Turning "I can't do this" into "I want to try." The new scenery that lies beyond the misses

To you, quietly sighing in the corner of the driving range

At the driving range after work.

While the pleasant, crisp sound of balls being struck echoes from the next stall,
in your own stall, the ball might just roll a few inches,
or the sound of your club cutting through the air rings out emptily...

“Maybe I just don't have any athletic ability.”
“Maybe everyone around me is laughing.”
You sometimes find yourself letting out a small sigh in your heart, don't you?

Before your first round on the course, the quiet anxiety of wondering,
“What if I cause trouble for everyone?”
making your hands grip the golf club until they are slightly damp with sweat.

Even though nothing has happened yet,
you keep repeating missed shots in your head.
That experience is surely not yours alone.

That hesitation of "maybe I can't" is a natural emotion

Feeling "it's embarrassing if I fail" or
“maybe I can't do this”
is by no means because you are negative.

It is proof that you are very sincere and straightforward,
wishing to "cherish" this new challenge of golf
and "truly enjoy it."

If it were something that didn't matter, people wouldn't worry or feel afraid.

Anxiety and hesitation are proof that you have correctly stood at the entrance to golf.
First, please gently acknowledge that hardworking self of yours by saying, "You're doing great."

The moment change begins, as seen in lessons

During lessons, many people who say, "I have no athletic ability..."
are actually not the case;
they become able to hit smoothly just by learning the correct basic movements.

However, in rare cases, there are those who cannot hit the ball no matter how carefully I explain it because their movements don't click.
The difference between those who can hit immediately and those who take time
is surprisingly simple, and there is a hint in the games of childhood.

Most people try to reproduce movements learned through play—like holding, walking, or throwing a ball—
by having their brain "call up memories of old games sleeping in the body"
according to the situation.

People with "good athletic ability" can hit immediately just by recalling similar experiences.

On the other hand, for those who truly find movement difficult, they can often hit the ball just by sending the missing simple movement patterns to the brain.

The quickest way is to watch good movements and imitate them. But some people are not good at imitating.

The next most effective method is to approach the correct answer while repeating failures.
This is exactly how you learned to walk by falling down many times in childhood.

As adults, we avoid this out of a feeling of "embarrassment," but if you can overcome that, anyone can learn to play golf.

Golf is not a test of talent, but an adventure of repetition

Why not update your mindset with just one thought here?

Golf is not a test to prove your athletic ability.
In fact, it is an adventure of enjoying the number of times you try.

It is important to look at correct information.
Knowing the basics and movements will help you avoid taking the long way around.

Even so, there are times when you just can't do it.

That is exactly when you should try to simplify your movements.
Repeat simple actions and increase your experience with failure.

Then, at some moment, your body will realize, 'This is it.'

People who get better are not those with talent.
They are the people who never stopped trying.

Only those who continued that adventure
will one day suddenly smile and say, 'Oh, I did it.'
And that moment always comes suddenly.

The golf gods only smile upon those who have tried.

When you are lost, or when you feel like stopping,
please gift these words to yourself.

“You never know if you can do it until you try.”

Before you give up saying, 'I'm not athletic, so I probably can't do it...',
try swinging at least once, even if you miss.

Whether at work or in a hobby, don't decide the result beforehand; just 'try it first.'
That courage is the best nice shot that cannot be written on a scorecard.

Beyond that accumulation of small 'I tried it' moments,
an exciting world you never imagined is waiting for you.

Small practices you can do in your next practice session or round

Try imitating the motion of someone who is good at it during practice or a round.

You don't need anything difficult.
At the driving range, the sequence of 'practice swing -> address -> hit'.
On the course, the procedure of 'decide your aim -> practice swing -> address'.

It is okay even if you have points you are currently correcting.
Just during your practice swing, try to visualize the ideal movement.

After that, the moment you address the club, take a deep breath for 3 seconds and swing.
That is all it takes.

If you fail, it is not a problem.
Failure is a sign that tells you what is missing.

Golf becomes difficult when you seek perfection.
Cultivating the power to repeat corrections,
if you think of it that way, the mental hurdle should lower a little,
and your next swing should feel lighter.

The sound of a swing and a miss is the sound of your footsteps moving forward.

Even the most perfect-looking professional golfers started with a swing and a miss.

If you felt like saying "I'll give it a try" today,
that is already a magnificent first step toward improvement.

Even on days when the ball didn't fly well,
that one swing is surely carrying you toward a new version of yourself.

When you grip the club next time, do it with a slightly lighter heart.
Let's enjoy the ultimate adventure that is golf together,
where even your failures become something to cherish.
Beyond that one shot, the shining green grass and blue sky are waiting for you.⛳️✨