The life lessons golf teaches you
Lessons learned from golf teach you valuable life lessons like fairness, patience, integrity, trust, humility, honesty and hard work. All these values like in life are important to be a good person and good golfer.
“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play the ball where it lies.”
Bobby Jones
All sports have governing bodies, and for golf this is the USGA (United States Golf Association). They set the rules to which golf is played. Their rule book states in section. 1.2 Acting with integrity – for example, by following the rules, applying all penalties, and being honest in all aspects of play.
Golf’s rules are your own referee, You have to play fairly as no one is watching your every shot. If you make a mistake you have to call it out yourself, and take the penalty. Being honest is expected by golf partners and golf clubs.
Learn to be patient playing golf
Patience in golf as in life is a virtue. When playing against your opponent you must be patient, quiet and still, and give your opponent a fair opportunity to take their shot.
You would expect nothing less from your playing partners. patience in your own game is also important. Rushing your game will only result in a poor score.
Golf teaches problem solving
Problem solving is an important skill you need in golf. From standing on the first tee to lining up your last putt on the 18th, every shot will be different.
You will need to study each shot, from the distance the ball needs to travel to where on the course you want your ball to land, to your swing.
Do you want to If you’re in the trees, do you want to play a low shot to avoid the branches or a high shot over the top. to which golf club to use.
Learning golf later in life
Learning to play golf for both men and women in later life helps you keep physically and mentally fit.
Walking an 18 hole golf course can take you around 4 to 5 hours will keep you fit so you outside in the open air. Golf is one of the few sports you can play in your senior years.
What is golf etiquette
The short definition of the word etiquette means to act and behave the proper way, and to respect others.
Golf etiquette is used to express how people should behave on the golf course and to respect the rules of the game.
By adhering to the rules and acting in a way that respects your opponent shows that you understand the meaning of etiquette.
For example, waiting your turn or repairing ball marks, and being quiet when waiting for your playing partner to take their shot.
Learn: What are the health benefits of playing golf?
Golf can be played individually but more normally with a group of other players. Golf teaches you to social interact with other people.
Playing a round of golf can take several hours, and you may find yourself partnering up with people you’ve never met before, so you need to be able to communicate during this time.
Casual conversation will be interspersed with discussing golf play, so playing golf teaches you social skills that can help in every day life.
Why are so many business deals done on a golf course? Golf and business are a good mix when it comes to trying to do a deal.
Why? Golf is a relaxing sport away from work, and many people feel more comfortable socialising while playing golf.
Also, a round of golf will take 4 to 5 hours, giving people plenty of time to talk about business in a relaxed environment, and at the end of the game, you can head to the clubhouse for a relaxing drink.
Golf teaches you learning
In life we never stop learning, from kindergarten to college and university, and through to our working years, and later in life we can always be learning new skills.
Golfers spend hours on the driving range, tweaking their swing or practicing putting. Golf teaches you that you can never stop learning and there is always ways to improve.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, the top golfers do! Find a golf coach isn’t too hard, and you will learn quicker with an instructor than you will practising by yourself.
“Golf is a good walk spoiled.”
Mark Twain
Focus & concentration in golf
Whatever job you do in life, to do your best you have to focus and concentrate to achieve the best results.
Golf is the same, you only finish the game on the 18th green, but all the holes leading up to that point are just as important.
Learning to focus and concentrate on every shot, will help you achieve the best score possible.
Golf teaches you routine
Golfers always go through a routine when preparing to take their shot. Every golfer will have a different routine.
Without a routine of preparing to take your next shot, you will lose your consistency. Golf is a game where you need to be consistent, to achieve your best score.
Learning from your golf mistakes
As much as we try to be precise with each shot , it’s unavoidable that we’ll make bad shots, mis-hit the ball and make bad decisions.
Only with experience and practice will we learn and improve of game. The driving range and putting green are places you can put in the hours to rectify any problems you’re having out on the golf course. This could be slicing the ball or your swing or grip.
Mistakes in golf as in life will always happen, and it’s how we learn from these mistakes that teach us how to avoid making them again.
A positive mindset in golf
To achieve anything in life you need to have a positive mindset. Negative thoughts will only make you fail.
Standing on the first tee with 18 holes to play you need to feel confident that you can hit the best shot possible.
Having a positive mindset will give you the advantage over your golfing partner who may be doubting they can hit that shot over the water or that 3 foot putt.
Being a golf team player
There are going to times when you are playing in a team and you have to learn a new way to play.
Golf tournaments can include fourballs and foursomes or like in the Ryder cup players play as a team rather than individuals.
Learning to play in a team teaches you new skills. You will have to consider your playing partner and work together as a team to achieve your goal.
You will learn to be supportive of your team mate, and work to the end goal.
Respecting the golfing environment
Golf is played outside nature, it’s an outdoor sport and golfers have to respect where they play. Golf courses include trees water and grass.
We have a responsibility to take care of the environment. With more emphasis on the environment in recent years its important we take care of the .
This includes replacing divots, raking bunkers, taking care of the greens.
Teaching kids about golf
Golf is a sport that can be enjoyed by children from as young as 2 years old. Golf can teach kids important values such as patience and discipline.
The rules of golf can help kids understand how to act and respect others. Kids will get physical exercise and fight obesity while enjoying the outdoors.
The sport of Golf is a great way to share quality time with you, and gives you the opportunity to teach them a new skill.
Be a good loser
Golf can teach us to be a good loser, just like in life we are not going to win at everything. Being a good sportsman or woman means that in defeat as well as winning you should always be humble, and show respect to your opponent.
The golfing community is built on fairness and being generous to the competition whenever you win or lose. Take this lesson into life, and you will gain respect from the people around you.
Conquer your fear in golf
It can be daunting standing on the tee surrounded by your playing partners, or getting butterflies before you hit that 3 foot putt.
Fear can get to the best of us, but golf can teach us that we can overcome this fear by using our minds.
Golf is played as much in our heads as it is on the golf course. Even top golfers suffer from nerves and their game can fall apart if they can’t control their fears.
To conquer these fears, it’s a good idea to visualize what we want to achieve, and not to think to far ahead. Play the shot you have, and not the next one.
In Conclusion
As you can see what we do in life can to relate what we do playing golf. Overall golf teaches us integrity fairness, honesty and a good sportsman or woman. Taking these attributes we learn on the golf course into our daily lives can make us a better person.
