Dorota, you’ve come a long way, but let’s start from the beginning. When and how did your adventure with golf begin?
When I was 9 or 10 years old, a friend of my parents told us that he was opening a golf course – Modry Las in Choszczno. He encouraged us to visit it. My mum always wanted to play golf, so we accepted the invitation and we kind of settled there. I mean, for a long time, we commuted to Choszczno from Szczecin. Golf got me hooked, although it wasn’t the only sport I played during my childhood and early youth. I also played tennis and football, among other sports, and I was equally good at those. But the time came when we had to decide on one of the sports paths. I chose golf at the age of 16.

Why?
I liked the constant striving for perfection, which is impossible to achieve, and the fact that golf is not played against someone else, but against oneself. In tennis, it’s different and it happens that a rival who has played a thousand worse matches before suddenly has a so-called lucky day and wins. I didn’t like it. Football is a team sport, and I am an individualist. While playing golf, I could spend time with my parents and friends, be outdoors, watch animals and admire the sunrises and sunsets. But that’s also how I fell in love with the sport.

You have recently graduated from university in the USA. Did the choice of university and country where you would study also have to do with golf?
Naturally! When I decided that I wanted to focus on golf, my parents, my coach and I knew that moving to the United States would give me the chance to turn professional. There, I could receive financial support and, most importantly, have the conditions to train and play, as well as the opportunity to compete with the best in this sport. Studying in the USA was simply the next logical step in my development. The right decision and – as it turned out – a successful one.

So you knew you wanted to become a professional player even before you started your studies?
At that time, I dreamt of becoming a professional golfer, but I didn’t know what it would really involve. The years I spent in the USA prepared me for this. There, I realised that being a competitive athlete requires a lot of sacrifice. It is hard work that requires good physical and mental preparation.

What does this profession involve? What does a day in the life of a professional golfer look like?
I must point out that in our environment, there are two paths to becoming a professional: being a player and being a coach. And these are different activities. As a player, I don’t teach others how to play, but I do play in the league myself. My life revolves around the games, even in the off-season. I am currently preparing for it. I get up at 7:30-8:00, eat breakfast, relax and start my workout, which I divide into three stages. I usually practise my technique for about 3 hours, then play a round of golf, 9 or 18 holes, and finally go to the gym. The order of the training stages varies, depending on my strength and plans for the day. Of course, I also have a break – we are talking during one now. Generally speaking, during the build-up to the season, I work from morning to night.

I imagine your life involves a lot of travelling. I guess you’re rarely at home.
I am currently in Marbella, Spain, but I am flying to Poland tomorrow to take care of some business, as well as to meet up with friends and spend time with my parents, who are very important to me. I try to maintain a good work-life balance. I think this is particularly important for golfers. We spend most of our time alone, which is why we really need a place to unwind and interact with people outside our professional environment. During these few days at home, I will of course train, but more easily.

You have already achieved a lot and openly state that your goal is to be number one in the world. What does that mean?
It is my biggest dream, but in order for it to come true, I have to fulfil a lot of smaller desires first. I mentioned being the best in the world in interviews, after which I got the impression that people didn’t understand what I was talking about, they thought it would happen right away. However, this will not be the case because it is a long process that will take me at least six years. First, I have to make it into the LET [Ladies European Tour – editor’s note] top 5, then move on to the LPGA [Ladies Professional Golf Association – editor’s note], which is the highest world league. I will have to win a lot of tournaments, both small and big ones, like the Meijer LPGA Classic. Only then will I become number one in the world. Maybe I can achieve this in three years. I don’t know. I realise that this may take some time. After all, I’ve only just started my career.

So, perseverance is an important factor for success in professional golf?
Definitely. I’m sure not all competitors will agree with me, but I believe that rushing can do more harm than good in this sport. You have to wait your turn – sometimes a year, sometimes 10 years – and that requires mental resilience. You should have specific goals and strive towards them, even though it is a long and difficult road.

“We golfers are difficult people, very peculiar” – these are your words. What do you mean by that?
People often perceive golfers as too confident, maybe even arrogant. However, our attitude is based on the fact that we are accompanied by strong emotions every day. We are also perfectionists, we are even crazy about details. Sometimes we overreact to trivial situations. We also love competition. In addition, as we have already said, this job involves a lot of travelling, which is not easy for us and our loved ones. So we need people around us who understand us and can give us some peace and quiet.

Your professional activity is not limited to playing. You are also a promoter of women’s golf in Poland, and you are trying to fight the stereotype that this sport is only for the rich. How would you rate its current position in our country? Has anything changed during your six years in the USA?
Many things have changed. Equipment for golfers, especially for juniors, is much more accessible. The coaches are of a much higher level and there are more places to train. Golf in Poland is developing, but we still have to fight against stereotypes, and this is primarily a task for us – the players. If we play well, the media will talk about us, kids will hear about us and be inspired by us. I want to be seen and heard – me, Dorota, who has short hair, is a cool girl and is doing great. Because even though many people think that everything was handed to me on a plate, it wasn’t like that. I am not and never have been very wealthy. I had to achieve many things on my own, learn a lot and go through a lot. I am the first Polish woman to complete certain stages in golf, and that makes me feel even more obliged. I want to share my successes and failures so that those who dream of a similar path can follow my example and achieve just as much, if not more.

How can children and young people get started in golf?
There are golf courses in almost every big city. You can get a Green Card, which is a confirmation of your knowledge of the basics of golf, and then start playing under the supervision of a coach. The costs are very low compared to tennis, especially when it comes to junior training. The clubs can be borrowed or, if you are hard-working and talented, you can get them from older players. From me too.

What are you most proud of?
I always have trouble answering this question. Definitely because I’m breaking new ground. Although… I guess most of it is that I didn’t give up, although I was close to doing so. I didn’t take the easy way out and I’m still fighting. Even though I am aware that my journey may be longer and that I will have to start over and over again, slowly climbing the rankings, I know that I will endure. I was raised to be a strong woman and I have become one.

When you talked about your beginnings in golf, you said that you enjoyed being in touch with nature while playing. Do you have a favourite golf course? Or is there one you would like to play on?
I have played on many courses around the world, but I favour the one where I started more than any other. I have many memories of Modry Las, but I can say that it is also just a beautiful, magical place. I also really like Black Water Links, not far from Poznań. I don’t have any dreams of playing on a specific course anywhere in the world. I see playing matches in different places as part of my job. If I had a choice, I would take turns playing on both of the courses I mentioned. I feel best at home in Poland.

Dorota Zalewska
Born in 1999 in Szczecin. At the age of 13, she joined the national golf team. During her amateur career, she represented Poland many times, both individually and as part of a team, in European and world arenas – among others, she was the youngest competitor in the team world championships. Winner of the 10th Dr Irena Eris Ladies’ Golf Cup. In 2018, she started studying and playing in the USA, where she was recruited by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to play in the top academic golf league. After turning professional in 2023, she became the only Polish woman in history to be promoted to the top European women’s professional league.