We’ve yet to draw in the extreme crowd with this sport, but until we perfect the jet-packs and exploding golf balls, a relaxing round of 18 holes will suffice as a great way to spend your afternoon with this classic, precision club-and-ball sport. Golf is another example of a sport that can span the genders, ages and levels. Using various grades of club, the aim is to hit your ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible on a course of either 9 or 18 holes. After some short instruction from a Golf Pro or an experienced player you’ll soon be driving the ball up the fairway, chipping it safely onto the green before putting for a par or birdie. While you’ll yelling “Fore!” and having some fun learning the true meaning of a ‘Double Bogey’, you’ll be honing your technique and enjoying the beauty and tranquility that the many courses around the country can provide.

It’s definitely advisable to ‘try before you buy’ with this sport as it can get quite expensive. As a beginner it’d be worth borrowing or hiring a set of clubs and going to a course/club as the guest of a member. Remember to dress appropriately (trousers and a collar is standard attire at 99.9% of courses) and don’t forget a cap and an umbrella. Getting stuck out on a course in a sudden downpour isn’t exactly my idea of a good time! There are a good number of rules and there is also a certain amount of etiquette to follow on a course; I found wikipedia to be very helpful in explaining golf etiquette. I came across the following video on YouTube which shows you how to approach your First, or ‘Tee’ Shot. Why not have a watch and then go down to your nearest driving range where you can have a few practice shots for a few quid!