Over the last few years, Caitlin Clark has followed in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry to become another pro basketball player with a keen interest in golf. “Maybe play some golf. That’s what I’m gonna do until it becomes too cold in Indiana… I’ll become a professional golfer,” she said last year about her offseason plans.  Hence, from engaging in a par-3 contest with teammate Lexie Hull to participating in Sophie Cunningham’s charity tournament, Clark was often captured on the green. Now, as she looks to participate in a major tournament, the WNBA star discussed the drive behind her interest in the sport.

Caitlin Clark will participate in ‘The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican’ tournament. The LPGA tour hosts the event, which will run from November 13th to November 16th. During an interview, the tournament’s representatives asked Clark what she loves most about golf.

The 23-year-old replied, “I think what I love most about golf is just getting to be outside. But also, I think, it’s also a very competitive thing for me. I like being good at it. I think it challenges me, get competitive with my friends, with it, with my family. Yeah”.

Golf is no easy sport, even if it demands less physicality than a typical basketball game. Clark found this out when she participated in the LPGA tournament last year. Renowned golfer Annika Sörenstam recalled how “We (she and Caitlin Clark) came down the 16th hole, maybe, and she had been traveling quite a bit, but she goes, ‘I’m so tired.’ I’m thinking, ‘you can run that court 100 times back and forth, but this is a different type of physics, right?’ She was mentally tired, and she goes, ‘How do you guys do this for four days in a row?’ It’s just a different type of endurance.”

From what Clark recently revealed, the challenges that golf presents only make the sport more interesting to her. In due course, she might look to have the same endurance as Annika Sörenstam.

Clark’s competitive spirit certainly isn’t absent when she has a golf club in her hand. Back in October 2024, Clark and Lexie Hull participated in a par-3 contest, which Clark nearly ended with a hole-in-one. She came inches away from the feat, but instead settled for a birdie on her next stroke. Hull missed her second stroke, and Clark won. Clark then reacted victoriously by laughing in Hull’s face.

“What really struck me was her love of the game. Clearly, her competitive spirit and fire come through. And her ability comes through loud and clear on some of those tee shots,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “You know, she’s been playing seriously for a year and a half. I’ve never seen someone in a year and a half strike the ball like that. And she’s gonna be playing this game for a long time.”

Golf is slowly becoming a big part of Caitlin Clark’s life. What keeps her motivated is the chance to make a mark at the LPGA Pro-Am, and her teammates seem to get that. They are more than happy to help her out along the way.

Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull Make an Enticing Offer to Caitlin Clark

Earlier this month, the official Instagram accounts of the Indiana Fever and the LPGA Tour put out a post. The same featured Caitlin Clark posing alongside 2024 LPGA Tour Player of the Year Nelly Korda. The caption read, “Caitlin Clark returns to play at the @theannikalpga driven by Gainbridge Pro-Am on November 12 at Pelican Golf Club 👀⛳”. Amongst the people who responded to the post was Sophie Cunningham. She wrote “@caitlinclark22 need a couple of caddies? @lexiehulll 😏🍻”.

Soon enough, Lexie Hull responded to Cunningham’s comment by writing, “@sophie_cham sign us up!!!”.

Well, Caitlin Clark would have loved to have her teammates around. Then again, maybe not so much. After all, one thing that the Indiana Fever star likes about the sport is that it is an “escape” from the team aspect.

Clark admitted this during an interview with ‘talkSPORT’ back in April, stating that “It’s a great escape for us. We’re so used to the team aspect, and then you get out on the course and it’s such a challenge with yourself. It’s you, the golf ball, the golf club, the course, that’s all it is. You don’t have teammates to rely on; it’s just a battle with yourself, and it’s almost like a mental exercise. It really makes you mentally tough, and I think that’s also what’s really impressive about these professional golfers out here, like you hit a bad shot, you don’t have time to sulk like you’ve got to move on.”

With a few more weeks remaining until the tournament kicks off, we won’t know for a while whether Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull’s appeal worked.