England cricketer Sophie Ecclestone on World Cup dreams, mental health and becoming obsessed with golf!

One of the world's leading cricketers, England spinner Sophie Ecclestone, joins us on the Why Golf podcast to talk about her passion for a game that’s quite different to the one she competes in professionally!Fresh from being named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year, Sophie reflects on her remarkable rise in the game, England's hopes of lifting a World Cup on home soil, and what it's like playing in front of packed crowds around the world.She also opens up about a difficult period away from the cricket pitch, why golf became her "safe space" during that time, and the friendship she found through the sport when she needed it most.Plus, Sophie reveals how she first caught the golf bug during the covid pandemic, why she feels more nervous standing on the first tee than bowling for England, and why she thinks golf might actually be harder than cricket!00:00 Introduction06:00 Playing for England, The Hundred, IPL & More08:23 England's T20 World Cup and Home Crowd Advantage10:27 Life on Tour and Travelling the World11:22 Why Business Class Has Made Sophie a Snob!12:25 Cricket Role Models and Inspiring the Next Generation13:25 How Sophie Fell in Love with Golf During Covid15:02 Why Sophie Has Banished Her Driver17:21 Why Golf Is the Hardest Sport She's Ever Played20:58 Why So Many Athletes Become Obsessed with Golf21:53 Golf as a Safe Space22:34 Mental Health, Recovery and the Friend Golf Gave Her25:55 Why Golf Creates More Pressure Than Playing for England26:58 First Tee Nerves and Watching the Solheim Cup28:55 What Cricket and Golf Can Learn From Each Other29:37 Team Culture, Friendship and Winning30:14 The Best Golf Courses Sophie Has Played Worldwide32:37 If Sophie Could Play Golf Anywhere Tomorrow...33:05 Dream Fourball: Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson & More35:24 Sophie's Dream Golf Superpower36:46 Solheim Cup Predictions37:29 Sophie's Why Golf?