Why Is Golf So Popular? (Top 10 Reasons)

 

Golf seems to get more and more popular every year.

People who swore they would never play the sport suddenly begin to pick it up as they get older.

There are many reasons that golf has become so popular, especially in the last few years.

People want to find ways to spend more time outside.

In addition, golf does provide a certain amount of exercise.

Whether you are a golfer, it is interesting to understand why the game has become so popular.

We have come up with the top 10 reasons golf is so popular.

Although these reasons may not apply to every individual, there is likely one reason on this list that brings you back to the golf course each weekend.

 

Why Is Golf So Popular? (Top 10 Reasons)

 

1. Exercise

 

Exercise is something that we all know we should do, but most of us don’t spend enough time doing it.

There seem to be two different types of people: those who really enjoy exercising and those who dread it.

The great thing about golf is that, whether or not you like to exercise, golf forces you to do so in a very gentle way.

Playing a round of golf won’t necessarily feel like you are exerting yourself, but you will have burned quite a few calories by the end of the day.

Golfers get exercise in two ways.

Walking the golf course is the equivalent of walking at least five miles.

In addition, swinging the golf club at a high rate of speed will increase your heart rate, and it will even tighten your core.

Once you get really good at golf and you want to get even better, the idea of strengthening your body is extremely important.

You can look at a golfer like Bryson DeChambeau and see the work that he has put into his body this year.

Clearly, he gained quite a bit of distance and consistency, enough to rank much higher on the PGA tour.

If you have not spent much time exercising in the last several years, golf is a great way to get your body back into it.

With the way that golf becomes addicting before you know it, you will be losing weight just by becoming a golfer.

If you are concerned about whether their body can handle playing golf, you can always start with just chipping and putting.

Once you get the basic concept of hitting a small chip shot, all you need to do is expand on that.

Overall, if you are smart about stretching and you take care of yourself, golf is a very low-risk sport.

Therefore, from both an exercise standpoint and one of overall well-being, golf has become a very popular game.

 

2. Socialization

 

Golfers typically play in groups of four people.

Most of the time, a golfer will find a group of players that they enjoy golfing with.

They will meet with these players every week and enjoy games and sometimes betting.

Playing golf with people is a great way to socialize.

In addition, sometimes playing a round of golf is a great way to meet new people.

As a single, if you show up at a golf course, you will likely get paired with another group of golfers.

These will be people you have never met before, but many times, by the end of your round, you will have become friends.

People love the way that golf can bring others together.

It is a common love for the game that makes golf socialization much easier than other types of socialization.

Many golfers will meet in a bar or restaurant after their round to continue talking and enjoying time with their friends.

This type of socialization is something that all people will enjoy having in their lives.

It can be hard to make friends outside of work, neighbors, and family.

However, golfers will tell you that a random pairing on a Saturday morning has often made them some of the best friends in their lives.

Golf continues to become even more popular because of the way people are nice to each other, and they continue to socialize and enjoy the game together.

Don’t hesitate to try and make a few new friends at a golf course.

You will be glad that you did.

 

3. Nature/Outdoors

 

The next time you play a round of golf, take a look around you and try to take in some of the nature.

There is so much on the golf course going on.

There will be birds and trees and a wide variety of wildlife all around you.

So many people are looking for reasons and ways to get outside and enjoy their lives.

With golf, you will be outside for more than five hours every time you play.

This is quite a bit of time and a way to indeed become more in tune with the world around you.

Of course, golf is not hiking, and you won’t be exposed to rough terrain or any type of hiking or climbing, but overall, the natural way that you can play golf is appealing to many players.

Being outside in the natural world gives you exposure to the sun and fresh air.

If you know that you are spending too much time inside watching Netflix or playing video games, golf is a way to force yourself outside.

You won’t need anything but your golf clubs to have a reason to spend the day outdoors.

This is an excellent reason parents want their kids to get involved in golf as well.

With the number of kids out there struggling to find reasons and ways to get outside, the idea of taking up golf is a very good one.

Overall, not too many people will argue that playing golf outside would be bad for you.

Instead, it is quite the opposite as golf is an excellent way to become a more outdoorsy person.

 

4. Game You Can Play Your Entire Life

 

Golf is a game that you can play your entire life.

The game can be quite challenging, but you can play whether you are six years old or ninety years old.

Having this kind of diversity in the people who can play golf makes it an even more entertaining sport.

Think about having a match against your grandchild.

What other sport can you do this and have it be an equal and fair game?

Golf tends to take a lot of time, and that is one thing that can keep people away from it.

However, as we get older and move towards retirement, we tend to have much more time on our hands, and this makes it easier to play golf.

If you want a sport that takes you from the time you are a little kid to the time you can barely walk, golf is the one for you.

This is one of the many reasons that more and more people are going to play the game and try to get better.

Having a challenge and a goal as you start to age is a very important thing.

The game of golf is so difficult that it doesn’t take much to set this up for yourself and see the benefits of the sport.

 

5. Challenging

 

Golf is challenging.

Don’t expect to pick up a golf club and instantly be an expert because that’s not going to happen.

However, this is partly why golf is so much fun and has become so popular through the years.

If you like the game, you will become addicted to the challenge.

The more time you spend playing, the more difficult it will be to give up the idea of becoming a great player.

Golfers often talk about how there is one good shot that keeps them coming back round after round.

This one golf shot makes it much easier to say that you had a good round and that you will want to come back next week for another round.

The challenging nature of golf is something that makes it more appealing, not less appealing.

If you care about the game of golf, you will want the challenge, and you will make sure that you continue to play and embrace all that it has to offer.

Overall, golf is going to bring you to your knees at times, and you will often wonder why it is that you love the sport.

However, in the end, if you like to try and conquer something and succeed, a challenging round of golf is a great thing.

 

6. Business Relationship Development

 

So many people want their children to learn the game of golf so that they can use it for business.

Of course, the way business is conducted will change every year.

We won’t be able to say that business on the golf course is entirely like it was years ago, but it is still a major reason that golf has become popular.

Typically, business transactions and business-type conversations can be stressful.

Sometimes when moving these conversations to the golf course, the overall demeanor can become more relaxed and enjoyable.

The business relationships that people make can help them get better jobs and close deals at their current jobs.

When there is a common interest in golf, it can be very easy for salespeople to work towards closing a deal and making an impact for their company.

Overall, you will be able to play in golf outings in addition to inviting golfers out for matches.

These golf outings are quite enjoyable, and they allow you to conduct and work on even more business.

As a golfer, you will probably want to get your game to a point where you are at least considered average.

From a business perspective, people often want to play with people who can at least make now worse than a bogey when they play.

Once you get to this point, you really can play golf with any level of player.

Creating great business relationships is just another reason that golf is so popular.

 

7. Opportunities For Travel

 

When you play golf, you can take the game to almost any state or country and enjoy even more golf.

Golf is a worldwide sport, and it can give you a reason to go see a new area of the world.

If you have always wanted to play links-style golf courses, then England or Scotland would be a great destination for you.

There are even events for amateurs located all around the United States that allow golfers to travel and enjoy playing golf around the world.

In addition to these opportunities to travel for tournaments or events, there are some amazing golf courses that golfers will want to play simply because they are a great place to enjoy the sport.

When you play golf, and a new course or resort opens up, the sole purpose of this location is to convince you as a golfer to come and enjoy it.

Some of the areas created around the world are amazing and beautiful, and players can’t wait to get there.

If you are a golfer who enjoys traveling, being able to take your clubs and head out for some golf is a tremendous benefit.

Traveling the world is something that all golfers should take advantage of if they can.

Although this is simply a reason that golf has become more popular, it is a great reason to pick up the game of golf.

Couples who play golf together will enjoy how nice it is to have a travel partner when playing golf courses all over the world.

 

8. Anyone Can Start

 

Anyone can start to learn the game of golf at any time.

There is nothing that will really stop you from picking up the sport.

Whether you have loved golf your entire life or hated it your whole life, you can head out to a golf course this weekend to start playing.

When you think about a sport like football, it is challenging to just start playing.

You have to be in the very best physical condition and have certain skills that most ordinary people do not have.

Golf will take some hand-eye coordination, a bit of balance, and some overall conditioning.

However, you won’t need to be a star athlete just to pick up the game.

The fact that starting the game of golf seems so much more accessible than other games is a major reason so many people enjoy it.

If you are thinking that golf could be a good sport for you, then it is worth going to a driving range and hitting a few shots.

The golf game that you play at the driving range will likely not indicate how you will play on the course, but it is an excellent way to get involved and start playing.

Even if you think that golf is boring, it is worth going out and hitting a few shots.

Most of the reason golf is so popular is that people love to play the sport but not necessarily watch it.

Watching golf is not quite as enjoyable as playing.

 

9. Gives Players Something To Work Towards

 

When you take up the sport of golf, you will have something to work towards.

As children, we often have a test coming up or graduation that keeps us motivated.

As we get older, there are times when we have work goals to keep us focused, but at some point in everyone’s life, there comes a time when you will run out of challenges.

Golf can replace this.

So many people who have achieved success in their career and with their physical fitness turn to golf to try and find a challenge.

Working on your golf game is going to become one of the most fun parts of the game, and it is a major reason that golf is so popular.

When you reach that point in your life when you don’t have enough to motivate you and make you strive to be better at something, golf can fill the void.

The game of golf is enjoyable, but when you start shooting low scores, it can change your mindset entirely and get you fully addicted to the sport.

If you need a challenge in your life again and want something to work towards, golf is the best sport that you could consider taking up.

 

10. Matches Played Between All Handicap Levels

 

Last but not least is the fact that golf can be played between two people of different handicap levels.

Other sports require players to play against each other with no real way to handicap it.

How can you play a round of basketball against a person and expect there to be handicaps involved in the match?

This is just not the way things work.

Matches played between all handicap levels are one reason the game of golf is so unique.

A golfer with a 26 handicap can play a round with a 14 handicap golfer, and because of these handicaps, the 26 handicapper could easily win the match.

Overall, the matches played between all handicap levels will bring more and more people into the game.

If you have been playing golf your entire life, and all of a sudden, your friends want to take up the game, you can still have matches with them and enjoy a day out on the golf course.

There is no reason to leave anyone out thanks to the way the USGA handicap system works.

If you are new to the game and worried about playing with others, simply establish your handicap and then learn to play golf at a relatively fast pace.

As long as you can keep up, you will be welcome to play.

With the USGA handicap system in place, don’t expect to see much of a change to how the game of golf is growing.

People will continue to love the fact that they can play golf with their friends regardless of the abilities everyone has.

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now feel as though you are capable of understanding why golf is so popular.

In reality, there are lots more reasons that golfers love the game.

Everything from history to equipment to technology can keep players coming back.

It doesn’t take much to get addicted to this sport, so it is no wonder that the game continues to grow.

When golf can figure out a way to become more affordable and a bit quicker in pace, there will be no stopping everyone from learning the game.

The game of golf has seen ups and downs through the years, but right now, it is doing better than ever.

If you need a reason to get outside and enjoy yourself, golf is the way to do it.