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Did you know that you burn calories even if you’re just lying in bed? Every little thing, including breathing, digesting food, and fidgeting, burns calories! So even though golf is a more relaxed sport than many others, it’s still a great way to burn off some calories and help you in your weight loss or weight maintenance goals.
It’s not just a good calorie burner, though. You’ll also get a bit of a muscular workout—less intense than many other sports, but enough to add to the calorie burn and make you feel a little stiff the day after. Here’s what you need to know about golf as exercise.
Golf as Exercise: Can It Really Help You Burn Calories?
Yes, playing golf can really help you burn calories! While at first glance it may not seem like it, playing golf is challenging and physically demanding.
If you look at the golf swing, you’ll see the majority of the muscles in your body work throughout the swing phase. All of this muscle usage contributes more than you realize to calorie expenditure.
During the Backswing
- Upper body: Shoulders, back muscles
- Core: Abdominals, obliques
- Lower body: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves
With the Downswing
- Upper body: Chest, shoulders, back muscles, arms
- Core: Abdominals, obliques
- Lower body: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves
Follow-Through
- Upper body: Chest, shoulders, back muscles, arms
- Core: Abdominals, obliques
- Lower body: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves
So you could quite easily burn 150 to 250 calories just by hitting golf balls at the driving range or even a golf simulator for an hour.
How Many Calories Can You Burn Playing Golf?
Speak to any golfer and they’ll tell you that no round of golf is the same. The number of calories you burn will depend on a variety of things. Things that affect the total number of calories you burn might include:
- Walking vs. driving a golf cart: Walking burns more calories than riding.
- Carrying your bag vs. using a cart: Your golf bag adds weight, so carrying it helps burn more calories.
- The terrain of the golf course: A hilly course requires more effort to navigate, increasing the calorie-burning benefits.
- The length of the round: You’ll burn more calories playing 18 holes vs 9 holes.
- Your pace of play: A faster pace can lead to a higher caloric burn.
Walking 18 Holes (Without Carrying Clubs)
A typical 18-hole golf course is around 4 to 6 miles long, and it can take between 3 and 5 hours to finish.
- At a light intensity (Slow Pace, Flat Terrain): You can burn 800 to 1200 calories
- Moderate Intensity (Moderate Pace, Some Hills): About 1200 to 1600 calories
- High Intensity (Fast Pace, Hilly Terrain): It’s entirely possible to burn 1600 to 2000+ calories
Walking 18 Holes (Carrying Clubs or Pushing a Cart)
- Light Intensity (Slow Pace, Flat Terrain): you could burn 1000 to 1400 calories
- Moderate Intensity (Moderate Pace, Some Hills): about 1400 to 1800 calories
- High Intensity (Fast Pace, Hilly Terrain): approximately 1800 to 2200+ calories
Riding in a Golf Cart (18 Holes)
The number of calories you’ll burn if you ride in a golf cart during your round of 18 holes will be significantly reduced compared to when you walk the course. You could still burn between 300 and 500 calories, though.
Factors That Affect How Many Calories You Burn Playing Golf
Your Body Weight
One of the biggest factors that contribute to how many calories you can burn is your weight. This isn’t to say that heavier people have faster metabolisms. The more you weigh, the more energy you need to expend to move, so the more calories you will burn when playing golf or doing any other activity.
According to a Harvard study, a person who weighs 125 pounds can burn 105 calories playing a round and using a golf cart for 30 minutes. Someone who weighs 185 pounds would burn 147 calories playing a round and using a golf cart for 30 minutes.
Age
Unfortunately, as we get older, our metabolism slows down and it’s estimated that it decreases by about 2 to 3% per decade. There are a few things that can affect your metabolism as you age, including hormonal changes, loss of muscle mass, and possible neurological changes.
This means that the older you are, the fewer calories you burn during activity. However, you can slow down age-related decline in metabolic rate by adding strength training to your weekly routine and engaging in regular physical activity.
Gender
Men tend to have higher basal metabolic rates than women, and there are several reasons for this. Men usually have a higher percentage of lean muscle mass, which tends to burn more calories at rest than fat.
Women tend to have higher body fat percentage and unfortunately for women, body fat is less metabolically active than muscle tissue, leading to a lower basal metabolic rate.
Hormones can also contribute to basal metabolic rates, as testosterone helps men build muscle. The more muscle a man has, the higher his basal metabolic rate will be.
Women have higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, which may promote fat storage, contributing to a higher body fat percentage and a lower BMR.
Tips for Burning More Calories While Playing Golf
If you’re looking to increase your calorie burn while playing golf, try some of these tricks:
Increase the Pace of Play
Try and increase the pace of play by picking up the pace between shots. It’s important to note that it’s not always possible to speed up, especially if the group ahead of you has slowed down—you have to wait your turn.
Take the Long Route
Instead of walking straight to the next tee or to your ball for your next shot, try zig-zagging. This will increase the distance, which can help you get more steps in and burn a few more calories.
Practice Swings
As part of your set-up routine, take a few extra practice swings before hitting the ball. Not only will this help burn extra calories, but it can help you focus and settle into your set-up, which can increase your performance.
Conclusion
Golf can be relaxing, easygoing, and a wonderful way to spend a few chilled-out hours. But that doesn’t mean it’s not physically taxing—if you’re looking to burn some calories and shed some pounds, it’s an excellent way to do so in a fun outdoor environment.
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
