Why Is Golf Popular?

Despite its perception as a rich person’s sport, golf is actually a game that anyone can play and be able to successfully compete with players of any ability.

So why do people love to hit a small white ball around a big green field? Let’s delve into a few of the reasons why golf is enjoyed by so many people all over the world.

A Complete Experience

For many golfers, playing the actual game is only a part of the experience. Amateur golfers, especially, view a round of golf as part of a day out. They meet their friends, have a pre-round coffee, then get out on the course for their appointed round. Afterwards, they repair to the 19th hole - or some other watering hole - to go over the game, compare notes and indulge in banter about each other’s play.

The golfing journey

Every golfer has started out knowing nothing about playing the game. For many people, their first experience of going out on a golf course was simply a good way to relax, get some fresh air and exercise, and to make new friends.

But once they start playing, the magic of the game takes them over. Even if they aren’t on a team or part of a group, a round of golf will pit them against the environment of the course, the natural environment and their own assessment of their abilities.

Golf is also a test of skill and concentration. It makes no difference if you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, you are never at the top of your game. There will always be a aspects of your golf play that you will be able to make improvements on. Over your golfing career you will be constantly finding satisfaction in the small gains that you make in your skill-set.

Coming back for more

Golfers love to talk about disastrous rounds in which nothing goes right, every shot is a slice or a mis-hit, and every bunker and hazard had a golf ball magnet in it.

But they also talk about those miraculous shots that saved a game, won an Ambrose or salvaged their reputation in front of their golfing buddies. That is one of the greatest pleasures of golf: the notion that one nice drive or epic putt during a less than spectacular round will keep you coming back to the golf course time after time.

Play Your Mates or Play Yourself

Golf is a social game. Sure, you can play by yourself…in fact, even in the biggest tournament, golfers are really always just playing themselves. But golf isn’t like tennis, or football, or any other “gladiatorial” sport where you are physically competing against other players. In golf you are always competing against yourself to improve.

Having said that, however, golf is also a very social game and it can be a very useful part of your private or business social life.

Business deals

Playing a round of golf is a great way to get business done. If you and your clients enjoy golf, getting out on a course in the sunshine is a perfect alternative to the dry, stuffy boardroom or noisy factory floor.

Team building

Playing a round of golf is also a good way to knit a team of colleagues together. Even beginner golfers will enjoy the challenge of learning to play golf, especially if your company organises drinks and nibbles to accompany you on the course.

Charity matches

Charity golf matches are a regular fixture in the golf world. And charity matches don’t necessarily need to be grand affairs. Lots of amateur clubs all over the world put on charity matches to raise money and awareness for all manner of charities.

A somewhat off-beat example of this occurred in New Zealand in 2021 when a group of four university students played every mini golf course in the country (there are 78) over a period of two weeks - their university holidays - and raised several thousand dollars for a kid’s cancer charity.

The great outdoors

One of the aspects of golf that players love the most is being outside.

Next time you are out on a golf course, have a look around you. It doesn't matter where you are. You could be on a top class golf resort in Florida, an island in Scotland, or the Grande Vue Golf Course in Geraldine on New Zealand’s South Island. But just take a moment from your game to look at the world around you.

Golf is one of the few sports where you are literally just walking around in the great outdoors! What is there not to like about that?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

One of the greatest attributes of golf, and one of the main reasons that it is so popular, is that golf is a game of tradition. It is also a game of rules and manners.

Golfing etiquette consists of a set of unwritten rules that players naturally follow in order to make the game fair, equitable, friendly and enjoyable for all players. For example, these are just a few of the unwritten rules that golfers follow:

Keep it quiet. When another golfer is playing their shot, don’t distract them by talking.

Play your own game. Everyone has their own standards and abilities, so if someone is struggling with a shot, don’t be critical of them. Offer advice if they ask for it; otherwise, don’t say anything.

Keep it on the course. Whatever happens on the golf course, stays on the golf course. Once you are in the clubhouse, it's time to relax and go over the pleasures of the game, not to berate the player who dropped a shot or lost your team the cup. Let it go, have a drink and move on.

Support the newbies. Every golfer starts out as a beginner. So even if you are a seasoned amateur or a successful pro, encourage the players who are starting out, or struggling to execute a shot. Remember….you were there once too!

A Game for Everyone

Golf can be played by anyone. It can be played at any time of year, by people of any age and gender, at any age and in virtually every corner of the world.

So if you are wanting to get into golf, and find out why this game is so popular. Reach out to the crew at back2basics golf. They’ll help you to get started on your golf journey which may last for the rest of your life.