22
Golf Gets You
Going
Favorite American
pastime is also
good exercise
by Jean Jeffers, Staff Writer
As fitness-conscious people, many
individuals look at golf not only
as a game but also as a form of
exercise.
Researchers in Sweden did a study
on the physical demands made on
middle-aged golfers walking their
course. They discovered the golfers’ exercise intensity was from 40
percent to 70 percent of maximum aerobic power, even though
short walking distances were
involved. The total distance for a
game of golf could be anywhere
from four to seven miles, making
it a formidable exercise program.
MARCH/APRIL 2014
According to Golf Science International researcher Gi Magnusson, four hours of playing golf is
similar to the exercise obtained
in a 45-minute fitness class. “Golf
is unique in the way it motivates
middle-aged and elderly individuals to walk a fairly long distance on
a regular basis,” Magnusson said.
Getting out on a golf course has
proven health benefits. These
include:
Walking
Cardiovascular activity is usually thought of as exercise that is
aerobic, elevates the heart rate and
improves the activity of the heart.
Very often biking, swimming and
jogging are recommended, as is
walking. Golf may be called “a
good walk spoiled” but it’s still
highly beneficial.
Strength training
Walking the hills and valleys of
the typical golf course can exert a
positive effect on quadriceps and
hamstring muscles, thus strength-
ening the lower body. Upper body
strength is improved through lifting and carrying around that golf
bag and swinging your clubs.
Balance
One of the best types of exercise you can obtain from golf is
increasing your ability to balance.
It creates a very strong core and
helps prevent falls.
Concentration
We have learned that exercise of
the mind is a great way to provide
for a healthy brain. What better
way to use your brain than on
something you enjoy and benefit
from at the same time? Golfing
forces you to remember numbers, images and specific tips and
techniques.
Henry, age 90, is a golfer who has
played for many years. “I think
golf is a wonderful sport,” he said.
“It is a fantastic way to get exercise
and to relax at the same time. It
is energy, it is exercise and it is
social.”
Joel Bange, director of golf at
Aston Oaks Golf Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, says players can learn
a lot from golf. “I believe golf is
a teacher of life lessons,” he said.
“Golf teaches that attitude is
important. And learning to respect
other players is a must. Safety
and courtesy on the fairways are
practiced.”
Bange offers some safety tips for
players of all ages:
• Be courteous when coming
around corners.
• Maintain quiet when others are
swinging.
• Signal for every ball in the air.
I think golf is a
wonderful sport. It is
a fantastic way to get
exercise and to relax
at the same time.”
–Henry, 90-year-old golfer