Welcome to ‘On the Bag with Brittany.’ As the 2023 season progresses, I will give you an inside look at how the year is going for Brooke and I on the LPGA Tour, all thanks to my friends at Golf Town. We’ve already had quite a busy first three months, so let’s dive in!
We came sprinting out of the gates at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, with Brooke capturing her 13th career win at the first event of the year. That was amazing! Neither of us expected to go out and find the winner’s circle so early, with several offseason changes from putting new TaylorMade clubs in play, to working back into peak physical form after Brooke ended the 2022 season with a back injury and had her wisdom teeth removed in November. There was lots of adversity.
I was really impressed with Brooke’s ability to perform at the highest level with brand new clubs in our first week out. She received the particular set of TaylorMade irons used at the Tournament of Champions less than a week before the first round. The specs were different than the set we had been using for a few weeks prior – so for her to go out and adjust on the fly was really amazing to see. We focused on the feeling over each specific shot and worked from that approach. Figuring out the course and how best to utilize the new clubs was great, and any time we find the winner’s circle we are extremely happy. We were able to enjoy a few celebrations after, joined by my husband, Zach, for dinner and dessert.
The week was made special by great golf and the unique chance to play with celebrities and top athletes. We had the chance to chat with them and often glean insights into their thoughts and techniques for success in their specific crafts. It is very cool to have the opportunity to learn from others who have achieved success in their fields.
After the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, we had a long break in the schedule until the next tournament, which is atypical of an LPGA schedule. It felt like a long four weeks, practically another offseason for us. Brooke is the type of player that loves tournament golf and likes the rhythm of multiple-tournament stretches. We made the most of the off-time by practicing and resting for the Asia swing.
At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Brooke and Brittany spend a lot of time together.” Yes, we see each other a good amount even when we’re not on the road. I go to the course most days with her. We’re a team. Even away from the course, we often have meals together or do various activities from going to a movie, to going for a swim. Since Zach and I live about 10 minutes from Brooke, it is very easy to swing by at any time.
Since Brooke and I are on the road a lot, when we all get together for a meal, my husband Zach enjoys prepping health-conscious and delicious meals for us, either out on the grill or in the kitchen. We love to have a home-cooked meal! Cooking is not my forte (and I daresay not Brooke’s either), so I’m thankful Zach enjoys it – and is good at it! My favourite is the roasted vegetables he makes, especially how he seasons them.
As the next tournament approached, we had no idea the ‘adventures’ that we would experience on our way to Asia. Brooke’s clubs did not arrive until after the second round of Honda LPGA Thailand. We arrived the Sunday before tournament week and the clubs didn’t make it there until Friday afternoon! The bag was lost for 5 days floating around in the Atlanta airport. If your luggage does get lost, in my experience, airlines work hard to get your lost items back to you within the next day or two. Once 2 or 3 days pass without any progress, you start to wonder if you’ll ever see your bag again, or if it’s going to be forever lost in the missing-luggage abyss. I was trying my best to locate the clubs and get them on their way to us. You can imagine that this is very stressful when the clubs are such an essential part of what we do.
Eventually, we found an airline rep who physically found the bag and loaded it onto a plane for us. The clubs then made it to us, in time for the third round. Meanwhile, the TaylorMade crew in Asia had done an impeccable job in finding and putting together a set that was as similar to ours as they could get on such short notice. We used these clubs the first few days, and we even considered finishing the tournament with them, since Brooke was 5-under par through 36 holes. Ultimately, we decided to switch back to her personal set for the remaining 2 rounds. It was an interesting experience, to say the least.
In Asia, and any time we travel to other countries, we try to find one unique experience. First and foremost, we’re there to play a tournament – it’s work, after all – but it’s still amazing to see the world this way. In Singapore, Brooke visited the top of Marina Bay Sands, a 55-floor hotel that has a near-500-foot-long infinity swimming pool on the top floor overlooking the city of Singapore. The building itself is an iconic part of the Singapore city skyline, with its incredibly unique architecture. The views of Singapore from the top are incredible. She visited at night and was able to take in the fascinating lights of the thriving and buzzing city. Together, we visited the statue of the Merlion, a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish that serves as the official mascot of Singapore.
People often wonder what we do on the long airplane rides. The answer to that is rest. We were told early in our professional careers to “rest going west” and “sleep going east.” Because the flight is so long to and from Asia, roughly 16 hours, you do have a lot of time to rest. If you can sleep a lot on your long flight, you can usually manage to stay awake the rest of the day when you arrive. It’s really important to try to get adjusted to local time as fast as you can – no midday naps allowed!
We just recently enjoyed another short break before the LPGA Tour season really picks up. As I finalize this entry, we are on our way to Hawaii for the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei. Following a week in Hawaii, we have the first major of the year, the Chevron Championship hosted at a new course – The Club at Carlton Woods in Houston. A new course means lots of prep work for us, but we are looking forward to a new test, and a chance to compete in another major!
Follow along on her next journey!
Brittany: I really enjoyed your Golf Town “On the bag with Brittany” wright up as Brooke’s caddie. What an interesting perspective in golf that I have not read before. Looking forward to further articles. Best of luck for the rest of the golf season.
I wanted to say that had the pleasure of golfing at the Grande Vista Golf Course in Kissimmee Florida over the past February 8, 2023. On the back nine my twosome asked the twosome behind us to join us for the rest of the game as it was slowing. I had no idea who the 12 year old was until two weeks later when I was watching the Asian Amateur Golf Championship in Signapore when the girl was being interviewed on the Golf Channel. I think that we will see this young lady on the LPGA in the future. Her name is Yujie Liu and is from China. She is being taught by a PGA pro from Orlando who is working in China, teaching golf there.
Brittany and Brooke a Sisters golf team is a strong team.
Best Regards
DB. Courtice, Ontario, Canada
Best of luck Brooke and Brittany – Cheering for you !!
hey brooke; what a nice treat to let us see what is in your lives as you travel the world.. you two are quite a pair. your email mentioned the wisdom teeth and back problems and those things were never spelled out in my inside look to the lpga. all the best in 2023 to both of you. thanks
Love the idea of keeping fans updated on your golf journeys. Canada Proud ♀️⛳️ Go Team Henderson!!
Best of luck in the upcoming season!!!
Excellent article Brittany! Well written and very informative. Thank you!
❤️Love you young ladies keep up the amazing work you do for Canada!!❤️
Love, love, love this. Looking forward to the next entry.
Good luck this season and have fun.
I really enjoyed Brittany’s article. This was well put together and very insightful.
I am looking forward to future instalments and, if at all possible, will Brittany be able to share some comments about Brooke’s trials and tribulations at the various tournaments?
As a teenager, I caddied and worked at the Beloeil Golf course where Brooke won her 1st professional tournament even though she was still an amateur.
Mike MacPhee
Surrey BC
Loved your article On the bag with Britanny. It is interesting to have an insiders thoughts on what it’s like to be on the Tour. Best of luck to you and Brooke this season. Canada Proud.
Well done Brittany!
Love to hear more about your travels together.
You make Canada proud!
Thank you Team Henderson !
Love the article! Keep it coming. Brittany you and Brooke are a great team and we follow you both every tournament. (Literally watching you at LOTTE now!)
❤️
We are very proud of the two of you Brooke and Brittany. You make us proud in Canada. Together you are stronger. Best of luck this season! Trust your stroke!
Loved to read about your life as a team, I look forward to more articles like that.
Good luck in Hawaii, You make Canadians proud!
Nice insight Brit. You girls rock!
Well done very interesting insight from your perspective Brittany. Thanks just down the road from your home town on Mississippi Lake near C.P. All the best this season and at the first major this week
I really enjoyed the read I found it to be enlightening and very interesting. Best of luck going forward and I am sure there are more wins on the horizon. Cheers. David Imeson ,Smiths Falls
Love the article Brittany. Thanks for the “behind the scenes “ look at your travels and tournaments.
The best of luck for the season!!
Great stuff, Brittany! So pleased you are going to do this. I enjoyed the content and style. Very entertaining. Please keep it going! Enid and I wish you two all the best!
Keep doing us proud you 2.
You’ve come a long way since I first met you hitting balls behind the Pro shop in Smiths Falls. Bitt was at the counter in the shop!! Great memory.
Keep smiling.
D. Hicks
That was a very interesting read Brittany. I often wonder what goes on behind the scenes when you guys are not on the course.
I wish I had more chances to see you play live.
I last saw you at the event in Ottawa last summer.
(I live in London, Ontario, so that event was within reach.
Really enjoyed seeing you two.
Best of luck of the rest of the season.
I will be watching on TV.
Great job on your “On The Bag” Brittany. Well done. Enjoyed it very much. Best of luck for the rest of the season and hugs to you both. Enid Robertson
Canada could not ask for better ambassadors of this great game than Brooke and Brittany Henderson. Hope your season is the best ever. Mik
Thanks for sharing.
Our favourite female golfer.
From,
Kingston ON
Cataraqui Golf and Country Club❤️
Thank you so much, Brittany, I assume. it is good to hear of your adventures away from the tournaments. I am glad for Zach and you being able to travel along with Brooke, lots of lonely hours for a single person, so with you guys like a match made in heaven! It sure is work and you guys are correct to keep that in mind, the fans think fairytale but you guys, work. I think most Canadians get that perspective. It is a good feeling to have that early win, not having to press. Well build into your days rest time, don’t be trapped by the tourist bug, at least not Brooke, a normal life to shoot at, but some fun on the side is allowed.
Love this blog, great insight into the LPGA grind.
I’ve been a huge LPGA fan for over thirty years and you are by far my favorite caddie of all time. You’re like a rock star at my house! I love watching you two work together, especially following you on the course. The only opportunity I have this year is Baltrisol, so I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks, Brittany, for engaging in this project, as it gives us an insightful look at the behind-the-scenes process of the long golf season. The best of luck to you both!