Brittany Marchand

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Mississauga, ON. I grew up in Orangeville, ON from the age of 10 until university.

I now live in: I live in the United States now, in Cary, North Carolina.

I completed my training/education at: went to Orangeville District Secondary School. While in high school, I trained hard at golf and eventually became a member of the Canadian National Team. During high school though, I enjoyed and excelled in math, physics and chemistry. Then I received a full ride athletic scholarship to North Carolina State University in the United States for golf. I chose to study Chemical Engineering. I completed my degree with honours in 2015. I succeeded in collegiate golf as well, so I decided to turn professional when I finished school.

What I do at work

My job is definitely very different from your typical day job. Most of my days at work include being outside practicing or playing golf. I also spend time working out in the gym and any other activities that help support my success in golf (e.g., meditation, reading, physical therapy, etc.). In golf, a lot of the reasoning behind why I work on certain movements or use certain clubs, comes down to science. I use a lot of new technology in order to improve how far I hit the ball and how straight I hit the ball. I also use technology and my knowledge of physics to understand the movement patterns in the golf swing. Having a background in engineering has really helped me understand technically why I am doing certain things in my golf swing. I definitely believe this gives me an advantage.

In professional golf, you also have a caddy that is with you on the golf course. My caddy and I are a team. My caddy is extremely important, as he carries my bag, helps me with decisions on the golf course, helps me when I get nervous, and assists me when I am practicing before and after tournament rounds. Together we solve problems and work hard to have a good relationship, so that we get the best results in competition. Another huge part about being a professional athlete is the entertainment factor. Even though we are competing for money to make a living, we also are entertaining the fans and sponsors, who essentially make it possible for us to compete for money. We have to know how to interact with the media and engage with fans and sponsors. For this reason, it is very important to have good social skills.

My career path is

First off, I always knew I had a passion for math and science, even at a young age. With golf, I knew I wanted to be on the LPGA from the age of 12. When I was 14, I knew that I wanted to get a scholarship to the US for golf and then eventually turn professional after university. My own hard work and dedication are definitely huge parts of where I am today, but I also believe there are so many people who have played a huge role in helping me get here as well. In high school, I was very lucky to have teachers who encouraged me to pursue the subjects like math and science. My physics teacher told me, I would make a good engineer and encouraged me to take AP physics. I also had a math teacher who encouraged me to join a math club to improve my math skills. Even though, these weren't really popular things to join, I decided that I wouldn't let what other people thought, influence me away from the subjects I loved. I also had parents who were always pushing me to be the best I could be, in school and golf. In golf, I was extremely lucky to have an amazing coach and mentor, who helped shape me into the golfer and person I am today. Without a combination of my parents, my teachers and my coaches pushing me to be true to myself in every aspect, I don't think I would have ended up where I am now... a professional golfer with a degree in chemical engineering!

I am motivated by

At the heart of it all, I love to compete! There is nothing better than seeing all your hard work pay off, under pressure, in a competition. I also really love to learn and continue to improve my skills. It excites me to learn about new technology or new ways to get better at the game. This is also tied in with my love for math and science. I love to understand the science and math behind the movements and decisions I make in golf. Getting to bring both of my passions together is an amazing part of my job. I also love the travel I get to do, seeing so many different parts of the world. Being outside every day is another huge bonus to playing professional golf. And then opportunities like, working with Let's Talk Science, are the most personally rewarding parts of the job. I love to be able to help others through my career. Having ways to share my story and inspire youth is very important to me.

How I affect peoples’ lives

Being a professional athlete can be an amazing platform to help and inspire others. As you become more successful, you have the ability to be heard about something that you are passionate about. Being in the media, having partnerships with companies, and having a fan base, are all things that allow you to have a voice and make a difference in whatever you choose. For me, Let's Talk Science, is one of those things I am passionate about. I want to be a role model and inspire youth, to be true to themselves and pursue STEM!

Outside of work I

For fun, I like to play board games, do puzzles, go on walks or hikes and I love to shop! To relax, I do yoga, meditate and read. Some other kinds of sports or activities I enjoy doing are, hiking, skating and kayaking.