Nancy Lopez can’t go anywhere near a golf course without being recognized and approached by those who adore her.
Whether it’s a fan, younger players, golf club staff, industry leaders, local dignitaries or even police officers, people gravitate toward Lopez like moths to a flame. It’s been that way for decades, and I have seen it firsthand for years as I’ve worked with the Tour and forged a friendship with the affable Hall of Famer.
Lopez – who will be inducted into The Legends Hall of Fame on Thursday along with Jane Blalock – is always classy and gracious, making time to say hello to everyone, sign an autograph or pose for a photo. She’s done it most of her life and has become comfortable playing that role with dignity and grace.
It’s one of the reasons she’s one of the most beloved people in all of golf – not to mention my favorite person in the sport – and one of the most sought-after autograph in the game. I spent some time with my friend at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., during the inaugural International Crown, and we caught up and chatted about what keeps her busy and motivated these days.
Q: Your schedule is just as busy now as when you were playing. Are you surprised by how busy you’re staying?
NL: Yeah, I get a call and someone says, ‘Can you do this?’ I do a lot of corporate and charity things now, and I pop in and play a tournament on the Legends Tour every now and then when we have one. I have a new granddaughter now that I have to put on my schedule to go visit. She’s 18 months.
Q: What’s her name?
NL: Molly. Ashley, my oldest, had her, and it’s great being a grandma. Molly is just great. It’s funny. When I go to see Ashley – which is hopefully once a month – one time, it was the second day I was there, and I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve even said hi to Ashley.’ I looked at Ashley and said, ‘Have I even said hi to you since I’ve been here?’ She said, ‘No mom, you haven’t!’ I went right to Molly when I saw her. They wear you out though, and you have to watch them all the time. I realize that you only have children when you’re young, because when you get older, you just get worn out.
Q: How many weeks a year are you on the road?
NL: This month (August) will be most of the month. I took a real vacation from the 30th of June until the 23rd of July, and I’m going to be busy here for a while. I’ll go home six days after the 3M Championship and am on the road the rest of the month. Every month is pretty much like that.
Q: It probably feels like you’re still on Tour, doesn’t it?
NL: Yeah, it does, but the pressure’s not there. I love to do outings, and I enjoy people. I do a lot more for women’s groups now, or companies that are trying to get women involved in golf. I just did one for Consolation Energy the day before the (International Crown) began and was reaching out to women to give them tips, and they were great. It was a lot of fun.
My job now is to bring more people to golf, and golf is struggling. I want to make people realize a golf course is a great place to be. In this hectic, stressed-out world, go to the golf course for an hour or two hours. You don’t have to play 18 holes, and you don’t have to play nine. Play five or whatever you have time for. That’s especially for women, who usually neglect themselves. They’re usually the caregivers, and they get a little intimidated by the sport. They need to take time for themselves. They need to go to the golf course, not have their kids or husbands with them, and do something they enjoy. When they get out on the golf course, they’re going to enjoy it because it’s just a great place to be.
Q: Are you having as much fun doing that as when you were playing on Tour?
NL: Well, I miss playing on the Tour. I still love to play. I play quite a bit, really, and that competitiveness is still inside me. It’s hard to play a casual round of golf. I always want to play well, always want to hit a good shot and always want to make a good putt. I don’t think it ever goes away, at least it hasn’t for me.
Q: How are your knees doing?
NL: Not good. After I’ve sat down and walked a little bit, it’s hard to get moving again. I’m going to try stem-cell (treatment) in September on my left knee, my bad one. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but I’m going to try it. It’s a procedure where they’ll take bone marrow out of my hip, and I’ll be there (in the hospital) for 10 days. They inject it into the joint, hoping for it to grow cartilage. I’m a little nervous about it, but if it can create time for me – and I’ll have to have a knee replacement eventually – I won’t have to have two replacements before I go to the skies above. Hopefully this will take, and I won’t have to have a knee replacement for a few years. I’m having it done in Toledo, and there is a doctor there who’s had good success, so it’s worth a try.
Q: The LPGA is having a monumental year. What do you think about the amazing year it’s been so far for the Tour?
NL: I’m happy to see Americans winning a little bit. It’s been tough for them. Players from all over the world – especially the South Koreans – have been playing very well. It’s OK, but should make our players want to play harder. I know I’m watching from afar wishing I was out there trying to accomplish that. When Michelle Wie won the Open, I was just so thrilled. It’s fun to see that. It’s just made it more exciting for me to see that our players are starting to bloom again and to play the game the way they should be playing it. Stacy Lewis is such a great player, and Lexi Thompson is still so young. We’ve got some great players out there who are playing the game well, and it’s fun to watch them.
Q: It seems like the Tour is in a good place right now, especially with Mike Whan as Commissioner.
NL: I think Mike has done a great job, and the reason I say that is because sponsors tell me that. They have re-opened their doors to the LPGA, and some new doors have opened. He gets it and knows that the LPGA and its sponsors have been family. The LPGA and all the sponsors who have been in our lives have been like family, and you don’t treat them any other way. He’s been real good about that, I think. I haven’t heard any sponsors say anything negative about him, so they’re excited he’s our Commissioner.
Q: The players have really evolved into great ambassadors for the Tour and the game of golf in general.
NL: I think the players get it. I think they realize we have to do this all the time, not just when we’re playing well. I think social media has definitely helped, because you can just reach out to people now. This generation is really going to do that. I think what’s helped the LPGA is that people who follow it really want to know what players are doing, thinking, how they’re competing, everything. They definitely get into it more now.
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