Benefits of Golf

Golfing has such a rep. It’s either the sport your grandpa likes to play in his Floridian gated community or it’s that sport for businessmen with rolexes spending hours on the green.

Although […] golf isn’t a fast-paced sport, it can be a lot of fun for many people. Each game allows people to improve their game and skills. Speaking of improving, there are also some people who may be finding it hard to perfect their swing, or positioning, which is where the assistance of golf launch monitors could come in handy. Shop Indoor Golf, for example, in the hopes of understanding the level of potential a golfer may have, as we can all do with a helping hand once in a while, even if it means relying on technology.

But having started to play this year, I can say with confidence: it’s really a legit sport.

My university happens to be in the town known as the “home of golf” and claims to be where golf was invented. There happen to be 7 courses practically on campus. So yeah, you could say golf is big.

I started taking lessons in September….mainly because I once told an advertising professor that I wanted to be an account manager and he promptly asked “Do you play golf?” I also quickly discovered that my lack of general hand eye coordination didn’t actually mean I was doomed to be the total opposite of Tiger Woods for the rest of my life (I’m obviously a compete professional now…).

(Post-golf lesson pic….No, I don’t just own a bag full of 6 irons).

I discovered golf is a suuuuuuper mental game. It isn’t about raw strength; you have to focus on the small alignments of your body to generate power for your swing. Don’t believe me? Ask good ol’ science! It’s not just all about clubs and balls either, there is a technical aspect to golf now as well if you so choose it, many golfers use technical aids such as laser rangefinders or golf gps’s, there are many more things too, if you’re into golf and a techie then check these out they’ll be right up your street, or should I say green.

Tons of studies state that the benefits of golf include:

+ improved balance
Weight distribution is a lot more important than you may think; different clubs require different stances. Even during your swing, you should think about how your weight shifts.
+ cardio and endurance
A round of golf is equal to about a 5 mile walk plus whatever you burn from carrying your own clubs! Sorry, golf cart not included.
+ creativity booster
Some even claim that golf helps with creativity because you need to be imaginative when it comes to predicting the trajectory of your ball or where it lands (or in my case, pretending you’ll actually get it into the hole under par….).
+ low risk
Golf is one of the sports with the fewest inherent injuries (getting hit by a friend with no spacial awareness doesn’t count). I mean, people who play racket related sports do tend to suffer from various injuries of the wrist, hand or elbow. But this is something that can be treated. If you are someone who has suffered from an injury like this or knows of anyone who has, it may be in your best interest to look into a site like handsurgeonsnyc.com to see how an injury from a sport like golf can be treated. Aside from injuries, there is definitely a reason why so many different age groups play golf.
+ mental health
Golf players tend to be more confident and golf has even been shown to help with depression. Have you seen how beautiful golf courses are? No wonder it’s a mood booster!
+ gives you a leg up in business
So many high level business-folk swear by golf as being one of the keys to success. What’s said on the golf course certainly doesn’t have to stay on the golf course and what better way to get things done than being isolated with your client in the middle of a course for hours on end?
+ just about anyone can play it
Because of the way handicaps work, a beginner can play with a pro. What other sports do that?!

Other not-so-official benefits include: serious bonding (see the point about being stuck on a course with certain people for a long stretch of time). You can make lot’s of new friends by taking golf lessons as the golfing community is so welcoming and supportive of newer players. You will also find your knowledge of the game expand fairly quickly, because of this, you may find yourself become interested in golf betting during big tournaments! Bladder training (the nearest bathroom can be a full five holes away sometimes), and better sleep (6am tee times can be cruel).

So to end this post, I’ll just leave you with this video that my dear friend, Chris, sent me when he was tired of me using my chest as an excuse for my questionable form while swinging:

Have you tried golf? What did you think?