Noa Van Beek is a very talented 8.2 handicapper playing with the Dutch Under 14 National Team. Noa has big LPGA dreams and the determination to reach her goals. We caught up with Noa and her parents online to find out more about this very promising young golfer.
Hi Noa, you are our first featured junior golfer from the Netherlands. What made you want to start playing golf?
I was 7 years old when I started with playing golf with my father René. Often I walked with my dad on the golf course when he was playing a practice round. I asked him if I could try it myself. I started with putting and chipping. After 2 years I started to play competition golf on the Top Golf Holland Tour with dad as my caddie.
Where do you play and practice your golf?
When I started playing golf I became a member of the Lochemse Golfclub ‘de Graafschap’. There I met some other kids and we still play on the same golf team. We became competition champions last year. I train and play a lot with my younger sister, Fleur she’s 10 years and plays to a handicap of 22.3.
Are you having lessons?
Yes. I have a one on one lesson every week with my pro, Tim Nijenhuis. Once a week a have a team training with the Legends Golf team for 3 hours. Every 4 weeks I have a short game lesson for 2 hours with Mark Reyonolds (a famous trick golfer). From Mark I learned some trick shots, It’s a lot of fun!
Beside golf I have a lot of golf fitness (TPI) training with my physical coach Liesbeth Pauwels at the Dutch Golf Performance Institute (DGPI). I love fitness and yoga. It makes me strong and fit. I also like swimming and running.
What do you love most about golf?
I like to be outside on a golf course in beautiful natural surroundings. I love to compete and the game of golf brings out the best in me.
Best golf experience ever?
That will be last year’s Netherlands National Strokeplay Championship (Girls 12). I came second. It was an exciting match because it wasn’t decided until hole 18. Since 2014, I’ve been a member of the Under 14 Dutch National team. It’s an honour to train and play for the Dutch National Golf team. I played twice against Belgium which was a great experience!
What part of the game do you love the most?
I love and practice every part of the game, but putting and driving with my Wilson Staff D200 driver are my favorites. I train for many hours on my putting because putting is very important. My pro, Tim Nijenhuis recently fitted a custom made ZEN putter a specially for me and we train also on the SamLab, so my putting will be better this year. My average putts per round was 31.6 last year. I love my driver and I love to smash the ball and split the fairway. Last year I hit an average of 66.6% fairways. My best round was a 78 from the red ladies tee and an 82 from the ladies blue back tee.
Who is your favorite player and why?
Lexi Thompson is my favorite golf player. She’s a world-class, strong and competitive golfer. Last year at school I made an essay about Lexi Thompson’s life so far and why I really admire her, I got an A.
Parents Esther and René about their daughter, Noa:
Noa is a very hard working, persistent, sports girl. She’s very determined to become a very good golfer. She even decided to change school in August 2016 to the Centre of Sports Education which is an hour travelling from our home. Noa’s very social with friends at school or on the junior golf tour and likes to ‘party’ and have fun. Together with her sister Fleur and other friends they spent a lot of time on the golf course. When she is hanging out she likes social media and shopping. She loves our dog Kiara.
Noa’s Coach, Tim Nijenhuis
Noa has been part of our “Legends Jr.” junior program for several years. Last year I started one-on-one coaching with her. In the winter 2014/2015, we did a lot of work on the basics of golf technique. Over season 2015, Noa’s game improved a lot as she gained more distance and a really improved her short game.
This winter we did a lot of work on putting. I fitted her a Custom Built ZEN putter which she putts really well with. We also worked on improving her green reading. The goal for her full swing is to hit high draws, she is almost there. Key points for her swing technique are, stability in her legs in the backswing, straight left wrist on the top of the backswing, let the club drop inside in the downswing, balanced follow through.
Noa has a good attitude for golf, she works hard but also enjoys being on the golf course and loves competing.
Tim Nijenhuis,
PGA Head Professional,
Golfclub De Graafschap
Website: www.nijenhuisgolf.nl/
Instagram: @nijenhuisgolf
Thank you to Noa, the Van Beek family, and Tim Nijenhuis for this chance to find out about such a promising golfer. To stay up to date with Noa’s progress online, follow her Instagram account @noa_van_beek or on Twitter @Noa_van_Beek.
Photo Credit: Feature image of Noa Van Beek by Maarten Eekelaar
