Experiences of playing golf as a part of the treatment and rehabilitation process among patients in substance use disorder treatment

ABSTRACT

Background

The Norwegian organization Golf as Therapy (GAT) offers golf training sessions for patients in mental health care and/or SUD treatment. Our aim for the article was to explore SUD patients’ experiences of playing golf during their treatment.

Method

We conducted semistructured interviews with seven informants, all of whom were SUD patients or former SUD patients of the Tyrili Foundation.

Results

A thematic analysis led us to identify three themes. 1) The participants had negative stereotypical perceptions of golf and golf players. When they entered the golf course, these perceptions were largely refuted. 2) The participants enjoyed the versatility that golf demanded but highlighted the social interaction that occurred at the golf course as the most valuable and motivating part of their enjoyment of golf. 3) The participants had positive experiences playing golf that they saw as valuable for developing social networks and for becoming more open-minded about trying new activities.

Conclusions

Golf seems to potentially stimulate social participation and to develop relations, and it was perceived as useful for the informants’ situations both during and after treatment. This may strengthening the patients’ social identity and social capital. Therefore, golf as an activity could be benefiting for patients in SUD-treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• SUD treatment
• physical activities
• golf
• social interaction

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the patients that consented to participate in this study and acknowledge the treatment staff at the Tyrili facilities who helped us to get in contact with the informants. We would also like to thank our fellow researchers Mikael Julius Sømhovde and Turid Wangensteen for discussions and support.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors has any conflicts of interest or any additional income to report.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no funding.