5 Reasons Why I Can't Wait To Play Golf Again

Golf re-opens in England next week. I'm starting to get very excited now...

5 Reasons Why I Can't Wait To Play Golf Again

Golfers in England will be getting back out on the course on 29th March, drawing to close a very long 12 week period of no golf whatsoever.

It's been tough. We've been patient. And we're now going to be rewarded.

Here are five reasons why I can't wait to get back out on the course:

5 Reasons Why I Can't Wait To Play Golf Again

Socialising

Working from home during this pandemic means that aside from talking on video calls, chatting to my girlfriend and the odd natter with my neighbour when taking the bin out, I really haven't done any socialising in 12 weeks.

I tend to play most of my golf in a regular four ball and we're always discussing our common interests, our own lives, the game of golf and many other things whilst we're walking around hitting that little white ball.

Humans are social beings after all, so I can't wait to get back to one thing I'm best at, chatting rubbish with my playing partners.

Exercise

There were a few weeks where I was keen to go on walks but they've significantly tailed off and my body is surely starting to think that it will never be more than a mile from my front door ever again.

Well, little do my poor legs know that soon they're going to be traipsing six miles every weekend again up and down hill, in bunkers, trees, through bushes and all sorts of other dodgy places where I hit my ball.

Golf is so great for our mental health but it's also brilliant physical exercise too.

I can't wait to start burning some calories again, putting my phone away and being in the great outdoors again with my clubs.

Related: How many calories does a round of golf burn?

To see if I can play against my handicap

With the introduction of the new World Handicap System, I saw my handicap go from 4.7 to an index of 2.4.

That equates to three strokes off the whites at my home club so I've got to start finding form pretty quickly if I have any hope of being in the top half of leaderboards this year.

Whether it's social or competition golf, I can't wait to start posting some scores, making some birdies, hopefully avoiding blobs and just getting to grips with playing the game again.

It is a game after all. A very difficult game that engages your body and mind - two things that have been lacking these past 12 weeks.

Post-game beer

After completing dry January, I decided to keep it up until I was allowed to have a beer outdoors at the golf club or local pub.

Well, come 12th April in England we're going to be allowed to stop off on the patio post-round and enjoy a nice cold one along with the usual banter and chat.

In my regular four ball it's losing team buys the drinks - let's hope I'm drinking for free.

The new season

One positive of courses closing during these months is that we have missed out on most of the bad weather.

We've avoided a lot of mud, rain and freezing temperatures, coupled with very dark afternoons.

As a very modest hitter as well my weak fade tends to lose a good 30 yards in the winter too.

For me, one of the best days of the year is when the clocks go forward and we can start playing golf again up until 7, 8, 9pm in the evening.

It signals that the start of the summer is on its way, meaning great weather, brilliant golf course conditions and lots more time in the week to play.

Whether it's a post-work nine holes, a twilight 18 or a dew-busting 7am start, the spring/summer months are simply unbeatable.

What are you most excited about for golf's return? Let us know on social media

Related: 6 positives of golf's Covid-19 lockdown