I think we can all agree, 2020 was one of the worst years! Not only did we had huge disruption to our lives and freedoms – we couldn’t even play golf! For many, including me, a lack of golf seriously affects our mental health!
Playing golf is a way to stay healthy, exercise, relax and be outdoors, all at the same time, so vitally important. On the course, we find many benefits for our mind, body, and mental health. Golf & Wellbeing go hand in hand read more to find out.
We all want something that makes us feel good, from physical health to mental well-being. Playing golf helps with this. In fact, playing golf has proven benefits to our wellbeing and mental health, even for beginners. Not everyone knows how to reduce daily stress and connect with nature, golf can be the remedy for this.
Benefits of golf to your mental health
1. Increased concentration:
One advantage of Golf is that it allows us to have close contact with nature. Staying at home using smartphones all day has made us forget the healthy habits of the past. Playing golf, can break this habit, calm the body and make one free from a sedentary lifestyle with healthy mental health.
Golf not only trains the body but also the mind. In fact, developing concentration and attention is a prerogative of golf. Golfers tend to notice what is going on around them and try to solve any kind of problem, similar to those who have crosswords or Sudoku as a hobby...
The open space and the natural environment around the golf course helps players concentrate, and it also relieve tension, clearing the mind of negative thoughts. Golf helps players become coordinated and flexible. By relaxing the mind, golf increases endurance.
2. Encourages social interaction:
Golf is not a game you should play on your own, in fact most course won’t let you play by yourself. Playing with other golfers encourages strong social interactions which are highly beneficial to your mental health. Also, sharing a disastrous round of golf with another person can really strengthen your friendship and your mental health.
Joining a golf club is one of the best ways to meet new people, which is key to keeping your mind alert. This is a key reason that people in retirement getting started in golf join clubs, or those moving to new areas, they can broaden their circle of friends and meet new people.
3. Helps you sleep better:
If your body doesn’t get enough sleep, it won’t work well the next day. Lack of sleep has many negative consequences related to physical and mental health. When you don’t get enough sleep, you become forgetful and unbalanced. This increase your risk of stroke or diabetes. When getting started in golf, playing at least two days a week, can improve your mental and physical well-being. It is also useful for reviving sleep, which means that the quality of your sleep will improve.
4. Emotional stability:
Golfers are generally very stable and cope with frustration. It is often difficult to tell whether they are in a good or bad mood, they’re better able to balance their mental health. You may not adopt this trait immediately, when you are getting started in golf, but with time you begin to manifest it.
When golfers experience negative emotions, they use mental techniques to always keep calm. Another character that is notable among golfers is patience.
5. Overcome depression:
Playing golf helps control anxiety and depression. Because it requires high concentration, anxiety has no place.
Those who are getting started in golf and practice it, end up learning to relax as well. That is why the medical community is recognizing golf as good therapy.
The practice of golf requires tranquility, otherwise, it won’t meet the goal. For this reason, golfers learn to control their anxiety.
It even helps them fight depressive symptoms. In fact, new benefits of golf are being recognized by the medical community.
If you are struggling with your mental health Golf can be a great way to help you through this, however should you need professional support we recommend reaching out to ensure you get the right information, have a look at the resources available on the Mind website for more information.
Remember if you have a friend who you think might be struggling, don't ignore it, simply have a chat and ask them if they're OK, give them an opportunity to open up and talk about how they feel.
