Luiza Altmann is the highest ranked player in Brazil and is currently a member of the Ladies European Tour (the LET). While there have been other women from Brazil playing professional golf, Luiza is something of a "trailblazer" having also played a season in Asia on the KLPGA (Korea). While football or soccer, is the sport most closely associated with Brazil, Golf is growing, partly due to the 2016 Olympic Games hosted in Rio de Janeiro , and partly as the country continues to grow economically.
In this episode, Luiza shares her experience of discovering golf in a country where football or futebol (soccer) is the national passion, and how she grew up to be Brazil's top ranked professional player. She shares with us how the sport is growing in Brazil, particularly among juniors, while also sharing her experience of playing professionally on the Ladies European Tour.
Luiza Altmann is the highest ranked player in Brazil and is currently a member of the Ladies European Tour (the LET). While there have been other women from Brazil playing professional golf, Luiza is something of a "trailblazer" having also played a season in Asia on the KLPGA (Korea). While football or soccer, is the sport most closely associated with Brazil, Golf is growing, partly due to the 2016 Olympic Games hosted in Rio de Janeiro , and partly as the country continues to grow economically.
In this episode, Luiza shares her experience of discovering golf in a country where football or futebol (soccer) is the national passion, and how she grew up to be Brazil's top ranked professional player. She shares with us how the sport is growing in Brazil, particularly among juniors, while also sharing her experience of playing professionally on the Ladies European Tour.
Hello, and good afternoon. Welcome to our show. We're talking golf. I'm your host, Douglas maida. Now on today's show, we're going to continue our look at golf and the sports development in other parts of the world outside the traditional golf markets. Most of you will know the traditional golf markets as being the English speaking countries of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. But golf is a global sport. It may not have the universal participation that soccer or football does, what it is growing significantly. And a good deal of that has to go to the Olympics, and the inclusion of golf as a middle sport. In golf major championships, there have been winners this year representing the countries of Japan, the United States, Spain, and one of those winners on the men's side was from the United States but was an American of Japanese ancestry. That is even more profound in the women's game. major championship winners this year include Thailand, the Philippines, the United States, and Australia. This show is being recorded before the last major so we're going to see who wins the AIG Women's Championship. Golf is a global sport. Thai fans were happy to see one of their own Patty Tavatanakit win the ANA championship this year, she joined Ariya Jutanugarn as the only Thai players to capture a Major. Americans were delighted for Nelly Korda in winning her first major and the same could be said for Australia as Minjee Lee at the Evian Championship. And of course, the Filipinos have been simply ecstatic since Yuka Saso captured the US Women's Open in San Francisco. They celebrated across the nation, some calling for a national day of celebration in the Philippines. With the exception of the United States and Australia, these winners, both the men and women represented nations that are in a love affair with golf. It is through participation in viewership that these nations see themselves being reflected in their new champions. Whether it be a Japanese boy or girl who sees Hideki Matsuyama or Hinako Shibuno, who won the AIG Women's Open a couple of years ago. Or whether it's Jon Rahm picking up the torch from Seve Ballasteros and Jose Maria Olathobal for Spain. Young Thais and Filipinos are beginning to dream that they too can play golf and compete on the world stage. That is the power of this sport. That is the power of golf in the Olympics, and it is the power of seeing an international set of champions in the Majors. Now our last show featured the growth and development of golf and elite players from the Netherlands. Today's show continues along that theme. Our guest today is Luiza Altmann. She's a professional player on the Ladies European Tour (LET), and she hails from Brazil. Now it's time for us to take a short break and when we come back, we'll get right to our special guests and get right into the show. Thanks.
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Amy (Studio):Welcome to our show. We are proud to announce that we're talking golf has been recognized as one of the top 40 podcasts to follow in 2021 for PGA and LPGA golf coverage. Today's show is being recorded from our studio in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. We are produced by the world of golf and you can find us on the worldwide web at www dot world of golf.org or on our social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and now on LinkedIn. For those of you in Asia and elsewhere. You can also follow us on Weibo and WeChat. Now, back to our show. Here is your host Douglas Maida,
Douglas Maida:We're back thank you for staying with us. I would also like to take this time to thank you, our listeners from around the world for listening to our show. Now I would like to introduce our guest. without much further ado, Luiza Altmann is a professional player from Brazil, currently playing on the Ladies European tour. She returned to her home base in the United States after spending seven weeks competing on the LET. She's joining us on ZOOM from her home in Lake Nona, Florida. Welcome to our show, Luiza. We're glad to have you.
Luiza Altmann:Thank you so much. I really appreciate being here. And I'm excited.
Douglas Maida:Oh, great. Great. Well, we're very happy to have you here on the show. What do you share a little bit about where you just came back from? Because you were playing the team event in Spain, I believe.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, I was. They have four series this year. And it's team events on the ladies European tour was three professional and one amateur. And we compete for the first place. Right.
Douglas Maida:And this is called the Aramco series, is it?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, it is. We started in London. Last one was in Spain. The next one will be in New York, and then the final one in Saudi Arabia.
Douglas Maida:So do you have the same team that you play with every event?
Luiza Altmann:No, we switch it up every tournament.
Douglas Maida:Okay, so it's a matter of keeping individual score for the team members. Right. So if I understand correctly, so your score, even though you played with different players, say in London and in Spain, it's keeping track of your score cumulatively, or?
Luiza Altmann:Oh, no, no, no, each. Each series is their own little tournament.
Douglas Maida:So a standalone event?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Douglas Maida:No, no, that's great. All right. It's a brand new concept this year, so it's interesting to get to know it and see how it plays out. Luiza, tell us what it was like growing up in Brazil, Sao Paulo area trying to play golf?
Luiza Altmann:It was actually a lot of fun. Since there aren't many golfers in Brazil, we were a really close community of golfers. So every tournament that I would go to, it's the same people. So I grew up playing Junior golf, playing every month with the same people. So just grew up to be my family, you know. But it was good. I used to just practice and play with my parents. And we were members at their house, which was that. So that's in Ito in San Paolo. And when I turned 15, I think around 15 we decided to move to the United States.
Douglas Maida:Oh, so your family's all here with you?
Luiza Altmann:No, no. They they stayed until I went to college. And then they had to move back to Brazil, unfortunately.
Douglas Maida:Okay, I understand. I understand. So, at what age were you roughly when you started--when you first picked up your first golf club?
Luiza Altmann:Nine years old.
Douglas Maida:Oh, wow. Wow. And who got you into that?
Luiza Altmann:My dad.
Douglas Maida:Because he was a recreational player himself?
Luiza Altmann:Um, so my dad always used to play he played from when he was like 20 years old. And then he moved to a year Africa for work where he stopped playing because golf there was just send. So and then he moved back to Brazil met my mom, they had me, and they weren't doing any sports. He was getting fat on display. So he turned to my mom and I and said, Well, I want to do a sport. But I mean, running on the treadmill or working out, you're just like inside a box. It's kind of boring for me. Tennis you always have to play against someone that's the same level. So we couldn't really do that as a family and family was so important for us. So one sport that he always did that you can do when you're 8 or 80 doesn't matter, was golf. So he said to my mom and I, I'll bring you guys to the golf course. If you guys like it will continue and play. If not, we'll look for another sport that we can do as a family and I fell in love with it and kept playing since then.
Douglas Maida:So when you were growing up, it's primarily your family that you played golf with. Did you also develop a lot of friends at the
Luiza Altmann:Yeah. clubs and on the golf course. That you played with? Absolutely, um, like I said, since golf wasn't as big when I used to play. A lot of the junior tournaments would be the same people and it's the same people that I grew up playing with. So it was it was very nice. Getting to see everyone and competing week in week out with the same people.
Douglas Maida:And that carried over into playing with the national team Federation and
Luiza Altmann:Exactly.
Douglas Maida:Like when you were younger, did you have a coach or did you? How did you start to develop from say, the young nine year old who was just swinging the club and having fun and getting into the game to becoming more of a serious player as a junior.
Luiza Altmann:So I started, I had a couple coaches in my course back home. Luis Meneses was my very first coach. And then Huber Lai they're both at Terras de So Jos , which is, was my very first course. But also my dad, he helped me a lot. We we used to go home and watch, like David let better videos and just YouTube videos on things to do. And he would always show me I know you're doing this, try doing that just experiencing and having some ideas on the golf swing as I was growing up. And then when I turned 15, we decided, like I really wanted to do that as my career. So I needed somebody to be with me like 24 seven and have like be practicing golf every single day where I couldn't really do that that can result. So I moved to a Golf Academy in South Carolina where I was actually practicing, like, six to seven hours a day with a coach and with the other players in my Academy.
Douglas Maida:Do you have any sort of recollections of how it was when your junior and you're just starting out, compared to today? And are you able to see a noticeable improvement in golf in Brazil?
Luiza Altmann:Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I feel like Olympics have helped quite a bit. But the Golf Confederation itself have been helping improve the game and bringing more juniors and junior camps. And nowadays, there's a lot more girls and boys playing. So I feel like the sport has developed quite a bit since I was, since I used to play.
Douglas Maida:Besides the Olympics, are you seeing an increase in say the skill level of the children coming into the game? Like are they starting to take up and learn the fundamentals much quicker than say when you're younger?
Luiza Altmann:Absolutely. I feel like also with technology. These days, you can learn a lot more through video calls. And like having coaches with you no matter where you are. Also the use of like Trackman, or statistics that has been brought to the golfers much easier. So people can improve a lot quicker.
Douglas Maida:Tell us a little bit about when you were playing golf and what it was like to play in a country where we jokingly say that football or soccer is a religion not a sport.
Luiza Altmann:That is actually very true. Um, it's something that for example, like my high school in Brazil, we like all that we could choose in PE class was either volleyball or soccer, which we call football. And in the high schools here in the US, you can pick golf, baseball, basketball, literally any sport you want. Whereas in Brazil, it was just Alright, you guys are playing soccer volleyball you pick. So that's why that's where the junior camps and just these like extra curricular activities play like a huge role to the golfers in Brazil, because you need to do that outside of school because unfortunately not many schools offer that as a sport.
Douglas Maida:Right. Right. So the emphasis obviously, was how would you say Jogo Bonito? Yogo Bonito. How do I say it the beautiful game?
Luiza Altmann:Jogo bonito?
Douglas Maida:My apologies, Portuguese isn't my language.
Luiza Altmann:That was good, though. That was good. I'll give you that.
Douglas Maida:Thank you. Sorry, I mangled it a little bit there. So aside from that, then one of the things that makes up football so attractive in Brazil and places like that, is that a lot of the younger children with different backgrounds and less, you know, disadvantaged backgrounds and whatnot can play the sport. Do you see the possibility of golf getting to that point where less privileged children or underprivileged children get the ability to start picking up a golf club and learning to swing and hit the ball or anything of that nature? Or do you think that's still a few years away?
Luiza Altmann:No, absolutely. It has improved so much in that way. I'm in Brazil, I went back home for Christmas and New Years. And I, I got to experience and I saw the programs that like the Brazilian Golf Confederation, and the federation of Sao Paulo that they're offering to kids that don't have the means to pay for, let's say like a round of golf or a new set of clubs. So they have been helping and given these like opportunities for people that are not -- that can't really afford it. At the moment,
Douglas Maida:Can you describe for us what your life was like as a competitive Junior golfer? I mean, you've, I think one of the things we want to do is, if there say any child out there or a girl listening in, or their parents listening in, can you maybe share with them what your experience was like, as a youngster growing up or a junior player in your early teens? In terms of what your practice routines were like? And what kind of competition it was like and and what they can expect a little bit?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, of course. So back in Brazil, the nearest golf course to my house was about one hour away. So I really didn't have the time to go there every day, especially because I was in German school. So it was very hard academically, so I needed to manage my time studying and practicing. So during the week, I would just hit some chips on my backyard, and my dad was able to build me in that. So I could hit balls during the week, just just at home really easily. And then on the weekends, we would travel to the golf course and just be there all day. But I believe it's managing the time that you do the activity. So of course, I would go to school in the morning, then come home, have lunch, do my homework, and practice for one or two hours in the yard and then take the weekend to properly have a range session and then play 18 holes in the afternoon. Yeah.
Douglas Maida:Luiza, we're gonna take a short commercial break. And when we come back, we'll continue this train of thought and discussion. So we'll be right back.
Luiza Altmann:Sounds good.
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Douglas Maida:Alright, we're back. Thank you for staying with us. And we're here with our guest today, Luiza Altmann, a Brazilian professional player. And we were just chatting a little bit about her competitive schedule as a junior golfer and life as a junior golfer in Brazil. Luiza, can you tell me when did you actually start representing your home country in international competitions?
Luiza Altmann:So I will always remember my first international one was to a junior tournament in Uruguay. I was 12 years old. And it was I think it was a South American. How do you I don't know how to say it in English. But it's the division before you are considered a junior golfer. So in Portuguese, it's called pre junior level. So it's 15 years old and under. And that was my very first one. And then ever since then, I had been traveling, representing Brazil, twice, maybe three times a year.
Douglas Maida:So was there a sense of national pride then for you to get out there and play?
Luiza Altmann:Oh! It was the most honourable thing for me, waking up putting on the Brazilian gear and going out with a team and representing my country.
Douglas Maida:So, you had the full, like shirts, caps, the whole bit?
Luiza Altmann:Absolutley. As you could tell me that I was Brazilian from a mile away.
Douglas Maida:Well, that's good. Great. Great to see good pride. Cinderella story. Now we did an interview last year with the I think she was the very first Cinderella story winner Geneveieve Ling.
Luiza Altmann:Oh cool for Season One?
Douglas Maida:Yes, yes. Yes. So some of our listeners might be familiar with Cinderella story KLPGA. But why don't you give us a bit of a snapshot about what the actual event is for some of the new listeners and how it was that you came to be on that.
Luiza Altmann:Okay. Um, so I made it on the Ladies European Tour in 2018. And I was playing a golf tournament in Thailand. It was an early t event. And after my round a couple of Gentlemen asked me to for like a few minutes. And they sat me down. And they showed me the concept of Cinderella story and asked me if I would be interested in being the TV show. And so I thought it was amazing. So that January of 2019. With D, we did the recording. So it's 10 girls from all over Asia. But me coming from Brazil. And we had 10 challenges. It was sort of like big break style. So we had long drive competitions, we had break the glass, we had close to the pin bunker shots, all kinds of golf challenges. And at the end of every challenge, we would each get the points, and the top two golfers would get the spot to play in the KLPGA for 2019. So I did -- we recorded the entire season, in one month in Malaysia. But they aired every Sunday on the Golf Channel for seven months.
Douglas Maida:Was it Kuala Lumpur that you were playing?
Luiza Altmann:It was beautiful.
Douglas Maida:Was it the TPC course?
Luiza Altmann:It Yes, it was.
Douglas Maida:Wonderful, wonderful. That's a beautiful area.
Luiza Altmann:It's gorgeous. It is gorgeous. We never actually got to play 18 holes. The most we did was play one hole, but record it over and over and over again.
Douglas Maida:Well, it's a it's a nice place. I see it all the time on TV and in video and whatnot. I've never had the pleasure of playing it. So how are you finding? I'm kind of jumping ahead here and I'm going to come back to Cinderella story. How are you finding it? I mean, the LET travels so much more than the LPGA you see so many more countries, and so many different cultures. Not that the LPGA doesn't travel. But you know, with every country in Europe being a little different. And then you have that Asian swing and then the Australian swing as well. What's it like? I mean, how would you describe that kind of opportunity to fly and see different parts of the world and you know, like being able to stay in Kuala Lumpur for filming session and whatnot.
Luiza Altmann:Honestly, there's nothing I love more in the world than doing that. With COVID nowadays, it really sucks, honestly, because the past couple years after around or after a tournament, we will be able to go sightsee see a little bit of the city that we're in. With COVID there's a lot of restrictions to where we can go on the tour, like we're getting tested three to four times a week. So we're not allowed to sit inside and restaurants we can only sit outside our friend's, like bubble. That's what we called, it can only be four people. Whereas before we can hang out, have dinner with whoever we want. But still being able to travel, see the cities experience different cultures. It's I like I have no words for it. It just, it gives you so much more perspective in life, and then you get to play different courses, and I absolutely love it.
Douglas Maida:So let's go back to Kuala Lumpur and your filming. Do you have a favorite experience that came out of the show or anything of that nature?
Luiza Altmann:That's a good question. Um, I think just the friendships that I made during the show because we were together for one entire month. And we had girls from Japan, Hong Kong, China everywhere. So I got to learn a lot from them. And then I got the chance to actually live in Korea. So that was a, an experience that I cannot describe really, it's, it's being as far away from home as possible. And it's such a different culture than what I'm used to. And so I just learned I learned so much from being there. How the culture reacts or how they treat people of different ages. How polite they are. Everything works. You know, it's very clean. Everywhere you go. I could literally eat my dinner. on the subway floor, that's, it's so clean, they clean, they keep it super neat. Everybody's in lines to get into the subway to the bus. So it was like a very unique experience. The second week that I was there, I received a text message on my social media from two Brazilian girls that their family are Korean. So they were born and raised in Brazil. But they are they were doing a international exchange. I don't really know how to say it in English, but like exchange student, so they went to university in Korea. And they saw me on the TV show and they said, well, there's a there's a Brazilian living here. Like, let's just like they messaged me, and they said, welcome to Korea. We speak we speak Korean, but I'm pretty sure you don't. So if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. And we want to, to get to know you if you need anything. We want to show you around so and I messaged them back. And on the first weekend that I was free. I took the bus to the big city. I met with them and they have been one of my best friends ever since. So they they really made me welcome there. And it was just such a cool experience.
Douglas Maida:Oh, that's fantastic. How long were you in Korea?
Luiza Altmann:At a time I was for three months. I say there three months at a time. Then I came back to the US to play a couple tournaments. Then I went back there for three more months.
Douglas Maida:And was that follow up to the Cinderella story?
Luiza Altmann:Yes, it was. So I got to play 10 tournaments on the KLPGA because of Cinderella story.
Douglas Maida:And how did you find that experience of playing golf?
Luiza Altmann:Oh, wow, that was spectacular. The golf there's so elite. I learned a lot from just playing with the golfers. They're just getting to know them and how they play and how they see golf. And also how much they practice. Right? Because I was like because of the KLPGA they got me a place they got me a place to practice. And I used to practice with some of the KLPGA golfers. So I stayed with them all day with their practice schedule. And it was just great to see how different they they actually do from what I'm used to hear.
Douglas Maida:Right. How did you find the, or how would you say, the reverence and the importance that's attached to Women's Professional Golf in Korea? How would you compare that and contrast that experience to playing in other parts of the world?
Luiza Altmann:I mean, golf in Korea is huge. It's one of the biggest sports and for men not as much. And that's because they they need to do the two year military. From 20 to 29 years old, they have to do a mandatory two years in the military. So take two years out of a golfers life is just too much. Especially if you want to play at the professional level if you don't, I mean if I take a two week off from golf, my golf swing is all over imagine two years, right? So but women's golf is huge. Just playing tournaments and seeing the amount of like spectators following the groups and it's just fantastic. It's such a big part of Korean life. So it's it's great to see that it's great to see the support that they give and like how many like young kids are playing and it's really cool.
Douglas Maida:How would you like to be able to go back to Brazil, say in 15 to 20 years time and you see golf elevated to that level?
Luiza Altmann:Oh, for sure. That's that's one of my main goals. I want to play professional golf. But I want to be able to help the sport grow in Brazil and give the support to to junior golf because that's the future of the sport and the juniors right now are the future of the sport. So being able to play European Tour, LPGA and being like an image for future golfers. That's my main goal and be able to help support whoever is interested in the sport or be able to just make it a more popular activity, let's say in Brazil it's one of my main goals.
Douglas Maida:So do you feel that very much -- a role model responsibility to help really grow the game in Brazil?
Luiza Altmann:Absolutely. The Brazilian Confederation and somehow the Federation have helped me so much with the support that they give, that they have given me. So being able to give back to my country is, is huge for me.
Douglas Maida:Do you have any special, I mean, it's very difficult now with the COVID, and the travel restrictions and whatnot. But did you? Or were you in the process of developing any events or things like that to for when you did head back to Brazil to encourage Junior camps or anything like that?
Luiza Altmann:Oh, absolutely. Um, I did a women's clinic. Last time I was in Brazil. And I tried to participate in as many events as possible. I know now with COVID, it's really tough. I can't really, if I go back to Brazil, there's, I don't know if I can go back to the US or if I need to quarantine somewhere for 14 days. So unfortunately, right now, it's really tough. But I tried to do as many clinics or help as many people as possible to put golf out there. Yeah.
Douglas Maida:Way to go.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, thank you.
Douglas Maida:I mean, that's, that's the, that's the kids and the girls and the young boys all seeing you out there. And, you know, if they happen to see it on TV a little bit or catch a picture on a website, have you golfing and playing professionally? I mean, that's really a powerful image for children at that age, especially.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, I think having someone that can help them, or just tell them a bit of the experience that I have had through Junior golf, through professional golf, whatever it is, really, even if they're just playing golf for fun and don't want to make a career out of it. Just having someone that they can have, ask questions about golf, or help with the swaying or help with some mental thoughts. Anything.
Douglas Maida:Great work, Luiza.
Luiza Altmann:Thank you.
Douglas Maida:Let's switch gears, let's start talking a little bit about your experiences playing specifically on the Ladies European tour. And you did play a couple events or play a little bit on the Symetra Tour as well. So how much time do you spend in airports? Let me ask you that.
Luiza Altmann:Too much! way too much.
Douglas Maida:It's kind of like that movie about the poor guy who got stuck in the airport for all that time. And
Luiza Altmann:Oh, tell me about it. Especially like going to Korea or going to Asia? Or I don't know, Middle East, I'm spending like 20 hours on a plane.
Douglas Maida:How would you say okay, let's say you're traveling to and from Europe for -- what's the longest swing of tournament events in on the LET for you.
Luiza Altmann:So I just came back from playing five weeks, five weeks in a row. I actually did know, that wasn't five weeks, I'm sorry. I played four weeks in a row. I had one week off. And then I played three more tournaments in a row. And that's probably the most I've ever done. Without taking more than a week off. The schedule now -- it's getting a lot better. After COVID we have a lot more tournaments to play, which is good. And they're very close to each other. Whereas before a couple years back, we would go Australia, South Africa, Morocco, friends, then Thailand. So it was all over. And now we just went from having all our tournaments in Europe. So makes it a lot easier for traveling. Which is good.
Douglas Maida:Yeah, that's totally understandable. I mean, otherwise talk about the wear and tear of going from, say, Spain, to Australia, to South Africa, to Thailand to you know, Europe again. Yeah, it'd be very hard, and all the changing, not to mention the changing time zones and getting your body adjusted to all of that.
Luiza Altmann:So because I was in Korea for so long, I didn't play the latest European tour that year. So I did not have a full card for last year. And I didn't play well in Q school. So I got the chance to play the first events this year. And I knew I needed to play a lot of tournaments to get a good reshuffle to get a better status. So that's why I tried to play every single time I'm impossible in the beginning of the year, which I did. I got a good reshuffle. So now I have a full card on the team. But I don't plan on playing so many events in a row like I did. It's good to have a break, especially with like you said, all the traveling It does. It does break you. You have to listen to your body and say like, okay, now I need one week of doing absolutely nothing, just to get that energy back. But it's very important. For sure.
Douglas Maida:Well, congratulations on getting your priority. Full priority. Thank you so much. Thank you. I can only imagine how, how much anxiety you go into the season with and it's like, what's gonna happen? What's gonna happen? What's gonna happen? You know, and having that kind of pressure every time you tee it up.
Luiza Altmann:Exactly.
Douglas Maida:We've kind of danced around this topic, Luiza, but let me ask you this, you know, there's some people out there that think playing professional golf is such a glamorous life. And in many respects, it is. But you know, others think that it's making lots of money, and oh, wow, she must be, you know, earning so much money. You know, she's a professional player. Can you tell me and share with our audience what is it really like being a professional player trying to make it to the LPGA. I presume the LPGA is eventually your goal as opposed to,
Luiza Altmann:Yes it is.
Douglas Maida:Okay.
Luiza Altmann:It's honestly not an easy life. It's, it's great that you get to travel, you get to meet new people, you get to play the sport that you love. But at the end of the day, it is my career. And I mean, it's golf. Golf, you're gonna have good shots, you're gonna have bad shots, you're gonna have good weeks, you're gonna have bad weeks. It's about managing how you react those bad weeks, and keep going because it gets tough out there. So you just have to keep your head up, keep playing, and eventually, good rounds will come around. And it's definitely worth it.
Douglas Maida:Right? Do you have a full time caddy?
Luiza Altmann:No, I don't.
Douglas Maida:So how are you? How are you doing that? Louisa, for the different? Are you looking at locals for the different events,
Luiza Altmann:So I usually get local caddies, just because they know more about the course. Especially going from different countries, the grass is so different. So getting a local caddy where they know the breaks, they know this, they know that is so important. With COVID, we're not allowed to get local caddies anymore. So that makes it tough. I've been carrying pushing my bag the first few events. Because nowadays, we are allowed to couple years, we when we needed-- a caddy was mandatory for some events for the last four to five groups, just for pretty much like TV coverage. So now we have the choice to just have our own bags or have a local, not a local caddy, but like your own caddy in the bank. I haven't had that this year, but I will, for the next five events. I have hired a caddy to be in trouble with me for these next five events.
Douglas Maida:Oh, that's great. So you'll start to develop a bit of a working relationship there and have somebody to talk strategy with and plot out your days and practices. Are you able to use like, has the LET adopted the use of rangefinders for you?
Luiza Altmann:Not yet. There has been a talk about it. I think they're just waiting on the shipment of the rangefinders so that every single player can have one. We are allowed to on those team events. And but it's mostly because of pace of play. And because of the amateurs, amateurs are not really -- they don't really know how to measure using a yardage book. So that's the main reason.
Douglas Maida:Yes, I could see that knowing how far you're out from the pin.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:What club to pull?
Luiza Altmann:Exactly.
Douglas Maida:Do you use a green book or do they use green books anymore? So those have been banned?
Luiza Altmann:They have been banned, Yes.
Douglas Maida:Okay. Just curious because I know that they've started to look at banning them elsewhere as well.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:Can you tell me what your favorite tournament is that you've played? Do you have one or is there a bunch of
Luiza Altmann:Favourite tournament . . . I really like tournament you like, those team events. There are a lot of fun. Just because it's
Douglas Maida:So when you see a team, and forgive me, we've like a different format. You get to play and like with amateurs, and it's a team. So you can talk a lot more, you can talk about strategy with the amateurs. So it's, it's a lot of fun. I like I feel like those are my favorite events. already touched on this a little bit. How is it a team lose? Is it just that you're playing together as a team for the four days? or three days? Or?
Luiza Altmann:No,
Douglas Maida:It you also have like a team score for that event?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, but the money is actually in the team event. So you play with the pros. And then so it's four players, and then you pick the two best scores each hole. And at the end of the tournament, and whoever gets the lowest score wins.
Douglas Maida:Is there a requirement to use so many scores from your amateur player? Is there a requirement on the team side of it to have a minimum number of scores from your amateur player?
Luiza Altmann:No, no, no.
Douglas Maida:Okay.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah.
Douglas Maida:So it's not it's kind of not like a Texas scrambled in where you have to make sure everybody gets a shot in.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah,
Douglas Maida:Great. Outside of those, do you have a favorite event or an event that you look forward to every year?
Luiza Altmann:Not, really, I really like playing every single tournament, it's a different different way, every single one of them so I really just look forward to to all of them.
Douglas Maida:Okay, now traveling around a fair bit on the LET and, and elsewhere. Who are some of your favorite players, or best friends on the tour that you'd like to play with or get paired up with?
Luiza Altmann:Um, . . . I like to play. Like, my best friends are extra from Australia. So I like to play golf with them. It's been tough now, because most of them are not traveling as much. But they are the ones that I usually just play golf with.
Douglas Maida:And I guess so they're not really in your bubble either now, because the they're not really playing so much.
Luiza Altmann:No, no, but each tournament you can have a different bubble, buddy, so it's good.
Douglas Maida:Okay, on that note, what are your goals for the rest of the season? I mean, you've you've got your priority, full priority now. So you've got a little less than half the season left, what do you want to accomplish?
Luiza Altmann:My goal is to finish on the top, top 30 of the team by the end of the year, just so I can keep my card for the next year. I want to get my card for the LPGA. So I have Q-School coming up. So that's my, one of my other goals. And that's it. Those are my main two.
Douglas Maida:When you came into this season, did you have any sort of performance oriented goals that you wanted to address as well? Or was it just more on the result side with your playing and the priority?
Luiza Altmann:So coming into the season, I wanted to get a reshuffle for full card, which I did, which I'm very happy about I for the next five events, I want to get at least two on the top 15. So whatever score I need to shoot that for that week. That's my goal, to top 15 for next five tournaments.
Douglas Maida:So you didn't have any sort of offseason goals with regards to say you wanted to work on your short game or you wanted to reduce the number of missed fairways, or you wanted to try and find out, you know, work on your skill off the tee box to get maybe another five to 10 yards off the tee?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, absolutely. That's, that's something that's ongoing. Every week. I've tried to get better on every single area that I have. And -- but it's a long list. Trust me.
Douglas Maida:Yes, yes, I can see that. It always is.
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, for sure.
Douglas Maida:Golf's one of the sports that you know, you could go out and shoot a 59. And the next day you want to shoot 58 because you know you'd left a stroke or two out there.
Luiza Altmann:Oh, yeah.
Douglas Maida:Yeah, that's that's the nature of the beast, isn't it? As an LET player? Are you getting any sort of priority status in terms of which stage of the Q series for the LPGA that you you enter into?
Luiza Altmann:I am not too sure. But I think I think if you are I think it's more about world ranking. If you're top 150 I think you go straight to Q series. I'm not too sure on the numbers. I just know I'm not in it unfortunately.
Douglas Maida:So let's come back a little bit Luiza, let's hear the weirdest or funniest thing that you've seen on the golf courses of
Luiza Altmann:I would have to say kangaroos on the golf course. I was playing well my very first tournament in Australia and I had on the tee box, a kangaroo follow us around, down the First Tee and I said, 'What on earth is happening here'?
Douglas Maida:Did you ever have the kangaroo interrupt your swing or?
Luiza Altmann:No I was I just waited I would did not know what to do. He was right there.
Douglas Maida:Did your playing companions or anybody give you a little advice how to handle a kangaroo?
Luiza Altmann:No, no. Everyone was still in shock!
Douglas Maida:It's one thing if it's a koala bear. It's another if it's a kangaroo. kangaroos can put up put up a bit of a fight if they want to.
Luiza Altmann:Right!
Douglas Maida:Any shared stories with others that you had happen? Any people you meet along the way any celebrities you meet along the way in the airports or?
Luiza Altmann:Hmm. well I got to play with my idol, Annika Sorenstam, which was very cool, in her event.
Douglas Maida:Oh, in Sweden,
Luiza Altmann:In Sweden, that was very cool. You get to meet so many players out there. I'm I got the opportunity to play with Gary Player, with Annika Sorenstam, Ian Poulter. So it's very cool. Just to just the people that I grew up, looking up to, I get the chance to actually play around with them. It's so one of the lifetime opportunity, that's for sure.
Douglas Maida:Oh, yeah, terrific.
Luiza Altmann:I can say this. He is the strongest person I have ever met. Every, every time I meet him is like Luiza -- 'how many setups are you doing a day'? I said, like, 5, 10? There's no, no, no, no, you got to do a lot more. So he gets down on the tee box. And does 100 push ups 100 setups and it's he's seriously the strongest player. The strongest player I've ever seen. He can hold two clubs with two fingers like that.
Douglas Maida:Oh, good. Yeah. Good. That's a neat, neat. Well, there's a good story, right? You got to see Gary Player do his push ups for you.
Luiza Altmann:On the Tee Box!
Douglas Maida:So tell me what was it like playing with Annika? I mean, that had to have been an incredible experience.
Luiza Altmann:Just as she has been my idol since since I started playing golf, and I got the invitation to play in her event. So it was cool. I asked her way too many questions. I feel bad for her. But I played nine holes with her and I asked her How, So what do you do in your practice rounds? How do you plan for a tournament? What do you think? Well, so it was cool to try to pick her brain a little bit.
Douglas Maida:And I'm sure Annika was quite accommodating and explain how she does things.
Luiza Altmann:She's such a beautiful person. She just such a welcoming and kind heart. It was. It was amazing.
Douglas Maida:Well won't come as any surprise to you. But she was always my favorite player on tour.
Luiza Altmann:I don't blame you.
Douglas Maida:So did you get paired with Annika the whole round, every round?
Luiza Altmann:No, no, just the practice round?
Douglas Maida:Oh, okay. Oh, wonderful. Alright, so tell me what's next for you?
Luiza Altmann:Q-school.
Douglas Maida:Okay. When does that start in a couple weeks?
Luiza Altmann:Next week, sometime next week?
Douglas Maida:When are you heading out to Rancho Mirage? I go on Monday. Okay. And do you have a caddy for you?
Luiza Altmann:Yes, I do. My coach is actually coming with me. His name is Steven BalrushSo he will help me prepare for it and helped me during the round.
Douglas Maida:You mentioned, okay, -- Do you work with a fitness training conditioning coach as well?
Luiza Altmann:I used to. Nowadays I try and just see, especially because I'm on the road so much, I see the physio for the Ladies European Tour and she helps me with like some exercises that I should do for recovery. And during during tournament rounds,
Douglas Maida:So Q-school and then back to Europe for some le TLS.
Luiza Altmann:Yes, Exactly.
Douglas Maida:Okay. What's your first LET event that you're scheduled for?
Luiza Altmann:The first two are actually in Sweden?
Douglas Maida:Again, oh, going back to Sweden. I only thought they were going there in the beginning of the season.
Luiza Altmann:For Two tournaments, actually.
Douglas Maida:Oh, wow. Wonderful. And after that?
Luiza Altmann:After that, Switzerland and France.
Douglas Maida:That'll Be nice. Oh, that's great to be able to play golf like that and traveling around. How do you travel in Europe?
Luiza Altmann:How do I travel?
Douglas Maida:Yeah. Do you take the train? Do you take? fly - like EasyJet?
Luiza Altmann:Oh Pfff!
Douglas Maida:Okay, yeah. or whichever, whichever I just pick that name out of the air.
Luiza Altmann:Just, Oh, whatever is available.
Douglas Maida:You have some young girls and boys watching or listening in. What advice would you give them about choosing to play competitive Junior golf?
Luiza Altmann:I'd say play as many tournaments as you possibly can. As a junior golfer, you get a lot more experience playing tournaments and being that competitive, like the competitive stage, rather than just playing, but make sure you have fun. Just go out there played the sport. And just enjoy every single moment of it.
Douglas Maida:Right, yeah. Get to play a little bit under pressure and start to become familiar with it. Right?
Luiza Altmann:Exactly.
Douglas Maida:Okay. Anything else you'd like to share? Or thank or any people you'd like to recognize?
Luiza Altmann:Yeah, I'd love to thank my parents for everything. They are my life. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for their support, but also the support of the Brazilian Confederation for helping me build my career and for helping me get to where I am today.
Douglas Maida:Did you want to also say it in Portuguese?
Luiza Altmann:Let's say -- In Portugeuse -- Did you understand that?
Douglas Maida:I heard you say Obrigado. I understand that too. And I'll say Obrigaso to you well.
Luiza Altmann:Thank you so much.
Douglas Maida:All right. Well, thank you so much, Louise. It's been an absolute pleasure.
Luiza Altmann:It's an honor to be here. I really thank you for this opportunity.
Douglas Maida:Oh, no the pleasure is all ours. We try to focus a lot on on the Women's Professional Golf. So we think that you're playing on the LET and helping to grow the game and whatnot is a fantastic experience. One word sharing to everybody else.
Luiza Altmann:Oh, thank you.
Douglas Maida:All right. Well, you take care and best of wishes and best luck for Q-school and Rancho Mirage and hope to see you, I'm pretty sure we'll see you at the next few stages and getting into the Q-Series.
Luiza Altmann:Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Douglas Maida:Thank you,
Luiza Altmann:Alright,
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