‘My health has deteriorated because I couldn’t play golf in November’

A golfer has detailed how important golf is to his life, and in particular his health, amid calls for golf to be exempt from any future pandemic lockdown.

Writing in The Telegraph, Leonard Wren, 63, a member of East Brighton Golf Club, detailed that his mental health deteriorated during the 28 day lockdown in England that started in early November.

As a bus driver he also stated how unfair it is that he has driven people on public transport so they can partake in leisure activities, but can’t participate in the one activity he’d like to, even though there is no evidence that it is unsafe.

‘I have been getting these headaches since they have shut my golf course,’ he wrote. ‘I have also been up and down at night, fidgeting and unable to settle and sleep.

‘It happened during the first lockdown and now it has been happening again. It’s because I’m not playing golf and have nowhere to wind down. I call them “stress headaches” because that’s exactly what they are.

‘I’m 63 and a bus driver in Brighton. I do eight to 10 hour shifts and what gets me is that I have all these passengers getting on and travelling miles to go to places like country parks for the day. I think to myself “why are you going out? It’s supposed to be for essential trips only. There are plenty of places locally you can go for exercise”.

‘And then, when my shift ends, the government tell me I can’t go and enjoy my hobby, when there is no chance of catching Covid whatsoever. They say it’s to do with golfers travelling to courses, but there are so many travelling on public transport for their leisure activities, that’s just not right.

‘When we came back we played car-park golf. So we arrived, changed in the car park, played in two balls, with 10 minute intervals… it worked fantastically well. So for the life of me I couldn’t understand why when they announced the tighter restrictions that we couldn’t just go back to that.

‘Golf is the best sport for socially distancing and we gained quite a few members at my club, East Brighton. Loads more were enjoying the health benefits, not just from a physical perspective, but mentally, too. I know I was. Golf gives me that chance to relax and recharge my mind. It’s also great for companionship. I know a few old boys who rely on it and must be feeling very lonely.

‘East Brighton [news on a recent fire at the club can be found here] is a great club with all sorts as members and it makes me laugh when people call it a “posh sport” and that the government doesn’t want to be seen to be going easy on it. There are builders, postmen, bus drivers, solicitors, company directors, doctors, lawyers. It’s a big cross section and that gives it a terrific atmosphere.

‘I look at all these cyclists out and about enjoying their passion, and anglers too. So why not golf? It’s harming nobody and helping so many. I’ve taken to walking around my course, thinking how daft it is that I can’t hit a few shots. I can’t wait until I can again. The headaches will disappear then.’