The Top 5 Health Benefits of Golf
Whether you're a seasoned pro or are just starting your putting journey, golf is a universally appealing game that can be enjoyed by all generations – not least for its major health benefits. Dating back centuries, this bonny sport is believed to have been created by the Scots in the 1500s and has been adopted by countless sportsfolk and nature-lovers all over the world ever since.
More than just a fun game, golf provides a workout for both mind and body and combines skill, strategy and stamina. And, making it all the more attractive, it can be played solo or socially, all the while encouraging time spent alfresco in beautiful surroundings. What’s not to love?
If you’re considering whether to hit the fairway but are stuck on the fence (or the sand bunker), here are the top 5 health benefits of golf to encourage you.
Boosts Cardiovascular Health
One of the top health benefits of golf is how much it can improve your cardiovascular health.
Relating to your blood vessels and heart, robust cardiovascular health is crucial to your overall wellbeing. While many factors can contribute to this, regular exercise is one of the most effective means – with golf offering the perfect solution to a happy heart and body.
Simply by ditching the golfing buggy and walking around the freeway, you can enjoy the benefits of plenty of low-impact miles across varied terrain. Better still? As you take in the views and chat to your golfing compatriots, it’ll barely feel like exercise at all. In fact, golfing novelist Roderick Easdale states that “on an average 6,000-yard course, golfers [walk] about 10,600 yards (just over 6 miles), which equates to about 12,800 steps”. Fortunately, our 6,400-yard golf course near Ipplepen is just perfect for those cruisey miles!
Enhances Muscle Tone and Strength
Golfing is well-known for improving cardiovascular fitness, but did you know that it’s also really brilliant for improving overall muscle tone and strength too?
If you are considering the top health benefits of golf, you may be surprised to know that a day on the course can engage all kinds of muscle groups in the body and contribute to holistic conditioning, including legs, core, back and arms. From navigating tricky obstacles to the acts of simply swinging your golf club and picking up your golf ball, this beloved sport encourages a full range of movement that’s great for players of all generations.
What’s more, if you’re carrying your own clubs and equipment (especially over a full 18-hole round), you’re guaranteed an even better workout that builds muscle, increases endurance, and enhances strength overtime.
Improves Mental Wellbeing
One of the main reasons that so many people venture to beautiful golf courses all over the world is the unrivalled escapism it provides. With not just physical but plenty of mental health benefits of golf, it provides both focus and relief for busy minds. Of course, as a game of skill, golfing requires a good deal of concentration and strategy, making it a really rewarding mental challenge.
However, it also encourages a sense of mindfulness that can be hard to find elsewhere. Not only that, but spending time outdoors is also well-known for its ability to reduce stress and anxiety and increase connection to nature.
In 2023, The Greener Communities Fund and NHS Charities Together shared that people who spent regular time in nature were “healthier, happier, more energetic, and more productive than those who do not”. Tempted yet?
Encourages Social Interaction
Depending on what you’re looking for, golf can be a really social game. Whether you’re seeking the laughs of crazy golf, the simplicity of pitch and putt, the challenge of the driving range, or the dynamic play of the fairway, it’s a game that can be perfectly tailored to the needs of you and your friends.
One of the top health benefits of golf, the social interaction that comes with this sport is something we love at Dainton Park Golf Club, during both friendly and competitive play. It’s well-known that socialising has links to happiness and a sense of belonging, all of which is enhanced by the conservation, laughter and camaraderie of golf.
The National Institutions of Health released a deep dive into ‘the relationships between golf and health’, revealing that golf facilitates social interaction, creates opportunities to build connections, and also boosts confidence and self-identity. We also love that it’s one of the few sports that people of all generations can play together, making it extra special.
Supports Balance, Flexibility, and Longevity
During a typical round of golf at Dainton Park, the combination of walking, swinging, stretching and extending creates a great general workout for the body. With regular play, this can lead to massively improved balance and flexibility. As your golfing game improves, so too will your core strength, swing movements, and body awareness, not to mention your overall posture.
That means that not only will you enhance your strength and stability (and your golfing prowess!), but you can also reduce the risk of injuries and falls in day-to-day life too. One of the top health benefits of golf, this holistic approach to body activity can lead to improved quality of daily life, as well as increased life expectancy too.
In other words, not only is golf great fun, but it actively promotes a happier, healthier, and longer life!
Enjoy the Health Benefits of Golf at Dainton Park Golf Club
Won over by the undeniable health benefits of golf? Set within 125 picturesque acres in South Devon, our welcoming golf course awaits for perfect putting. Ideal for golfers of all ages and abilities, our Adrian Stiff-designed parkland course offers challenging and rewarding play across an exquisitely manicured Devon landscape. Choose a course to suit your game and make the most of the beautiful backdrop, before unwinding with some well-deserved refreshments in our restaurant, bar, terrace, or Orangery.
Book your tee time or reserve your table – visitors and non-members are very welcome.