Why playing golf is good for your health

We live in an age of sedentary lifestyles and ultra-processed foods, which are hardly the foundations for good physical health and longevity. Yet a change as simple as taking up golf can make a huge difference.

Dr Andrew Murray, R&A Health Consultant, has stated that: “Golf helps you live longer and be healthier and happier.” Here, Marc Pritchard, Director of Sales and Marketing at Taylor Wimpey España, explains why golf is so good for your health.

The R&A’s research has shown that, on average, golfers live five years longer than non-golfers. Golf not only improves strength and balance but enables players to burn up to 2,000 calories when they complete 18 holes. In addition, golf has been shown to help prevent and treat as many as 40 major chronic diseases.

In addition to physical health benefits, golf can deliver a range of mental wellbeing benefits—as can many forms of outdoor exercise. The National Institutes of Health report that exercise reduces depression and anxiety. It can also improve both self-esteem and cognitive function.

The fact that golfers are spending time in nature is another bonus. The Mental Health Foundation reports that connecting with nature has been found to elevate levels of happiness, joy, creativity and concentration.

Golfers aren’t the only ones who benefit from the sport’s popularity. Areas in which there are golf courses benefit as well. An obvious case in point is the Costa del Sol, which is visited by so many golfers each year that it is affectionately known as the Costa del Golf.

With more than 70 courses, it draws in international visitors from around the world. In 2023, Andalucian President Juanma Moreno is hopeful that the region will attract a record-breaking 33 million visitors. Many will be there specifically to play golf.

Tourists on golf holidays don’t only spend money on green fees. Airlines, hotels, restaurants, shops, car hire businesses, travel insurers and more all reap the economic rewards when golfers come to town.

Many golfers want access to their favourite courses throughout the year, so buying a second home in the local area makes a lot of sense.

Many leading golf resorts have homes available on-site. The prestigious La Cala Golf Resort in Malaga, for example, has both apartments and townhouses available for purchase. Examples of the former include Solana Village East and Solana Village South, where first-line golf properties with generous terraces sit close to La Cala’s clubhouse and spa, overlooking the Europa golf course. Three-storey townhouses at Belaria, meanwhile, provide panoramic views of La Cala, the sea and Mijas valley.

Golfers and those who travel with them often seek out a range of non-golfing activities to enjoy, as well as spending time on the fairways. At La Cala, in addition to the three golf courses, the resort’s tennis, padel, football, swimming and spa facilities are all popular, while the resort also provides four on-site restaurants and a poolside bar.

Visitors also enjoy spending time in the local area. The location La Cala Golf shows the benefits that golf courses can bring to an area, as well as to those playing on them. La Cala de Mijas is just over 10 minutes away by car, Fuengirola is 20 minutes away and Marbella can be reached in 30 minutes. This provides golfers with plenty of ways to enjoy their time in Andalusia and spread their euros around local businesses.

With stunning beaches all around, golfers in Andalusia also have the chance to swim in the sea, paddleboard, sail, snorkel and much more. This means that the health and happiness benefits of playing golf can be supplemented by other sports in the local area.

The sense of immersion in nature delivered by spending time on the golf course and by the ocean is also important. Various studies have shown how mental wellbeing benefits from time spent in nature, so golfers are well placed to reap the rewards of that, meaning they can live happier lives as well as healthier and longer ones!

Banner credit: Golf (Somchai Sookkasem)