Among the many questions that we have been asked since we launched our Golf4Community campaign is; ‘Why did we choose golf to spearhead our charity agenda?’ Well, that is because golf creates a unique emphasis on the gentle interactive qualities of etiquette, self-discipline and culture. This way, it easily assists the participants to conform to a higher interpersonal standard of respect, humility and propriety. Anyone who has ever participated in golf as a sport will agree how exquisite it is in embodying charity, humane and compassionate judgement of others and how psychologically enriching it is to take part in the sport.

Furthermore, golf also offers comprehensive educational and cultural benefits. As any player will attest, it constantly presents a therapeutic environment that challenges the participant to be a disciplined and patient person. Unlike any other sport today, golf is an introspective journey in a way…in as much as it is among the most highly competitive sports, its principal goal is personal improvement. Therefore, it can offer you a “triumphant thrill” even with just a single shot during a round of play to anyone, irrespective of physical capabilities.

Our founder and C.E.O, Brad Patterson knew the great opportunities of communal and cultural solidarity that golf presents and it is among the things that inspired his agenda for our program as a whole. Since he is among the team of experts we have in the sport, he helps organize lessons that leverage golf’s aura of peace in the refreshing open air, in a calm, serene, tension-free and tranquil environment. The lessons are primarily founded on ethics and integrity where the rules of the game are entrusted to the participants.

How Golf Helps To Rebuild The Lives Of Veterans

As you may already know, one of our main objectives is to help rebuild the lives of veterans and integrate them back into our society. On average, one in every five veterans that return is diagnosed with severe PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Mild to moderate traumatic injuries to the brain, and the more severe PTSD leads to damage to the brain’s frontal lobe. This kind of damage results in loss of memory and problem-solving skills, poor social behavior and lack of proper judgement amongst other vital functions. All these lead to an increase in feelings of anger, sadness and sorrow.

The challenges and camaraderie that are brought by golf provide a safe bridge through which the veterans can assimilate into a fresh and new way of life. Golf brings essential opportunities that are crucial for the veterans wounded in combat in their journey towards physical, mental and emotional healing. This makes rehabilitation more successful because it benefits social, emotional, cognitive and physical aspects of the veterans that have been wounded in combat.

Benefits of Playing Golf

Below is a summary of the benefits that veterans and less fortunate gain from playing golf.

• Social Health: Golf helps to encourage the meaningful relationships and experiences that lead and to and contribute to healthy lifestyle behaviors. The sport helps our charity organization in providing a sense of community and belonging through the experiences that are shared by those who participate in it.
• Emotional health: Golf has been shown to increase the brain’s level of serotonin. This is a hormone that is responsible for feelings of calmness, peacefulness and relaxations. Therefore, it is crucial in enhancing self-esteem, managing anxiety and stress as well as decreasing and even relieving risks of depression.
• Cognitive health: Golf as a sport helps to improve the stimulation of the frontal lobe. This will help to increase attention and focus, thereby improving creativity, visualization, strategizing and problem-solving capabilities.
• Physical Health: The sport helps to improve hand-eye coordination, boosts endurance, strength, flexibility, balance and functional independence. All these will reduce the risk of secondary complications in medical conditions.

Golf4Community is dedicated to improving communities through golf by uniquely embodying ethical, moral and cultural codes that are acquired from the game. Support our charity and agenda by registering now!

Today’s parting shot is a famous quote from one of the best sports psychologist alive, Dr, Bob Rotella. He has worked with numerous golf pros and published a vast range of books about the sport:

‘Golf is about how well you accept, respond to, and score with your misses much more so than it is a game of your perfect shots.’