The Health Benefits of Golf

Golfing has a reputation for being less than a rigorous sport. However, studies show that golfers are really receiving a golf workout on the course. That is, provided they don't use a golf cart!

Prevention Magazine reported that when 55 sedentary, middle-age men started playing golf two or three times a week, over a 5-month period they:

- Burned an average of 1,750 calories per game
- Walked 5 miles on average per game
- Decreased abdominal fat by 8 percent
- Lost 5 pounds
- Increased "good" HDL cholesterol by 5 percent
- Shrank their waistlines by an inch
- Lowered "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides by 4 percent each
- Cut total cholesterol by 2 percent
- Decreased blood pressure
- Became more aerobically fit
- Improved endurance in their trunk muscles
- Stuck with the program

The men in the study were healthy and less than 10 pounds overweight to begin with. So if you're overweight or have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, you're likely to see even greater results.