Throughout our lives, exercise, both physical and mental, is essential for maintaining our health. Golf provides a variety of health benefits, contributing to both of these aspects.

Physical

Medical professionals suggest that you get 150 minutes of exercise each week. Play 9 holes of golf and you already have 120 minutes in!Despite being a low impact sport, golf is great for your physical health. From walking the course to carrying your bag and swinging the club, you are staying active which improves heart health. The physical exercise increases your heart rate and blood flow, which in turn, reduces your risk of heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and diabetes among other diseases.

Golf is a lifetime sport, beneficial to a person of any age.It is a non-contact sport with a low injury risk. This makes it a safe sport ranging from children to seniors to enjoy. Golf is also a relatively safe sport to play during COVID-19 because it is a non-contact sport, outside and includes small groups of people.  You can even play solo.

Psychological

While many people tend to think of the physical benefits of golf, there are also psychological benefits. Exercise in general is linked to better sleep and improved mood.Physical activity helps fight off depression, anxiety and overall mental well-being by relieving stress, boosting energy and releasing endorphins. The social aspect of golf also helps your mental well-being. We are social animals by nature. Socializing, similar to exercising, releases endorphins and keeps the mind active. The social aspects of golf are particularly helpful for seniors who lose touch with others as they get older. By playing golf, you may find your mood improve and stress levels decrease with mental and social benefits.

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Golf in particular helps stimulate the brain. It requires concentration and we make a variety of mental calculations before each shot. We think about how far we need to hit the ball, the lie, slope, wind, the memories of your last golf lesson.  We may bethinking multiple shots ahead that will get us the par. This mental stimulation reduces or delays cognitive decline and combats Alzheimer’s and dementia.Therefore, golf can help reduce brain diseases and lead to a healthier brain now and in the future.

The physical and psychological benefits of golf combined with its low risk make it the perfect sport for longevity. In case you needed another reason to hit the course (or go to your local indoor golf simulator place *wink*), now you have it.

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