I have always thought golf to be a game for folks who had a lot of free time and money (at least where I live you need lots of cash to be a member of a golf club), an excuse for making business deals outside the office and so on. Now it appears that golf might actually even be healthy - and add to your life expectancy! I am sure this is great news for golfers but I will be sticking to my yoga :-)
It has been maligned as a "good walk ruined". But golf could have greater health benefits than walking and even more strenuous forms of exercise, according to research in Sweden which shows that playing the game adds an average of five years to your life. "A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres, something which is good for the health," said Professor Anders Ahlbom, who led the study of 500,000 golfers.
"People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help." The effect was stronger for golfers from blue collar backgrounds than players with professional jobs, the study found. The lowest death rates were found among players with the lowest handicaps. They are 47 per cent less likely to die at any time than non-golfers of the same age. "Maintaining a low handicap involves playing a lot, so this supports the idea that it is the game itself that is good for the health," Prof Ahlbom said. (Telegraph)
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