If you follow Charley Hull on social media, you’ll know that she’s a fitness fanatic and has spoken openly about how she wants to be an athlete, not just a golfer, and why training is important to her mental wellbeing.

 In March, during a post-round interview at the HSBC Women’s World Championship after shooting 68 and putting herself in contention heading into the final round, Charley explained that in the morning she had felt a bit sick, but decided to go for a 5K run and was happy with 26 minutes, which was a personal best! “That kept me in a good space for the rest of the day. Just went out on the golf course and played golf,” she said. 

Nowadays I find Saturdays tiring, giving my dog a good early morning run before playing 18 holes. I realise Charley is a lot younger and fitter than me, but even so, for her to go for a run and perhaps even a workout before hitting the practice ground prior to teeing off in a professional tournament, that’s going some!

 I did wonder why Charley wasn’t in action on the LPGA Tour last week in the lead up to this week’s Major, The Chevron Championship, and now I know why! Instead she was competing in a mixed doubles event at Hyrox Corby, a race that features 8 x 1km runs, interspersed with 8 workouts. And guess what? Charley and her partner Jak won the race. 

 That’s it, we all know Charley does things her way, and I really admire that. I wish there were more Charleys because the women’s game needs characters like her. 

 Last year she was branded as the ‘female John Daly’ when videos began to circulate of her smoking, something she does when she’s stressed. Emma Booth wrote an article for Golf Monthly on the 5 reasons she’s Charley’s biggest fan, and Emma highlighted how smoking doesn’t fit with her otherwise super healthy persona, that’s what makes her all the more relatable.

 While she was not allowed to smoke at the Paris Olympics, captain Suzann Pettersen gave her permission to smoke on the course at the Solheim Cup. I’m not encouraging smoking, but it certainly didn’t do Charley any harm when she thrashed Nelly Korda 6&4! 

That said, in an effort to quit, in mid-March she bet on herself with golfer Ryan Evans that she would pay him the sum of £10,000 if she smokes at any time over the next two months, so I wonder if the bet is still open!

Did you know the caricature ball marker Charley can always been seen using and wearing was designed by the Surprizeshop in house design team and is part of her official collection!

Alison Root

Women's Editor Golf Monthly