One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

These days, I sometimes ask myself: “What has really changed between the person I was when I was young and the person I am today?” When it comes to social responsibility, perhaps not as much as I might think. When I was younger, I worked hard, kept my promises, and tried not to cause trouble or inconvenience for others. I did not always think deeply about why I should live that way. I simply believed that I should work hard, be responsible, and do my best. Looking back, however, I realize that those habits of responsibility and sincerity helped me grow into the person I am today. So what is different now? I think I can see the bigger picture. I still believe in social responsibility, but I have learned that I also have a responsibility to myself. Golf Can Reveal a Lot About People In Korea, golf is not just an individual sport. A round of golf is usually a social activity. When you play 18 holes with other people, you spend several hours together. You share a cart, wait for one another...

I used to think that after turning 60, I wouldn’t have many reasons to feel excited about tomorrow. But lately, I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow more than I expected. There are actually two things that make me excited these days. One is golf . The other is my blog . ⛳🌏 First — My Next Golf Shot I had so much fun practicing golf today. For a while, my 5-wood hadn’t been working well during my rounds. Last year, I could hit my 5-wood about 170 meters with a really satisfying strike. But at some point, I lost that feeling. I couldn’t figure out exactly why. Today, though, I think I finally found a small clue. I started to understand when to add power and when to relax, how my shoulders and body should rotate, and how everything should come together at impact. Of course, I still hit some bad shots today. 😂 But strangely, that made practice even more fun. I thought, “Maybe I can finally solve this swing puzzle.” I have no idea whether today’s new feeling will show up in tomorrow’s ro...

Yesterday, I suddenly ended up playing a round at Raon CC because there was a 50% green fee discount for a last-minute round. The three friends I played with are all very close friends, so we started the round in a relaxed and happy mood. The weather was nice, and Raon CC is a relatively easy and comfortable course to play. It is a little long, though, so making birdies is not always easy. One of my friends had been going through a bit of a golf slump for a while. But yesterday, something changed. Her shots suddenly became much more stable, and her good shots came back. So every time she hit a great shot, we shouted, “Nice shot!” and enjoyed the round together. Then, on one hole, two of my friends hit their balls into the bushes. They went all the way to the other side of the fairway with the caddie to look for their balls. Meanwhile, my friend and I were waiting in the cart. Suddenly, she pointed to the middle of the fairway and said, “Stand right there.” So I stood there. And she sta...

People often think golf is an expensive hobby. And yes, if you play 18 holes at expensive golf courses every week, golf can certainly cost a lot. But does golf really have to be that expensive? I don't think so. I live in Jeju, and I have found my own simple way to keep enjoying golf. I don't need to play 18 holes every week. I can play 9 holes once a week . And the 9-hole course I often visit, Castlex, is not just a small or simple course. The grass is very well maintained, just like a regular 18-hole course. So even when I play only 9 holes, I still feel like I am having a real golf round. And then there is my driving range. It is an outdoor 250-meter driving range , not an indoor screen. And the best part? I can see Halla Mt. while I practice. 🏔️⛳ Honestly, I love that. I can hit golf balls while looking at the sky, the green field, and Halla Mt. in the distance. For me, that is already a pretty good golf life. What does it cost? My 9-hole rounds cost about: ₩160,000 a mon...

Small Things, Big Smiles This morning started with a few very ordinary things, but somehow, they made me really happy. 😂 1. Fixing My Golf Watch Band ⛳⌚ Yesterday, while I was playing golf, my golf watch band suddenly came off. Because it was so hot and I was sweating a lot, I should have wiped the band after playing. But I simply charged the watch and kept using it without thinking much about it. After about a year, the band finally gave up. 😂 Luckily, it came off right when I was sitting in the golf cart. Talk about bad luck turning into good luck! I carefully put it in my golf bag and decided to replace it this morning. Fortunately, there was an extra band in the box. But then… “How am I supposed to replace this?” YouTube to the rescue! I put on my glasses and wrestled with it for more than 30 minutes. And finally… Done! I replaced it myself! 😂👏 It was such a small thing, but I felt strangely proud of myself. 2. The Six-Meter Clothesline That Was One Meter Too Short 😂 My outdo...

Today, I played a round at Plaza CC Jeju . But honestly, golf was not easy today. It was extremely hot, and although I had played this course once before, I played in heavy fog that day, so I barely remembered the course. My friends were also playing the course for almost the first time. The course was challenging, and because of the heat, I couldn't really focus on my swing. So, hole after hole, we kept shouting: “Double!” “Double again!” 😂 Near the end of the front nine, one of my friends suddenly said: “For us, a double is a par. And a bogey is a birdie!” We all looked at each other with serious faces for a moment… Then we burst out laughing. 😂😂😂 So I shouted, “Okay! Let's call a double a par today! We came all the way here, so let's stop worrying about golf. Let's just pretend we're here for a picnic and enjoy the day!” And something funny happened. The whole atmosphere changed. A few minutes later, our caddie suddenly said, “I'll make you some iced cof...

When I was younger, I made plenty of mistakes. Some decisions turned out to be the wrong ones. Some paths led me somewhere I never wanted to be. I wish I could say I always made wise choices. I didn't. Life taught me through trial and error. Looking back, however, I don't regret those years. They helped me discover who I really am. Every wrong turn taught me something. Not only about life... But also about myself. One thing I'm grateful for is this. Whenever I realized I was walking in the wrong direction, I didn't stay there for long. I stopped. I changed direction. And I found my way back to myself. I have seen people continue down a path they already know isn't right. Sometimes because they are afraid. Sometimes because they have already invested too much time. Sometimes because changing direction feels like failure. But I have learned something different. Changing direction is not failure. Sometimes it is the bravest decision we can make. Today, my life feels pe...

Financial stability is important. Mental stability is important too. But I do not believe that having more money automatically makes people happier. I think happiness depends more on how a person manages life internally. In my case, if I have more, I spend a little more. If I have less, I naturally spend less too. Of course, this only works when there is no serious debt and basic financial stability exists first. Balance has always been more important to me  than simply having more and better. Even when I was young, I spent most of my time working because I genuinely liked working. Of course, work brings stress sometimes, but I still enjoyed being productive. Because I stayed busy, I did not spend money carelessly. Instead, I had more opportunities to save naturally. I think diligent people often worry less about the basics of life. Not because life is easy, but because steady habits quietly protect them over time. Golf taught me something similar. I love golf, but I also know how ...

Sometimes, I ask myself this question.  Why do new ideas keep coming to me?  Why can I continue writing story after story—about golf, English, and life—without feeling empty?  I think I finally understand the answer.  It is not because I am trying to create something new.  It is because I am revisiting something old.  The thoughts I write about today were not formed yesterday.  Many of them have been quietly growing inside me for decades.  Since my twenties, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about life.  When life felt difficult, I often asked myself: What is life really about?   I read many philosophers, hoping to find a clear answer.   But in the end, I realized something simple:  Even philosophers do not have a final answer. Perhaps the best we can do is this: To live fully.  To enjoy the present. To stay curious and grateful.  That may be enough. Looking back, I also realize something else....

There was a time when I thought my most exciting years were already behind me. After turning sixty, I imagined my life would become quieter and more predictable. I thought most of my important chapters had already been written. But life quietly smiled and said, "Not yet." This year, something unexpected happened. New golf friends with kind hearts came into my life. I have played golf with many people over the years, but this year, I felt something different. I met people who brought warmth, kindness, and positive energy into my everyday life. I also received more golf invitations from wonderful people, and those moments reminded me how precious human connections are. I realized something: New happiness does not always come from big changes. Sometimes, it comes from new relationships, simple conversations, and ordinary days that suddenly feel special. When I started writing my blog, I never planned to find something extraordinary. I just wanted to record my thoughts about golf...

To be honest, when I first started this blog, I had a simple goal. I wanted to become a popular blogger. There is nothing wrong with that. We all enjoy knowing that our stories are being read and appreciated. But somewhere along the way, something quietly changed inside me. These days, I no longer write to become popular. I write because I enjoy it. Writing has become a conversation with myself, almost like keeping a journal. Instead of trying to create impressive stories, I simply write about whatever feels real that day. Some days it's golf. Some days it's English. Some days it's just an ordinary moment that makes me smile. I've realized that forcing a story never feels as satisfying as letting one naturally appear. Maybe that also reflects my personality. I've always enjoyed laughing, finding small joys, and keeping life lighthearted. So I decided to stop trying to write the "perfect" blog post. I would rather write an honest one. At sixty, becoming a f...