The Benefits of Playing Golf for Your Health and Well-Being

When you think of sports that are good for our health, swimming, rock climbing, or jogging may cross your mind. Golf? Not so much.

At first, golf may not seem like a typical fitness-beneficial sport — it doesn’t require the remarkable physical endurance, great agility, or enormous strength most conventional sports demand. 

However, golf is far from not being beneficial for the physical and mental health of those who play it. For starters, golfers spend plenty of time outdoors and are active throughout the game — doing lots of standing, walking, and swinging.

So, if you’re keen on taking up golf but are uncertain of its benefits to your health — or you are already a golfer tired of friends and family teasing your “non-sport” hobby — you’re at the right place.

Read on as we explore the many benefits of golf for your physical health and mental well-being.

#1 Spending Time in Fresh Air Benefits Your Heart, Lungs, Digestion & More

Golf is generally played outdoors, on immense, sun-lit courses, with an average 18-hole game lasting around four and a half hours. 

All this means getting lots of fresh air, natural sunlight, and activity, especially for not-so-experienced golfers who play longer and thus get more out of the sport.

Fresh air is beneficial for pretty much everything in our bodies. Spending plenty of time outdoors helps your digestive tract work better, stabilizes blood pressure, lung function, and heart rate, and lowers the risks of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and obesity.

Being outdoors also means getting lots of vitamin D, which boosts the immune system, helps strengthen bones, and reduces inflammation. Still, sun exposure comes with side effects, so remember to wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days.

In terms of your mental health, being in nature plays a significant role in reducing anxiety, relieving stress, improving concentration, and fighting depression. 

#2 Physical Activity With Low Risk of Injuries

For those (of us) who don’t find the appeal in being all sweaty and out of breath — or simply appreciate more relaxing physical activities — golf is a perfect choice.

Golf is definitely a low-risk sport in which players are rarely exposed to the risk of serious injuries. 

This makes golf good exercise for elderly people, whose decreasing level of fitness makes it difficult to participate in high-impact sports such as basketball or tennis.

Moreover, golf requires moderate activity without putting too much strain on the body; thus, it’s a great option even for younger people who suffer from some physical conditions, like osteoporosis. Despite your physical condition, playing golf allows you to stay active in a safe way.

#3 Socialization, Competitiveness & Individualism Can Lenghten Life

Generally, golf is an individual sport, but still quite a social one. Unlike in tennis or boxing, where opponent interaction is minimal, golfers are very much social, even throughout the game. If you are looking for an ice-breaker to make some new friends try sparking conversation around the question: how long do golf balls last?

If you’re not on the talkative side or simply want to practice on your own, worry not — studies show that people who enjoy their alone time tend to be generally happier.

Golf fosters a healthy sense of competition that helps encourage you to challenge yourself and improve your skills. Still, the attractiveness of golf is that you can enjoy a beautiful day in nature even without keeping score.

The perfect balance of socialization and individualism, moderate physical activity, and healthy stress is beneficial for enjoying a longer life. Namely, a study that included over 300,000 Scandinavians found that regular golf players lived, on average, five years longer than those who did not play golf. 

#4 Creativity & Focus Are Great for the Brain

Accuracy, concentration, and focus are the foundations of golf. Just think, swinging that small ball across the vast course right into the tiny hole requires quite a bit of hand-eye coordination, a skill beneficial for other daily activities, as well as maintaining good brain wiring.

In addition, golf encourages creativity and creative thinking. Golfers need to visualize the ball’s trajectory and adjust their swing angle and power accordingly.

As a fairly active pastime, yet not too physically demanding and stressful, playing golf improves circulation, pumping extra blood to the brain. Thus, your brain receives more of all the nutrients and oxygen necessary for its proper functioning.

The repeated swings in golf improve muscle memory, meaning you are able to perform motor functions faster and with greater accuracy, without even thinking about them.

#5 Moderate & Healthy Way to Burn Calories & Lose Weight

Golf may not be a high-energy sport, but it is far from unhelpful for weight loss. During a game, golfers spend hours walking around, carrying their equipment, and swinging — and it really adds up.

Unlike intense training sessions, golf provides you with moderate physical activity that keeps your heart rate up at an optimum level. This optimal heart rate is not only great for burning calories, but it also improves overall heart health.

Golf is found to lower risk factors for lipid and insulin-glucose levels, and provide much-needed physical activity to people undergoing stroke or cardiac rehabilitation.

Balanced and frequent golfing activity contributes more to losing weight — and keeping it off — than infrequent, strenuous exercise. 

#6 Taking It Slow Reduces Anxiety & Stress

A golf game requires much less mental and physical activity compared to some other sports and hobbies. Thus, golf is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. 

In this fast-paced world, golf provides you with a wonderful opportunity to live slowly yet be active, spend time in nature, and enjoy good company.

So, a game of golf is a good choice even if you’re in a bad mood, as it will allow you to channel your physical and mental tensions into a productive activity. 

Moreover, physical exercise, extra concentration, and time outdoors improve our body’s ability to release endorphins, hormones that help boost mood, ease pain, and reduce the symptoms of depression.