Rebecca Codd from Ireland is a working mum who will be competing in the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on July 2-5. The tournament at the Ladies European Tour’s headquarters will be an event for the whole family to enjoy, with a wide variety of entertainment from mini golf, ice cream and face painting in the kids’ zone to the artisan market and celebrity Q&As in the tented village. As the mother to two-year-old Kate, Rebecca tells us about her early golfing experiences and how this Ladies European Tour event is the perfect day out.
Tell us how and why you got into golf.
I got into golf through my father. He had cut down clubs for my sister and myself from a young age.
You are part of a golfing family as your husband is a teaching professional and a caddie. How did you meet him?
I met Shane through a mutual friend at a Brian Adams concert.
Tell us about his job as a caddie and his experiences on the tour.
After Shane qualified as a PGA Pro he came out and caddied for me for a few years and then moved onto various bags on the LET and now for the last three years has been working on the LPGA.
How much do you see him when on the road?
Surprisingly enough we do get to see each other quite a bit throughout the year but it can be a week at a time or it could be 2-3 weeks it just all depends on the time of year.
Now that you are a mother, how has your life changed?
Things changed a lot more than I thought they would after having Kate but in a good way. Probably the biggest change was not having the time I had in the past to work on my game but you soon learn to work with the time you get and I’ve become much more productive with my practice than I ever was.
How do you juggle your family life and your career?
You just learn to do it and make it work. I’ve also been very lucky to have an aunt that has really helped me with making sure I’ve had the time to go out and prepare for events.
How important is it that Kate will pick up and play golf?
It’s not important at all, we will be happy with any sport or hobby she may take up but if she did decide to play golf that would be great.
What life skills does golf give you?
Golf has given me lots of life skills from confidence in mixing with new people to time management and so on.
Would you like Kate to be a professional golfer?
I wouldn’t mind one way or the other.
Why do you think that golf is a great game for families to enjoy?
Golf is such a great game for families because it has to be one of the only sports that a family can go out and have a round together and everyone can compete against each other on a level playing field because of handicaps.
Why are LET tournaments fun for families to attend?
LET events are great for families to come out and watch because there is great interaction from the girls with fans and we are very approachable.
Why should parents bring their kids to the LEM?
Because there is lots going on off the course for kids to get involved in from getting into golf to meeting the LET girls to concerts.
Why should people new to golf come along?
Women’s golf is great for anyone who is new to golf or just getting into it because they can relate to it much more than the men’s game and they can learn so much.
Buy tickets for the Ladies European Masters between 1st and 14th June, and you will be entered into a free prize draw to win a 1 year Sky TV subscription! Visit http://tickets.sky.com/Golf/. More information: www.ladieseuropeanmasters.com.
