EMMA TALLEY ROLLS WITH OUR QUESTIONS, TALKING GOLF, CREATIVITY, KIDS, AND WHAT COMES AFTER ‘BAMA
LINKS PLAYERS MAGAZINE 2016 ANNUAL EDITION
Interview by Jeff Hopper
What do you love about golf?
I don’t really know. Obviously, I had a talent. I was pretty good at it from the very beginning. Also, I liked the fact that it was an individual sport. I always got tired of playing team sports and thinking that I was outworking everybody and we weren’t winning. So golf is one of those sports where if you win, you win, and if you don’t, you don’t.
Honestly, I’m a social butterfly and I loved through junior golf playing the AJGA, hanging out with all my friends. They always had a cookout or something, some kind of junior-am deal. It was always really fun growing up. I loved all the people. You get to basically have these playing partners you’re playing with, and you get to talk to them for five hours. That was a huge part as well.
Was the team game part of why you’re finishing your college career when a lot of other options are out there?
Both my parents, and my two older brothers and my older sister, all graduated from college, so this was something that I’ve always wanted to do, get my college degree. It’s always been important to me. It’s not for everyone, of course, but it’s something that I wanted to do. My dad always told me you’re only going to be 21 once and in college once, so you might as well be young while you can, and have fun and enjoy it, and get better at golf.
Alabama has done such an amazing job with me. I’ve gotten so much better since I’ve been here, with my coaches Mic and Susan, who are the women’s coaches, but also with my teammates and the guys. There’s just a lot of competition out here and they’ve all made me better for sure.
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Do you see a difference between the men’s game and the women’s game?
A lot of the guys are very creative. I think that’s a cool part of being here and being so close to the guys’ team. They’ve taught me how to be more creative. We women like to hit it down the fairway and on the green, but that one time we get in trouble we honestly don’t know what to do with it because we don’t get in trouble as often and we’re not creative. So they’ve taught me how to be creative around the greens. They’re not scared of much.
“Female Amateur Golfer of the Year”—how does that sound?
It sounds pretty good! I was very honored and blessed to get that award. Everything has been kind of going my way lately, and I’m super blessed and honored to have that award.
Do you consider it more of an accomplishment or a motivation?
I think it’s both. You know, I’ve done a lot this year. It kind of got me pumped up for what’s to come, but also I think it’s nice to look back on your successes. I’m turning pro in June and I’m excited for what’s coming, so I think it’s kind of just a cool way to end my amateur career—not end my amateur career, because I’m not turning pro till June, but this is kind of the last full year I’ll have as an amateur.
There have been a lot of important shots along the way. Does one shot stand out more than the rest?
There’s too many important ones. I couldn’t point one out. My dad always says it’s all part of the process. I’ll get upset whenever I hit a bad shot, and when he’s caddying for me, he’ll say, “You know what, you need to work on this shot in competition, so this is good that this happened, because next time when you’re here you won’t be as uncomfortable.” So I think every shot in golf teaches you something if you let it.
Your Twitter profile lists the Bible passage Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Do you see this as more of an encouragement or a guarantee?
I’ve been thinking about that verse, that it is not necessarily how people interpret it, if you read the story before it. It still means a lot to me. It’s a good reminder that God still has a plan for us, and we have to trust in him.
When I won the U.S. Amateur in 2013, right before that tournament my mom said, “Let’s just have fun. You’re going back to school next week. Try to make a difference to someone out there.” I think that’s the coolest thing about my faith and what I’ve been brought up to believe about God, is to try to make a difference. I have a shirt that says “Love God, love people.” I think that’s so huge. When I’m playing, I try to make a difference to the volunteers and make a difference to some little kid out there, or make a difference to my playing partners, whoever’s around me. It’s amazing how one uplifting sentence can make someone’s day.
I’m not perfect, obviously. I get mad and I get grumpy at times, but I just try to remember that golf’s not everything and this race we’re living on earth is not very long compared to eternity. I just try to remember that and make a difference to other people.
Do you face challenges to your faith?
For sure, every day. I’m a college student. I worry more than anything. I have a 28-page research paper I’m working on right now. I’m very worried about it. And even on the golf course, golf is so frustrating. I think everyone has challenges of their own in their faith, but for sure if you just lean on God and realize that there are bigger things in this world than the little problems that we face every day and he’s there with us through everything, it makes everything better. And it is better.
If you didn’t have golf, what do you think God would have you doing?
I have a true passion for kids. I love kids. I’ve volunteered at two different schools, and I just loved being around those kids. They showed true happiness to me. One little boy, he wanted to be a pastor, at one of the schools I volunteered at. He’d tell me how he wanted to be a pastor, and his dad showed me a video of him standing on a tall ladder and pretend-preaching. Not just that, but with kids in general, I’ve had so much fun reading to little kids. I think for sure if golf didn’t work out, I’d have some kind of passion around kids, whether that be in school or teaching golf to little kids, or something around kids for sure.
What do want to grow in next when it comes to your golf game?
I’ve been working on short game since I got to Alabama. Coach Potter and the team and the guys’ team have helped me so much with my short game, and I’m continuing to try to better that. I’m also trying to make better practice plans and get better every day somehow. Every day I go to the course, I want to get better at something. I think that’s a good thing to start doing for everyone, and I say that if I’m not getting better at something, I’m not leaving until I do. I try to do that.
How about when it comes to your faith?
Just growing and trying to be a better person, better Christian, walk more godly, make a difference to other people, not worry as much.
When I turn pro in June, I’m going to be a little gal on campus. I’ll be on the Symetra Tour, however long that takes. I may not even make it to the LPGA, but just knowing where I stand in my faith and keep growing in my faith, but make a difference and know that everyone has some kind of faith walk. That’s a part of everyone’s life and I’m not necessarily the little gal on campus when it comes to faith. I have something I can talk and relate to people with, whether they believe what I believe or not.
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