1. Cardiovascular Health
Walking during your round is a sure fire way to improve your cardiovascular health, with the average golfer strolling between 4 and 7 miles when playing 18 holes. Where possible, opting to go on foot rather than driving a golf cart is a sensible choice as doing so regularly can help to strengthen your heart muscles, reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your blood pressure (assuming you don’t miss too many 2ft putts).
If you want to take the intensity up a level, you might even wish to consider carrying your golf clubs or using a push trolley instead of using your electric trolley every now and again.
2. Mental Health
Golf provides a wonderful opportunity to improve your mental health by allowing you to get away from the stresses of everyday life for a few hours and relax amongst stunning scenery in the company of your friends or playing partners.
Being out in the open and doing something you enjoy whilst engaging in physical exercise can help lower anxiety and boost your mood. Not only that but if you’re playing with other people then the social aspect of golf can also help with loneliness, depression and isolation – something that many elderly golfers in particular often find not only beneficial but essential.
3. Flexibility and Coordination
It’s no secret that to play good golf you need to be relatively flexible and have reasonably good hand-eye coordination – both useful both on and off of the golf course.
Whilst flexibility and coordination will vary from person to person based on age, physical fitness and other factors, the movements made during our golf swing (full range motion from your feet up to your shoulders) can go a long way to increasing your flexibility, balance and coordination. Furthermore, improving your flexibility and balance will not only likely lead to better performances on the golf course, but will potentially help to reduce the risk of injuries.
4. Weight Loss
If, like me, you’ve noticed it’s more difficult to shift those pounds (weight, not cash) as you get older then the simple message is – play more golf! You see, the average golfer will burn anywhere between 500 and 900 calories during a typical round of golf.
Of course, this number will vary depending on the individual, the length of a golf course you are playing, the number of swings you make and how vigorous these are, the speed at which you walk during the round and whether you carry your golf clubs or use a trolley. Other factors including what you eat and drink will also affect the number of calories burned, however, you’re still guaranteed to burn some calories golfing, so what’s not to love about that?
If you’re keen to keep a close eye on the number of steps you’ve taken on the golf course as well as track all of your strokes and gain access to over 100 tour-level statistics about your game, check out the Shot Scope X5 GPS and shot-tracking golf watch. This is my go-to watch when playing golf and I love the fact that I can also keep an eye on how many steps I’ve taken during my round without needing to wear another device.
5. Congintive Function
Playing golf can also be hugely beneficial for cognitive function, especially as we get older. The game of golf requires a lot of concentration, strategic thinking and problem-solving from the first hole to the last – all of which can help improve memory, cognitive flexibility, and attention span. As mentioned above, golf is also a social game and that same social aspect can help to reduce cognitive decline by providing players with a sense of purpose and social connection.
Golf can also benefit cognitive function, particularly in older adults. The game requires concentration, problem-solving, and strategic thinking, all of which can improve memory, cognitive flexibility, and attention span. Additionally, the social aspect of golf can help reduce cognitive decline by providing a sense of purpose and social connection.
To conclude, golf isn’t just an enjoyable way to spend time outdoors but it also offers a wide range of health benefits. So, with the nights getting lighter, there’s no better time than the present to grab those clubs, head to the golf and start enjoying the many, many benefits the beautiful game of golf has to offer.
