Feature on Megan Heckeroth - In the first of our Features & Interviews, ladiesontour.com catches up with Megan Heckeroth of Los Angeles California. Megan is an LET and Duramed Futures Tour player and is one of few who combines playing golf on both sides of the Atlantic as part of her regular routine.

Introduced to golf by her grandparents Megan soon headed the high-school team for the next 4 years and decided at an early age to become a golf professional. Like a lot of students she combined studies with golf and in 2003 having attended University of Oregon, on a Fine and Applied Arts programme she turned professional in 2003 with the ambition to join the LPGA tour.

Little was known of the tall strawberry blonde until she burst on to the scene by qualifying for the US Women’s Open in 2005. Since that time Megan’s popularity and profile has gone through the roof as her recent website statistics have proved, with more hits on her site than more established LPGA players like Natalie Gulbis and South Korean Gloria Park. With a sound and efficient management and coaching team behind her, Megan is going from strength to strength and her performances on the course too are improving where she is making more weekends than she is missing them. 

We caught up with Megan, by email, between events earlier this month to ask her a few questions about her time on tour and how she’s coping with life on both sides of the pond. 

Ladiesontour: Most of the tour players concentrate on only one tour - what made you decide to try the Ladies European Tour as well as the Futures Tour during 2006?

Megan: I wanted to keep my options open and to see what the competition was like in Europe. Even though it is a little more expensive to travel to Europe, the entry fees are much lower with higher purses.

Ladiesontour: What are the main differences that you find between playing golf in the US on the Futures Tour versus playing in Europe on the LET? Do you find that your golf game is more suited to one or other side of the Atlantic, or do you find it much the same?

Megan: The main difference is the time change. It's much easier to get used to travelling to the east coast then overseas to Europe.

Ladiesontour: Is there anything, do you think, that the European players can learn from the US approach to playing professional golf? If so, what?

Megan: I honestly can't say that they could. The players over in Europe are more experienced and the level of play is a step higher.

Ladiesontour: What are the best experiences of playing golf in Europe (surely, it can't be the weather!) ?

Megan: I have only been over to Europe twice but the best experience I had was flying over the Alps in Switzerland.

Ladiesontour: You studied Fine and Applied Arts at University - do you still have an interest or time to pursue this interest? Perhaps the travel to Europe may help?

Megan: I do still have an interest in the subject; although I have absolutely no time for it right now. Maybe when I am more used to travelling, I can manage my time a little better and fit some of it in.

Ladiesontour: What goes through your mind on the first tee at a new event, when you are waiting to tee off?

Megan: I do a lot of breathing (exercises) and just try to stay relaxed. Even though it's very hard, I try not to think about too much and just try to get off to a great start. 

Ladiesontour: What's the most difficult part of being on tour?

Megan: Missing the cut

Ladiesontour: What advice would you give to any young female amateur golfer wishing to pursue a life on the Tours?

Megan: Enjoy the life that you have outside of golf but when you are playing or practicing, work very hard and learn as much as you can. But the most important thing I think is to get consistent coaching and to try to get as much experience in tournament play as you can.

Ladiesontour: Do you have a favourite golf course? If so which and why?

Megan: Of all the golf courses that I have played, Pacific Dunes in Oregon is my favourite course. It is in Bandon Oregon where I actually worked there for a while and got to play it often.

Ladiesontour: Many of the players carry food in their golf bag to munch on the way around the course...apart from your golf equipment, what's in your bag?

Megan: I like to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and protein bars. Lots of water and Gatorade too.

Ladiesontour: What's the funniest thing that has ever happened to you on tour, either side of the Atlantic?

Megan: I remember being called in from the middle of a tournament once from all the rain and thunderstorms. There were no windshields on the carts so the other girl and me held up our umbrellas in front to try to stay dry. We couldn't see very well but it was a pretty open course and we thought we knew it pretty well. But when we were driving back into the clubhouse we all of a sudden rammed right into a palm tree!  

Certainly if you read Megan’s blogs and go through her website, (www.megangolf.com) this is one determined young lady with a mature attitude and outlook on life. I am sure we will hear much more of Megan's success to come, on both continents.