Can Playing Golf Be Good Exercise?

Is golf good exercise, or just a pleasant walk with a lot of standing around? Here is what the research says about health, longevity, walking versus a cart, intensity and injuries, plus a 4-week plan to make a round count.

In this article

1. Is golf good exercise?
2. What does research say about golf and health?
3. Do golfers live longer?
4. How much do you walk in a round, and does a cart matter?
5. How hard is golf on your heart and lungs?
6. What are common golf injuries and how can you lower the risk?
7. Who should check with a clinician before playing?
8. How can you make golf work as exercise?
9. Frequently asked questions
10. Final thoughts
11. Sources and further reading

Is golf good exercise?

Golf can be good exercise when you walk the course, because a full round adds thousands of steps and several hours of light to moderate activity. Whether golf counts as a workout for you depends on walking or riding, hilly or flat, how often you play, and how hard your heart works.

What golf does not cover

The NHS suggests adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle-strengthening work on at least 2 days. Golf may help with the first, but evidence on golf and muscle strength is thin.

What does research say about golf and health?

Research on golf and health suggests mainly positive associations, but the evidence base is observational and uneven. The most complete overview is a 2017 scoping review by Murray and colleagues in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It maps the evidence rather than proving that golf causes any benefit.

What the 2017 review found

The review found 4,944 records and included 301 studies. Its authors concluded that golf provides moderate-intensity physical activity and is linked with better cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic profiles. They described the evidence on mental health as limited, and said back injuries were the most common golf injury.

The full text notes that a scoping review cannot demonstrate causative effects and carried out no formal quality assessment.

Do golfers live longer?

Swedish golfers had about 40% lower mortality than the general population in one large study, but the finding is an association, not proof that golf adds years. Golfers tend to differ from non-golfers in income, fitness and health, so some of the gap probably reflects who plays.

Want the wider picture? Read which sports are linked to living longer.

What the Swedish study found

Farahmand and colleagues followed 300,818 members of the Swedish Golf Federation, with 1,053 deaths. The standardised mortality ratio was 0.60 (95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.64) after adjusting for age, sex and socioeconomic status, and it was lower in men and women, all age groups and all socioeconomic categories. Players with the lowest handicap had a ratio of 0.53, against 0.68 for the highest handicap group.

Why to be cautious

The authors said they could not be certain the whole 40% reduction is due to golf activity, though they judged it most likely part of the explanation. They estimated 40% lower mortality corresponds to roughly 5 more years of life expectancy. People who can play regularly are often healthier to begin with, so some of the gap may reflect who plays.

How much do you walk in a round, and does a cart matter?

Walking an 18 hole round typically means roughly 11,000 to 17,000 steps, while riding a cart cuts that sharply. The scoping review cites 11,245 to 16,667 steps (about 4 to 8 miles) for walkers, and 6,280 steps when riding a cart in one cited study.

For more on step counts in general, see is walking 10,000 steps a day really necessary?

The 2025 cart comparison

A 2025 randomised crossover study in the European Journal of Sport Science (O'Donnell, Murray, Close and colleagues) had 16 male golfers aged about 21 play two competitive rounds, one walking with a caddie carrying the bag and one riding a cart. Walking produced about 17,007 steps versus 6,274, and activity energy expenditure of 880 kcal versus 456 kcal. Mean heart rate was 109 versus 94 beats per minute.

The study was small, all male, young and mostly amateur, and tested one round per condition, so results may differ for older golfers or people carrying their own bags.

How hard is golf on your heart and lungs?

Golf is usually light to moderate in intensity, but the range is wide. The 2017 review reported estimates of 2.5 to 8.0 METs, with a mean of 4.5, and found that most heart rate studies classed golf as low intensity, while others judged it moderate to high.

The review noted that intensity tends to be higher on hillier courses, in older players and in people with lower baseline fitness. Its energy estimates were wide, at 531 to 2,467 kcal per 18 holes.

A simple way to check your effort

The NHS describes moderate activity as raising your heart rate and making you breathe faster. If you can talk but not sing, you are probably at a moderate level. Slow strolling between shots may stay below that, while fast uphill stretches may reach it.

What are common golf injuries and how can you lower the risk?

Low back pain is the most common golf injury, followed by problems at the elbow, wrist and hand, and shoulder. A warm-up before each round, sensible practice volume, good swing technique and some conditioning work are the main ways to lower the risk, according to the 2017 review and AAOS OrthoInfo.

How common are they?

The scoping review cites annual injury incidence of 15.8% to 40.9% in amateurs, with the lower back the most commonly reported site. A 2019 systematic review of professionals (Robinson and colleagues) found only 5 eligible studies, with lumbar spine injuries the most common at 22% to 34%, and rated study quality as relatively poor.

Ways to lower the risk

AAOS OrthoInfo advises always warming up: stretch the shoulders, back and legs, then hit range balls starting with wedges and working up to the driver. For the back, it suggests rubber-tubing rows and pull-downs (3 sets of 10, at least 3 times a week), and yoga or Pilates for trunk strength and flexibility. For the elbow, it suggests strengthening the forearm muscles.

It also advises staying hydrated, using sun protection and taking shelter at the first sign of a thunderstorm. The 2017 review names repetitive practice volume as the most frequent cause of injury.

Who should check with a clinician before playing?

Anyone new to exercise, or living with a heart, lung, joint or other long-term condition, should check with a doctor before ramping up golf. You should also see one for any new, unexplained symptom during activity. General research findings cannot tell you what is safe for your own body.

The HSE (Ireland's health service) advises talking to a GP before increasing activity if you have unexplained chest pain, discomfort or pressure, diiness during activity of unknown cause, shortness of breath at rest for no known reason, an unexplained faint, or a new injury or pain that is not getting better.

If you have a back or joint problem, are pregnant or are older, ask a clinician about carrying a bag, hilly courses and hard twisting swings.

How can you make golf work as exercise?

You can make golf work as exercise by walking the course, keeping a brisk pace between shots, and adding a little strength and mobility work off the course. Build up gradually; the plan below is a general starting point.

Spacing rounds through the week also matters; see how to spread out your exercise.

Frequently asked questions

Is golf a good workout for weight loss?

Golf may help as part of an active week, but the evidence is limited. Energy estimates in the 2017 review ranged from 531 to 2,467 kcal per 18 holes, too wide to rely on, and what you eat matters as much.

Does golf count towards 150 minutes of exercise a week?

Possibly, in part. The NHS asks for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and moderate means a raised heart rate and faster breathing. Golf is often lighter than that, so only the brisk walking portions may count. Use the talk test to judge your own effort.

Is golf good exercise for older adults?

It can be a good option, and the 2017 review notes older golfers may reach higher relative intensity than younger players. Check with a clinician if you have a heart, joint or balance problem, pick a flatter course if hills are hard, and consider a cart on hot days.

Is it better to walk or ride a cart in golf?

Walking gives far more activity. In the 2025 study, walking produced about 17,007 steps against 6,274 when riding, and heart rate rose over the round instead of falling. A cart can still be a sensible choice for people with mobility limits or in extreme heat.

Can golf hurt your back?

Yes, the lower back is the most commonly injured area in golfers. Warming up, limiting repetitive practice, improving swing technique and building core and back strength may lower the risk, according to the 2017 review and OrthoInfo. See a clinician for pain that is intense, persistent or spreads down a leg.

Final thoughts

Here is the short recap.

• Golf can contribute to your weekly activity, mostly through walking, but its intensity is often light to moderate and varies widely.
• Research links golf with better health and lower mortality, yet the studies are observational and cannot prove cause.
• Walking the course roughly doubles the steps of riding, and warming up and building strength may lower the risk of back and elbow problems.

Your turn: Do you walk or ride when you play, and how does your week of activity add up? Tell us in the comments.

Sources and further reading

1. Murray AD, Daines L, Archibald D, Hawkes RA, Schiphorst C, Kelly P, Grant L, Mutrie N. The relationships between golf and health: a scoping review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017.
2. Farahmand B, Broman G, de Faire U, Vagero D, Ahlbom A. Golf: a game of life and death, reduced mortality in Swedish golf players. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2009.
3. O'Donnell A, Murray A, Close GL, et al. Riding a Golf Cart Versus Walking: A Study on the Physiological and Performance Differences in Tournament Golf. European Journal of Sport Science, 2025.
4. Robinson PG, Murray IR, Duckworth AD, et al. Systematic review of musculoskeletal injuries in professional golfers. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2019.
5. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo). Golf Injury Prevention. orthoinfo.org, accessed 2026.
6. NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. nhs.uk, accessed 2026.
7. NHS. Walking for health. nhs.uk, accessed 2026.
8. Health Service Executive (Ireland). Who get active is for. hse.ie, accessed 2026.