How good is golf as aerobic exercise?

[delc]

When I retired from work 5 years ago and started playing golf more than once or twice a week, I lost a load of weight for the first six months or so without dieting or anything. Down from 105 to 85 kilos, but since then I have steadily been putting it back on despite playing 4 or 5 rounds a week, and am now about 93 kilos. My doctor has told me to lose weight as my blood pressure is getting a bit on the high side.

Playing a round of golf involves about 5 miles of walking around our track, so you would think provide plenty of aerobic exercise, but you see some pretty fat geezers on the Trilby Tour, and some of our club members are fairly (Er!) well built. I wonder if continually stopping walking to play shots reduces its value as exercise? Any views on this?

Before anybody comments, I don't stuff my face with bacon butties before the round or drink 10 pints of beer afterwards!

 

[Smiffy]

I would imagine you get more exercise with the continual stopping and starting.
An engine or boiler uses more energy starting up, so a gutbucket like you should also do the same Del

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It's way better than none at all and depending on terrain/carry/trolley/buggy etc will be a factor also, don't forget muscle weighs more than fat, so the amount you've done since retirement alone will of benefited your legs and your heart, so some of that weight gain might be muscle, sometimes a better indication of getting healthier maybe measuring waist/kneck etc.
Some good advice in the fit thread in OOB.

 

[garyinderry]

No.

Your weight problem is stemming from your own kitchen. Golf daily won't cure a poor diet.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

No.

Your weight problem is stemming from your own kitchen. Golf daily won't cure a poor diet.

Bit simplistic mate, totally agree with the diet first and foremost, but for someone of retirement age the exercise you do playing Golf can only be beneficial.

 

[Whereditgo]

Virtually none, golf doesn't raise the heart rate for sustained periods - missing short putts only raises it momentarily!

 

[garyinderry]

It will certainly do no harm but you just have to look at the amount of over weight golfers to know that it does next to nothing to combat a poor diet.

It may help in other aspects of your health but for weight loss/management you may look elsewhere.

 

[Fish]

The key to this is remembering that 1 hole at 1 end of the body is significantly smaller than the 1 at the other end!

Late snacks rack the weight on, I cut out all my late night snacking and lost 1 stone very easily and quickly.

 

[Blue in Munich]

The key to this is remembering that 1 hole at 1 end of the body is significantly smaller than the 1 at the other end!

Late snacks rack the weight on, I cut out all my late night snacking and lost 1 stone very easily and quickly.

Are you sure you should be using analogies involving the size of holes in a delc thread? It'll only end in tears…….

 

[Fish]

Are you sure you should be using analogies involving the size of holes in a delc thread? It'll only end in tears…….

I thought I would throw that analogy up, I knew someone would come along and bat it :smirk:

 

[delc]

Virtually none, golf doesn't raise the heart rate for sustained periods - missing short putts only raises it momentarily!

So is 5 miles of brisk non-stop walking better exercise than 5 miles of playing golf, even though no effort in actually hitting golf shots is involved?

:mmm:

 

[Smiffy]

I cut out all my late night snacking and lost 1 stone very easily and quickly.

If you want to lose a further 2 stone of ugly, unwanted fat, cut your head off

 

[delc]

If you want to lose a further 2 stone of ugly, unwanted fat, cut your head off

I don't think that comment was strictly necessary!

 

[FairwayDodger]

So is 5 miles of brisk non-stop walking better exercise than 5 miles of playing golf, even though no effort in actually hitting golf shots is involved?

:mmm:

Pretty much, yes. If you walk briskly between shots enough to raise your heart rate then golf can be as good as a brisk walk.

 

[delc]

Pretty much, yes. If you walk briskly between shots enough to raise your heart rate then golf can be as good as a brisk walk.

No point in walking briskly between shots if you then have to wait several minutes for the group ahead to play their shots! Is fitness another good reason for speeding up play? :mmm:

 

[garyinderry]

do five star jumps every time you reach your ball. the weight will fall off. just make sure you don't do it on someone's line.

 

[Fish]

It's coming, I just know it's coming......

 

[Smiffy]

No point in walking briskly between shots if you then have to wait several minutes for the group ahead to play their shots! Is fitness another good reason for speeding up play? :mmm:

And here we go.......

 

[Fish]

https://youtu.be/itAOGRiYRLI

 

[Whereditgo]

Pretty much, yes. If you walk briskly between shots enough to raise your heart rate then golf can be as good as a brisk walk.

Except it's not sustained, there are too many rests when playing golf for it to be comparable. Better than no exercise at all for sure, but I don't think it is aerobic.