Quick quotes ahead of the VCI European Nations Cup

Team Germany
Martina Eberl and Denise Charlotte Becker

Is this your first time playing together?
Martina: Foursomes yes. I was at a practise session with the German Golf Federation and we shared a room already. That was two or three years ago but I have known her ever since. She is a great player and I’m looking forward to it.

What are your combined team strengths?
Martina: I think it’s no secret if you watch her play that she’s a long hitter. I always enjoy having a short club into a green. I think I have a pretty good wedge game and I think she can rely on that. It’s going to be fun, you know.

How do you rate your chances of winning?
Denise: Very good.
Martina: I am lucky that I have been playing recently in the States. Denise has been practising a lot. She has been working on her swing and she’s hitting it well. It’s the same for everyone this week but like I said I might have a little advantage coming from the Nabisco but Gwladys played there too and the Spanish team have been playing in a few tournaments. I think it’s going to be fun and no expectations. Of course it was second place last year but this year is a new year and it’s going to be fun.

How is your game?
Martina: Over the winter I did some major swing changes and a grip change. It’s still not there yet but I tell myself it’s April and I have plenty of time to go. Everything is going my way and I’m sure it will be good by the German Open.

Which team do you fear the most?
Martina: We don’t fear anybody. I think you have a lot of good teams here. Gwladys did not play here because she played the Nabisco. All the Solheim Cup players are here compared to last year. Beth Daniel used to be one of my idols and they can still play very good golf. I think every team is a good team this week.

Team Switzerland
Florence Luscher and Frederique Seeholzer

How did you play in the practise round?
Florence: We visited the course, I would say.

How do you consider your chances?
Florence: I think everything is possible. Once we start playing in the tournament we are going to be concentrated and everyone has a chance. That is why we are here.

Have you played together before?
Florence: No. We will find out.

You are good friends. What advantage will that bring?
Frederique: I think it is easier to speak to each other but you still need to play well. You are going to miss shots and she is going to miss shots. Just try to go out there and have fun: That is the basic plan for this week.

What are the team strengths?
Florence: I would say my length and her putting.
Frederique: I can be mostly precise and then we know if one ball is in play we can attack.

What has been your preparation?
Frederique: I went to Q-School in January and then I went to play two tournaments in Asia in February. I came home and did a lot of work on my swing. I just tried to get better and to try to enjoy this year on tour.
Florence: I went to Q0School as well and then had a four week break with some skiing. I went to practise in Florida for five weeks, in West Palm Beach, and then I came home to practise for a few weeks.

Team Ireland
Rebecca Coakley and Martina Gillen

How much are you looking forward to the tournament?
Martina: It’s nice to get started again. It’s been a long time since Dubai in December and it’s nice to get cracking.

What is your approach to the week?
Rebecca: I’ve had a couple of months off so am looking forward to playing again. I had nearly a month in Adelaide, Australia, and a month in Ireland, practising at Carlow Golf Club.

How does this event compare to others on the LET?
Martina: It’s more relaxed. No-one really knows how it will go until in competition so it’s more relaxed than usual.
Rebecca: It’s nice to have something different on the calendar. Because of the format I think every country has a good chance.
Martina: I think the format levels the playing field. We are just going to go out, enjoy ourselves and if we play well, happy days. We will see where we finish.

Team Norway
Marianne Skarpnord and Lill Kristin Saether

How good do you feel about your games?
Marianne: I think we have a good chance to win. We are both playing pretty solid and we have a lot of fun out there. I think that is very important so we have a good chance.
Lill: We have been playing together for many years, we played national team together, practising together, travelling together, so I know how she thinks and she knows what I think. I know when she is a little bit annoyed and I know how to pull her along and she knows how to get my spirit back if I am down. We know each other as friends and golfers so that makes it a little easier I think.

What was your preparation?
Marianne: I’ve been in Spain since the 6th April.
Lill: I’ve been in Phoenix practising for two months and playing some small events over there. I was home for one week and got down here on Sunday.
Marianne: I was in Dubai before I went to Spain so that was pretty good.
Lill: she hasn’t been home at all; she has been keeping out of the snow.
Marianne: There has been a lot of snow this year.
Lill: The most snow for 20 years. It has been crazy.

Do you enjoy this format?
Marianne: Yes, I think its pretty fun. The first nine and back nine on this course are like two different courses so you have to think a little around this golf course. I think we hit it pretty straight so the back nine is probably better for us.
Lill: It’s more challenging off the tee; you have to place your ball in the right spot and on the green to make the putt.

Team Austria

This is your second year playing together. What have you learned from last year’s experience?
Nicole Greely: We have known each other for a long time now, actually since we started. I know her game and she knows my game.
Eva Steinberger: We played together at the Girls’ European Championship and things like that. We are originally from the same club, Murtal, which is 40 minutes from Gratz.

What are your thoughts on the format?
Nicole: I like it. It’s the beginning of the season and my last tournament was in Dubai so I’m happy that this is the first one. It’s a good start and nice to get the tournament feeling back.
Eva: I played Australia but I had a lot of changes: I changed coach; I changed swing; so I am happy to start with a tournament like this. I feel quite confident with Nicole as a partner. She changed her putting and I changed my swing so some parts will come together hopefully.

Have you been busy since the Australian Open?
Eva: I was at home quite a lot, more than the last few years. This year there was just one week in Dubai to see some sponsors and I played the new Els course. Otherwise I was at home. I changed my coach so I had a lot of work to do.
My new coach is my old coach. I started with him and then I had five years with another coach and now I am back with my first coach. We changed the swing so I had a lot of fitness and technical things to train. It was quite a hard winter for me. It’s coming now. He said that at the beginning of May I should be able to hit a good ball so hopefully it’s going to be a bit quicker. I should be okay.
Nicole: I spent nearly a month with my coach in Thailand because he is there throughout the winter time. Then I spent one week in Majorca and one week in Faro, so it was nice. The rest of the time I was at home, so it was good.
Eva: We meet sometimes when we practise at home because we are still on the same course. The week before coming out here we met nearly every day because we practise at the same club. I think we are one of the only teams that travelled together to the airport from home. We are quite close, so that’s good.
There are three playing professionals from our club: one is on the Challenge Tour. That is amazing for Austria because golf is not that big in Austria.