Success is a double-edged sword, and a certain retired LPGA pro can back us up on this. Michelle Wie West had a taste of success at a very young age, and it came with its fair share of consequences. “I felt like, literally, I was fractured. My soul was fractured. I was heavily bullied,” Wie West revealed about her childhood, despite being a golf prodigy at just 10 years old and earning the nickname “the Woman Tiger Woods.” West’s parents wanted to keep her life “normal” by ensuring she attended school and hung out with friends, but instead, it ended up with one of the greatest female golfers getting bullied at school. And, you’re wrong if you think Wie West’s childhood problems were limited to her school campus only.

Speaking on the latest episode of Andrew Santino’s YouTube channel, Wie West talked about the one thing she experienced as a child that she never wants to do as a parent. Wie West, mother of two, shared that her mom forced her to play the piano, which left her feeling pressurized, “I have childhood trauma”, she said. Wie West is adamant that she won’t push her own daughter to learn a musical instrument unless the child expresses interest, joking about the stereotype that Asian children are expected to play an instrument, saying “Well I mean they are half Asian so they do need to play an instrument of some kind right?” She wants her daughter to have the freedom to choose her own path, unlike her own experience, where she “hated it.”

Wie West humorously noted she’s trying not to be her parents, who were strict about practice, and yet she revealed that she cannot help but be drawn to her Asian roots. “I know I’m trying not to be my parents, but it’s so hard, I have like word flashcards that I have in the car on the way to school, and make her memorize words”, she said, speaking of her almost 5-year-old daughter Makenna Kamalei Yoona West. 

Despite her mom pushing her to excel, Wie West felt like a loser at times, describing herself during her school days as “a loser kid.” She turned pro at 16 and qualified for her first tournament at 10, leaving her with little time for a traditional childhood. Wie West noted her parents didn’t pull her from school, saying, “My parents didn’t pull me from school,” and instead she led a “double life.” “I almost had like a double life. I was like a loser kid”,  she said, and further added that she even had a “bowl cut.”

Well, the double life she led stole a lot of moments, with Michelle Wie West recalling, “I had to miss graduation to play in the LPGA Championship; of course, I missed a lot of things.” The 5-time LPGA Tour winner is determined not to let her daughter, Makenna, and other young girls experience the same sacrifices.

Michelle Wie West’s message to young female golfers

Growing up, the mantra of “no pain, no gain” reigned supreme, and Michelle Wie West thought she had to be invincible to make it big in the golf world. “I thought bleeding was the only way to get there,” she admits with a hint of irony. The pressure to be perfect was palpable, and Wie West often found herself faking a tough exterior, even when she wasn’t feeling it. “In the past, my younger self would tell everyone I was fine all the time, no matter what—even if that meant taking a cast off an injury before I was really ready.” But now, she’s on a mission to shatter that illusion and show young girls that it’s okay to not be okay. “I want these girls growing up to see and to know it’s OK to be weak sometimes. You don’t have to fake the persona of being untouchable.”

Wie West’s own journey is a testament to the power of hard work and dedication. “I made the choice to drive myself as hard as I could to be the best I could be,” she says. “That required sacrifice, and that’s never something I want to discourage in young people.” However, she’s also keenly aware of the importance of balance and vulnerability. “Working hard and pushing yourself is extremely important,” she emphasizes, “but it’s just as important to be OK with telling those around you, ‘Hey, I’m not having a good day today. I’m struggling today.”

By sharing her own struggles and imperfections, Wie West hopes to inspire a new generation of young female golfers to be their authentic selves, both on and off the course. “Now, it’s important to me to get that message out to girls and young women that it’s OK to be imperfect.” What do you think about her message? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!