| The Health Benefits of Golf | | | | attending a forty five minute fitness class. |
| Copyright © Norleen Gray | | | | Another golf association, specifically the Northern |
| | | | Ohio Golf Association, stated that when a golfer |
| The Health Benefits of Golf | | | | walks across a course, it is roughly equivalent to |
| Believe it or not, golf is actually good for your health. | | | | walking for three to four miles. This included walking |
| Even the United States Golf Association thinks so; | | | | around hills, over greens and tees. |
| they also advise that you should walk the golf course | | | | Not convinced yet? Maybe you should try doing the |
| and try to avoid - as much as possible - riding golf | | | | following activities and see, as well as feel, the |
| carts. | | | | difference for yourself. |
| Although riding golf carts is the most convenient way | | | | During a round of golf, try to walk along alternating |
| to get yourself from one hole to the next, it will | | | | holes so that by the end of your round of golf you |
| actually be good for your body if you walk your legs | | | | should be able to have walked through a total of nine |
| along the greens. Doing so pumps your heart, | | | | holes. |
| circulates the blood all over your body, and is a good | | | | If you are feeling not up to it yet as fully as you |
| and fun way of exercising. | | | | should, that is okay. Maybe you could try walking on |
| David Fay from the United States Golf Association | | | | a set of nines while you can ride the other set. |
| also thinks that the most pleasurable way to play | | | | If you have a golf partner and he or she insists that |
| golf is by walking. Riding carts, he said, should as | | | | you ride along with him or her, make sure that you |
| much as possible be stopped now. | | | | only ride on the path of the cart. You can then walk |
| Walking is a good form of exercise. It is the most | | | | down to the fairway towards your ball and then your |
| basic and easy program of getting fit which almost | | | | partner could bring the golf cart up. |
| anyone could do. Simply put, walking is good for you. | | | | Are you convinced yet? If not, try to look at it this |
| Although some believe that walking the golf course is | | | | way. If your health is not good enough for you to |
| a very unhealthy thing to do because of the nature | | | | settle to walk those legs and pump that good old |
| of the game - the start and stop process of golf | | | | heart of yours, then at least take pity and be |
| playing. In actuality though, there have been scientific | | | | considerate of the damage that golf carts do to |
| studies as well as evidence of people actually telling | | | | fairways. |
| their personal experiences on the positive effects of | | | | Believe it or not, golf carts do create damage around |
| walking through a game of golf. | | | | sand traps and around the greens. Even if carts are |
| In Sweden in particular, there are researchers who | | | | not supposed to ride along these areas, sometimes |
| discovered that walking through a game of golf | | | | though, depending on who is behind the golf cart's |
| equals to about forty to seventy percent of intense | | | | wheel, they still at times do. |
| workout in an aerobics class. This is assuming that | | | | For the sake of the greens, go walk! Because of |
| about eighteen holes were played. | | | | advances in technology, there are now grasses that |
| In another study by a cardiologist named Edward | | | | are able to grow on areas that they originally are not |
| Palank, golfers who walked were found to be in a | | | | supposed to grow on at all. As a result of this, golf |
| better state of health because the level of bad | | | | courses look as amazing as they were before. |
| cholesterol in their body decreased. Meanwhile, the | | | | Unfortunately, these same golf courses are as |
| level of their good cholesterol was steady. Those | | | | subject to a lot of wear and tear as well. |
| golfers who settled to ride their way across the golf | | | | Driving a golf cart along these beautiful greens |
| course on golf carts,, however, did not show these | | | | subjects them to unnecessary damage. So now that |
| same positive health results. | | | | you know, it would not hurt you to consider walking |
| Also, according to Golf Science International, four | | | | along, across, over, or through those greens now |
| hours of golf playing was found to be comparable to | | | | would it? |