Playing a round or two of golf or going to a gym are great ways to get a workout. You can even socialize if you bring some friends along with you. But if you long to be challenged at golf and meet some new people who also enjoy golf, your best bet is to participate in a tournament. There are many different kinds of tournaments and ways to participate in them. We'll give you some ideas here to you can expand your golfing horizons.

The tournaments most people know about are the professional golfing tournaments. Associated with the PGA or LPGA, these tournaments are for professionals only. In order to play in a pro tournament, you have to meet certain requirements, such as finishing in a top spot in a local feeder tournament. If you're lucky enough to gain entry to this type of tournament, you have a shot at making golf a career, with companies that sell software and golfing gear lining up to sponsor you.

No matter how hard we practice, most of us will never be good enough to play in a professional tournament, but that doesn't mean we can't participate in one. If your local golfing club is playing host to a PGA or LPGA tournament, you can volunteer to help out. Jobs range from handing out water to the golfers to shuttling them from their hotels to the course, and you'll get a chance to see the pros at work up close.

Amateur golfers get the chance to participate in tournaments sometimes too. These events are usually either arranged as a feeder competition for the pro circuit or engineered as a fundraiser. Like summer camps, charity golf tournaments are open to whoever can pay the registration fee, which means there are lots of players of different skill sets. Winners might be decided based on averages over several rounds, final scores on a single round, or even the number of holes in one you can manage. You might play with friends or be partnered with someone new. Some tournaments even match up an amateur and a pro as a learning experience.

As with pro tournaments, charity tournaments require a lot of organization, so there's always opportunities to help out if you want to get out of your Queens Quay condos but don't feel ready to play in a tournament yet. You might get a seat on the organizing committee, help advertise, do the registration, handle the money, arrange supplies and equipment, or even facilitate or referee on the tournament day.