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Why I Love Waking Up for Golf

Every morning when my alarm goes off before sunrise, there's a tiny part of me that wants to stay in bed. But then I remember — the course is waiting. And suddenly I'm up, laced up, and out the door.

"There's something about stepping onto a golf course in the early morning that feels like the world made it just for you. The mist, the quiet, the green — it's like a secret garden that only early risers get to see."

At Qutub Golf Course, the mornings are magical. The fairways are so green they almost glow. Birds are singing. The air smells fresh and cool. I take a deep breath, grip my club, and everything else in the world just disappears.

Golf taught me that the best things in life happen when you show up — especially when you don't feel like it. That lesson isn't just for sport. It's for school, for art, for everything.

What Golf Has Taught Me About Life

People sometimes ask me: "Why golf? Isn't it a sport for older people?" And I always smile and say — "That's exactly why I love it." Golf is one of those rare sports where a 10-year-old and a 60-year-old can play on the same course, at the same time, and both be completely challenged by it.

"Golf doesn't care how old you are or where you're from. It only cares about one thing — whether you showed up, focused, and gave it your honest best."

One of the most important lessons golf has taught me is patience. You can't rush a good swing. You can't force the ball to go where you want it to go. You set up, you breathe, you trust your practice, and you let it happen. I've started using that approach in school too — when a maths problem seems impossible, I just slow down, breathe, and trust myself.

Golf also teaches honesty. In golf, you keep your own score. There's no referee watching every shot. You have to count that bad shot honestly, even when no one is looking. That's a kind of character-building you can't get from a textbook.

Being 10 with a Dream Bigger Than Me

My dream is to win a big golf tournament. Not just any tournament — a really big one. The kind where people clap and your name gets called out over a loudspeaker. I've imagined that moment so many times.

Sometimes people look at me and think — you're just a kid, your dreams can wait. But I've learned that dreams don't have age limits. The best time to start chasing something is right now, when you're young and fearless and full of energy.

"I'm not too young to dream big. I'm exactly the right age. Because the dreams I plant now are the achievements I'll harvest later."

Every time I step onto the practice range at Qutub, I'm not just hitting balls. I'm building something. Shot by shot, day by day, I'm getting closer to the girl I want to become.

If you're a kid reading this — don't let anyone tell you your dream is too big. The bigger the dream, the harder you'll work. And the harder you work, the luckier you get.

How Art Makes Me a Better Golfer

You might think art and golf have nothing in common. One is a sport. The other is creative expression. But I've discovered they're more connected than most people realise.

When I draw, I have to observe carefully — I look at shapes, light, and proportion before I put pencil to paper. In golf, I do the exact same thing before every shot. I look at the distance, the wind, the slope of the green, the position of the flag. Both art and golf require you to see the world more closely than other people do.

"Drawing taught me to slow down and really look at something before acting. Golf taught me the same thing. Maybe all great skills teach you the same lesson in different ways."

Creativity also helps me stay calm when things go wrong on the course. When I miss a shot, instead of getting frustrated, I think of it like a bad sketch — you just start over, adjust your angle, and try again. Every mistake is just part of the process.

A Letter to Every Girl Who Wants to Play Golf

Dear friend, I want to tell you something important: golf is for you.

When I started playing, some people were surprised. "Golf? That's unusual for a girl your age." But I didn't let that stop me. I picked up my club, walked onto the course, and fell completely in love with the game. And I want you to know — you can do the same.

"Golf doesn't care what you look like or where you come from. It only asks that you bring your focus, your patience, and your whole heart. If you can do that — you belong on this course."

India has incredible women golfers like Aditi Ashok, who competed in the Olympics and made our whole country proud. She started young too. She had doubters too. And she showed them all what a determined Indian girl can do.

So if you're reading this and wondering whether golf is for you — it is. Find a course near you. Pick up a club. Try it once. That one swing might just change your life, the way it changed mine.

With love, Jaisvi Kumar 🏌️‍♀️⛳