LG Meets: Symetra Tour & LDG donee Julia Roth
I recently discovered Ladies Dream Golf, a fantasy golf game for the LPGA like no others around.
Read the article: Ladies Dream Golf: LPGA fantasy golf with a unique approach
Ladies Dream Golf is the brain child of Kelley Shaw who loves golf and saw a gap to produce something herself which wasn’t available for the LPGA.
After a few tweaks over the years Kelley decided to help support Symetra Tour players with her fantasy golf game by having different stages of donations.
I’ve had a chat to this year resident pro Julia Roth about Ladies Dream Golf and the Symetra Tour:
How did you get involved with Ladies Dream Golf?
I heard about LDG for the first time last year.
One of the players posted about it in our Players ”forum” where it was announced that Kelley was looking to support a new player for 2016. I sent my email and did an interview with Kelley and learned more about her and LDG.
How great is it to have LDG’s support?
For me its priceless. As an international player I don’t have as big of a network here in the states as maybe the Americans do, so its always a grind to find sponsors and the financial help I need to be able to pay my expenses throughout the season.
LDG is helping me financially and with their help I don’t have to worry about my entry fee for 8 tournaments, thats key.
What’s your tactic for playing LDG? Where do you think you’ll finish at the end of the season?
Honestly I don’t think I have a legit tactic yet, I’m hoping I might change and improve as the season goes on but now I’ve just picked my choices of players who I think will play good / decent.
A few of my picks have been because of my friends who play out there (that’s probably not the right tactic at all :) )
What do you have to do as a Pro for LDG? Do you just play the game with fans?
I’m trying to be as “close” to the supporters as I can. A lot of it is social media, they LDG fans are really good at Twitter so I’m trying to keep up with them there :)
I’m sending out a monthly email where I write what’s going on in my life, tell them little bit what I’ve been working on, and whats next.
I’m always talking positive about my sponsors and people who decide to help and support me, so that’s nothing new for me at all.
What are you aims for the 2017 season?
I always aim for becoming a better version of myself both on and off the golf course. I believe this is a process/journey and it will take time to get to where I want.
Of course I want to improve my season I had 2016 and hoping for an even better 2017. There’s no secret LPGA is my goal so after two full years on Symetra I think that’s a really reasonable goal.
Would you ever come to play LET or is your focus on LPGA?
Ive been in the states for 7 years now, first college and now playing here. I love the US and I think my golf is more “Americanised” than it was 7 years ago.
I have most of my coaches in the states so I wouldn’t go back to Europe to play golf. We can see a clear picture of how LET is not improving as it used to and more and more players are coming over here to play and go through Symetra and move on to the LPGA
Tell us a little about yourself:
How did you get into golf?
I actually started golf with my best friends grand-pa. My parents didn’t play and it wasn’t really in the family then so I decided to go with her one day. She hated it but I thought it was kinda fun.
When did you turn pro?
July 2014
What’s In Your Bag? (Brands & Set make up)
Callaway Epic Driver, Callaway APEX forged irons, Callaway forged wedges, Scotty Cameron Putter
Who’s your golf idol?
Even though she still doesn’t play I think I’ll have to say Annika. I grew up watching her, and what she did and still does to women’s golf is pretty hard to beat.
Who would be in your dream fourball?
My uncle (he passed away before I really got into golf and he was the biggest golf nerd ever), Henrik Stenson and Alicia Wikander (Swedish actress)
Favourite golf moment?
It’s tough to only have one favourite golf moment.
One is when I played golf for the first time with my brother and I played so well for being a beginner, I still remember that day like it was yesterday.
Another is my first college win, during my senior year after 7 playoff holes.
Another moment was last year on Symetra tour, when I came back to places, courses for the second year and the same people came out to support and watch me play. That was a pretty amazing moment and something ill remember :)
What made you choose college in America?
College in the US is really common for us “Swedes” since we can’t combine sports and university studies in Sweden.
I had heard a lot about college but didn’t really know what to expect and honestly didn’t know how it all worked, but I started to talk to coaches and I got recruited to University of Central Arkansas.
After a visit there I decided that Central Arkansas felt like the right pick and I moved there January 2010.
I really didn’t think I was going to stay 4 years but I really enjoyed my time at UCA, I had great coaches who really helped me out both on and off the course.
I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for all the people that helped me out and still do from Conway, Arkansas.
Follow Symetra Tour pro Julia Roth on twitter: @JuliaR90 or on Instagram: @JuliaR90
You can play Ladies Dream Golf and learn more about them on their website.
Follow Ladies Dream Golf on Twitter: @LadiesDreamGolf
(Images of Julia Roth courtesy of JuliaR90 Instagram)
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