CLIFTON, N.J.--Upon hearing that Annika was going to announce her retirement today—effective at the end of the 2008 season—I couldn’t help but think back to our first meeting in 1999. Annika was a shy Swede in braces who, despite two U.S. Open titles and more than a dozen LPGA Tour wins to her credit, was clearly more comfortable standing over a knee-knocking three-foot putt than she was talking into a microphone. I was a rookie instruction editor for Golf Magazine about to get the biggest break in my journalism career.
I knew who Annika Sorenstam was, but I had no idea who she was about to become. This was before Annika Sorenstam simply came to be known as “Annika.” You know you’re a pretty big deal when you’re simply referred to by one name. But it was hard to imagine at the time that Annika would soon join such elite company as Tiger, Arnie, Jack, Pele, Magic and Babe.
As we sat in a golf cart just off the 17th green at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Annika’s eyes became fixed on another set of eyes much more threatening than mine. It was an alligator, making its way toward our cart. “Good thing we’re on a bridge,” I said, trying to lighten the moment. Still, for several minutes, Annika carefully watched the gator as I tried to switch the topic to lag putting.
Once we got talking, I was impressed how prepared Annika was—she had the story ideas I sent her as well as a few notes of her own written out—and how eager she was to share her knowledge. We also shot some tips on sidehill lies that day, as well as long bunker shots. To make sure I clearly understood the message she was delivering, she put her 9-iron into my hands and proceeded to watch me blast the ball out from 30 yards to about eight feet. “She really knows what she’s talking about,” I thought.
Every year, I’ve had the privilege of writing tips with Annika for the readers of Golf Magazine and, now, Golf for Women magazine. As Annika has become more popular, so have our photo shoots—at one time, it was just Annika, myself and the photographer; now, there’s a hair-and-makeup artist, a stylist, three photographers, a team of photo assistants, a video crew and several editors on sight. The scale is much bigger, but Annika is still the same person--professional, down to earth, and as kind as when I first met her--although I’d say she’s much more comfortable with public attention now.
When GFW’s editor-in-chief, Susan Reed, asked me to share some of my memories of Annika over the years for this story, three came to mind, because I think they best sum up Annika as a competitor and a person. The first occurred in May 2003, when Annika made history by becoming the first woman in 58 years to tee it up on the men’s PGA Tour. The buildup prior to her opening tee shot on the 10th hole at the Bank of America Colonial was like nothing I’d ever seen in golf. She would say later she was so nervous she couldn’t feel her arms, and that her plan was to just hit the ball and find it. Yet, Sorenstam took several deep breaths and entered her little bubble, where she’s hit thousands of 4-woods on the practice range, and somehow proceeded to stripe it down the middle. Her knees buckled in relief. She not only hit that ball flush, she hit everything pure that day in what many witnesses described as one of the best ball-striking rounds ever. The 1-over-par 71 was the highest score she could have posted, but she not only won over her male playing partners that day, she earned the respect of the entire golfing world.
The second moment occurred later that year, when we were shooting the photographs for her instruction book, “Golf Annika’s Way,” which I co-wrote with her. Annika is a very drill-oriented person, and she was trying to demonstrate one exercise in which she drives a tee into the ground with the face of her wedge. The tee is placed on an angle, and the purpose of the drill is to teach you how to approach the ball on a steep, descending path, so the clubhead bottoms out in front of the ball. Annika tried and tried, but just couldn’t get the tee to cooperate. She started to get frustrated, but wouldn’t quit, being the fierce competitor she is. Finally, after about 10 minutes, we agreed that if she had trouble with the drill, maybe we shouldn’t include it in the book. But it took some cajoling from me and her swing coach, Henri Reis, and we nearly had to pull the club out of her hands. We finally prevailed, but it gives insight into Annika’s determination to give everything 100 percent, even if it’s a drill she probably hasn’t practiced since she was a junior.
Lastly, there was a shoot with Annika in March 2006 with Golf for Women and Golf Digest. We were demonstrating her favorite distance-control drill, where someone fields golf balls that Annika hits to a target at 10-yard increments. The honor usually bestowed on Annika’s caddie was given to me; I got to put on the baseball glove and act as her target. Standing at approximately 40 yards, I was amazed how she hit one wedge after another directly into my mitt; I didn’t have to budge. I moved back to 60 yards and 80 yards and barely had to move to catch the balls. Soon, my pockets were filled with about 20 golf balls. Then I could hear Annika joke to the photographers, ‘Hey, I’m going to make Dave run a little bit.’ And, next thing I know, I’m retreating as fast as I can to try and run down one of her shots, balls dropping from my pocket. Annika could hit a wedge from 80 yards out into a garbage can, if she had to. Her sense of humor is just as well-timed.
Courageous, competitive, precise. Those three words pretty much sum up Annika Sorenstam. Classy would be another. There hasn’t been a better ambassador for women’s golf than Annika this past decade. I, for one, feel very fortunate to have received that first assignment nine years ago.
Picture by Getty Images.