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April 15, 2009

Austin local Lisa DePaulo graduated from Texas in 1988. Although she was born and raised in Southern California, she considers Austin to be her true hometown.

After a tumultuous professional career on various golf tours, she now focuses most of her attention on her blossoming business, Tournament Treasures. She has created countless gift packages for golf events, but her favorite business experience has been in finding leader-to-leader gifts for former President George W. Bush, which she has done 43 times.

DePaulo takes great pride in her business, but golf is always No. 1.

“Golf has been everything to me. If I didn’t play golf, there’s no chance I’d be the person I am today,” DePaulo said. “It gave me discipline, values and responsibility. Before I came to UT, I had no respect. Just ask Coach Weis.”

Former Texas Women's Golf coach Pat Weis agreed tongue-in-cheek, “No, she didn’t have any, or give any (respect).”

Since then DePaulo has atoned for her behavior, and Weis added, “Lisa has come a long way, baby.”

Former teammate and LPGA standout Sherri Steinhauer said of DePaulo, "Lisa is an incredible person with a great heart. She's a great friend of mine, and I'm lucky that I've gotten to know her so well over the years. Our time together in college was beyond memorable. There are not many people you meet in life that you can are true friends, but Lisa is undoubtedly one of mine."

TexasSports.com recently caught up with DePaulo, and she talked about her UT experience, living in Austin and playing professional golf.

What made you come to Texas? I met Tom Kite when I was 16 and he convinced me that to be the best I had to come to Texas and learn how to play in conditions that I couldn’t find in California - wind, Bermuda and dormant greens. He said I’d been playing ‘spoiled California golf’ and he was right. I haven’t regretted my decision.

Why did you stay in Austin after you graduated? I figured as soon as I was old enough to make a good decision, this would be it.

What do you love most about Austin? It’s about the people. I stayed in Austin because of my network of friends. When you come to college you get to meet all these great people. Whether it’s at the golf courses, at school, or anywhere else, the town just embraces you.

What is your favorite place in Austin? For the landscape, I love Mansfield Damn (on RR-620 in Lakeway). My favorite eatery is Rosie’s in Lakeway.

What do you miss most about your college days? I miss getting to play tourneys without having to pay the bill!

What is your favorite memory as a student at The University of Texas? Lighting the tower after winning conference in ’84 and ’86.

What is the best part about being a Texas Ex? The best part about being a Texas Ex is being a Texas Ex! Unlike any other school, it’s a kinship that knows no age, a bond that doesn’t need any explanation. You could be anywhere in the world and see someone wearing a Longhorn hat, and they’re probably going to help you. No one else has that.

What was the hardest part about moving halfway across the country to attend college? The biggest thing for me was playing on dormant Bermuda greens, learning to hit chip shots with something other than a sand wedge and learning to play in bad weather.

Looking back, would you want to change anything about your collegiate career? I would have been a business major. I was on the “whatever lets me play golf” major plan, and I didn’t appreciate the opportunity to get a degree. Now that I run my own business, it really would have been nice to study business and know something going into it.

What is one thing you would want people to know about you? People think I’m a lot tougher than I am, but really, I’m a softie. I’m also a huge Frank Sinatra fan. Well, a pretty big fan. I mean, I don’t have a ton of his albums … just like 20 or 25.

What do you love most outside of the game of golf? I love cooking, music and watching sports.

What do you consider your greatest achievement in life? Graduating and getting my (LPGA) Tour card

What was it like to play on the Ladies' Asian Tour? I’ve done the Asian Tour five times. It’s like golf boot camp. Every day you wake up for a 5 o’clock hour-long bus ride to the course. You’re eating weird food that messes with your digestive system, and your time-zone is completely opposite. It’s not for the people who aren’t willing to endure and make sacrifices. Wimps don’t make any money there.

What is LPGA Qualifying-school like? I’ve been to Q-school 15 times. I guess I’m as stubborn as my grandfather. It’s a very uncomfortable atmosphere. It’s very lonely. You have to up your selfishness a gear. People who normally say hello to you will ignore you completely. It’s an unsettling feeling knowing there are only a few spots for so many people there.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years? I see myself on the Senior Tour. Hopefully, they still have it. Hopefully, my business has doubled. Working and playing golf? It can’t get any better than that. I love being my own boss.