Inside Lewis Hamilton's Golf Lesson With Min Woo Lee

Lewis Hamilton and Min Woo Lee both occupy very different corners of the sporting world, but the two lululemon ambassadors share more than a competitive drive. Both have built careers that extend beyond their respective sports. Hamilton through fashion, music and film; Lee through a growing presence at the intersection of golf, style and social media. Just as importantly, they’re both defined by a curiosity that pushes them beyond their comfort zones.

That idea sits at the center of Rest Day with Lewis Hamilton, lululemon’s new content series pairing the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion with elite athletes from different disciplines. Rather than asking them to perform in familiar environments, the series flips the script, putting Hamilton in the role of student as he learns directly from his peers. The debut episode brings him onto the golf course alongside Lee, who offers swing tips while the two trade perspectives on competition, handling pressure and what it takes to keep improving long after reaching the highest level.

Ahead of the series premiere, Hypegolf caught up with Lee to discuss what surprised him most about teaching Hamilton, why golf continues to resonate with elite athletes and the advice that immediately started changing the seven-time world champion’s swing.

Hypegolf: Had you met Lewis Hamilton before filming Rest Day together?

Min Woo Lee: No, I’d met up with the team at Silverstone last year, but I’d never really spoken to Lewis before that.

He’s a very cool guy. One of the most famous athletes and celebrities out there, but also really genuine. It was cool meeting someone who’s so great at his craft but also so down to earth. I think you can see in the video that everything was pretty free-flowing.

You were helping Lewis with his golf game throughout the episode. Do you think his athletic background made him an easier student than most?

Yeah, for sure. He’s obviously spent his whole career learning from coaches, so I think that made it very easy for me to teach him.

He’s very aware of his body, so he has a lot of feel for what you’re asking him to do. It was rewarding because I think he caught the golf bug a little bit after seeing the potential of how well he could actually hit it. It was cool to give him a few pointers and then see the results pretty quickly.

Was there one piece of advice that seemed to click straight away?

When we were hitting driver, he was cutting across the ball a little bit and slicing it. I told him to bring the club more from the inside and try to hit more of a draw.

It took a little while, but after five or ten shots it definitely started showing results. I think he was pretty happy with it. If he keeps doing that, he’ll be a good golfer in no time.

“I think [Lewis] caught the golf bug a little bit after seeing the potential of how well he could actually hit it.”

Lewis mentions in the episode that he once lost 22 golf balls in a single round. Does that remind you just how difficult golf can be for someone learning the game?

It obviously depends on the course. It must have been somewhere with a lot of trees, out of bounds and water.

Golf is a very tough game. I think it’s one where you shouldn’t have too many expectations, especially because it’s not his main sport. You just go out, have fun, have a laugh with your mates and gradually get better. I know he’s competitive, so hopefully he picked up a few nuggets and a few tips from our day together that he can take into his next round.

Why do you think so many elite athletes gravitate toward golf?

I think it’s pretty easy on the body. It gets you outside, and you can make it as peaceful or as stressful as you want. You can ride in a cart or go for a walk.

I also think it’s one of the few sports where you can genuinely play with anyone. It doesn’t matter how good you are because there’s always a handicap. I can give Lewis a few shots a hole and suddenly it becomes competitive.

Unlike something like tennis, where one person has to hold back, in golf everyone can still play their best. That’s why it’s such a great sport, and it’s great seeing so many athletes and celebrities getting into it.

Does teaching someone else ever make you think differently about your own game?

Not really. We’ve got our own things to work on, but we’ve also been through most of the things we tell amateurs, so it’s pretty easy to explain the feels behind those movements.

Sometimes it’s a reminder that we used to do those things, or maybe we’re still doing them, and we can improve on them ourselves. Not always, but sometimes.

Being a great golfer doesn’t necessarily make someone a great teacher. How do you approach explaining the game to someone else?

I feel like I can talk to most people and get the message across. I think it’s more about communicating the feeling than just verbally explaining it.

I’ve been through those stages myself, so I know it often has to be an exaggerated feel rather than exactly what you’re physically doing. That definitely helps.

One of the themes in the episode is learning how to move on from mistakes. How have you developed that mindset over the course of your career?

It’s an ongoing cycle. Golf is such an emotional battle, so we’re always trying to get better at accepting a bad shot or a swing we didn’t like.

There have definitely been moments in my career that have helped me get to this level, but I’m still learning at the bigger tournaments. Every tournament is important, but majors obviously mean a lot more to us, so it’s something I’m still trying to improve. It’s a tough one.

If you had to give Lewis a scouting report at the end of the day, where do you think he’s strongest and what still needs work?

Honestly, just playing more golf.

He hasn’t really played that much, especially compared to some of the other Formula One drivers who seem to play nearly every week. If he can just get back out on the course whenever he has time off. I know he’s a busy man, that’ll make the biggest difference.

He definitely has strengths, but also weaknesses. He knows what he has to do to improve, and he’s really not that far off.

At the end of the episode you joke about having a rematch on the track. If you swapped sports, which would be more intimidating: driving a Formula One car or playing a tournament round under pressure?

It’s got to be driving the car. That’s pretty scary. They drive at ridiculous speeds, and I don’t think I’d last a few seconds in one of those cars.

When we’re in contention in golf we do get nervous, but we’re also confident because we’ve earned the right to be in that position. Driving the car would definitely be a lot scarier. I mean, golf has overuse injuries and things like that, but driving a Formula One car carries a lot more danger.