Volume 1, Number 17 November 5, 2003
 

Grace Park: The Seoul Sisters Magazine
Exclusive Interview

 Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

If you are on this site reading these words, chances are that Grace Park needs no introduction. Even from a young age, it was obvious that Grace had something special (and when you read the interview, you'll discover just how young she was when she discovered this!). By the time she was a teenager, she had become the best girl's golfer in the United States, and shortly after that, the best amateur, period. After winning most of the major amateur and college tournaments, she moved on to the pro ranks, where in four years she has risen to the upper echelons of her sport. Currently third on the LPGA money list and in contention for several post-season awards, she sat down with Eric Fleming of Seoul Sisters Magazine at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Oregon, last September.

Grace Park after the interview
SeoulSisters.com photo

 

Seoul Sisters: So what are you practicing right now?

Grace Park: Chipping. It's been short game this week quite a bit. Trying to cram everything in before tomorrow.

SS: How is your chipping? I must say I think you're a pretty good chipper.

GP: Up and down. I'm good at tough chip shots, but I miss a lot of those straightforward, easy chip and runs.

SS: So you make the ones you don't think you're going to make...

GP: Yeah, I make some amazing up and downs, and I miss the others. Yup.

SS: OK, I'm going to ask you a few questions I don't think you've been asked before...

GP: Cool!

SS: First of all, let me ask you a few questions about your bio, because I'm not really sure I understand some of the things I've read... For instance, I've read that, before you were a golfer, you were a top roller skater... What does that mean exactly?

GP: It's speed skating, but with roller skates.

SS: Is it on a big oval like (Olympic) speed skating?

GP: There's short track and long track. I did short track. I mean, I wasn't that great, I don't know why (the media talks about it)... My school was known to excel at skating and roller skating and swimming and skiing, and I just did every one of them growing up. I was pretty good, but I was never serious about it. I only did school competitions, and one or two nationals...

SS: Well, you made it to the nationals! That's something!

GP: I won it. I got a gold medal.

SS: You won it??? (Sarcastically) You weren't that good, huh?

GP: I was good, but I....

SS: You have high standards, because you're such a great golfer!

GP: No, no, I wasn't a skater! I didn't call myself a skater. It was just a hobby.

SS: Wow. Is there any future in that? Is that why you stopped doing it?

GP: Well, I have friends, people whom I skated with, who went on to do Olympics, Asian Games, (and were) top skaters for years.

SS: They did the ice version?

GP: Yes.

Grace drives the ball during the pro-am
SeoulSisters.com photo

Grace on Friday afternoon
SeoulSisters.com photo

SS: OK... I've also seen a lot of pictures of you playing piano as a kid. Was this just another thing that you....?

GP: I think the media just... when they ask me what your hobbies are, and I don't have one, I like to say, listen to music? Sure. Do you play piano? Oh sure.

SS: And suddenly you're a concert pianist...

GP: Ever since I was in third grade (I've played). I used to like it a lot, but... it's not like I travel with a piano, right? (laughs)

SS: (Laughs) That's true! It was one of those things like a lot of kids go through, huh?

GP: Yeah!

SS: Where their parents say 'Take lessons everyday!'

GP: Yeah, yeah! I wish I would have taken it longer... I wish I was better. I was good for my age then. But now... I can't even play at all...

SS: Is that the only instrument you played?

GP: I played a little bit of violin... but that's it. (laughs)

SS: All right... I promise I won't write you're a fantastic violinist...

GP: (Laughs)
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