It's okay not to be perfect. The magic of the "sky" that makes you love golf even more

The sigh of "I'm the only one who can't get it right" found at the driving range

"Ah, it flew to the right again..."

At the driving range after work.
A crisp, pleasant sound from the next bay.
In front of me, a stinging sensation and the marks of having scraped the mat.

Everyone around me looks like they're doing well, but
I feel like I'm the only one being left behind.
"Maybe I'm not cut out for this."
"Maybe I should just quit."
While holding the club, my heart quietly sinks.

Whether you've just started golf or have been playing for a long time,
everyone has experienced this moment at least once.

To you, the kind person who blames yourself when things don't go well

When things don't go as planned, we tend to blame ourselves.

But we feel down because we want to get better.
It's frustrating precisely because you are serious about it.

Anxiety, hesitation, and tension are all proof that you are facing it earnestly.
That frustration is by no means a detour.

Golf is a sport where your heart is reflected directly in the ball.
So it's actually natural to feel shaken.

The moment your gaze is fixed only on your feet and your heart feels cramped

When mistakes continue, our gaze inevitably turns "downward,"
meaning we focus only on our feet or where the ball is going.

The more we wish "hit it next time" or "fly straight," the more tension builds in our shoulders,
our breathing becomes shallow, and our hearts become trapped in an increasingly narrow box.

Even in lessons,
I see many people whose faces are parallel to the ground from staring too hard at the ball,
causing their bodies to lock up.

At times like that, why not try lifting your face just a little?

Just a little, all you need to change is the "direction of your gaze"

You don't have to try to change everything.It's okay.

You don't need to make your swing perfect all of a sudden,
you just need to check one thing: the "direction of your gaze."

When you look down, your heart closes off; when you look forward, your heart also looks forward.

Look up at the sky, then look at your target.

Just by doing that, the weight on your heart lightens a little,
your body relaxes, and the club begins to move naturally.

Today's words: Looking up at the sky brings energy

Here is the message I most want to share with you today.

"Looking up at the sky brings energy"

A golf course is the place where you can see the "sky" most broadly in your daily life.
After a mishit, or just before you address the ball,
please try looking up for just a few seconds.

The blue sky, the drifting clouds, the gentle light.

Compared to that vastness, don't the previous mistake and your small worries
seem like trivial events?

By looking up at the sky, your chest physically opens, and deep breathing returns.
That space gives your next shot "suppleness."

The "3-second deep breath" I want you to try at your next practice

At your next practice or round, if the anxiety of "Can I do this?" crosses your mind,
please try just this.

Before hitting the ball, look at the sky for 3 seconds and exhale slowly.

You don't have to change your swing or fix your form.
Just by flipping the switch of "looking at the sky,"
the weight on your heart lightens, and your hands gripping the club naturally relax.

This is the smallest and most effective practice you can start today.

Why don't you start again slowly under the sky?

The more you aim for perfection, the more painful golf becomes.
But on days when you have the room to look up at the sky, strangely, you'll want to pick up the club again.

Golf is not for those who are good at it.
It is for those who continue even while feeling lost.

If your heart feels like it's sinking again, please remember.

The sky is always spread out above you.

And under that sky,
today, too, you are truly taking on the challenge.

Having looked up at the sky, you are already facing forward.
Let's go back under that wide sky again. ⛳✨