England’s Thalia Martin has worn a big smile on the course throughout this year but behind the scenes 2023 has been an incredibly difficult year.
At the end of summer, Martin’s father passed away after a long health battle and the golfer bravely continued to play throughout the season.
Martin, 27, had a season of two halves. The golfer who represents Woolfox Golf Club struggled at the start of the season but after the unthinkable happened Martin gained clarity.
“It was very difficult at the beginning of the year where I didn’t know how I could not get my dad out of my head. I struggled as the thought of coming home was hard, it was always straight to the hospital to check on dad.
“It’s the hardest thing in the world, losing someone that you love and I’m still trying to figure things out as well now.
“It’s not a click of a finger and its fixed, it’s an ongoing progress. It’s got easier when I was a lot more prepared to accept the outcome.”
After her father passed, Martin’s scores astonishingly improved with her finishing tied fifth at the Hauts de France Pas De Calais Open and tied fourth at the final event; Santander Golf Tour- Zaragoza.
In addition, Thalia finished just outside the top-10 at two more events, the Rose Ladies Open and the Calatayud Ladies Open.
Martin accredits this transition with starting to be open about her grief and a change of attitude.
“My results reflect when I started to be open and talk to my teammates, well I call them teammates but the girls on LETAS about my Dad. They feel like teammates!
“When mum stayed home and wasn’t there at tournaments, people naturally asked why because we are the double trouble on tour.
“Now I’ve learnt to only focus on the golf when I’m playing because that’s what Dad would want as well, he wouldn’t want to be the reason why I wasn’t focusing.”
Thalia’s father was a “beautiful soul” and a “fighter” and now she wants to honour his memory through her golf game.
“Even though he’s gone I feel like he’s still with us and I think that helps me on the golf course to feel that he’s always there.
“Just knowing that really helps me to fight on the course because you are thinking that’s he’s watching. I say to myself don’t put your head down, keep your head up and keep going until the end. Like he did.”
Martin is normally accompanied by her mother, Sitti who caddies for her on tour and the two are famed for their matching outfits and mother-daughter goals.
“Having my mum on the bag is not like having a mum on the bag, she’s literally my best friend and when we’re on the course, I think she understands me so well.
“It means so much to share the moments with Mum, I don’t need to call her and sit and try to tell her the highlights as she’s there all the way.”
Bobby Jones famously said that golf is the closest game to the game we call life and Martin emulates that when she explained that the unpredictable nature of golf prepared herself for this unpredictable year.
Now Martin is only manifesting positivity and success and is looking forward to the next chapter in her golfing career.
“I’m hungrier than ever. I don’t know where it comes from but even though I’ve had battles on the golf course I just love figuring things out.
“I love puzzles so trying to find a way when you’re having a bad day always intrigues me.
“I can get bored quite easily but golf never bores me. It is so unpredictable and that’s why I think I still love it and I’m still hungry for it.”
Martin has her father to thank for getting her into golf after the family spontaneously visited a driving range whilst waiting for a table at a restaurant.
The Englishwoman initially had no interest as she was so focussed on her first sporting love, tennis but eventually she got hooked and pursued a professional golf career after being encouraged to at university.
Now, Martin is manifesting an LET card for 2024 and is excited by the challenge of Q School.
“I’ve been quite aggressive this year in how I’m thinking. Whereas normally the other years I think ok, just take it day by day. Shot by shot. Now I know I’ve got to go for it.
“My thought process is to obviously to get through to the final stages and into the top 20.
“My game is definitely there, it’s a bold statement to make because there is so many talented players out there but I’m just trying to think aggressive and manifest it.
“To get an LET card for 2024 would be emotional, it would be the first step but it’s not the end game. It would be a massive opportunity.”
