“I Am Most Myself When I Am Playing Golf”: The Journey of Suveer Kapoor

By Antara Mohan

Before I met Suveer Kapoor, I thought I understood golf.

Like many people, I viewed it as a slow, leisurely sport associated with sprawling greens, gentle walks and the occasional perfect swing. But after spending an hour speaking with the 21-year-old golfer, I realized how wrong I had been.

By the end of our conversation, I wasn’t just listening to a young athlete. I was listening to someone who had discovered, through sport, lessons about discipline, patience, self-awareness and purpose that many people spend a lifetime trying to learn.

Suveer’s journey began in the summer of 2010 when he was just five years old. During a family trip to Europe with his parents, he was introduced to golf. What began as a childhood fascination soon became a passion. By the age of 11 or 12, he was already travelling across India to compete in tournaments, gaining experience and sharpening his skills.

A student of La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata, Suveer made a conscious decision in Class IX to pursue golf seriously. He joined the Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy and dedicated himself to the sport while balancing his academic commitments. Earlier this year, after years of hard work and perseverance, he officially turned professional.

His inspirations include Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, while Indian stars Viraj Madappa and Anirban Lahiri have shown him what is possible on the international stage. Yet what impressed me most was not his golfing achievements, but the way he thinks.

At one point in our conversation, Suveer said something that perfectly captured his relationship with the game:

“I am most myself when I am playing golf.”

Those words stayed with me long after the interview ended. For him, golf is not merely a profession. It is a space where he feels completely authentic, focused and at peace.

Like many people, I had assumed golf was a slow sport. Suveer completely changed that perception. He explained that while golf may appear calm from the outside, everything behind professional golf moves at a relentless pace. Fitness, nutrition, recovery, preparation and training all demand constant attention. Every muscle and joint must be conditioned. Yet the greatest challenge is often mental.

Golf, he explained, teaches patience, composure and presence. A player cannot dwell on a poor shot or worry about the next one. Success comes from being fully present in the moment.

Another insight that fascinated me was when he said, “You are always playing against the course.”

The weather, wind, terrain, preparation, nutrition and countless external factors influence every round. It is a sport that teaches humility and adaptability as much as skill.

When I asked him how he had developed such maturity at the age of 21, his answer was equally revealing.

“If you don’t do it now, somebody else will.”

Yet he does not believe in endless, directionless hard work. Instead, he believes in working smart. Practising for hours means little if you are reinforcing poor habits. Sometimes, stepping back, recovering and reassessing can be more valuable than pushing endlessly forward.

As he begins competing internationally, including on tours such as the All Thailand Golf Tour, Suveer is embracing both opportunity and responsibility. He spoke candidly about the realities of professional golf, from travel and coaching expenses to the importance of sponsorships and support systems. More importantly, he spoke about representing India on a global stage at a time when golf across Asia is growing rapidly.

Walking away from the interview, I realized that Suveer Kapoor’s greatest strength may not be his swing. It is his mindset. At 21, he already understands something many people spend decades trying to learn: success is not about chasing shortcuts or controlling every outcome. It is about discipline, self-awareness, adaptability and continuous growth. In a world obsessed with instant results, Suveer believes in the process. And perhaps that is why, when he steps onto a golf course, he feels most like himself.