LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Top flight golf is a high-stakes , high-stress sport -- but it 's not just the pros who are feeling the strain . Stress can affect golfers of all abilities . Swede Robert Karlsson returned from a four-month layoff recently with an eye condition that 's thought to be stress-related , while England 's Ian Poulter defended his decision not to play in the Vivendi Trophy by saying that he wanted to avoid fatigue -- mental as well as physical . While professional sport is bound to have its pressures , recreational golf is usually regarded as a way to unwind and relieve stress . But it seems that weekend players are having to deal with anxieties of their own . Victor Thompson , a London-based sports psychologist , told CNN that golf is a much more psychological sport than most . `` It can be particularly stressful because , unlike team sports , you very much have the spotlight on you while you 're playing , '' he said . `` You 've got a lot of time between your shots for you to think , time for other people to watch you and time for you to think about what people will think of you if you do n't play well . '' That does n't just apply when there 's an audience of millions watching on TV -- it 's just as true when you 're playing at your local municipal course with your friends . `` It can actually be tougher playing against your mates and people you know because they can ridicule you or laugh at you , or you might worry about disappointing them if you 're playing on their team , '' said Thompson . That would appear to be borne out by a 2004 study on the moods of older recreational golfers . The subjects reported being no happier or calmer after playing golf -- in fact , they reported feeling more angry and depressed . One of the researchers , Haydn Jarrett , senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at the University of Worcester , told CNN that the study also showed that golfers reported feeling more fatigued and less vigorous after playing golf , as most players walked an average 10.2 km during a game . Jarrett 's study was carried out on `` senior '' golfers , with an average age of 68 , but he said the findings on mood change tied in with other studies carried out on younger recreational golfers . `` Golf does appear to be stressful for recreational players , '' he told CNN . `` If we wanted golfers to enjoy it more fully it might be nice to engage with golfers and bring potential negative moods to their attention . '' While those negative feelings probably do n't last for long , they can have disastrous effects on your golf . Thompson says negative thoughts on the golf course can make you tense and frustrated , giving you an adrenaline rush that can affect your swing and timing . As you start dropping shots you can overanalyze your game , which just make things worse . The secret of dealing with golf stress is to get on top of your thoughts , says Thompson . Rather than thinking in terms of how badly you 're playing or what other people will think of you , you need to realize that your emotions are getting the better of you and that anxiety is the problem , not your technique . So with all that stress , could playing golf actually be bad for you ? `` If you 're beating yourself up emotionally and getting angry that 's not very good for your health , '' said Thompson . `` But it 's all a matter of attitude . Somebody might go out and enjoy it , see it as a chance to get away from work , have a nice stroll and catch up with their mates . '' And Jarrett has encouraging news when it comes to golf and health . He has carried out unpublished work showing that a round of golf can give a significant reduction in blood pressure . `` My gut feeling is that golf is incredibly positive for health , '' he told CNN . `` The positives of the distance walked , the heart-rate increase and the blood-pressure suppression will outweigh any negative mood states . But it might be that we need to recognize that mood profiles can go down and mediate against that . ''
Golf is especially stressful , says sports psychologist Victor Thompson . Thompson says that it can be even tougher playing with your friends . Study shows recreational golfers feel more angry and depressed after playing . Stress may be bad for you , but golf can still be good for your health .