Hashizoe’s Tips On Becoming a Top Professional
Professional women's golfer: Studied under her father, a professional golfer, and worked hard with her three older sisters
Until now, my main goal has been to pass the professional test. I am really looking forward to competing on the professional stage for the first time this year and throughout the year!
Minori Hashizoe, 21, a professional women’s golfer, says this with a carefree smile. She is petite at 154 cm in height, but has a dynamic driver shot and stable irons, as well as a good overall ability to approach and putt around the greens. She passed the professional test last year, placing 5th overall.
Hashizoe, who will be competing on the women’s tour this season, has been immersed in the game of golf since she was a child. The youngest of four sisters, all of whom aspired to become professionals, Hashizoe is a member of a golfing family.
She is the youngest of four sisters, all of whom have aspired to become professionals in their own right. When I was a baby, I used to hold a golf ball instead of a toy. It felt very natural for me to become a pro even as a child. I don’t mean to be rude to my father, but I never once thought it was impossible for me to become a pro (laughs).”
My father taught me all the basics of golf. He says that his father taught him to “hit the ball in a good rhythm.”
“From elementary school through high school, I worked out three days a week at my father’s junior school. My father emphasized stance and rhythm. By emphasizing these two things, I was able to always hit the same way, even in tense situations. Now all of my sisters follow the same routine.
My father never told me to become a professional. In junior high school, my friends invited me to play more often, and my performance in competitions did not improve, but I was never forced to practice. They let me play freely, and I think that’s why I was able to continue playing golf without ever once hating it.”
