‘I Miss Seeing My Friends’: Lydia Ko’s Remarks On Parents’ Harsh Ways Surface After Damehood Honor
Lydia Ko recently achieved a monumental milestone in her career, being appointed Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her incredible contributions to golf. It’s a well-deserved recognition of her dominance in the sport and her role as a global ambassador for women’s golf. However, as the world celebrates her damehood honor, a nearly 12-year-old clip of the young Lydia has surfaced, shedding light on the sacrifices she made as a teenager—especially those that were driven by her parents’ high expectations.
In the clip, a young Ko candidly opens up about her life at the time, saying, “My life seems to be like golf, golf, golf, golf, golf. So, you know, I miss seeing my friends going to movies.” It’s a candid moment, one that many of us can relate to—longing for the simple joys of childhood while balancing the pressure of a career. But Ko goes on to explain the mindset her parents had, saying, “My parents keep telling me, if you make a sacrifice, then something that you want to achieve will come.”
The extent of Ko’s parents’ control in her life could be understood when her former coach David Leadbetter said, “They tell her when to go to bed, what to eat, what to wear, when to practice and what to practice. And they expect her to win every tournament” He also offered a solution. “They need to let her go, let her fly, let her leave the nest so to speak and find her own way.”
Ko’s family dynamic was complex. She revealed to Golf Digest, “After school I head immediately to the golf course. The work I do there is intense. It’s how I’ve become a good player. I get home at about 8 p.m. There’s just time enough to eat, prepare my schoolwork for the next day, then go to bed. The good part is, I don’t have to do chores. Washing dishes, cleaning and cooking are not my responsibilities. I could do these things, but if you were me, would you take away six hours of golf practice each week in exchange for doing chores? As a family, we’ve decided the answer to that is a firm “no.”
At just 14, Lydia was already competing on the global stage, taking on some of the toughest professional golf events. The pressure was no joke, and her parents were right there with her, pushing for a disciplined, no-nonsense approach. They definitely played a big part in shaping her path, and the golfer is indeed grateful to them. In 2022, when she regained her #1 spot, she thanked her family; “I’m very grateful to be World No. 1 again. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be back here again. This wouldn’t have been possible without my family and team. Thank you for your belief and love.”
With her damehood honor now officially appointed, Lydia Ko has proven that those sacrifices were undoubtedly worth it.
What did Lydia Ko think of her Dame honor?
“It’s obviously special, not just for myself, but for everyone involved because I wouldn’t be here without them,” Ko said, reflecting on her damehood honor. Ko admitted that the honor took some consideration, saying, “You don’t grow up thinking, ‘I’m going to become a dame’… you might say, I want to become a Hall of Famer or World No. 1, but it’s so above and very different from what we can control, so I thought, ‘Do I deserve it? Is this the right time?’ But to have these opportunities and for someone else to bring it up, I’m very grateful.”
Ko’s journey has been nothing short of incredible. From moving with her family from Korea to New Zealand when she was just four years old to becoming a global sports icon, it’s wild to think how far she’s come. She’s even joked about how her life changed completely, especially since she only knew a handful of letters—and in the wrong order!
One of her proudest moments? That Olympic gold medal. It completed her medal collection and was super emotional for her, especially knowing it would be her last Olympic appearance. It’s one of those moments she describes as straight out of a fairy tale, like Cinderella in her glass slippers.
