Play 9 with Nicole Vandermade
April 23, 2010
With a year of collegiate experience under your belt, how has your sophomore season differed from your freshman season? The biggest difference this year in terms of the golf team has been my taking on more of a leadership role. At times it has proven to be a challenge as I am only a sophomore myself, but it has been a welcomed opportunity. This experience has allowed me to to learn more about myself and others which will help me on and off the course. What is your favorite "perk" about the University of Texas Golf Club? I can't possibly name just one favorite "perk." The great thing about UTGC is that you can do everything when you are there. The course is amazing, and our practice facility gives you the ability to practice pretty much any shot that you need to. Aside from golf, when you are at UTGC and want to take a little break from practicing you can get some homework done or even get a cardio session in at the gym. It is very convenient to be able to have everything you could possibly need in one place. Which of your teammates do you have the most friendly competition? I wouldn't really say there is one teammate I have the most friendly competition with --we are all competitive people and I think we all compete with each other in everything we do. How does playing golf in Austin differ from playing golf in Canada? Really not too much, other than playing golf in Austin gives me the opportunity to play all year round. The biggest change would be the different grasses. In Austin most of the courses are Bermuda grass, but in Canada all of the courses have bent grass. This is good for my game because I get to spend a lot of time practicing on both types of grasses. What is your favorite thing about being Longhorn and why? It is such a cool experience to be able to hang out with some outstanding athletes and people. Being a Longhorn gives you the ability to train at the best facilities, have access to the best coaches and trainers, get the chance to watch high caliber teams compete in awesome environments and you get to live in one of the best cities in America.
What club do you trust the most in your bag right now? My driver for sure because I hit it long and pretty straight. This gives me somewhat of an advantage over the field. Do you have any pre-tournament superstitions? No. I have certain things that I do before rounds and during tournaments, but they are more of a routine than superstition. What other sports do you enjoy; participating in or watching? I enjoy playing most sports especially basketball and love watching hockey. Since becoming a Longhorn I have become a real fan of volleyball and probably enjoy it more than football! Which professional athlete do you most admire and why? I would say Wayne Gretzky. He had an amazing hockey career, is a successful businessman, and a really good person. He is actually from my hometown and has proven that you can achieve greatness and become one of the greatest athletes of all time while coming from very humble beginnings. After having the opportunity to spend some time with him I respect him even more for his humility. |
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