Staying golf fit from home

A game of 9 or 18 holes isn't just a social catch up, it's a golfer’s weekly workout; and a pretty extensive one at that! To help all the golfers out there continue to keep fit and feeling great, we have three alternative activities that clock up some serious steps and provide similar health and fitness benefits to a round of golf.  

What are the benefits of golf? 

Surprisingly, golf rarely gets noticed for its fitness benefits, possibly because the game can sometimes be seen only like leisurely social game. Science, on the other hand, says a round of golf is a great form of exercise that has many different health and wellbeing perks!  

In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh found that playing golf is likely to increase life expectancy, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and boost mental health. 

“We know that the moderate physical activity that golf provides increases life expectancy, has mental health benefits, and can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer,” says Dr Andrew Murray, the lead researcher in the Golf & Health Project, Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh.  

So just how much exercise can you get when you play 9 holes of golf?  

Last December, Belgravia Leisure put two golfers to the test at the Keilor Public Golf Course in Victoria. Keilor Golf Clubs, Melissa and local golfer, Matthew agreed to play 9 holes wearing a Samsung tracking device, so we could measure how much exercise they were getting on the course. 

It is recommended that an ideal amount of physical activity for a whole day is equivalent to approximately 10,000 steps. It took Melissa and Matthew about 1.5 hours to complete the nine holes at Keilor (mostly par 4s and 5s) which saw Melissa walk 4.09km (6382 steps) and burn 630 calories, and Matthew 4.52km (6546 steps) and 654 calories. 

So, what can you do make sure you continue to clock up your normal 'golf' steps? 

1. Participate in regular at-home fitness classes  

   Online fitness classes are a fantastic way to get active from the comfort of your home. The great thing about fitness classes is that they can be done by anyone! There are family-friendly workouts, ageless workouts, mindfulness workouts, something for the mums and tonnes of #partnergoals options.  
   
   With your exclusive member access to Home Fitness Network, you can try out a tonne of adrenalin pumping Les Mills exercise classes. Here are some of the favourites and the associated health benefits of the class:  

• Body Attack - A sports-inspired cardio workout for building strength and stamina. This high-energy interval training class combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilisation exercises.  

• Born to Move – A great fun workout to get your kids exercising and maintaining strong bones and muscles. 

• Les Mills Mindfulness – Sessions that focus on calming the mind. 
  
  To find out more about Home Fitness Network visit https://bit.ly/homefitnessnetwork 

2. Try out a new and safe outdoor activity  

   You can burn as many calories as Melissa and Matthew burned in their game of golf through several other safe outdoor activities. According to figures from Harvard University, you can burn the same number of calories by participating in one of the following activities for 1 hour:  

• Practising basketball or footy for an hour 

• Riding your bicycle or local cycling 

• Running approximately 8.05km/h (7.5 min/km) 

3. Set up your ‘at-home’ golf practice stations to keep up your skills  

   You might've already some seen keen golfers getting creative with their unconventional but effective chipping or putting, or driving stations. Now it’s your turn. 
   
   Where possible, scout your house for safe locations (avoid windows, the street and neighbouring houses) and set up at-home chipping, putting or driving stations. Creative ideas we have seen include:  

• Putting – indoors on flat floor or carpet into a stubby holder, a shoe or a plastic cup 

• Chipping – in your backyard or driveway into a wheelbarrow, a bin or plastic cup 

• Driving – set up a sheet or net in your backyard or garage, position yourself close enough so the ball will not go outside of the backing net and swing away 
  
  Or if you’re looking to level up, why not try out the Sarah Kemps ladder challenge. There are plenty of extra tricky games trending, to challenge you after you have mastered the basics. 

How can you get social without being at your club or course? 

Social interaction is a major benefit of playing golf, which has also been linked to positively impacting an individual's mental health. The Australian Government Department of Health’s ‘Head to Health’, has stated that ‘while we are keeping physically distant, it is more important than ever that we remain socially and emotionally connected’.  

In line with the #InThisTogether campaign, everyone is encouraged to proactively follow and share these helpful tips while we remain socially and emotionally connected with family, friends, neighbours and your community. 

Some ways you can connect with your friends, families and fellow golfers may be:  

• Call or video talk to a friend  

• Reach out and ask someone how they are doing  

To find out more visit https://www.health.gov.au/ and remember to follow your course social media to stay up to date with the latest golf updates and tips and tricks!