It’s all a far cry from the Carly Booth who made history aged 11 when becoming the youngest ladies’ club champion in the UK, winning the title at her home club, Dunblane New, in 2003.
Just four years later, aged 15, she was rated the No.1 junior in Europe after winning the 2007 European Junior Masters, the same year she lifted the Scottish U18 and U21 titles.
In 2008, she became the youngest player to represent GB & Ireland in the 76-year history of the Curtis Cup.
She also played at the Junior Ryder Cup in 2006 and 2008, and in 2009 became the youngest-ever Scottish golfer to qualify for the Scottish Women’s Open.
After finishing 14th at the Ladies European Tour qualifying school in 2010, Booth made her pro debut in Morocco in 2011, and success soon followed, landing her breakthrough win at the 2012 Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield Links, then adding the Ladies Swiss Open a couple of months later.
But she had to wait another five years to enter the winner’s circle again, capturing the Czech Ladies Open in 2019.
A year later a major shoulder injury took her out of the game for five months and signalled the beginning of what has been an incredibly frustrating period of her career.
PRIDE OF THE PAST
Looking back on those early whirlwind years, Booth says: “After my amateur career, there was huge expectation on me to rise to the top.
Winning twice in 2012 was a big weight off my shoulders, but the next season was a tough lesson. It’s all mental.
When I was winning, I was so full of confidence that after tournaments I’d take a few days off, not even touch a club.
Then when I started to struggle, I was hitting the range all the time trying to solve my problems. Doubting myself, and my swing. That’s not good for your game.”
She adds: “I look back at my three wins with great pride, but I still feel I have so much to offer in the game.
It was just unfortunate that I picked up my shoulder injury and then to have two knees replaced in the one year was a big setback, so it’s been difficult.
But I’m not done yet. I’ve always loved a challenge, and I won’t be shying away from this one.”
