Why You Should Try Golf

Longevity Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Bellam Vista, Randwick, Lindfield and Balmain today discuss why you should consider giving golf a try as a way to increase your physical activity.

Our Exercise Physiologist Georgia over the Christmas break played her first ever round of golf. After 18 holes, she came to one sure conclusion, golf is hard! However, it also made her think about the great benefits playing golf can have for our health. If you choose to walk your round and carry or pull your bag, golf is a great form of moderate physical activity.

Walking an average golf course can be between 5 and 7 kilometres. Although, if you are just a beginner like Georgia and play anything like her, you will be sure to walk more than this as you zig zag your way across the fairway. Research also shows that golf spectators can take between 7,500-10,000 steps whilst watching a game. You can tick of your step count for the day without even taking a swing!

Lets take a look at the golf swing itself. Hitting a golf ball well requires a considerable amount of coordination, strength, and power. It can also be quite challenging for our balance. Golf is great for developing muscular endurance, especially if you’re a beginner like Georgia and hitting well over par! Just think, if you’re getting frustrated with your game, at least the more swings you take the better workout you get! It is important to remember that swinging a club  isn’t enough to meet the Australian Physical Activity guidelines when it comes to strength training, but it can be a great top up or add on to your two strength training sessions a week.

Now that we have established golf is good for your physical health, it’s time to take a look at how it can effect your mental health too. Being surrounded by nature and regular exercise. has been shown to improve our wellbeing. Studies show increase in happiness, reduction in anxiety and improved self-esteem after walking amongst greenery. This is certainly a box you can tick playing almost any golf course. Playing golf also requires a large amount of concentration. Look at it as exercise for your brain! The quote “use it or lose it” is very applicable here, exercising our brain can help with preventing cognitive decline.

Finally, playing golf is a great way to add a social element to your physical activity. Not only can this make it more enjoyable, but it also allows us to make time to connect with family and friends. In Georgia’s experience, the best way to ensure you meet the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines is to make sure you’re participating in exercise that you enjoy.

If you’re looking to learn more about how other leisure activities can help you meet your exercise requirements or putting together a strength training program for your golf, contact Longevity Personal Training and Exercise Physiology Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Bellam Vista, Randwick, Lindfield and Balmain on 1300 964 002 to enquire today.

Written By Georgia Wassall

References

The golf scape blog. Health Benefits of Golf Revealed. https://golfscape.com/blog/