Tee Off to Tone Up & Torch Calories
I woke up incredibly sore this morning. Though I probably worked out a little more than usual while on vacation, I didn’t try any new exercises. Then I realized what it was…golf.
I don’t play often — probably once or twice a year — but I enjoy golfing. Because I do it so infrequently though, those muscles rarely see any action.
My dad and grandparents are big golfers, so we hit the links twice while I was there and it did certainly did a number on my body (in a good way).
Golf works your chest, butt, external obliques, and back.
And despite what you may think, it burns a lot of calories. If you’re walking and carrying your bag, you’ll burn about 325 calories an hour. Even in a cart, a 130 pound person burns about 200 calories an hour. Since 18 holes takes about 4 hours, you’re looking at an 800 calorie burn for one game!
The best thing about it, you don’t even really realize you’re “working out.”
I would much rather engage in a fun, social activity for my daily exercise than spend an hour grinding it out in the gym. And I’d only burn about 300 calories on an average 30 minute treadmill run.
So you might be thinking to yourself, “This is all well and great Whitney, but I don’t know how to play golf” or “Golfing is too expensive” or “I don’t have any clubs.”
Guess what, none of those things matter.
Going to a driving range and hitting balls will give you essentially the same calorie burn as actually playing, and it’s way less expensive. A bucket of balls only costs about $5 to $7 dollars. If you’re in the L.A. area, Griffith Park has a nice range that I like to go to.
And if you don’t know how to play, a driving range is the perfect place to practice. Some ranges will lend you clubs. If not, you can pick up some clubs for very cheap at a used sporting goods store like Play it Again Sports, while you’re still learning.
You’ll still work the same muscles and burn the same amount of calories regardless of how terrible you are.
My favorite part of the sport though, is the fun accessories. I mean, how cute is this butterfly ball marker??
Elle@thewaybyelle says:
I love golfing, but I only get to go about once a year. : ( My husband now takes our 6 yr. old with him instead of me!
The first time I went golfing, it actually saved me from going blind in one eye! When I teed off and got the ball in the air up high, I couldn’t see it. I noticed there was a kind of “curtain” (the only way to describe it) across my vision in my right (I think!) eye. I went into the optometrist a few days later and she told me my retina was peeling off! I underwent surgery the next day and within a month or so, everything was healed!
Whitney English says:
Wow, you’re so lucky! It’s so interesting how how things like that happen. If you’d never tried golfing you may not have caught it in time. It was fate! So glad to hear everything worked out.
Paula Porter says:
Great article on golf and the calories burned Whitney. Love the information you research and share on your blog. Some days when I am in a golf tournament and I come home tired from the heat and competition I feel too tired to workout and don’t think about the workout golf gives me because I walk 18. Good to know:)
Whitney English says:
I know. I was so surprised by how many calories you burn, but it makes sense since you’re pretty much moving every two minutes for four hours. Even though you’re in a cart, you only ride for a minute or so at a time and then you’re back on the course hitting, or searching for balls in my case, haha! You definitely don’t need to do any extra cardio on golf days! Wish I was still there hitting the links with you guys :)