THE GOLF PRO SHARES INSIGHTS ON HER PASSION FOR GOLFING AND FASHION
For the majority of women, striking the perfect balance between two vital interests, such as our professional and personal lives, is a daily effort. While it is no easy task to accomplish, we continue to pursue this goal because the rewards are well worth the effort. So sublime, in fact, are the fruits of blissful balance, that we relish the wisdom of those women who are successful at achieving results in this endeavor. So, when we were able to ask fashion forward golf pro Anna Rawson about how she manages to keep her equilibrium when juggling not one, but two, highly successful careers, we were more than a little interested in exactly how she manages this feat so effortlessly.
Striking the perfect balance between two vital interests, such as our professional and personal lives, is a daily effort. While it is no easy task to accomplish, we continue to pursue this goal because the rewards are well worth the effort. So sublime, in fact, are the fruits of blissful balance, that we relish the wisdom of those ladies who are successful at achieving results in this endeavor. So, when we were able to sit down and chat with fashion forward golf pro Anna Rawson about how she manages to keep her equilibrium when juggling not one, but two, highly successful careers, we were more than a little interested in exactly how she manages this feat so effortlessly.
Although she has been interested in both golf and modeling since an early age, golf was, and remains, her first love. From the age of 13, and all throughout her golfing career, Anna has been very supportive of her peers and heroes on the golf course and recognizes the value of their influence on the growing popularity of the game with women. This central theme of lifting golf to a higher level of appreciation is what helps keep her focused when the going gets tough.
Anna is one of those rare players who is able to cross over into worlds beyond the green. In thus doing, she is able to use her popularity to get more female players on the course and more spectators on the sidelines. “Golf in general is becoming more popular. I believe golf stars like Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie are making it happen. They get incredible exposure outside the golf world. People who don’t necessarily know a lot about golf become interested as a result of the golf stars and start playing the game. I also think golf has become more accessible to women. Since it is no longer a boy’s only club, women are welcomed and encouraged to play”.
It was during her budding golfing career that she began a foray into the world of fashion. As a result, she became enamored with a second interest in her life and thus began a lifelong love of style and couture. Anna began a successful modeling career at age 16, but school and golf always took priority. She remembers her dad allowing her to skip a tournament just once so she could walk in the Chanel fashion show. Now that school is finished she still feels that golf takes precedence over modeling. Usually, her modeling activity fits in around golf schedules, but “golf definitely takes priority”.
Anna looks to her golf teachers, Dana Dahlquist and Ron Stockton, for inspiration on the golf course. “They help me make winning possible – without them it would be incredibly difficult!” When it comes to inspiration for her style Anna likes several designers but admits it is always changing, “At the moment, I am obsessed with Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and Thakoon. I also get inspiration from reading a lot of fashion magazines”.
Ever mindful of trying to meld her two loves, she seeks out opportunities to highlight golf through her fashion profile, “I am always looking at ways to bring attention to golf through my fashion career. I think it’s a great way to introduce new people to the game of golf and wouldn’t the links look so great with exciting fashion mixed in… ha ha! A month ago when I was in Australia, I did a fashion shoot and interview for Women’s Health Magazine which turned out very well.”
She is keen to leverage her schedule and include fashion appearances like participating in L.A. Fashion Week for a runway show to promote golf. It’s a good fit for increasing her profile and golf too because, in her words, “…you get to do so many interviews backstage!” She is excited about past collaborations with brands such as J. Lindeberg even though she feared the collection may have been a bit too fashion forward for the industry. She recommends focusing on basics with the right colors and shapes.
When asked how else she incorporated her previous relationship with the design house with her golf she replied that, “J.L. is such a great company, and I am so lucky to have the best clothes out there. I feel as if their clothes were custom made for me because everything fits so well! It’s nice not to have to change out of my golf clothes if I wanted to head into Barneys for a little shopping after playing golf. I even get other shoppers asking me where I got my sweater or belt!”
Anna also sets her sites on expanding her design role since she loves to design but once again she affirms that golf has got to come first right now. One thing she feels strongly about – despite some very nasty public attacks by golf insiders and the media about her statements and her fashion sense – is to stay true to yourself and your style. She realizes and respects that golf is still a very conservative culture but feels there is room for variety as well. “I just try to be myself at all times. At the end of the day, people are going to have their opinions and put you in a certain category, but I am more concerned in trying to be a good person and have strong character”.
Anna’s essential golf attire is always dictated by the weather. “My favorite outfits are skirts. But sometimes when it is very windy you don’t want to have to worry about them blowing up, so I stick to pants or shorts. I do love to wear dresses because they are incredibly comfortable and feminine, but sometimes no pockets can be a pain on the course.”
Of course, we had to ask Anna if there was someone special in her life right now. She insisted that she was focusing only on her golf, although when pressed about attractive traits in a man she admitted that dark hair and eyes combined with a well-rounded social intelligence would be enticing.
What does the future hold for a fashion sensation of the links? She has some irons in the fire for new sponsors and plans to continue promoting golf through her fashion celebrity. More importantly she has decided to involve herself more deeply in community contribution. Her plans include creating her own charity and aligning with a potential sponsor.
One thing is clear; she loves the game and hopes to show how much she appreciates the opportunity to play professionally by giving back. “Community work for anyone is so important because it puts everything in perspective. You appreciate what you have and realize the struggles that other people have. It is always important to give back and it is as simple as offering a little bit of your time for a great cause.”
She encourages women who golf or who want to start playing to think about what they get from the game and how they can fit it into their current schedule without adding stress. There are so many positive influences that can come from playing golf that nearly everyone can benefit from adding it to their lives. One thing is certain, Anna has found the secret to staying poised under all circumstances and holds tight to those two things that bring her joy and satisfaction. By incorporating some of her emulation worthy tips into our own lives we too might be able to strike the perfect balance.
BY ROBYN QUINN | https://19thholemag.com/
PHOTO BY KURT ISWARIENKO
