Many of you won’t consider golf as an active sport as we have an image of someone exuding minimal effort to hit a ball or put into a small hole, but golf is much more than what many may think and portray it as. It takes much more muscle strength and effort. It’s famous for bringing people together and many don’t know that it can be really healthy for us as well. It’s one of the few sports that are suitable for all ages and all abilities. You can exercise while socializing, focus on your score while relaxing, and can challenge your opponent while enjoying the outdoors. It’s a sport that is one of its kind and if you are planning to make it your hobby or passion, you should know its benefits for a healthy life as well. Golf players enjoy physical fitness and mental fitness both at the same time and it can be a life-changing sport for many.
1. Up Your Cardio
It’s an amazing cardiovascular exercise that brings numerous physical and mental health benefits. While you swing your golf club and carry your golf bag instead of opting for a comfortable buggy, you get an extra workout and build muscle but along with it, it helps you increase your heart rate. It helps you in lowering the risk of heart diseases, decreasing the levels of cholesterol, and preventing chronic diseases like type II diabetes, stroke cancer, and many more. It has been found impressive in reducing the effects of dementia as well. When you are playing golf, you have to walk a lot from the tee to the hole and have to follow your ball, and at a bonus point you have to find it too. The constant movement and walking ensure healthy blood flow and actives different muscles. Walking itself is a good cardio exercise and in golf, you have the benefit of activating your upper body as well as getting a full workout.
2. Be Stress-free
If you are stressed, frustrated, or even burned out, the best remedy is to go out and take a walk to clear your mind of all your problems and worries. You walk a lot when you are planning to play a round of golf. As the golf courses are large open spaces with fresh air, you can enjoy the stroll in between your strikes and breathe in the fresh air. Golfing is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, going out and enjoying a beautiful sunny day and scenic beauty can improve your emotional and mental health. Golfing gives you time to enjoy the fresh air while exercising and relaxing, hence alleviating your stress it’s also an incredibly easy sport to pick up with cheap equipment costs. The beautiful surrounding and the soothing fresh air is a part and parcel of golfing, helping you to release the endorphins, which results in making you feel happy, stress-free, and relaxed. It helps in reducing anxiety and improves self-esteem and confidence. The fresh air and the beautiful nature are the keys to a relaxed mind and you will end up sleeping like a baby.
3. Burn your Calories
Walking a lot helps to burn calories and will be a successful milestone on your road to weight loss. Golfers cover the ground to follow the ball and according to researches golfers cover about 6 miles during an 18-hole game. The golf course isn’t flat and it can help you burn more calories faster while walking the ever-changing terrain. Bending and swinging while playing golf contribute further to calorie burn. If you carry your bag yourself, you are adding some more calories. Many golf players, irrespective of their genders remain in good shape all through their lives if they follow a healthy lifestyle as well. Golf is an extraordinary sport that will lead you towards the road of success in your weight loss journey. Just as golf improves physical well-being increasing muscle strength and fitness level, it helps burn calories. If you are looking for some healthy and easy weight loss tips, prioritize golf in it.
4. Social Interaction
We find golf is a game that people prefer playing alone, but you should seek out some people for some friendly competition. Give yourself the chance to socially interact as it makes a huge impact on the mental well-being of a person. Due to the low intensity of the game, it’s quite easy for the players to converse and socialize while playing the game. The high level of social interaction and the new friends help you ease your mind from the worries of this modern world. It can enhance communication skills. It can boost your emotional control level. Social interaction with different people makes you happy and you will forget what you are worried about. It helps flourish relationships, which bloom even outside the court. You can even hang out with your family members on the golf course.
5. Live Longer
Golf players live longer and the easiest reason for it is that they have better physical and mental well-being. According to many pieces of research, it is proven that the people who are into playing golf have increased life expectancy. According to the 2016 pieces of research, it adds five more healthy years to your life. Having fun reduces stress, making new friends increase social interaction and you can share your problems with people and it also keeps you young and youthful. A relaxed and happy mind and a healthy body along with good interaction and friends let you pave the way to some healthy and extra years. Playing golf increases the quality of life and you will not be dependent on anyone. So, play golf and live longer!