Written by Michael VanDerLaan
Golf is often a complete mystery to outside observers. Sparing all of the arguments over economics and the environment, many simply find the game boring or tedious. However, those who have been bitten by the golf bug often never recover.
According to the National Golf Foundation, the game continues to grow at a pace that exceed last year's record setting numbers.
Globally, golf has had outlandish staying power. While many of the sports currently celebrated on the world stage are relatively new (basketball was invented just a few generations ago), golf in its current form traces its roots back hundreds of years, well before America was even formed.
So what is it that hooks these golfers? What is it about golf that makes it so captivating in ways that are so hard to explain to the uninitiated? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest reasons and try to understand why golf is able to garner the attention that it has for so long.
Where Did Golf Start?
Humans have probably been playing stick-and-ball games in some capacity since shortly after we first developed the propensity for using tools. Eventually, Scottish fishermen and herdsmen took to bringing sticks and balls to pass the time walking through the un-farmable links land that “linked” the inland villages to the sea.
The game carried on informally like this for centuries.The first recorded instances referring to the modern game of golf show up in Scotland by the 1400s. The game was popular enough at that time that it was officially banned because its popularity was interfering with men completing their military training.
The “golfing grounds” at St. Andrews in Scotland were established in 1552 and would go on to become the Old Course at St. Andrews which is currently recognized as the oldest course in the world, and is referred to as the “home of golf” and is a bucket-list stop for golfers around the globe who want to celebrate the origins of the game.
While there is evidence of similar club-and-ball shenanigans taking place throughout Africa, Asia, and the rest of Europe at various points throughout history, the actual development of the infrastructure as we know it (courses, rules, competitions, etc.) all sprung from Scotland and quickly spread to its nearest neighbors in England and Ireland.
Who Made Golf So Popular?
The first person to make golf popular on a large scale could be cited as King James IV of Scotland. In 1502 he removed the (albeit largely ignored) ban on golf after being gifted clubs, balls, and becoming a “golfer” himself.
As far as who has had the biggest influence on golf’s popularity globally, it would arguably have to be Tiger Woods. He certainly ushered in an unprecedented spotlight on the game that increased visibility of the sport across perceived international, racial, and socioeconomic barriers.
In between these two bookends, each generation has had a golfer or pair of golfers that can be credited with transcending the niche of the sport and becoming well known pop culture icons. In America it was first Bobby Jones, then Sam Snead and Ben Hogan, followed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Each paved the way for a lasting expansion and interest in the sport outside of its core demographic of hardcore golfers.
Top Reasons Golf Is So Popular
People start playing golf and continue playing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the great feeling you get from being outdoors on a lush green golf course with friends or even the whole family.
Here are the top reasons golf is such a popular sport.
Golf Is Great For Networking In Business
Golf is intimately intertwined with the business world both at the highest levels all the way down to everyday salesmen. The culture of the game makes playing it at exclusive courses a very valuable “perk” and is also a fantastic informal setting for getting to know people and building relationships.
It is hard to hide “who you really are” over the course of 4 hours doing something that is both difficult and requires integrity, and over many rounds and years partnerships are definitely formed.
Golf Is Great For Meeting New People and Socializing
Good “golfing buddies” are almost ever-present attachments for a golfer, as important to some as clubs and cleats. Just like with the business world, the golf course is a great place to get to know somebody socially. Unless you are stuck sharing a cart with somebody who you don’t like, it’s easy to ebb and flow with the situation and engage - or have an easy excuse to not engage - in conversation as much as feels natural.
Many lifelong friendships are borne on the golf course, and for many, the game just isn’t the same without good company. If you're unsure about how to meet people at the golf course, taking lessons from your local pro and asking about groups or leagues is a great place to start!
Golf Is Great Physical Exercise
In an average round of golf, golfers walk four to five miles over diverse terrain. If you walk briskly from shot to shot, you can elevate the level of exercise.
Whether you walk or take a cart, there is plenty of activity in the game, and plenty of chances to get your heart rate up and break a sweat. The best part is, if done properly, golf can be played almost every day without long recoveries and help build lasting habits instead of a monotonous exercise routine that will be dropped and picked up only in emergencies.
As you get more and more into the game, you will also find yourself interested in workout programs such as GolfForever to help you improve your game!
Golf Is Great For Mental Health
It’s said that the game of golf is 99% mental. And while the golf course can be a magnet for complete mental breakdowns (usually from non-golf problems accumulating, boiling over, and being projected at inanimate objects or wildlife in front of close friends and family) for many more the game is a psychological Godsend.
Golf is great for mental health. Developmentally, it mirrors the challenges of life, and demands attributes like patience be developed. It requires an ability to deal with adversity and things that are unfair, and don’t go your way even when you’ve done everything right. A certain amount of resiliency is ushered in by seeing how a “silly game” can be so challenging.
Some may not understand, but for those who do, it cannot be said better than it was said by the great Moe Norman.
“It is a buffer for the stresses of today’s living.
It cleans the mind and rejuvenates the body.
It is these things and many more for those of us who know it and love it.”
Sunshine And Being Outdoors Makes You Feel Good
There is plenty of research to show that exposure to the sun is a key element of both physical and mental health. Of course, the sun can also have some damaging effects on your skin so having the proper sun protection is important!
The sun and fresh air provide the other huge mental benefit to golf, which is simply being an escape, so to speak. It is perhaps the pinnacle of adult leisure sports and recreation in our culture today. The simple fact that the game is played outdoors and takes multiple hours to play is virtually irreplaceable and invaluable for the health of the psyche in our modern culture. In spite of anything else, the fresh air, the movement … the pauses … the orderliness and flow of a proper round … all help to re-synchronize ourselves with something more natural than what the rest of our lives bombard us with.
This benefit of the game really was catapulted to the forefront during the COVID-related restrictions as many flocked to the game as an alternative to spending too much time inside and the compounding stresses of their life situation.
Golf Teaches Life Lessons
As mentioned before, as silly as it may sound to an outsider, golf is often like a mirror for your life or internal state.
Nobody has ever seemingly truly conquered the game of golf (except perhaps for Byron Nelson who stopped practicing at his peak because he didn’t need to and then walked away in his prime to become a rancher). Most keep chasing a seemingly unattainable perfection. Without getting too philosophical, many metaphors for life are found in golf and there are many chances to reflect on what is happiness, what is “enough” and what, if anything, is consistently keeping those things away.
Golf Teaches Honesty
Golf is often referred to as the “gentleman’s game.” The phrase has farther-reaching connotations about social structures, etc. but also very much reflects on the integrity of those who play it.
By its very nature, golf, even at the highest levels with officials, TV replays, and other outlets, relies heavily on self-policing. The scope and dynamics of the game give ample opportunities to cheat or defraud your opponents with little chance of being detected, for example while searching for a ball while everyone else is distracted or far away.
Ultimately, it’s not uncommon for people who play golf together to have to essentially take each other's word that the rules were followed. Not following the rules, and especially trying to lie or cover it up, are virtually unforgivable given the nature of the game and its customs and rules.
Golf Teaches Respect
Respect and tradition is what golf is all about. I'm sure that you have seen professionals remove their hats when they shake hands with their opponents after a round of golf.
Also, everyone who plays is tasked with fundamentally caring for the course. This ensures not just our own playing experience, but the experience of everyone else who wants to play. This involves things like repairing divots, raking bunkers, letting others have their turn, and not disturbing others with bad attitudes or outbursts, amongst many other things.
This joint responsibility helps illustrate in real-time the importance of doing things the right way, treating things properly, and always having an eye on the bigger picture rather than your own petty shortcut or frustration.
Golf Is A Lifetime Game That Anyone Can Play
Perhaps the biggest defining characteristic of golf - and hence very related to its staying power and popularity - you can learn to play the game at any age.
The same just cannot be said about very many other sports. Most of us played one sport or another when we were young. As we get older, and our bodies can’t handle the strain of higher impact sports anymore, it seems that we all turn to golf. There is currently a huge movement of people in their 30’s and 40’s taking up the game. Even more remarkable is that many golfers do not even start playing until they are in their 50s or 60s or even after they have retired.
Many golfers are able to play all the way up until their final days, or very near to it.
In addition, this flexible nature of the game lends itself also to a massive opportunity for women to compete by themselves or alongside men as well as many adaptations that make it a great option for physically disabled individuals or people who just don’t consider themselves “that athletic”. Check out some amazing highlights from our friends at the US Adaptive Open in the video above!
Final Thoughts
Many people might wonder “What is it about golf? Why do people even play? It is so hard”. But at the same time those who do get into it are crazy about it. The game has managed to grow despite a lot of economic and environmental challenges working against it in the past 50 years.
The great thing about golf is, on some days, you get to shoot a great score, or hit some great shots, and that makes it fun. On the days that you don’t, you still get exercise. You still get life lessons. You still get alone time or time with friends, family, or even complete strangers that you would never get anywhere else. You still get the outdoors, fresh air, and a sense of escape. You still have an opportunity to learn something about yourself or about life.
Again quoting Moe Norman “Its price is high, its rewards are richer. For those of us who know and love it, golf is truly happiness.”
