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Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad luck from good shots; you get good opportunities from bad shots - but you have to play the ball as you find it.

Bobby Jones

To start properly, I think what we have to do first is to define golf as well as possible.

Golf is a sport that requires precision to introduce a ball, with the least number of strokes possible, in the holes that are distributed in the golf course. To do this, the golfer uses clubs that differ slightly from each other, depending on the type of stroke he/she needs to make. Each golfer can play with a minimum of five clubs and a maximum of fourteen. On the other hand, professional golf courses have 18 holes, although there are also courses with 9 holes and to complete the 18 holes of a standard round, two rounds are played.

This is a definition that objectively describes this sport, although it does not clarify or help to define the great benefits that its practice brings to the lives of golfers, professional or not; nor does it help to demolish the negative myths that have been created around golf… let’s see some of them to see that it is not really necessary to continue believing in these myths, we will see that golf:

Is for the elites: in reality it is not. In most countries there are public courses and very affordable and even free introductory courses; in fact, it is available to everyone without any distinction... in fact, some countries are integrating introductory golf programs for their public-school students.

And as this is not exactly a popular sport, what is not known is that many of the golf professionals come from families with few resources, but with a lot of desire to be someone in life and have managed to forge on the golf courses, so this is a sport that inspires you to grow.

Is expensive: in reality, it is no more expensive than the average sport. We must remember that every sport or hobby involves an investment. Getting started in golf, or in any other sport or activity, requires an initial investment that may vary depending on many factors, but once this stage is over, golf is a sport even more economical than many others... in fact, it is suggested to start with a used equipment, you do not need to start in golf with a new equipment, so, once you have developed your swing, then you can go to a professional to help you choose the equipment that best suits your needs.

In addition, the list of physical, emotional and psychological benefits is so long that not only justifies the investment, but also goes hand in hand in this book, so I advise you to browse the internet and look for articles on the benefits of golf to our health.

It is not easy to learn: golf is not difficult, it is a sport that requires a lot of technique and therefore a lot of practice, however, when you start learning the basics in an easy, simple and fun way, it is very rewarding.

And believe me, once you learn the golf technique, it will serve you for life, since there is no age limit for this sport, and most importantly, the practice of this technique is not restricted to the limits of the golf courses, in fact, it will serve you to get ahead in life itself, you can put it into practice in your day to day.

It's not fun: not at all! It will only take one round for you to realize that the time has flown by and that you have been able to completely escape from the problems and stresses of everyday life... you'll see that it even becomes addictive.

It takes a lot of time: this statement is true if we count time in absolute hours as such... but if you have taken a moment to read the article recommended in the section "Golf is expensive", then, it is clear that for the countless and unimaginable benefits that golf brings us, all time is little time and it cannot be better spent... not to mention that you can play it alone, with company, during the day, at night and almost always... in countries with extreme climates, there may be times when it is better to simply enjoy the benefits that this sport brings to our private, social and work life.

Few people play it: the truth is that more and more people are interested in practicing this sport due to the great physical, psychological, emotional, social, work and business benefits it brings... yes! One of the qualities of this sport is integrity, and whoever plays it, is usually of integrity too... this is one of the reasons why it "seems" to be an uncommon sport... and in reality, it is not.

Damages the environment: on the contrary! The trend is to build golf courses in abandoned areas, which means a landscape improvement in favor of the flora and fauna of the place where the course is located. The other trend for the maintenance of golf courses is to use recycled water for irrigation, and another great benefit to consider is that it helps to reduce soil erosion.

It does not contribute to the economy: the truth is that golf generates and promotes investment in courses, hospitality, machinery, commercial and communication activities, real estate and tourism, and also creates direct and indirect jobs. On the other hand, it is a sport that does not receive subsidies, it is self-supporting, and all these false myths are an obstacle for golf to be seen as a popular sport that has the support and sponsorship of brands and companies.

Benefits spectators' health: The University of Edinburgh, in conjunction with the Golf & Health Project, published new research on the health benefits of golf spectators, showing that those who attend golf events may derive similar benefits to players. The study is the first to assess the physical activity of spectators while watching a golf match and shows that, of the fans surveyed, 82.9% met the recommended daily step count levels by achieving an average of 11,589 steps.

The truly regrettable aspect of this situation is that, by keeping these myths alive, golf is being prevented from reaching the vast majority of the population, who are being deprived of the personal, social and employment benefits that golf can bring them.

The healthiest way to bust and debunk these myths, in addition to refuting - as we have done above - each of them, is to detail only some of the main benefits of golf, since detailing them all would be a never-ending task:

It is also important to emphasize that the practice of golf provides a series of personal benefits that favor the preservation of the physical and mental integrity of the people, we can highlight the following:

 Walking between seven and ten kilometers improves cardiovascular health, regulates blood pressure, and keeps triglycerides and cholesterol at bay. If for some reason you cannot walk this distance, there is the alternative of doing it in a buggy, which contributes to mental health due to the placidity of the vehicle and the tranquility of the landscape.

 Tones the muscles of the arms, legs, back, thorax, abdominals and lumbar spine

 Improves coordination, balance and flexibility

 Oxygenates the blood and boosts vitamin D synthesis, so bones are strengthened and circulation improves.

 As it is not a high impact sport, it does not damage the joints like other sports, nor is it demanding in terms of physical strength, therefore there are no age limits to practice it.

 It improves mental health because the concentration and strategy that golf requires allows the player to disconnect from daily worries when focusing all his senses and efforts on his game... it makes you be present.

 It is an individual sport, but it allows players of different sexes, ages, levels... to participate in the same game, so it can be a family and friend’s sport.

 Encourages new friendships and improves social relationships by providing the opportunity to interact with other people.

 It transmits values such as effort, perseverance, trust, courtesy, integrity, good judgment, honesty... all of which are highly valued in business and in life.

 Instills punctuality, which implies order, discipline, respect, responsibility, sense of fulfillment, good habits, self-demanding, planning, efficiency, effectiveness, and many other qualities that can be summarized in the phrase: "punctuality is the soul of courtesy".

 With each stroke you learn to control the ball, your body and your mind, which will develop levels of patience and serenity that you thought were unattainable.

 You will be aware of how your frustration tolerance is raised, because golf is like life, not everything is perfect.

 ...All this is done in contact with nature for hours... a perfect anti-stress effect. What more could you ask for?