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Golf
Is golf exercise? That depends on your definition of exercise. If a person golfs with the specific intent of increasing fitness, perhaps it could be termed exercise. It is certainly physical activity.
One hour of golfing (carrying your clubs, not driving a cart!) burns more calories than an hour of softball, snorkelling, dancing or moderate swimming. In fact it burns the same amount of calories as mowing the lawn.
A 7,000 metre long course would be the equivalent to 9,000 - 10,000 steps IF you hit the ball in a straight line on every shot on every hole. Even Tiger Woods is not that good. Perhaps that is the beauty of golf, the worse you are the more activity you get!
The potential frustrations of golf aside, the sport is an excellent form of social recreation that helps reintroduce physical activity back into our lives (again, leave the cart in the shed). So be it for exercise or just physical activity, go for a round of golf to help accumulate your steps!
Article by Professor Kerry Mummery
Central Queensland University
