Golf can be played at any age, and is enjoyed by millions of people around the world – particularly those in the ageing category. Golf is the most popular organised sport among older Australians, who perceive many benefits from playing the game. Here’s why older people love golf – and why you should give it a try too if you’ve never played before.
It can be played at any age
Golf provides lower physical demands on participants when compared to many other sports. It’s particularly good for older people, who may not be able to participate in more strenuous sports. It allows older people to still be able to participate in physical activity, and to reap all the benefits that sport provides. Older people can continue playing and enjoying the game for many years, as it’s an achievable sport regardless of age. The handicap system also levels the playing field, and allows older players to complete fairly.
It has health benefits for older people
Golf is not only possible for older people, it’s also highly beneficial.
Golf will help improve your:
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Calorie burning and weight loss
- Step count
- Muscle strength and tone
- Endurance
- Vision (by helping you focus on targets and track ball flights)
- Coordination
- Balance
- Bone density and health
- Vitamin D levels (which help prevent bone loss)
- Posture
- Sleep
- Mental health
- Self-esteem and confidence
- Focus and concentration
- Decision-making skills and problem-solving ability
- Mental capacity and brain health
- Mood
- Social connectedness
- Longevity
Golf will help reduce your:
- Risk of chronic conditions (such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer)
- Mortality rate
- Risk of falls
- Stress and anxiety levels
- Risk of mental illnesses such as dementia
- Feelings of pain and depression
- Loneliness and isolation
- Weight
Golf is great exercise for older people, but it doesn’t feel like exercise, making people much more likely to participate.
Click here to read more about how golf can help you live longer.
It’s easier on the body than many other sports
As mentioned above, golf doesn’t require the same physical intensity as sports such as football, running or hockey, for example. Other, more ‘athletic’ sports also come with a higher risk of injury, but the risk of injury when playing golf is low.
It provides opportunities to socialise and connect with others
Connection and socialising have never been more important for older people, with isolation and loneliness bringing enormous negative health impacts as you age. Loneliness can actually shorten your life, and contributes to health conditions that can impact the quality of your life, too. Golf gives older people the opportunity to make friends and connections and socialise on a regular basis, as golf is quite a social game. That weekly connection often keeps people going, allows them to regularly connect with others and gives them something to look forward to.
It is associated with tradition, etiquette and a sense of belonging to the community
Golf is considered quite a conservative and refined sport, and has many years of tradition behind it. All these things are particularly appealing to older generations, who tend to value tradition, manners and community.
It helps keep your mind sharp
The older you get, the less physical the sport of golf gets, and the more mental it becomes. Older golfers often need to strategise and compromise to make up for loss of strength, which requires creativity and strategic thinking. It’s almost akin to the brain benefits you get from doing a puzzle. The strategic and mental side of golf can help keep your brain active, your mind sharp and adaptable and help develop new neural pathways in the brain.
It improves your balance
Golf improves muscles strength and tone, which plays a big role in improving your balance. All that swinging, walking, or climbing in and out of a golf buggy improves agility and mobility and allows you to maintain or improve your balance. It’s true that if you don’t use it you lose it – and golf can help prevent you losing your physical abilities as you age.
It allows you to benefit from time in the great outdoors
Time spent in nature is highly beneficial for health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that stress and anger levels drop, while feelings of happiness and wellbeing increase when people spend time in green spaces. Golf provides fresh air, exercise, exposure to essential Vitamin D and all the benefits of being in green spaces; and helps older people stay healthy and well.
You can take advantage of improvements in technology
Golf technology never stands still, and improvements in modern technology allow ageing players to hit the ball further now than ever before. Equipment can be modified to make the game easier for older players, and to help provide better distance and accuracy as players get older. Modifications such as clubs with lighter shafts and heads with more lift can all help ageing players perform better and make the most of what they’ve got.
You can use a golf buggy
One of the good things about getting older is the fact that you can use a golf buggy without anyone questioning it! And a golf bugger, whether walker or ride on, is a great idea to help older golfers get around the course easily and save their strength and energy for their shots. Golf buggies take the strain off your body and help reduce the risk of injury, and can keep older golfers on the course for longer. Check out our high-quality range here.
