Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Dalston Koh

Life goes beyond the digits on the scale and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspirational men and women in Singapore leading healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl up on Instagram or Facebook!

Name: Dalston Koh (@kohdalston)

Age: 28

Height: 1.68m

Weight: 56kg

Occupation: Golf professional and SgGolfCoach academy director

Status: Married with two sons

Diet: Personally I don’t like fried and oily food. I favour Japanese food and Chinese soups.

Training: Making sure I can pass my yearly IPPT. I run 3km two times a week at the office before work, followed by sets of sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups after the run. I also have weekly golf practices, consisting of at least one 18-hole round and two range practice sessions.

Q: How did you get into golf?

A: I got into golf under the influence of my father at the age of seven. He used to patron the driving range at East Coast Park for his weekly sessions with his friends and he would bring me along. The only thing I could do at the range while he was there was to golf.

Did you try other sports before you focused on golf solely?

I started taekwondo when I was young and achieved my black belt. I also got my swimming lifeguard certification before I entered the army. I also played soccer, basketball and badminton during my primary and secondary school days at the school and club levels.

What made you decide to pursue golf professionally?

I was thinking about what should I do after army. I found a part-time job being a golf coach assistant that allowed me to study and work at the same time. As time passed, I began to love the sport and I went from being a golf coach assistant to obtaining my professional card, becoming a certified golf coach and now owning a golf academy.

Share with us briefly about your golf career.

Obtaining my Singapore PGA pro card is definitely a milestone to me as it opened up my gateway into professional golf and the golfing industry. On the coaching side, I have juniors that participate in Singapore primary and secondary inter-school tournaments as well as SGA (Singapore Golf Association) Junior tournaments. I also have adults that participate in club amateur tournaments. I salute their hard work and congratulate them with each of their wins.

Are there any misconceptions about golf?

That golf is boring. Hey, golf will not be boring if you do it with people you love! Golf lets you spend five hours together with your loved ones.

I think it has to start at home, with parents sharing the benefits of golfing to their children, so more juniors will pick up golfing. The golfing industry is trying to encourage young adults by introducing different styles of play such as FootGolf, Frisbee Golf and golf simulators.

Why did you decide to start your own golf academy?

I got burned by my former boss, so I made the decision to start out by myself.

What are some of the challenges in running your own business?

Starting out on your own means doing everything by yourself. You have to accept that you will have no days off and every decision you make will have an impact.

What are your goals for your golfing career?

Promoting the game of golf and grooming more junior golfers.

What are your fitness goals now?

My goal is to be able to still go for a run with my sons when they reach 18. Having that goal means I have to keep exercising till then.

Has becoming a dad changed anything about your life?

Yes, you lose all your personal and social time, but in a good way. Nothing beats seeing your own child.

Was there ever a time where you felt the least confident about yourself?

Surely, we all have our low points and I feel it here and there while trying to reach my goals. I would always question myself, if what I am doing is the best for my colleagues and my family. I always care too much for the people around me that it affects my mood and condition.

How did you overcome that?

By keeping myself resourceful, often reading and upgrading myself so I can make the best decisions for myself and the people around me.

Are you satisfied with your body now?

I think people tend to have a wrong conception of bodybuilding and keeping fit. Being fit does not mean you need a Superman type of body. Keeping fit means keeping your body in a condition that you can still look after yourself during old age. I am happy with my condition now and would strive to maintain it till I see my grandchildren.