UF Golfer Isabelle Lendl's Revamped Swing Boosts Her Game Entering NCAA Championships
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 | Women's Golf, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Those who know them say Isabelle Lendl is the more serious of the two Lendl sisters on the UF women's golf team. When Isabelle is on the practice range or putting green, good luck trying to start up a conversation about what movie you saw over the weekend.
Lendl is normally locked in like a laser beam.
Even she admits that's when the part of her that most reflects her dad, former tennis star Ivan Lendl, shines through most.
“I'm really competitive,'' Lendl said. “Off the course, I'm more like my mom. My dad is more structured. I think I have his work ethic and his mental aptitude on the golf course.''
Knowing that about Isabelle, you can only imagine what was going through her mind as she walked off the course in the next-to-last tournament of the fall season. The Gators were at the inaugural Pac-10/SEC Challenge in Palo Alto, Calif., in November.
The University of Stanford Golf Course did not treat Lendl well. It was downright rude to her if you want to know the truth. She shot an 89 in the first round, 76 in the second and 84 in the third. The revamped golf swing Lendl worked hard on over the summer to increase her distance wasn't exactly her best friend either.
Gators coach Jan Dowling could see the frustration in Lendl, a sophomore and younger sister of Gators junior Marika Lendl. But Dowling understood what was happening as Isabelle struggled adjusting to her rebuilt swing.
“That takes time,'' Dowling said. “It's one of those things that you need to test in competition. You see her hit great shots on the range all year, but until this spring it hasn't really shown up in tournament competition as much as she would like.''
Lendl went back to the practice range after the fall season to continue working on her swing. When the Gators opened the spring season at the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge in California in early February, Lendl showed improvement, keeping her score in the high 70s all three rounds.
Her confidence started to blossom and it showed in the first round of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate in late February when Lendl opened with a 70, becoming the first Gator to record eight birdies in a single round in 11 years.
“You've got to be doing some pretty darn good things to make eight birdies,'' Dowling said. “Her confidence started to build.''
Lendl opened the SunTrust Gator Invitation in early March with a 68, showing more consistency striking the ball off the tee and making putts when they counted most.
Lendl's improved play reached a pinnacle in the last round she played earlier this month at the NCAA East Regional.
After shooting 72-78 the first two days of the tournament at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Lendl capped the tournament with a 4-under-par 68, helping the Gators advance to the NCAA Championships starting Wednesday at the Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas.
The 68 was a school-record round during a regional tournament.
“There was nothing super about the round,'' Lendl said. “Nothing was great, nothing was above average. It was just solid golf. It was really like, 'hit the fairway, hit the green, okay, the putt dropped. It was definitely a good round. That's what I'm looking for – a lot of rounds like that.''
Lendl saw encouraging signs prior to her final round in Daytona Beach. So did Dowling, quick to point out that Lendl's stroke average per round has dropped from 79.1 in the fall season to 74.3 this spring.
“That is significant, especially for a player of that level'' Dowling said.
Dowling was more impressed in the way Lendl played the final round of the regional than her final score. There were tough shots to make and difficult decisions to ponder, but Lendl remained composed throughout.
“She is a competitor. It's very easy to get down on yourself and to get mad,'' Dowling said. “It didn't hold her back this time. She knew she was playing well and she knew she was striking the ball great. She knew it was only a matter of time.''
The 19-year-old Lendl is constantly analyzing her game, searching for an edge any way she can. She regularly talks over her game with a sports psychologist she has worked with since she was around 9.
Lendl knows when her game is about to take off like it did at the regional.
“What I see when I anticipate that coming is that my mistakes are simple,'' Lendl said. “They are really easy to fix.''
There are also talks during difficult stretches with her dad, who became an avid golfer once he retired from tennis.
“He's kind of like a mentor,'' she said. “He'll help me with the mental side of things. He taught me how to manage golf courses and things like that. He is not really involved in the mechanics of my swing, but he will give me advice if I ask for it or if he thinks I need to hear something.''
Isabelle's mental approach is where Dowling sees her greatest advantage. Besides working on her game, Lendl eats a disciplined diet, makes sure she gets enough sleep and focuses on aspects that most players her age overlook.
“I know when I was 16 I didn't think about those things,'' Dowling said. “The thing for me that really sticks out for Isabelle is her ability to prepare. She had the luxury of watching the No. 1 player [Ivan] in a sport prepare to win. She knows how hard it is. She is dedicated more than most.
“She has witnessed what that's like. I think that is something that is priceless.''
