Carly Booth’s dad Wally thought he had seen it all during his daughter’s meteoric career from child prodigy to Scottish champion and world class player but not quite everything.
He hadn’t seen the tattoo of a Shakespearean quote that runs down her right hip, shown in full glory as Carly posed nude, but in tasteful fashion, for a US sports magazine last month.
“He says, ‘Oh, I didn’t realise you had another tattoo’,” recounted Carly, as she prepared for the RICOH British Women’s Open at St Andrews.
“I have one on my foot that I originally told him was a sticker and I think he believed that for about two years.”
Wally’s done all in his power to ensure his daughter fulfilled her potential, but the quote is “it is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves,” from Julius Caesar, no less.
The startling photo shoot was, she believed, an honour, not just because the other golfer featured in the Athletes issue was legend Gary Player.
“I was asked to do it roughly this time last year, but it took me a while to decide that it was something I wanted to do,” she said.
“The more I looked into it and saw the type of athletes that had done it before (fellow competitor Suzann Petersen for one) then I realised it was a great honour to be asked, and I decided it’s something different, so why not?
“Then just before it came out I realised that Gary was doing it too, which I thought was really great. Everyone’s been pretty positive about it, people saying how great it was that I did and how they liked the pictures.
“There’s been nothing negative to my face at least”
The only downside is that this photoshoot has been the season highlight for Carly the year after she made her breakthrough with victories on the Ladies European Tour in the Scottish and Swiss Opens at least until Monday at Kingsbarns, when she booked her place at St Andrews, one of only two players in the 144-strong field to have come through both stages of qualifying to reach the championship.
“It’s been a case of building my confidence back up and working on clarity, focusing on targets and really just trusting my swing,” she said.
“My swing has not changed at all in the last year, so there’s no reason not to be doing as well as last year.
“I believe I’m good enough to be here, that I can score low and play positively, and that’s what I’m going to try and do this week.”
Carly has plenty of experience on the Old Course, although her big week here five years ago, when just 16 playing for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup, was marred by illness.
“I was in bed for three days, so I was only able to play one of the practise days,” she recalled. “But I managed to get through the tournament, I wanted to play and in every match as well.”
“I played a few St Rule Trophies and came second once, I shot seven-under on one occasion, although the tees were pretty far forward compared to this week.
“But I love it, the first tee is the widest fairway you’ll ever aim at, yet it’s still the most nervous shot you’ll ever hit.”