QHotels, the UK’s largest golf resort operator, has welcomed new research claiming that playing golf provides a wide variety of health benefits for people of all ages – and can extend life expectancy by up to five years.
The leading hotel chain is at the heart of the game’s drive to attract new players, and has given its full backing to the latest study into golf published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine this month.
In the new report, researchers reviewed 5,000 studies into golf and wellbeing and found it has many long-term physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages, while it is also likely to improve cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic health.
Playing golf could also aid those who suffer chronic diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer and stroke, as well as helping reduce the risk of anxiety, depression and dementia, it was reported.
It is estimated that only 55 million people – around one per cent of the world’s population – play golf and QHotels group director of golf John Angus is hoping the new research will provide a welcome boost in helping to boost playing numbers across the UK.
Angus said: “Playing golf has so many benefits for everyone to enjoy and it’s very refreshing to see this new study.
“The perception of many non-golfers is that golf is difficult and expensive to get into. QHotels, like many golf clubs and operators, has developed successful programmes which are designed to promote the game in the most attractive way possible.
“At the heart of QHotels’ golf operation is the desire to be at the forefront of the drive to increase the number of people playing the game, and it’s our aim to remove all the barriers that have stopped people taking up golf in the past.”
QHotels is committed to boosting golf participation levels across England and Scotland and has created a number of forward-thinking new initiatives over the last 18 months to help achieve its goal.
Having launched its QFairway membership scheme – the country’s most flexible golf membership – to widespread praise from the golf industry, the hotel group has successfully implemented its QHotels QGolf Academy programme, providing a coherent and structured teaching initiative across its 10 golf resorts.
Offering tuition and guidance for players of all ages and abilities, the scheme has been designed to help increase the number of people playing golf, with a key focus on promoting the game to juniors, women and beginners.
A range of attractive benefits can be enjoyed in the academy’s StartGolf beginner teaching packages including free introductory sessions, low-cost group tuition and membership offers, while its BetterGolf group tuition sessions will offer complimentary game assessment to members as well as a variety of learning golf seminars and specialist clinics.
Children aged 15 and under can also enjoy free memberships with QHotels when they join QFairway, providing their parent or guardian also has an adult membership at the same time. In addition, they have also had the chance to stay and play for free at the group’s resort during selected school holidays this year, thanks to its new partnership with England Golf and Your Golf Travel.
The multi-award-winning, four-star QHotels group offers championship-standard courses in unique resort locations including Slaley Hall – host of 18 European Tour and European Seniors Tour events – Belton Woods, Oulton Hall, Mottram Hall and Forest Pines Hotel and Golf Resort.
To discover more about the QHotels Golf Academy programme, QFairway and QHotels, call 0845 2411 320 or visit www.qhotels.co.uk