Speak to any die-hard golfer and they’ll tell you that golf is much more than just a game. Here’s why …

“You play golf?!”

Is the usual response I get when I tell someone for the first time that I play golf.

Yes, I play golf. And yes, I think you should too.

Because it’s so much more than just a game.

I’ve made lifelong friends through golf, and met my husband along the way. I’ve travelled the world, carved out a career and learned plenty of life lessons in the process. Here’s why golf is so much more than you think it is …

Exercise and mental wellbeing

I read somewhere that you can burn up to 1,500 calories in a round of golf. Impressive, huh? But perhaps the biggest health benefit of getting out on the course is for your mental wellbeing. Golf has actually been proven to increase confidence and self-esteem and reduce anxiety.

Friends

I’ve said it a million times before, but golf is undoubtedly one of the best ways to make friends.

I’m still friends with so many people I’ve played golf with over the years, and I even met my husband through the game. You could say it was love at first flight …

Chance to travel

You can literally play golf anywhere in the world.

I’ve teed off alongside the pyramids in Giza, aimed at a skyscraper in Dubai and hit it over a hotel in Scotland. If you love travelling, golf is the perfect excuse to see even more of the world.

Valuable life lessons

This is a topic I’ve written about before, but the lessons that golf teaches you are invaluable in everyday life. From focus and strategy, to always acting with integrity and learning to let go of things out of your control, there’s not much you can’t learn from being on the golf course.

Networking

There’s a reason so much business is done on the golf course.

But whether it’s for work or socially, golf is a great way to grow your network. Thanks to the handicap system, it’s a game that literally anyone can play, so the chances are you’ll meet plenty of people you wouldn’t usually meet in your social circle.

What do you think? Email [email protected] to tell us why you play golf.