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There’s a general belief that golf as a sport is not as physically demanding as others, so much so that many people are hard-pressed to call it a “sport.” However, even if it is slow-paced, there are several health benefits of playing golf. Improves Heart Health There’s a lot of research being done on the positive effects of regularly playing sports, and some of this research suggests that golf may help improve your heart health. Research has linked playing golf to improvements in known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as lipid and insulin- glucose levels, body composition, and physical inactivity. Golf is also known to give much-needed exercise to people who are undergoing cardiac and stroke rehabilitation. Regularly playing golf also improves lung function, especially in older adults, and this aids the optimum functioning of the heart. Another aspect that may contribute to improved heart health is that a typical 18-hole golf course is large. This generally means that by the time you’ve completed the entire course, you would’ve walked anywhere between four to five miles. This is enough for the oft-mentioned daily fitness goal of 10,000 steps that many people aspire for today. May Improve Life Span A study that involved more than 300,000 participants from Scandinavian nations found that those who regularly played golf lived five years longer than others who did not play golf. These results were the same irrespective of the people’s age, gender, or socioeconomic status.

The study found that golfers had a 40% lower mortality rate as compared to non-golfers.

Walking around the golf course also has other advantages. These courses are typically lush green and are lined with trees that make you feel close to nature. Many golf courses also have different terrains that include rolling hills, wide plateaus, and water bodies such as ponds. Animals and birds are also a common sight on several golf courses. Walking during the game also helps you strategize better, think more about the game, and become a better player, which could add to your technique repertoire. Many players who started out playing golf as a simple recreational activity have shared that the intellectual challenges that the game offers have made them fall in love with it and helped them improve their game by leaps and bounds. A study presented at the International Stroke Conference organized by the American Stroke Association suggested that playing golf regularly was linked to a lower risk of death. Playing golf regularly referred, in this study, to playing at least once a month. The study involved around 5,900 adults who were above the age of 65, with an average age of 72. The study was carried out over 10 years. During this time, all the participants were medically

evaluated once a year and had clinic visits every six months. The study did not take into account whether the players who participated walked or used a golf cart to move from one place to another on the golf course. Playing golf regularly was linked to a lower risk of death

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