Golfweek caught up with Dame Laura Davies back home in England, just days before she was scheduled to head to Florida to begin her 34th season on the LPGA at next week’s Gainbridge LPGA event at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando.
Davies, 57, plans to compete in close to 20 events in 2021, including two senior majors, and will work as a television commentator at about nine events. The World Golf Hall of Famer, who boasts 85 titles worldwide, recently signed with Callaway Golf and was eager to get out of the snow and play her first round of golf since November.
Here are excerpts from a conversation with the English legend:
What’s the current lockdown status where you are now?
You can walk your dog, which is what I was doing when you sent that initial text. And you can go shopping for food and essentials really. Other than that, nothing. I’m allowed, because of elite sports status, I’m allowed to practice. But that’s only if you can find somewhere to practice. My golf club has given me the keys to the gate. I think I’ve hit 200 balls in the last week, which is all I’ve hit in the last three months. My last tournament was Saudi Arabia. I’ve not been on a golf course since I walked off the course that day (Nov. 19). God knows what’s going to happen in Florida.
Laura Davies looks on during the afternoon fourballs on day two of the 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle Golf Club on September 24, 2011 in Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
You arrive (in Florida) on Friday, what will you do?
I’m going to play a couple of rounds at Bay Hill. Then obviously Lake Nona on Monday. Get on that range and try and find my game.
Have you been to Nona since the 1990 Solheim Cup?
I went on the range five years ago with Martin Hall, we did something for Golf Channel, one of their instructional academy shows. I couldn’t tell you where the first tee is.
Well then, I’m interested in how you answer this question. What do you remember about that inaugural Solheim Cup?
I’ve never played the 18th because none of my matches went to 18. I vaguely remember a lot of the holes. I don’t think I could put them in order. I remember the space shuttle going up on the Friday night, which was great entertainment. Just a great week really.
What were the nerves like with it being the first one?
I remember Alison Nicholas and I played in the first foursomes on Friday and Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley walked up on the tee. They were our opponents. It was a bit of a shock to the system. … Nerve-wracking to say the least of it.
What will it take for you to be a Solheim Cup captain? A Cup in England?
I don’t want to do it. I’ve felt pressure to do it, not pressure, that’s the wrong word. But people are saying I should do it. But I’ve always said it’s never been in England. So if it’s ever in England maybe I’d consider that, but by then I’ll probably be too old anyway. I don’t want to do it, by any means I don’t. It’s not the sort of thing that appeals to me at all. I’m enjoying being a Vice Captain … that’s been great working for Beany (Catriona Matthew).
The European team celebrates with the trophy after winning the Solheim Cup against The United States at Barseback Golf & Country Club in Loddekopinge, Sweden, 14 September, 2003 (Ola Torkelsson/AFP via Getty Images)
Why hasn’t there been a Solheim Cup in England? What’s holding it back?
There has to be money, funding for it. Scotland has had it, what two or three times. Sweden a couple times. Even Spain is going to have it, which I find extraordinary that Spain gets it before England. Ireland has had it, Wales has had it, even Germany. It has to be a financial thing. … I’m guessing; I don’t know.
How many times will we see you this year?
I’m hoping to play a fair bit. I’m playing the first two, then coming out for Hawaii and L.A. My next one will be Kingsmill and I’m not sure about this Vegas match play. I have no idea what the criteria is for getting in that. I’m assuming that I won’t be in that, but if I was in it I would definitely play.
The whole thing would just be brilliant to play the match play there. I can’t think of anything more fun. … I’ll probably end up playing close to 12 or 15 in America.
At the end of last year I’d had enough. I didn’t want to do it again anymore. So many tests and everything it was just becoming unenjoyable. But sitting around doing nothing is even more unenjoyable. So I think I’ll take it on the chin and do what’s required to play.
What’s the most you’ve ever won at a Vegas casino?
The year I lost in a playoff to Se Ri Pak and Karrie Webb at the Tour Championship, the night before I’d been at the Holyfield fight. By pure chance I’d had $100 on a number, one of my friends said oh this No. 7 hasn’t hit for about three hours. So I put $100 on that and it hit, and then I put a bet on Lennox Lewis and that won. So I ended up winning $4,000 or $5,000 in one day, which was nice.
Laura Davies poses with the U.S. Senior Women’s Open trophy after winning in the final round at Chicago Golf Club on July 15, 2018 in Wheaton, Illinois. (Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
For those who haven’t heard the story, how did you come to use a turf pyramid rather than tee to hit driver?
I hit a terrible tee shot somewhere in the Carolinas. It was a par 5, I was playing with Nancy Lopez of all people, and I hit a tee shot about 100 yards right off the tee. From that point onwards I had the yips with the driver. I couldn’t get through it. This was April/May. By the time we got to Vegas for the Tour Championship, I’d been hitting a lot of drivers off the deck on par 5s for my second shots. My brother, who was caddying for me at the time, said, ‘Why don’t you start hitting driver off the deck on the tee?’ That’s basically how it started.
What year was that?
Well my brother was caddying so it would’ve been between 1988 and 1991. Like I said, the original mound was very, very small. It was like hitting it off the deck. But nowadays, it’s as big as I can get the mound to be basically. The driver is a little bigger and the confidence is there. I don’t have to do it anymore, but I quite still like the theory behind it. It makes you get through the ball. It’s a much harder shot to hit, concentrates the mind a lot more. Being off the deck, it made me really stay down through the ball, and that’s the reason I still do it.
Some might say it’s old fashioned, but it works! Laura Davies tees it up on a clump of turf, and then drains an
putt from way downtown as she keeps extending her lead at the #USSeniorWomensOpen. pic.twitter.com/2gVMNevFkl
— USGA (@USGA) July 14, 2018
Which long hitter on tour impresses you the most?
I think Anne van Dam. I know there’s a couple that are very, very long, but I think her ball flight is very good. I’m surprised she’s not won on the LPGA. I know she’s had limited opportunity. If she gets it right, she could be a pretty dominant type of player I think.
There was some criticism about the setup when the women first played the Open at Carnoustie 10 years ago now. How would you like to see it played this year and who does it suit?
Well, it’s one of the toughest ones for a kick-off, that’s for sure. I’d like the par 5s to be reachable and the rest of the course they can play as tough as they like. … Carnoustie can be the easiest course in the world and it can be the hardest course, it just depends on the wind. The par 3s can be evil.
Laura Davies cheers after winning the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open, Davies beat Ayako Okamoto and JoAnne Carner in an 18-hole playoff.
You’re two points shy of the 27 needed for the LPGA Hall of Fame. Should the rules be changed? Do you think the points system still works?
Listen, I don’t think the rules should be changed. I think it’s very hard to get in the LPGA Hall of Fame. The reason I didn’t get the points is because I played a lot in Europe at the time I was at my best and maybe, well I’m not even going to say maybe, I would definitely have done it if I would’ve played full-time in America. But that’s the choices I made at the time, and I certainly don’t want any concessions now because I had a great time playing in Europe those years when I was at my best.
Retrospectively to be put into it would not be fun at all. I know I’m not going to do it, but I love the idea of playing more events just in case some miracle happened.
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