Charlotte Jackson chats to Golfmagic

Golfmagic caught up with Sky Sports News presenter Charlotte Jackson at the Macmillan Longest Day Golf Challenge launch at Stoke Park.

Charlotte is just one of a number of celebrities who will be playing 100 holes in a day with Golfmagic on June 25 to help raise money for people affected by cancer.

So Charlotte, are you looking forward to playing 100 holes with us at Stoke Park in the Macmillan Longest Day Challenge?

Absolutely. It’s going to be tough but it’s for a great cause, especially when we all know so many people that have been affected by cancer. 100 holes and teeing off at 4am is going to be horrendous though! I’ve only played 18 holes before, so it’s going to be knackering. How many holes have you played in a day?

I played 72 for Muscular Dystrophy last year and I was crawling on my final nine! My advice is to take a clean pair of socks for each round. 

[Laughs] Really? I’ll bear that in mind. I’m really looking forward to it, we’ll just have to make sure we’re fed and watered. Five and half rounds is a lot but everyone’s in the same boat so it should be great fun. I think we’ll be crawling to the next tee at the end.

How’s the golf game?

Not too bad, actually. I was really lucky as I’ve just come back from Barbados and managed to play The Green Monkey. But I’ve just found out that I can’t play for three weeks. You may know I broke my toe on Splash! but apparently I have done too much too soon and I’ve now displaced a bone!

My golf is getting better, though. I’m now down to an 18 handicap. The weather has been so bad here so it’s been nice to fit some golf in.

Talking of breaking things, I hear you’ve been rather injury prone throughout your sports career?

Yeah when I was two years old I broke my collar bone, I then later went on to break my metatarsal playing football, my leg skiing, my arm twice while horse riding, my fingers playing lacrosse and my nose water skiing! And then obviously, my toe while diving.

Ouch. Sounds like we’ll have to take good care of you out on the course. So what's the best part of your golf game?

It would probably have to be my driving. Everyone is always surprised at how far I can drive the ball for a girl!

And the worst?

Reading the greens is where I need most help. When we were away last week, everything sloped towards the sea, but I just couldn’t figure it out.

Have you had lessons from any Tour pros?

Not so much but I’ve had a few lessons with the pro down at Dukes Meadows and been given a couple of good tips from Justin Rose’s caddie, who is really good.

Where do you play most of your golf in the UK?

I’m not a member anywhere but play quite a bit at Stoke Park, London Golf Club, Wentworth and The Buckinghamshire. When I get back to my mum and dad’s, I play at Stoneham Golf Club where Matt Le Tissier is a member.

Is Le Tiss the best golfer out of those at Sky Sports News?

Yeah, he’s very good. He does play a lot, though!

Dream fourball?

Probably Camilo Villegas, as he’s quite nice to look at! Tiger Woods so I could get to know what he’s actually like and I guess someone like Denis Pugh, so he can help teach me along the way!

What do you think women’s golf needs to do to up its appeal?

I think more people are getting into it and there’s plenty of raw talent coming through, but maybe we just need to get the press more involved in promoting a British talent so young girls can start following someone and taking an interest. Just look at the London Olympics and the amount of girls who are now getting into athletics and looking up to Jess Ennis.

Have you ever used your feminine charms to have a long putt conceded?  

[Laughs] I’ve joked about it before, but no, I don’t think so. When it comes to golf, a man doesn’t want to lose to a woman! I suppose during a couple of bad rounds, and I’ve got a lengthy putt or something, then I might flick the eyes!

What’s been your most embarrassing moment as a sports presenter?

We had an embarrassing moment two weeks ago during the Champions League when Borussia Dortmund and Malaga were playing. We went over to Iain Dowie and he took a shine to the Malaga keeper called Wily. He kept bringing up innuendos but he said he was going to do it just before we went live. I think he said ‘good strong hand there from Wily’ and it had us in giggles.

Another memorable one was during Joey Barton’s press conference when he put on a French accent for the first time, and I hadn’t seen it. I tried a French accent myself while I was watching it and then when it came back to me, I lost it laughing. I had to read a link but I was laughing so much. I had people in my ear saying, ‘Are you ok Charlotte, shall we go to the next link?’

Also, we have to run to the loo in a break as we haven’t got long. I once ran and fell in the studio and Tony Gale unfortunately saw it and then announced it to everyone when we went back on air. 

Following your successful appearance on Splash! are there any more TV appearances away from Sky Sports in the pipeline?

I have lots of meetings going on at the moment with ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 so hopefully all of those will come off. Sky has also put me on their diving finals in Edinburgh, so it looks like I’m suddenly the new diving expert!

I read you had a fear of heights before you went on Splash!

Totally! Even the initial jump from the 5m board was scary. I remember standing up there and doing my first jump off the 10m board and Tom Daley said ‘just jump, hold my hand and do it’. I had to let go of his hand as we got to the water as we were travelling at about 30mph. I quickly got used to it though. Jumping off a board is so much easier than diving into it!

Thanks Charlotte, see you in June. 

Click here to learn how YOU can take part in the Macmillan Longest Day Golf Challenge. Follow @Golfmagic on Twitter

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