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Going home to regroup
Posted: Wednesday May 17, 2000 02:14 PM
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 (nine under par). Check out Lindley's diary each Wednesday on CNNSI.com.
May 17, 200 My luck has got to change. Last week, at the Electrolux USA Championship in Nashville, I woke up on Sunday and went to the course very early in the morning to get in some practice before teeing off. The first tee time was 7 a.m., so it was very early and still quite chilly. As I was walking to the clubhouse from the putting green, I don't know what I did. I was looking forward or maybe I turned my head just a bit, and all of I sudden I did something to my neck. The whole thing just tensed up and seized up. Then the tightness went down into my shoulder. I couldn't turn my head to the right.
I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I went straight to the fitness trailer and had the trainer, Keith, try to work it out. He loosened it up a tiny bit, but basically, I played all Sunday with a stiff neck and without a full range of motion. I guess I was lucky to shoot a 76! I was so upset and disappointed. I had gotten better each day of the tournament. I started off with a 75, shot a 71 on Friday and a 70 on Saturday. The only reason I teed it up on Sunday was I'm still hoping to qualify for the Evian tournament in France. That's really been motivating me. I ended up tied for 36th and earned $4,346. You never know if that one paycheck may be the difference between making the cut or not. Last week's tournament was at a new course and it was tough. (Okay, it obviously wasn't too tough for Pat Hurst, since she shot 13 under and beat the field by four. But I thought it was tough.) It was also really windy all week. The course was almost 6500 yards, which is really long. I didn't hit the ball very well. Matt was there and he had been working with me. We were changing my swing a bit. It was feeling different and awkward and not very comfortable. But by Saturday it was feeling better, and my scores were improving, so I was really looking forward to playing on Sunday. And then...you know the rest. But I have had this happen before so I know it will work itself out. It already started feeling better by Monday. So let's see -- I've had bronchitis and I pulled a muscle in my rib and now a stiff neck. I'm going to be turning 28 in a few weeks and I'm starting to feel like it's all going to go down hill from here. I guess my body is telling me I need some time off. So I'm glad I've got this week off. I'm going to go home, regroup and try this again in a week. I'll be going out for another long stretch next week-if I get into Evian, it will be five in a row, which is more than I like to play. My goal is to have one day a week -- Mondays will hopefully be my free day -- to rest and regroup. I really want to pace myself. Hopefully if I have free time, I'll rest then too, because it is just so hard on the golf course when you're tired. In terms of golf, I'm going to take some time and work on my shoulder Turn -- it has gotten too level. I need to turn my left shoulder under a little more. My club was getting inside the plane I wanted it on, because my shoulders were too level. I've been watching Beth Daniel, Betsy King, Tiger Woods and Davis Love (on TV over the weekend), and they all kind of have upright swings and I'm working toward an upright swing. I really wanted to get a good mental picture of what I wanted to do. It will take time. These things don't click together overnight. But I can see that I'm getting it, slowly but surely. It will come. As I said at the beginning of the year, if I can peak in June, I'll be a really happy camper. -- Leta
I only know two people with the name of Lita. My wife is the first-from Angelita. A great name. Is Lita your full name? Yes. I had a great-great-great aunt on my father's side with the name Leta. I've come across a few more, including two in the last three weeks.
Who are the lefties on the LPGA tour? Do any play left handed? I don't know of any LPGA player who plays left-handed. I think there are some left-handed people (I've remember noticing someone who wrote with her left hand), but they all play righty.
I noticed that you are in contention for the Solheim Cup Team. Have you ever been selected before? No, I've never been selected and that is definitely on my list of goals. I think everyone would be honored to represent their country. They take 12 players, and I'm currently 16th on the list, so I'm striving for it.
Leta, I was wondering why you switched to the crosshanded style of putting, since you already putt so well? I did putt well, but I thought I was streaky. I thought I could be a better putter. I didn't always feel comfortable standing over the ball, even when I was putting well. I was feeling frustrated at the last seven events I played before my knee surgery, so after the surgery I decided to give it a try. And I love it. I feel like I'm such a better putter, much more consistent, I feel really more confident with it.
How different are your clubs (let's say the irons) than clubs of the rack in a pro shop? Do you tweak the loft / lie of them a lot? Lie is the most important thing, since it depends on your height and your swing, so I do adjust that, and I'm always checking it -- sometimes your clubs get banged around in the bag or at the pro shop, so I try to check them every few weeks. For loft, I think my clubs are 1 degree strong (some people make them weaker, others stronger), but other than that, my irons are what you can buy at the pro shop; the shaft and the head are the same.
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