One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

Today, I woke up at 5:00 as usual. I took my two dogs for a walk and decided to try a different route. I have always loved exploring new paths, but walking with my dogs makes me more careful. I never know if a new route will be safe. There could be dogs guarding their homes, stray dogs wandering around, or other unexpected surprises. So we usually follow the same familiar path. This morning, however, I trusted my curiosity. We discovered a quiet stream hidden above Jeongbang Waterfall. My two dogs immediately forgot about the familiar route. They happily wandered from one patch of grass to another, stopping every few steps to sniff new scents. Watching them explore reminded me that the joy isn't only in reaching a destination—it's in discovering something we didn't know was there. And that's exactly why I love golf. Every round feels like walking a new path. Even on the same course, nothing is ever quite the same. The wind changes. The lie changes. My swing changes...

Today, my golf bag stayed home. Instead, a 20-liter sprayer rode in the back of my car. I drove to my Hwangchil tree field, where I have been taking care of my trees for the past seven years. I spent about two hours spraying weeds and cleaning around the trees. To many people, two hours may not sound like much. But during Korea's rainy season, those two hours feel much longer. The weather is hot, humid, and exhausting. Before I even leave home, I already know how hard the work will be. Interestingly, winter and spring are different. Working in the field during those seasons is actually enjoyable. The air is cool, and the trees seem to grow quietly with me. Summer tells a different story. The weeds grow incredibly fast. If I ignore them for just a few weeks, they quickly take over the field. Nature never takes a vacation. So neither can the person who cares for it. Fortunately, experience has helped me. Handling a 20-liter sprayer no longer feels difficult. But it ...

There is a common belief that money allows us to do what we want. But in reality, money often works in the opposite way. It gives us the freedom not to do what we don’t want. Not to go where we don’t belong. Not to stay where we feel uncomfortable. Not to compromise our values just to survive. That alone changes everything. Money is not just a tool for consumption. It quietly becomes a sponsor of our mental state. When your financial ground is stable, your mind is no longer pulled in ten different directions. You can focus. You can stay present. You can choose. And that is where real performance begins. Think about a single golf shot. To stay committed to one swing, your mind needs to be calm, steady, and undistracted. But if your life outside the course is unstable— if money is constantly pulling at your thoughts— that calm doesn’t exist. The swing may look the same, but the mind behind it is completely different. Yes, sometimes golf or small moments of hap...

Some mornings feel like an entire day. Today was one of them. I started the morning by walking my two dogs. It was a peaceful way to begin the day. Then I met a friend at the driving range. As we had planned, we practiced together before brunch. The best part was that I rediscovered the rhythm of my full swing. That alone made me happy. Later, I met another close friend at Tomorrow Café. We enjoyed a delicious brunch with a beautiful ocean view and agreed that it has the best view and the nicest interior among the cafés we've visited. Our conversation wasn't about shopping or travel. Instead, we laughed while talking about weeds, grass trimmers, and taking care of our tree lands. Since we both manage our own small fields, we understood each other perfectly. Sometimes, the most ordinary conversations become the most enjoyable ones. Then came the funniest moment of the day. One of my golf friends called me. She said, "I think the putter inside my putter cover i...

One Swing Philosophy – A Journey of Healing (Part 3/3) When I was younger, I thought people became wiser as they grew older. Later, I believed something different. I thought people simply became more fixed in their ways. I imagined that once I reached my 60s, my philosophy of life would never change again. I was wrong. At 60, I have been surprised by my own heart. Instead of becoming harder, I have become softer. Instead of becoming more cynical, I have become more hopeful. The warmth and innocence I thought I had lost many years ago have quietly returned. That has been one of the biggest surprises of my life. Golf helped me understand why. When I lose my natural rhythm, I try to control every shot. My swing becomes tight, and the game stops being enjoyable. But when I trust my swing again, I don't become a different golfer. I simply return to my natural rhythm. Perhaps our hearts are the same. Healing doesn't always create a new person. Sometimes, healing brings us back to the...

One Swing Philosophy – A Journey of Healing (Part 2/3) For a long time, I believed that good people were rare. After being disappointed many times, I stopped expecting too much from relationships. I wasn't angry. I was simply tired. So I chose a quieter life. I spent more time with myself, my two dogs, and golf. Without realizing it, I was learning something important. I was learning how to enjoy my own company. Little by little, I became emotionally independent. I no longer needed someone else to make me feel complete. Then something unexpected happened. This year, I started meeting kind and thoughtful people. At first, I wondered, "Did people suddenly become kinder?" I don't think so. Maybe they were always there. The difference was me. As my heart became healthier, I could finally recognize them. Golf reminds me of this lesson every time I play. When my swing loses its rhythm, every hole looks difficult. I force my shots, make poor decisions, and lose confidence. B...

One Swing Philosophy – A Journey of Healing (Part 1/3) For many years, I slowly gave up expecting too much from people. When I was younger, I trusted people easily. I believed that kindness would naturally be returned. But life taught me something different. Like many people, I experienced disappointment. Sometimes I was appreciated only when I was the one giving help, support, or time. After several painful experiences, I stopped believing that I would find many truly good relationships. So I made a different choice. I stopped looking for people. Instead, I spent more time with myself, my two dogs, and golf. At first, I thought I was simply protecting myself. Now I realize I was also healing. Golf quietly taught me an important lesson. When I try too hard to force a perfect shot, my swing loses its rhythm. The harder I try, the worse my swing becomes. Relationships can be similar. When we feel lonely, we naturally want someone to fill that empty space. But I don't think loneliness...

I’ve come to believe something simple: What we hold clearly in our minds often finds its way into our lives. This feels especially true in golf. Whether someone is just discovering the game, learning their first swing, or competing as a professional, every golfer carries a quiet dream. A perfect shot. A more consistent swing. A round played with confidence. A course they hope to play someday. Long before any of those things happen, they begin as thoughts. A picture in the mind. A small plan. A quiet promise to oneself. And somehow, over time, many of those thoughts become real. I’ve seen this in my own life. When I first moved to Jeju Island , many things didn’t seem to align. The timing wasn’t perfect. The circumstances weren’t ideal. Even financially, there were moments when it didn’t seem easy. But quietly, I kept one thought in my mind: One day, I will play every golf course in Jeju. I never said it loudly. I simply kept carrying that thought with me. And now,...

Today was one of those days I will never forget. I finished my round with 89 . The score wasn't bad. But during the front nine, I wasn't enjoying golf at all. For a moment, I even felt like golf had become work instead of joy. That feeling made me stop and think. At first, I believed I had simply lost some of my golf muscles. Over the past eight months, I had gone to the driving range only about 15 times . Looking back, I should actually be grateful that my swing hadn't disappeared even more. Then something happened that changed my perspective. On one par-4 hole, I had about 170 meters left to the green. I chose my 5-wood . Without hesitation, I trusted my swing. The ball flew exactly as I imagined and landed safely on the green. That single shot reminded me of an important truth. My swing was still there. My ability was still there. What had become weaker wasn't only my golf muscles. It was my confidence. Lately, I had been making careful swings instead of committed s...

Life seems simple, but it is not easy. From a young age, I wanted to become a wise person. I realized early that life could be difficult, and I believed that wisdom was what helped people live with more peace, happiness, and understanding. That is why I spent so much time studying and reading books. I was not simply searching for knowledge. I was searching for wisdom. Whenever I struggled with a problem, I wanted to know how a wise person would think about it. How would they respond? How would they overcome it? Through that process, I slowly built my own standards and principles. There were so many mysteries around me, and I wanted to understand them one by one. Looking back, I realize that my journey in golf was very similar. When I was younger, I worked for a golf company. Golf was almost free for me, so I hit countless balls and played many rounds. At the time, I believed that improvement came mostly from practice and repetition. Later, I began attending golf learning programs and s...

Tomorrow, I'll play another round of golf with my friends. This morning, I went to the driving range to prepare for the game. As usual, I focused on my own practice. The driving range is my quiet place, where I listen to my swing more than to conversations. One of my golf friends was there. She is seven years younger than I am and has a real passion for improving her game. We played together on Monday, and I knew she wasn't happy with her round. Today, she was struggling with her swing again. Normally, I don't give golf advice. Every golfer needs to discover their own swing. But this time, I wanted her to enjoy tomorrow's round. So I shared a few simple ideas that have helped me over the years. Slowly, her swing became smoother. More importantly, her smile came back. Seeing her smile made me happy, too. She always calls me "Unni" with warmth. Recently, I've noticed that her words have become even kinder. Perhaps she can feel that I sincerely want her to be...

Yesterday, I played golf at Phantom Golf Club, only ten minutes from my house. To be honest, it has always been my toughest golf course. The fairways are narrow, the greens are difficult to read, and I have probably lost more golf balls there than at any other course. A week ago, I shot 91 at Lotte Sky-Hill CC. My swing had fallen apart, and although I figured out the problem after practicing twice, my confidence wasn't completely back. Before leaving home, I told myself, "If I can't avoid it, I'll enjoy it." When I arrived at the first tee, I laughed and said, "Today, I'm going to tame this golf course!" Everyone laughed with me. I had watched The Open Championship, imagined my swing again and again, and reviewed the basics in my mind. I even thought about going to the practice range one more time before the round, but it was simply too hot. So I decided to trust my preparation. The course looked much better than I expected. Earlier t...

While watching the final round of The Open , one player stayed in my mind long after the tournament ended. It wasn't the champion. It was Adam Scott . At 46 years old, he was competing against players nearly twenty years younger, yet he still finished in the Top 10 on one of the toughest stages in golf. His ball striking was incredibly accurate, and every swing looked smooth, balanced, and effortless. What impressed me even more was his physical condition. He looked remarkably fit—strong, athletic, and healthy. It was hard to believe he was 46. Then I started thinking about his career. Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters Tournament in 2013, earning the famous Green Jacket and making history for his country. In 2014, he reached World No. 1, following another Australian legend, Greg Norman. He has won more than 30 professional tournaments around the world, including 14 PGA Tour titles. Even more impressive, he has played in over 100 consecutive major championsh...

Meta Description: Check out the final Top 10 leaderboard and prize money breakdown for the 154th Open Championship in 2026. See how much champion Ryan Fox and Top 10 finishers earned. 2026 The Open Championship: Final Top 10 Leaderboard & Prize Money Breakdown The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale delivered high drama, unforgettable shots, and a deserving champion. With a total prize purse of $\$17.75\text{ million}$ , players fought down to the final wire for both glory and high-stakes payouts. Here is the complete breakdown of the final Top 10 leaderboard and the actual prize money earned by each player. The 154th Open Championship – Final Top 10 Results Pos. Player Score Total Prize Money (USD) 1 Ryan Fox -10 270 $\$3,200,000$ 2 Cameron Young -9 271 $\$1,842,000$ 3 Sam Burns -8 272 $\$1,181,000$ T4 Tommy Fleetwood -7 273 $\$827,500$ T4 Scottie Scheffler -7 273 $\$827,500$ T6 Si Woo Kim -6 274 $\$550,883$ T6 Lucas Herbert -6 274 $\$550,883$ T6 Casey Jarvis -6 274 $\$550,8...