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Ryan Brooker is a plus-handicap golfer who also knows what it feels like to be completely on your own. After a breakup, the quiet got loud. Days felt empty. Evenings dragged. Friends were around, but it still felt like he was stuck on the outside of his own life.
That’s when he leaned into two constants: golf and people. He kept playing, because the structure of practice and rounds gave him rhythm. And he started sharing the journey online as a way of not disappearing into his own head. What began as a golf account turned into something else entirely. New mates, regular rounds, and a reminder that golf can pull you back into connection when you need it most.
He still plays off plus-handicap, still chases better golf. But the real difference is what he’s built around it: connection, community, and proof that even when life strips everything back, the right people can make it feel full again.
Loneliness doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it just feels like being surrounded by people but still feeling slightly out of sync with the world. For Ryan, that quiet got heavy fast following his break up. He kept busy, but busy didn’t fix lonely. It just made the days feel full and empty at the same time.
He started sharing his golf online mostly to stay occupied. What came back was unexpected - messages, banter, rounds with people he’d never have met otherwise. It didn’t solve anything overnight, but it got him out of his own head. That’s often how loneliness starts to shift: through company that doesn’t ask for anything deep, just presence.
Connection doesn’t have to look profound. Sometimes it’s just finding your people - even if that happens through a comment thread or a tee time with a stranger. Small talk can still count as belonging.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s that isolation can fade faster when you build rhythm and let other people in, even slightly. The details matter less than the fact that you’re part of something again.
If parts of Ryan’s story connect with you, these might help:
Loneliness Support – The Campaign to End Loneliness shares advice, helplines, and community projects that help people feel more connected.
🔗 campaigntoendloneliness.org
Building Connection – Mind’s Making Connections guide has practical ways to rebuild social confidence and create new routines when things feel isolating.
🔗 mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/loneliness
Talking Groups – Andy’s Man Club runs free weekly talking groups for men across the UK. No pressure, no judgement — just a space to talk and listen.
🔗 andysmanclub.co.uk
Therapy and Talking Support – NHS Talking Therapies lets you self-refer for free counselling or CBT anywhere in England.
🔗 nhs.uk/talking-therapies
Global Connection and Peer Support –
• 7 Cups offers free, anonymous chat support from trained listeners worldwide.
🔗 7cups.com
• Befrienders Worldwide provides emotional support and local helplines in over 30 countries.
🔗 befrienders.org
If You’re Struggling Right Now (24/7) –
• UK: Call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org
• US: Dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988lifeline.org)
• Worldwide: Find verified helplines in your country at findahelpline.com
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