Why Is Golf So Addictive?

Ah golf, how we love you so. Your glorious ups. Your despairing downs. It’s a game that captures the hearts of millions worldwide. It’s not a sport, it’s a way of being. The allure of golf is difficult to pinpoint. Ask one hundred golfers their favorite thing about the game and they will give you one hundred different answers.

In this article, we seek to narrow down the list to 10. The main reasons that so many have an addiction to the game of golf.

All Levels Can Be Competitive

Think of any sport. Tennis, Football (soccer), Basketball. There are levels in each of these and for the most part, players of different levels won’t be able to compete with each other. That’s not out of disrespect, it’s simply the way it is.

Golf, on the other hand, doesn’t have this. Sure, a superior player will take fewer strokes per round, but the handicapping system ensures that everyone has a competitive chance. This makes the game attractive to all players as they know they can get enjoyment no matter what their level.

As golf technology advances it gives everyone an even better chance of playing some great shots.

Golf Is Healthy

Some people will try to tell you golf isn’t a very healthy sport because you aren’t running about or doing cartwheels when playing it. Those people are also wrong.

Golfers will walk up to 6 miles per round. Factor into this the exertion caused by swinging the club and keeping the body and the physical health benefits really start to add up.

Golf Is A Great Social Outlet

18 holes of golf can take anywhere between three and a half hours to four and a half hours (anything over this is far too slow!). As such, you get to spend a lot of time talking with your playing partners. This is a great way to catch up with buddies, make new friends and do all your socializing in a fun environment.

That’s not even taking the 19^th hole into account where golfers will go to share tales of missed putts and what could have been. Being a club member can help you make loads of new friends.

Longevity

Of all the reasons people love golf, this may be number one. The longevity of the game is outrageous. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that golfers could play the game for a hundred years. Start at 6 and plays their last game at 106.

This gives golf a unique standing in the sporting world. Where most sports have a short window in which players can play, golf is one that just keeps going and going. It is not uncommon for three generations of the same family to play together and at times, this can extend to four!

Imagine playing Baseball with your Great Grandad. Seems unlikely, doesn’t it?

History

History plays such an important role in golf. It’s a game built on tradition and it’s these traditions that have made the sport what it is today. Even though the balls, equipment, clothes and faces may have changed, the respect has always remained. Names like Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan are greeted with reverence for what they have achieved and given to the game.

The history of tournaments also stands out. The importance of the Claret Jug, the mysticism of Augusta and the unparalleled experience of the Ryder Cup. The meaning ascribed to these events over the years is what gives them a prestige unachievable without history.

Picturesque

Golf courses are special places. They’re beautiful. Designed in accordance with the land and surroundings, they capture the heart and mind. Some are even set against the most breathtaking and beautiful backdrops one can witness.

And if you think that’s hyperbole, do a Google search right now of places like the Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale, Ireland, Pebble Beach in Monterey California and the Real Club Valderrama in Spain.

Now, do you agree?

Great for Mental Health and Cognitive Function

Golfers everywhere know how infuriating the game can be, but they also know the escape that golf provides. Getting outdoors in the fresh air with nature all around you is superb for your mental health. Couple this with the focus required for golf and you have something that keeps you sharp and happy.

Different Forms of Games

People from the outside looking in might think golf is simply hitting a ball, finding it and hitting it again, but the variety of games keeps it fun and exciting. In tournament play, golfers can play stroke, Stableford and bogey formats. Then there’s match play, scrambles, four balls, team events and more. Each variation brings something new to the game. Maybe it’s more pressure, maybe it’s forgiveness, maybe it’s the team aspect. Regardless, golf’s variety makes it addictive.

Room To Improve

No matter how good you are, no matter how well you hit the ball or putt or chip, there is always room to improve in golf. It has been described as a game of misses and the person who misses best wins. And that’s pretty much the truth. On the bad days, golfers are comforted by the fact that they could go out and shoot the best round of their life only a day later. On the good days, they can still point to that dodgy driver or missed five-footer and believe they could do better. Golfers are always trying to chase down their next great shot or round.

The Perfect Shot

The fabled perfect shot. Every golfer has experienced it. When something goes just right. When the stars align and the moon is positioned correctly and the connection is as crisp as anything.

It’s that swing, that feeling of perfection, that brings golfers out again and again. It’s intoxicating and once someone has experienced it once, they will stop at nothing to experience it again.

Striking the golf ball well leaves you wanting more and is one of the reasons why golf is such an addictive sport. Whether you are smashing your driver off the tee or clipping your irons from the fairway there’s something about a well-played shot that gets you hooked on the game.

The addiction of golf