Professional golf isn’t an easy one to pursue with back-to-back tournaments, consistent pressure to perform, and hopeful fans throughout the season. Even the constant travel to different courses every other week leads to fatigue and mental stress. Well, this affects the overall body and makes the golfer prone to injuries. Such effects can be seen in the decisions of many prominent LPGA professionals. One of those names is Michelle Wie West, who retired in 2023. However, now, after almost two years of retiring, she shared about the injuries in detail. West had always suffered from injuries, most prominently in her wrist.
The American professional golfer started playing at the young age of 15 when she already started achieving big feats. Later on, she even won five times in the LPGA Tour. So, with such an illustrious career, why retire early then? Well, there was a major reason for her injury-filled career. The injuries which began in 2007 were a constant struggle, but in 2020 she even had to juggle motherhood. It was assumed that she preferred her motherhood, which is not incorrect. However, she has cleared the air by sharing the true issue which affected her decision.
Interestingly, even though she had decided to step away from the sport, she said that she was ‘forced to’ make this decision. She elaborated more on this in the podcast In The Scoop. West said, “I thought about it for a really long time. I think unfortunately I was kind of forced into the decision somewhat because of my injuries and what’s going around for so long, talking to hand surgeons and should do if I want to keep playing and there just wasn’t an answer forward.” The golfer had been a victim of arthritis in the wrists, since a really young age and she also had to undergo surgery for it on her right wrist.
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Now, two years later, she joined the Quiet Please podcast hosted by Mel Reid and Kira Dixon. Discussing those injuries, the topic of West’s flexibility came into the spotlight. Answering to which West said, “They actually banned me from my stretching. I was so loose and, like, so double jointed that I, like, I had to, like, do all the stability work. They wouldn’t let me.” For a golfer, it is important to maintain good physical health. The experts on her team restricted West from indulging in practices that could be harmful and aggravate her already unhealed injuries.
Later, she pointed out that stretching or her flexibility wasn’t the issue, but the training she got on the initial day was. When asked about who stopped her from stretching, she said, “My trainers back in the day, I feel like sports science, especially when it comes to children, needs a lot of work. I just don’t think there’s enough research. I felt like I was being trained like an adult, whereas, you know, there’s so many nuances when it comes to a growing body, especially females.” She pointed out that there wasn’t much information available about the female body and the best practices to adopt with the changing nature of the body with age. This led her to believe that she should have done things differently.
via Getty
SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA – JUNE 03: Michelle Wie West of The United States plays her third shot on the first hole during the second round of the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club on June 03, 2022 in Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Further, she added, “I definitely think I got injured a lot faster because I was doing things, especially with my swing too.” She even pointed out how she struggled with the foundation, as at the age of 15 she was performing exercises ideal for men which resulted in injuries. This might’ve inhibited her muscle growth growing up. But she also addressed that, “none of my injuries from golf came from golf. Truly, I don’t think I, besides my arthritis, I don’t think there’s any injury that I received that was from golf.”
Through injuries and motherhood, the golfer had to take the tough call. But in reality, her love for the sport isn’t reducing any time soon. She was even seen teeing off at Pebble Beach, which hinted at her possible comeback.
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Michelle Wie West is practicing again
Even though the golfer has juggled multiple jobs as a professional and as a mother, she has always been able to deliver a beautiful performance. Fans definitely want to see her play on the professional field. The golfer had been struggling with injuries and arthritis in both wrists, which she hid from the fans “just because I didn’t want to feel weak”. Further, she shed light on the details during an interview with Golfweek about the injury and not any probable solution to deal with it. Eventually, it did take a toll on her overall mental health and he took the tough decision to prioritize motherhood.
Despite the tough decision of stepping away from her career early, in 2025, however, West was seen on the course again. West shared a post on Instagram, sharing her elegant swing at Pebble Beach, right after the event ended. The caption of the post read, “So nice to be back @pebblebeachresorts.”
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It wasn’t just nice for her to be back, but even fans were in awe to see her teeing off again. An enormous wave of fans ended up in the comments section, asking her to return and even praising her elegance still in the swing.
However, there isn’t any timeline for her return and she is enjoying her motherhood. Will she return to the course? What are your thoughts on it? Share with us in the comments section below.
