Rochelle Morris

There is something special about playing golf on a tree-lined parkland golf course in England on a warm and sunny autumnal day…very much a unique sensorial experience.

The scenario painted above actually becomes extra special when you are fortunate to play 18 holes in the company of a golfer whose distinguished amateur career included proudly representing England and being a member of the victorious 2016 GB&I Curtis Cup Team…and who now plays professionally on the Ladies European Tour and Access Series.

Thus Howley Hall Golf Club (located about 3 miles south-east of the city of Leeds, England) provided the perfect setting for a round of golf and chat with professional golfer Rochelle Morris.

This Par 71 course measures just over 6000 yards from the yellow tees. It was an absolute pleasure to observe how Rochelle navigated the varying challenges presented by each hole…and despite the fact that Rochelle was ‘road testing’ a new putter and trialling some modifications to her swing a level par round ensued…the highlight being a 4 iron tee shot at the stunning 190 yard Par 3 closing hole, where Rochelle was only about 12 inches from a hole-in-one.

Faldo Series

(Paul): After our round of golf, the autumn weather gods continued to behave so we found a table outside the clubhouse and I started our COVID-19 socially distanced chat by ‘turning the clock back to 2012’ and asking Rochelle whether winning the Faldo Series U21 European Trophy was her first major international amateur title?

(Rochelle): Definitely. I played in the Faldo Series at Loch Erne for the first time when I was about 15. I returned there two years later and that was when I won the European Final. That (success) was huge for me at the time. I was in an England Squad through the AASE training which was a fantastic initiative as you studied and achieved an NVQ Level 3 in golf alongside your ‘A’ Levels and England training. So yeah for me winning the Faldo Series was a huge achievement and a really cool experience as well.

(Paul): What do you think made the difference in that particular tournament?

(Rochelle): I don’t know really…my game just kind of clicked. It was windy that week and I have always been good playing in the wind, as I grew up playing at Crosland Heath Golf Club and so the conditions kind of suited me. I played well against the other European golfers who were probably not used to the conditions in Ireland.

For completeness, Rochelle won by 4 shots with an aggregate score of 224 (72-75-77)

Tour Experience

(Paul): I came across a press cutting which said that the following year you received an invite to a Ladies European Tour event on the back of your success at the Faldo Series.

(Rochelle): Yeah, I played in the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco. That was great. I was so lucky to have that experience as not many people can get a start in a LET event. There were some big names playing that week such as Laura Davies and Melissa Reid…all the girls I had looked up to since I was younger. So to have that experience at 17 was really good, especially going into tour life now.

(Paul): At that point had you contemplated becoming a professional golfer at some time in the future?

(Rochelle): Whether I wanted to turn pro at that point…I don’t know really. I had a great time…my coach John Eyre came out with me and my parents came out and we all had a great week. I also got a start at one of the LET Access events in Crete a few months before where I finished 25th, so that sort of ‘broke me in’ and in Morocco, I had the full tour experience…not that my golf was any good!! I think when you are younger it is just kind of like a dream and you just play golf and see what happens. At that point, I was doing ‘A’ Levels and applying to Universities. So for me, it was very much let’s see what happens.

(Paul): Were you also considering or exploring the possibility of a golf scholarship in the States?

(Rochelle): Yeah I did. When I was younger and watching random TV programmes such as 92010 I thought it would be great going to America and I couldn’t wait to get out there!! But as I got a bit older I kind of thought ‘No, I think I am better staying at home’. Looking back I think that was the right decision for me.

County Champion

(Paul): Then in 2014, you were crowned Yorkshire Amateur Champion, possibly the toughest English county championship to win.

(Rochelle): Definitely…the year before I got through to the semi-finals and me and my friend Olivia (Winning) both lost in the semis!! But then in 2014, I won the championship at Hallamshire Golf Club. Again, it was a windy week and the qualifier was tough…I think I finished 15th in the qualifying rounds. Not fantastic but I qualified for the match play stage. But I have always been quite good at match play and just had a good run in the match play and I did alright!!

English Women’s Championship

(Paul): Whilst researching for today’s chat it was obvious that 2015 was a massive year for you, starting with the English Women’s Championship staged at Hunstanton Golf Club, where you finished runner up to Bronte Law who at the time was one of the best amateur golfers in the world.

(Rochelle): Yeah she was…finishing runner up was almost like a win because Bronte Law was 13 shots ahead of me and I think I was 2 shots ahead of the player who finished in 3rd place. I think Bronte started with a 63 (9 under par) which I had never seen before around there.

(Paul): What was your ‘target/objective’ for that week?

(Rochelle): I had played well at the start of the year and just went on a roll from there and just felt in a good place with my game. Quite liked links golf so that kind of favoured me in a sense so I just tried to stay calm as the tournament progressed…and probably because Bronte had taken the lead so soon it was kind of like ‘you are not going to win at that point’.

(Paul): Did that actually take some pressure off you?

(Rochelle): Yeah, looking back it probably did. But that was my biggest finish in a national (closed) event at that point.

Modus Operandi

(Paul): There was a quote attributed to you at the end of that championship, namely…

“For me, it’s about creating my own challenges each day and trying to be the best player I can be”

…is that still your philosophy today?

(Rochelle): Yeah, still true. You can’t control how anybody else is playing and thinking about their game is not going to alter yours so you have to work with what you have got. I know that I am not the most amazing or talented player but I work hard and try to play the best I can.

(Paul): Is that a misquote having just witnessed first hand how you just played, in particular the 18th?

(Rochelle): No!! Though my game is solid. But it is when you see kids coming along aged about 15 and shooting whatever scores…they are the ones that are like amazing, and you ask how do they do that? I know I have to work hard to keep to a very good level.

Head To Head

(Paul): Then the following month you finished runner up once again, this time to Samantha Giles in the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship played at the historic St Annes Old Links Golf Club…but this time a much closer contest in what effectively turned out to be a ‘head-to-head’ between you and Samantha.

(Rochelle): It certainly was…Sammie is probably one of my best friends on tour, so we do a lot of travelling together and sharing accommodation. But in that situation, we both wanted to win so it was kind of quite intense playing 36 holes on the final day. Sammie just kept ahead throughout. I felt like I played OK but Sammie played really well…and fair do’s to her, she did really well.

For completeness…Rochelle was too modest to mention that she finished birdie-birdie, meaning that Sammie Giles had to birdie the 72nd hole to win by 1 shot from Rochelle with a score of 289 (+1)…there was a tie for 3rd place on 296 (+8)

Curtis Cup Squad

(Paul): At what point did you think you maybe had a chance to be selected for the GB&I Curtis Cup squad?

(Rochelle): At the end of the season I looked back at what I had done and then it was like ‘Wow, I have had a good year’. Obviously, Curtis Cup is what every player wants to play in but it was never one of my personal goals…my goal that year was to be selected for the England team which I didn’t achieve. At the end of 2015, I received a letter inviting me to go to the winter squad training for the Curtis Cup in Ireland so that was when I was thinking ‘I have a chance here’.

(Paul): How many players were in that initial training squad?

(Rochelle): I think there were about 15 or 16 players who went to Ireland and there was maybe a couple of girls who didn’t as they were in college in America. We went over one weekend in December to Dun Laoghaire (where the event was to be held in 2016) and just had a sort of training camp with the selectors watching us and seeing how we were. So the following year was quite intense during those first few months to try and be selected for the team.

Season Opener

(Paul): At the start of the 2016 season you finished runner up at the prestigious Leveret Trophy played at Formby Ladies Golf Club…was that annual event viewed as effectively the ‘season opener’?

(Rochelle): Yeah a little bit. It is a 36 hole event and a nice warm-up. Formby is a good track so you get a lot of good players entering…I think Charley Hull won one year. A lot of the girls from down south travel up and play in the event. I really like Formby as it suits me as it is very tight and I was always very accurate…so playing the Leveret was a good event on the circuit.

Curtis Cup Team Announced

(Paul): So when was the Curtis Cup Team announced?

(Rochelle): It was announced after the Helen Holm Trophy (Scottish Women’s  Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship). I hadn’t played great in those first few tournaments…I had played OK but not fantastic. After the Helen Holm, I remembered going home from Scotland and I was like ‘I haven’t done it, I am not going to get in’. But the parents of a couple of my friends knew how the points system worked so they had kind of worked out that I was in the team, but I did not realise that!! The night before (the team was announced) I had somehow worked out the points wrong, maybe using an incorrect divisor, so I had convinced myself I had not made the team.

(Paul): So a number of picks for the Curtis Cup Team were based upon an Order of Merit?

(Rochelle): Yeah…it was between me and my friend Lianna (Bailey) who was very similar to me in the points/rankings so I thought she had done it…but then woke up the following morning to loads of messages to say I had been selected. That was about April time, so about 2 months before the match. A huge relief…I was actually going to the Welsh Ladies Open that week and I just played awful!! I was just so excited at being selected that I didn’t care and didn’t want to be there really and looking back I shouldn’t have played!! I think me and Maria (Dunne) who had also been picked shot horrendous scores on the first day, something like 10 over because obviously we were both ecstatic but it didn’t look good that 2 Curtis Cup Players in the team just announced played so bad!!

2016 Curtis Cup – The Build-Up

(Paul): Can you remember much about the build-up to the Curtis Cup match itself?

(Rochelle): Yeah…it was something that I had never experienced before such as the publicity and interviews, but you had to just focus on the event itself rather than getting wrapped up in all of the other stuff which was really hard to do when you are just buzzing to get out there. We were out in Ireland for a couple of weeks before the match, staying in the centre of Dublin. Played a few friendly matches at different courses but even then people were watching us…so those two weeks were very intense.

2016 Curtis Cup – The Match

(Paul): Obviously, the Curtis Cup is a team event but for whatever reason, you were not selected for the series of Foursomes and Fourball Matches on the opening two days…tough one to take?

(Rochelle): I think it was. I was definitely upset and so was Alice (Hewson) as she only played once. It is difficult to take when you get picked for the team but not selected to play. So I only played in singles on the final day which was a bit disappointing. And I think Bronte (Law) and Leona (Maguire) helped the captain with the order for the singles on the last day to possibly help me have an easier match but then the United States switched their order so Monica (Vaughn) who I played was one of their top players and she ‘rocked up’ and was hitting it like 300 yards and it just kind of felt like ‘gosh, this is out of my depth really at that point of my career’.

(Paul): At the end of the day though, that roller-coaster experience of the Curtis Cup and being a member of the victorious GB&I team will forever be on your CV.

(Rochelle): Exactly. We were all ecstatic that we had won and it was a massive achievement and not many GB&I teams have done that. Looking back I don’t remember loads of it as there was so much going on and it was difficult to take everything in. But it was good fun.

Stay Amateur or Turn Professional

(Paul): After the 2016 Curtis Cup, did you consider turning Professional?

(Rochelle): I did. At that point, I knew what kind of level I was at and looking at other people who were of a similar standard I was thinking ‘I can do this and I can compete at this level’. Once you have played in the Curtis Cup a lot of golfers do turn professional but I just wanted to give it another year as an amateur. I still really wanted to be picked and play for England and to fill what was a frustrating gap on my golfing CV.

(Paul): Your decision to continue in the amateur ranks certainly yielded an early success by winning the 2017 Leveret Trophy, having finished runner up in 2016 as we touched upon earlier. A great way to start the season?

(Rochelle): Yeah…because after the Curtis Cup I went off the boil a little bit. I should have taken a bit of time off as it was a weird experience afterwards coming home and returning to reality!! I remember playing the English Championship a few weeks later and I missed the cut by quite a few shots because ‘I just wasn’t there’. But I had a good off-season and started well by winning the Leveret.

Amateur Golf CV Complete

(Paul): Then you were finally selected for England and you and your teammates proceeded to win the Ladies European Team Championship.

(Rochelle): That was good. That was so exciting as I finally got the call to say ‘we are picking you!!’. The year before I got a call after the Curtis Cup to say I had not been selected so I did not play the Europeans that year but this time I got ‘good news’.

(Paul): Then in the 2017 Women Home Internationals played at Little Aston Golf Club you won all 6 of your matches, 3 Foursomes and 3 Singles.

(Rochelle): I had a good partner in Emma (Allen) for the Foursomes and I just played well and steady all that week.

(Paul): Did the Home Internationals effectively signal the end of your very successful amateur career?

(Rochelle): It did, very much a great send-off as 2017 had been a great year.

Amateur to Professional

(Paul): Did you turn professional straight away?

(Rochelle): No…England Golf got me a start in a Ladies European Tour Access event at the end of October which they do for a few of the girls based on the Order of Merit. So I got a start down there and then my friend Olivia (Winning) and I both turned Pro at that tournament and then went to the LET Qualifying School about a month or so after that.

(Paul): How did you get on at the Qualifying School?

(Rochelle): Not good!! I played awful really. I think I was a bit nervy and maybe I thought it was going to be easier than it was, coming off that good final year as an amateur. But stepping up to play and compete with the ‘big girls’ so to speak on the main tour is a bit of a step. I just didn’t play well…I just played badly. If I had played as well as I had all year I would have probably done alright but I was nowhere near good enough.

(Paul): So how did you regroup after that setback and experience?

(Rochelle): I did regroup…I was working in 3 different jobs the following year in that I started my sports coaching, was working in a gym and working at a Sports Centre.

(Paul): Was that effectively to fund you through 2018 in readiness for another attempt at Qualifying School?

(Rochelle): It was. It was a bit like any starts gained from my performance at Q School would have been for the Access Tour and not the Main Tour and so if I was not going to play a full season it was better to ‘grind it out and work hard’ on my own game at home.

(Paul): So in terms of the 2018 season, did you then play in many Pro-Ams or 1-day events?

(Rochelle): Not a lot…I played the odd 36-hole Pro Tournament in the UK and in September played one Access event in Sweden. Then in October I played an event on the Santander Tour in Spain and that was when my game was good and I finished 2nd. And so I was thinking ‘this is looking good’.

Sudden Death

(Paul): Thus in many ways, you were taking better form into the 2018 Qualifying School compared to the previous year?

(Rochelle): Definitely. I was getting used to playing a little bit on the tour which gave me the confidence to go to Q School and just relax and play.

(Paul): I know the end result…but for the Golfing Herald readers could you summarise how the 2018 Q School unfolded?

(Rochelle): We had to play 5 rounds and in the final round I was 5 under par thru’ 9 and up to something like 15th position overall…the top 25 players secured a card so all I was focused on during the back 9 was to just keep ‘doing what I was doing’. But I had a double bogey on the back 9 so I eventually finished T21 with 5 other girls at 3 under par for the tournament. Which meant a playoff where five players out of the six would get a card!! Four players parred the 1st whilst me and the American bogeyed it. We then played another 9 or 10 (sudden death) holes after that, bearing in mind we have already played 5 rounds. It was horrible…my ball went in this tree and I kind of knew it was bad. A few of my friends were watching and I sort of saw them look at this tree and walk away…and I was just like ‘oh no, that is it’. It was a good drive but I think I was just a bit pumped up and it just went too far into the tree, so I ended up bogeying the hole and she parred it. Then all the girls tried to help me pack my bags back at the hotel because they were all waiting for me to jump on the bus to the airport as we nearly missed the flight home!!

Lessons Learnt

(Paul): I can’t imagine how tough that was coming so close to securing a full card for the Ladies European Tour…but you did secure a playing category which entitled you to play in some main tour and access tour events in 2019.

(Rochelle): The situation the tour was in last year (2019) there were about 15 tournaments and I was able to play in 5 of them, but that was not enough to keep your card on tour. I did OK, making a couple of cuts but you have to get on a roll and play every event.

(Paul): What would you say were the main lessons you learnt from your first full season as a professional golfer on tour?

(Rochelle): I think it is the overall experience…just getting used to ‘being there’ and existing in that little ‘tour bubble’. On the amateur circuit, you have known everybody for years but on tour, there are all these (new) girls from different countries…and the golf is a step up to a higher level. A learning curve where you do have to work harder at that level as it is very competitive.

(Paul): So did you have to return to Q School?

(Rochelle): I had to go because if I hadn’t I would have had a worse category…so I went to Q School and secured the same category and because there are more tournaments this year, or should I say next year (2021) because of COVID-19 then I am imagining I will get a similar number of starts and hopefully a few more. The LET has now merged with the LPGA and as a result of this fantastic partnership, there will be an increased number of tournaments.

Tour Bubble

(Paul): Talking of COVID-19, like all aspects of life, professional golf has been severely impacted and disrupted by the global pandemic which has meant you have only played a couple of LET events this year…in the Czech Republic and in Switzerland. How were those events organised and run to ensure the safety of all the players?

(Rochelle): The way it worked in the Czech Republic was that we were tested the week before. I was actually in France at my partners family place so I had to get the test there. But then we had to drive about an hour to drop the test off at FedEx which was a bit of a nightmare!! Anyway, the test came back negative. When we were out there we were in a ‘Tour Bubbled’ Hotel and we weren’t allowed to go out to get food or anything like that. You could get takeout or eat in the hotel. But then one of the South African girls tested positive whilst we were out there so it was then recommended we don’t eat in the hotel!! Very strange experience. You can’t even share rooms with anyone which I usually do…something like Airbnb.

(Paul): Against that backdrop, how was your golf?

(Rochelle): My game was good…especially the second rounds!! I think I am just rusty and just found it difficult and when you are not playing week on week it is really hard to get some rhythm going. When you have some large gaps it is really difficult to get into performance mode which I think I lacked going into the event in the Czech Republic. A lot of the girls had played in the British Open and the Scottish Open which I don’t get into and there was no qualifying this year due to COVID-19…so they had a couple of events to go at which was good for them. But for others such as myself who currently don’t have as good a playing category, it was difficult, as my previous competitive round had been back in January at Q School!!

Winter Training Programme

(Paul): You have now been a professional golfer for about 3 years…what would you say has been the hardest aspect in the transition from amateur to professional?

(Rochelle): That is a tough one to answer, but I think the biggest thing for me is that I need to put on a little bit of length from the tee.

(Paul): That is possibly a very neat link because one of the questions I wanted to ask is how do you approach your off-season winter training programme in terms of targets and objectives…and from what you have just said increasing the distance you hit your tee shots would be an objective?

(Rochelle): Luckily my PT also trains my swing coach so he can liaise with him a little bit about what we are doing in the gym. But mostly it will be my physio liaising with my PT and they figure out how I can improve. The PT priority is getting me strength whilst the physio’s priority is ensuring I don’t get injured!!

(Paul): How does your swing coach then input into the improvements and approach agreed between your PT and Physio?

(Rochelle): He advises them on what we are trying to achieve with my swing and thus how different movements can affect what they are trying to do. And he wants me to be as loose as possible which is difficult when I am training in the gym 5 times a week!! It is interesting observing how they all work together. My performance coach then works directly with my swing coach.

For completeness, Rochelle’s ‘Team’ is as follows:

• Swing Coach ~ John Eyre, based at Woodsome Hall Golf Club, Huddersfield
• Personal Trainer ~ Adam Batchelor, based at Total Fitness, Huddersfield
• Physiotherapist ~ Craig Coulson, based at Elmwood Physio, Holmfirth
• Performance Coach ~ Duncan McCarthy, Underpin Sports

(Paul): So in terms of your primary objective this off-season, are you looking to achieve an additional 10 or 15 yards off the tee?

(Rochelle): Yeah, it’s not a lot. I just need a little bit more distance. I can reach a few Par 5’s in 2 shots but it would be nice on tour if I could reach the majority of them. That would make such a big difference over 4 rounds of a tournament. And the way I will (hopefully) do that is getting technically better but obviously if I can put a bit of muscle on in the gym that will also help.

(Paul): Do you get your say and input into the programme?

(Rochelle): Of course, I do….mine is the main input!!

Note to Rochelle’s ‘Team’…we were smiling/laughing at this question and answer!!

The Caddy

(Paul): There is one person from your team who you have not mentioned yet, and he is possibly the most important!! And that is your Dad who has caddied for you during your amateur and professional career…so does how your relationship change, if at all when you are out on the course?

(Rochelle): He does as he is told on the course!!

(Paul): You do know that he will be reading this article?

(Rochelle): That’s fine…he can take it!! Caddies are the forgotten part of the team at times but they are extremely important and my Dad has saved me a number of shots of the years…the higher level you play then all aspects have got to be professional. It’s certainly not the case of rocking up and carrying the bag and walking around the course.

(Paul): So how does your Dad help you and as you say ‘save shots’ when you are out on the course very much focused on playing each shot/hole/round during a tournament?

(Rochelle): He is a good golfer himself so he naturally brings that knowledge and ability. He is good in bringing me back down to earth at times…if say I am trying to pull off a shot that I can’t hit he will say “don’t do that”.

Looking Ahead

(Paul): Assuming you are not badly disrupted by the constraints of COVID-19 in this country and across Europe, what are your plans for the start of next season?

(Rochelle): Hopefully, I will get out to Portugal again with (my Management Team) Underpin Sports. We did that at the start of this year in February and that was supposed to be a really good warm-up for the year. We had a great training week out there but then we were locked down due to COVID-19!! Then there is the Portugal Pro-Tour which might happen, we will just have to see.

Best Facet

(Paul): Having had the pleasure of watching you play here at Howley Hall, I would really struggle to answer this question…but what would you say is the best facet of your game?

(Rochelle): My driving is quite good on stats…my driving is pretty good. Last year I had something like 89% on driving accuracy (fairways and semi). I am very accurate but being a bit greedy I would just like another 10 yards!!

Best Ever Round

(Paul): It doesn’t necessarily have to have been your lowest ever score but what has been your best ever round?

(Rochelle): I can’t say that one particular round stands out. The round (we talked about earlier when playing) of 68 at the Yorkshire County Championship at Huddersfield Golf Club was good.

(Paul): Is that still the ladies course record?

(Rochelle): I think it is…I also have the course record at Woodsome Hall and at Crosland Heath. I think my lowest score was 6 under par at Woodhall Spa in the English Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship in 2017…that was pretty good.

(Paul): You have just mentioned Woodsome Hall, the club to which you are attached, so what does your role entail?

(Rochelle): I have been a member at Woodsome since I was 14 and I am also an honouree member there so I have a lifetime membership. Their name is on any start sheet for tournaments I play and I regularly post on social media when practising there but it’s not an official agreement, it’s a very natural relationship. They have been a great support network since I joined there as a junior.

Advice

(Paul): Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to an amateur golfer looking at or thinking about joining the Professional ranks and maybe one day looking to play on the Ladies European Tour?

(Rochelle): I think playing as an amateur in professional events from an earlier age is important. I think getting that experience is invaluable. Luckily I had that through the Faldo Series which got me a couple of starts. You can do that if you pay to join professional tours such as the 2020protour. If you are lucky enough to have that opportunity then do it as much as you can rather than only playing in amateur events. Playing with better players is the key.

Bucket List

(Paul): Assuming you have one, what is #1 on your golfing bucket list?

(Rochelle): I would love to play at Augusta, that would be pretty cool. I would also love to play Open Championship courses such as Carnoustie. We got to play a couple when I was an amateur but it would be nice to play a few more.

Favourite Golf Course

(Paul): Which is your favourite golf course in the UK?

(Rochelle): I always say Moortown. I have really good memories of winning the Faldo Series qualifiers there. I just love that heathland/links kind of feel to the course.

(Paul): And your favourite golf course outside of the UK, whether you have played it or not?

(Rochelle): That is hard…to be honest, and I know it is not outside the UK, but I would love to play more golf in Scotland…such as the championship links course at Kingsbarns.

Favourite Sporting Event

(Paul): What is your favourite sporting event?

(Rochelle): I love the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. Think they are both great and I really enjoy watching those. I will be glued to the TV if they are on. Other than that I don’t watch much golf unless it is a major…or if Tiger is playing I might watch it.

Fantasy Fourball

(Paul): Based on what you have just said I can make an educated guess at your first pick!! So, in addition to yourself, who would you pick for your Fantasy Fourball?

(Rochelle): Tiger would definitely be there. He is one of my idols and he has been so good for the game.

(Paul): It won’t surprise you to know that Tiger has been selected ‘a few times’ when I have asked other professionals to select their Fantasy Fourball. Who is your next pick to join Tiger and yourself?

(Rochelle): I think I would go for Rory as well, I think he is great. I met him once at the Faldo Series…I just like his style and it is great playing with the male Pro’s as they hit the ball miles which is great fun.

(Paul): So who clinches the final spot in this Fourball?

(Rochelle): I think I will go for Justin Timberlake. I used to love him when I was younger and he is a good golfer actually. I think he plays off about a 5 handicap.

(Paul): So if this Fantasy Fourball ever became a reality, who would play who?

(Rochelle): I would definitely pair up with Tiger.

Outside of Golf

(Paul): What are your interests outside of golf?

(Rochelle): Quite a few things really. I love going to gigs as I love music.

(Paul): Any particular genre of music or a favourite group?

(Rochelle): Not really as I am into all sorts. Other than that I enjoy being active and doing different sports, such as playing squash. And when I am home from tournaments I love seeing friends and family as I am away so much…and going out for meals and drinks and doing normal things!!

If not a Professional Golfer

(Paul): If you were not a Professional Golfer, then what?

(Rochelle): I think I would have still been down the sport route as I was going to do Sport and Exercise Science at Leeds University. I was very interested in Anatomy and Biology so I would have possibly gone into something like Golf Biomechanics or Personal Training. Or what I do now and again with sports coaching in schools…I might have gone into that full time.

(Paul): So do you cover a wide range of sports when coaching at Schools?

(Rochelle): Yeah it is a broad range though my focus and speciality is golf and some schools will have me visit to do that. At the moment I have got Year 1 children…the focus is to develop key and fundamental skills, including their fine and gross motor skills alongside teamwork, turn-taking and understanding the basics of Physical Education. I also love coaching golf to Key Stage 2 children with plastic clubs and foam balls…it gives the children a chance to try a sport they may never get to try.

(Paul): That must be very rewarding and give you balance and an outlet away from professional golf?

(Rochelle): Absolutely. I find working in schools incredibly rewarding. You get to meet different people and it is good to be back in reality as sometimes you are not when you are travelling and playing golf.

Marooned

(Paul): If you were stranded or marooned on a desert island, what three items would you not be without?

(Rochelle): Probably my mobile phone as I would need to stay in contact with people…and a charger!!

(Paul): I am allowed to change/set the rules for this question so this time I will allow the phone and charger as one item!! What next?

(Rochelle): Headphones would be really useful so that I could also listen to music via Spotify on my phone. Then some beer to drink and something nice to eat…

The Nineteenth

(Paul): To finish on a more serious note, what are your golfing aspirations for 2021 and beyond?

(Rochelle): Next year, depending on how many starts I get on tour, my goal would be to finish at least Top 80 in the Order of Merit and to keep my card for 2022 and not have the pain of going back to Q School. That is my immediate goal. Long term would be winning on tour…that would be one of my big goals…I would love to do that.

(Paul): You said earlier that because of the pandemic there was no qualifying for this year’s Women’s British Open, but I assume playing in a major would also be a goal?

(Rochelle): That would be amazing. I would love to be able to qualify for the Open. That would be fantastic. I missed out by like 2 shots last year so it would be great to play in the Open.

(Paul): Rochelle, a great way to finish. Thanks so much for our earlier round of golf and for kindly sharing a superb and honest insight into your amateur and professional career to date…and all the best for the 2021 season, global pandemic permitting. Also, many thanks to the kind hospitality of Howley Hall Golf Club.

Acknowledgements

Finally, a massive thanks to…

• Jane Donohoe ~ Secretary, St Annes Old Links Golf Club
• Peter Rishworth ~ Secretary, Moortown Golf Club
• Jenny Andrews ~ Club Administrator, Hunstanton Golf Club
• Iain Burns ~ Club Manager, Little Aston Golf Club
• Anne Bromley ~ Secretary Manager, Formby Ladies Golf Club

…who so kindly provided assistance and support for this article.