Golf: The Secret to Longevity!

Golf isn’t just a game; it’s a lifeline to longevity and better health.

Beyond the scorecards and friendly competition, golf holds hidden benefits that can add years to our lives and vitality to our day-to-day living. Let’s explore why prioritizing our golf game—and more importantly, our body as our most vital piece of equipment—is essential for our health, happiness, and future rounds of golf on the course!

1. The Heart Health Benefits of Golf

Golf may not seem as intense as running or cycling, but don’t let the slow and steady nature of the sport fool you. Walking an 18-hole course we will do 10,000+ plus steps and contribute to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which is excellent for cardiovascular (heart) health [1,2]. Regular golf lowers blood pressure, improves circulation, and boosts overall endurance, helping you maintain energy levels both on and off the course [3].

2. Strength, Flexibility, and Resilience

A golf swing requires a blend of strength, flexibility, and coordination. Playing golf consistently engages muscles across your entire body, including your core, legs, and upper body. The rotational movement helps preserve joint mobility and prevent stiffness, making daily movements easier and more fluid [4]. This focus on functional movement helps reduce the risk of falls and injuries—key for anyone looking to remain active and independent as they age [5,6].

3. Mental Health and Sharpness

    

Golf is as much a mental game as a physical one. Every shot demands strategic thinking, problem-solving, and concentration, all of which are excellent for keeping the brain sharp. Studies show that activities requiring mental acuity can slow cognitive decline [7]. The added benefit? The camaraderie of playing with friends and engaging in friendly competition promotes mental well-being and reduces stress and anxiety [8,9].

4. A Pathway to Longevity

    

Research indicates that golfers live longer compared to non-golfers. This longevity isn’t just due to physical activity; it’s about the combination of being outdoors, interacting socially, and maintaining a purpose that gets you up and moving [10]. This lifestyle has profound effects on not just lifespan but on the quality of life [11].

5. Golf and Social Well-being

    

Playing golf encourages social interaction and builds community. For the forever-online world we live in, this is especially vital. Getting out on the course with friends or even meeting new playing partners enhances emotional health and combats feelings of loneliness or isolation [12,13]. It’s a cycle that fosters happiness and increases the likelihood that you’ll stick with this healthy activity long-term.

6. Your Body: The Most Important Piece of Equipment

    

As you step onto the course with your state-of-the-art clubs, imagine this: the most critical piece of golf equipment isn’t what you hold in your hands, but your body itself. No amount of advanced gear can substitute for the mobility, strength, and pain-free movement required to drive the ball longer, play more rounds, and do so comfortably [14-16].

Golf is more than a hobby—it’s a recipe for vitality. Its blend of moderate exercise, mental challenge, and social connection offers unrivaled health benefits. But without a plan to maintain your most essential piece of equipment—your body—these benefits can be compromised.

What you can do to ensure you’re getting golf longevity benefits

1. Identify and understand what swing characteristics you have and how your body is contributing to them (better to work on something before it becomes a problem).
   • We can do this for you here. It is FREE, however spots are limited.
2. Playing smarter (and more often) by adopting a program tailored to your needs. Have a simple, yet specific, golf exercise program that assists you to keep you on the course and performing! The exercises in the program would be targeted to help your body with quick (stretches) and long term (strength) strategies in place to help improve the muscles and movements that are holding you back.
   • We can do this with you via our 12 week Move Better Play Better Golf program which builds your Golf Body Blueprint and Forever Set of Golf Exercises
   • Alternatively you can start upgrading your most important piece of golf equipment, your body, for free by joining our Move Better Play Better Community
3. Other ideas that could positively assist the above two strategies would be:
   • Check equipment is suited to your swing and body
   • Get a lesson from a coach who understands your movement limitations and is happy to work with them (i.e.not a “my way or the highway” style)

Share these insights with your spouse or loved ones, and let them understand that prioritizing golf is prioritizing your health. Your body, after all, deserves the same attention you’d give to your favorite golf club!

Happy golfing,

Ben Taylor
Helping hundreds of golfers (and counting), starting 8 years ago
Level 3 Golf Medical Expert at Titleist Performance Institute
Creator of Move Better Play Better Golf program

 

References

1. American Heart Association. Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org
2. Harvard Medical School. The benefits of walking. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu
3. Stenner, B., Mosewich, A. D., & Buckley, J. D. (2016). The benefits of playing golf for the health and well-being of older adults. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(1), 1-9. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1035662
4. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Importance of Strength and Balance Exercises for Older Adults. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov
5. Smith, N., & Wood, P. R. (2010). Rotational movement training for improved core stability and flexibility in golfers. Golf Science Journal, 7(4), 45-56.
6. British Journal of Sports Medicine. (2019). Low-impact sports and their role in reducing fall risks for seniors. BJSM, 53(7), 409-415. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099901
7. Alzheimer’s Society. Mental stimulation and cognitive health: Activities that slow down cognitive decline. Retrieved from https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
8. Psychology Today. Physical activity, social connection, and mental well-being. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com
9. Loprinzi, P. D., & Kane, C. (2015). Exercise and cognitive function: A prospective study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 5452-5463. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120605452
10. Farahmand, B., Broman, G., de Faire, U., Vågerö, D., & Ahlbom, A. (2009). Golf: A game of life and longevity. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 19(3), 419-424. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00814.x
11. Harvard Health Publishing. (2018). The link between regular exercise and increased life expectancy. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu
12. American Psychological Association (APA). Social interaction and mental health benefits in aging adults. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org
13. Golf & Health Project (R&A-backed). The health benefits of golf: A comprehensive review. Retrieved from https://www.golfandhealth.org
14. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. (2021). Targeted mobility and strength training to reduce pain in seniors. JAPA, 29(2), 128-140. DOI: 10.1123/japa.2020-0271
15. Physical Therapy Journals. (2020). Case studies on exercise programs for managing joint pain in golfers. Retrieved from https://www.ptjournal.org
16. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Functional training principles for injury prevention in athletes. Retrieved from https://www.nasm.org