Today is Global Day of Parents, which recognises the vital role played by both mothers and fathers in caring for and teaching their children.
This is the same date as International Children’s Day, and so it is a time of international concern for strengthening the family.
We’re highlighting the stories of the LET players currently balancing a career as a tour professional with life as a working mum.
There are about six active mums who play regularly on the LET. Catriona Matthew, an 11-time winner on tour, who has played in nine Solheim Cups and been a winning captain in 2019, is recognised as the ultimate super-mum.
In 2009, in August, just 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter Sophie in May, and three weeks before her 40th birthday, Catriona stunned the world of golf by winning the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, securing her first major championship. Her sensational three-stroke triumph, which included in the second round a course-record 7-under 30 on the back nine, meant that, 14 years after turning professional, she became the first Scot, and the fourth Brit, to claim a women’s major golf championship. She was appointed an OBE in the New Year Honours List, 10 years after becoming an MBE.
Ursula Wikstrom, one of the most consistent performers on tour for the last 17 years, has built a successful golf career whilst raising her son, Erni, who was born in early 2007, while Liz Young and Linda Wessberg both have both played competitively whilst raising young daughters, Isabelle and Sigrid, aged three and four respectively.
Two-time LET winner Minea Blomqvist returned to the LET in September, a year after the arrival of her second son and Pamela Pretswell Asher made a long-awaited comeback at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, after the arrival of her daughter.
Balancing playing with parenting is tough and three-time LET winner Linda Wessberg, a Solheim Cup player who won a gold medal in the 2018 European Championships at Gleneagles, says that leaving Sigrid at home is the toughest part.
“Many times I have received a phone call before I have even gone through security at my local airport saying that I need to come home,” she said. “Even when I’m away, I’m away planning my practice rounds around their schedule at home, or taking breaks in my practice to give her a call to say good morning before she goes to day care. This, of course, is not ideal when you are trying to focus on performing. It has taken me a while, but I feel like I have learned a lot along the way, and now that she is a bit older and thanks to Facetime, I feel like I can still be a part of her day even though I’m not physically there.”
“I have always wrestled with my bad conscience of being away and there have been many times when I found it hard to let go, even though I knew she was in good hands. I’ve been lucky to have great support both from Sigrid’s dad and from her grandparents. I have also found it tough when I wanted to compete at the highest level but not be able to be away for more than a few weeks in a row, like I did before. I now have to pick a playing schedule instead of just playing all that is offered. Also, all my off-season practice is now done indoors in Sweden instead of going away somewhere warmer.
“It has also, of course, come with a lot of positive things. No matter how my week has been or what the scores might show, Sigrid always runs to me with a big smile. This makes me feel like I have a life outside golf, which I’m very grateful for.
“Sigrid actually loves playing golf. Every Monday, for six weeks in the spring and six weeks in the fall, she has golf practice with kids her age. We are also lucky to have golf carts at the club I’m a member of, so we can easily take her out with us on the course. I’m not going to force her to play in the future, but it would be fun if she enjoyed it so we could all play together as a family.”
Fellow LET super-mum, Liz Young, says that her daughter, Isabelle, who is now aged three years and seven months, has totally changed her life.
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“Isabelle always comes first, so in all decisions I make, I think about what effect it will have on her,” said Liz, who finished 28th on the 2019 Order of Merit.
“Balancing parenting with a golf career has created some challenges, that is for sure, but I have a strong family network close by which has allowed me to go and play on tour. Leaving Isabelle for a couple of weeks is never easy, but I have to think of the weeks that I get to spend with her at home and it does even out over the year.
“During lockdown, my husband built her first golf club and when the courses reopened she came out with us on the course with it. She has been on the course since she could walk, but never before with a club. I wouldn’t say she loves the game yet, but she does like the bunkers with all the sand in them!”
Pamela Pretswell, the 2012 LET Access Series Order of Merit winner, whose best finish on the LET is tied second in the TIPSPORT Golf Masters in the Czech Republic, says that raising 18-month-old Kirsty has been “a dream come true,” and she couldn’t be happier.
“I have only played one event so far since having Kirsty, which was the Scottish Open last year. It was the first time I had made the cut at a co-sanctioned LPGA event, so it was a promising start back in my first event since December 2017. Practice and preparation for events is now totally different as I have to manage my time much better. I am now more productive when practising and more focused on what I have to improve. Preparing for tournaments is more of a challenge, but I love a challenge and I am very lucky to have a very supportive family who help us so much.
“I had planned to start the season in May in Spain and Kirsty was going to come to some events with me, so it’s very different now. Once we have a schedule, we will work out what the best plan is for our family and for competing on tour.
“We will encourage Kirsty to play golf and other sports. I have learned so much from golf, met so many people and travelled the world. It’s great to see kids outside playing golf, exercising and having fun. Kirsty has some kids’ clubs that she loves playing with in the garden.”
There is no doubt that Catriona, Minea, Pamela, Ursula and Liz are incredible role models to their children, teaching them values such as kindness, manners and respect, whilst also demonstrating the hard work, dedication and perseverance that it takes to achieve success in life and in sport.
