“Golf keeps you humble all your life”

Without a doubt, 2018 has been her year in golf. She finishes the season as 15th in the World ranking and as the best classified Spanish woman. Behind her, a year of many tournaments and many trips which are compensated by these excellent results.

Simple and sincere could be two adjectives that define her. Her youth, only 28 years, contrasts with her experience in golf. It was at age five and encouraged by her father when she would begin playing in Pamplona, her homeland. Her brilliant career as an amateur player continued improving when, in 2011, she turned professional. Her two victories in the LPGA and her three victories in the Ladies European Tour entitled her to be a member of the European team participating in the Solheim Cup held in Scotland in September this year.

Carlota, let’s talk about your golfing moment. How has the 2018 season been for you?
Good, it has been very good. I’ve had a very good year; I was third in the US Open, seventh in the British, second in Japan… I’m playing well.

When you go out to play big tournaments, how to you prepare yourself for the course?
I have a routine I do the same way every day. I putt a bit, hit a few balls, tighten up an hour before playing and that’s all. I’ve trained so much my whole life that I don’t go too crazy.

And mentally?
I try to rest well. Eat well, sleep well. Be in the now and accept the strokes as they go. We aren’t going to hit all the shots perfectly but if you accept and give your all in each swing the results will be good in the end.

How many hours do you practice?
That depends on the time of year it is. At the beginning of the year I practice more because it is pre-season, less at the end of the year because I’ve been playing all year and one is more tired. But I practice five or six hours on average.

The competitors… do they affect you? Do you watch how the ranking goes?
No, I really believe that in golf you have to concentrate on yourself. You can’t control what the others do and it doesn’t matter. If you play well and you do your own thing, I think you should be happy. If you concentrate on others it means you can’t concentrate on yourself, and the result will be worse.

Any obsession?
More than obsession I think they’re routines. Routines you have every day but I don’t think I’m very manic about them.

What is crucial for you on the course?
Eating healthy. For example, today I breakfasted on fruit, yoghurt, cereal, eggs, in other words: it depends a bit on what you like. On the links you can eat bananas, nuts, dry fruit, whatever you like… here in Spain one eats quite well. Food is very healthy and very good here so you don’t have to think about it much.

In the matter of ladies and male golf, do you think there are great differences?
In the end the issue with men is because they sell more. They show more men’s championships on TV. They don’t show us as much. TV is an important factor, and then in Europe there isn’t a circuit you can follow. There are very few great female tournaments. The strong circuit is in the USA and, of course, things are better there but there is still a great difference between men and women. Mainly it is because of TV: it is seen more and sells more.

And in the game, is there many differences?
Yes, it is more than anything because of the body. The body of a man is much stronger, they hit stronger the ball, it is how the human being is made. We hit less,

But you hit hard…
Yes, I hit hard, but in general many Koreans, for example, hit shorter, go more straight, fail less. Men hit harder, fail more and there is more show with what that sells more. It’s more funny to see that.

Suddenly many Koreans have appeared in good positions. What do you think that success is due to?
The Koreans are very good, they are machines. They train a lot… they are all day long giving balls.

And as starting partners, are they good partners?
They go their own way. Do not bother. They go to their ball, they play well, they play fast. They are more pious than what people think about what happens is that they are shy, many do not speak English well but once you know them they are nice.

If I asked you for advice to the fans, what would you say?
Have fun, be patient, it’s a good sport that you can play throughout your life and that you have to go step by step. It is not easy but it is very sociable, fun and it has given me a lot. I can only say good things about golf.

Why do you think there so few enthusiasts?
There are sports that are played more or people like other things, I don’t know. People like doing other sports, sweat, run, play paddle or tennis.

To play golf properly, how much time does one need?
The younger one is, the easier. If you start late you may need four or five years to have a bit of swing and play and go out on the links…

Do you see yourself in golf many years?
Yes, for the moment yes. I like it. I am learning. I’m comfortable playing and as long as I don’t see it as a duty, as a job, I’ll keep playing.

You don’t see it as a job but you make a living with it.
Yes, I make a living with it but I enjoy myself and I see it more as a game.

Which are your favourite courses?
In Spain I like Sotogrande, it’s a good course; Valderrama. I like it in the south, there are a lot of very good courses. We played Royal Lytham this year. In the United States there are very good courses in California, on the East Coast; it’s very complicated to pick just one.

What is golf for you?
It would be passion. Yes.

What do you still need to achieve in golf?
To win a Major, some other tournament. I’m not that obsessed. Playing more and I think it will come.

What has golf taught you?
It keeps you humble all your life. When you think you have gotten something you didn’t have that’s when you fall and have to launch yourself again and start from scratch and go on and on. It is a sport that keeps you humble and with your feet on the ground your whole life.

Humble, hard worker and constant. That is Carlota, a professional that enjoys every day doing what she most loves. She always has kind words for her fans and doesn’t get angry even after her worst strokes. We hope that 2019 offers her even more successes than this past season and that she finally achieves her dream of winning a major. From Ladies in Golf we thank her for her attention and wish her lots of luck.