Julie Richardson - Champion lady at Waverley

Julie Richardson, Australia

Australian Ladies Open champion Julie Richardson has been playing Pitch and Putt for a long time. "l started playing Pitch and Putt in Keysborough in 1989 when a friend from work asked if l would like to come and try it. I would only play on a Saturday and he and his girlfriend would teach me how to play. He gave up but we played every Sat. Then the course closed and we starting playing at Waverley around 1999. We enjoyed the challenge. Waverley's course is one of the hardest."

Julie's success doesn't happen by accident. the preparatory work is done. "I play Pitch and Putt every weekend, weather permitting, and as l work fulltime l try and play on my day off. Regulation golf takes too long and that is why l play Pitch and Putt as you can get around in 1 and half to two hours."

Like many Pitch and Putt greats, Julie's preparation takes place on the course, not on the practice tee. "Playing Pitch and Putt on the weekends is the only practice l get before a tournament. The only time l practice before is if we are away and have travelled a couple of days before the tournament starts and we do travel around Australia. We have been to Adelaide, Canberra and Wagga Wagga for the Australian Open and for the inter challenge which is against Melbourne, Canberra and Wagga Wagga."

Julie previously won her national Open in 2010 but the 2014 success means more. "I would say the winning the Australian Open the second time is more special. The first time it was great because it was a new experience but winning the Open at your home turf so to speak was even more special as l proved to myself more than anything that l could do it at home and l could finally beat all the rivals that l have so long admired and look up to on my home turf."

"Winning the Australian Open is never easy and l went into the competition with not much practice as l pulled out of the Victorian Open due to illness and it was still not 100% that l would play. I went into the competition with no expectation as if l win anything it would be a bonus, so when l got told l was leading l just had to stay calm and try to play my own game and try not to bother what my rivals were doing. I was only going into the third round with 6 strokes in front so anything could have happened and nothing is a sure thing in this game. After the third round l thought l might have just done enough to win as long as l could play steady in the fourth round. Some great ladies play our game but we were all having a hard time on the course in the final rounds due to the very hot weather and sometimes things don't go the way we think they should."

Julie would like to see some fresh female blood in Pitch and Putt. "Not enough ladies play Pitch and Putt and we need to encourage more players as a lot of our ladies are getting older and it is hard for them to get around the course and we need to more young people of both sexes to play as it is a great sport if you don't want to be out on the course too long Waverley is more of a second family to us as we have competitions on nearly every day of the week and anyone can play even if you are 5 to 85."

What could the national association do differently to help? "I think APPA could make pitch and putt more popular by more information to the public with web sites and newsletter's and helping out the people who own the courses with getting more people to play. Pitch and Putt can be played by anyone and we need to help people see that somehow."

What about international Pitch and Putt? "The only courses l've played outside Australia was when l was on holiday in Canada and we came across and Pitch and Putt course on Stanley Park and we got talking to some guys and they said there are courses all over Canada. Also l played in England - in Nottingham and in Portsmouth. They were not as good as Australian courses."

Julie is envious of the experience of fellow Aussie Open victor Marc Fischer, who played in the Emerald Isle in 1997. "I would like to play in Ireland one day if l can as they say the courses there are great to play and it would be an experience.

She would be more than welcome.