Underrated Sports To Play For Fun

By Joey Figueroa on August 11, 2014

Sports have always been played in a competitive atmosphere, but getting together with some friends and just playing for fun is always a good time.

Remaining active while having some friendly competition is easy when you can shoot around on someone’s basketball hoop or toss a football around, but there is a wide array of somewhat non-traditional sports to play on a nice summer day when you have nothing to do.

Here are a few sports that may not be as popular as soccer or baseball to go out and try with a group of friends. Even if you don’t end up dominating at any of these sports, they can still be plenty of fun with the right people.

Tennis

[Photo Credit: Public Indoor Tennis]

Many people might associate tennis with old people or dudes who have failed at every other sport, but tennis is actually a really entertaining sport that can really work up a good sweat.

I started playing tennis a few years ago when I realized that pretty much all of my friends had played when they were little, and after just a few months of time on the courts I went out and bought my own tennis racket because I knew it was a sport I wouldn’t stop playing for awhile.

Tennis isn’t that hard to learn, especially the main concept which is to hit the ball over the net before it bounces twice. Once you figure out the correct hitting form and develop some nice footwork, you’ve pretty much learned how to play tennis enough to run out there and hit the ball around for a few hours without being frustrated.

And once you do get a good amount of practice under your belt, hitting the ball right in that sweet spot is just as rewarding as nailing a three-pointer in basketball or nabbing an over-the-shoulder catch in football.

Some may find it strange that my friends and I choose to spend hot summer days playing tennis, but when you’re playing with a bunch of people you already know and can have a good laugh with, you can spend hours and hours on the tennis court.

Golf

 [Photo Credit: Mooresville Golf Range]

Just to let anyone reading this know, I am not a 50-year-old man. I am a college student, and yes, I absolutely have fun playing tennis and golf in my free time.

I had a tougher time warming up to golf than I did to tennis, but after spending almost 10 hours out on golf courses last week, I truly think this is a sport that I can continue to play and have fun playing.

To give a fair warning, golf is a very frustrating sport to play when you suck at it. My first time on a non-mini golf course, I was slapping balls all over the place and probably didn’t keep the same ball for more than two holes.

Luckily I was playing with family, and they weren’t too great either. It was mentally draining and took forever, but I still had a decent time because of two reasons: driving the golf cart and laughing off my terrible shots with my cousin and uncle.

I’ve played a few more 18-hole courses since then and I’ve gotten better, which really contributes to the entertainment value of the game. My advice to those considering playing 18 holes with some friends: go to a driving range first to see just how terrible you are starting off.

It’s also a good idea to play with some friends who haven’t played much golf either. You’ll all have a good time learning the game together, and it’s extremely rewarding finally driving the ball straight to the green or sinking a long putt.

So despite all those times you’ve nearly gauged your eyes out of boredom when your uncle or grandpa put on the golf channel, give golf a chance. And if you’re just too horrific, there’s always mini golf.

Water Polo

[Photo Credit: Thunder Polo]

Of the three sports I’ve listed so far, water polo is by far the most competitive and physically tolling. However, it can still be played casually with a group of friends, especially on a hot summer day when you want to do more than sit in the air conditioning and watch other people play sports on ESPN.

Once you make your way to someone’s pool, set up some goals (get creative and make your own if need be), and find a ball to play with (it can even be a soccer ball), water polo is a simple concept.

It’s basically like soccer while your floating, but has the intensity of hockey. The only time I’ve ever played water polo was during high school gym glass, and I totally underestimated how intense it can become.

I was catching elbows from some of my closest friends, nearly drowning in the deep end of the pool, trying to track down that slippery yellow ball, and in some twisted way, having fun while doing all of that.

So for the thrill seekers out there, gather a bunch of your friends in a pool, play some causal water polo, and see how many friends you have left after a few games. It’s great, clean fun!

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