When I first saw a press release announcing that Golf Australia had released a slow TV feature film I was a little bemused. Why? It obviously costs a fair whack to make a 3 hour film and in the current environment wouldn’t any money spent be better off directed towards small struggling clubs?
So with scepticism I decided to switch it on and take a look and 25 minutes later I realised I was lost in images and sound. I felt relaxed, calm….moved. Maybe I’m going soft?
It’s hard to explain why I felt the way I did – maybe living in Melbourne during a COVID Stage 4 lockdown had something to do with it? Not being able to play, not being able to travel more than 5km from my home and only being allowed to venture beyond my property boundary for more than 60 minutes a day. The images took me “away”, reminded me why I love the game, reminded me that the next time I am privileged enough to avail 4 hours in the great outdoors on one of our beautiful golf courses that I should cherish every moment and remember how lucky I am.
Well done Golf Australia, I’ll be tuning in again and again and again to get my fix and to be swept away.

Garry Kennedy – Manager - ausgolf.com.au / The GOLF Course Guide

Australian Golf debuts Tee Your Mind, a three-hour-long slow TV experience simulating the mental health benefits of golf. Suited to both golf enthusiasts and those simply looking for a new way to relax, Tee Your Mind allows Australians to reap the wellbeing benefits of the game like never before.
With an enduring history in Australian sport, golf has long been enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. Whilst the game boasts an array of social and physical benefits for players, the positive mental health impacts of golf are widely unknown. Tee Your Mind provides a new way to experience the benefits of golf, immersing viewers in nature, on a journey inducing calm and relaxation.
“The benefits of golf are diverse and extend beyond the physicalities of the sport. During Covid we have seen more Australians turn to golf and we think our sport, with its unique blend of open space and nature, can offer a solution for people exploring new ways to take a break from the day-to-day.” Andrew Newbold, Chairman Golf Australia.
Over three calming hours, Tee Your Mind provides the essential escape to nature that a game of golf provides, which is proven to reduce stress levels and calm the soul1. This slow TV feature film uniquely shies away from the wave of emotional cues and fast-paced content we have come to expect from TV, with the genre often described as the antidote to our sped-up world. Slowly exploring the soft green hues of the fairway, the feature film explores
Collaroy’s Long Reef Golf Club and St Michael’s Golf Club in Little Bay, showcasing a selection of the 1,800 golf clubs and facilities across Australia.
The University of Southern Queensland is also exploring the role sport, including golf, plays in creating a strong sense of connectedness and belonging by embarking on a research study investigating the relationship between sport participation and mental health issues.
“We know that our exposure to green spaces can have a positive impact on our overall well-being, we often feel happier, more relaxed and more positive. Alongside our research, this suggests our response to experiencing nature is emotional and essential to our mental health,” comments Andrea Lamont-Mills, Professor of Psychology, University of Southern Queensland.
Over the course of the film, Tee Your Mind provides a peaceful escape for viewers to unwind and immerse in the calming elements of golf.
Tee Your Mind is live from Friday 4 September 2020 on www.golf.org.au/teeyourmind/

1 White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci
Rep 9, 7730 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3

• 2019 saw the first membership rise for clubs in over 20 years
• There were more rounds of golf in June this year than any other month in recent history
• The mindfulness benefits of golf beyond the physicality of the sport
• 52% of all new members in the past year are under the age of 50, accompanied by the first rise in junior club membership for more than a decade.
• Walking your round smashes your daily step count, taking 14,000 steps each game on average
• 120 minutes in nature per week improves wellbeing as our response to nature is emotional and calm inducing, enabling the body to rest and digest