For years, she was one of golf’s biggest phenoms; a teenager battling the pros, launching 300-yard drives, and captivating fans with every swing. But injuries, expectations, and the grind of Tour life eventually took their toll. Today, she’s more likely to be found working on her tennis serve than walking a fairway, her focus shifted from chasing trophies to living life on her own terms. That legend?

Michelle Wie West. The 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion officially stepped away from professional golf in 2022, citing persistent wrist and hand injuries that made competing at the highest level nearly impossible. Since her retirement, Wie West has embraced motherhood, launched several business ventures, and picked up a growing obsession with tennis. Still, golf remains close to her heart. And recently, she offered some strong words about one of the biggest issues the game is facing: slow play.

In an interview with GOLF, Wie West was asked about the key to playing faster. Her answer was refreshingly blunt. She emphasized the importance of preparation before it’s your turn to hit, explaining, “Just be ready. I don’t understand players that start their whole process when it’s their time to hit.” Drawing from her own career as one of the longer hitters, she added: “And maybe it’s because I was kind of one of the longer players, I always had a lot of time beforehand, but even when you’re walking, do your homework. You have a lot of time before you get to the ball. Do your thing.”

Wie West also offered an important mindset tip: don’t overthink it. “Golf, you have to make it a reactionary sport,” she said. “When you overthink it, that’s when things go bad. You just gotta get up and rip it. You have to use your feel.” When the interviewer noted that playing fast seems like a skill, Wie West fully agreed, and stressed it’s something that needs to be developed early. “Because I look at these players and you don’t become slow overnight, right?” she said. “That’s just who you are. That’s how you were taught.” She pointed a finger at junior and college golf, where slow rounds often become the norm. By the time players reach the pros, the habit is deeply ingrained. And under pressure, the instinct is to slow down even more.

Still, Wie West remains optimistic that the sport is taking steps in the right direction. “I think what golf is doing right now, we’re on the right trend of trying to figure out how to make the sport faster,” she said. Coming from someone who lived golf’s highest highs and endured its lowest lows, Wie West’s message carries serious weight. In an era where slow play threatens both the professional game and its appeal to casual fans, her call to “just get up and rip it” is exactly the jolt golf needs.

But Wie West’s perspective on the game goes even deeper—because while she’s urging players to speed up their play, she’s also part of a growing wave of LPGA stars making another bold move: stepping away from the game altogether.

An era of early goodbyes: Why are LPGA stars stepping away so soon?

Michelle Wie West’s thoughts on slow play aren’t the only thing turning heads lately. Her journey away from professional golf is part of a much bigger story unfolding across the LPGA Tour. In just the last year, an unprecedented number of players, many still in their prime, have decided to step away from full-time competition. And the reasons, while complex, come down to something simple: life.

Wie West, who officially retired in 2023 at just 33 years old, explained the unique challenges female athletes face compared to their male counterparts. “Female athletes, in general—I think we just live a different trajectory than male athletes,” she said. “We have a biological clock, and there are things we need to consider. Speaking for myself, it was not sustainable for me to play into my fifties and sixties, and that was a personal decision I made.”

She’s far from alone. In 2024, LPGA veterans like Lexi Thompson, Amy Olson, Ally Ewing, Gerina Mendoza, Mariajo Uribe, So Yeon Ryu, Marina Alex, In Kyung Kim, and Emma Talley all announced either full or partial retirements. Even Brittany Lincicome, an eight-time LPGA winner, realized while volunteering at her daughter’s school that there was “more to life” than grinding it out on tour. While bigger purses have helped players earn more, ironically, they’ve also made it easier to step away earlier—financially secure and ready to embrace the next chapter.

And just like Wie West pointed out, the LPGA’s culture and demands create a very different career lifespan compared to the PGA Tour. For many women, 10 to 15 years on tour feels like a full career. They’re leaving the grind behind, but not without leaving a major mark on the game.