Golf is known to be a gentleman’s game and a sport of leisure. It is also one of the most popular sports worldwide, and it is a low-impact activity that provides a handful of health benefits for people of all ages. Golf is typically played on a comprehensive outdoor course that is anywhere between 30 to 200 acres, and the premise of the game is to guide a small hard ball into a series of holes with as few strokes as possible. You will hit the ball using different wood or iron-tipped sticks known as golf clubs. If you’re still thinking about whether or not you should play golf, then we are here to give you a list of its mental and physical benefits.
1. Golf exposes you to the great outdoors
The nature of this sport requires you to play on courses as big as 200 acres. Spending time outdoors gives us several health benefits for our body and mind. According to studies, being constantly exposed to green areas reduces stress, relaxes our bodies, and alleviates anxiety. Aside from that, exposure to sunlight also allows our body to soak up vitamin D that helps reduce the risk of depression and heart disease and promote healthy bone growth.
2. Playing golf helps foster relationships
It is undeniable the golf is a very socially fun sport, which means that it can also be a great way to bond with our friends and families. Aside from that, it can also be an excellent opportunity to meet new people and build a community. Golf is not as competitive as soccer or basketball, and it has plenty of downtime that you can use to interact with fellow golfers. Some studies show that a handful of business deals are closed on the golf course.
3. Golf helps burn calories
As we mentioned, golf is played on a large outdoor course between 30 to 200 acres big, and covering that much area means you have to do a lot of walking. If you skip out on the golf cart, chances are you will be covering a distance between 5 to 7 kilometers. If you decide to carry your own clubs, then you’ll burn even more calories because walking, swinging, and carrying can burn up to 1000 calories in just one game of golf.
4. Playing golf keeps your heart rate up
All that carrying, swinging, and walking does not only help burn calories, it also helps to increase your heart rate. This means that your heart will keep pumping and increasing the blood flow throughout your body. Naturally, increased blood flow can help lower your risk of developing heart diseases and decrease bad cholesterol levels in your body.
5. Playing golf helps improve your vision
Golf requires you to have a pretty good vision so that you can follow and zoom in on that little round ball that you hit yards away. Golfers learn to aim at small targets from long distances
6. Playing golf is good for your brain
As we mentioned, golf increases your heart rate and promotes good blood flow throughout your body. This means that the blood would flow to your brain, which can stimulate and improve nerve cell connections. Golf requires a player to compete with others, but they also have to challenge themselves to beat their personal best scores, boosting self-esteem and confidence. Aside from that, players should also be mindful of tallying their scores, which helps improve their strategy to keep the brain active in logical functions.
7. Golf helps to reduce stress
Playing in an outdoor area where you can interact with other people and breathe in fresh air is a great way to release your stress and forget any problems. Walking in a natural and open environment while spending time with people that share the same interests as you can help put you in a good mood. According to studies, playing a round of golf can help release endorphins, a chemical in the brain responsible for making us feel happy and relaxed.
8. Golf is a low-risk injury sport
The risk of having an injury while playing golf is very low because it is not a contact sport. Golf is a leisure sport that involves strategy accuracy and coordination. But, it also involves enough physical activity to keep your muscles engaged.