Ben Stokes: There’s a good reason we play so much golf

England Test captain says that swinging a few clubs with his teammates takes the edge off

During a promotional video with his media company 4CAST for Marriott Bonvoy, England's Test cricket captain Ben Stokes countered criticism over the team taking their minds of their sport when big matches are on the horizon.

Stokes has explained how fresh air on the fairway keeps everybody grounded and less anxious.

“As a team, playing golf the day before a game starts, or two days out, is not only a great way to relax,” he began. "It's also used as a method for us to actually [switch off], that's four hours where you're not thinking about the stresses of playing international cricket."

The 33-year-old, who won both the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup with England, went on to highlight how stepping onto the golf course takes away all of the natural emotions that can plague players ahead of a game.

“For those four hours you’re playing golf, you’re having a laugh, you’re not even thinking about day one of the first Test match of the summer. Because it all builds up and just all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Jeez... a Test match summer’s starting’ and then you’re just thinking about all this kind of stuff.

"That all naturally comes the next day when you rock up at the ground for the first time. It’s tiring if you’re feeling like you’ve gotta do that the day before as well.

“There’s a few people who take the **** out of us, like, ‘You only get picked if you’ve got a low handicap’ and all that kind of stuff - because we play so much golf - but you’ve just got to understand that there’s a bigger reason to why we do all this stuff as a team together. 

"We’re under enough pressure as it is without having to think about it for longer than we have to."