Healthy Living with Golf

If you’re looking for a golf course to play a round with friends or simply work on your drive, you’ve definitely got plenty of options to choose from in Monmouth County. With six public courses made available through your Monmouth County Park System, you could spend more time trying to decide on a course than actually playing! Each year more than 200,000 rounds are played on our courses. Our facilities can accommodate golfers of all skill levels, so whether you’re a beginner, amateur, expert, or somewhere in between, Monmouth County courses provide something for everyone. We offer five championship 18-hole courses, two 18-hole executive courses, a 9-hole, par 3 course, and three warm-up ranges. Learn about them all by clicking here.

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind ever invented." - Arnold Palmer

But did you also know that studies show golf could be one of the healthiest activities you can do? There are so many health benefits to playing golf that it would fill the pages of a book versus the limits of this blog post! From a health perspective, golf is the perfect form of exercise, providing a diverse workout and helping to lay the foundations for a more active life. There are numerous ways in which you can keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, it just so happens that regularly engaging in a round of golf can offer the same benefits as other forms of exercise! To be good at most sports like football, tennis, basketball, baseball, swimming or athletics, you have to be very strong, fast or physically fit. Not for golf. Golfers come in all shapes and sizes, from youths to seniors. Moreover, it is a low-impact sport that further demonstrates a wide variety of mental and physical health benefits for people of all ages. 

Unlike other intense sports, golf is a game that fosters conversation. In much the same vein, it becomes a great way to spend time with friends and provide opportunities to meet new people. Golf can even be the best form of Ecotherapy, otherwise known as "green exercise" which emphasizes the importance of combining exercise with an outdoor activity. Basking in nature on an 18-hole course provides health benefits for both mind and body. So grab your clubs and play some golf. Your body will thank you!

Various studies have highlighted some ways that heading out for 18 holes can make you healthier:

• Mental Alertness - Golf is as much a mental game as it is a physical game. The required concentration as you set up your next shot and maintain good form, visualize yourself succeeding, and plot out your strategy sends blood rushing to your brain just as much as walking the course. Golf teaches problem solving and keeps the mind sharp. Clive Ballard, Director of Research at the Alzheimer’s Society, says: “Whether it is going for a jog or walking the golf course, keeping physically active is a great way to keep your heart and your brain healthy. By keeping active you make sure your brain has a good, strong blood supply, which is essential to help it function better now and in the future.” 
• Provides Stress Relief and Boosts Mood - Aside from the physical benefits, being out and about in a setting as beautiful as a golf course with plenty of fresh air is believed to be able to improve your mental well-being, as well as benefit those suffering with stress or anxiety. A study conducted by the University of Essex found that the pleasure of walking in fresh air with an added mental challenge releases endorphins, the natural mood-enhancing chemicals in your brain, which make you feel happy and relaxed. 
• Increases Life Expectancy - Want to live your longest, healthiest life? Golf could be the key to longevity. According to the Golf & Health Project, supported by the World Golf Foundation, golf can be expected to decrease the risk of more than 40 chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and colon and breast cancer. 
• Improves Vitamin D Intake - Vitamin D is an important nutrient that your body is able to synthesize naturally when it’s exposed to sufficient levels of sunlight. Fortunately, the sun is an excellent (and free!) source of vitamin D. During the summer and fall months, playing a round of golf may be an excellent means of ensuring your body can produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D. It has been shown to reduce your risk of cancer, help your bones maintain appropriate calcium levels, boost your immune system, boost your mood, prevent or reduce chronic diseases, and much more. 
• Weight Loss - Golf is a form of exercise that contributes to healthy weight loss. You’ve probably heard health professionals mention that 10,000 steps per day is the golden number to achieve weight-loss. Berkeley Wellness reported findings from a study that indicated a full 18-hole round easily exceeds the recommendation. Players who choose to ride in a golf buggy rather than walking, or wish to play a shortened round of 9-holes, will still expend more calories than a strenuous, lengthy gym workout!

Not currently a golfer but interested in learning to play? Be sure to check out the Park System's golf lessons available for all levels. 

We'll see you on the greens!