ZOZOFIT knows that golf is a great opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and the company of friends while you navigate the course. For some, golf is a serious undertaking where they strive for ever-improving scores and increasing competition. For others, tee time is a welcome respite from the demands of daily life.

No matter what your reason for getting out on the course, you might feel as though you had a workout by the time you reach the last hole. Is golf good exercise? While any physical activity is a good thing, the benefits you receive from a round of golf depend on a variety of factors.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Everyone?

Golf benefits players of all ages and backgrounds, though the benefits vary depending on how you play. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week. This can include a variety of activities, including vigorous walking, swimming laps and riding a bike. The maximum physical benefits of golf come when you walk the course and carry your clubs. The benefits decrease for those using a golf cart.

The low-impact nature of golf makes it easier for many people to enjoy. The social and outdoor aspects of the game make it an enjoyable option for exercise compared to being in a gym on an elliptical machine or a treadmill. When you enjoy your exercise, it makes you more likely to stick with it and get the most benefit from it.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Overall Fitness?

Overall fitness includes many things, such as your cardiovascular health. It also includes respiratory health. Strong, healthy lungs help you keep your oxygen levels balanced.

The nature of the game makes golf a good choice for overall fitness when it is part of a comprehensive physical fitness and activity plan. Walking is good for your cardiovascular health and well-being. Walking also helps improve your lung health and respiratory condition. The average golfer covers around five miles during a game, making golf an ideal choice for general fitness if you opt to walk the course when you play.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Muscle Tone?

The movements used during a golf game can help improve and maintain good muscle tone throughout your body. What muscles does golf work? Your core muscles and upper body see the most benefit.

Walking helps maintain your core muscles, which improves posture and stability. Your golf swing works your hip flexors and your upper body, strengthening and toning the muscles in those areas as well. The improved respiratory health ensures that your muscles get the oxygen that they need for healthy, sustainable toning when you play golf.

Strong core muscles also protect your spine from injuries. The movement required to swing a golf club creates a unique rotation that can strain your back without adequate muscle tone and support for protection. Keeping your core muscles toned by walking the course and practicing pre-golf stretches will help keep your back strong.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Your Upper Body?

Your golf swing depends heavily on upper body control. That control comes from toned, strong and healthy muscles in your upper body. The more you practice your swing, the more you work the muscles in your arms, chest and upper back. Most people do not spend enough time on the course or at the range for this to be sufficient on its own. When paired with strength training exercises, though, golf can be a good supplemental exercise for your upper body.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Weight Loss?

Any form of movement helps with weight loss because physical activity burns calories. When you burn more calories than you consume, your body burns fat for energy. Burning fat reduces your body weight. While some more physically demanding and higher-impact exercises might have more weight-loss benefits, you may not enjoy them as much. When you add your golf games into a larger regimen of exercise programs, it improves your chances of seeing some weight loss benefits from the activity.

You also get calorie-burning benefits from your practice swings at the driving range. Players committed to improving their game by honing their skills will burn additional calories at the range, which may help them lose more weight.

Is Golf Good Exercise for Seniors?

Remaining active is important for older adults because it not only helps sustain muscle but also preserves bone integrity. In a period of life when bone density deteriorates, maintaining activity levels can make a difference in overall health. The game also contributes to sustaining flexibility, building stamina and maintaining balance.

Playing golf provides seniors with an outlet for physical and psychological stimulation with minimal risk of injury. Even seniors getting into the game late can safely play and reap the whole-body benefits of playing rounds of golf regularly.

One of the best things about golf is that it's an activity that can be enjoyed by players of all ages.

Is Golf Good Exercise if You Use a Cart?

Some courses restrict walking and require golfers to use a cart. You might also prefer to use a cart to make your way through the course faster. In either case, you still get some of the exercise benefits of golf even when you use a cart to navigate the course. After all, there are parts of the course where a cart cannot go.

You need to walk on the teeing grounds, bunkers and greens. That means you still get some steps in even. Furthermore, riding the cart does not interfere with the rest of the physical activity associated with the game. You still have deep swings and associated movements to help with core muscle movement and upper body toning.

Is Golf Good Exercise To Rely On?

As you can see, golf has many benefits for overall health and well-being. That makes it a good addition to your weight loss and muscle-toning regimen. For the maximum benefit, use golf as one component of this plan and supplement it with additional aerobic exercise as well as routine weight training.

To monitor your body’s progress and tailor your goals based on your specific needs, check out ZOZOFIT today so that you can track your fitness journey in real-time.

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