I thought golf was something you played alone, but it was my friends who broadened the view

"Friends broaden the view"

This phrase might not just apply to golf.

However, I think there are few sports where you feel this as much as in golf.

Golf is a sport where you face the ball alone.
But it is not a sport you enjoy only by yourself.

Having friends around changes the view you see.
Golf has that kind of mysterious charm.

There is a slightly special atmosphere on the tee ground in the early morning

When you stand on the tee ground in the early morning, the air is a little chilly.

Morning dew remains on the grass, making the soles of your shoes damp.
Birds are chirping in the distance, and the wind is gently swaying the leaves.

In reality, it is a very pleasant view.

But the moment you grip the driver,
the view can suddenly feel narrow.

"What if I slice it to the right?"
"I really don't want an OB."
"What if I cause trouble for everyone again?"

Those voices start to grow louder in your head.

Have you ever experienced this?

Golf is a sport where you hit the ball alone

So you tend to take everything on by yourself.

Mistakes are your own fault.
The score is your own responsibility.
You feel you have to handle the times when things don't go well all by yourself.

It is easy to think that way.

But that is not a weakness.

It is precisely because you want to enjoy golf seriously that you feel anxious.
It is precisely because you don't want to inconvenience your friends that you tense up.

I think those feelings are very natural.

When you are alone, your field of vision narrows.

During my time as a trainee, I also used to play the course early in the morning by myself.

An empty fairway.
Quiet air.
A time when only the sound of my own footsteps echoed on the grass.

I should have been able to focus, but for some reason, my heart felt rigid.

The woods on the right.
The pond on the left.
The distance for the next shot.
The score.
The self-criticism after a mistake.

Before I knew it, I thought I was looking at the scenery in front of me, but I wasn't really seeing it.

When you are alone, your field of vision narrows.

This is not just about technique.
I think it is also about the direction of your heart.

How a student taught me how to broaden the view

Some time ago, a student told me this story.

They were someone who, not long after starting golf, took the plunge to become a member of a golf course and made their course debut.

They had the initiative, which is truly wonderful.

But at first, they didn't have any close friends who were members.

Playing a round among strangers.
Feeling like you are the only one who is bad at it.
Feeling like you are a burden when you make a mistake.

Maybe it was too early for me.
Maybe I should have waited until I was better before going to the course.

That is how they said they felt.

This is a concern I hear very often from beginners.

Of course, preparation for going out on the course is important.
Minimum manners and awareness of pace are also necessary.

But it does not mean you cannot go out on the course until you are perfect.

Everyone has a beginning.
Everyone struggles at first.

So, I told that student the following.

It is okay not to be too afraid of being a burden.
Golf is also a sport of mutual consideration.
Once you have prepared, let's just gather a little courage and head out to the course.

Of course, that does not mean the anxiety will disappear immediately.

However, that student gathered their courage and participated in a round with members they did not know.

Then, little by little, they found people who would talk to them.
They made friends they could laugh with.
After the round, the number of people they wanted to see again grew.

The story I heard from that person later left a deep impression on me.

Not only did golf become fun, but they said they even started feeling more positive about their work.

Perhaps when connections with people increase, it broadens not just the view of golf, but the view of daily life as well.

It was not just their swing that changed.

It was just a little bit of courage.

Companions were not a source of pressure, but a presence that broadened the scenery.

Once you realize this, golf becomes a little kinder.

When you have companions, your gaze turns outward.

When you are alone, your gaze inevitably turns inward toward yourself.

I missed again.
I really am bad at this.
I am the only one causing trouble.

In ways like that, your heart can sometimes shrink and shrivel up.

But when you have companions, your gaze turns outward.

That person's rhythm is nice.
It would be good to laugh and move on like that.
Even if I make a mistake, I just need to move on to the next shot.

By watching your companions play, you realize there is not just one right way.
By hearing your companions' laughter, your heart relaxes, knowing it is okay to fail.

The joy of golf is not just about a good score.

The scent of the grass.
The feeling of the club in my hands.
The moment the sound of the strike drifts up into the sky.
The casual conversations shared in the cart.
The atmosphere where we can just laugh after a mistake.

I think all of those things are part of the scenery of golf.

It is important to do your best on your own.

But you don't have to carry it all by yourself.

Golf is a sport you play alone.
But perhaps it is not a sport you are meant to enjoy only by yourself.

Friends are not just there to teach you technique.

They are the ones who broaden your view.

One thing I want you to try starting today

At your next practice or round, try watching someone else's play just once, without comparing it to your own.

“That person has a nice rhythm.”
“They look like they’re having fun swinging.”
“They recover quickly even after a mistake.”

Small observations like that are enough.

Don't compare; just observe.

Sometimes, that alone can make your heart feel a little lighter.

The fairway you walk with friends looks a little wider

Walking down the afternoon fairway side-by-side with friends.

The cart moving through the dappled sunlight.
Hearing laughter from afar.

“How did you hit out of that bunker?”
“Shall we try aiming a bit to the right next time?”
“That was a close one.”

Casual conversations like these make the next shot feel a little easier.

Golf is a sport you play alone.

But the fairway you walk with friends
looks much wider than when you are alone.

When you were playing golf,
were there moments you only realized because you were with your friends?