She is the most photographed female athlete this side of Jennie Finch, but only on her terms. She admires Anna Kournikova – because of her business savvy. She lives in Las Vegas, not for the glamour, but because of the tax breaks and to be close to her coach.
Natalie Gulbis understands why fans leer at her; she doesn’t mind and may even encourage it to some extent. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that her looks are the only thing she has going for her.
“I don’t think players should be ashamed for being attractive, for being athletic,” Gulbis says. “Tiger (Woods) isn’t ashamed for being in great shape; he’s a great role model, he looks great on TV, he’s a good-looking guy.
“He’s proud of all that stuff. It’s the combination of all that stuff that makes him such a marketing machine and a great player.”
Gulbis is certainly learning the marketing game. She shot a calendar in 2004 that was considered too racy to be sold at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open in South Hadley, Mass., but was popular enough that, according to the model, “we sold every one we printed.”
When the word got out that Gulbis was interested in doing a reality series, she was courted by the likes of MTV and Spike TV but eventually settled on The Golf Channel. The show – like the 2006 calendar – will debut next month.
The rationale for that choice was twofold. One, despite the calendars and photo shoots and beefcake boyfriend (Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger), Gulbis values her privacy. So, while she had cameras follow her all spring, they only got so much footage.
“They’re shooting my public life,” she says. “If I was at a signing and people had cameras shooting pictures, there’s no difference having one extra camera. They’ll come to the barbecue (she hosted at a tournament), but they’re not going to have dinner with me and my family every night.
“Some of the other (reality) shows, they wanted a camera on me 16, 18 hours a day. It’s hard to be an athlete and have that. It might not be for others, but I felt like it would be for me.”
Reason No. 2 is that more than anything else, Gulbis wants to be regarded as an athlete, as a golfer. When she was asked at the LPGA Championship if she enjoyed her extracurricular activities more than golf, Gulbis was incredulous.
“No way. It’s not even close,” she says.
Kournikova got typecast because she never won an event on the pro tennis tour; Gulbis, 22, has yet to win, but it’s likely just a matter of time. Last season, she had six top-15 finishes; she already has had five this year, including a tie for third at the prestigious Michelob Ultra Open.
“She’s just learning how to play out here, to be out here by herself,” says her father, John. “Before, I used to do everything. I’d pick her club, I’d line her up and say, ‘Hit it here.”‘
Now, most of that work is done by Gulbis, with a little assist from her coach. That would be Butch Harmon, a man who helped make a substantive improvement in Woods’ golf game.
