GOLF-CHAT: Melissa Eaton – east, west, home’s best
Melissa Eaton has flown the golf flag for Port Shepstone since she was a young girl. She's played around the world in amateur and professional tournaments, but for now is based on the South Coast selling property.
Age? 35.
Birthday? 15 January.
Second name? Jane.
Nickname? Mel or Melly.
ALSO READ: GOLF-CHAT: Andrew Curlewis – cool, calm and connected
Who introduced you to golf? My mom Colleen, who was a top golfer in her day.
Which clubs have you been a member at? Port Shepstone Country Club, University Club (US), Byanstan CC and Parkview Golf Club.
Which was the first golf course you ever played at? Port Shepstone CC.
Career highlights? Being a member of the Ernie Els Foundation, along with my twin sister Nicola, in 2000 and 2001. Winning my first professional event on the Symmetry Tour in 2013, Florida Naturals Charity Classic.
Golf course you would love to play? The Old Course, St Andrews and Augusta.
Schools you attended? Port Shepstone Junior and High Schools, and Creston College (first year it opened).
If you could win any of the Majors, which one? Women’s British Open.
Most famous person you have met or played golf with? President Cyril Ramaphosa, in 2016, when I worked at his golf day and hit shots into par threes with the amateurs. Also, Ernie Els many times, as well as Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, who were also members of the Ernie Els Foundation back in 2000-2001. Plus quite a few other golf stars such as Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie, to name a few.
Holes in one? 2. University Club, Baton Rouge (college) around 2003, and on the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at a course in Morocco in 2017.
Albatross? Nope, not yet.
Fourball amateur; fourball pro? My twin sister Nicola, Mom, Tiger Woods, and Michelle Wie.
Favourite meal and drink? Sushi and G&T, or my daily cup of coffee!
World Cup final, T20 cricket or rugby? Rugby.
Countries you have been to? USA, including Hawaii, Jamaica, a few Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico, Mexico, England, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Turkey and Morocco.
Historical figure you would like or liked to have met? Tiger Woods and Nelson Mandela.
Player you’d choose to hole a 6 foot putt to save your life? Ashleigh Simon – an LPGA player and my good friend and fellow South African.
Luckiest shot that mattered? My hole-in-one at LET Qualifying School in Morocco in 2017.
One shot or round or moment you’d like to be able to take over? I missed qualifying for the LPGA by three spots on the money list in 2013. The top 10 players earned their LPGA full cards for the following year, and I finished 13th. ($2500 from 10th spot).
Ever broken a club, what happened? Yes! I whacked my golf bag with an iron and proceeded to break my driver shaft! I had hit a terrible shot and had a go at my standbag which collapsed in a heap. I felt temporarily better until the next tee when I needed to hit driver and pulled it out and the shaft was broken. As you can imagine, I was highly embarrassed. In fact, I never learnt my lesson as I did this twice, too embarrassing.
Any injuries you’ve had to overcome? Thankfully no, always been very healthy thankfully.
Funniest thing you have ever experienced on golf course? This year in the Sunshine Ladies Tour event at San Lameer I literally topped my first tee shot (drive) so that it barely made it to the ladies tee. You just have to laugh when you do this!
What irritates you most in golf? The time some people take to hit a golf shot.
Best and worst advice received? Best – visualise your shot; worst – to try not to think or to keep my head down. In my opinion, that’s the worst thing to do! You have to have a swing thought but keep it limited to, say, two thoughts or feels, and in golf your head should be rotating with your body, it should only stay down up until the point of contact then it needs to release – eyes follow the ball.
Advice to anyone taking up the game? Get your kiddies into the game sooner than later, like around six years old, and if you start later on in life then definitely start with golf lessons from a professional so you develop good habits early on.
Tell us something about yourself not many people know? I set a course record of 65 at a course in Louisiana in 2008 (I think it was) but I am not sure if it still stands.
What’s next for you? Well, we will have to see…
Anything else you would like to add? I can’t wait to actually play some golf again!
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
