Golf is gentle on the body but still great for your health. There is some evidence that playing golf can help with musculoskeletal pain, lower the risk of heart disease, and improve your body composition (such as muscle tone and healthy weight).
Golf can also help improve your general wellbeing, and early research suggests it may even be linked to living longer. Plus, spending time outdoors and walking in nature is great for your mood.
Golf is good for cardio because walking around the course it helps your heart work steadily and builds your fitness.
Golf builds strength because you use your arms, core, and legs to swing the club. Each swing helps your muscles get stronger while staying gentle on your joints.
Golf is excellent for balance because you have to stand steady and control your body during each swing.
Golf can be expensive, but there are affordable options. Playing at quieter times, choosing pay-and-play courses, or practising at a driving range can all save money. There may also be initiatives at your local golf courses to help people get into golf, such as an academy.
Back pain is one of the most common golf injuries, but you can avoid it by starting slowly and building up gradually. Doing strength exercises, yoga, or Pilates can help support your back. Always warm up properly, and if you’re new to golf or returning after a break, consider taking lessons to learn safe techniques.
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to move more. Everyone begins at a different point, depending on how active they are, how easily they move, and how strong they feel.
To get started, choose the option that best matches what you usually do on an average day in each column below. Look at your daily activities, mobility, and strength to find a sensible place to begin. Then click on the ‘see results’ button to reveal where you should start.
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Love watching golf? Great! Even small movements help. Try bicep curls, marching on the spot, or a few sit-to-stand exercises during breaks. For more ideas, try these chair-based exercises. You could also consider wheelchair golf.
If golf isn’t possible right now, you can still get moving while you watch. Try some strength or balance exercises during breaks. Visiting your local golf club to watch can also be a good way to get some steps in. You could also consider mini golf.
Start with going to the driving range, or use a buggy and play just a few holes to begin with. As you feel stronger, try walking further distances.
Gradually move from 9 holes to 18 holes. Supporting your golf with exercises like yoga or Pilates can help improve your strength and flexibility, making it easier to play.
Play 18 holes more regularly, and consider working on your handicap and entering competitions or joining a club.
Yes! Here are some useful links:
Start your golfing journey with beginner-friendly tips, support, and guidance from Get into Golf.
Discover how England Golf champions inclusive golf opportunities, making the sport accessible to everyone regardless of ability.
This site has been put together by specialists in exercise medicine and supported and funded by Nuffield Health Charity. In collaboration with academic experts, specialists in behavioural change, medics across a wide spectrum of specialties, physiotherapists, nurses and most importantly, people living with the symptoms of long term conditions. Through our rigorous academic process we have carefully ensured that all the information on this website is trustworthy and evidence based.
The following organisations have contributed to and endorsed the content of this website.
