Leisure Kicks - The essencial sport and leisure guide

Golf is a stimulating challenge combined with getting out in the fresh air in pleasant surroundings. A round of golf usually consists of 18 holes. Golf’s unique feature is its varied age participation, with people of any age and ability being able to play. Golf is used for business outings, enjoyed in the later years of life and can take its players to some of the most beautiful sites in the world.

Golf is also now being introduced into schools in the form of Tri Golf, which allows children to gain skills from an early age to encourage them to play golf later in life. You can play golf alone, or in groups or teams. There are approximately 1950 affiliated golf clubs in England so it’s easy to get involved in the game in a competitive way.

The object of golf is to hit a small hard ball with a club over a course with varying amounts of obstacles with the ultimate goal of depositing it in a small hold or cup in the area of the ‘green’. Played competitively over 18 holes – though this is not always the case – the winner is the golfer who completes the course using the fewest number of strokes. 

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Golf stars talk about the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics