学生時代、父にゴルフを教えてもらった。
今は歩行さえ困難な父だけれど、若い頃は運動神経が抜群で、
50代までマラソンレースに参加するなど、身体を動かすことが得意だった。
その遺伝子は全部姉が引き継いだようで、私はいつも後を追うばかり。
「スポーツはフォームが肝要」と説く父の前で、素振りだけを繰り返した。
機会はほとんどなかったけれど、米国で廉価で練習ができると思っていた矢先、
障害を持った娘が生まれて、私は完全にその世界を放棄した。
父に買ってもらったクラブのハーフセットも、いつしか処分した。
四半世紀来の友人がCEOとして日本で立ち上げたGDO(Golf Digest Online)が、
米国企業GOLFTECを買収して、ゴルフレッスン場を増やしている。
そのニューヨーク第１号店舗の開業レセプションにお声がけいただいた。
マスターズ取材の帰りだという旧友と久しぶりに会い、白人社会のゴルフ業界で、アジア人として戦い、確実に事業を拡大している情熱に刺激を受けた。
今さらではあるけれど、少しだけゴルフへの興味を注がれて、
せめて素振りだけでも練習する時間を捻出してみようかなと思ったけれど、そんな時間も金銭的余裕もないから、私はまた蚊帳の外にいるのだろう。
米国在住の皆さん、GDOが共同開発したシュミレーターを、試してみませんか。
When I was a student, my father taught me how to play golf.
My father has difficulty walking now, but when he was younger, he was very athletic, participating in marathon races until he was in his 50s.
My elder sister has inherited his genes, and I was always behind her.
I just repeated the bare minimum in front of my father, who told me, "Form is the key to sports.
I had few opportunities to practice, but just when I thought I could practice inexpensively in the United States, my disabled daughter was born, and I abandoned the golf world altogether.
I even got rid of the half set of golf clubs my father had bought me.
GDO (Golf Digest Online), which my old friend founded in Japan as CEO, acquired the U.S. company GOLFTEC and is increasing the number of golf lesson sites.
I was invited to the opening reception of its first New York location and met him, who was returning from reporting of the Masters after a long absence.
I was inspired by his passion for competing as an Asian in the golf industry, a white-dominated society, and steadily expanding his business.
It's a little too late for me, but I poured out a slight interest in golf,
I thought I would try to find the time to practice, at least swinging.
But I don't have the time or the financial means to do so, so I will return to being out of there.
For those who live in the U.S., why don't you try the simulator jointly developed by GDO?
