For Solheim couple, par for course means balancing work, family

"You're about 153 yards to the front of the green," he says.

"Did you remember to take the garbage out last night?" she asks.

What?

It's easy to imagine that kind of conversation happening between Craig and Nicole Castrale or any husband-wife, caddie-golfer combo on the pro tour.

But it doesn't. Not for the Castrales.

"No," Craig said with a laugh. "We're very good at separating it. Nicole is all business when it comes to golf. When she's inside the ropes it's like the whole world outside stops. To be a top player like she is you're always thinking about golf.

"We try to keep the golf talk to a minimum at home. She and I both make a conscious effort to keep it separate."

They'll have to step up that effort a notch this weekend when they hit the links at Rich Harvest Farms as part of the U.S. squad that will be defending the Solheim Cup. This couple with Illinois connections will certainly be mixing both worlds - family and work - when they compete against the top European golfers in the three-day match play competition that begins Friday at the Sugar Grove course.

"Our ticket requests are at 70 right now," said Castrale, who grew up in West Frankfort, Ill., and attended Southern Illinois University, where he played on the golf team. "Nicole has family here; she has cousins in Chicago. Her parents and family from the West Coast are coming, and all my family and friends are coming up from southern Illinois.

"It's going to be pretty rowdy out there."

Unfortunately the Castrale duo probably won't be able to enjoy it as much as they might normally.

"It's a good and bad thing," he said. "The greatest thing is so many people can come and support us. I hope I haven't ruined it for them because I told them it's going to be the best golf experience of their life, because I truly think it is."

But -

"Come Friday, once the ball's thrown up, it's 36 holes and you're tired," he said. "We'll just have quiet team dinners and then get back up early the next morning. They (relatives and friends) understand it's a team deal, it's not like a normal event where we have time to talk to them."

But don't think the Castrale family won't be having a blast.

"The way we get treated with the accommodations and everything - if you can find anything to complain about I'd like to know," Craig said.

The couple first met in 2002 when Craig was caddying part-time on LPGA Tour (and handling pro shop duties at Franklin County Country Club) and Nicole was an LPGA rookie. After becoming her full-time caddie in the fall of 2003, he hasn't worked for anyone else.

They wed in 2005 and things have gone quite nicely on the course since. Nicole recently crossed the $2 million mark in career earnings and this week she will be making her second Solheim Cup appearance.

"I'm not going to lie; it isn't easy," Craig said. "I caddied before we met, so I think she had a trust in me as a caddie first. So we've always had a good relationship on and off the course because she respects me as a caddie once we're inside the ropes."

But his job extends outside the ropes as well.

"I try to be husband, caddie, manager - I do all the travel, the accounting," he said. "I just want her to play golf.

"This is my tenth year on Tour and you watch - the best players don't have outside distractions. All they're worried about is getting the club face squared at impact and hitting good golf shots.

"That's what I try to do for Nicole."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Photo Galleries</h2> <ul class="gallery"> <li><a href="/story/?id=314617">Tuesday images from the Solheim Cup </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=314310">Monday images from the Solheim Cup </a></li> </ul> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="http://www.dailyherald.com/multimedia/?category=18&type=video&item=2">Solheim Cup After Sundown party </a></li> </ul> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="/packages/2009/solheimcup/">Complete Daily Herald coverage of the Solheim Cup</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>