Golf can be lonely, especially in a slump. In 2019, Emma Talley missed twice as many cuts as the year before, with just two top-20 finishes. Her biggest struggle? Confidence. Talking about her career slump, she said it was mentally draining. “I definitely got so stressed out this year and I just wish I would have taken a step back and seen the bigger picture rather than just being so hard on myself and trying so hard because it definitely did not help anything.” This eventually made her announce retirement at the end of the 2024 season. But Talley isn’t alone in her mental struggles.
Recently, the retired LPGA golfer sat down with Jenny Shin and Emma Talley for Inside the LPGA podcast. Discussing the loneliness of the sport, Shin shares how repetitive her life had become on the course. “Very similar routine. Whether it’s my diet, or my health regime, or my practice. I focus on the same things. And I was repetitive. And I was trying to excel in that repetition.” But hey, she isn’t alone in this feeling. Adding her bit into the conversation, Tally said, “Well, that’s what it takes. I mean sometimes the audience doesn’t–like, they wanna know what it takes to be a professional golfer.” It’s not just golf. It’s everything.
So, how does the golfer explain her stance? Everything is related to that one important thing: winning. “A lot of amateurs, especially like junior golfers, they don’t realize that everything’s got to be for this bigger–like, I want to win, and I have got to get there. And I’ve got to do everything.” So, what does Talley list? She says it includes both the diet and the routine, much the same way as Shin said.
But is it tough? A sacrifice? To dedicate so much of your time and yourself to the game? Emma Talley says she doesn’t know what to call it. “It’s a sacrifice, but we don’t see it as a sacrifice… because we want it so bad. But you do have to sacrifice eating, and sleeping… you have got to make sure you conserve your energy.”
Shin agreed with Talley’s statement, adding “It’s a very lonely sport.” So, what’s the deal? Shin adds that you have to enjoy being alone. “And that’s a sacrifice a lot of players struggle to make,” Shin said. She added, “It’s a tough life.” And that is the sacrifice. However, unfortunately, this isn’t the story of only Jenny Shin and Emma Talley. Let’s take a look at some other LPGA golfers.
The LPGA golfers fight against mental health is age-old
Back in 2019, another retired golfer, Karen Stupples, sat down to discuss her games and mental health. Back in her school times, to escape bullying, the golfer would shove a couple of clubs into her backpack and ride five miles down the road to Princes Golf Club. The solitary nature of golf was peace to her. So, what did she think of it? In her opinion, being successful on the tour is all about being comfortable with loneliness. But how about when you’re on top of the world, like Nelly Korda?
Back in 2024, Nelly Korda discussed the trouble. “It feels nice when you’re in a groove, but when you play under pressure and you’re in the final group, and you feel the emotions that you do, it takes a toll on you mentally.“ Fast forward to this season and the young golfer discussed the emotional toll her stunning 2024 season took on her. What happened? The stress of maintaining her best performance and criticism had a seriously negative impact on her psychological wellness. What did she say about it? “Outside noise definitely does hurt sometimes.”
Let’s return to Jenny Shin. The young golfer has been pretty vocal about the mental pressure. Back in 2024, the young golfer said that meditation are of no use to her. Especially when you need peace that lasts more than 15-20 minutes. “Meditation doesn’t help me with anxiety. Some people are wired differently. It’s a great tool to relax and quiet the mind for 5-10 minutes at a time but I don’t find it helpful when my mind is spinning 10-15 hours a day.” So, what helped her? Shin says that a “solid regime to follow seems to be the most helpful tool to live a calmer life.”
Similarly to her, Emma Talley found peace in faith. Back in 2019, the golfer her relationship with her God is important. “I just know through this his timing is everything and I will get through it bigger and better.”
Essentially, different golfers have different ways of coping with the loneliness that golf brings into their lives. Looking at this, what initiative do you think Tours need to bring to discuss this issue more often?
The post ‘Have to Sacrifice Eating..’: Nelly Korda & Co’s ‘Lonely’ Hardships Revealed by Former LPGA Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.
