Walk Instead of Ride

Most of the winter all we think about is how we can’t wait to get out on the golf course to relax in the warm breeze and shoot for par. We clean our clubs, buy new shoes and research the best type of ball to use this year. Finally, the weather breaks and we’re on the course. We hop on the cart and we’re off for another healthy season of golf. But wait, why are we riding around the course on a motorized four-wheeled limo? Walking instead of riding can be more beneficial than you think.

We have known for years that simple walking is considered a safe and healthy exercise, but we have been told and have come to believe that walking while playing golf doesn’t count. That’s just simply wrong. According to the highly respected former Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, “Studies have shown the strong health benefits walking can also have in protecting golfers against heart disease.”

Studies that focus on golf and its potential health benefits are showing more and more how beneficial walking your round instead of riding can be. A Swedish study discovered that walking golfers’ exercise intensity ranges from 40% to 70% of maximum aerobic power, despite short walking intervals typical of the game. Another study looked at Hawaiian men aged 71 to 93. It showed that those who walked 1.5 miles or more each day have less than half the rate of heart ailments compared to those walking less than a quarter mile. According to Golf Science International, researcher Gi Magnusson calculated that four hours of playing (walking) golf is comparable to a 45-minute fitness class. He concluded, “Golf is unique in the way it motivates middle-aged and elderly individuals to walk a fairly long distance on a regular basis.”

Research has also shown the positive effect that walking has on your cholesterol. Walking as little as nine miles per week—or the equivalent of 36 holes of golf—throughout one’s lifetime significantly reduces the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease. In addition, walking may decrease your level of LDL (bad) cholesterol while keeping your HDL (good) cholesterol the same. Researchers also suggest that walking may lower your blood pressure. Studies also show that a weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, helps prevent loss of bone mass (osteoporosis).

If you think carrying your clubs rather than pulling them on a pull cart will benefit even more, sorry. Using a pull cart or carrying your clubs doesn’t improve your health. What helps is the walking, not lugging. That’s why many cardiologists and back specialists recommend motor caddies or pull carts. Be careful when lugging that golf bag around, poor lifting techniques and weak muscles can lead to injuries that can keep you off the course.

The next time you start your round of golf, save the money on the cart and walk. Then, talk your partner into following your lead. He or she will thank you in the long run. Be sure to spend the money you saved on the cart on something smart. For me it would be putting lessons! For a free consultation with one of our certified athletic trainers, call me at 419-783-2791. Happy golfing!