What is Fun About Golf? 5 Reasons It Really Is

Growing up with three brothers, I tried pretty much every sport going.

Some stuck for a while, others didn’t.

But the one that’s brought me the most joy — and the one I know I’ll still be playing for many years to come — is golf.

So what is fun about golf?

For me it’s the sheer variety, possibilities and freedom that it offers. You can play alone, with friends or total strangers and enjoy all kinds of different formats of the game. You can keep score and compete, or not bother and just enjoy a getting a bit of exercise in the fresh air of the great outdoors

Sure, I get why some people don’t see the appeal. Golf’s been called “Britain’s dullest sport,” with 70% of people in one survey saying they find it boring to watch.

But golf isn’t really about watching. It’s about playing.

And with now nearly 100 million playing some form of golf across nearly 85% of the world’s countries (37 million in the USA and more than 62 million people across the rest of the world) ,it’s clear a lot of us have found something pretty special out there on the course.

So let’s look at five big reasons golf is fun to play — whether you’re 5 or 85, chasing a personal best or just enjoying a good laugh with friends.

Golfing Focused Takeaways For Time Pressed Golfers

• Golf is truly for everyone. Golf welcomes all ages and abilities — you can compete fairly with anyone, even pros, thanks to the handicap system.
• You set the pace. Play alone, with friends, or family; 3 holes, 9 holes, or 18 — it’s your game, your way.
• You’re always outdoors. Golf lets you soak up fresh air, scenery, and even a bit of wildlife — whatever the weather.
• It keeps the brain and body active. Gentle exercise, fresh air, and a hint of competition do wonders for fitness and focus.
• It’s endlessly different — and addictive. No two rounds are the same, and that next “perfect” shot keeps you coming back.

1. Golf Is For ‘Anyone’ to Enjoy

Golf has a reputation in some circles as an exclusive game – but spend any time around the game and you’ll see that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Because golfers come in all shapes, sizes and ages.

You’ll see kids barely old enough to hold a club playing alongside retirees who’ve been enjoying the game for more than half a century.

That’s one of the great things about golf — it doesn’t discriminate. Men, women, boys, and girls can all play together, often on the same team or in the same group.

What other sport lets three generations of a family — a grandfather, his daughter, and a young grandson — all play side by side and genuinely compete?

And thanks to the handicap system, golfers of every ability can have a fair game.

You could, in theory, play against Rory McIlroy or Nelly Korda and still have a competitive match. Few sports, if any, level the playing field quite like that.

Golf is also a hugely social game.

Over the years, I’ve played with people from all walks of life — making lifelong friends with different people from different parts of the world along the way.

You can share a few hours catching up with old friends, or meet someone new and instantly have a common bond.

Even if you prefer your own company, golf still delivers.

Many players enjoy heading out alone for a few quiet holes — practising shots, enjoying the scenery, or simply clearing their heads.

That’s the beauty of it.

Whether you want company or solitude, competition or calm, golf gives you the freedom to enjoy the game your way.

Cool fact: As a boy, Seve Ballesteros, one of the greatest golfers of all time, learned to play golf with only a homemade 3 iron golf club on the beaches near his family’s farmhouse in Pedreña, Spain.

New York Times

2. Enjoying Golf In the Great Outdoors

One of the best things about golf is that it’s played outside.

While so many sports are confined to courts, lines, and fences, golf invites you to step out into wide open spaces — often some of the most beautiful landscapes you’ll ever see.

Every round takes you into the fresh air and natural light. Whether it’s sunny or cloudy, hot or cold, calm or windy, golf gives you a reason to be out in nature — not watching from the sidelines, but walking through it.

And it can take you huge variety of places.

Courses can hug ocean cliffs, meander through forests, sit beneath mountain peaks, or wind their way right back to the centre of town. Each course has its own character, its own sounds, and its own smells — freshly cut grass, sea air, or pine needles underfoot.

Wildlife is part of the experience too. At my own course you might spot deer, foxes, geese, rabbits, squirrels. In other places you may even come across the odd snake or alligator!

And the best part? You don’t need a perfect setting to enjoy it. You can practise golf anywhere these days — at the course, the range, the garden, the garage or even the local bar on a golf simulator!

No matter where you play when you get to a course though, golf connects you to the outdoors in a way few other sports can.

It’s not just exercise — it’s fresh air, headspace, and a reminder that sometimes the best part of golf isn’t your scorecard, it’s the view.

3. Different Game Options Mean Golf Never Gets Boring

Non-golfers sometimes assume that playing the same course over and over, as a lot of regular golfers do, must get dull.

But the truth is, no two rounds of golf are ever the same.

Every swing, every lie, and every gust of wind changes the game. Your playing partners, the weather, your mood, even the way the ball bounces — they all make each round a fresh challenge.

And that’s before you even start changing the format.

One of golf’s greatest strengths is how many different ways there are to play it.

You don’t have to stick to 18 holes for example. Plenty of players happily play 9, or even shorter “loops” of 3 or 6 holes — perfect if you’re tight on time or just want a quick hit of fresh air.

And there are plenty of other ways to reduce the length of time a round of golf takes.

You can also mix it up with different formats — match play, stableford, scramble, or skins — or invent your own.

On a Ryder Cup style golf trip I used to play on, my friends and I used to add three extra “house rules” to our weekend games:

• one free kick of the ball per round,
• one mulligan (a do-over), and
• one reverse mulligan, where you could make your opponent replay a shot they had played to perfection.

That last one in particular always caused some laughter — and a few grumbles!

Golf also lets you experiment with how you play, not just what you play. Leave half your clubs at home and see how creative you can get with a half-set.

Play from different tees to change the challenge. Or occasionally just throw away the scorecard and play purely for fun.

The beauty of golf is that you make the rules for your round. You can play to compete, to relax, or simply to enjoy being outside with good company.

With so many options, it’s almost impossible to get bored. And that’s why golfers keep coming back — not because every round is the same, but because every round is different.

4. Some Healthy Competition is Always Fun

I’m not going to pretend golf is a physically demanding sport. It is not and that is why players are able to play for such a large part of their lives if they want to.

But it’s definitely more active than many give it credit for — and the right kind of competitive.

On a typical 18-hole round, most golfers walk three to four miles, often across hills, rough, and sand. That will typically take you over the recommended 10,000 steps per day.

Regular play has also been linked with better fitness, improved sleep, and reduced stress — though I’ll admit, that last one’s debatable after I’ve just thinned another wedge over the green!

But beyond fitness, golf gives you something few other sports can offer for life — a constant, manageable challenge.

You’re always competing with someone — your playing partners, the course, or yourself. Every hole is a fresh start and a new puzzle to solve.

That’s why so many former athletes — from footballers to Olympians to basketball legends like Michael Jordan — take up golf once their professional careers end. It keeps those competitive instincts alive without needing to sprint, tackle, or jump.

And let’s be honest, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of beating a good friend on the final hole. It’s a win you can happily replay in your mind (and remind them of) for years to come.

Golf keeps you moving, thinking, and (sometimes!) smiling.

5. Golf’s Addictive Qualities Make It Fun to Play

Golf has a way of getting under your skin.

One hole can take you from ecstasy to agony in a matter of minutes — and that emotional rollercoaster is exactly why so many of us keep coming back.

A single great shot — a flushed drive, a long putt that drops, or finally breaking 100, 90, or 80 — gives you a rush that’s hard to find anywhere else.

It’s that brief moment when everything clicks, and for a second, you feel like a tour pro.

And then, of course, the very next shot brings you crashing back to earth. That mix of success and struggle is what makes golf strangely addictive.

You’re always chasing that next perfect shot — the one that keeps you saying, “Just one more round.”

There’s a bit of science behind it too. Each time you pull off a great shot, your brain rewards you with a small dopamine hit — the same chemical that reinforces habits.

So it’s no wonder golfers spend hours trying to recreate that feeling.

But golf’s pull isn’t just chemical — it’s mental. When you play, it’s just you and the ball.

Every shot demands focus, patience, and a little bit of belief.

It can be meditative, even calming, once you learn to accept the game’s ups and downs and how hard it is to master hitting a little while ball across thousands of yards with little margin for error.

And there’s something primal about it too — we humans simply love watching things fly. A perfectly struck shot soaring through the air never gets old.

That’s why, even after a bad round, we walk off the 18th green already thinking about the next one.

Golf frustrates you, humbles you, and then — just when you’re ready to give up — it rewards you again.

That’s not just addictive. That’s fun.

Golf isn’t perfect of course. It takes time to play and money for course fees and equipment.

That’s not always easy — especially for adults juggling work, kids, and limited downtime during the week.

My mum never really understood the appeal.

While my dad, brothers, and I spent hundreds of hours playing together, she used to joke, “Why would I play a game where I can throw the ball further than I can hit it?”

And fair enough — she had a point. But golf has its workarounds and with technology now, including computer games on golf simulators, ever more varied ways to enjoy it.

You can even eat and drink while you play — which, let’s be honest, is one of golf’s underrated perks!

Also despite its quirks, golf gives back far more than it asks — time outdoors, good company, a bit of competition, and the kind of memories that last decades.

And that, for me, is what makes it the perfect game to enjoy for a lifetime!

Before You Go …

Playing with groups of friends is one of the most fun things you can do on the golf course. And there are an almost limitless variety of games you can make up to play. Check out these next posts to discover just a few of them!

5 Fun Buddy Golf Trip Games for a Wide Range of Handicaps

11 Fun Golf Games for Odd Numbers with Wide Range of Handicaps

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