Unleashing Fitness Through Golf: A Comprehensive Guide
Golf: A Stealthy Workout Amid Greens
The pandemic spurred a surge in golf's popularity, particularly among younger demographics who are eschewing golf carts in favor of walking the course. This newfound interest in the sport is not only fueling a healthier optic for golf but also revealing its hidden fitness benefits.
Golf can serve as an excellent source of mild to moderate aerobic exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends achieving 30 minutes of daily aerobic exercise or 150 minutes per week. With nine holes of golf effortlessly meeting this daily goal, and 18 holes clocking in at four to five hours of walking, it's evident that the sport exceeds the minimum requirement. For the average 4-mile golf course, expect to tally more than 7,000 steps - a sweet spot for reducing the risk of early death, according to researchers. Interestingly, a study following 300,000 golfers found they enjoyed a five-year life expectancy advantage over the average person.
Dr. Eric Chen, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor at UW Medicine, supports this viewpoint. "Golf is a great form of mild-to-moderate aerobic exercise most people should engage in regularly," he says, adding that he himself is a golfer.
While research on the fitness benefits of golf is limited, it is known that a round of 18 holes burns at least 500 calories while riding in a cart. Walking the course ups the ante, estimating anywhere from 1,200 to 1,600 calories burned. Additionally, golf can improve strength and balance, particularly for older individuals, helping to maintain better balance and proprioception.
Equally appealing are the mental health advantages of spending long hours in nature. In addition to lowered stress levels and improved cognitive function, the act of walking to retrieve one's ball provides an opportunity for mindfulness, promoting relaxation and clarity before the next shot. Lastly, golf offers an opportunity for consistent social interaction, a known combatant against loneliness.
Those seeking to amplify their golfing workout can do so by walking instead of riding a cart, carrying one's clubs, choosing a hilly course, playing speed golf, or resorting to disc golf. By prioritizing activity and breaking up sessions, golfers can efficiently pursue aerobic fitness while enjoying the game.
With golf being a sport suitable for people of all ages, adopting it as a hobby now ensures a lifetime of activity and health benefits. "One of the great things about golf is that it can be enjoyed and played by people of all ages," says Dr. Chen. Investing in learning the skill early on sets the stage for a lifelong pursuit of fitness and fun.
- The pandemic has sparked a rise in golf's popularity, with more young people opting to walk the course instead of using golf carts, showcasing golf's hidden fitness benefits.
- Golf is an ideal source of mild to moderate aerobic exercise, meeting the American College of Sports Medicine's recommended daily exercise goal with nine holes and exceeding it with 18 holes.
- A study found that golfers enjoy a five-year life expectancy advantage over the average person, with walking a golf course providing more than 7,000 steps, a sweet spot for reducing the risk of early death.
- In addition to its physical benefits, golf offers mental health advantages, like lowered stress levels, improved cognitive function, and opportunities for mindfulness.
- Golf can also provide consistent social interaction, which is known to combat loneliness.
- To boost the workout aspect of golf, one can walk instead of ride a cart, carry their clubs, choose a hilly course, play speed golf, or resort to disc golf, ensuring an aerobic fitness pursuit while enjoying the game.
