For those who never golfed before, it may seem a little crazy how dedicated some golf patrons can be! For a few, it gets to the point of obsession. They start looking for any excuse to hit the links. What causes these individuals to become fixated on golf? Can this behavior become unhealthy? Why is golf so addictive?
In article below, we will outline the ways golf can become addictive, if it can become unhealthy, and how to avoid obsessing about golf. We have a lot to cover so lets get started!
What Makes Golf So Additive?
Like other bad habits people can develop, golf can become addictive if it is used as a mechanism to ignore other important parts of your life. Similar to gambling or drinking, if golfing starts to interfere with your life, finances, or your family, it may be a sign you have a problem. That said, it is important to recognize that leaving work early to get a quick 9 holes in is much different than missing your child’s birthday. In many cases, leaving work early to hit the links is a sign that you value work life balance and understand the importance of all aspects of life.
How Do I Know If I Have A Golf Addiction?
Know that we know what golf addiction can look like, we can figure out if you may have a problem. Have you missed any big life events or spent more money that you have on golf? Are gambling or drinking intertwined with your golfing routine? If so, that’s not a great sign. I am by no means a therapist, but these types of behaviors are something to be conscious of if you feel like you may have a golfing problem. If this sounds like you, it may be time to reach out to a professional for help.
Why Can Golf Cause Addictive Behaviors
Anyone who plays a lot of golf should be able to understand how someone could become addicted to golf. Golf is an escape from reality, it’s a little piece of heaven where our problems seem far away and all we can focus on is the curves of the green and nailing that next put. Anytime you find something that helps you forget about your problems and live in the present, there is a small chance that you become addicted to that behavior.
How To Keep a Healthy Relationship With Golf
Balance is the key to a healthy relationship with most things in life, including golf. Recognizing that golf should be one part of your much larger life is important. Anytime one aspect of someone’s life starts to encroach on other areas, it’s essential to reset your habits. Staying conscious of your behaviors and monitoring your habits will allow you to be mindful if golf starts to become a bigger part of your life than you want.
Set expectations around how many rounds you will play a month, having dedicated days that you won’t play, and having other avenues for relaxing are all ways to ensure that you stay in control of your golfing tendencies.
Final Thoughts
For most people, golf is just a fun hobby to spend time with family and friends. Even the most enthusiastic golfers wouldn’t fit in the category of addicted to golf. Typically, when someone is accused of playing too much golf it’s just an exaggeration used to poke fun at the golfer. However, in the rare cases where golf can influence important life events, it can start to become an addictive vice. Keep you trips the golf course in moderation and be sure to take care of all aspects of your life. Do this and you’ll be setting yourself up for success beyond the links!
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