Landmann's Leap Leads Wave Links
Apr 26, 2002 | Women's Golf
April 26, 2002
Tulane Women's Golf Coach Sue Bower remembers one year when Christmas came a little early. In fact, she even remembers the day that it happened - Dec. 17, 1999 - for it was that day Bower received a phone message from a prospect looking for a place to play collegiate golf.
The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to sophomore Carolin Landmann, the Conference USA Women's Golf Player of the Month for March.
"It went something like, 'Hi. I'm Carolin Landmann and I won the German National Championship and I was wondering if you were needing a player for next season,'" Bower jokingly recalled. "I had gone to the office Christmas party that night, but I called her back, she visited in February and signed in April."
Since then, Landmann has become of the most consistent players in the program and currently leads the team with a 76.1 stroke average. She has led Tulane in four out of the last five tournaments, including tying for first at the Edwin Watts Palmetto Intercollegiate on Nov. 5-6, 2001 and winning the outright individual championship at the 2002 Green Wave Women's Golf Classic on March 4-5 at Lakewood Country Club. Landmann ranks 74th in the most recent player poll released by Golfweek Magazine and has the Green Wave on pace to qualify for the NCAA Regionals for the second time in program history.
"She's always had a very mature golf game and developed a very good short game," Bower said. "She shot a 70 in her third collegiate round at Auburn, and I knew she was going to be a great player."
But while Landmann is enjoying a 2001-02 that rivals Pam Buff's All-American 1998-99 campaign, the transition from prep standout to college athlete was not a smooth one.
"I had taken a year off and was working for my father in New York when I called a few universities that had good business schools and good golf programs," Landmann said. "Coach Bower called me back and expressed interest from the beginning, but my freshman year was quite horrible. I was unhappy with my classes, my dorm and was not used to practicing two or three hours a day.
"(In Germany) I was a tournament player and practiced when I felt I needed to. I never hit balls for three hours. But all of the sudden, I had to because everybody else was. It was a bit overwhelming and I had not yet learned how to manage my time."
Despite not being totally happy, Landmann still had a successful rookie campaign as she played in all 10 tournaments for the Green Wave and paced the team with a 79.03 stroke average. She led the club at three events, including a season-best seventh-place finish at the 2001 Conference USA Tournament when she fired a 228 to lead Tulane to a fourth-place team finish.
During the off-season between her freshman and sophomore years, things began to change for Landmann. Playing for club team Mannheim as the team's No. 1 golfer, she finished the summer as the top-rated player in both men's and women's divisions. She won the Women's State Championship with a 228 and represented Tulane at the International Student's Championship of Germany, where she finished second. With a successful summer under her belt, Landmann returned to campus in the fall with a new winning attitude - one that has paid dividends for her individually, and also for the team.
"My mindset has changed," Landmann admitted. "I never thought about winning a tournament as a freshman. I thought that there was always somebody out there better than me. This season, I don't approach a tournament that way. Not to sound cocky, but I feel that if I play well, I can win every time I go out there. "I had a pretty good summer and I think that gave me some confidence. But my dorm is nicer, I'm living with people that I enjoy being around and I'm enjoying myself a little more."
When asked for the inspiration in the change, Landmann was quick to respond "Coach Bower. Our relationship has been very good from the beginning and it's gotten better. She helped me think about the game and gave me the feeling that I can be a good golfer."
While Landmann quickly gave credit to Bower for her individual and team success, Bower was quick to point out that Landmann had a large part to do with her own standout season.
"I'm not surprised by the year she's having," Bower said. "I'm a firm believer that what you do during the off-season translates into your degree of success you're going to have during the year.
"The thing about Carolin is that it looks like she's having a ball out there. She doesn't get too low when she's playing poorly and doesn't get too excited when she's playing well. She's one of the better finishers we've had here. If she is under par with a few holes to go, she'll find a way to keep that momentum and take it to the clubhouse. That's a true sign of maturity in our sport.
"I think she is enjoying the student-athlete experience. I think she's enjoying leading the way and being a big part of the success of the program this year."
With two years to continue maturing as an individual and as a collegiate golfer, there is no telling how far Landmann can lead the Green Wave. One thing is for sure, however. Landmann will continue to work hard and have fun doing it.
