There’s no denying that playing golf can be good for your health. You’re out in the middle of nature, (preferably) walking a few miles around a course chasing a little white ball. It turns out watching golf can help reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke or diabetes.
Yes, you read that correctly, watching golf is good for you. Of course, there is a catch to that fact.
GolfCanada.ca posted the results of a study from the University of Edinburgh the bore out the facts.
So there’s good news and there’s bad news, golf fans: the good news is that watching golf can significantly improve your health and reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes.
The bad news: watching it on TV doesn’t count.
But let’s be honest – if your idea of watching golf involves spending the better part of a weekend couch-bound with a bowl of salty snacks and a high-definition big screen, you already know you’re missing out on the magic of being there to see the game played at the highest level up close.
Turns out attending a golf tournament in person can be almost as beneficial to one’s health as playing the game itself, says a new study from the University of Edinburgh, that august Scottish campus just 90 minutes around the Firth of Forth from the cradle of the game in St. Andrews.
The study, billed as the first to assess the physical activity of tournament spectators, found that nearly 83 percent of participants exceeded the recommended daily step-count levels, taking on average some 11,589 steps over a day spent watching the on-course action in person.
Watching golf (in person) is good for you, writes CP’s @froghairgolfhttps://t.co/hbZIIfeeAL
— Andrea Baillie (@AndreaBaillie1) September 21, 2017
“Walking is one of the best things you can do for your health, adding years to life and increasing health and happiness,” said Dr. Andrew Murray, the researcher from the school’s Physical Activity for Health Research Centre who authored the study.
“These pilot findings show golf spectators can experience physical activity to benefit their health while watching a top-quality sport at close quarters. This could have huge implications on event attendance and encouraging more people to attend a professional event or begin playing the sport.”
With the help of the Golf and Health Project, a grow-the-game initiative spearheaded by the World Golf Federation, Murray gathered his data at Scotland’s Gleneagles resort during the 2014 Ryder Cup, easily one of the most compelling events on the global pro golf calendar.
“Our study shows that the vast majority of spectators did spend at least some time walking the course,” Murray said in an email. “The health benefits would not apply to the small number that sit in one location all the time.”
Murray recommends taking the full measure of the golf course for a better grasp of the tournament’s ebb and flow: “You’ll get health benefits and also see all of the course that the players are up against.”
The Golf and Health Project aims to grow the game by promoting the many virtues of playing and watching what it calls a “holistic” sport – one that can help mitigate countless ills, from diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular problems to depression and self-esteem – and promoting its growth among young people.
It cites one Swedish study that found golfers, particularly those who walk the course, typically live up to five years longer than non-golfers, thanks to the fact that the game can generate sustained levels of moderate physical activity, contrary to its cigars-and-scotch image.
“Regular physical activity is one of the best presents we can give our children, making them on average healthier and happier,” Murray said.
“It’s also a great opportunity for family time and fresh air, which we also know are key determinants of wellness, from a public health perspective.”
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