Realizing the True Joy of Golf on the Way Home

In the car at dusk, I start driving along with a sigh.

On the way home after a round for the first time in a while.
I put my caddy bag in the trunk and close the car door.

As the setting sun dyes the rice fields orange,
a red line of brake lights continued along the highway.

Suddenly, a sigh escapes me.

If only I had hit that approach shot a little softer.
If only I had swung without tensing up there...

The 18 holes that just finished
are replaying in my head over and over.

Even if I try to stop it, it keeps playing on its own.
My score is the same as always. I remember the mistakes better than the nice shots.

I wonder if you have ever spent a ride home like this, too.

Frustration is proof that you love golf

The reason you blame yourself like that
is because you were serious about it.

People don't get this emotionally moved
by things that don't matter.

The fact that your frustration won't go away
is proof that you cherish golf and yourself as you strive to improve.

The feeling of a mishit remaining in your hands
is because you put that much heart into every single shot.

The reason you laugh at yourself for being pathetic
is because you have a clear ideal of who you want to be.

So, it is okay
not to force that feeling of unease away.

I have been working as an instructor for 15 years,
but even now, when a round ends, I still hold a self-reflection meeting alone in my car.

Why did I make such a mistake?

There are perfectly normal nights
where I feel pathetic just like that.

A word I heard at the driving range

One evening.
A student who came for a lesson said this quietly.

"My golf game the other day was terrible. But... it was fun."

That person had hit into the pond that day, hit out of bounds, and their score was certainly not good.
Even so, they said with a smile,

"The scenery was so beautiful, and when I occasionally hit the sweet spot, it felt so good."

That is what they told me.

When I heard those words, I remembered my younger self.Back then, I only cared about my score.

The moment I missed a putt, I would feel such anger that I wanted to snap my shaft,
and I would dwell on it for holes, not even hearing the conversation of my playing partners.

But, as you continue playing golf for a long time, the scenery you see gradually changes.

Now, even on days when my putts aren't dropping, I find myself laughing and saying, "Ah, I guess it's one of those days."

I have also started to notice the beauty of the scenery and the warmth of conversations with friends more than before.

It's okay to think "I want to come back" rather than "I want to get better"

We tend to seek the perfect shot.

It has to fly straight. I must not make a mistake.

But that weight of "I have to" is often what makes our bodies the most rigid.

Once, I told a student whose score was falling apart and who was about to lose heart,

"It's not about whether you did well today, but if you feel like you want to come back, then it's a success."

Then, the tension in their shoulders suddenly released, and the ball flew with surprising ease.

Improvement in golf is not a straight upward line.
There are waves, plateaus, occasional setbacks, and then progress again.

That is why, if you can laugh and say, "For some reason, I just wanted to come back," without needing a logical reason,

I believe that is already enough progress.

Today's words to lighten your heart

"If you look closely, you'll notice the good parts"

Golf is a sport with joys you don't always notice in the moment.

While playing,
the mistakes inevitably seem larger.

But after you get home and some time has passed,
you suddenly remember.

The slightly chilly morning air.
The smell of the grass.
The crisp sound of the club hitting the ball.

And that one single nice shot.

When you look back on it carefully,
you realize that the day wasn't just made up of mistakes.

The little "good moments"
are still there in that day, after all.

What you can do in your next round

In your next round,
try looking up at the sky just once after you make a mistake.

Just three seconds is enough.

If you keep looking down,
your mood can sometimes get pulled down to the ground with you.

But once you lift your gaze,
strangely enough, your breathing becomes a little deeper.

Switching gears
might not start with a big technique, but with such a small action.

Wanting to go to that course again

There are days when your score is good,
and days when it isn't.

But strangely,
the joy of golf doesn't fade away.

In fact, after some time passes,

"I want to see that scenery again"
"I want to hit that shot one more time"

And before you know it,
you're loading your golf bag into the car again.

It's okay.
Your golf journey has only just begun.
Or perhaps, this is the time when you will encounter the real fun of it.
What kind of scenery and what kind of shot will you encounter next? ⛳️

Memories of your journey home

After the round is over, you suddenly remember it on your way home

The best moment of today

What kind of scene comes to mind for you?

It could be a nice shot, the scenery, or laughter with friends.

If you'd like, please tell me about your memories on the way home.