There are some very good reasons why golf is one of the most popular pastimes across the world; the list is long, it’s hard to know where to begin. Knocking a small, white ball around a manicured arena might seem a little boring, but once you have mastered the art of actually hitting the ball, the game changes.
Here are some of the reasons people play this addictive game we call golf.
- Good overall exercise – Playing a round of golf means 18 holes, which would be around 6-7km in total and if you take 85 shots to complete the round, that’s a lot of movement. Even an hour on the driving range gives your major muscle groups a workout, which also helps with joint movement. To be out in the fresh air surrounded by the beauty of nature is good for us all and if you work in an office, it is necessary to spend time in the great outdoors.
- Make new friends – Once you join a local club, you will meet people from all walks of life, sharing a golf cart with new friends is one of the joys of playing. Many golfers frequent the clubhouse in the evenings and there are usually small groups of businessmen that enjoy each other’s company after a round of golf.
- The competitive angle – It isn’t other players that you are competing with, rather it is the course itself! A typical 18-hole golf course would contain sand traps, bodies of water, not forgetting the many trees, dips and hills and the course is designed to test the player. If the par for a course in 72, that’s an average of 4 shots per hole, which is a very hard thing to achieve. A beginner would have a 24 handicap, which means he or she would take around 96 shots to complete a round, while a professional would have zero handicap (they should finish on par, 72 shots). Most golfers are somewhere between those two extremes and a single-figure handicap is considered a good player. As you improve, it is harder to reduce your handicap (you have to submit 3 witnessed cards in order to have your official handicap lowered) and it is the goal of every player to reach 0 handicap, or professional level. Click here for more benefits of playing sports.
- Enjoyment – This is something we all need in our lives and a weekly round of golf motivates many people to get through the working week, looking forward to getting on that 1st tee early Sunday morning. Even hitting a bucketful of balls at the driving range is pleasurable, indeed, many players practice during their lunch hour. We all need to consider our overall well-being, especially during a pandemic.
If you would like to try out hitting a few balls, book a few lessons with a golf professional and with a little investment, you can be kitted out to play a round of golf at your local club and your golfing journey can begin.
