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Health & Fitness
Get fitted for a set of clubs
Golf surges in popularity
Golf is riding a new wave of popularity, and a great golf course can make a world of difference to your enjoyment.
Golf has experienced a pandemic-inspired boom, and interest in playing the game continues to increase as restrictions ease.
Leisure Manager Con Kalogiannis, who oversees the Michael Clayton designed 18-hole course at Healesville Country Club & Resort, says regular golfers are keen to resume their pre-COVID routines, while more young people are giving golf a shot.
“Some of the reasons for the increase in popularity relate to the seasonal nature of golf and the warmer weather, but there’s also those people who took up golf during the pandemic because it was one of the few activities you could still do,” he says.
Con says many in-house guests play a round while staying at Healesville Country Club & Resort. There are clubs and golf carts for hire, and a green fee if you’re yet to become a RACV Club member.
A 2021 Australian Golf Industry Council report found that 9 million Australians are ‘interested’ in golf, while 5.8 million of those have not yet played a game (54 percent male and 46 percent female).
Golf is growing in popularity with both men and women. Image: Lucas Allen
Enjoy the fresh air
RACV Club Golf Pro Ben Eyton-Jones says just walking around a golf course and playing outside helps boost your mental wellbeing, especially after all the lockdowns.
“It’s magnificent to play at Healesville with all of the wildlife,” he says. You see kangaroos and wombats, and there are 50-odd species of birds out here, so even if your game is not at the highest level, it’s a lovely walk.
Healesville’s golf course is nearly 5000m long. “So that’s a minimum of 5km that you’ll walk – if you hit the ball straight,” Ben says. “Most people walk the best part of 7km around the golf course, so exercise gets a big, big tick as well.”
Learn the basics
In addition to the 18-hole course, Healesville has a four-hole course where novices can practise. No bookings are required.
Ben says it’s best to start with a few lessons to learn the fundamentals. “Get those things right and it makes the game a lot easier. I teach a lot of kids and they start forming good habits early on.”
In the below video, Eyton-Jones takes you through key tips and advice for improving your short-iron game, whether you’re playing at Healesville, Torquay, Cape Schanck, Goldfields or Royal Pines.
Healesville Country Club & Resort's 18-hole course is renown for its scenery and wildlife. Image: Matt Harvey
It's all in the swing
Swinging a golf club works your core and back muscles, so it makes sense to have a gym program that supports and strengthens these areas.
“It’s advisable to stretch for five to 10 minutes before playing. If you’ve never played before you’ll find muscles, you didn’t know existed,” Ben says.
Get fitted for a set of clubs
Golf fundamentals include having a soft grip on the golf club, aligning your body square to the target, and learning to swing the club.
“Many people try to hit the ball too hard,” Ben says. “Just imagine the ball is in the way of your swing rather than aiming to hit it.”
Getting fitted for a set of clubs is also important. “It’s amazing how many people use equipment that’s wrong for them,” Ben says.
In addition to the Healesville’s golf course, there are also golf courses at RACV’s Cape Schanck, Torquay, Creswick and Royal Pines resorts.
