FanHouse Chats With Natalie Gulbis

In women's sports, there are two types of athletes -- the successful ones and the attractive ones. Luckily for golf fans, Natalie Gulbis is both, a golfer that wins and looks good doing so. Natalie, in partnership with RSM McGladery, hosted a contest all across the nation to find the perfect golfer to tell "Who's Behind Your Success?" Contest winner Taylor Anderson, a student at George Washington University who is paralyzed on his right side but still plays this crazy game, won with a video about his mother. Before Anderson got to enjoy his Sunday with the pro, Gulbis chatted with us about what Taylor could expect, pro-ams, and if she'd ever play on the PGA Tour. She even touched on the media's criticism of Michelle Wie, who just earned her LPGA Tour card at Q-School.

Editor's Note: This interview was conducted early in the week of Dec. 1, prior to Gulbis' meeting with Taylor Anderson.

Shane Bacon: First, talk about the "Who's Behind Your Success?" contest. What are you and Taylor (Anderson) going to do in Las Vegas?

Natalie Gulbis: I am going to meet him on Sunday. He is going to come in the morning, we are going to work out, and then he is going to play my home golf course with me at Lake Las Vegas, and we have a boatload of gifts and stuff for him and he is going to come over to my house for dinner.

Natalie Gulbis Snapshots

Team International's players, from left, Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, Katherine Hull of Australia, Nicole Castrale of the United States, Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, Paula Creamer of the United States, Natalie Gulbis of the United States, Cristie Kerr of the United States, and Nikki Campbell of Australia cheer on the 18th green after beating Team Asia to win the Lexus Cup golf tournament at the Singapore Island Country Club Bukit Course in Singapore Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Team International pose for a photograph, from left in back row, Natalie Gulbis of the United States, Suzann Pettersen of Norway, Katherine Hull of Australia, Nikki Campbell of the United States, Angela Stanford of the United States, Karen Stupples of Britain, Helen Alfedsson of Sweden, Nicole Castrale of the United States, Cristie Kerr of the United States, and from left in front row, Christina Kim, of the United States, team captain Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, and Paula Creamer of the United States, as they celebrate after beating Team Asia to win the Lexus Cup golf tournament at the Singapore Island Country Club Bukit Course in Singapore Sunday Nov. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Team International's Suzann Pettersen of Norway spays champagne on her teammates after they won the the final round of the Lexus Cup golf tournament in Singapore November 30, 2008. The players are (L-R), Paula Creamer of the U.S. (front L), captain Annika Sorenstam of Sweden (front R) of the U.S., Nikki Campbell of Australia, Nicole Castrale of the U.S. and her compatriot Natalie Gulbis, Helen Alfredsson of Sweden and Katherine Hull of Australia. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (SINGAPORE)

Reuters

Team International's Suzann Pettersen of Norway spays champagne on her teammates after they won the the final round of the Lexus Cup golf tournament in Singapore November 30, 2008. The players are (L-R) Cristie Kerr of the U.S., Pettersen, Paula Creamer of the U.S. (front L), captain Annika Sorenstam of Sweden (front R) of the U.S., Nikki Campbell of Australia, Nicole Castrale of the U.S. and her compatriot Natalie Gulbis. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (SINGAPORE)

Reuters

Players from Team International celebrate on the 18th green after Christina Kim of the U.S. won her match against Team Asia's Namika Omata of Japan during the final round of the Lexus Cup golf tournament in Singapore November 30, 2008. The players are (L-R) Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, Katherine Hull of Australia, Nicole Castrale of the U.S., captain Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, Paula Creamer of the U.S., her compatriots Natalie Gulbis and Cristie Kerr. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (SINGAPORE)

Reuters

Players from Team International celebrate on the 18th green after Christina Kim of the U.S. won her match against Team Asia's Namika Omata of Japan during the final round of the Lexus Cup golf tournament in Singapore November 30, 2008. The players are (L-R) Katherine Hull of Australia, Nicole Castrale of the U.S., Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, Paula Creamer of the U.S., her compatriots Natalie Gulbis and Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Karen Stupples of England. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (SINGAPORE)

Reuters

Team International's Natalie Gulbis of the U.S. smiles at hole 1 while playing against Team Asia's Mayumi Shimomura of Japan on Day Three of their Lexus Cup golf tournament at the Singapore Island Country Club Bukit Course in Singapore Sunday Nov. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Team International's Natalie Gulbis of the U.S. waves to the crowd before teeing off on hole 1 while playing against Team Asia's Mayumi Shimomura of Japan on Day Three of their Lexus Cup golf tournament at the Singapore Island Country Club Bukit Course in Singapore Sunday Nov. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Bacon: And this was a national contest to find the winner?

Gulbis: We ran a national contest that anybody could write in an essay on who's behind your success and then RSM actually narrowed it down to 10, and then I voted on the 10 (to narrow it) to three, as did all the RSM McGladery employees nationwide, then we got it down to three and I picked the winner based on a video.

Bacon: You went to University of Arizona, as did I. You went there, Annika Sorenstam went there, Lorena Ochoa, Erica Blasberg ... what's in the water for the female golfers?

Gulbis: (Laughs) I know! And for female athletes, we've had some pretty good ones to come out there with Jenny Finch. I think the University of Arizona is a really great spot to hone your skills as an athlete. For golf, the weather is great. There aren't a lot of places in the United States -- Florida, Arizona, Southern California and Texas -- where you get year-round great weather. I was able to practice in Arizona all the way through the holidays in 75-80 degree weather. You have so many great golf courses at your fingertips and really great facilities, plus you have the tradition.

Bacon: Speaking of Annika, what do you think of this early retirement?

Gulbis: It's tough, the game and the fans and the LPGA is really going to miss her.

Bacon: And the players?

Gulbis: Oh, big time. We just got back from Singapore, we were playing in this thing called the Lexus Club and it was actually her last LPGA tour event. It was Team International versus Team Asia. She and I played a practice round, just the two of us, went out before the tournament. I played with her and I was thinking and I asked her, "Why are you retiring?" She hit everything inside of five feet! I mean, her swing looked as good as it did the year she won 10 times. She's hitting it just the same. She chipped in for eagle in one of the matches to win it. She's got that ability to do whatever it takes to win and this was actually a Ryder Cup-style format and she won her singles match, and she still won three times this year! You have to admire her for wanting to step away when her game is still good and she can still compete and open up the next chapter of her life, but it's going to hurt her sport. We loved having Annika out there.

Bacon: Well, with that said, Michelle Wie did very well at Q-School. What is the player's take on her gaining her true LPGA card? Is there more respect for her?

Gulbis: Definitely. I think the tour is really going to be excited when she comes out and plays full-time. I think it will be a compliment to the LPGA, with her wanting to pursue the LPGA Tour and play full-time. But, we've been playing with Michelle for the last four or five years. She comes out to anywhere between five to 10 tournaments year, so all the players get along with her really well, she's a really nice, sweet girl, and very, very talented.

Bacon: It's strange, because as someone who follows a lot of golf, I almost got the feel that people didn't really like her.

Gulbis: The media is very, very tough on her. They are tough on her because she has tried to break down the barrier by playing on the men's tour, but when she comes out on our tour we treat her as a regular player. She's nice, she's cordial, she's professional, I've known her for a long time, she's been really sweet, she's a good kid. She's young, she's a kid! (Laughs)

Michelle Wie Snapshots

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie chats with the media after securing her LPGA card for 2009 at the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Stracy Lewis watches her tee shot on the 14th hole as Michelle Wie looks on during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie;Stacy Lewis

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie hits her tee shot on the 17th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie hits a pitch shot on the 17th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie chats with her caddie Tom Vickers on the 17th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie;Tom Vickers

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie hits her tee shot on the 14th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie celebrates a birdie on the 17th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 07: Michelle Wie hits her tee shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the LPGA Qualifying School at LPGA International on December 7, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie

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Bacon: So would you ever be interested in playing in men's events?

Gulbis: I like to play in the events like the Wendy's Three Tour Challenge and the ADT Skills Challenge, the fun, "made for TV" events where we get to play from different tees.

Bacon: But you don't think you'd want to play in a PGA Tour event?

Gulbis: Those guys are so good! I get the pleasure of being around a lot of those guys through (my coach) Butch Harmon, and they carry the ball 60 or 70 yards past me on a fly.

Bacon: So if you smoked one, smoked one off the tee, how far would it go?

Gulbis: 275 yards, with roll. They carry it 300-305, easy. I'll go out and play the back tees with them, and Adam Scott would have a sand wedge and I'd have 5-wood into some holes.

Bacon: It isn't even the same game.

Gulbis: If I'm lucky I'd have an iron in my hand. Those guys are really good.

Bacon: So who is the best golfer you've ever played with, male or female?

Gulbis: Tiger Woods, by far. The ball doesn't sound the same when it comes off the face and his short game ... it is so talented. Great putter, a phenomenal work ethic. When you have that much talent and he's going to outwork you too? Good luck. (Laughs)

Bacon: You play in a lot of Pro-Ams and you're a pretty hot ticket. What's something that bothers you about them?

Gulbis: People that have an attitude. I don't care what kind of golfer they are, I want them to be out to have a good time and enjoy the day. They are either a guest of a sponsor or they paid a lot of money to come out and play in a Pro-Am. So, have fun and don't take it too personal.

Bacon: Do you get men out there that think they can compete?

Gulbis: Sometimes there is a lot of pressure in a Pro-Am because they might be playing with a client, or they might be a client playing with their boss. They want to play well and perform well and kinda hold their own with their business associates. So I try to relax the whole group. More times than not, the individuals that are at a different level, they'll remembers people's attitudes more than their golf games.

Bacon: Your golf swing looks a little different. Where did that start? Was that when you were young or something you've gone over with Butch?

Gulbis: I've always had that. I never had a lesson until I worked with Butch. I played on a boys high school team and I wanted to hit the ball far so I put everything I had into my golf swing and I think I went at it with my posture. That is something we've worked diligently to get out of my swing and we've probably cut it in half. It's a lot less than it used to be.

Bacon: So, million-dollar question. Dating life. You dating anybody?

Gulbis: Nothing serious that I will report.

Bacon: I work with a lot of Steelers fans, and someone asked: "Is that the golfer that dated Ben Roethlisberger?"

Gulbis: They do remember those things, so if you are dating someone with any status you keep it really quiet (laughs).