You don’t need to be perfect, you need to be happy
In a world that pressures us to be ‘perfect’, accepting and loving your imperfections is the key to being happy. After all, perfection is an ideal that not even artists manage to achieve because, sometimes, it is actually the touch of imperfection that gives works of art their unique, one-of-a-kind beauty. This ‘secret’ is what made Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso come out of her shell to flourish as a woman and international player. In the first part of our interview, we got to know Lucrezia as a professional golfer and a key player on the top European women’s circuit. Yet the new Chervò ambassador is this and so much more. Sometimes you need to travel far and wide, other times you simply have to stay put and look around you, searching and finding yourself. During the journey inwards, we learn to come to terms with our limits, to recognise our strengths and become more aware of who we are.
LUCREZIA, AT DIFFICULT TIMES, WHAT IS IT THAT PUSHES YOU TO ALWAYS OVERCOME IT?
Golf and sports in general. They constantly put you to the test. I worked on my mindset to tackle daily challenges. My perfectionism was only holding me back. Then I realised that I had to work on a strategy that would help me manage my performance as a whole, rather than focusing on the perfection of the individual stroke. I realised that you can't control everything. Being perfect doesn’t achieve anything. Imperfection exists and that is what we need to work on. Happiness is synonymous with balance. It means finding the perfect point where we can find ourselves, without needing anything else. Let’s face it once and for all, you don't need to be perfect, you need to be happy.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR TYPICAL DAY WHEN YOU ARE NOT PLAYING GOLF?
Every morning I get up and do yoga, which helps me with my breathing a lot. Breathing properly is crucial during competitions. As I travel a lot during the year, I love spending time with my family, friends and dog. All it takes is a walk along the beach to appreciate what I have around me.
LIKE ANY ATHLETE, I IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVE A COACH
Yes, of course. I mainly work on balance and muscular elasticity with him. Golf involves moving the back in an unnatural way and it often becomes painful after weeks spent travelling around the globe going from planes and tournaments. Maintaining a good level of suppleness in my job is much more important than gaining muscle mass.
IS THERE A PHRASE THAT YOU TRY TO TELL YOURSELF EVERY TIME YOU HIT THE GREEN?
It is a piece of advice from my coach, which has now become my mantra. Being a total perfectionist, I always tell myself that you can still achieve the result even if you don’t hit perfect shots. And that is exactly what happens. Golf is all about this. Here we are circling back to what was said earlier, the key to success lies in imperfection.
ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS?
I have a small Murano glass pepper in my golf bag and a ladybug as a club cover. It’s a childhood memory of my mum and so I buy ladybugs whenever I can. Overall, I don’t buy into superstitions too much, but don’t ask me to wear purple...
ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO HAVE FUN PLAYING GOLF?
I’d be in trouble if that wasn’t the case. Having some fun on the golf course is essential. Obviously it depends on the moment. When you are under pressure, often you forget to smile, but having fun on the green and appreciating the work you do gives you that boost and drive to never give up. That is really important to me and the lockdown made me realise even more how lucky I am to be doing the job I love.
HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO BALANCE SCHOOL WITH SPORTING COMMITMENTS?
Organisation and time management were key and, as I did well in school, the teachers always tried to work around me.
DO YOU NOTICE MANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FRENCH AND ITALIAN GOLF? HOW IS THIS SPORT PERCEIVED IN THE TWO COUNTRIES?
In France, golf is much more mainstream and famous. There are many public golf courses that allow anyone who wants to play to do so. In Italy, on the other hand, it is much more difficult to try out this sport. There are too many restrictions and rules. In France, there is even a channel that broadcasts golf all day long. In Italy, on the other hand, there are live broadcasts, but they only last three or four hours at max. Obviously, the golf movement has grown exponentially in our country and we have Francesco Molinari to thank for that. When he won the Open Championship in 2018, one of the most coveted tournaments in the world, all the major news outlets wrote about him. Golf made the front page, something that had never happened before.
THANK YOU LUCREZIA FOR OPENING UP TO US. ONE LAST QUESTION. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A YOUNG PERSON TO GET THEM INTERESTED IN GOLF?
I would say that golf allows you to live in contact with nature from an early age and it teaches you to appreciate and respect it. It teaches you discipline, rules that will undoubtedly serve you in the future and respect for your opponent, for the green and for yourself. Playing golf lets you challenge yourself and not get discouraged. You never stop learning in golf. It always has something to teach you. It always has something to give. In short, play golf because it really is the most beautiful sport in the world!