Mental Health Benefits of Golf

Golf is touted as a sport with long-term health benefits. With the ability to play from a young age all the way into your golden years, it is a fantastic activity for promoting physical wellness. Another important aspect I feel the need to shed light on is the mental health benefits the game of golf can bring. 

We are seeing professional athletes today becoming much more transparent on their struggles with mental health. As someone who has had their own struggles, I think this is a great thing because it helps to lessen the stigma surrounding these issues. While golf can certainly be a mentally challenging sport, the stimulation it provides can help to counter the difficulties that come with mental health problems. This article will look at different ways golf can help to benefit mental health.

Why It Matters

In a study by Harvard Medical School and the University of Queensland, it was hypothesized that one of every two people worldwide will develop a mental disorder at some point. Performed across 29 countries and including 150,000 adults from varying backgrounds, it is a stark reminder that anyone can suffer from one form of mental illness or another at any time. Utilizing as many resources as possible to combat and prevent mental illness, including golf, are incredibly important.

The Positive Impact of Golf

Golf provides an opportunity to improve and maintain our mental health in a variety of different ways from regular social interaction to being outdoors, getting physical activity and beyond. Let’s take a look at how these areas can help to keep our mental wellness in a good place.

The Social Benefit

While I am known to enjoy the occasional solo round, golf is a game best played with friends and family. Many studies have shown a positive correlation between social interaction and mental health. The emotional support we receive by maintaining social connections helps to reduce the effects of daily stress and can help to foster a sense of meaning and purpose in life. From the range to the course to the 19th hole, golf gives us a chance to talk to someone whether it be about the highs or lows of life or simply the round we are having and provides an outlet for support.

It Keeps Us Moving

Golf is an active sport. Whether you walk or ride in a cart, you’re on your feet for the majority of the round. During physical activity, the body releases endorphins, chemicals that help to ease pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of overall well being. Unlike team sports such as football, basketball or soccer, golf is a sport you can enjoy and be competitive in, well into your golden years. The more we move as we age, the better quality of day-to-day life we will experience which may allow a sense of fulfillment. Studies have also shown that golfers have up to a 40 percent lower mortality rate than our non-golfer counterparts.

The Great Outdoors

Read this next segment and then close your eyes. I want you to take yourself to this scene and then think about the thoughts that fill your head. 

Spoiler: If you’re not an early-morning tee time player, just humor me here!

It is 6:30 a.m., 70F with a gentle breeze. The sun is glistening off the dewy fairway as you’re placing your ball on the tee. You take a moment to take in the sounds and smells of your surroundings: birds chirping, leaves gently rustling, fresh-cut grass. You take a deep breath, approach the ball and flush your drive to the center of the fairway.

Really, go ahead and take a moment. I’ll wait.

Now that I’ve got you back, you can’t tell me you don’t feel a sense of peace and calm. Being outside and being acutely aware of our surroundings can do wonders in helping to find the relaxing sensation we are looking for when feeling overwhelmed. Now do me one more favor and go book that tee time ;).

Therapeutic Healing

Do you ever find yourself needing a brief escape from the daily grind? Maybe work has been stressful or overwhelming. Your children, while you love them dearly, are driving you up a wall. Or maybe you just flat-out need a break. When we strip down golf to its basic, bare-bones action, it is trying to hit a small object with a stick. Heading to the course, grabbing a bucket of balls and sending them down the range again and again can be a therapeutic practice. Golf provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment and that, in and of itself, can be healing and provide the recharge we need to tackle our regular routine.

Sharp as a Tack

Golf requires constant thought and focus. Each shot presents a different challenge and each hole requires a different approach. This engagement of the mind keeps you sharp and can aid in improving focus in all aspects of life. For individuals who may suffer from a degenerative mental condition, golf can help to exercise the brain and trigger fond memories from playing days of years past.

Achievement: Unlocked

With each new milestone achieved in golf, we experience a sense of joy and pride. The excitement I felt when breaking 90 for the first time is one that I’ll never forget. The same can be said for hitting a great drive, flushing a long iron, sticking your approach close to the pin, getting up and down out of a bunker or sinking a long putt. The dopamine hits we get when accomplishing these feats boost our mood and our mental state.

Mental Toughness

Let’s face it, golf is hard. We are bound to experience tough breaks and frustrating moments every time we step on the course. These challenges can help us build the mental fortitude to overcome these obstacles and approach them with a positive mindset. Instead of getting mad or feeling down, learning to persevere and stay level throughout the round can translate to approaching life’s challenges in the same way.

Mental Health Matters

Any additional resource that can be taken advantage of when it comes to bettering our mental health and wellness is invaluable. While golf is not the be-all and end-all to improving one’s mental health, it can be an additional tool for supporting a well-rounded care plan. 

MyGolfSpy cares about your mental wellbeing. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to your healthcare provider or the National Hotline for Mental Health Crisis by dialing 800-273-TALK (8255).

Links to Mental Health Studies

Age of onset and cumulative risk of mental disorders: a cross-national analysis of population surveys from 29 countries: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215036623001931?dgcid=author

Social connectedness as a determinant of mental health: A scoping review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9560615