Contrary to popular belief, golf isn’t reserved only for the rich and famous. In fact, there are estimates that there are around 25 million people who play golf in the US alone. Even better – the player base has seen a rise of 2.5 million in 2017 alone, which exceeded even the most optimistic expectations. There are numerous reasons why golf is becoming so popular and one of them is because it’s actually great for your health. While you won’t sweat the stress out while playing golf, nor you’ll build muscle – there are some obvious health benefits that we’ll try to cover in this guide.
You’ll Get to Spend More Time Outdoors
While most sports can be played indoors, the nature of golf is such that the courses are huge and thus the game has to be played outdoors. Walking around in nature can have many health benefits for the players since studies have shown on multiple occasions that being exposed to green areas can have a relaxing effect on the body. It can lower your stress and help you with anxiety, while exposure to sunlight will allow your body to take in plenty of vitamin D which is essential for your organism.
You’ll Get Fit
This step requires you to say no to the golf card and play golf the old-fashioned way. An average game of golf can get you to walk 7-10 kilometers a day, which will burn a lot of calories in your body. By opting to carry your own clubs you’ll burn even more fat – which means you’ll be fit in no time. All that walking means you’ll be burning up to 1000 calories per game, which is huge – and you’ll get to do it while doing something fun.
A Healthier Heart
Most forms of physical exercise help with any potential heart issues you might have in the future. Since you’ll be walking a lot while playing golf and swinging your bat – that means your heart rate will be increased and you’ll get better blood flow. A healthy heart means a significantly lowered risk of stroke and diabetes, plus with golf, you’ll never actually raise your heart rate to dangerous levels. While playing golf, a golf player will have an average heart rate of about 100 beats per minute, which is ideal for a healthy heart.
Better Vision
If there’s one thing golfers learn with their golf tutor it’s to use their eyes and zoom in on that ball. When you swing your golf club your eyes will have an idea of where the ball should fall – which is why golf is famous for improving hand-eye coordination. In the era where everyone is staring at their computer screens or mobile devices, it’s becoming vital to actually use your eyes for something in nature – and golf is a perfect fit.
Better Sleep
If you’re one of those people that have troubles with falling asleep, golf can help you with that too. We’ve already mentioned just how much you’ll be walking while playing golf, which means your body and muscles will tire. This is why golfers will have less trouble falling asleep and they will sleep more profoundly overall, especially in the state of deep sleep. The more energy you spend during the day, the easier time you’ll have once you hit the sheets.
Golf is a Stress Reliever
While playing golf you’ll spend a lot of time outdoors, which is a rarity in itself these days. Playing a game in an outdoor setting is one of the best ways to forget any issues you might have (or think you have) in your life. You’ll get to talk to your competitors and focus on the game for a while, leaving all your troubles behind. There’s also the fact that spending time in nature affects your mood, so you’ll be less cranky once you get home.
Bottom Line
Playing golf on regular basis comes with many health benefits and it’s no longer as expensive as it was. The nature of gold is that it’s a sport where you’ll rarely lose temper and you’ll learn to focus and concentrate on what’s important. Since there’s a lot of walking involved, golfers get to improve their heart rate and their overall fitness without even feeling like they’re tired. If you can imagine yourself playing golf – then you absolutely have to pick up the club and go try it out.