At this year’s US Women’s Open, English golfer Charley Hull caused a stir on social media because she smoked cigarettes on the golf course.

?????? #ARROW SZN — World No. 8 Charley Hull was spotted casually sinking a dart mid-round at the US Women’s Open?@AshleyRoss888

pic.twitter.com/crhfrBRKNL

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 31, 2024

Ahead of this week’s Paris Olympics, the 28-year-old’s ability to play well was questioned as she was banned from smoking on the golf course at the Olympics.

“I smoke on the court, that’s just the way it is,” Hull said during her pre-tournament press conference. “It’s a habit, but I’m not going to do it this week. I don’t think it’s allowed.”

When asked if she was worried that quitting smoking would have a negative impact on her performance, she said: “Yes, I think so, because it relaxes me a little. But it is what it is.”

“My father has smoked 40 cigarettes a day since he was 12 and is now 75, and my nephew has been a smoker for about 25 years. My whole family smokes, so it didn’t strike me as odd.

“(But) I hate smoking. When I was younger I used to yell at my dad for smoking, but I think that’s a bit of a thing when I’m stressed. I was a bit stressed last year and I just vaped, and I wanted to quit vaping, and although smoking isn’t any better than vaping, you can just vape indoors all the time.

“I thought if I smoked, I would go outside and smoke a cigarette. When I play a slow round on the golf course, I smoke significantly more than I should.

“But listen, I’m going to stop soon. It’s just a question of when.”

Not smoking may have hurt Hull in the first round of the Olympics, where she scored +9, placing 58th out of 60 players in the field.

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