Interview with
Patty Sheehan
by Mary E. Porter
This interview appeared in the Fall 1996 issue
  uestion
Your book, Patty Sheehan on Golf, co-authored with Betty Hicks, was recently published, can you tell us how it came to be?
 nswer
A couple of years ago my manager, Rebecca Gaston, thought it would be a good idea if I wrote a book. She contacted a few publishers and Taylor Publishing thought it was good timing. Not knowing how to write myself I thought of people who knew a lot about both golf and writing. Betty Hicks instantly came to mind. She is very knowledgeable about golf, has a great sense of humor, and is able to put it all into words, making reading not only educational but entertaining at the same time. I asked Betty and she said that she would love to do it. It took us about two years to put it together. At the time, I was in the middle of building a house and moving my personal possessions, so much of the information and photographs about my tournament wins were in boxes. Betty would come to my home and go through my packed boxes doing her research. We would periodically chat between tournaments whenever I was at home. My pro, Ed Jones, was very instrumental in getting some of the facts straight and remembering the details. So, it just all kind of came together and Taylor Publishing Company was really enthused about it. And other people like you, Mary, seem to really enjoy it. The readers are entertained and have learned a little bit about me, some different ways to think about the golf swing, and have learned some things about the game of golf. I have to admit that I was a little bit skeptical about writing a book, not knowing anything about how to put a book together or really anything about writing, so I relied heavily on Betty and her expertise. I think it turned out great and feel it will do well.
uestion
Patty, you spent some of your youth in Middlebury, VT. The people in New England still consider you a hometown favorite. How do you feel about that?
nswer
I still consider Middlebury my hometown because I was born there and lived there until I was 10. I still remember being at Middlebury College, playing on the fields, being in the field house, wandering around the campus, and getting into trouble - all the things that kids do - all those wonderful experiences that I recall living in a small town, so I feel that my roots are in Vermont. I have a brother, sister-in-law, three nephews, a niece, and many friends that live in Middlebury. I still have a real attachment there. Every year I put together a amateur charitable event to raise money for the community. Middlebury was a great place to live as a youngster.
uestion
Was there anyone in the LPGA when you were a child that you looked up to?
nswer
Actually, no. When I was a kid I was a ski racer and actually looked up to Nancy Green, a ski racer from Canada. I enjoyed being around the golf course but didn't know of any female professionals. The only woman golfer's name that I had heard as a child was Kathy Whitworth. Being a kid from a small town in Vermont, I was kind of sheltered and didn't know what was going on in the rest of the world, especially in women's golf.
uestion
Today with all the new, young players entering the LPGA is there one woman you admire not for only her playing ability but for her personality.
nswer
Of all the young players today, I really admire Kelly Robbins. She's a very solid player and doesn't get too excited on the golf course. She is a real steady player. Bogies, double bogies and birdies don't seem to excite her too much. I think it's her philosophy about the game. She needs to spend time at home with her family and friends to be able to rejuvenate herself so that she can enjoy playing when she is out here. That is kind of the way my thinking has been my entire career. I have always needed to have my base and soak up reality at home. Kelly seems to do that a lot and does not let other people push her into doing things that she does not want to do.
uestion
Are you ever amazed with your accomplishments?
nswer
I don't think I am right now, but I think maybe in 15 to 20 years I will look back and think, "Wow, that was pretty amazing." I guess because of the way the good players of my era, like Nancy Lopez, Beth Daniels, Betsy King, Amy Alcott, that kind of core group did similar things. There were not many of us that did phenomenal things during a time when it was very difficult to win. As the 90's pass and the year 2000 comes upon us I see these young, great players, really great players, who are better than we ever thought of being, not winning tournaments like we used to. That's because the competition is so much better now than when we played in the 80's.
uestion
Do you think the equipment has anything to do with this?
nswer
I hate to admit that equipment has had a big influence on these young players, but it has. It has really improved and made younger players better players. But still, the competition is there and young players are very feisty and hungry to win tournaments and because there are so many more good players out there, they are not winning as many as we did. The wins are more spread out.
uestion
What are the best part and the worst parts of being a golf celebrity?
nswer
Laugh) One of the best parts of being a golf celebrity is that you can play golf just about anywhere that you want. And, people recognize you and respect you. One of the worst things about being a golf celebrity is that you can't get away and spend time by yourself. Privacy is certainly not as bad as it is for many other professional athletes, but it can be a bit of a problem sometimes. It is just that you are so visible to the general public that sometimes people won't leave you alone.
uestion
In October you are going to celebrate your 40th birthday. How is that going to be for you?
nswer
I don't know. I am hoping it won't be bad. I'm also hoping that I won't be thrown a huge party, but I suspect that some type of party is going to happen. Being somewhat of a shy person, having all the attention thrown at me is difficult. But I really don't think that turning 40 is going to be that big a deal.
uestion
What is your favorite television show?
nswer
I don't know... oh... I love Friends; that is a great show. And I love watching medical operations on the Learning Channel. They're very fascinating. My mother has always been in the medical field and I think that is where my interest comes from. When I was a child I would sit in her medical classes at college, so I really learned an appreciation for medicine.
uestion
Do you have any pet peeves?
nswer
Yes, I probably have a few of them. One of my pet peeves here on tour is that the LPGA has too many silly rules. For example, players can't wear blue jeans, but we can wear black, purple, brown, white, and every other color jeans, but not blue. That is kind of a pet peeve of mine.
uestion
You have not been wearing knickers recently. Is there any reason for that?
nswer
I haven't been wearing knickers lately because I am a lot more comfortable in shorts. My clothing company, Tail, would prefer to have me in shorts and pants rather than knickers. That is fine by me. When it is a real hot day I would much rather be in shorts than knickers. I learned a lot about wearing knickers in the 1990 U.S. Open. I think that contributed to some of my downfall in my not playing well on Sunday. I was so hot and overheated and had many problems. So, I prefer to wear shorts when the temperature is high because they are a lot more comfortable and cooler.
uestion
This year career win number 35 occurred at the Nabisco Dinah Shore in Palm Springs. Of those 35 wins, is there one tournament which stands out most in your mind?
nswer
The U.S. Open in Oakmont sticks out in my mind because I eliminated all the golf demons that had been with me for years. And certainly I remember my first win in the LPGA. That was the Mazda Japan Classic in 1981. And of course the tournament in Phoenix where I won my 30th to gain entrance into the LPGA Hall of Fame will always stand out.
uestion
Speaking of the Hall of Fame, do you think the qualifications to gain entrance should be adjusted?
nswer
Definitely! They have to be. I feel that the today's players need to be rewarded for their great play. I don't feel that 30 wins is a very fair goal to reach to get into the Hall of Fame, especially these days. Entering the year 2000, it is going to be virtually impossible to win 30 games in an LPGA member's career. Look at the great players that have come out in the late 80's and early 90's like Dottie Pepper. She has won 9 or 10 events and women like her need to be rewarded as a dominant player in her time. And certainly some of the other players that win events need the same recognition as great players of this game.
uestion
What simple advice would you like to give to the new golfer?
nswer
I tell new players that they should have fun with the game and not to take it too seriously. Golf is a game and the average person should play the game to enjoy it. Let the professionals take it seriously.
uestion
I understand that when you retire from the LPGA you are interested in becoming a golf course architect. Can you tell us a little about this goal?
nswer
Because of my love of the game I find the layout and design of golf courses very interesting. I recently did some consulting on a golf course that just opened in Angels Camp, California called Green Horn Creek. It was very interesting and technical work. I am hoping that I will have the opportunity to do more of that. There is a huge demand for golf courses that are very playable and interesting. It is difficult today to find a golf course that is built for the average player. Most of the courses you see are designed and built by certain people that are more of a monument to their name. And these courses are difficult to play. I want to build golf courses that are playable and interesting for the general public.
uestion
What is it that you like to do when you are at home at the "Chateau la Tour" in Nevada?
nswer
In the summertime, I like to do a lot of gardening. I have a 1000 square foot vegetable garden and a extensive collection of rose bushes. I also have a fruit orchard. All of that keeps me very busy during the summer months. I also just like to putter around the house.
uestion
Is there anything that you would like the Tee Time readers to know about you that I have not asked you Patty?
nswer
 Basically I would like them to know that I am just a normal person and just like everyone else. I enjoy life and I like to have fun. I want to be respected as a person and not as a thing. It is interesting, at golf events, many people just like to come up to me to say hello, instead of asking me for an autograph. That means a great deal to me. It is very nice that people recognize me but it would be great if they would just respect you as a person and not as a thing.
uestion
Thank you Patty, I know you're a very busy woman and I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.
nswer
Thank you Mary! I wish you luck with Tee Time and please make sure you send me copies when it comes out. |
