For most pros, offseason self-improvement means breaking in a new driver. Sandra Gal spent five days at a silent retreat, meditating and walking barefoot in the woods.

The 10-year LPGA veteran has always been a seeker, and her path to self-discovery is about a lot more than her golf game. Gal, 31, remains committed to maximizing her considerable potential; immediate goals include making a third Solheim Cup team and getting back into the top 40 on the money list, where she finished every season from 2011-15.

But the native of Dusseldorf, Germany, is a world citizen who is more focused on the journey. I sat down with her to talk about the meaning of life, the nature of love and, oh yeah, a little golf.