Charley Hull: Smoking Ban Could Affect Olympics Chances

The 28-year-old spoke to the media before appearing in the Olympics at Le Golf National, where she admitted a smoking ban at the event could affect her chances

Charley Hull takes a shot during a practice round before the Olympics golf tournament
Charley Hull has explained why she won't be smoking at the Olympics
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Charley Hull created plenty of headlines at June’s US Women’s Open when she was pictured and filmed signing a fan’s autograph while smoking a cigarette.

By her own admission, “it lit up,” as her habit went viral across social media, while she has also been spotted smoking in subsequent tournaments after taking it up in an attempt to stop vaping.

Following the Major at Lancaster Country Club, Hull vowed to quit “soon,” saying: “I thought if I smoke, I'm going to go outside and smoke a cigarette. When it's a slow round on the golf course I smoke quite a few more than I should. But listen, I will stop soon. It's just when."

For the Olympics at least, where she will play for Team GB at Le Golf National this week, the decision has already been taken for her.

Hull spoke to the media alongside fellow Team GB player Georgia Hall before this week’s tournament, where she admitted she won’t be found smoking as it’s prohibited. She said: “Yeah, I do smoke on the course. It's a habit but I won't do this week. Yeah, just something I do. I don't think you're allowed.”

At the US Women’s Open, Hull remarked that she first took up vaping, then smoking, when she was “a bit stressed” last year, so will the ban affect her in the high-stakes environment of the Olympics? Hull thinks it could. She added: “Yeah, I think it will. Because it relaxes me a little bit. But it is what it is.”

Charley Hull smoking at the US Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club

Charley Hull went viral after she was seen smoking at the US Women's Open

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Even without smoking to take the edge off in Paris this week, Hull is determined to make the most of her second Olympics appearance, particularly after her initial experience, at the 2020 Games in Tokyo, had restrictions due to Covid-19.

She said: “It's really good. Roughly with Covid last time around, it was a bit tricky. But yeah, I'm super excited to do it. Went out and saw the golf course and it was in lovely condition and excited to get out there tomorrow.”

Smoking’s not the only thing Hull has put to one side – involuntarily or otherwise – recently. She also revealed she has curtailed her social media activity of late: “I don't actually go on Instagram,” she said. “I haven't gone on Instagram in about four or five months. I don't go on social media or anything. I just let my agent do it. I just concentrate on my golf and just hang out with Georgia off the golf course.”

Hull gets her challenge underway in a group with Australia’s Hannah Green and the US’s Rose Zhang with a tee time of 3.44am EDT (8.44am BST) in Wednesday’s opening round.

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Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.