Although there is a man called Tiger Woods, although the most of the golf games are played on public courses, and although this sport was featured in many cult film classics – the opinion that golf is nothing more than they way rich people kill time is still present.
But it’s not all about spending the whole day on the course with your buddies after you’ve given your wife a satisfactory amount of money for shopping and found the perfect babysitter for your kids. Playing golf today is the perfect activity for the whole family. While it provides the healthy sort of escapism for you and your partner in this turmoil of modern world obligations, it can also be a perfect preparation for life for your young ones. On top of that, it’s the perfect way to discover some new, exotic lands.
Why You Should Try It
You could say that there are a lot of ways to travel around the world and discover new exotic lands. That is true, but have you started yet? It all comes down to one undeniable fact – we’re all stuck inside an ever-growing fast rhythm of life, numerous daily obligations leaving us completely exhausted and passive. We want to travel and see new destinations, but we seem unable to reach a firm decision. Our health is poor, our sense of well-being shattered to pieces, and our motivation has evaporated. Playing golf can renew our physical and psychological strengths, and lead us to the journey of (self)discovery we’ve been yearning for so long. Now let’s back this statement up with some facts.
- Body and Mind Reborn
You could say that almost every sport provides you with enough recreational benefits, and that golf is the least likely to offer enough physical activity. But you’re probably not aware that you have to walk more than six thousand miles for a common 18-hole round. This means that the optimal endurance exercise for your heart is achieved by playing only three times a week. But it’s not just about losing weight and staying fit – there are benefits for your brain, too. Accuracy is the most important thing in golf, so you’re gonna develop your concentration and focus. And pretty soon you’ll be able to say goodbye to stress, taking pleasurable walks in an open-air and natural environment. The release of endorphins will make all pain and depression the things of the past.
- The Return of Variety
Every-day routines are like a poison for our motivation. It seems as we’ve been sucked in the ‛Groundhog Day’, and with every variety gone, so are all the little life’s surprises. And the golf course is the best place to reclaim that variety of life. From the types of golf clubs to a large number of different formats, this is the game that allows the largest amount of personal choices. You can play on your own, or invite a couple of friends. The game can be an individual, or a team one. And the choice of duration is also completely yours, based on the number of holes you decide upon. On top of all that, what other sport allows you to eat and drink during the game? Contrary to modern life, not one day of golf is the same.
- Step By Step
The root of our dissatisfaction lies in the fact that we’re not allowed to do things at our own pace. This makes us seem incompetent (eventually in our own eyes, too) because the possibility of learning and advancing has been taken from us. But the game of golf allows you to move slowly, step by step, increasing our determination and boosting our confidence. This doesn’t mean that playing golf is too easy – swinging a club up to 130 miles per hour requires a decent amount of full-body physical strength. But you’re offered an opportunity to learn, and thanks to the handicap system – to learn from the best. This means that it’s also suitable for your young ones, providing the perfect opportunity to get rid of their smartphones and video games addiction. Besides the extremely fun and quality bonding time, this is also the chance for the whole family to learn new mental and physical skills, make new friends, and discover new opportunities. And the best thing is that you can practice any time, anywhere. Although the implementation of Swing Eagle will allow you to practice without leaving your own garden, the passion you will develop will take you to some magnificent exotic destinations. So let’s take this road of discovery.
1. The Rainforest Vistas
The looks of a golf course and its surroundings play a very important role when it comes to your well-being. And regarding the above-mentioned need for variety, the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort in Costa Rica will provide you with ultimate amounts of it. It is located within a lush rainforest, crawling with macaws, iguanas, and monkeys, so variety lies in every corner of it. Although it’s a rainforest overlooking the Pacific, that doesn’t mean your stay will become an ordeal of survival – there is a magnificent Herradura hotel that offers ultimate luxury and breathtaking ocean views. There are a lot of other activities cush as canopy tours and hiking, but the chances are you probably won’t want to leave the splendid golf course. The 18-hole La Iguana golf course doesn’t offer just a challenging layout, but also spectacular vistas that will leave the permanent imprint of beauty in your mind. Besides the fact that its landscaping includes a large number of exotic native plants, there is also an abundant local wildlife, including more than 150 species of birds. And if you come across the ball-stealing monkey you’ll simply ask for ‛mulligan’ with a smile of fulfilment on your face.
2. The Golfers of The Caribbean Sea
The most important feeling (and the most neglected one in these modern times) is the feeling of freedom. And this feeling requires a sense of adventure, not rarely connected with large open-sea areas. This is the reason why the ‛Pirates of the Caribbean’ film franchise has become so popular. But this sense of freedom can also be found outside the movie theatre. Imagine a 249-yard shot, the ball flying over the water and to the green, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Now go to the Dominican Republic and make it happen on the Punta Espada Golf Course. There are eight holes that play over and along the sea. This breathtaking location has even attracted the Jack Nicklaus signature designs. No matter where you are in Punta Espada, you’ll be blessed with extraordinary views of the sea contrasting against the perfect greens and emerald fairways. Every adventure requires some sacrifice, so be prepared to bring some extra balls in case the Caribbean sea is hungry more than usual.
3. Airfield of Original Designs
The Fancourt links golf course in South Africa is pretty unusual since it was once an airfield. The fact that it is located along the Garden Route and surrounded by panoramic views and mountains, attracted Gary Player to employ his famous design there. There are three courses in Fancourt that bear the mark of this original design, but Gary Player claims that the links are his greatest design feat. If you want to keep your eyes full of the diverse fauna and flora, but also to experience greatest design achievement, this place is definitely for you. It took months to study all the classic links courses across Ireland and Scotland and to gather the inspiration from the best those countries had to offer. And thus the quite ambitious task of recreating the finest holes has begun. To say that the experience is quite special would be an understatement. These courses are sculpted with enormous precision and a rare attention to detail. What makes the perfect final touch is the fact that they were designed with the coastal winds in mind.
We’ve mentioned only our top three destinations since the important part of every adventure is to discover new destinations by yourself. If you want another wink, ask yourself how a game of golf would look like in a land of the idyllic ‛Shire’. But every exotic destination you can think of probably has an equally magnificent golf course. So pack up your passion and hit the rod. The world is your oyster.