Niall Horan on golf passion: 'It allows me to escape and relax'

Singer Niall Horan has revealed why he loves playing golf so much.

The Irish heartthrob told Today's Golfer magazine that he threw himself into the sport as a way to escape the pressures of fame:

"Well, I've got into it more over the past four or five years and appreciate it more. When I was on the road with One Direction it allowed me to escape the hotel for a few hours and relax. Harry and I used to play a fair bit and travelling so much has allowed me to play some amazing courses all over the world. It's a great way to escape from everything for a few hours."

Horan also admitted that he's a bit of a geek when it comes to golf statistics as well, adding:

"I love it. I'm obsessed with it to be honest. I have a massive passion for it and I play quite a lot - most of the time at The Grove [in Hertfordshire] which is convenient because it's just 20 minutes from my home. It's a good challenging course and they look after me really well down here, all the lads are sound. Plus it's in great condition all the time, one of the best around."

"I watch an awful lot of golf on the TV. I love all the stats and when they break down swings. I can tell you who's top in greens in regulation, driving distance and stuff like that. I'm a bit of an anorak, but I find it all very interesting."

Watch Horan talking about golf below: