šļø Welcome back to Ruth Talks Golf!
In this episode, weāre out at Victoria Golf Course in Carson, CA with special guest Kendel AbramsāGolf professional, Howard University alum, and founder of Golf Eudaimonia.
Kendel shares how she got into golf young, played competitively through college, and now brings the game to her South LA community through coaching and youth mentorship.
Tap in for a powerful convo about purpose, accessibility, and finding joy in the game. ā³ļø
welcome back to another episode of Ruth Talks Golf In this episode I meet up with Kendelle Abrams at Victoria Golf Course in Carson California She is one of the youngest guests to be on the show but she has already done so much She shares with me how she got into golf what it was like playing college golf and starting her own company She’s living life as a golf instructor now and has so much to share She’s kind of the goat So tune in and enjoy the episode Good morning everyone and welcome back to another episode of Ruth Talks Golf Uh today’s guest is Kendall Abrams How are you doing today
good Thank you for having me on Appreciate it
Thanks for being on
Um so I’m going to spill a secret This is our second time filming First time didn’t go as planned Um we had some hiccups but we’re back and it’s a beautiful semi sunny cloudy day in Southern California It’s getting brighter It just rained Um hence the weather Um but we are here at Victoria Golf Course
Victoria Golf Course And this is sort of like it’s not your local course but it’s
No but it’s like starting to become like a home course quote unquote cuz like I come here pretty much every day if not every other day Um and like yeah like I feel like my second family is like in the clubhouse or like always on the golf course and like that’s the cool part It’s like you see familiar faces so you start building relationships and like yeah it’s just cool
That’s awesome I’ve played here once Um the greens are a little rough the the grass is a little rough but overall there’s like a really nice community here
Yeah And it’s it’s a really cool track I mean I’ve never seen it because like a lot of people say like you know back in the day it was like super pristine I’ve never seen it in that condition Um but obviously I know like eventually it’s going to get back there and like honestly I feel like some of the greens out here honestly kind of the best in LA County Um fairways need some work of course Um but like I mostly stay on the practice area because I’m a golf coach so like I’m not too worried about the golf course
Yeah Okay So greens are good Yeah greens are good
Okay Yeah Awesome So um I’d really love to share with our viewer kind of like your experience in golf your how you got into it what you’re doing with it and any plans you might have in the future for it
Absolutely Yeah
So if you could share kind of like where you how you started in golf
Okay Yeah So at this point I feel like I’ve been playing for like 16 17 years so to speak Um yeah it makes You look very young only 24
Started young
Yeah Um I I did start pretty young and like not as young as some people are starting you know straight out of the womb like straight in diapers
Um but I do remember playing like a bunch of different sports as I first started So like this is like on the back burner Like I only did this like a couple times and then it kind of took me a while to kind of like fall in love with the game or like see myself you know playing like long term or even playing in college Um so I think that was the cool part of like when I first started like it was definitely the social aspect that like got me involved with the game and then the competitive side like kept me in the game and now I’m at this stage where it’s like half and half cuz like obviously with college golf like
not only is it a full-time sport outside of like college it’s like full-time plus overtime So like you know you’re expected to do work even outside of team practices Um but now since I have like you know more time to myself um more time just like learning about life like I just realized like in college you know like your your whole schedule’s like given for you and like you’re told to like do different things Um whereas like with life like life gives you a lot of options but you’ve got to be able to like handle those options and then take responsibility if anything like goes wrong or not goes as planned So
Okay So you started like junior highish
No So
or even younger
Yeah Started
Oh sorry I can’t I can’t do math I started when I was like eight or nine years old
Okay Yeah
Um and I didn’t actually play my first tournament until I was like nine or 10 Um and it was crazy because like it was one of those like three to six hole type tournaments whereas like now you know you play 36 you play 72 sometimes you play you know 100 plus Really So like me just starting out and like realizing like you know I thought this was the definition of golf
Um compared to now it’s like way different Um and I remember my first tournament ever I lost in a coin flip And like it pissed me off so much because I was like what kind of sport do you decide like the winner based on a coin flip but I was like
okay it’s whatever It’s golf I was like I’m not too impressed about it I was like I’ve got bigger you know cuz I was playing soccer and a bunch of other things Um but once I started like traveling and like competing more and then I came out here for the first time this was 2013 so I was 12 years old Um went down to La Hoya to play in the world And like that just really opened my eye eye up to golf because the small town or like the small area in which I’m from which is like in the Mid-Atlantic area Um there’s not too many golfers and there’s not too many female golfers But then coming out here and then seeing like the whole world play and like you know girls my age girls a little older than me girls a little younger than me Um and then just to be at the caliber that they were at and just realize like how much potential like I still have and how much like Yeah it’s just like incredible that I even made it to like that point Like that was pretty big
Okay So you’re not local to LA You’re not local to California You said Atlantic area
Uh Mid-Atlantic So technically born in Baltimore raised in Pennsylvania Um but I feel like I always tell my parents this I feel like they stole me out of the hospital cuz like I feel like I was supposed to be in California or like somebody in our family is from California and like they never revealed themselves
Um but I don’t know It’s kind of just like the weather the people the freedom Um obviously with golf it helps a lot Like I don’t know how people still do it on the East Coast of like trying to like balance the whole seasons but they can’t golf in like the winter it turns out
And like for me like don’t get me wrong I’ll go to some indoor facilities occasionally but to do that you know for 6 months or like even 3 months straight is like Yeah it’s kind of crazy
Yeah that is wild That that is such a I mean I’m from here so I have obviously sunshine mostly every day
So it’s always strange to hear that people can’t play during certain seasons and I’m like what how do you do that but you know you take that opportunity to practice
That’s true Yeah that’s true Okay So how how did you get into golf are you is your family are they golfers no So they’re not golfers at all Um my mom she took it up for insurance purposes So like and this what this is what I’m learning Um within any industry in which like you know uh women aren’t seen as the majority obviously you have to like you know figure out a way to then you know talk with your male counterparts And like that was my mom’s way of like okay let me get in you know with golf And then obviously I’ll have you know better deals better connections a better network to like build off of just because so many guys play golf And then um the same instructor that taught her also taught me and my older brother So it’s like cool to see like full circle moment of like where he like what he was doing and all his programming and now what I’m doing now Like never saw myself doing this but like just realizing like he inspired me a lot more than he probably even realized at the time And then um just seeing like where it can grow because like I know so many kids and like even me growing up meeting a lot of kids through the program and realizing like we’ve all taken like different avenues within the golf industry Um so it’s kind of cool to see like how the golf game is like growing It’s got getting a lot bigger getting a lot more diverse Um and yeah just it’s cool to watch
It is So being that you got into it fairly young and as you mentioned it’s kind of changed recently Is that do you know like kind of like what the catalyst was for this change like like cuz some people will say like the co thing happened and then people got into it and then that started the boom
Yeah I I don’t think it was necessarily co I mean obviously the co thing uh popularized it because you know social media kind of like took off and everybody’s on TikTok pretty much Um but I think the biggest difference that people uh like started to see was like first te So like technically uh when I first started with golf our local area did not have first te So it took like a couple years for a first te chapter to even like come about But like just seeing like where you start with first te and like there’s so many different like routes and levels and just like different mentors that you interact throughout your time of first um just realizing how much that impacted my life and how much it’s impacted other people’s lives and like a lot of people that I talk to now they’re like yeah you know I used to do this junior program called first team and I was like wait no way and then just realizing all the small connections because like the golf world is small but it’s even like more smaller the more you talk about people and you’re like wait you know them I know them um I don’t know it’s just a really good avenue and like it’s a lot bigger than golf like I feel like a lot of people they think like
junior classes are strictly about teaching golf um And I feel like with first TE it taught me a lot more about like mentorship and like character and values And that’s kind of why I’ve like taken both sides of it of like teaching golf but then also being a mentor to my students cuz like Yeah you can’t just teach someone like one part of life and then expect them to figure out the rest Like you got to guide them throughout all aspects
Yeah It’s so cool that you do that So I heard the word D1 Is that what is it
division one
Division one Okay Yeah So I I didn’t do sports growing up but I hear that often So for us who don’t know what what does that mean what does it entail
um okay So it’s definitely changed my outlook So I remember uh in high school or I guess middle school I always knew that I wanted to be a D1 athlete Like always knew Um and
so that’s like top tier
Yeah pretty much top tier Um and like throughout the So like in middle school at the time it was wanting to be a D1 basketball player
Okay So basketball was your
first like I was doing AAOU was like yeah even though soccer was also a love it was just like I saw myself playing college basketball
and then my sophomore year my mentor kind of like pulled me aside and was like hey like I think you’ve got a really like I think you’re good at basketball but I think you’re really great at golf and like you’ve get you know a full ride and like you know I mean you seem to like love it enough to like travel and like continue to practice even when no one’s watching So I was like yeah you’re right Um so I started like looking at different places and it’s interesting because you know like I said 2013 was always attracted to California So like when I was doing my recruiting process pretty much the whole Midwest area was like taken out of the picture I was like I don’t want to be in the Midwest I only want to be on the West Coast or I want to be you know um in the South And I just remember like looking around and you realize it’s a very tricky process And it’s like it’s a little bit about luck for sure about recruiting Um but it’s kind of just like where you put yourself at at a specific time So like based on junior tournaments So like I know they have the Toyota Tour Cup and all those other junior tours out here Um the East Coast it’s a lot different There’s only like four or five major like golf um tours out there So when you’re looking at like stats rankings scores all that good stuff um a lot of coaches like they kind of pick their they pick their athletes based on different criteria And like D1 athletes they’re mostly going to like national events if not like state events whereas like
the lower tier ones they’re more like a couple came out to like postseason high school championships and then like obviously the local tours Um but most people aren’t going like if they’re um a high tier school they’re not going to like those local tournaments Like you’ve got to have a pretty big field and that field has to be like mad competitive for you to even like try to get a look at D1 golf So like realizing okay so like here are my options Here’s where I want to go here’s where I see myself going and then realizing also too like I had the academic side of things So like I could either go on full ride academic or I could have gone full ride athletic So that’s why I was trying to like balance and see like okay
girl and I was like okay you know different options and then you also have to like tell yourself too okay so like let’s say this is my dream school for golf right in the event that I do get injured for golf do I would I still love the college would I still be like okay this is
you have to think about 100% you have to think about that and then even um career-wise like major wise like not necessarily that majors matter anymore but um like the main part of like you know some schools have very select effective majors and there’s others where you can’t like change too much or like it’s very strict schedules and you know practice you got to like figure that out Um and then also like coaching wise so like there’s a lot of coaches they’ve either had background you know in teaching they’ve either had background in like coaching other sports or let’s say like coaching like the swim team or coaching some other sport Um so you got to like pick and choose And then there’s also the mental coaches where like um I would say my coach at Howard did a really good job at kind of just like picking my brain and just really like um how do you how do you call it like challenging us mentally because there are a lot of times where like you know we’re so focused on golf that we see the big picture and he would kind of just like tell us and like pull us across the side and like tell us stories of like you know if you want to be a good golfer like this is what you got to if you want to be a good person this is what you got to do And I like realized that like at the time you know it was still kind of like tuning him out but like also like listening to a couple of things he said because like obviously they were pretty impactful things Um but like realizing like he has gone through so much life that he was just trying to instill just just a slight portion um on it to us and then obviously it’s transpired in like my entire team So like when I first started at Howard um I mean we probably had like I want to say 10 11ish players and every single like player had their own like interest or passion outside of golf that was like really big and like it was super like incredible to see cuz it’s just like even though we’re golfers and like highlevel golfers it’s like there’s something else that we’re also like equally talented in like we could also be doing in the future So like pulling those two together and then seeing like the small nit community that we have and just like the passion that we still have for the game um is really good to see But I honestly don’t even know how we got started talking to this
I don’t know But I love it because cuz when I think about golf I think of like I wonder if it’s con competitive because you know you’re competing for positions you know schools all that But golf itself is a very personal like competitive game So So what was the experience like
um like did you have friendnemies like you know I mean friendmies are always going to be a thing but you have to realize like
uh fremies are there to push you So like even in high school I was on a co-a team right and uh with me being the only girl on the team like obviously the boys they love to like tease me egg me on just like really try to get in my head as much as possible But I realized like that made me a better golfer like overall cuz like the more you learn to like tune people out and just focus on what you can focus on cuz like your attitude is like the biggest like thing when it comes to golf like only you can change it and only you can determine how it’ll be Um I think that kind of like carried over to like college golf and then you start meeting like different people and like I think that was another thing about like first t they taught us a lot about integrity So like when it comes to the game like you are responsible for keeping your score but then also telling if you made any mistakes made any penalties Um so you like learn that like some people they didn’t you know do first te growing up so they have different you know beliefs of like oh cheating is okay And um I’ve just never like thought that was the way to get ahead in life Like obviously um you know there’s a certain way to do things and like
even if you want to take like shortcuts like at the end of the day something’s going to like you know come in your way become like a big hurdle or a hassle Um so I think that’s like the biggest eye openener when it comes to college golf is like not everybody comes from the same background and the same upbringing but you have to realize like like I said you’re only in control of yourself and like um just like stay focused I think that’s another thing too I feel like a lot of people um you know their first couple months it’s like a make or break Like it’s like you know did you really want to play uh D1 college golf did you really want to be here like do you really see yourself dedicating yourself um even if it doesn’t have to be professional golf but dedicating yourself to a craft that’s like a lot bigger than you And at Howard that’s kind of the reason that it brought me to Howard Um I realized the picture of like you know this golf game isn’t just me Like even if I wanted to win like a million one tournaments just kind of like the exposure the name the life stories that I’m going to have like post college I think that’s going to make like the biggest difference cuz I think at the time when I started playing I didn’t think I I don’t even think I knew one African-American that played college golf And then
fast forward it was like my sophomore and my junior year in high school I knew maybe like one or two And then when you start like looking at like the rosters just like cross country it’s like there’s very very few people that are like you know playing college golf let alone playing D1 golf So like seeing like okay how do I fit myself in that mold and then how can I inspire the you know the future generations to be like okay even if you don’t like golf right this is an opportunity for you to still make friends network have fun be healthy like there’s a lot more to golf than just what people see
Yeah for sure that that’s crazy that that wasn’t too long ago and we’re still not seeing a lot of like people of color in these you know arenas It’s changing obviously So that experience is that kind of what brought you out here to Victoria and and what you have going on
yeah So it’s like it’s multi-dimensional So like to your point like there’s not too many people that like even like it it feels like it hasn’t like obviously we’re like making baby steps like super baby steps Um but I think the biggest thing and like this is where like you start peeling an onion back and you like realize you’re like “Okay so even though there’s not too many people that are like still playing golf there’s a lot more things that people have pulled from golf and like that’s kind of contributing to like how our societyy’s playing as a whole So like um now I work with the T divis dudes foundation and they’ve been super big and super motivational to realize like this is I’ve always known it’s like a generational sport but it’s more of a generation type thing where it’s like you have an entire like village behind you So like the kids that I teach right now I always tell them all the time you know I don’t care what you do in the future honestly you know you want to be an astrot you want to be a superhero whatever you want to be go and be it like dream big Um I think my biggest thing is making sure that they’re good people and they’re good citizens and then they realize that like they always have someone to like talk to and like they have a corner and like just somebody that like understands where they’re coming from cuz I feel like there’s a lot of like disconnect between like older people and younger people right now But just being that happy like middleman of like I’ve been in your shoes I know exactly what you’re exper I was like and then even with social media like that’s a big role in like uh young kids’ lives So like realizing like okay don’t get lost in like all this you know flashing lights and whatnot like realize at the end of the day you’ve got to look at yourself in the mirror So it’s like you know however you want to go about your day you can go about your day but like just know you got to like lay your head at night and trust and believe that like whatever you’ve done before then you’re like okay with sleeping with that night Mhm Yeah I really love how you’re marrying you know learning golf but also learning life because they kind of mirror the two I feel
you know like the idea of like you know you might have a bad day but the next day might be great you know and then like persevere and keep going Yeah
Very true
So what’s the age group you’re you’re teaching here
so right now um believe our youngest is six years old and then the oldest is 17 years old Um and it’s like crazy because I think the youngest that I’ve ever taught like ever in my life was two years old So
two Yeah So funny enough why didn’t I start when I was two
and like this is how it came to be right cuz like I knew even I was 14 or 15 when I did that junior clinic Um so I have a nonprofit called Grass Girls with Golf and I started that back
You started that yeah I started that back in Baltimore And funny enough at I think the age group at that time was like 8 to I think it was 8 Yeah 8 to 17 And um a girl that happened to attend my class she had a little sister and you know wasn’t expecting additional people but I just remember since it was a Halloween event there was this 2-year-old that like showed up in like like a duck costume
Oh my god stop it at first right you know her mom was just expecting her to like you know stay off to the side kind of you know do her own thing but she actually wanted to play golf with us So I was like I can’t say no to you I was like if you want to play golf like play golf with us And I like realized I was like it’s so much more than just like you know hitting the ball in the hole It’s just like seeing them happy and like seeing them kind of like learn things on their own and like figure out life and experiment cuz like obviously there’s quote unquote like a conventional way to play golf but you’ll start learning from little kids like how to swing a golf club differently or like you know this works for this person versus other people
Natural
Yeah They’re like supernatural
I’ve seen them on like IG or the Tik Tok and they’re just like and I’m like how how do I do that no my my little sister’s a super great example right and I was telling somebody this like a couple weeks back Um so she’s a mad competitive dancer so she like travels for dance And I remember when uh I was like 13 14 Um we would always take her out on the golf court at least while I was practicing And like you know she’d be on the putting green either collecting my balls or trying to like block my balls from going in the hole But nonetheless like I just knew that I wanted to like just kind of like give her a taste of what golf is I didn’t want to like you know force it on her obviously and my parents didn’t want either They just got her plastic set and said you know go with it Um but nonetheless like I realized like she’s such a natural to the point where it’s like she doesn’t have to think about anything And I think it’s cuz like the fact that like when you become an adult you’ve kind of like programmed your body to be a certain way and like move a certain way whereas like when you’re a kid you’re kind of like free going So like anything kind of goes and then like you learn how to like adapt and like change depending on what situation you’re in So um I always tell little kids and even like parents like yeah there is like a standard or a certain way to like hold a golf club and like stand but like as long as you learn how to make contact with the ball I think that’s the biggest portion And like you’ll learn how to like develop muscles or develop strength or develop endurance to like swing the way you want to swing And
we’re seeing that on the PGA tour a lot more now It’s like the crosshand grips for chipping or like even like the really strong grips or like you know the claw grips being uh when it comes to like putting I think that’s like cool to watch where it’s like it’s not just just traditional boring of like this is how you hold the club Like now you now you have this entertaining piece and like even I think his name is like Snappy Gilmore
Um funny enough a kid that I had met when I was like 15 or 16 he did something similar to that and I just remember being so worried that made everyone freak out
Oh yes Oh my gosh Because like we were at this driving range and uh this is also part of first We’re at this driving range where there’s trees in the background but behind these trees are the golf course So he would swing one-handed and literally like you know do like this whip around helicopter type move like pound the ball
Yeah Okay
And he pound the ball over these trees on a number 16 is what the hole was And um obviously you know people would complain and whatnot but like they’d be like “Who the heck hit this ball just look at this kid swinging one handed.” Um but it was so because he just started golf So I was just like that’s impressive that like you know you just take like one small thing and like you make it your own and then it becomes like really good like Yeah I guess what I guess that’s what they mean when they say swing your swing right
literally swing your swing cuz like Yeah that’s just how it is
I’m still figuring out mine But but I’ve seen some some I don’t want to say crazy swings but like non-conventional swings that work for people And I’ve seen it with like the older community maybe because they don’t have that agility and all that
and mobility
Yeah And mobility And then I’ve seen it like with people within my own age group and I’m just like how does that like how do you figure out that that’s what works for you
you know and it’s so strange
Have you seen tennis players recently
i don’t think I have either
I think that’s been the biggest change as far as me just looking at the golf swing and being like “Okay that’s an okay move.” Um but they come so far inside that I don’t know how the heck they make contact with the ball Yeah It’s like this right is so close to their side but they’re able to create like this side tilt is what we call in golf
Um and it works for them Like I’ve I even teach this one kid and he does it And um I’m just like impressed that like you know they consistently make contact Obviously you’ll have to like change up the swing depending on what ball flight you want but for the most part just like a stock standard shot like they’ve kind of got that down Can when when you watch someone sing can you tell if they played baseball or tennis or like any other type of sport that’s funny How can like what is it
so like baseball players they tend to like fall back So like a lot of their like momentum and everything is kind of like the hang back So like really good at like with drivers iron’s you know inconsistent
But uh tennis players like I said they just have this very like super tight-knit like rotation that’s happening with their abdominal muscles And then um even like soccer players hockey players um hockey players are really good with their hips I would say they’re probably the easiest to teach golf
Yeah
Baseball players they’ve got a lot of speed upper body strength but um yeah just like one of those like things working on finish That’s a big thing that we always work on with baseball players
Wow that’s so cool That’s so funny that you can tell cuz I can tell and like I said I’m I’m not a very sporty person but I can tell I’m like “Oh that that person’s played baseball I have a friend who plays tennis She transitioned to golf and she ended up being a lefty She She’s right-handed but because of tennis she plays lefty So I’m like “Oh that’s so funny.”
Is she really good at the backhand
i think so Yeah Yeah
Yeah I was going to say like
she’s a good player And honestly I think righties should have like whoever invented golf I think right-handed people should have picked up left-handed clubs
Oh maybe I should I just feel like that’s your dominant Yes And your whole all your muscles are on that side So if you’re going to finish on that side it just makes more sense Maybe that’s what I should try Yeah that’s the that’s I mean I’m honestly I think and it might be early I’ve always told this to people at 50 years old I’m like completely changing over to lefties Um but it could be at 35 could be at 40 years old I’ve done it in in some of my classes cuz I have a couple lefties that come
Um and like sometimes it’s a hit or miss Like sometimes it’ll be very pure like I’ll surprise myself and other times I’m like yeah this is why I’m not
allowed But yeah
that’s good That’s an option for people You don’t have to stick to you know whatever hand you have Okay Um so you mentioned that nonprofit you started What was it called again
it’s called Grasp Girls with Golf
Grass Girls with Golf
Grass with a P
Grasp
Yes
Grass girls
with golf
With golf Okay And that came about after college
No no no That was long time ago
Middle school Really oh okay So um
so you were like young on a mission to change golf
as my um
who does that
that’s impressive
Yeah as one of my best friends would always tell me um she’s always saw me as being like being an entrepreneur or being creative and like doing different things and like um a lot of people now they’re like telling me they’re like “You should just go back to like some of the stuff you used to do like back in the day.” And I’m like “Yeah yeah maybe in the future.” Um because like I’ve learned uh kind of having this like business that I have right now Um it takes a very crazy person to be an entrepreneur Like like you got to be locked in 10 toes down like there’s no backing out of this
Um but you like realize and um I’ve taken a couple entrepreneurship classes in college Um you got to find that like happy medium of things of like being realistic and then being you know super out there to the point where like you know you might go insane yourself Um but nonetheless when I was 13 14 it came about because uh it was Girls Golf of Baltimore So it was like a chapter in Baltimore that was out of the girls golf program Um they were like discontinuing And funny enough and like I look back at these videos now and like I’ll show you afterwards Um one of the ladies she was an LPGA professional And at the time like didn’t put two and two together um never really had heard about the process or even like knew what it took to be an LPJ professional but I just remember like she played a super pivotal role in like me sticking with golf and then me coming up with the um nonprofit So when I came up with the idea um it was really just to keep my friends close in it Like all the people that I met through golf it was like okay this is our way to like still hang out still meet up like still have fun Um and I knew most of them like they weren’t really like on the competitive side but they love to just like come out and just like chitchat and like if you know me like I’ll talk someone’s head off So like it was good for me to have someone to talk off with Um but nonetheless like I said
that 2-year-old came and I was just so shocked and I like realized I was like “This is so much bigger than what I see it right now.” And I kind of had to put it on pause especially when I did college golf cuz like like I said it’s a full-time job Um but the the opportunities that we did for like volunteering and just kind of like philanthropy um it was like heartwarming because like you realize you’re like wow these kids like really appreciate us like you know taking time out of our days and like you know just sharing the love that we have for the game with them Um but then fast forward you know post college I was like yeah like I really want to teach I really like I love teaching
Yeah And so the the people that were um you know a part of this is were they just not exposed to golf and you saw it as an opportunity to expose it to them or more of so an extension of what they already had going on
yeah So there’s like a good portion like they had never been exposed to golf and then there was a good portion that like like whether or not they came to maybe like one or two first te classes that are like and like girls golf is like super unique where it’s like you don’t have to be part of first team and you don’t have to have any golf experience like you can just show up to a class and like we’ve even had like girl scout groups Um I mean you name it just different type of girl groups come out to like a girls golf program and get to experience like okay this is what golf is but like this is also what like golf and the social aspect is Um so just kind of like learning like you know bonding sisterhood um building confidence building self-esteem It’s a lot bigger than like I said just swinging a golf club
Yeah
that’s so cool And I keep hearing you say first tea That’s something I never did
I’m gonna keep plugging that So so so share share what that is and why it’s important
Yeah Yeah So uh first is a nonprofit It’s nationwide Actually I think it might be globally at this point Um
cuz I saw a poster somewhere
Absolutely Absolutely Um but yeah funny enough it’s like this very small niche like network that has kind of like touched so many people as far as like just teaching them the game of golf being very great mentors to them um kind of just changing the way in which we see society as a whole to like um how it first started it was kind of to like reach out to people that were in un underrepresentative communities like just kind of like um you know like rough communities so to speak um but just being that bridge of like you know hope and like there’s access and opportunity involved with golf so that’s kind of how it like started and then it’s kind of like transformed into like you still have you know that whole uh like giving back and doing outreach and whatnot but now it’s like there is a slight competitive part of like learning the game and like building good habits and like um you know just being a lot more than like you know who you are who you were yesterday Um so I think that’s like the biggest portion And then with me having met all the people that I met because like I said there very few girl golfers that I met um in my area But like having been to like exposed with first te and like going nationwide and like seeing like oh there’s girls in California there’s girls in Texas Florida um and seeing their passion like just like I don’t know it kept me motivated and being like okay even even if I don’t do this in college right like I still have best friends and I’ve still built a community and like a support system and like I mean still to this day I think I’m friends with like 90 95% of them
That’s amazing
And yeah like the only reason like some of them are not like they’re just not on social media anymore But like
wait everyone’s on social media
See you would think this right but what I’ve realized is like and it’s like a fine like divide between my friend groups So like there’s some people that completely like they took away their social media like no social media at all and I’ll like tell them things and they’re like “What are you talking about?” I’m like “Never mind forget about it.” Then there’s the other side and I’m like directly right in between Um then there’s the other side of people that are on social They can tell me anything that happened like within the last like hour or so And I’m looking at them like “How the heck do you have this much time on your hands?” And then I like realize I’m like “Well their phone is always going off.” So like they’re always checking updates and whatnot Um but yeah some people have just kind of like leaned into the world leaned into their life of like life without social media And I’m like hm maybe someday But I think just like in the position that I am and just like the position and the goals that I have um I want to make sure my visibility is one there present like accurate information is getting out there and um just like being a positive role model So I think that’s the biggest thing is like you have so many people that try to like stare the narrative in a certain direction and I want to make sure like the story is always correct and it’s always positive and um yeah like kids kids see it as more of a positivity thing rather than a negative thing
Yeah Yeah I feel you on the social media thing because I’m I’m on the side of like I’m constantly on because I’m constantly responding because I do believe social media is a great tool um you get to decide what voice you give out
sucks
and and what you’re showing right so it’s definitely a great tool but there is a fine balance between like being cuz my friends will tell me like are you are you really on your phone right now and I’m like I’m like I have to respond I have to the I have to feed the algorithm you know so totally but definitely it is a good tool and that’s how I got to learn about you
yeah Christine Pavo So she had absolutely shared
you know about you and and and what you were doing and
and I was like “Oh that sounds amazing.” Because
as you mentioned um there’s not that many women golfers in the community I mean they are they exist They they’re there but they’re not Yeah we’re breathing but
not too many are making moves or are involved with making changes within golf So it it was nice and refreshing to hear about you
It was crazy enough because how we how I even met her Um I was at Griffith Park just like randomly and um I think I either just finished up my run or I was about to go out and um she was with a couple other folks Um but they kind of just like had all approached me and they you could just tell like they kind of like lit up when I just shared like just as like a spiel about me and they were like wait no way like we got to stay in touch and we like exchanged contact information and so forth Um but then just realizing about like relationships and whatnot and like even though you are you know following someone you don’t know them you know to like some full extent and then um I think we happened yeah we hopped on a call together and she shared more about like you know her passion and what she’s like truly you know about and like what she wants to you know expose to the world and exposed to social media and I like realized I was like it’s so weird how like people just you know come into your life and like you don’t realize that they can be like such a big role and like they have you know the same mindset and the same values Um but just realizing that you can always learn something from someone no matter who you meet So that was just like kind of beautiful to see that like that connection happen
Yeah it’s it’s weird coming in as a new golfer It’s been interesting to see like how this community like you mentioned it’s a small community It’s even tinier when you get to know people But
it’s so great There’s so much opportunity in golf There is you know a lot It it used to be this sport that was only afforded to certain people and that’s changed And that’s one of the exciting things for me is like I came into golf at a time when there there were more people of color There were more genders out there enjoying golf different class you know classes and all that
So it is nice to see and very refreshing So I love that within golf you can network and there’s just so many people doing cool things and I’m excited for the f or really just the next couple years because um I can just see how like the golf world is growing and like even you look at it from like a fashion standpoint um when I was super young like and everybody I I feel like everybody has gone through this point or like if you’re at this stage in life where like you’ve been playing golf you know for over a decade there was definitely this transition of like we would wear like these shorts that go down to our knees or like khakis or like uh plaid and oh my gosh
don’t get me wrong plaid is just it’s not for me It might be for some people just not for me Um but I just remember like looking back at those photos and I was like what was I what were my parents thinking i was like this is just like this is a wild like you know time to be alive Um but then like seeing the transition of like you know Yeah even the high socks like it was it was killing me But um yeah just seeing the transition of like now golf being more of a you know actual sport and actual like athletes are now playing it So like um you have the tennis skirts and you have the tennis outfit and like um all these other sports are now playing a super big role in how like golf apparel is like transforming and I know like even surf surfboarders and skateboarders and snowboarders um they’re playing a really big role in like the design of things So like before you know it would just be like certain color scheme and like you know everything was pretty like standard boring like it just was one color And now they have like you know different gradients and different um designs and like they’re just pulling so much more than like what I saw golf is And I think that’s what’s going to keep growing the game and keep making more and more people interested that like never were interested before Um but yeah it’s just like one of those things where it’s like the fashion industry is growing I know like slowly but surely we’re going to get more and more people that are you know obviously uh women working within the golf industry So like I just saw this video I guess it was like a couple days back Um and it was a woman speaking about being a head golf professional And um I remember when I was working at Pebble uh it was like one of those experiences where I was like you know I kind of see myself working as a head golf professional and like obviously I’ve taken a slightly right could circle back and you know go that direction but you like realize like I don’t think I’ve ever seen a head golf professional that’s a woman Like it’s like it’s kind of bizarre And then even just like you know people working in the pro shop or um caddies for example that’s another big push that’s been happening Um but yeah there’s more and more women that are starting to enter this golf industry and that’s what’s super cool because like we’re not alone anymore Like there’s more people that are out here and supporting and like wanting to learn about it
Yeah that’s that’s nice Going back to the fashion one of the things I noticed when I started I was like these looks are terrible I’m like why is it the skirt to my knee which is cool Some people rock it right you know but for me I’m like I kind of want to look cool you know and then I started learning about like some brands that are coming out and you know that’s been exciting to see Um there’s a few handful Sierra Madre I don’t know if you’ve heard of them I have their womenowned small small brand Very cool stuff Very like
basics topnotch You look good out there Absolutely
Um Foral is another one They they seem to be like a bigger brand I think they’re backed up by like um a pro golfer
Um but yeah and and and even then I think that’s not enough Like I want to see more I want more brands to come out And I don’t know if Well since you’re a new golf you probably haven’t been to the PGA show
Um
it’s like golf on steroids
Oh it just happens
Yeah So it happens every single year but it’s And every single year is different but it’s really golf on steroids cuz like you go to a golf course right and like you see certain things and you’re like “Okay this is just how like golf is supposed to be right?” But like when you go to the show you realize like how the creations start to come about and how people make decisions and how like you know this golf course gets this versus that golf course getting that or you know even watch a parallel start to like make it out Um but like long story short it’s this really cool like experience of like the entire golf community or like golf professionals like coming together and like reconnecting and reigniting and like being like “Okay you know like how are you doing how you doing like I have this connection for you I’ve get that this business plan for you This worked for my business This could work for your business Um so that sort of thing of like bridging the gap Um because I think that’s the biggest divide between the West Coast and the East Coast Like East Coast is definitely more traditional and old school whereas like a lot of the golf course like still to this day Um a lot of the apparel that I would wear on the East Coast I couldn’t wear on the East Coast So like it wasn’t until we moved to the West Coast and I was like I can wear whatever I want Like it is what it is Um but yeah it’s just like they’re very like just kind of like back in time where like they truly believe that like the traditional wear it must be worn It can’t be worn anywhere else And I get there’s a certain like look that you kind of want to you know appreciate and like hold um true to but at the same time when you start thinking about like what people are comfortable with and what they’d feel most confident with um that you definitely have to be more open to that as a person
Yeah So East Coast is more traditional So more traditional I mean I love a collar I love collars I love mock necks I look I love looking put together I do love that about golf It’s got like a class
Yes it does
It’s classy right
it does
But I love it when I can see people’s personality through what through their apparel through what they wear
Yeah
I guess I never told you the story There’s this guy I met um it was either in La Hoy or Ensenos um in Goat Park Love that place If you ever go there amazing
Um hardcore Definitely Uh you know make sure you like train yourself a little bit Don’t just tell don’t just start like bedrotting or like couch sitting and then you’re like “Okay I’m ready for the golf course.” Like Goat Park is one of those you’re going to get a workout as well Um but long story short there was this guy and his golf bag was made of his jeans So he personally made this bag where it’s like you see like the jeans make the bag and it’s a Sunday bag mind you Um the belt is a strap He’s got like buttons and all these other contraptions in the thing And then he was just telling me this long story of how he showed up to a golf course one time wearing these jeans and they said you know you can’t wear jeans here And he was just like you know so appalled and just like what are you talking about um and he comes from like a surfing mindset So he’s just like yeah what that
makes sense
Um and then even the same thing with the whole collar shirt right so like most surfers they tend to wear you know just polos So what he ended up doing he came back still had a polo on but he ended up like cutting out the collar and like the buttons and like putting it over top of the polo just to say like “Oh I have a collar and like you know like you got to like let me go on the golf course now.” But I was just thinking I was like “Yeah why is that just you know a thing nowadays?” I don’t I don’t know
Yeah but what about this bag
yes it’s just when I And
that’s smart
Yes I’ll have to show you this bag But um Yeah it’s his jeans Like literally you look at it and you’re like he didn’t use any other M It’s just strictly the jeans and the belt like I said and like that makes the golf bag So he’s got like the compartment for like the um balls and whatnot And then he’s got TE’s and like he tricked it out for sure
I’m I’m trying to figure that out cuz I’ve been wanting like a Sunday bag a smaller bag um just to carry you know for a quick round And I just I haven’t wanted to splurge on anything yet But like I love that diy jean jean bag
or maybe like a um corduroys would be nice too That’d be a nice like for Yeah
I like that There’s so many creative people in golf And
yeah I I can’t wait to see what else that brings Absolutely
So I know you mentioned you were teaching like the youth Do you also teach adults
i do
Like myself
Yeah So fingers crossed that uh this class still happens Not really sure what the weather and mother nature is feeling today
Um
it never rains in LA but
but yeah No Um I do teach adults and um let’s see started like full-time teaching back in so like late May so to speak Um but all to say is like I remember when I first started I I wasn’t sure what to expect with my first class It was kind of like I posted on probably like one or two different channels and then was kind of just like you know whoever I get and considering I’m not from LA too It was also just like I really got to keep myself like open and options Um but yeah I remember my first ever class was like 12 people showed up and I was like that’s it
I was like that’s a great number
I was like oh my gosh I was like so worried I was like I don’t know how this is going to go cuz I was like I was not and then there was a couple they like trickled in you know a little bit later than our um time of making it over to the chipping area But I just remember like everybody had different backgrounds and everybody had cool stories and I always ask people when they come you know what what even inspired you to like try out this class or you know like try out golf or like um what what do you like about golf and it’s cool to hear like the different stories of how some people have never tried golf Some people have gone to Top Golf Some some people played when they were super young Um you know kind of either grew out of it or just like got injured and now they’re like you know trying to get back into it But you just learn like all the different aspects of like people’s different lives And then it’s a really cool um aspect Like I said people will come into your lives and you’ll have no idea why they come into your life But um like I have a couple students right now and they’re like making me see the world so different right now So
I just made a post like uh I guess it was yesterday I don’t know when I made post Um but like the caption is just like evolving as a golf coach and like it really is like I’m evolving like real time right now where it’s like I had this whole mindset back in May when I had this whole idea of like the class and whatnot and now I see it so much bigger than my head right now Um so yeah just just trying to keep my head on straight and like be patient and um just realize when it’s going to come it’s going to come I don’t have to rush anything Um cuz yeah everything that’s meant to be will be So
Mhm Yeah So who who’s easier to teach the kids or the the grown-ups
it’s a tough one cuz like kids are so funny when I tell like and they’ll take your mind off of golf cuz like you’ll start realizing like um you don’t need to train them to be like a tiger woods Like if you’ve heard stories about like tigers died and whatn not um I I’ll never train a kid like that Um but like you just realize like they’re here to have fun So I think that’s the cool thing about golf It’s like yeah like I’ll have a certain agenda but that agenda always gets changed because with kids like you know they’re always wanting to do different things Whereas like the adults um it definitely makes me grow as an instructor cuz you like I said everybody has a different like blueprint makeup DNA type structure Um so not everybody’s coming in here as an athlete And like with me having started as an athlete getting into this sport like realizing how much stuff that I did not know about the golf game or how much stuff like you know when it comes to holding a golf club like you’re just completely clueless if you have like no like you know background in like anything So I have to like translate or kind of like convey my words in a certain way to make it seem like it’s super simple and like you know anyone can do this Um but yeah but just realizing like I’m kind of learning as I’m going I’m also super still super young as well But as a golf coach you’re always like I’ll be 85 years old still learning because the golf swing is always changing Philosophies are always changing Um equipment is always changing Technology it’s just like there’s so many things you just kind of have to stay on your P’s and Q’s about Um but yeah it’s like me and the student It could be a private lesson could be a group lesson Like I realize we’re all a team So like whatever you know it’s like even if they feel down about theelves I’m going to be their biggest cheerleader because I’m rooting for them no matter what And um I I hope that all my students you know stick with the game even if they don’t happen to take any more classes They don’t happen to you know um you know do it full-time It’s just one of those things where like nice casual sport You can do a date night nice friend outing birthday parties Oh my gosh Love me some birthday party
Me and my friends are always doing birthdays I’m like girls stop I can’t But it’s so much fun
It is really fun Yeah It’s not always I mean it’s nice to be competitive but sometimes it’s nice to just have a social respect
Yes Oh my gosh Absolutely
Okay So I mean you said you mentioned having to simplify it you know go how do you simplify golf to someone does it hit the ball like you just hit the ball make it go straight well I think the simplification happens because like you know golf it has layers So it’s like you could definitely teach from the technical aspect of like oh I want you to get into this angle and I want your h your wrist to hinge this way and I want your back to turn this way and like so to speak I mean yeah if they’re a robot you could tell them to do things like that and they might do it like that But as humans right um we’ve kind of like adop adapted based on like previous experiences So like all related to even if they haven’t played a sport like you know sweeping a broom or like you know uh putting a nail with a hammer like something along those lines to make it more like seamless of like
so things you do already things you do or you’ve like seen people do um just so that it makes it a lot easier and makes it seem more realistic cuz uh one of my students this past week she was like man this game is so hard and I was like I mean yes and no like so to speak like you’d be surprised how much more difficult we make it seem Um even when I taught her how to hit a driver she’s like “No way It’s this easy.” And I was like “That’s why I was saying when I first started golf I don’t know how I learned the game like just to hit the cuz I was natural at the driver.” Um but it’s just like when you get out of your own head you become a lot better at the game rather than you start thinking too much And it’s like yeah your body can’t move like that
That’s my problem I I’m thinking of what I watched what someone told me what what my last instruction said and I’m just like “Okay go.” And then I like I do it and then I black out And then I’m like I’m like “Where’d it go?” And then everyone and then people will be like “Well you did this with your hip or you didn’t you know you didn’t do that.” And I’m just like “Why can’t I like remember that when I’m actually doing it?”
Yeah And like the tricky thing is golf is a game of opposites So like someone could tell you to like keep your head still or like don’t you know stop moving your head or like do this with your head do this But like a lot of times you kind of have to tell a person to do the opposite for them to actually get it or like convey it Um but then you also real like I said kids they’ve learned how to hit the golf ball without the traditional way So even though you know people have seen on social media or like they’ve had a lesson in the past or somebody’s told them this that and the third it doesn’t apply for everyone Um and that’s what you have to be super mindful of It’s like people have you know their limitations and like you know obviously mobility as well Um is another issue sometimes with people but you kind of have to like you have to meet them in the middle Like meet them where they’re at rather than try to build up you know from ground zero and then be like “Okay now since you’re you know my project this is how I want you to move.” Like just try to figure out where they’re at and then go from there
Okay Yeah So I don’t I don’t want you to spill your teaching secrets but like when you meet like an adult who is trying golf for the first time what does that first lesson usually look like a
lot of fundamentals Um and then just making them realize that like what they I shouldn’t say it’s like an insane asylum right but it’s it’s one of those uh it’s a roller coaster for sure Like even me having played you know 16 17 years now it is always going to be a roller coaster because one day you might be really feeling you’re like “Okay I got it locked in.” Let’s say this is like right before a tournament right um and then you know the day of the tournament you’re like it’s like I’ve never played golf before and like you have those moments I still have those moments nowadays where I’m just like something is off something is weird Um but you like realize that like routine is super important Going back to your fundamentals uh your head space extremely important like if there’s something that’s happened in your life or is like currently happening in your life like that can play a lot bigger role than you think Um so just kind of remembering like you know you’re in control of your own life and your attitude Um but then just like I always teach five senses as well and that’s actually a secret but it’s fine
Okay We’re not going to reveal that one You have to join her class
Yeah You got to get with the kid to get all the secrets but um I’ll leave it at that
Okay Cool Yeah There’s there’s just so much going on when it comes to swinging a club
Like but it’s like it’s really is just simple if you free up your body
It is
But like that’s the same thing with life right you have to free up yourself You can’t just be in this one like mold where you’re like trying to fit into a box cuz nobody fits into a box Like everybody’s different
Yeah So so be patient with me people
Super patient Like Yeah
And just I think that’s another thing too It’s like a lot of people they’re like looking for the perfect golf swing and there’s no such thing as a perfect golf swing or they’re looking to always hit the ball perfect But you’ve got to remember like you know life is about taking positive pieces out every day Like even today like I’m like thinking I’m like I could be on the east coast with snow right now but I’m here in SoCal enjoying the sunny warm semiwarm weather Um and just like you know having be on the podcast with you right now like I think you’ve got to always pull something positive out of whatever you’re doing
That’s true It’s just hard with golf But I’m telling you like some people right I’ve legit seen them not hit the ball at all right and for one for somebody that’s like “Oh my gosh like how can you not hit the ball?” But like some for some people it is a challenge Um but just realizing like hey you hit the ball you hit the ball forward um you hit the ball you know a certain distance your turn was better Just like always telling my students like there’s something positive that can always be taken because like the moment you get hard on yourself it just it ruins your golf game
So true So true I I love that you reframe it for them because um for me I get very frustrated and sometimes I can get a little whiny and and I acknowledge that and I’m aware of it and I work on it but I can’t help but get frustrated Yeah
And then once I’m frustrated it’s like it’s game over No no no It’s true And I think that’s the cool thing about being cuz like I feel like a lot of people are like “Oh you’re a golf instructor.” And like yeah I guess that’s like part of the job criteria but like it’s more like a golf coach So like even if you were to see somebody like a life coach or like a therapist or like something along those lines like you need somebody to be you know in your corner or like cheering you on from the background or just like like you said reframing your mind Um cuz that just makes you a better person overall It’s not just so much of like oh this is how I hit the ball and like my score defines me Like if I could tell you how many times I would go out on the golf course and like after the round I’d be completely like miserable And then looking back at it and I was like shooting some of the best scores like ever and I was like I was so hard on myself for no reason Like literally no reason at all Like
Yeah
Yeah It’s
all up here
No it is And just your matter of perspective too cuz like I mean like I said the more competitive that you play with um other folks
you realize like there is a different caliber of golf so to speak
But um just remembering like this is supposed to be a fun sport Like you’re not you’re not playing for the Masters out here at Victoria
It’s not Squid Games No it’s not like you’re going to you know still be the great human you know wife husband whoever you go back to Like
you still got a life outside of golf
I noticed with a lot of the more seasoned golfers that that I’ve met they’re they all have that positive mindset that you have They’re all like they philosophical They’re like life is beautiful They like
and I’m just like I’ll get there one day But I do notice like yesterday I played around and I prayed I I I made a par I’m I’m instead of double pars I’m doing like double bogeies triple bogeies So that’s an improvement for me
Absolutely
And and while I was like very critical of myself with my um with my irons yesterday I was like you know what let’s take a look at the putting I’m doing okay So I’m like you know what no this is good I’m I reframed what was going on in my mind and I’m like “No this is good This this is progress.”
Exactly
And it’s nice because I have And I think most golfers have like a little community that cheers them on Like you mentioned everyone kind of cheers each other on for the most part Everyone I’ve met is very like kind and you know
they celebrate the small wins Even the smallest wins Like everyone’s there for you Absolutely Strange I’m not used to it
Yeah I mean having the different levels like I said that golf comes with like you you’ve got to realize you know where you fit in where you don’t fit in and then just like who you want to be around Like I know people they love to trash talk they love to gamble when it comes to golf And then you’ve got the people that just love to drink and love to have fun and like you know make it a social aspect So like figuring out you know where is your community where is you know where are your people at um that’s the biggest thing
Yeah it’s definitely there are all kinds of people out there They enjoy golf differently Um and I I I’ve loved getting to meet all kinds of them It’s been fun Yeah Yeah Are you golf like do you I know you’re an instructor but do you actually golf like on your free time do you spend any time golfing
especially like this year this year has definitely kicked it in even with the fire situation Um it’s definitely kicked it into high gear cuz I have some students so like boys um they’re they love to trash talk and um they’re always testing me So like every single time I turn around they’re like “Coach I bet you can’t hit the shot Coach doll you’re not making that push Coach I bet I can hit it further than you.” And like obviously you know they’re growing so like testosterone’s kicking in You know they’re reaching puberty almost Um but like I always I love to humble kids So like I have to put them in my place and like realize I’m like “Listen listen I’m not just any golf coach right like I am Kendelle.” And so um we have this like code name that I can’t reveal but like sometimes the kids will like say it Um and it’s just like funny because like you know that you have to put kids into that place of like okay I am your like friend but I’m also your golf coach So like there has to be you know some level of respect and like yeah we can have fun at fun at times Um but just realizing like hey you know I’m on your team at the end of this day like even if I’m hard on you and like there’s some kids that I’m like a little bit more hard because I know the potential that they can reach and I know their goal So like they’ve shared with me like hey this is where I want to be whether it be college golf whether it be on the tour and like I’m trying to make sure that I’m doing the necessary steps and like seeing based on their background where can I push them like where are their limits what are they um still struggling with that we can improve on so that’s my biggest thing and like yeah I still um play a lot of golf because uh my first professional event was last year and like I want to build on that from last year cuz like coming back into the whole um competitive side of things I realized how much I like missed it and just um I mean the level and the intensity that it takes so you can’t just I think I started training for that like a month prior
What event was this
um LPJ professional championship so it’s a qualifier for the KPMG
Yeah Um but yeah nonetheless I just realized I was like “Okay definitely got to put myself in more events.” Um but then just got to like update like my level of training because like before you know in college golf you play pretty much every single day You hit about I don’t know 100 plus balls and you play like 100 some holes every single week So like you’re always there It’s not just like you know you take any days off Whereas like now that like I’m in this adult life like there are some days that I take off cuz I realize I’m like “Okay
we got things to do.”
Yeah
Bigger things in life Yeah
Um but yeah just like realize and like even nowadays and I think that’s kind of what’s helped my game cuz I tell people all the time it’s like
I actually play better golf when I like don’t practice like too often like when I actually like take time to like rest and like refocus my brain
Um so like right now I’m super big super big into running right now
So um not necessarily training for a marathon Could be but um I I was telling my friend this the other day Uh I’m not quite quite at that stage of like competitiveness where I want to go like full throttle where I want to sign up for as many marathons and you know try to be the top of the top It’s more of like learning to love running and like learning to appreciate the self-improvement and the self-care that I’m getting from it Um and then just taking in the scenery Like I’ve learned so much more about my own community just running around it and realizing like wow you don’t see a lot of things when you’re driving in a car Like
No you don’t
Not in LA
Yeah And are you a part of any run clubs cuz run clubs are like super big in LA
They are And like shout out to Walk Good Um they also changed my life a lot Just like cuz that’s a we have such a big group It’s like
70 80ish people that come out Um but just realizing that like you know there are some different walks of life but um for the most part like everybody’s there just to like have fun get to know each other and everybody’s so kind and they’re so like motivating Um and there are different you know levels and paces that you can go at Um but just realizing that we’re all in here like together as one So even if you know you have the really fast people that finish up first right they’re cheering you on at the end So when you’re like absolutely dead and you want to keep going anymore you see them just like cheering You’re like “Okay I got to keep pushing through cuz like why else would they be clapping like they don’t want to see me you know stop disappoint.”
Yeah No for real For real But they’re lovely people Like second family as well So
Okay So you’re a golfer but you do other things you have a a life of your own Yeah
It’s funny you mentioned that you do best when you balance cuz cuz I would think the more you practice the more you spend time doing it the more dialed in you’re in But sometimes that’s not the case
Yeah No And I think that’s kind of why like some of my counterparts or some of the girls that I used to play growing up with um you know they kind of got burned out cuz you just it kind of becomes tiresome Um especially when you like want something so much but you can’t control anything in golf Like it’s always a game of just like adapting to situations Um but just realizing that like I’ve learned the more you stay athletic the better your golf game’s going to be So like even besides running like from hiking to swimming to surfing like the million other things that I do outside of golf actually makes my golf game better Um and yeah just it builds your character like it really makes you see like okay wow this is the type of person This is how I react in different um circumstances and situations and then um this is how I can better my own golf game
Yeah So you got to be like a well-rounded individual You definitely do
And being fit even slightly fit helps immensely
Yeah
I’m learning Yeah I don’t know how John Dailyaly does it I think he’s lying to the public by the way
Right He I I’m like I want to be the John Dailyaly of like ladies I just want to show up with no shoes on and hit it 300 yards
Yeah But I think you kind of have to like same thing He’s like an onion You got to peel back the layers and realize like he was al like he has a baseball background as well So like it wasn’t like he just kind of like came out of the womb was like I did nothing I just had a natural talent Like he definitely did train himself to be a certain way and like just perform under certain pressure So like that’s a thing like one of the stories that Tiger used to tell um and he would work like crazy hours like from working out to practicing to playing golf and then you see John Dailyaly in the clubhouse just you know drinking away and just having a good old time but John Dailyaly would beat him in those tournaments not I feel bad for Tiger all those hours what a humbling moment for him
Yeah Okay So what would you if we could break it down like what are three good tips for like someone starting out
um be super open be super positive Um golf is a very unique sport where you can’t get down on yourself cuz like I said it it’s a whirlwind Um so even when you’re having a bad day you just got to take things in perspective And I saw this really great video and um the captioners is like “What it is a privilege to like whiff a ball what is it is a privilege to hit a ball outbound?” And like it really is a privilege cuz like when you’re out here on the golf course you like realize you could be doing so many other things but like you’re enjoying yourself You’re taking time out of your day to just like have fun and like be yourself Um so that’s one thing just being open being positive about it Um another thing find a community find someone become friends with strangers sometimes like and not saying that like you know some random guy that comes up to you and tries to give you swing advice but like you know somebody that like really made your day like people in the pro shop right like I said um they’re the second family so like people that are always you know checking in on you wanting to make you better wanting to make sure you have everything You feel confident and you feel yourself like in the environment Um cuz that’s another big thing when it comes to golf And then um I guess not overly investing in the sport cuz I’ve seen beginners go full out like $5,000 set and I’m like you didn’t even know what you just purchased Like
that’s wild that that it’s it can get that expensive
No it get even worse than there’s one guy that I met He spent so and like like when I tell you he’s beginner beginner beginner beginner um and bought pretty much everything imaginable And like there’s some things that I’m looking at him like I don’t even have those things and like you know I I do this for a living But um he just you know thought that that’s all all the things that he needed But just realizing like you’ll figure out what works for you Um even when it comes to a golf setup like some people uh and even this is still kind of the case but um they don’t believe in like mixed sets So like you know having different brands in your bag Um but realizing that
Okay
Yeah every every brand is like unique and like specialized in their own like type of way cuz like some people have obviously uh specifically come out and they’re like you know the best club maker or the best iron makers the best you know golf ball out there Um so just realizing like whatever you want to put in the bag like put in the bag like you know don’t don’t be scared cuz somebody’s going to like judge you or something Um iron covers I’m going to judge you just saying but
what what’s so ugly about them cuz
they’re just not needed It’s not that they’re ugly It’s just not needed And then when I see them on the golf course I was like “Okay so this is why you know you lost them cuz like you didn’t need them.”
It’s too many to keep track of
You just don’t I would say the only time that I would ever use iron covers is if I’m traveling because obviously I want to protect cuz like you know some people just throw your golf bag Um but like when you’re on the golf course right like imagine how much time you’re spending taking that like you know cover off and then obviously you hit your shot and then you got to definitely clean your clubs You clean your clubs and then you like put it back on like every single time you’re doing that just taking up unnecessary seconds Um that you could be using doing something else But yeah I would never encourage that
I never thought of that part like actual like having to remove them and put them back
Yeah
And remember them too Like I said like they’re a lot of them just happen to fall off Like you could just be riding your golf cart and then woof
Yeah
Yeah That’s how I lose my head covers They just disappear on me I forget to like put them back on
So you just like put them on top
I just like put it Yeah I stuff it somewhere and then next thing you know I’m like where’s my head cover and then I see someone like waving it and I’m like oh
I at least people are kind enough to return them like that’s the key like if you have like
for the most part yeah cuz I’ve seen a lot of things go missing especially if it’s like a really like lucrative type item like
I lost a uh rangefinder one time
never got it back Yeah that’s popular
You know like you know the earth will return me a rangefinder
Yeah No no for real And like when I and there’s so many golf courses like um I won’t name exactly the golf courses but they they have a bunch of rangefinders that just kind of like sitting there and like nobody’s cla come to claim them cuz like obviously they don’t know where they lost them
Um but yeah there’s so many rangefinders that have lost their owners That’s a common thing
And they just hold on to them right
Do is it like one year and then that’s it
no sometimes it’s forever Forever Oh there’s hope
Sometimes I’m going to visit all the golf courses and look for my rangefinder
Yeah sometimes they’re just collecting dust And like I said even if it’s not your rangefinder right like let’s say it’s been sitting there for like over you know over a year or so Like some golf courses be like “Hey did you want this rangefinder it’s been sitting here like we don’t need it.” So
nice
Yeah It’s kind of just generosity of people
Yeah Spread the love
That’s cool Okay Um and then oh I was curious like what when you break down practicing like say I need to go practice is it should I only be focusing on one thing like putting chipping driving range or can I is it okay to like spend you know that practice session doing all of them
yeah I would definitely say diversify your practice Um obviously if I’m on the driving range don’t have like a million swing bots in your mind That’s not okay But like and don’t hit your entire I will never tell anybody to hit your entire bag There’s 14 clubs in the bag and obviously one being a putter but like if you hit all 13 on the range like what are you doing
um cuz that’s just not
it’s just it’s not needed Like even when you talk to like pros right and um I even have this one golf coach at one point uh he was saying he was like “Yeah you have like even and odd days.” So like you know you might hit your even clubs you might hit your odd clubs but when you like go through the breakdown of like a pros routine right let’s say they start and some people don’t even start with their wedges but like some let’s say they start with their wedges right um they might go through the 60 56 whatever other wedges they have in the bag Um but at the end of the day right it’s not like they’re hitting every single club They’ll specifically hit clubs in which they know they’re going to hit that day And then um when it comes to like the woods they’re only hitting that a couple times because one they’re trying to you know save their endurance but at the same time too like you know you’re rarely hitting those clubs Like when you’re out there you’re scoring clubs or your iron So like that’s where you put a lot more focus on Okay Oh man I feel like I need to write that down
because because I don’t really have like a method to my practice I just kind of show up and I’m like yeah
try all of them But
obviously the more I’m improving the more I can see like oh I really need to focus on my seven or you know definitely my driver you know pitching wedge and all that So good to know
And the the biggest way to progress is like keeping stats So like let’s say you were to go out on the golf course today trying to figure out like okay how many putts did I have and like you know a good at least for a good player like 30 to about 33 putts is like a pretty good range like this is entire 18 holes um because obviously you’re not really expected to hit every single green but if you do have hit every single green there’s certain ex exceptions to how close you would want to be in proximity to the hole
but I’d say the biggest thing like trying to figure out okay like do I spend all my time with driving okay well how many fairways do you hit do you duck hook them do you hit them out of bounds is like where can I improve my game just so that it cuts down a couple of strokes or even just 10 15 strokes Um cuz yeah if you spend all your time at the driving range you’re not going to get that much better than you think
Good to know
Yeah Um you mentioned like keeping track I just now started using my scorecard to like track what I’m doing
So that’s very exciting Nice Yeah
Moving up in the world
Yeah I I now have like putting right and then like fairway Okay
Or you know I I label it fairway but it
I don’t know what that means
Yeah fairways hit I I don’t take into account like where it landed I’ll get there
It’s up
Yeah But how do you Yeah How should we be breaking it down like what should we be looking at like am I doing it right
uh for the most part
like Okay So there’s different levels of how you could like keep stats and like if you take one of my classes um I’d actually go in more in depth but for the most part just figuring out like how many times you’re hitting certain clubs and how are they performing based on each time that you hit them So like putts is a super big I’d say as a beginner like look at how many putts you’re actually taking cuz like I feel like when you first start out with putting like everybody’s like their distance is off or it’s a little bit like inconsistent Um so just realizing okay like could I you know save some strokes by not three putting or like you know putting myself in a better position like um on the greens like that’s just my biggest thing with them So saving some strokes
Good Good Yeah Okay Good Uh I just got a new putter
What kind
uh it’s a Lucky
I’ve heard of that
It just look Okay To be honest I got it cuz it’s pretty That’s another thing too Do not get clubs Um okay Okay So here’s how I should say
Cuz they’re pretty
You should you can get So like the putter is an exception right because a putter is all about like confidence So like just how you stand and like look over the ball Like if you feel confident over the ball more often times you’re going to make it Um but when it comes to like the rest of the set right don’t just cuz like I’ve I’ve worked for Callaway as well so like don’t just get clubs that look like super pretty and like catch your eye and you’re like “Hey,” or like you know Tiger Wood played these clubs so I I’m going to play these clubs Like you got to realize like Tiger Woods like every single club manufacturer that worked with him made it specifically like c his certain specs So um you know if you can get fit get fit for clubs Um but yeah the putter is super unique I’ve had like the two fang type grips the Phil Nicholson type um putter Like I’ve even had this really it’s called like a big fat type grip I no longer have that putter anymore Um but you like realize it’s like whatever you’re confident with and then um don’t try that’s the one thing with putters Don’t try to switch them out too often I feel like with other clubs obviously they’re going to get worn out but like your putter um that should just stay with you cuz that’s that’s your confidence Like you talk about having like bad days if you can make some putts that changes the entire mood Like
yeah it’s true So I did get it cuz it’s pretty nice
But it turns out it’s a good putter
Yeah Yeah No no and so I’m really happy about that And yesterday I made like this super long putt and it was the most beautiful thing And I was like “Yes finally I’m getting somewhere.” But the only reason I got a new putter is cuz I someone brought it to my attention that I’m using a like a junior’s putter So I I’m tall I’m like 5’7 I’m not that tall
But my putter would be like here and then I’d be gripping it like at the very tippy top And so it would just it was just like this awkward thing And like I didn’t know that I didn’t know that until someone pointed it out to me They’re like “You know you have a genius size.” Oh
but like that’s like the tradition That’s like a common thing with um pros Like they have you know putters that are like shorter than like your standard putters Um cuz it’s honestly just based on your stance So I don’t even know how um Michelle Wei used to stand It’s like I don’t know five six years back something like that It was like the tabletop thing So she couldn’t have a super long putter cuz you know that would end up you know getting in the way of her abdomen But um yeah it’s all about what you’re comfortable and then how you’re standing So
Okay Yeah But yeah happy to report nice
it did help Nice
And the rest of my clubs I got them on Offer Up for like 60 bucks
Definitely recommend That’s a good club
Definitely good for beginners to buy used Absolutely
I’m now at a place where I know that these are not for me cuz they’re a men’s flex So they’re and they’re heavy and they’re hard and I’m like
I could be doing so much better So I am in the market for that And I hope to get fitted because I I’ve heard both get fitted You don’t need to get fitted I think where I’m at I think I want to get fitted because I want to invest in in a good set Yeah
absolutely
Cool So what else do you have going on anything in the future planned
a lot of things honestly
Anything you can reveal are we holding up
yeah Yeah Can’t can’t reveal anything I mean obviously if you follow me on social media you’ll you’ll find out about it
Where can we follow you yeah So it’s miss.growthegame Um if you follow me on that that’s the business account And then obviously if you want to truly get to know me it’s my personal account That’s on private right now So so you’ll have to be um
whether or not we make it Yeah Whether or not we make it public we’ll see But um yeah just like
I like it like that
And on your Misgrow the game um you have your lesson you announce your lessons all that
Yeah So like I have my own website Um obviously you can check out all the rates all the details any new events any new programs I have coming about Um but yeah the social media is where you can like see stuff physically and be like “Okay this is what you know she does or like this is what she’s inspiring to do or like this is what you know people have taken from it.” Um cuz I think it’s like one thing to be like “Yeah you’re a golf coach.” But then like to see like it’s a lot bigger like I said than golf so like you like realize you’re like I’m like changing people’s lives at this point Like I might as well be a doctor Yeah you are No it’s amazing I think that’s what’s so cool about you Like you you know you’re young and and you’re in this and you’re helping the youth kind of find their voice through this whether they stick to it or not Absolutely You know there’s life lessons that can be learned Super cool Yeah
I I got to join in on one of your events It was um night golf That was a lot of fun
Hoping to bring that back sometime
Yeah that was cool And I got to meet I think some of your students were there
Yep Some of the youth were there actually like I’d say out of all the like quote unquote students that I teach those are like my kids quote unquote that came out
Um so I’ve like personally taken them under my wing and like I said like I don’t just teach them golf So it’s a lot more about like life and like mentoring and like just kind of like picking their brain to see you know where their mindset is at cuz like they’re at different stages Like one is about to go off to college one um we just got her workout program um she’s about to you know start middle school one’s about to start high school There’s a lot of like different stages where they’re at right now Um but I I think it’s cool that like you know they had fun coming out to that Uh you know obviously they supported and they cared and they uh you know wanted to see what it was about Um but I do want to make it that it’s like not just that you know you’ve ever played golf before I feel like I want it to be one of those things where it’s like let’s say you happen to be I guess that’s a football or baseball field over there and you’re like seeing all these flashing light like that’s I I kind of want that to be the atmosphere of like let’s try out something new like that’s what I want
Yeah
So
yeah Was there anything else you wanted to mention or bring up
um I don’t know What would you tell viewers from being like a beginner and then like your experience with coaches like what would you recommend what is something that you know you wish you could go back and like do again something along those lines Um I think for me I don’t I don’t think I’d be where I’m at with golf today if I didn’t find a community because I mean I’m a very shy introverted person I’m not someone that can feel comfortable easily in new spaces So when I saw when I became interested in golf and I saw that there was an opportunity a community of of women specifically I felt like that was a safe space for someone like me And it worked out for me I that first day I went to the driving range I had never hit a golf club I I was so stiff I was like this I’m like am I doing this right but everyone there was so welcoming and warm and and so that was really helpful to me And so now although I am still new there are people who are now interested in golf um within my own world who’ve never done it and they want to get into it And so now I kind of get to
spread that to them and be welcome be welcoming and provide that safe space
So it’s been nice I I definitely think community is where it’s at
Absolutely That’s true comes down to it because even when you feel like you’re failing miserably someone’s there to cheer you on
That’s very true
Yeah
And so get yourself some cheap clubs Find somewhere you know whether it’s your local golf club cuz most courses have some sort of like education program right for the most part
Yeah for the most part Um yeah it kind of just dep so like I would say there’s a lot more junior programs than adult programs Um but yeah for the most part and like it’s growing So like LPJ LPGA program that I’m part of um it’s a really great like organization where um they have invite her So it’s a lot more of like you know instruction and just um you know a social gathering as well of uh really just bringing women from very different backgrounds I mean I’ve taught architects to realtors to I mean you name it just a lot of people out in the business world Um the game of golf and them having never been exposed to it Like they love it now And like you know they have co-workers as well So now they have you know a built-in group of like hey we’ve tried golf let’s try it again you know that sort of thing Um so that’s really cool to see that like you know the LPJ is like really making a standpoint of like it’s not just the tour that they’re focused on like they’re also focused on teaching you know the next coming generations and all the different you know demographics that want to be a part of it
Yeah I think I think the world is finally paying attention to women’s sports indeed
And they are investing in it and I think that’s what we’re
getting to see Absolutely
And it’s nice Yes
Yeah
Okay So we can follow you on miss
Yeah So it’s ms.growthegame then grow the game Um but yeah honestly if you just type in my name so it’s Kendall I can spell it Um K N D E L and then Abrams is AB R A M as a Mary and then S Um that’s like my name So both both things will pop up Yeah Yeah
Yeah it’ll pop up And then we we’re trying to go pro Yeah So like technically I’m already considered a pro I had to give up my amateur status in order to like teach for a living Oh
Um
but yeah technically since I’ve teach for a living and then already played in a professional event and claimed my professional status uh I am a pro Um not a touring pro quite yet cuz you know I don’t tour that much
Um but yeah I do want to like get back to that and be like okay this is where I can be Like this is where I was Um and just really see I mean now that I’ve learned a lot more new things uh just taking a different perspective of golf um where it can actually take me Nice I hope to see you on TV winning
Thank you Absolutely Yes No that is the goal That is the goal
Well I’m super excited for you I think you have such an amazing future ahead of you and I can’t wait to see and hear I already follow you so I’m already like you see that’s the thing too It’s like uh grow being more of an adult you like realize that like you know you can’t post everything There are certain things that like you know you just kind of like got to keep and like I think that’s the thing like you appreciate more things that you do keep to yourself But like those that like you know um I’ve been around or you know have met um throughout my path are like no like you need to like you know go full throttle with this So you got to you know you got to show them the good the bad and the ugly and like realizing when I first started uh my business like just um how crazy it was and how an absurd idea it was but how many people like still to this day support and believe that like it’s going to happen and like my golf academy in the future like going to be full swing So um yeah I I just I feel like having those cheerleaders it kind of like
puts you like it it it humbles you but then it also like puts you back into a place of like okay I’m not in this alone Even though like I feel like I’m in this alone it’s like more of like everybody is starting to see the big picture so like I just got to keep feeding into it and like keep my head on strong
And people are rooting for you Yes sucks
Yeah Awesome Well thank you so much for being here and braving the cold California weather
This is not cold to me If you were on the East Coast you’d be shivering
It’s a strong 54 See very warm 54 Yeah But but thank you for taking the time I know we had a rough first shoot but it it
I thought that was fun
It was fun It was a learning We were actually over on hold
Absolutely
And that was really cool Maybe hopefully we have some clips that did survive Yeah
So we can share those But yeah thank you so much Kindle
Thank you Appreciate it Appreciate it
Absolutely See you
1 Comment
Really enjoyed this episode! I'm excited for you, Kendel, and wish you all the best in your journey. It definitely takes a bold spirit to pursue entrepreneurship, and there's no better way to do it than by following your passion. Well done ladies!