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Hoping for a speedy recovery
Posted: Wednesday April 26, 2000 10:24 AM
Leta Lindley, 27, is in her sixth season on the LPGA Tour. She had her best year in 1999 with a tie for second, as well as four other top 10 finishes. In 1997, she finished second at the LPGA Championship, losing to Chris Johnson on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. She was a four-time All-American at the University of Arizona and set an NCAA record for lowest 54-hole score (9 under par). Check out Lindley's diary each Wednesday on CNNSI.com.
April 26, 2000 I have bronchitis. I hurt all over. I feel like I've coughed up every organ in my body in the past week. It's not really a surprise since I get it every year. The real problem is that I get very wheezy and I'm up coughing all night. On top of that, I gave it to Matt. We ended up at the emergency room on Easter Sunday -- he was running a high fever and we needed to get some medicine, and it was the only place open. The doctors there told us that we had bronchitis. Then I flew here later that day. On Monday I could tell the medicine just wasn't doing anything, so I went to a doctor that the Tour recommended and he gave me more medicine. All this from a late-night plane ride.
But I have until Friday, the start of the Chick-fil-A tournament, to feel better. I'm planning on teeing it up. I may skip the pro-am on Thursday if I really feel badly or want to rest some more, but we only get one exemption a year and it's a little early in the season to use it. If I use it now and need another, I'll get fined. So I'm going to try to play in the pro-am. It gives me a chance to play the course in a semi-competitive round, which would be good for me since I haven't gotten to practice much in the last week. The weather was so great all week in West Palm, too, and I didn't get to enjoy it. I hit balls three times for 45 minutes -- that was the extent of getting ready for this tournament. I slept all week (so, sorry, I have nothing exciting to report). I laid around and channel-surfed. And there was nothing good on! You'd think with all those stations, you'd find something decent. I didn't even make it to the mall, which was the one thing I wanted to accomplish last week (I needed new tennis shoes). So Matt washed my old tennis shoes -- they look new at least. Isn't that just pathetic? Since I have nothing interesting to say, I'll just answer some questions. Hopefully the cough will clear up soon and I'll be quite rested for the tournament. -- Leta
Our mothers work together on occasion in Oceanside. We follow you weekly and wish you the very best. Are you as hard on your caddie as Dottie Pepper is on hers? No, I'm not. Dottie expects a lot from herself and her caddie. I expect a lot from myself, too. I guess I'm just a bit more easygoing and feel like I make the ultimate decisions and don't hold anyone responsible for how I hit the golf ball. I treat my caddie as if we're teammates. I think I'm pretty easy to work for -- but you'd have to ask my husband. But Dottie and I are very different. You always know how Dottie's feeling. She wears her emotions on her sleeve, which makes her very exciting to watch. I guess I'm not as intense. Maybe I should be more like her -- she's won a lot of tournaments and I've won none!
Leta, not to be stupid, but what tees do you guys hit from in tournaments? There are a lot of big hitters on the LPGA tour and hitting from the ladies tees seems like it would be almost too easy for you all. That's not a stupid question at all! We usually play our tournament courses at 6,300 yards, a little longer for the majors. So normally, that's a combination of playing from the white and blue tees. The LPGA officials take it hole by hole. You can't say we strictly play one or the other. I'd say it's about 50-50.
When things aren't going well, how hard is it to stay motivated to play week in-week out? Obviously, it's much harder when you're not playing well. When it's easy, you love teeing it up. When you're searching for your game, it isn't much fun. But ultimately, the competitor in all of us keeps going until we find that magic again. I've struggled and I've played great golf, and it's definitely no fun when you're struggling. I guess my rent keeps me motivated! The fact that I don't want to sit behind a desk, that keeps me motivated. And thinking back on the great tournaments, that helps keep me motivated.
It seems no matter how much I adjust my driving I always slice the ball. What can I do to fix the problem? First of all, I AM NOT A TEACHING PRO! It's very difficult to break years and years of bad habits. Most likely when I see people who are slicing, they swing from the outside in, coming over the top. What you have to do is change the whole plane of your golf swing and the way you come down and meet the ball. My recommendation would be to take some lessons. Work with a local instructor on a weekly basis until you can clear up the problem. There is no easy fix, since you are probably trying to break a problem you've had for years. And if you don't want to go through all that, play the slice!
How do you find the combination of camaraderie and competitiveness on the LPGA tour? Which of these do you think is more important for recreational female golfers? The minute you step up to the first tee, you're competitors. If you're going down the stretch head-to-head with your best friend on tour, you are definitely competitors. Off the course, there is great deal of camaraderie. We are a big family. We would all be there for each other if something came up. I think it's a good blend. We all appreciate it and know the difference between the two. Maybe some people have a hard time drawing the line, but we all want to win! For recreational golfers, I think a big difference is that you aren't playing for money. If you're playing in a tournament, maybe the same principle applies. But if you're out there on a Sunday playing golf, I think it should be about having fun and enjoying what the day has to offer.
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