Top Benefits of Playing Golf

Playing golf is one of the most fun and addictive sports there is and is highly popular among celebrities and the wealthy. In fact so addictive and obsession-making is golf that rock star Alice Cooper even credits it with helping him to overcome his alcoholism.

So what’s all the fuss about? Why is golf so popular? And what other benefits might it present for our health, for our psychological wellbeing, for our social lives? Here we will look at some of the top benefits of playing golf.

It’s a Rewarding Hobby

The reason that golf is so addictive is that it enables you to see yourself so obviously gradually improve in measured increments. Each time you play you will notice yourself gradually improving and that will help spur you on to go again (or you’ll have a really bad game and desperately want another round). This gives you something to take pride in, something to focus on and a great sense of satisfaction which is remarkably good for our sense of achievement and well being.

It’s Healthy

Yes playing golf is healthy. Of course you aren’t going to burn quite the number of calories with golf as you might playing football or going running, but what you will do is soak up lots of healthy sun rays adding to your production of vitamin D, get lots more fresh air and even strengthen your core and abdominal muscles as you practice swinging the club. A golfer tends to have developed lats and triceps and the more you play the more you’ll find it tones you up.

Its Gentle

And what makes this particularly useful is that it isn’t overly strenuous and involves no real impact. This is a sport that anyone can plan and that means that if you’re elderly or have existing fitness conditions, then you will still be able to play golf. And because the power of your swing is more about technique than it is about strength this is a game where someone who’s old and overweight can go toe to toe against someone in the prime of their life.

It’s Meditative

Playing golf is something that requires intense focus and concentration and is largely psychological. If you think you won’t make the shot or if you get distracted then you will be more likely to miss the shot or to over putt. As such, playing golf is a fantastic way to develop your ability to concentrate and generally to help calm your mind.

You See a Lot

Playing golf often means travelling around and seeing different things and there are countless different golf courses all around the world which offer different sites and climates. If you play golf then trying out golf courses abroad when you’re on holiday is a great way to pass time that will help you to see more of the area you’re in and get some great pictures too.

It’s Sociable

Golf is a gentleman’s sport because it doesn’t involve running around barking orders and getting sweaty. As we’ve mentioned, anyone can play golf and that means it’s something you can invite people along for. Many business meetings take place over a game of golf and this is a very useful skill to have for advancing your social standing and developing contacts – or if you just want to have a day out in the sun with a group of friends.

Daniel Stockdale is a sports blogger and works with the team at www.golfbox.com.au, suppliers of golfing accessories.