Golf Australia – August 2019

ItwasherethatGreenfound her golfing

nirvana and began to develop the game that would

eventually deliver a major championship.

For Sue, though, none of that is really important.

Yes, she’s ecstatic for Hannah that her golf

dreams are coming true, but really, you could take

the word ‘golf’ out of that sentence and it would be

just as accurate.

“I’ve always had a bit of a special relationship

with Hannah I suppose but it’s not really about

the golf,” says Sue.

“The whole reason I do what I do at the club

isn’t to produce professional golfers. I do it

because I want young girls to have the same

opportunity I have had to have golf be such a big

andimportantpartofmylife.

“Morethananyothersport,golfisagame

forlifeandit’saboutgivingthatgifttothenext

generation,tobeabletofindasporttheycanlove

andenjoywithfriendsfortherestoftheirlife.”

WhileGreenoftencreditsmeetingThomson

astherealstartingpointofhergolfcareer,itisin

factawomanshehaslikelyneverheardofwho

deservestheultimatecredit.

AvisSquirewasSue’smumanditwasAvis’

desiretofindanactivityawayfromthefamily

farmthatbroughtgolfintoSue’slife.

“Bythetimeshewas35,mumhadfivechildren

andsheneededtogetoˆthefarm,”saysSuewith

alaugh.“I’msurethat’swhatitwasabout.”

Itwasagolfclinicadvertisedinthelocalpaper

whichAvisattendedandsubsequentlybecame

hookedonthegame.

“Shewentalong.Idon’tthinksheknewanyof

theotherladiesbutshereallyenjoyeditandwhen

shefinishedtheclinicsshewashooked.

“That’swhenshejoinedNarcanupGolfClub

(inregionalWA).”

Not long after, Sue’s dad also began to play (“he

figured if he couldn’t beat her he might as well join

her”) and not long after that Sue herself began to

tag along.

“At first it was a good way to get oˆ the farm on

a Sunday, but once I started having a hit I really

fell in love with it,” she says.

“And it wasn’t long before it became something

really special that me and my dad could share.

“He would meet the bus at the farm gate after

school and we would hit balls up and down one of

the paddocks together all afternoon.

“And of course after you’ve hit them all one way

you have to walk down there to hit them back. And

those times were just so special.

“Hetaughtmesomuchaboutlifeaswewalked

upanddownthepaddock...heshapedtheperson

thatIaminthosetimes.”

ThesearethesamesortsofgiftsSuewishes

forherjuniorgirls.Thebirdiesandbogieson

thecourseareapartofthegamebutthebigger

lifelessonstobelearnedandtherelationships

developedtrumpevenamajorchampionship.

“IwouldratherHannahunderachieveinher

careerandbehappythanwinmultiplemajorsand

bemiserable,”shesays.

GreensayssheunderstandsexactlywhatSue

issayingandpointstothatattitudeasoneofher

greateststrengthsasamentor.

“Oneofmyfriendsgrowingupwasavery

talentedgolferaswellandcouldprobablyhave

beenaproifshewantedto,”saysGreen.

“Butshealwayswantedtobeaphysiotherapist

andSueunderstoodthatandneverpushedherto

pursuehergolf.

“Aslongaswearehappy,sheishappy,andit

doesn’tmatterwhetherit’sbecausewe’replaying

golfordoingsomethingelse.”

While Green has undoubtedly benefitted on the

course from her relationship with Karrie Webb,

she has also absorbed some life lessons oˆ it from

Sue Thomson.

“I’ve never met anyone who asks so little for

what she does,” says Green.

“There was a ‘Pretty In Pink’ tournament at

Mount Lawley at the start of the year and Sue did

everything for it.

“She made the cupcakes and organised all the

banners and everything. And she never, ever asks

anything for it.

“In fact, I think she’d probably prefer to do that

than play her own golf. I can’t imagine how many

Green with Sue Thomson

(centre) and Mount

Lawley member Kirsten

Rudely (right) at the 2019

Women’s Australian Open.

Draped in the

Australian flag,

Green holds

Australia’s first

women’s major

trophy since

2006 aloft.

PHOTOS:

GETTY IMAGES X 3, JUSTIN FALCONER/GOLF AUSTRALIA

40 AUGUST 2019 | golf australia