We all know that a day on the golf course can burn calories, improve social wellbeing, and give you a sense of achievement. But did you know that playing golf can also reduce your stress levels and improve your overall mental health?
In the last year, 74% of UK residents have reported experiencing stress, and over half have reported feeling depressed and/or anxious. These certainly aren’t uncommon health problems, but they’re still ones that aren’t talked about nearly enough.
The good news is, taking to the golf course on a regular basis can have a positive effect on mental health, as we’ll explain in this week’s blog post.
Stress is a common reaction to a particularly demanding or difficult event, such as workplace challenges, family bereavement, or exam pressures. And we all feel it uniquely, so it can be tricky to pinpoint stress as one specific experience.
Typically, a person experiencing stress has entered what’s known as ‘fight or flight’ mode, a physical and emotional experience that causes the person to feel agitated, sweaty, flustered, unhappy, alert, and restless. But these aren’t the only symptoms.
Aside from being an unpleasant experience, stress can have an impact on your environment, such as your workplace, family life, and recreational activities. If stress is impacting your concentration, you may miss details at work and suffer a poorer performance. If you’re feeling agitated and alert, your sleep might be affected, leaving you feeling even worse the next day.
While stress is common in small doses, prolonged periods of stress can cause you to become run down and physically unwell, and in extreme cases may cause you to miss important events, isolate yourself, and even stop working. So, the effects of stress should not be understated.
Read how playing golf has benefited the health of BBC presenter Dan Walker.
There are many ways that golf can reduce stress levels. For one, physical activity has, for a long time, been linked to better mental health. Even 20 minutes of physical activity every week can have profoundly positive effects. Remember, when you’re playing golf, you’re participating in not just swinging, but walking, bending, and reaching, which more than meets your weekly quota for exercise.
But that’s not all there is to it. Golf, unlike many other sports, is relaxing and involves mental concentration and focus. Creating strategies, perfecting timing and measuring distances are all key components to the game. These processes distract you from the stress you’re feeling, giving your body and mind a break from its negative effects. And, speaking of mental focus, golf has also been linked to a reduced likeliness of developing dementia.
As well as the physical exercise and mental focus involved in the sport, the actual environment in which you’re playing golf also has a role in stress reduction. Being surrounded by beautiful green grass, trees, open spaces, and fresh air can make you feel instantly better than you did before arriving at the course. Interestingly, numerous studies have shown people have higher tolerance and wellbeing levels when they can see nature around them, which is something PlayMoreGolf offers every single time, no matter where you play.
Discover how golf not only benefits your mental health but social well-being too.
At PlayMoreGolf, we want to make golf an even more convenient, relaxing, and accessible game; that’s where our flexibility comes in. We know you might have a busy schedule, a family to support and hobbies and commitments that need your attention. Giving you the option to play golf flexibly means you can have a better work-life balance, sense of control and enjoyment for the game.
So, whether you’re going through a stressful period in life, or want to take proactive steps to keep your stress levels down and improve your overall mental wellbeing, PlayMoreGolf can help.