Korea’s Soo In Lee is 47 years old, has been playing golf for just 18 months and joined Randpark last September. So she’s a real beginner, right? And with no history of playing other sports as a youngster, or when bringing up her children, chances are she’s going to find golf a bit of a struggle, right?
Well, wrong on both counts. This week, playing with the seniors on Thursday morning, she hit drive, five-wood to three feet on Firethorn’s par-4 10th hole and rolled in the putt for a birdie three – accompanied with shrieks of delight, and her jumping up and down and giving high-fives to her playing partners.”Soo is just absolutely amazing,” says stalwart Randpark member Carol Primes, who has become her golfing buddy at the club and was in her fourball when she made her birdie. “She hits the ball so far, and has so much talent, it really is unbelievable. Honestly, watching her smacking the ball out of sight with her beautiful swing, there’s real class there,” added Primes, who knows the game intimately with a good deal of silverware won at the club in her 17 years at Randpark, including stints on the ladies’ committees.
“Agreed,” says Steve Griebenow who was also one of her playing partners in the senior competition. “Soo’s got a wonderful, full turn, and she really climbs into the ball. I’ve been a member at Randpark for close on 40 years and just watching her swing today, well her rhythm rubbed off on me and helped me realise I also needed more of a full turn and after that, I was suddenly creaming my drives.”
“Good shot Soo, good shot Soo!” The compliments were flying thick and fast as this little Korean hit one fine shot after another, pretty much outdriving the two men in the fourball. In reply, Soo just beams and giggles.
Apart from the odd trip to the driving range, Soo has never had a golf lesson. But, she says, she has gained inspiration watching on television her fellow world-class Koreans, her ‘Seoul Sisters’ who are dominating the women’s game worldwide. “I try to copy their swings,” she says. And, make no mistake, she’s making a pretty good job of doing just that.
Soo, who sees Carol as her mentor, currently plays off a stroke index of around 18, but it won’t be surprising if her handicap comes down fast in the not-too-distant future. She says she does need to sharpen up her short game, but that will come.
Watch this space, and if you’ve got a chance watch this fit, 47-year-old pocket dynamo hit a ball! You’ll be amazed.
Written by Randpark Club member Grant Winter.
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