Golfing is Like a Hole In One for Your Health
May 15, 2023
Grabbing your clubs and hitting the fairway to strike and then chase a little white ball sounds a bit silly, but it’s far from it.
Golf is an excellent form of exercise for older adults. One study found that playing golf had a positive impact on participants’ lipid profile and glucose levelswhile also being a relatively low-impact form of exercise.
Golf has also been around for a long time. History.com reports that the modern game of golf was first played in the 15th century in Scotland. There are many good reasons why roughly 66.6 million people around the world play golf, not the least of which is the ways in which golf benefits players’ health.
Here are a few:
Cardio Health and Endurance:
It’s reported that a golfer will walk between four and six miles in a typical round of golf, which is about the same as taking 10,000 steps. Walking 18 holes can burn about 1400 calories. Of course, one doesn’t need to walk an entire 18-hole course to get some of those benefit.
Increased Strength and Flexibility:
Swinging a club is an integral part of the game and contributes to core muscle strength and builds muscles in the chest, back and forearms.
Better Balance and Coordination:
When you are focused on hitting a ball toward a little hole way off in the distance, you may not realize the subtle ways in which you are improving your overall health. Golf, which can involve climbing hills and walking on uneven surfaces, is a form of balance training that may help prevent falls for older adults and others.
Stress Reduction:
Any golfer will tell you there is something about being outdoors that lifts their spirits. Many studies support the notion that exercise done in the outdoors, such as golf, is better for mental health and stress reduction than working out within the four walls of a gym.
Socialization:
Golf is a game that people can play on their own, but it’s very often a social activity that is played in small groups. Golf helps players connect with others and has mood-enhancing benefits. It’s also a sport that a person can do at any age, depending on their level of mobility.
Low Risk of Injury
Playing any sport requires caution, but a study published in the National Library of Medicine finds that golf is a low-impact, all-around workout that promotes range of motion, activation of muscles in the upper and lower body, and flexibility.
Improving one’s golf game is a practice that not even Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson can ever say is entirely done. That’s where Wellington Bay comes in. The full service, rental senior living community in Wellington, Florida, is the perfect place for golf aficionados to practice the game.
The property features an on-site putting green where players can perfect their skills. It’s also located in the heart of a temperate climate that is well-suited for getting in a round of golf three, if not four, seasons a year. Residents of Wellington Bay also have the benefit of living near many courses which have different features and skill levels.
Wellington Bay offers membership in Wellington National Golf Club, a private club in the heart of Wellington featuring a restored Johnny Miller-designed 18-hole golf course.
In addition, there are another 6 golf courses in Wellington and 94 golf courses within 20 miles of the city, including 15 public, 12 municipal, and 65 private courses. The oldest course in the Wellington area is the Palm Beach Country Club which was designed by Donald J. Ross, ASGCA and opened in 1917. The longest course is Bear Lakes Country Club, which is 7,439 yards. The Falls Club of the Palm Beaches is rated the best course near Wellington, according to golflink.