Carol's Page

I've started my homepage for almost one year and only now I had the time to make this golf page. I just hope you like it. It may be a little boring, 'cause I want to tell you my golf story...

Well, as you know (if you have been to my profile page), I am a Japanese descendant born in Brazil. You know that golf is very popular in Japan, but you must be wondering how come a Brazilian plays golf... well, well, well, golf is not a popular sport here, but there are many golf clubs and many golfers (not as many as soccer players... ;P).

I was born in a golf club... I mean, everyone in my family plays golf, mom, dad, grandmas and grandpas, aunts, uncles... but none of my cousins do. I happen to be the only one of my generation that plays it (my sis can play it too, but now that she is in medical school, she doesn't have time anymore). I started playing it, when I was 6 years old. For fun... you know, kids, always want to do what parents do!

My first handcap was 40 (off course) and I was given it when I was 10, I had never practised it a lot... I can tell you that my best score (net score) was 60 in a 72 par, with a handcap 31, when I was 11. Then handcap went down and down and it was sooo difficult to play good scores like that...

When I was 13, I won the National Championship... for under 18, when I was 14, I was one of the best players in my state... but I never took golf so seriously... my handcap was around 18 I wanted to have fun, to go out with my friends, and school was more importand than golfing... (it still is)

From 15 to 17 nothing much changed, because I didn't have time to practice I went to Japan, I was studying to go to University, (I had to quit one whole year) and there I was back with 18. My handcap had fallen to 11, I was part of my club team in the interclubs match play game, it was a good experience... but then, I quit it again... I started going to 2 Unis... hehehe study comes first again.

And last year (96) I decided that I was going to play golf again, for fun and eventually something else... I won the Nikkei championship in October, and another tournament from the Paulista Federation (from Sao Paulo State). My handcap is 7 now... but I think it's going up... :(

Now, I will have to quit golfing again, because I'm going to stay one year in Japan (it's too expensive). Everyone says I can be a good player if I want and I have this dream of going to the World Championship, but I think that golfing is my hobbie, I do it for the fun! And there are other things I have to do first... I have my whole life to play golf... :)

Last July (2001), my family and I went to Florida for 2 weeks to play golf. We stayed in the PGA Village for 4 days, and enjoyed it a lot! You can see this picture of me playing there.

I scored an eagle on the 4th hole of the Pete Dye Course!

What's your golf story?