Wake Forest Athletics
Q&A With Michelle Shin
10/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
This article was originally published in the Oct. 9 edition of Kickoff, the official gameday magazine of Wake Forest football.
Q: A lot of people play golf, but not a lot of people have ever shot 65. Explain that round.
A: I would say I was in the zone. I know that sounds real cliché, but I didn't even know I was 7-under until I counted all the birdies. My putts were going in and it wasn't like I was sticking every shot. When I had a birdie opportunity, I made it. I also had no bogeys. That's what's crazy. It's not the birdies I'm surprised about, it's the fact that I made no bogeys. I think that's my first-ever bogey-free round.
Q: What is the single-biggest thing you learned last year as a freshman?
A: To be patient and to separate sports from the classroom. When I'm on the course, I don't think about class and when I'm in the classroom, I try not to think about golf.
Q: What has been your favorite event so far, collegiately or non-collegiately, and why?
A: It would definitely be the US Open. I've tried my whole life to get into that event and to finally do it was amazing. People were asking me for my autograph and they didn't even know who I was. They were just asking because I was inside the ropes. Just playing at that level was awesome. I wasn't in contention or anything, but it was just cool being around the pros and getting the feel.
Q: Since you guys play with a lot of the same teams week-in and week-out, who is your favorite team to play with?
A: I would have to say Duke. Two of my best friends play there, and we're real competitive. Duke is always good, and it's fun to play with them.
Q: Out of all of the courses that you've played, what has been your favorite?
A: Erin Hills in Wisconsin. I think it's the site of the Women's US Open in a couple of years. I played there at the Women's Publinx a few years ago. It was so pretty, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Q: How many career hole-in-ones do you have and what was your most memorable?
A: I have made three hole-in-ones. One was in a junior tournament. One was last year in a practice round and the third was at the NCAA Regionals last year. I would have to say my favorite one was the one in the junior event. I was a freshman in high school and was actually paired with Natalie Sheary (current Wake Forest teammate), who was a junior in high school at the time, and Dolores White (former Wake Forest teammate), who was a senior in high school. Wake's former assistant coach, Kathy Choi-Rogers, was also there watching. Looking back, that was pretty weird.
Q: Now that the new golf complex is complete, what are your thoughts?
A: I think it's amazing. It's great that the men and the women can both practice at the same time and we don't have to share the same space. I love the cameras in the learning center, and I think it's going to help us all get better. Thanks to everyone who donated and made it possible.
Q: What is the toughest thing about the game of golf?
A: People don't realize how mentally challenging it is. You're not just using your body, you're constantly fighting with your mind. You have to control your emotions and you have to stay consistent. It's not like other sports where you have an adrenalin rush for two or three seconds. You have to be consistently good for the entire 18 holes, which usually lasts four and a half hours. Some people can get really excited, but I don't like to do that because you never know what's going to happen on the next hole.
