Why I Started Golf – The Moment That Changed My Mindset
- TJ KIM
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 3
By TJ Kim, PGA of Canada Class A Professional
As a physical education major, I’ll never forget a particular moment in my university nutrition class.The professor asked:“Why do some professional golfers seem to weigh above average, and how do they maintain that weight?”
Trying to be logical, I replied,“Isn’t it because golf requires less physical activity compared to other sports?”My professor quickly corrected me, sharing detailed records and pointing out that my answer reflected the typical misconception of someone who doesn’t really know golf.In reality, it was just about individual lifestyles and eating habits.But I was shocked—could golf really require that much physical effort?
For a long time, I carried the stereotype that golf would be too slow, maybe even boring. It wasn’t until my twenties that I finally decided to give golf a real chance.
At first, I approached the game with a lot of confidence. I thought my athletic background would make the learning curve easy. But I quickly realized how challenging golf truly is. The “walls” were much higher than I’d imagined, and that initial disappointment soon turned into a strange sense of fascination. I was hooked—and frustrated—at the same time.
Since then, golf and I have had a complicated relationship. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes I couldn’t stand the sight of it. There were periods when I gave up, and then found myself drawn back in, trying to get better, to understand more. Nearly twenty years have passed like this—fighting with golf, making peace, falling in and out of love with the game.
People sometimes ask me why so many are obsessed with golf.I often compare golf to drinking, not because of alcohol itself, but because of the reasons behind it:Some people enjoy drinking for the company;some truly love the taste and drink alone;others, after a period of heavy drinking in college, swear off alcohol for good;and some make drinking part of their daily routine without even thinking about it.Golf, in my eyes, is very similar.
There are people who genuinely love the sport itself,some who only enjoy it with certain friends,some who visit the golf course alone to meet new people,and some who take pride in being a member of a particular club as a sign of social status.People are drawn to golf for countless reasons—many related to golf, many not.
The reasons for starting golf, and for continuing to play, are as varied as the people themselves.But the truth is, no one really knows what golf can offer until they try it for themselves.
After many years working on the golf course, I’ve witnessed so much:
A couple in their nineties walking a short course together, simply enjoying the game and each other’s company.
Business people spending hours with strangers on the fairway, using the game to discover personalities and build relationships.
Old friends, now living far apart, coming together once a year at the course to reconnect, laugh, and make memories.
A daughter introducing her boyfriend to her father for the first time—not at a dinner table, but during a round of golf.
Golfers living with dementia, who may forget whose club is whose, but still manage to finish 18 holes with friends who understand and accept.
Terminal cancer patients who, for a few hours on the course, feel truly alive.
There are as many stories and reasons as there are golfers.But one thing remains true:You can’t truly understand the joy of golf until you experience it yourself.
Ready to break your own stereotypes and discover what golf really means?I invite you to take that first step—you might just find a whole new world waiting for you.
About the Author TJ Kim is a PGA of Canada Class A Professional based in Toronto. From 2014 to 2023, he served as Head Professional and Manager of Golf Operations at Tam O’Shanter Golf Course. With about 20 years of teaching and club repair experience, TJ specializes in beginner golf lessons and helping golfers of all ages discover the joy of the game.