Physical Activity Associated With Golf Participation

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in heart rate, distance walked and number of steps between walking (WK) and carting (CT) nine holes of golf. Fifteen female subjects played the same nine-hole course, walking and carting, in balanced crossover order. Heart rate was sampled every 5 sec. from chest-strap heart rate monitors. Walking distance and total steps were determined from pedometers calibrated for each individual's stride length. Minimum and maximum heart rates were similar whether carting or walking, but mean heart rates were lower during carting (WK = 105.5 ± 13.4, CT = 94.9 ± 11.2). Distance and total steps were significantly higher for walking (2.92 ± 0.55 mi., 6562 ± 908 steps) than carting (1.77 ± 0.31 mi., 3939 ± 387 steps). Even though walking the course nearly doubled total distance walked during a round, carting resulted in more activity than might be assumed. On most modern courses, carts are restricted to paved cart paths over the majority of the course. This results in players walking from their cart to the ball; then back to the cart, on to their next shot, or ahead to the green. They also accumulate activity walking around the green for approach shots, lining up shots, and looking for balls. Data from this study projected over a typical 18-hole round would result in nearly 6 miles and over 13,000 steps for walkers compared to ∼3.5 miles and nearly 8,000 steps for players using motorized carts. Total steps can be evaluated relative to the recommendation that accumulating 10,000 steps per day is a useful target for health benefits. Both walking and carting have potential to contribute to the accumulation of minimal recommended activity for maintaining or improving health. Walking provides more activity with a higher mean heart rate and should clearly be preferred for total activity and energy expenditure. Carting provides more activity than commonly assumed and could contribute to daily accumulation of health related activity, especially for the elderly and at risk individuals.