Why isn't everyone talking about this new wellness trend?
Kate Floss is our special guest today to tell us all about a new gateway to wellness that blends two fantastic activities. You won't want to miss this.
Welcome to another edition of Who I'd Rather Be Talking About, where I introduce you to fascinating individuals from around the globe.
Today’s special guest, Kate Floss, comes to us from Germany!
Kate is a former national golf player and a current PGA Professional and certified yoga instructor.
Kate is here to tell us how golf and yoga go together like wine and cheese. Plus, combining the two activities might help golfers and yogis lead healthier, happier lives.
And maybe lower their handicaps! Sign me up for that, please.
But wait.
I get it. You might be thinking, “I’m not a golfer, and I can’t even touch my toes. So, I’m gonna skip this one…”
I’m going to suggest you read Kate’s story anyway, because it might inspire you to pursue your passions in an entirely new way.
Think outside the box.
Go for those dreams.
How did I find Kate? As you may know, I live and die for finding ways to get to Spain. Last summer I was researching wellness retreats in Spain and came across Kate’s Golf & Yoga Retreats. I contacted her for information, and the conversation began.
When not leading retreats, Kate runs innovative programs to help others embrace golf and healthier lifestyles through her business, GOLFAIR.
Whether you’re a golfer, yogi, or just looking to live a healthier, more balanced life, I think you’ll love Kate’s story and wise words.
Kate says…
I was born in Poland, where I started playing golf at 11 after a family holiday; my dad saw a golf course and decided to try it. He got hooked right away and tried getting both my brother and me into it as well. My brother preferred music, but I was always more into sports.
Golf wasn’t very popular in Poland at the time, so it was an interesting journey. Thanks to golf, I was able to travel the world, discover new places, and grow as an athlete and as a person.
We traveled to the Czech Republic, where golf was more developed, so I could play and practice. That’s how the majority of my weekends were spent when I was a teenager. My dad quickly noticed that I was quite good at golf, and we started going to different tournaments around Poland. That’s how I got noticed and recruited to a Junior National Team at 14.
Later, I chose to study at Bournemouth University in England, as it offered a unique degree in Golf Management and PGA studies, making me a fully qualified PGA Professional.
As a part of my degree, I went on a student exchange to beautiful Heidelberg, Germany, where I met my husband. I fell in love with the place right away, and I am happy to call it my home since the end of 2018.
I was actively competing and playing until the end of 2017, when I decided to resign from my amateur status and become a PGA Professional. I always knew that I wouldn't become a professional player, but I always saw golf as a way to a healthier and better lifestyle, so I looked into ways of passing that on to more people, especially women.
After graduating from Bournemouth University and completing my PGA studies, I started teaching golf, but never full-time.
For nearly four years, I worked for a golf technology company, Toptracer, educating golf facilities across 15 countries in the EMEA region on how they can utilize ball tracing/gaming technology to bring more people into golf and to make it a more fun experience overall.
I felt like I was helping to grow the game, and I truly loved doing it.
At the same time, I was coaching two days a week at Heitlinger Golf Resort, where I’m still based.
It was a great but also extremely intense time. I was working with some of the most beautiful and well-known golf courses in this part of the world while coaching and organizing Golf & Yoga Events and Retreats as a side gig.
I always felt that golf & yoga events and retreats should be my main focus, and finally, the right time came.
I was ready - I had earned my Yoga Teacher Qualifications at a Yoga School in Thailand after having practiced yoga for nearly 15 years. It had always been my dream to deepen my skills and understanding of yoga, so I could implement it in my coaching.
I’ve been fully concentrating on golf and yoga and growing my own business for over one and a half years now.
Currently, I teach golf and yoga and organize Golf & Yoga Workshops and Retreats at various European locations. I plan to expand into other regions and work with people from all over the globe, showing that combining Golf & Yoga is an excellent well-being practice and a beautiful way to enhance one’s lifestyle in a healthy, conscious, and mindful way.
I mainly work with females, but not exclusively. The Ladies’ Only Golf & Yoga Retreat seems to be gaining quite a lot of popularity, so I’m hoping to be able to offer more retreats designed specifically for women.
One of the newest projects I’m introducing in March 2025 is a Golf, Yoga & Nutrition Retreat. This is a unique concept that focuses on personal well-being and enhancing golfers’ performance on a holistic level. The retreat will take place in Spain, and I’m organizing it with Lena Kadlec - a nutrition expert, avid golfer, and yogi who has worked with many professional athletes.
And… exciting news! Also, in 2025, I’m launching a retreat for complete beginners, where we'll focus on overall wellness, practice yoga, go on beach walks, and learn golf from scratch as a part of the retreat. This will be in November of 2025, and anyone interested can contact me.
I was first introduced to Yoga as a teenage girl during one of the National Team Golf Camps. Our coaches knew at the time the importance of physical preparation, but also the mental part that is very much needed to be a good golfer and which yoga can be extremely helpful with.
I quickly understood the synergy between golf and yoga and how they complement each other. These two activities have many similarities, from body awareness to mindfulness and the ability to focus on the here and now.
I also believe that golf and yoga teach us extreme patience and acceptance, which is important for our mental well-being.
I see Yoga as a very helpful tool for golfers to enhance their performance both on a physical and mental level. I also see a combination of Golf & Yoga as a great well-being routine for anyone who enjoys being active, spending time in nature, and is interested in self-growth.
Yoga has gained huge popularity in the past decade or so. Unfortunately, golf is still sometimes seen as a sport for wealthy, elderly men. But luckily, this perception is slowly changing.
GOLFAIR started in my head during my studies in England. As a golf player and a yogi, I have always been interested in improving the quality of life from a health and well-being perspective. I see both golf and yoga as fantastic tools for achieving that, and being able to share and teach that to others seemed like a good idea.
It took a few years from having the idea in my mind to bringing it to life, but I am really happy that I decided to follow that path and start my own business in 2020. It started slowly due to the pandemic and my other work, which I also loved. But slowly, it started picking up. I’ve noticed more and more interest in Golf & Yoga Workshops, which are one-day mini-retreats that I am organizing at various locations, and in the concept of combining golf and yoga in general.
In 2024, I hosted 8 Golf & Yoga Workshops at three locations in Germany and Switzerland. I also hosted the first Ladies Only Golf & Yoga Retreat in Spain, which proved to be a success, and the same trip is already fully booked for next year.
The name GOLFAIR came from thinking about a golf cloud. Everything that’s happening around golf. Air and breathing are also a crucial part of a Yoga practice. My Golf & Yoga Retreats are also a journey that people are joining, a journey towards a better and healthier lifestyle and self-growth. Many people associate air with traveling somewhere. Last but not least, it’s a little wordplay, GOLFAIR, which reads as ‘golfer.’
Try new things, and find out what suits you best. There’s no point in implementing healthy routines if you’re not enjoying them.
Try to live a balanced life. It’s not about drinking Kale smoothies and going for a 6 am morning run daily. It’s about exploring new things, constantly learning, and growing.
Golf and yoga can be a great source of adopting a healthier lifestyle, as they combine physical activity, support mental health, and enable you to learn and improve constantly.
Both golf and yoga are associated with a connection to nature as well as a connection to yourself. Golf and yoga can be a great way to travel the world, discover some of the most beautiful places, and connect with amazing people… all important elements for enhancing our health and well-being.
And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Thank you, Kate, for sharing your story.
Let’s find out how to contact you and hear about your favorite things.
Website: GolfAir Email: info@golfair.co
IG: @golfair_by_kate LinkedIn: Kate Floss
Details on Kate’s Golf/Yoga/Nutrition Retreat in Spain (March 10 - 16, 2025)
Favorite Podcast: I love Aggie Lal and her Biohacking Bestie podcast. I also love The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett. My favorite golf podcast at the moment is The Sweet Spot.
Favorite YouTuber or Instagrammer: I love the guys from Yes Theory for their openness, positivity, and perception of the world. Their channel has nothing to do with golf or yoga. :)
Go-To Recipe: anything with veggies (love them all)