Behind Lydia Ko‘s serene smile lies an often misunderstood family dynamic. The golfer has faced intense criticism and scrutiny over her parents’ involvement in her career. But what really goes on behind the scenes? In a rare instance, the golfer opened up about it in 2014.

The 20-time LPGA Tour winner shed light on her parents’ intense involvement, revealing a complex family dynamic. “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. “

She had shared with GoldDigest, “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.””

Well, families where the kids have their designated chores to complete might find this odd. But it seemed to have worked for Ko and her parents. However, Ko’s family received a lot of criticism after David Leadbetter- the golfer’s swing coach from 2013 until the end of 2016- revealed that her parents were intrusive and always hovering around.

“At this point, their sole occupation is taking care of Lydia’s every need,” said Leadbetter. “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. They are good people, who love their daughter and want the very best for her, and Lydia has never been to college and is still young.”

“But they are naive about golf. And at some point, they’ve got to let the bird fly from the nest. I would often think, ‘It’s not easy coaching three people,’” he shared in 2016.

But what did Ko think about his comments after their split? Well, she agreed with Leadbetter.

“I think I have, yes, sometimes been too reliant on my parents because I am so used to being with them,” Ko told LPGA.com in 2016. “But I think I need to learn more about taking ownership and making my own decisions.”

But Leadbetter was aware of how close Korean parents are to their children. In 1998, he parted ways with Se Ri Pak sharing parental and sponsor interference. Then, from 2003 onwards, he also worked with Michelle Wie, whose parents had a strong presence in her career. All three golfers mentioned have South Korean roots. So it doesn’t seem like Ko’s parents’ interference was the first time Leadbetter was in such a situation. If anything, her parents inspired her to become her best!

How Lydia Ko’s father pushed her to Olympic success!

Ko’s parents, despite not being golfers themselves, played a pivotal role in nurturing her talent. Her father, in particular, took the reins, leveraging his experience as a tennis player to train his daughter. The 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist recalled, “My first memory of actually hitting balls was on Jeju Island, a province of South Korea. My father took me to the range of a course there. People stopped to watch. They said, “You’re good. You’re very good.” I thought, Well then, I must be good.” 

Ko’s father seized on the praise, recognizing his daughter’s potential. He began training her. To this day, he continues to push her to excel, crafting challenging practice scenarios that test her limits. This unwavering support has been a double-edged sword for Ko, given her success and criticism of parental influence, as revealed by her former coach. 

Regardless, Ko has created a name for herself. She is the only golfer in the Olympic trilogy- silver in Rio in 2016, bronze in 2021 Tokyo, and gold in Paris. She is also:

• Youngest to win on the LPGA
• Youngest to win a women’s major
• Youngest to reach world No. 1
• New Zealand’s first female Hall of Famer

None of this would have been possible without the constant support of her parents. What do you think?