Georgie Bingham: Can we talk about Charley Hull?
Charley Hull of England poses for a photo with the trophy after winning The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America at Old American Golf Club on October 02, 2022 in The Colony, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
I have game-envy when it comes to the now 26 year-old girl from Kettering - she’s always worked really hard on her game and her fitness, and the way she strikes a ball is something I can’t lie, I wish I could do.
She’s also always been - well - very frank. Fun to interview, brutally honest about herself, her life and her game and we’ve watched her grow up in the last few years. The reason I pen this column after her LPGA win in Texas is because I was delighted to see her return to the winners circle and found a little gem hidden in her post win interview.
I’ve worked with Hull a few times over the years, mostly when YourGolfTravel were one of her major sponsors so she would fulfil her responsibilities at golf days or events that I would host for them. She’d do the usual - being stationed on a par three hole to play a tee shot with each corporate fourball that came through, or hosting a master-class on short game, long game, putting; whatever the client wanted really.
Charley Hull of England celebrates with Georgia Hall in the 18th green after winning The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America at Old American Golf Club on October 02, 2022 in The Colony, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Imagess.
First of all please bear in mind that at the time YourGolfTravel’s other ambassadors were Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke, who were (still are) the absolute kings of golf days.
They’d turn up, give everyone their time and attention, have a few beers and make sure everyone had a great day. I always felt this didn’t come naturally to Hull, probably partly an age thing - but also because she struggled to give her wisdom to others.
Let me explain with an example; she and I hosted a bunker/short game masterclass for 40 women - probably around 2017. I’d ask “how do you work the ball when it’s nearer the back of the bunker?” or “if the ball is sitting lower in the sand what do you do - how do your approach it?” and she’d shrug, consult with her dad and her caddy and say she just took the club she was given by him and hit the ball out. She didn’t think about what she did, she just knew how to execute it and did it. She said that about all her shots.
She was refreshingly honest, she knew she relied on her caddy a huge amount to make sure she had the right club in her hand, but once she had it in her hand she claimed to have little or no swing thoughts or conscious feelings - she was told what to do and she then felt the shot she needed as she executed it. This gobsmacked me. As someone who has ten swing thoughts, and spends my time learning to just have one, I was envious as hell; but I also believed her when she said it. Golf was that simple for her.
Charley Hull of England reacts on the 18th green during the third round of the AIG Women's British Open at Woburn Golf Club on August 03, 2019 in Woburn, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images).
I used to leave these days with Hull and wonder whether it would always be like that - might Hull find at some stage that golf became a conscious game? Might her head enter the equation - and if and when it did would she be the same player?
I think we found out at The Ascendant LPGA. She gave a short, very simple interview about her final round tussle with Xiyu Lin and how much she’d relished their battle… “I think I know my game is there, it was just my confidence. I feel really good, I felt in control of my round, I feel very proud of myself” were her words to Sky Sports. Confidence. She said confidence. So, it’s happened hasn’t it? Hull’s head has arrived and it IS in the game and now she’s back on the winning train i expect her to do it again a few more times next year. Time has answered my own question for me.
Georgie Bingham, broadcaster and journalist, writes a bi-weekly column for The Cut Stuff. She’s golf obsessed. She’s ready to go behind the tour.
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