Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir | January. 13. 2013 | 12:00

Introducing Icelanders who play on US College Golf teams no. 9: Eygló Myrra Óskarsdóttir

The interview today is with an Icelandic golfer who is quite known in Iceland; Eygló Myrra Óskarsdóttir. In Iceland the Golf Club Eygló Myrra is affiliated to is the Golf Club Oddur (abbreviated GO in Iceland) one of  Iceland´s best and also the one who boasts of the highest prized greenfees, since its 18 hole golf course is a real gem, you should absolutely make a point of playing once you´re in Iceland.

Eygló Myrra studies finances and plays golf on the women´s golfteam of the University of San Francisco (abbreviated USF) in California. She became part of the team in the fall of 2011 whereas she switched from her former University i.e. the University of Oklahoma, where she also played on the women´s golfteam, her team mate a.o. being Swede Caroline Hedwall, who now plays on the Ladies European Tour.

Eygló Myrra is a senior at USF and  has fared well this past fall season 2012. She and the golfteam of USF claimed a.o. 5th place in the Oregon State Invitational and the Wyoming Cowgirl Desert Intercollegiate. Eygló Myrra´s personal best this past fall was the 8th place at the Rose City Collegiate in the individual competition.

This past summer 2012 Eygló Myrra played on the Icelandic Tour, i.e. the Eimskip series, the tour where all of Iceland´s best play.

This interview was published in Icelandic  almost a year ago up to date and it was taken in the fall of 2011 just before Eygló Myrra´s arrival in San Francisco. It seems like yesterday we were interviewing Eygló Myrra and it just goes to show how time flies!!! Here goes the interview:

What is your name? Eygló Myrra Óskarsdóttir.

What Golf Club are you a member of in Iceland? The Golf Club Oddur in Garðabær.

 Where and when were you born?  I was born October 15th 1991 in Odense, Denmark.

Where were you raised?  I grew up in Garðabær apart from 2 years that I lived in Denmark.

What is your family status and does anyone in your family play golf?  I still live with my parents and I have 2 sisters and everyone plays golf.

When did you start playing golf? I got my first club when I was 5 or 6 years old.

Why did you start playing golf?  My parents were fierce players and me and my sisters taggled along. We started by hitting every other stroke and had alot of fun. I absolutely loved the game from early on, to be outside in beautiful locations and in fun company. It is so much fun and one can play golf ones entire life.

Mynd

What University are you studying and playing golf at? I am at the University of San Francisco in California.

Is there a difference in the coaches here in Iceland and in the States? There are often more than 1 coach in the Universities in the US. There is the headcoach which sort of glues the team together and a manager who is in charge of the co-ordination. He sees to it that everything rolls, buys tickets for the team a.s.o. I miss the Icelandic coaches a little, since I´m used to them. There are good coaches abroad, but for most Icelanders the golf facilitities are more important than the coaches.

How much do you spend each day practicing golf?   I spend approximately 5-6 hrs. practicing golf and 1 1/2 hrs. in the gym and then we get 1 day off.  Then we, the girls, play a little golf. But one also tries to get variation into things. I love playing golf, but it´s healthy to take your mind a little off golf once a week, play tennis, go swimming or just do something completely different.

What are you studying in the States apart from playing golf?  I´m studying finances.

Was there a culture shock coming from Iceland to the US?   Yes, I sometimes felt like a little fish in a big pond. One didn´t get as much attention from the coach as one was used to at home. The thing is, if one asks alot of questions and gets assistance, then you´re showing interest – but one has to approach the coaches, they don´t come to you. One has to go to them.

Is there a difference in the golf courses in Iceland and the US? Y es, they (the fairways on golfcourses) are longer in the States – one is not using a wedge into the greens alot and then the fairways in the States are often narrower.

What do you prefer parkland or links type courses?   Good question. I don´t know. Both. The landscape is often more beautiful in parkland courses. These are just two different types of golf play. I love playing golf;  it doesn´t matter where I play.

What do you prefer match play og stroke play?  Both. These are just two different forms of golf play.

What are your favorite golfcourses in Iceland?   The Westman Islands golf course.

What is your favorite golfcourse anywhere in the world?  That´s Carsten Creek my old home course in Oklahoma and the Biltmore golf course in Coral Gables, Miami. Oklahoma´s coach saw me there.

What is the most special golfcourse you have played on and why? The golf course in Þorlákshöfn, Iceland. He is just different than any other Icelandic golf course. This is an unbelievably fun golf course; he´s longer than the usual golf courses in Iceland.

What is your handicap? 2.

What is your lowest score and on which golfcourse did you achieve it? 2 under par, i.e. 69 strokes on Urriðavöllur, which is GC Oddur´s 18 hole golf course and also 2 under par on Hólmsvöllur (Golf Club Suðurnesja´s (GS´s) golf course in Keflavík).

What is your longest drive? My had my longest drive in a drive-competition in 2009. It was 303 meters ( 331 yards) long, but the was tail wind and the fairway sloped downhill and the ball bounced very far.

What is your greatest achievement in golf to date (fall of 2011)? That was the time I first broke 70 on Urriðavöllur.

Have you ever scored a hole in one? Yes on the Desert Springs golf course, in Almería, Spain on the 17th fairway, on April 1st 2006 or 2007? …. I don´t remember which year, but I guess I was around 15 years old. I used a 6-iron.

What snack do you have in the bag? Skyr (an Icelandic speciality) a banana, almonds and dried fruit. I eat alot when I´m playing golf. I also often have a sandwich, which I put together myself from coarse bread spread with pesto, cottage cheese or something good. I love to eat.

Have you participated in any other sports? Yes, I used to swim and then I was in ballet 9-10 years.

What is your favorite food, favorite drink, favorite music, favorite movie and favorite book? My favorite food is fish; my favorite drink is water; I like most types of music – and listen to everything; my favorite movie is The Greatest Game Ever Played and my favorite book is „The monk who sold his Ferrari,” by Canadian author Robin S. Sharma.

Who are your favorite golfer name 1 male and 1 female? Female.: Caroline Hedwall. Male: Tiger Woods.

What´s in the bag, what is your favorite club and why is that club your favorite one? I have Callaway forged clubs, Ping i15 driver, Muira wedges 60°, 56° and 52° and 4 Maruman rescue clubs, 5 and 3 trees from Maruman and then I have a Scotty Cameron putter. I have no favorite club – They´re all my favorites.

Have you been to a golfinstructor? Yes, many: Brynjar Eldon Geirsson, Derrick Moore, Jóni Karlsson, Björgvin Sigurbersson and many others.

Are you superstitious? No.

What is your maingoal in golf and life? In golf it´s to become better and get on the LET. In life it´s to enjoy life.

What do you like the best about golf? It´s fun and it´s an outdoors sport.

How large a percentage do you estimate that the mental side of your game is when you compete? 80%.

At last: Do you have some good advice that you can give golfers? Yes, try to be as relaxed as you can and enjoy the game!