Mum, ‘that's what I want todo.’

However, I needed to be elsewhere to do that.  I left New Caledonia and went to New Zealand just to play golf.

You coach a lot of youngsters, do you know when you have someone special?

You do. Again, it's just the love of it. It's not really talent. It's the kid that only thinks about it, talks about it, mobile phones don't matter, video games don't matter, school, unfortunately, doesn't matter. And they're just obsessed.

And that's when you go, ‘yeah, there's something there.’

You obviously love what you do. What part brings you joy?

People.

Like us golf crazy women, you had us for a week, it's like wrangling cats, isn't it?

(laughs) I love people. People and just making a difference.

I know how hard it can be to learn a new sport, let alone golf, but just seeing the joy and the satisfaction on their face when they hit even one good shot, like that three wood you just hit.

And it's only one good shot at a time that you want todo, but if it's one in ten, then it starts that way, then you practice, and it's one in seven, one in five, and eventually it gets a lot more consistent, and you really enjoy it.

If you could give your 18-year-old self some advice, what would it be?

Everything's going to work out in the end. Don’t stress too much about the small stuff. Also, trust yourself and your judgement, and you'll be all right.

What is your favourite club?

I love my Driver. Putter is a very close second.

Describe your game in one sentence.

My game in one sentence would be steady, looks great, but probably needs to be better under pressure.

What about golf in one sentence?

It’s the most beautiful sport in the world.

It's the game of life, it has its up and downs. You also get to meet people. You can play with anyone, young or old. It's very much a social sport, so it's quite fitting for me.

What is the worst golf cliché?

You lifted your head! It’s the posture that comes up, not the head. Keep your eye on the ball is a close second.

What’s the best tip for people taking it up later in life?

Get lessons, just to know the basics.  Also practice, at the range, but also oncourse. There are trees, there's bunkers, there's water, there's everything.

If you were sent off to an island, it had a golf course of course, what three items would you take?

Golf bag is one of them, and I'll take my family and a private chef.  

Apparently, there are 38,864 golf courses in the world. Which is your favourite?

It's got to be Queenstown Golf Club. The scenery, the vibe, and it feels like home.  

What’s in your golf bag that might surprise us?

Stretching band. And I've got a special marker that's been there for a long time. It belonged to my sister.  

What's the perfect downtime for you?

Watching a movie with my wife.

It's never too late to...

Start playing golf.

On that note, for those thinking about taking up golf, enquire about Golf School. As for me, I’m booking my next holiday to Queenstown with Golf journeys.

Raquel Stevens is a former Network Ten News Journalist. She is a golf fanatic and hopes to combine writing and golf into a full time hobby.

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