Around The Commonwealth
GF: It makes me feel so privileged. I have
Gwen Foddrell's "The
Golf Diaries" are aimed
at inspiring young girls.
to be something that happened to me.
Sometimes it is something that happened
to one of my friends.
VG: What are your favorite kind of tour-
naments to play in?
GF: I love playing in the ladies’ team match
events at my home course, Stonehenge Golf
and Country Club in Richmond. The ladies
there are really great and have helped me
to strategize better as well as helping me
toughen up a bit. Playing with them has
given me a bunch of great moms, and I truly
feel each of them cares about me and pulls
for me in life and on the golf course. I've met
and played with ladies who were in their
80s and they still have the love and desire
to play golf. That is totally awesome.
VG: What is the best tournament round
you have played?
vsga.org
GF: My lowest score was a 75 at Willow
Oaks Country Club. My best tournament
play was at the Stonehenge Club Cham-
pionship. I had played poorly on the front
nine and got myself in a hole but played
the back nine at 1 under and shot an 80
for the round. Sometimes in golf the best
round is not necessarily the lowest score.
had a couple favorite experiences. One
was from a fan from Arizona. She was
12 and had a school assignment to write
a report about her favorite author and
she chose me! She messaged me through
social media and asked if she could send
me some questions to answer so she could
do her report. I was floored and felt very
honored by her choosing me as her favor-
ite author. I also had one sweet girl that
ordered all three books (that is how many
were out at the time) and then didn’t
put them down for three days. She read
all three books in three days. It really is
humbling to have people like your work
that much.
VG: Do you find it hard to balance golf,
writing, work and school?
GF: As I've gotten older, the balance of
these has become more difficult, but I
have a great support system. Right now I
work part time at my parents’ clinic, Bet-
ter Bodies Chiropractic, Physical Therapy
& Massage, in North Chesterfield. Thank-
VG: What kind of response have you got-
fully, working for my parents does create
ten from the books?
flexibility in my schedule when
G F : The response has been
something comes up. I am a
incredible. I have been able
junior this year and take
to do book signings and
classes at Chesterfield
through that, I've met a
Christian A cademy.
lot of very sweet young
“It has been a great
Right now I'm writing
girls who have taken
outlet to help me
for the fifth book, but
some inspiration from
process feelings and
I don't quite know a
what I've written and
emotions, not only in
time frame for when
are pursuing golf as a
it will be finished.
lifetime sport, because
golf, but in life as a
it really is. I have had
teenage girl.”
some good mentors and
VG: What does the future
—Gwen Foddrell
friends that have been
hold for you, both in golf and
very supportive of my writ-
in writing?
ing. Since my books are available
GF: That is a hard question to
on Amazon, sales have come from all over
answer, but I can tell you I have good,
the world. I also hear from golfer girls
positive feelings and thoughts for both
and their parents through social media
golf and writing. Both have been very
as well. Much of the time they want to
good to me and I have no reason to believe
know if/when the next book is coming
anything will be different in the future. As
out. It makes me feel great that they are
long as young girls are inspired by what I
wanting the stories and storylines to
write I see no reason to stop. Golf gives
continue. One social media post was even
you so many different experiences that
from Australia, and that really wowed me.
can be good story material. Whether I fol-
low in my parents’ footsteps in healthcare
or forge my own path as a golfer, writer
VG: How satisfying is it to have heard from
or spokesperson, golf will always be a
people from across the world who have
part of it.
read the books?
M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 19 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
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