Around 25 million Americans play golf regularly. It’s a widely popular sport amongst a broad demographic!
It’s no secret that spending time outside, walking through a scenic golf course, and practicing your swing are good for your health. But why exactly?
Read more about the health benefits of playing golf and start getting in shape while having fun on the golf course!
You burn calories
During a full round of golf (18 holes), you walk around 7.5 miles and burn easily over 1,000 calories!
That’s a lot, considering that it’s not physically demanding.
Most people take around 4 hours to complete a full round of golf, and you can decide whether or not you use a cart or walk.
Naturally, you’ll burn more calories if you walk, but also, the type of course you’ll play makes a difference.
Some courses are flat (called links course), and others are built with hills and angulations.
From personal experience, I can tell you that walking a steep hill course is quite challenging. Especially if you carry your own bag!
You get plenty of rests between holes and shots. If you have trouble playing a full round of golf, you can also start off by playing 9 holes.
Every course is divided into the front and back 9 holes and often offers different prices depending on how many holes you want to play!
Being outside
You get plenty of fresh air and sun during your round! Many courses are full of trees, the regenerate the air around you and make for great CO2 sources.
The sun refills your D2 reserves and can positively affect your skin and overall wellbeing.
Naturally, you want to stay careful and use plenty of sunblock when you’re outside. Many players also carry an umbrella that provides shade on hot days.
Better sleep
The fresh air combined with the physical activity and D2 from the sun makes for a great combination to catch a full night of sleep!
Golf might seem like a low-impact sport, but the 4 hours you spend on a course will leave you with plenty of reasons to rest up.
Good rest also speeds up your recovery process, and you’ll be ready for the next activity in a shorter period of time.
You can also try to play golf on your rest days. Walking and boosting your metabolism is a great way for your body to recover. Especially if you have a good night of sleep after your round!
Reduce Stress
Ok, this is a controversial one. Playing golf is notoriously tricky, and the web is filled with golf fail videos and players that throw their clubs in the lake after a lousy shot.
It doesn’t need to be like that! And to be fair, for most, it isn’t.
An easy way to enjoy golf without stress is to lower your expectations. Instead of a target score, thinking about always playing the smartest shot you can. If you’re a long way out of the hole, maybe lay up instead of trying to muscle your 3-wood 270 yards.
Your score will thank you for that, and you’ll enjoy the game more if you always leave yourself with the most straightforward next shot.
What to do next
Grab your clubs and hit the range, get some regular practice, and enjoy a nice day on the course with your best friends or family.
Golf is a gratifying sport and an activity you can do all your life.
The health benefits are plenty, and there is a low risk of injury when playing golf. A perfect activity to improve your health overall, without getting exhausted!