Golf and Auston Kim’s family have always been linked. Her father Christopher introduced Auston and her older sister August to the game when they were young, thinking that it would be a good game for the sisters to learn, as it was the most “worthwhile use” of their free time and could open many doors for his girls further down the line.

That theory proved to be true, as August competed on the Epson Tour until 2022 when she decided to leave competitive golf behind to pursue a medical degree from Vanderbilt University. Auston, who is the younger Kim sibling, played collegiate golf at Vanderbilt and graduated from the prestigious institution with a degree in political science, one that the now 24-year-old has yet to need to put to good use, as she is currently in her second season as an LPGA Tour member, having graduated from the Epson Tour in 2023.

The sport has been a constant in the lives of the Kim family, with Christopher often at the helm, piloting the way toward his daughters’ dreams. And while Auston has shared a myriad of incredible moments with her father on the golf course, a couple of those times in particular stick out as some of her favorite memories.

The day she beat him for the very first time as a pre-teen often comes to mind, eliciting a chuckle from Auston whenever she thinks of it because of the mixed feelings Christopher had when it came to getting schooled by his youngest child at a game that he has played for quite some time.

“I beat him by five,” remembers Auston. “Of course, he was happy that it happened but also not too thrilled that he had just got beaten. I remember that day and how fun it was for me personally. Spending a day with him on the course, of course, that was really fun.”

Another memory is a bit more heartwarming. Auston earned her LPGA Tour card at the very last second of the 2023 Epson Tour season, winning the Epson Tour Championship at LPGA International by two shots to vault to third on the Official Money List and secure LPGA Tour status for the 2024 season. Auston’s mother, Piljo, was on the bag that week looping, while Christopher walked every step of the way alongside the pair as they made their way around the Jones Course, content to root them on from outside the ropes.

But after the final putt dropped and Auston shared an emotional embrace with her mother, she went straight over to her dad to give him a celebratory hug, too, one that was full of gratitude for everything that he and the rest of her family had given to allow her dreams to be realized.

“The day when I got my card, it was special for my entire family. My mom, of course, on the bag, and Dad following,” Auston said. “All those years of hard work and finally achieving a goal that we had all worked super hard for, that was a really special moment to share, not just with my mom but also with my dad. (It was a) very, very exciting moment for all of us, and I look back at that day very fondly.”

Auston is in her second year as an LPGA Tour member, and just like he was when she was growing up, Christopher has been right by her side over the last two seasons, ready to offer a word of encouragement or a swing thought whenever Auston might need it. While it’s not uncommon for a parent to still be involved with their child’s professional golf career in some capacity when they are first starting out, whether it be traveling alongside them or even caddying here and there, it’s a bit rarer for a parent to act as a swing coach.

But it’s worked well for Auston throughout her time playing competitive golf, and even though she and her father have had to define the difference between their father/daughter and coach/student relationships since she has turned pro, something that took a bit of time for her and Christopher to figure out, the two know that, at the end of the day, they are in this journey together.

“Sometimes the lines get a little bit blurred, but it requires a lot of communication, a lot of conversations, a lot of honesty in terms of what we both want out of one another,” said Auston. “There are definitely times where he becomes more dad or I become more daughter, and sometimes that's when things can get a little bit emotional. But I’ve found that, in the past year, especially the past couple of months, I've matured a lot, and he's become more knowledgeable in terms of what I need on the course and what enhances my chances of success. We've done a lot of communicating, a lot of hard work, not just golf-wise but also relationship-wise.”

You’ll often see Christopher sitting on his stool behind Auston while she hits balls on the range, quietly providing constructive commentary if he notices something that needs correction but otherwise just contentedly watching his daughter’s swing. He’ll stand with her on the putting green as she goes through her various drills, watching her hit putts from different distances and keeping a close eye on her stroke, even if he’s chatting with her caddie or another coach.

However, when Auston ducks inside the ropes, Christopher steps back and lets his daughter do what she knows how to do, ready to celebrate the 65s and help her course-correct the 75s, never judging Auston for any mistakes or missteps she might make on the golf course, as he knows firsthand just how difficult the game she’s playing is. And that’s what makes their relationship so unique, particularly in the confines of women’s professional golf – Christopher respects and caters to Auston’s needs in the moment instead of retroactively pointing out where she could have done better.

“With golf, there are some days where it feels like things are firing very well, and then other days where it feels like you're putting in all the effort in the world and nothing is really working. I feel like he adapts very well depending on how I'm performing that day,” Auston said of the balance that she and Christopher have. “On days where things aren't really firing, he’s always reminding me of my fundamentals and things that are really important to my success and gives me some tough conversations when I need them, especially when it needs to be a little bit more than a reminder.

“But on days where things are working, I think he's been very encouraging. He provides commentary that is more supportive than anything, rather than trying to inundate me with information or things that I don't need to hear. It's been a learning experience for the past couple of years for the both of us. But he's definitely gotten a lot better at being encouraging and helping me when I need it.”

Auston’s journey as a professional athlete is still in its early stages, and she has an incredibly bright future ahead of her if her performance across her first two seasons as an LPGA Tour member is any indication. But no matter how things ultimately progress for his daughter as she pursues her goals both in golf and in life, Christopher will always be there to support Auston, doing whatever he can and working as hard as possible to give Auston as good of a shot as he can at reaching her full potential.

And that’s something for which Auston will forever be grateful.

“I always try my best to say thank you and show my appreciation to both of my parents, but I don't think I will ever say those things enough for how much work that both of them have put in for me and my career,” Auston said. “I am deeply appreciative of everything my dad has done for me and continues to do for me every single day. I love him and really appreciate him showing up for me because what we do is not easy. For me, I'm the one who's playing, and it's easier to find motivation and easier to be excited about the days in my job.

“But my dad is truly choosing to be here for me and to be my coach and to look after me and look after my game, and for that, I'm truly, eternally grateful for him and everything that he does.”

Auston Kim Grateful for Father Christopher’s Coaching, Support as She Competes on LPGA Tour

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