Her 2010 autobiography Swinging from My Heels: Confessions of an LPGA Star, co-written with Alan Shipnuck, offered a candid glimpse inside the pro-golf circuit, but if you want to know how this effervescent, beret-wearing Korean-American golf star travels, you have to talk to the woman herself. Gigi Onag caught up with her recently when she was in Hong Kong as a golf ambassador for the 1010 Golf Challenge.
How frequently do you travel?
I travel about 35 to 40 weeks a year for competitions. That’s almost a full year. I just came from Taipei and I am staying in Hong Kong for a week because my next stop will be Japan. There are a couple of times when I have a week to go home, but it’s too far to go all the way back to Orlando so I’ll stay a week in a different part of the world or different part of the US.
What don’t you leave town without?
I have my international phone that I bring with me all around the world – my BlackBerry is central to my life. My golf clubs and sunblock. And it might sound silly, but I have a sleeping mask that completely blocks out all light.
People describe you as a fashionista. What’s in your suitcase?
I bring a hooded sweater even when I am sitting in first class. I have to have a piece of comfort with me. For me, when I am travelling I’m not fashionable, I’m comfortable. And sometimes those are two totally different things.
Are you a discerning airline passenger?
If I were a flight attendant, life would be tough for everybody. If you are in the air and you are serving people for 18 hours, you know, I don’t expect a smile every single time to be honest. It’s always nice because I always get a smile and [flight attendants] are saints in my world because they make my life easier.
What do you do to avoid jet lag?
Before you depart you start living your life on local time. That is the best piece of advice that I can give anybody. I feel that I have been very fortunate not to have suffered very much jet lag in all my years of travel. The only time I suffered jet lag was the first time because I didn’t realise I had to set my day early.
What are your favourite leisure destinations?
Hong Kong is up there. The culture is phenomenal. The people are great. The food is divine. Everything has been so high class and top quality. Sicily was an amazing experience because I love seeing ancient ruins.
Anything you hate about travelling?
When my feet get numb. But most people in the world don’t get the opportunity to travel. It’s very easy to complain about things but if you look at the broad spectrum, I live a very, very fortunate life and having a full passport is really, really cool.
What attracts you to a place?
The ability to go. You can go to the smallest place in the world and you can find a lasting memory. I have a wonderful sense of adventure. I haven’t ever been to a place where I said I have to leave right now.
