Golf & Life Lessons
The Game That Shaped Me
Golf Is in My DNA
I’ve been playing my whole life. The game taught me competitiveness, resilience, and humility. No matter how many times you think you’ve figured golf out, the game has a way of proving you wrong — kind of like life. You have to learn to be present…and let go. That’s been a pretty good mantra not only for golf, but also for movie sets, parenting, and when life doesn’t go as planned.
From France to Division I
The game opened doors I never imagined. Leaving France to play Division 1 golf at William & Mary was a massive milestone. It came with growing pains and brutal culture shock, but ultimately it brought grit, growth, and one of my closest friendships.
Playing for Something Bigger
Since then, golf has opened the door to giving back and to some of my most pinch-me moments.
From the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic to partnering with Toni Kukoc for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup Celebrity Tournament… that was the scariest drive of my life.
Standing on that first tee, heart racing, legs shaking, feeling everyone watching, trying to remember how to take the club away, it was both terrifying and exhilarating.
More Than a Game
Looking back, some of my earliest lessons happened on the course with my dad. He taught me how to swing a club, count every shot, and keep going when I wanted to quit. At fifteen, he nudged me to walk up to golf legend Sam Snead at the French Open and ask if I could caddy for him. He said yes!
At the time, it just felt like golf. Only later did I realize he was teaching me to trust myself and stay present when things felt overwhelming. “One shot at a time,” he’d remind me again and again. That was my first introduction to the mental game.
Today, golf is less about performance and more about connection. With people. With nature. It bridges generations and brings friends of all levels together. Playing with my husband and kids on Mother’s Day, what’s better than that?
It’s a Mental Game
Golf is a mental game.
Acting is no different.
Life is no different..
In all three, we are constantly practicing how to manage our thoughts, quiet our ego, and return to the moment.
That practice started on the course. And it carries through everything.
Lindsay Czarniak, Sportscaster, Speaker, Podcast Host
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