Liam Youl one of many footballers turning to golf in footy's COVID-19 shutdown

With the Hampden, Warrnambool and District and Mininera football cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several footballers are making the most of extra free time to play golf.

South Warrnambool co-captain Liam Youl is one who recently picked up the clubs.

Youl said he was playing regularly with Rooster teammates Harry Lee, Sam Thompson, Heath Brennan and Liam Mullen in stage two restrictions.

Since stage three restrictions were re-introduced, forcing golf clubs to enforce playing groups of two instead of four, Youl and Mullen have been playing "about twice a week".

"I've pretty much just taken it up," Youl told The Standard.

"The only time I'd really played before this was if South had a golf day.

"I started having a hit in (footy pre-season) and once footy was cancelled, I started playing a fair bit."

Youl, who spent time with both Greater Western Victoria Rebels in the NAB League and North Ballarat in the VFL, was enjoying the transition.

"I'm loving it. It's obviously fairly frustrating at the start," he laughed.

"You play some horrible shots when you first pick it up but it's been good. It's a bit different to footy.

"Footy is pretty physical and I just like the relaxing aspect of golf. It's just good to be able to catch up with a few people in these times.

"You can't really do that at elsewhere at the moment."

He said he was in the process of getting a handicap - which he imagined "would be pretty high" - but had taken lessons with Warrnambool Golf Club professional Craig Bonney to stamp out bad habits.

"He sorted me out with a couple of things," Youl said.

"I've improved a bit but at the same time I'm coming from a fair way back.

"It's hard to tell where it going well and where isn't as I'm just pretty inconsistent.

"Some days, some things work and other days they don't.

"The biggest thing for me is to just get some consistency."

Youl said he was missing football but was embracing a silver lining.

"Yeah, initially it was pretty disappointing not to get a season," he said.

"But I moved on pretty quickly and have focused on just maintaining my fitness.

"I've been able to get my body right too. I've had a few injuries over the past couple of years so this will do the body good. I'll be right to go again."

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