In My Golf Locker: MK Morrissey

There are some bodies of work that are considered to be cultural resets. This is the kind of art that shapes and inspires entire generations, redefining a trend, raising the bar and potentially chartering a new genre as a whole. The kind of thing that after you watch, read, or listen to it you’re simply changed forever.

The etymological tale of The Wizard of Oz, better known as Wicked is one of those pieces.

Based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that was later transformed with music and lyrics written by Stephen Schwartz, the theatrical phenomenon has garnered even more attention in the past year due to the release of the “Wicked” movie, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

But even before the two pop divas landed the Hollywood-ified roles of Elephaba and Glinda, Wicked has been one of the most prolific shows on Broadway since its debut in October 2003.

For so many young performers, to land a role in a production like this one is life altering, and it was exactly that for Mary Kate Morrissey—but we got to know her as just MK, the golf fanatic.

It was what many would consider to be the most perfect late summer day in New York—think mild temperatures, the sun hung high in the sky, and the clouds were doing that thing where they look almost cartoonish—when MK agreed to spend the day with Skratch. Walking us through her ideal day in the city, which consisted of two things: golf and the theater. (We may have indulged in some champers, but more on that later!)

Decked out in Malbon streetwear, in her signature shade of Wicked green, golf bag in tow, MK met us at the Five Iron Golf storefront located near Grand Central—the place that's become like a second home to her.

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Related: Malbon and Gap Go All in on All-American Vibes

Like most of us, MK's parents always desired for her and her siblings to pick up the game, but it wasn't until she landed the principal role in the famed show when golf came soaring into her life granting her an escape of sorts.

"I remember wanting to practice being a beginner at something when I had just booked Elephaba," the Broadway star told us. "I was going to be a pro in a major way in a major year—the year the movie was coming out—and I was playing the green girl!

It was so much pressure, having to feed so much confidence, into being the pro and taking up that space. I really wanted to balance it with learning something new."

If there's any game or hobby in the world that will serve you up a dose of humble pie and reduce you to your most vulnerable state, it's golf.

But, as you can imagine, playing the lead in one of the most popular Broadway shows with eight performances a week doesn't quite lend itself to getting in 18, especially in New York City, so sim golf it was for Morrissey.

Most beginners try to go all in, all at once, but for MK it was gradual. She picked out a sim spot close to her home in Brooklyn, took a few lessons there using a set of clubs gifted to her by her mom.

"I started with a beginner set of clubs, like from TaylorMade. A beginner's woman set that my mom gave me. My mom picked up the game, which is why I started playing, because I love hanging out with her. And she was like, if you want to hang out with me, you have to learn how to play golf."

It was the perfect timing on all accounts. Her mom wanted quality time and MK wanted a new hobby to ground herself during the biggest break of her career. And very quickly she recognized that her love for performing and entertaining weren't mutually exclusive to her new found admiration for golf.

"[When] I was still playing Elphie [Elephaba], someone asked me to sing at their birthday party. After a two-show day, they asked me to sing “Happy Birthday, and “As Long as You’re Mine (from Wicked). So, I quoted them an entire bag of clubs and got fitted the next day up at Sleepy Hollow.

And so now I have this awesome set of clubs that they said would grow with me, which is good, because I don't even know how to use my hybrids yet."

Here’s what she’s currently playing.

As we were warming up in the simulator bay, MK rung up her swing coach and friend, Ellen Ceresko to ask her what she needed to work on. Fresh off an Italian vacation with her husband, the performer needed a little tune up because she was heading down to Kiawah Island for a golf trip.

While she was getting dialed with Ellen, we took a closer look as the vessel (pun intended) holding her recently fitted irons.

The sleek Vessel bag is simple—something the brand has mastered. It's a classic, crisp white color with personalized little details dedicated to MK. "My husband got it for me, which is why it says, MK Blake," she described. "I would not have put my name on it or bats, but it was a gift."

What's the significance behind the bats? It's a fun little anecdote actually. "My husband and I saw a opera in Vienna, called "Die Fledermaus" which is about this bat. And he's like a bat, that's you! You sleep all day, and you're an agent of chaos at night. Because I go and perform for thousands of people. So he put bats on my bag—it's a conversation starter."

Casually littered on her bag sits a myriad of bag tags from all the courses she's played. From Valhalla to TPC Sawgrass, MK has gotten to play some unbelievable courses in her 12-month golf journey.

"I went to Sawgrass right after the Masters last year, and I birdied 16, and then I put two in the water on 17." Classic.

"But that was my first true birdie. On 16. I hit my driver and [it] went forever. Then my nine iron, and then chipping off the lip. It was amazing. Me and my friends just lost it. I did a cartwheel. People were trying to golf and I did a cartwheel just celebrating. And then the next hole was just like, dink in the water. Dink in the water. That's golf."

I know that I'm gonna nail a high note every time. Do you know what I mean? A par feels like a birdie. A birdie feels like a hole in one right now," MK said. "Right now, I live in Bogey Wonderland.

Accompanying those little bag tags are another small accessory that often go overlooked. They're mainly some sort of luxe item that people may gift to someone as a gag gift of sorts or a stocking stuffer, but MK loves a good golf pouch.

"I wear a lot of rings, and I don't like to play with them. These little pouches—I just got one for my mom too. Your stuff never falls out of this," she explained.

"And I actually lost a wedding ring on the course. So now I'm really, really, really, like, I have to put it in here instead of a pocket. So girls get one of these on your bag no matter what."

But perhaps the true star or stars of the show are Morrissey's headcovers. None of which match, and yet live in perfect harmony like one of the songs she'll belt out. "My head cover game is real strong. This is my daisy. She's been through it with me. But this just like, makes me so happy. This is how you can tell that I love to listen to Paul Simon on the course, he's my man."

Music forever the driving force for the actress even while she's playing.

But the other extensions of her personality come through in her headcovers. "[I] have a Devereaux one, a Sleepy Hollow one, because I got to play Sleepy once, which is so cool.

I just think their logo is fire. And I don't adhere to the like, if you're not a member, you can't wear their logo. I love agreed, like, merch is my love language, and so I'm gonna have a cool logo on my bag. I don't care."

And as she worked her way through her different fabric souvenirs, one looked oddly familiar. Our friends, Sugarloaf Social Club have a special place on the highly decorative bag.

Naturally, we had to inquire about how she unearthed one of our favorite brands that feel is more of a community.

"I think I came across them kind of organically on the internet," said Morrissey. "Just like was maybe served an ad and thought it was cool. And I like all the different stuff that that they all do, especially I think the head covers are so cool and the socks, obviously are fly.

This headcover is sharp. I love it. I'm a texture girly.”

Morrissey is one of the most fascinating people to have entered the golf scene in the past 12 months and she just gets it. Golf to her is an escape and she's learning new depths to herself in a way that our game can unearth.

Dive deeper into MK's golf journey and how we spent an entire day together.

Watch: The Perfect Golf Day in New York City With Broadway Star MK Morrissey