Many people don’t consider golf to be a physically challenging sport. Of course, experienced golfers know better.

Though it doesn’t involve jumping or sprinting, golf will still work your body and mind. Remember, the average round of golf takes four hours. During that time, you’re walking at a steady pace and using your brain to handle mental challenges.

This kind of activity means that golf can have a major impact on our well-being. Need more convincing?

Here are the five main health benefits of golf

1. Weight Loss

If you walk in a straight line, you can cover 18 holes in about four miles. That said, golfers don’t move from point A to point B — instead, they follow the ball. Add in the changing terrain, and you’re likely to cover six miles during your game.

This alone exceeds the recommended number of 10,000 steps per day. If you don’t use a golf cart, this means you’ll burn close to 1,500 calories on an 18-hole course.

2. Mental Stimulation

Golf is one of those games that are easy to learn, but difficult to master. The more you concentrate on the game, the more blood supply goes to your brain. This improves your focus and helps your brain work better now and in the future.

Other than that, just walking in fresh air helps your body produce endorphins. These chemicals relieve pain and stress, boosting your happiness levels. The combination of exercise and fresh air also helps you sleep faster and longer.

3. Heart Health

Like any other physical exercise, golf gets your heart pumping. This goes for any kind of golf-related physical activity: walking, swinging, and carrying your bag. These all reduce your risk of stroke, diabetes, and harmful cholesterol.

According to experts, a player has an average heart rate of 100 beats per minute during a round of golf. This is true over a 2-5 hour period.

4. Social Interaction

You can play golf alone, but many people enjoy some friendly competition. Due to its low intensity, golf is also an ideal opportunity for social interaction. This can have a huge impact on your mental health and health behavior.

Of course, the amount of social interaction often depends on the course itself. Some private golf courses focus on providing a solitary experience. If you’d like to make sure where you’re going, this directory can be a big help.

5. Low Injury Risk

As we mentioned, golf is a low-impact activity. There’s minimal contact, and you’re not putting your body under stress like in, say, tennis. With such a low injury risk, golf is the perfect activity for players of all ages.

Still, don’t think you’re completely safe on a course. If you’re not careful, you can sprain your ankle or pull your muscles. Also, watch out for body soreness.

More on Health Benefits of Golf

As you can see, golf is a lot more than standing around and waiting for your turn. That said, getting the most out of this activity requires you to play it on foot. If you have the choice, ditch the golf cart and get to walking.

Want to know more about the health benefits of golf? Looking for other ways to get your body in shape? Check out the rest of our site for more helpful articles today.