Why I Quit Golf — and Why I Came Back

I quit.

Not today—years ago.

I walked away from golf. Swanned off to Australia.
Didn’t touch a club for over two years.

A couple of casual games with rented sticks… but inside, I was done.

For 10 years, I’d given golf my all.
Practising every day after school.

Hand on heart, I can say:
Nobody I knew practised harder than me.

By age 22, it was clear—despite all that hard work—many were still better than me.

I felt like a failure. Like I wasn’t good enough.
But the truth?

I hadn’t failed.
I’d quit.

That voice inside my head—”you’re not good enough”—has followed me my whole life.
Still does sometimes.

The worst part?

I had an advantage over most.

Even though I had a coach—my Dad—and unlimited access to lessons, I still couldn’t make it work. Deep down, I’d convinced myself that I just wasn’t good enough.

My Dad did the best he could with what he had. And I’m grateful for everything he gave me.

But back then, we didn’t have what I know now.

No systems. No structure. No tech.
No understanding of how to translate practice into performance on the course.

I spent 10 years chasing the perfect swing.
I wasn’t playing golf—I was playing golf swing.

And that’s what held me back.

I didn’t know what skills I needed—or how to build them.

When I returned home from Australia, I was lost.
No plan. No clue what to do next.

That’s when it hit me:

Golf is all I’ve ever known.

So I stopped running.

I set myself a challenge:

• Get back to 4 handicap

• Pass the PGA playability test

• Turn pro

• Help others like me

I failed the playability test.

So I tried again.

And I passed.

I turned pro. Moved to Edinburgh. Built a new life.

But I didn’t turn pro to play—I turned pro to coach.

To help people who feel the way I once did—
Like they’ll never be good enough.

That’s my why.
Why I do what I do.
Why I show up every day.
Why I give everything I’ve got to every player who walks through our doors.

If I can help just one person not feel the way I felt when I gave up…
It would all be worth it.

You might feel like I once did:
Lost. Alone. Wondering if you’ll ever be good enough.

But here’s the truth:
You are.

You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need support.
A plan.
And someone in your corner who’s been there.

Nobody deserves to feel the way I did.

So if you’re still reading this… maybe this is your story too.

And if it is—maybe now’s the time to change how it ends.

If you’re not ready to quit just yet—if there’s still a spark left in you…

Leave a comment below.
Because you matter to me.

Mike McNally
Head PGA Professional
SWANSTON GOLF ACADEMY