Q & A with Mai Dechathipat, World Long Drive Competitor and Golf Instructor at KOHR Golf

Interview conducted and edited by Sabrina Xiaorui Wu

Coach Mai Dechathipat demonstrating swing mechanics to a student. (Photo courtesy of Mai Dechathipat)

Originally from Thailand, Coach Mai Dechathipat moved to the United States at age 13 and has since forged a unique path in golf. As a junior golfer, some of her career highlights include qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Public Links Championship at age 15 and tying for eighth at the 2013 ANNIKA Invitational after shooting a final-round of 66. She went on to play collegiate golf at Auburn University and Wake Forest University, where she earned academic honors and was twice named a WGCA All-American Scholar. During the pandemic, Coach Dechathipat discovered World Long Drive (WLD), a competitive format in which golfers compete to hit the ball as far as possible. Since then, she has won multiple World Long Drive events and finished runner-up at the 2024 World Long Drive World Championship. That same year, she was named the WLD People’s Choice Award winner for Women’s Division Athlete of the Year. Today, Coach Dechathipat is also a golf instructor at KOHR Golf, where she shares her experience and passion for the game with her students. I had the privilege of speaking with Coach Dechathipat about her personal journey in golf and her perspective on the experiences of women golfers.

WU: What first attracted you to golf?

DECHATHIPAT: I started golf when I was eight. My parents were the ones that got me into the game, and I think what seemed attractive to my parents is that the game teaches kids many things about life. As a young kid, I was hyper, and I think they saw that golf is a game that teaches you patience, focus, and concentration. I was raised in Thailand, where a lot of parents are so academics driven. But my parents had a different view on how to raise kids. 

WU: Was there a defining moment when you realized golf was more than just a sport and became something you wanted to dedicate your life to?

DECHATHIPAT: There was a period after college when I felt like golf had consumed so much of my life that it had become my identity. I remember thinking, I've done this my whole life. I don't want to play anymore... so who am I without golf? That became the bigger question: What am I going to do with my life now?

I stepped away from the golf industry for a while. I tried different things, failed a lot, and learned a lot about myself in the process. Looking back, I'm really grateful for that experience. Golf had been my entire world for so long that I needed the opportunity to explore who I was outside of it.

Ironically, teaching was probably the last thing I thought I'd end up doing. But life has a funny way of working out. I eventually found my way back to golf, and now I genuinely love teaching. It's funny how the thing I thought I didn't want to do ended up becoming something I find so much purpose and joy in.

WU: Looking back, is there anything that you would do differently or wish you had known earlier regarding your golf journey?

DECHATHIPAT: For sure, but I also wouldn't have known any of this if I hadn't experienced it firsthand. Most lessons only come through experience. You can't replace experience with anything else.

I started playing golf when I was eight years old. At twelve, I joined a golf academy and stayed there throughout high school. That's a lot of golf. I'd go to school for half the day, then come back and practice, followed by fitness. That was my routine five days a week for five years before college. I'm grateful I had that opportunity because it shaped me, but it was definitely a lot. Looking back, I think it's easy for a kid to burn out in that environment. At the time, golf was my whole world because I wanted to be good. If I could do something differently, I probably wouldn't stay in that environment for as long. Maybe two years would have been enough.

In college, I think I also should have enjoyed the process a little more. Instead of worrying so much about my score, I wish I had focused more on the skills I was developing, the relationships I was building with my teammates, and the people around me. 

WU: Competing in World Long Drive requires incredible physical strength, but what other qualities have been just as important to your success?

DECHATHIPAT: Probably my tendency to give my best effort at all times. That can be a double-edged sword, though, because it can lead to burnout if I'm not aware of it. I didn't know back then that there is a limit to how much work you can put in. If you want to stay in the game for the long run, you have to enjoy the process. That's more important than just trying to get to the end result.

I'll give you an example. Believe it or not, I'm back in school again, and right now I'm trying to build a social media presence by sharing the things I'm learning. My hope is that I can share my knowledge and help people achieve what they want to achieve and find purpose in life.

There are two ways I could look at it. One is, "I'm going to get as many followers as quickly as possible". The other is to genuinely enjoy the process of creating content and connecting with people. I'm intentionally practicing the second approach because I know that's what matters most. Along the way, I'll become better in front of the camera, a better speaker, a better organizer of information, and a better communicator. To me, that's a lot more fun, and it's much more important than just pushing, pushing, pushing to get to the outcome.

WU: You've described yourself as someone who is always learning. How has being a lifelong student made you a better coach and competitor?

DECHATHIPAT: When you're trying to learn something new, that experience pulls you back to level zero of not knowing anything, and I think that's a humbling experience. For example, right now in anatomy class I have to learn all the bones, muscles, ligaments, and the tendons where it attaches. It's like learning a new language. So I think when you're learning and you're not good at something, that always reminds you that when people are just learning the game of golf, it's not easy. I've been playing golf since I was eight. So when I swing, it looks easy. So sometimes if the coach loses the perspective that the game is hard, they won't have empathy towards their students. When that happens, they would get annoyed and they would not try to figure out a way to explain or communicate in a way that person needs. It's important as a good coach to meet the person in front of you at the level they're at. 

WU: When people first meet you, what do you wish they knew beyond the titles of coach and long drive competitor?

DECHATHIPAT: Be open to getting to know me as Mai. I try to treat everyone the same, with kindness and empathy. It doesn't matter what they do or who they are.

I don't expect people to see me as anything other than Mai. I'm a lifelong learner, and I'm someone who genuinely wants to help them get better. I don't expect them to come in and say, "Wow, you did that". I honestly don't care about that. I just want them to see me for who I am, and I'm going to do the same for them.

Coach Mai Dechathipat at a driving range. (Photo courtesy of Mai Dechathipat)

WU: How would you describe your overall philosophy and approach as a golf coach?

DECHATHIPAT: I want to teach myself out of a job. What that means is when people come to me for a lesson, my goal is to have them understand what they're doing now, what they're going to do to get better, how they're going to do it, and why they're doing it. Because I think a lot of times when people come take a lesson, coaches would just tell them what to do, but they don't tell them the why. Maybe the coach does not know the why themselves or they expect the person to come back to them over and over. 

But that's not me. I want the person in front of me to understand the why, so that if it doesn't work while I am not there, they know the reason they're doing something. That's going to help them stick to the process much longer. Plus, they will have a much more independent way to play the game rather than be dependent on me. That is definitely one of the biggest ways I approach my teaching.

WU: Could you describe your most rewarding experience as a golf coach?

DECHATHIPAT: I think one of the reasons why I fell in love with teaching is that I get to connect with people at a level I didn't expect I would. People come in and take lessons with me, and by the end of it we'll be talking about philosophy and life. That's what makes teaching so unique. Conversations like that give me perspective on how there is so much more than just the game. Golf for me is a vehicle to help me find meaning in life and be fulfilled in what I do. 

WU: What are some lesser known qualities that the most successful female golfers you’ve coached tend to have in common?

DECHATHIPAT: I've been fortunate to be around some incredible players. I played golf at Wake Forest, and my roommate was Jennifer Kupcho, who now plays on the LPGA Tour and has competed in the Solheim Cup. Cameron Young was also a classmate of mine, so it's been really cool to watch people I knew in college go on to compete at the highest level.

One thing I've noticed about elite performers is their ability to balance intensity. They can be incredibly serious and locked in when it's time to compete, but once it's over, they're able to let it go. They know when to put their foot on the gas, and they know when to step away and recover.

From everything I've experienced, studied, and read, I think one quality separates high performers more than anything else: grit. They have perseverance. Failure doesn't affect them the same way it affects most people. They don't let setbacks define them, and they don't get consumed by what other people think. They keep showing up, keep learning, and keep moving forward. I think that's what allows them to continue improving long after others would have quit.

WU: How can young golfers begin developing these qualities? Are there any habits, drills, or mental exercises that you would recommend?

DECHATHIPAT: I would recommend PCDE, which stands for Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence. 

Some of the habits and character it includes are coping with pressure, focus, distraction control, goal setting, quality practice, and realistic performance evaluation. 

There's a lot of things players can do if they see it in this structured way. They'll be like, okay, if I want to do goal setting, what do I have to get into? Writing it down on a sheet of paper, knowing the outcome and the process goal. You can always break it down further, but that's what I think they can focus on to become a better golfer AND person.

WU: How would you like to be remembered as a golf coach? What lasting impact do you hope to have on your students?

DECHATHIPAT: I hope people leave feeling curious. Not just curious about me, but curious about themselves. I want them to ask questions, to explore why something works, why something doesn't, and to see every experience as an opportunity to learn a little more about who they are.

More than anything, I hope that after meeting me, they're reminded to stay grounded. To appreciate the small things, stay open to learning, and keep showing up with curiosity. I think that's where real growth begins.

WU: How do you think your success in long drive is helping to redefine perceptions of strength and athleticism in women's golf?

DECHATHIPAT: In the field of long drive competitors, I'm relatively small. I think people seeing that I, someone 5'7", can produce that fastball speed can maybe inspire them to know that they can also do it too. Strength comes from different shapes and sizes. 

My perspective on fitness has changed over the years. At one point, I was focused on getting as strong as possible, having a six-pack, and chasing those physical goals. But I realized that approach isn't sustainable forever. As we grow older, our priorities change, and our bodies change too.

Now I think about fitness through the lens of functional longevity. My goal isn't just to be strong today. It's to stay healthy, capable, and active for the rest of my life. That means moving my body consistently rather than trying to go as hard as possible every workout. You don't have to lift the heaviest weights or look a certain way to be strong. You just need to build habits that you can sustain. Ultimately, I hope people redefine what strength means. To me, strength isn't about chasing the biggest lifts or looking a certain way. It's about taking care of your body, moving every day, and building a lifestyle that allows you to keep doing the things you love for years to come.

WU: If a young golfer is naturally powerful off the tee, would you encourage her to explore long drive? Why or why not?

DECHATHIPAT: It really depends on the person's goals. If someone sees long drive as an opportunity to explore another side of golf and simply wants to do it for fun, then absolutely, go for it. But I wouldn't tell someone, "If you hit it far, you should do long drive”. That's not how I look at it.

For me, long drive has always been more than just competing. It's become a hobby that keeps me active and gives me a reason to train. I'm human too. There are plenty of days when I don't feel like working out. But having long drive gives me a purpose to stay strong, healthy, and consistent. It's a vehicle that helps keep me on a path that's aligned with the kind of person I want to be.

Beyond that, I love the relationships I've built with my coaches and the friends I've met through the sport. Long drive has also been an incredible learning experience. It's pushed me to understand the body, the golf swing, the equipment, and technologies like TrackMan that measure ball flight and club data.

I don't do long drive simply because I want to win. I do it because of everything it has taught me and the person it's helped me become.

Coach Mai Dechathipat competing at World Long Drive. (Photo courtesy of Mai Dechathipat)

WU: Women's golf has grown significantly in recent years. From your perspective, what has driven that growth? And what still needs to happen to keep the momentum going?

DECHATHIPAT: Golf in general has been booming since COVID, which is awesome. In women's golf I'd say young female golfers like Nelly Korda have inspired younger generations to be like “oh my God, you see that? She did this and that”. I think that just by seeing that helps push and inspire the new generations to get into the game, which is amazing!

WU: Have you faced any challenges or barriers that you feel are unique to women in golf? If so, how have you navigated them, and what advice would you give to other women facing similar challenges?

DECHATHIPAT: I think there's still a stigma that women are somehow inferior in this space. I minored in psychology, so I understand that people often have implicit gender biases shaped by history, culture, etc. Those biases exist but you also don't have to let them consume you or define who you become. At the end of the day, you get to choose how you show up and how you respond.

For me, I've learned to see it as an advantage. Whenever I attend a golf school or educational program, 98% of the room is usually men. Often, I'm the only woman there, or maybe one of two. Instead of seeing that as a disadvantage, I think, good. I stand out. Being different isn't something to hide. It's something to embrace. I think it takes courage to be different, but that's often where you make the biggest impact.

WU: I really like that mindset. It's a great way to not have your gender get in your way and to develop confidence in yourself.

DECHATHIPAT: Confidence is not easy. When I was a kid, the one thing I thought I was missing was confidence, and I was like, what the heck is confidence? How am I not confident about my own game when everyone would tell me, “Mai, you strike the ball well. You have a good swing”. I didn’t see it that way and I never understood why. I think confidence comes from action. It doesn't come from overthinking, waiting until you're ready, or trying to be perfect. It comes from doing. It comes from putting yourself out there, failing, learning from it, and choosing not to give up. Every experience builds a little more confidence, and over time, you begin to trust yourself because you've proven that you can keep showing up.

WU: What do you think are the biggest misconceptions that deter women and girls from trying golf?

DECHATHIPAT: Golf is still a male-dominated sport, and I know that for a lot of women, showing up to the range by themselves can feel intimidating. That's one of the reasons I started a group of women that I genuinely enjoy spending time with. Every Sunday at KOHR, we meet for what's called Our Practice Club. We practice for about two hours, and I give them different tasks, games, and little competitions to work through.

It's become something that's fun not only for me, but for them too. More than anything, I wanted to create a space where women could come without worrying about being judged. A place where they can learn, challenge themselves, and simply enjoy the process together. To me, that's what golf is supposed to be.

WU: If a young girl picks up a golf club because she heard your story, what's one message you hope she carries with her?

DECHATHIPAT: For young girls, have fun. 

For the majority of people, ask yourself why you're playing it [golf]. I think if they ask themselves why a few times, they will know that they're not just playing it to play well per se. They probably have a deeper reason why. It could be health, family, self-fulfillment, or just being outdoors. There's so many reasons. If you know your why, then hitting a bad shot would not make you upset that much. It's just perspective. 

For anyone who's grabbing the club, know that the game will teach you a lot, and you will love it one day, you'll hate it one day. It's normal. Enjoy it and have fun. It’s just a game.