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8 Health Benefits of Playing Golf as an Adult

Many people think golf is a sport for rich persons, and they avoid playing it, without knowing it has a lot of health benefits for them. Every sport has a lot of positive effects on your physical and mental health. Many people miss these benefits because they think golf is not for them. But, this article will assure you to try this sport. This activity may not have the fitness features we recognize in other sports, like jumping, running, and stretching your whole body, but it’s excellent to balance your mind. Non-golfers think it’s just standing sport, but most enthusiastic players know that’s not true because they have to make a lot of movements so they can hit the ball and reach the whole, and then move to the next spot.

If you play golf regularly, you are reducing the risk of heart diseases, and the chance to get hurt is pretty law. It also provides some aerobic features and the benefits are even bigger if you don’t use the cart to move from one spot to another. That is why this sport needs to be more inclusive, so everyone can join and see if they like it. It also has social benefits because players always talk and have fun and it’s normal to make new friends there. Golf also lets you stay longer in nature, in a clean environment.

These are some of the benefits you may have even after the first try:

1. Mental health improvement

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This game keeps you active and it’s great for your mind and mental well-being. It also improves your cognitive reactions and keeps your brain young and active, due to communication and thinking about the strategies. Mental health is equally important as physical condition and you always need to take care of it, so your brain stays in great shape.

2. Reduces the stress

People who are often stressed and anxious need to try the golf so they can ease the symptoms and feel great after the game. Golf tournaments are often organized in nature, and the fresh air will increase the levels of endorphins and serotonin, and the whole process guarantees a good relaxation. Every sport makes people relaxed and happy and that is one of the greatest benefits of golf.

3. You are always trying to get better

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Golf experts say it’s easy to learn this game, but you can never tell you are a master in it. They always try to improve their skills and get better, buying new equipment, clothes, and comfortable shoes (visit this site to find the best golf footwear), trying new strategies, or even pay for tuition lessons before taking over the course.

4. Helps you socialize with a lot of people

Golf is a partly individual and social game in general. It helps you make new friends, embrace that lifestyle, share your experience, learns from the best golfers, and also teach the beginners and express your knowledge. People from the clubs are always organizing events to meet the new members and teach them to live golf life.

5. Low-impact exercising

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Fitness enthusiasts don’t give a lot of attention to low-impact workout but it’s still exercising that has a lot of health benefits. It’s ideal for older people who can’t do high-impact exercises. It also gives them a lot of energy and won’t lead to joint or muscle damage.

6. Weight loss

Every sport is better than no sport. As we said, low-impact exercises are good for those who can’t handle cardio and HIIT. They won’t be able to lose too much weight but even a few pounds are better than nothing.

7. Good for your body

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This sport is also good to keep your body strong and healthy. You need to walk from one hole to another and you may burn up to 2,000 calories over the course. It’s a full-body workout for your arms, legs, and muscles. It will improve your mobility and overall sports performance.

8. You can play it even in your old age

Not every sport is suitable for older people. But, golf is great for everyone, including people over 70, if they feel good and don’t have muscle and joint problems. Even though golf is challenging, it’s not hard to play and everyone can feel comfortable without risk for injuries.

Do I need to be fit to play?

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This sport doesn’t require a high level of fitness, but you need to be a little fit to effectively play it. Muscle stretching before the game is always a good idea, so you can avoid muscle soreness at the end. Before you play, you need to improve your balance, movement control, flexibility, and good posture. If you have a condition that results in imbalance and fatigue, you may need to prepare more or avoid the golf field.

You need to also improve your body strength, especially if you’ve never tried any sport before. A little exercising will help you get better performance and target your posture and stability.

Before you hit the golf field you need to check up with your doctor so you can be sure your past medical problems won’t affect your performance. Try some exercises that will improve your balance and muscle flexibility. Sign up for a test game and see if it’s a good sport for you.

How golf affects mental health?

We previously mentioned the mental health benefits this sport provides to you. The whole process of learning stimulates your brain and changes your usual mindset, helping you to improve your focus and concentrate on the ball, hits, and holes. In the USA, a lot of military veterans choose to play so they can easily cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. They even have a helping program that includes regular golf sessions so the veterans can improve their mental health, reduce stress, and cope better with the anxiety.

We hope this article helped you understand the benefits golf may have for your mental and physical health condition, never mind your age and fitness level.

About Marta Sebos