One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

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...