She certainly makes heads turn, both on the golf course and off it. Meet Indian golf’s new rising star, Sharmila Nicollet (22).
Nicollet is the youngest Indian golfer to qualify for the European Tour and turned professional in 2009. She is the second Indian to earn a full card on the Ladies European Tournament in 2012. A full card (as against a restricted card) means she can take part in any premium tournament on the continent.
The 5 feet 11 inches tall Bangalorean is recovering from toe injuries at present and is back in her home town on a two-month break. Nicollet says she is enjoying every moment of the forced holiday by chilling out with friends and family and sticking to her intense workout routine.
And the stay-cation was much needed given that she was away for nearly six months last year. Long separation from home and hearth does not go well with her, she says. But then Nicollet has made such sacrifices for the game, including giving up aerated drinks and chocolates, since she was 15. “It was a tough choice between golf and studies since I was good at both,” she says. She had even got scholarships from Duke’s and Purdue University in the United States, but chose golf instead.
Her game requires her to travel frequently, which interfered with regular schooling and so Nicollet was home-schooled Class VIII onward. “I am like a vagabond,” she laughs. “I live out of a suitcase most of the time.”
Two years ago, she travelled to Europe alone to participate in the Ladies European Tour. For a 20-year-old, the experience of being away from home for months was harrowing. The cold European weather and playing against some of the best women golfers in the world wasn’t exactly a cakewalk. It resulted in a breakdown but she soon bounced back. In retrospect, Nicollet says, she learnt immensely from that experience and it made her tough. She remembers swaddling herself in layers of warm clothing and hand warmers when out on the golf course. “My hands sometimes froze and I couldn’t feel them while playing.”
Other than harsh European weather, funding has been another frequent adversary. Like with any sport in India that is not cricket, finding sponsors is quite a pain. Especially for a sport like golf which is also expensive.
“Luckily, I have a couple of sponsors now, but for a very long time my mother helped me
financially. I am blessed to have a family that has always supported me,” she says. “We have many good golfers in India but they cannot come up simply because they don’t find sponsors,” she says.
The itinerant golfer has a rigorous training routine that she follows to the T. She practices for five hours at a golf course in Kolar, about an hour-and-a-half from Bangalore. After which she works out at a gym in the city and hits the sack around 9pm. “Indian golf courses have their own charm and I particularly like the ones in Delhi, Pune and Bangalore.” She also works out by swimming, and does Pilates, yoga and meditation.
Like her workout, her diet, high in protein, is also carefully regulated. “I know my goals and keep them realistic,” she says. She says she admires Saina Nehwal a lot and wants to do for golf what Nehwal has done for badminton. “I want to give golf a fillip here, but I have a long way to go,” she says.
Like every athlete, Nicollet’s big dream is an Olympics medal. Fortunately, golf has been included as a sport in the 2016 Olympics and Nicollet is determined to qualify for it. “Nothing gives you more pleasure than representing your country at the international level,” she says. “My short-term plans are to play in many Asian Tour events.” Nicollet says she wants to be a world champion in the next three years. And this keeps her focused and grounded.
Her dedication is admirable given that as the only child, she is pampered by everyone at home. Her mother, a perfumer, met her father, a French IT professional, in France while studying perfumery. “I guess I get my height from the French side of the family and also my choice of food,” says Nicollet. “I cannot eat spicy stuff at all.”
Nicollet is the brand ambassador of Champion Reef Golf Course in Kolar and endorses a few sports brands as well. She has also featured in luxury fashion magazines endorsing swanky sportswear.
“I am a party animal on weekends and that is how I unwind,” she says. There is no time for dating right now given her hectic travel and training schedule. And Nicollet is focussing all her energies on topping her game.
“I want to show that one can look good, be stylish and excel at one’s sport as well. Hopefully, my example will encourage more girls to take up golf professionally,” she says.