Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Cory Bali tee’s off at hole #1 during Cheyne Agri Services’ Customer Appreciation Day at Kingswood Golf on Friday, July 25, 2008

By: Darcie Thom

Golf hasn’t always been the chosen sport for the sport enthusiasts, but in the more recent years, both men and women are starting to enjoy the game of golf and the benefits that it holds.

Not all that long ago, men were the only golfers out on the green practicing and performing their swing, until the more recent years when women stepped up to the tee.  More women are welcoming themselves into the world of sports, a place they were not typically seen in the past years.

Both men and women are finding that the game of golf is a sport that involves a low-impact cardiovascular workout, improves flexibility and tones muscles. Walking is a recommended workout, over jogging, by professionals because it does less damage to the knees and feet. Playing a typical round of golf, 18 holes, can very easily add up to about 3 to 5 miles, which is more than the average person walks in a day. That is, if you walk and don’t use a golf cart. Playing one round of golf provides the same health benefits as a 45-minute fitness class.

In most cases, golfers will rent a golf cart to save from toting the full golf bags around, but there are a few people who carry their bags during their hike on the green. This may sound a little “crazy”, but some people feel that they achieve a better workout this way.

Any person who has ever been through a round of golf knows that the terrain isn’t always so straight. With the uphill and downhill slopes, the small ponds and the distance between each of the holes, one is bound to get a load of exercise.

Golf is not only great for the physical aspects, but it is also good for mental health benefits and hand-eye coordination. Swing clubs and putting is a great way to maintain physical workouts, improves flexibility and the repetition helps to build and tone muscles in the arms, shoulders and back.

Any avid golfer would be happy to agree that golf, when it is not a competition, is a stress releasing aid along with a mood booster. Spending time in the sun and shade can boost a person’s spirits, especially when they are with friends and/or family that also have the same passion for the game.

Adults and students who focus their energy on a low-impact sport like golf are not getting any less of a workout than those who are focusing their energy on high-impact sports.