For many everyday life creates a lot of stress and negative emotions and with these pressures come the unfortunate emotion of stress.
Many people turn to sport to try and alleviate stress and for a few hours at least forget about all the negative issues and worries that they have about day to day existence.
Personally, for me, one of the most beneficial games to play for the release of our worries is the wonderful game of golf.
Golf is one of the few sports that we play by ourselves, yet have the support and companionship of our fellow golfers. It can be this companionship that really makes the difference for many people and you can quickly forget the issues of life away from the golf course.
With all this comes a life away from our normal lives and we can almost create a second persona that is free from troubles and strife. Being a game that is challenging golf can also create its own style of stress yet, it is an enjoyable kind of stress that drives us forward, and in the majority of cases the stress drives us forward in a positive way, it generates a level of competitiveness that takes us as adults back to our roots to our childhood where having fun was the most important aspect. Being able to take ourselves back to our childhood, lose our inhibitions and set our spirits free is part and parcel of leading a life that is stress-free or at least less stressful as we have an escape for all the pent-up emotions that we try and hide from those around us.
Golf is a great escape and we are put under pressure to perform and play our best golf, without our actions bearing any consequences that would ultimately impact out lives in a negative way. I know many golfers get upset when they play badly or do not meet their expectations but this momentary in comparison to the way we feel about losing a job or having to find money at the end of the month.
For those that may not be competitive, the game offer a different avenue for the relief of stress and that is the enjoyment they get from being outdoors, enjoying nature whilst still having the challenge of learning a new skill and enjoying the company of people that are often only colleagues within the circle of golf.
Simply being within a peaceful environment we immediately feel more relaxed, grounded and at one with ourselves and those closest to us, it has the same effect as a short break away, or a holiday, but on a shorter time scale and more economically viable for those that are struggling to pay the bills.