LPGA Futures Tour golfer Megan Heckeroth chats about Wie, Sorenstam and game strategy (part two)

“Living from hotel to hotel. Eating, sleeping, and breathing the game of golf. I love it!”

It’s only her first official year on the Duramed Futures Tour but since junior high school it’s all Megan Heckeroth has been dreaming about. A natural athlete, Megan had her choice of sports from gymnastics to track but, as many beginners soon learn, once you catch the golf “bug” you can never shake it.

I have that very same affliction and so part two of my conversation with Megan continues with her practice regimen. I don’t have much time to practice so I need to make every moment count. (Click here for part one.)

Megan stated, “When I am home I try to split up what I practice into groups. Like range and putting one day, chipping and pitching on another. And mix it up a bit. I like to try to make practice fun by playing games with other people or with myself, just for the challenge. When I am on the road I always take Monday off for traveling and checking into my hotel and resting. Depending on how I feel Tuesday I will do a very light practice. Or just relax and check out the sites. When I play practice rounds I figure out what I am struggling with and just work on that for the day and be done.” Click here for a bunker lesson with Megan.

After the practice rounds it’s strategy that will get you through a day on the course.

Megan’s game plan? “Play safe. If you get into a sticky situation, don’t try to be a hero. As much as you would like to hit that once in a million perfect shot from under the trees and through the narrow opening, just chip it out and give yourself a better chance to get it up and down for par or at the very worst a bogey. It’s easier to make up one shot rather then two or three. How true but how easily we beginners forget when faced with that dilemma!

Some Megan fun facts. She doesn’t change her Cleveland golf clubs as often as you would think although this Futures Tour player finally broke down and gave Cleveland the go-ahead to measure her up for a new set. Megan has been to Cleveland’s headquarters several times in the past few months so that she can lay claim to the latest HiBore driver and new set of irons (a secret for now to be unveiled on her website).

Her pitching wedge “starts at 115 and goes up 10 yards through my 3-iron. I hit my 19-degree rescue 200, my 3-wood 215 and average between 260-270 with my driver.”

Megan played rounds of golf at the 2005 U.S. Open with both Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie. When I asked her how she felt being surrounded by the media Megan responded, “As far as playing with a lot of media attention (Michelle) and big fan crowds (Annika), you just have to build a little bubble around you to insulate yourself from the commotion. Otherwise you are going to make a mess out of yourself. Playing with both of them did not bother me at all since I can get myself into a pretty deep level of concentration to the point where I wouldn’t hear a train go by.”

What did Megan think about her two LPGA playing partners? Annika was very nice (she’s my model player), very personable. She and I talked quite a bit. She gave me advice on how to manage my career and how to stay focused and determined. Playing with Michelle was a little less personable. She really didn’t mingle with me or the other player in our pairing. She kept to herself, and was mostly insulated by her entourage (her dad BJ, her mom Bo, her caddie and her coach David Leadbetter).”

Finally, what does this young, fearless beginner on the tour dread most?

Three-footers. “I’m still scared to death of them but I am learning how to overcome it still to this day. It’s all just about letting go. Mind over matter.”

photo copyright megangolf.com.