Many people take walking for granted in this day and age. In the past, your ancestors had to walk most places. They might have walked miles to school or work and back each and every day. Now with Uber, public transport and millions of cars on the road, people are commuting without walking for a substantial amount of time.
This is detrimental to your health — and your golf game as well. The game needs to be played while walking to enjoy the full benefits of what it offers. It is not enough riding around in a golf cart. Golf is a social game and you will be able to interact with your fellow players a lot more when you are all walking. It is also a great way to enjoy the natural beauty of nature and keep your health in check.
Walking improves your strength and energy
Walking burns a lot of calories for a form of exercise that is not very intensive. Even walking at a brisk pace can be a very relaxing form of exercise. You can listen to music or podcasts, make phone calls or even just stay alone with your thoughts while you do it.
Walking will also help you strengthen up your legs. The legs are one of the biggest power generators when it comes to your golf swing. Over time, you will be able to hit the ball further, as well as control your body a lot better when swinging.
Walking regularly will also allow you to get around the course a lot easier with a sustained energy level. Many golfers find that they are fine for the first 12 or 13 holes, but then their energy starts to fade away and their game becomes erratic. This leads to a lower score since you are not able to concentrate as well as you normally would if your body was still fresh. You will also have less control over your swing as the strength in your legs goes.
Try walking for 30 minutes a day for a great form of exercise that improves your physical and mental state. You will feel refreshed after this walk and be ready for whatever tasks lay ahead of you.
You become more in tune with your environment
When you spend 30 minutes walking each and every day, you will learn about the environment in which you are in. You’ll notice nuances that you would not spot if you were driving in a car or a golf cart.
Small things like how the ground feels under your feet or how dampness affects the grass and other factors can be important when it comes to your golf game. If you walk around the course, you will be able to feel certain differences in the undulations of the fairways and greens, allowing you to make better adjustments for your shots. You can also feel how thick the grass is and how this will affect your connection with the ball. In addition, you will be better placed to spot potential hazards in the line of your shot and you will spot better places to hit the ball to.
You will learn how to clear your head
Walking each day can be a great way to reset your mind and to clear your thoughts of any troubles or issues that may be plaguing you. It also helps you to come up with solutions to these problems, as you are not surrounded by other distractions. Additionally, walking will help your decision-making ability on the course when under pressure, since you’ll be trained in knowing how to clear your mind. In turn, this will allow you to make more confident shots that will turn out better.
— Andrew O’Malley