One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

This morning, while walking with Ruby and Rich, I suddenly felt tears in my eyes. Every morning, they still bother me. “Let’s go for a walk!” They wake me up, ask me to hurry, and remind me again if I take too long. Usually, I think of it as just part of my daily routine. But this morning, I suddenly felt grateful for it. I looked at them and thought, How long will they be able to walk beside me like this? It has already been three months since Ruby fell off a cliff. At that time, I was too busy trying to save her, taking her to the hospital, and treating her wounds to really think about what had happened. I only had one thought: I had to save her. Recently, one of my old blog posts became popular again and moved up the list. So I read it again. It felt like the person I was three months ago and the person I am today were sitting across from each other, with that old post between us. And this time, I realized just how serious the situation had been. There were rocks below the cliff, th...

My body was still a little achy this morning. I have a regular golf group round coming up on Monday, and I wanted to go to the driving range today. In the past, I probably would have followed my schedule anyway. “I'm playing golf on Monday, so I should practice today.” But this morning, my body seemed to be saying something different. “Take it easy today.” So I slept for most of the morning. And surprisingly, after getting enough sleep, I woke up feeling great. I looked at myself in the mirror and gave myself a little smile. “Maybe I'm still young after all.” 😂 After taking my dogs for a short walk, I went to the local market. I bought some seeds and seedlings for my winter garden—Chinese cabbage, young radish, and lettuce. I also picked up seeds for cilantro and chicory. And, of course, I couldn't resist an old favorite. A hotteok. I also brought home some jokbal, Korean-style braised pig's feet, for lunch. I had it with rice, salad, and kimchi. My dogs got a little ...

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...

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...

Today was one of those beautiful days in Jeju when you just want to open every window you have. After several days of intense heat and rain, the weather suddenly became cool and fresh, almost like early autumn. On my way home after golf, I was driving through one of my favorite roads in Jeju—the beautiful mountain road lined with rows of hinoki cypress trees. There are hardly any traffic lights, and the speed limit is 60 km/h. I usually set my car to that speed and enjoy a relaxed drive. But today, the air was just too good. The breeze was cool, the sky was beautiful, and the air smelled so fresh. So I suddenly thought, “Why not turn my Morning into a convertible?” 😂 Of course, my Morning isn't actually a convertible. I simply opened all four windows as wide as possible. And off I went. The cool breeze rushed through the car and blew all over me. It felt fantastic. I had just come from the sauna after golf, so the cool air felt even better. I could breathe in the fresh Jeju moun...