Scotland’s Tara Mactaggart exudes charisma on tour but behind the 28-year-old’s outwardly optimistic persona, her second season was the toughest yet.
With a tough season comes tough decisions and Mactaggart took the brave decision to not attend Q School and instead focussed on improving her game and learning to love the game again.
Speaking about her decision to not go to Q School, Mactaggart said: “It was a tough decision.
“I said to myself that if I kept my LET Access Series (LETAS) card, I would not go to Q School but I still had to hang on in the last few events to keep the card.
“It was the best decision I made this year. You feel like you must attend because everybody else does it.
“Even seeing Instagram videos of everybody there, I was so content being at home and knowing that the path I was taking was for just me and my own golf.”
“As much as people are so good at masking their feelings, sometimes it takes a strong person to just say I’m struggling here and then accept that it’s ok to struggle.”
2023 was certainly memorable for MacTaggart after getting engaged to her partner, Angus Carrick, the 2021 Scottish Amateur Champion after 10 years together.
“I remember I was playing with Lauren Walsh and Julie Boysen Hillestad in Italy, we were talking about relationships, and I said 10 years together but still no ring.
“They said surely, surely soon. They were right. On November 5th, it all happened.”
Carrick proposed with on the beach during a walk with the couple’s dogs.
“I said to people that I didn’t think he could surprise me, but he absolutely did.
“I’m getting married in March 2025, so it’s very much wedding planning this year.
“I’m very lucky that my maid of honour is Hannah McCook. I will be staying with her throughout the season so after golf at night we can plan and it will help us both to get our mind off the golf.”
Mactaggart had a strong start to last season after securing a top five finish at the Flumserberg Ladies Open.
“After a top five in Switzerland I thought, here we go! But then I’m turning up to every event and I’m struggling to make the cuts let alone wanting top 10s.
“I think everybody has these seasons and you think some people don’t, but they do. Mine just came in 2023.
“Last year I was guilty of not enjoying the golf and of standing on the first tees and thinking oh god. I have found that new love for the game again.”
In the off season the Scottish golfer has undergone big swing changes, travelled to Dubai with her alma mater, University of Sterling and relished playing outside at home whilst most of her tour mates have been confined to indoor facilities.
“At least in the off season, I get to play outdoors. Our golf courses are always open unless there’s snowfall.
“Where I live on the east of Edinburgh we miss a lot of the snow, so I’m glad for that.
“We hit on the grass, but you have to deal with the 40 mile an hour wind and freezing cold. At least I get to see my ball flight.”
Fiercely proud of her Scottish routes, Mactaggart recalls how one of the proudest moments of her career was her first international selection and the privilege to put on the Scottish Jersey.
“In my opinion, Scotland is the epitome of golf, it can’t get any better than this.
“I’ve played so many courses across the world but playing places like Muirfield is something special that you can’t really get anywhere else.
‘I want women, especially in Scotland to do well and it’s good that we’ve got quite a few of us now out on tour.”
Mactaggart is manifesting tournament success for 2024 but the Scottish player’s main goal is to enjoy playing and competing again.
“That’s what I fell out of love doing and that’s what has hindered me the most.
“Kathi Muehlbauer recently spoke about how even if you have a bad tournament, it’s not the end of the world.
“You move on, and I think that’s where I’m at. It’s a long season. So, I’m just trying to plug away and take the positives out of each tournament.”
Mactaggart gets her season underway at the hilly Golf du Terre Blanche for the Terre Blanche Ladies Open.
Jokingly, MacTaggart said: “I can’t wait for the hills of Terre Blanche. It’s always great to start the season doing some cardio.”
For more information on the LET Access Series, visit letaccess.com and follow @LETAccess on Instagram and Twitter – #RaiseOurGame.
