Interview with Professional Golfer Malene Hansen

Hi everyone!  We are changing things up a bit for today, and taking a dive into the world of golf. How many of you have ever swung a golf club? Been out to a course? Played putt-putt? Last week, we interviewed our friend and ambassador, professional golfer Malene Hansen. If you follow our Instagram, chances are you have seen some of her photos. Here is a small glimpse, of what the life of a professional golfer is like!

How long have you been playing golf? And Where did you play in college?

“I played golf for Coastal Carolina University and I have been playing for about 18-years now. I didn’t start competing until I was 13-years old though. “

Did you always know you wanted to play professionally?

“No, not when I first started. When you are new to golf, it’s very challenging. There’s so much that goes into golf, putting, chipping, iron shots and tee shots. I started to consider the thought about becoming a professional when I started competing. Golf is a challenging game, but it’s also a fun game. You have to learn to fall in love with it”

How would you describe your life, as a professional golfer, to the people who are not immersed in the world of golf?

“I get to do what I love. Playing golf is my hobby, and I get to do it every day. What I love about golf, is that you play against your self and the course. When you are playing the course, it creates a situation that isn’t win or lose. You can play your best and still not win a tournament. In golf, you cannot win every tournament- it just doesn’t happen that way. There are positives you can take away from every round, and experiences where you can learn something new.”

How often do you practice? What does your routine look like?

“I treat it like a full time, so I try to dedicate a full 40 hours to it a week of golf combined with working out. The gym is first and each day I focus on a different part of my body (lower body, upper body and full body). Two days a week, I go and play a full round. The other three days, I break my practice up between putting, chipping and hitting balls on the range. I usually play 9-holes on those days too.”

Here is a question your probably tired of being asked, but when is your next tournament?

“As of now, we are scheduled to play, in Atlanta, May 7th-9th, but we will see.”

Has your routine changed at all since the virus has come to the U.S.?

“So far, not really. Courses are still open here with little changes. No one is supposed to touch the flags, the holes have the cups flipped upside down so its easy to grab the ball from it, and rakes have been removed from courses. Everyone gets their own cart, but I prefer to walk anyways. If a course seems really busy, or there are too many people around a green/range, I decide to avoid it or leave early. Just to be safe. I can always come out early the next day. 

What’s your favorite belt and buckle combination?

“The Stripes black and white with the black buckle.” 

Stay tuned for our next post!