Of course, overweight people can golf! In fact, golf is a great low impact exercise for people of all backgrounds to lose weight and stay fit. Golf is a great sport to shed those extra pounds, build muscle tone, and manage stress. If you are overweight and interested in golf, try to lose weight while improving your game at the same time. In the article below, we will cover what you need to know if you’re an overweight golfer.
How to Start Golfing if you are Overweight?
Overweight golfers may experience some challenges when playing. In general, heavier players many need to restrict the amount of golf they play while being conscious of their body’s limits. The best part about golf is you can take it at your pace. If golf feels like a daunting undertaking, start small by hitting balls at the range or by putting at the practice green.
Work your way up to playing 9 holes in a cart, there is no reason to rush into playing 18 holes. It may seem like golf is only a workout if you walk 18 but that’s not the case. Even riding in a cart can rack up 5K steps! Once you gather some confidence, you can try to play 18 in a cart. After that it’s time to start walking. Losing weight while improving your game is the goal. Start out slow and see where the game can take you.
Tips for Overweight Golfers
Overweight golfers may experience some challenges when playing. For instance, individuals with larger midsections may not be able to complete a traditional swing. If this sounds like you don’t worry, there are many modifications that can be made to your club swing path. In fact, there have been plenty of professional golfers visibly overweight who have competed and won on tour.
- Keep you left arm straight throughout your backswing and follow through
- Have a slight bend at the waist towards the ball while keeping your back straight
- You should be able to comfortably rotate your torso throughout your takeaway, downswing, and follow through. If you feel restricted adjust your body or stance until it feels natural
- Lastly, have fun! Golf at any weight can be difficult so be patient and learn what works best for you and your body.
How to Lose Weight While Golfing
Golfing and exercising at the same time? Sign me up. It may not seem like it, but golf is an excellent form of exercise. All you need to do is play the game! Its low impact and can burn some serious calories, even when riding in a cart. How do you maximize your physical excursion on the course? Surprisingly, it’s the small things that can add up. Walking is obviously the best way to rack up steps and calories burned. We’ve done the research and estimated that walking can burn a minimum of 10.8K steps!
Walking on its own will burn a ton of calories but there are other ways to maximize your calorie burn. Ultimately, you want to get as many steps as possible to maximize fat loss. Take the long way around the course, help others look for their ball, and avoiding jumping on the back of the cart are all great ways to increase steps taken and calories burned.
If walking isn’t something that interests you, riding a cart on the course can still be effective. The best advice for riders trying to lose weight is to ride as the passenger. This allows you to ride when it’s convenient and walk when you are up for it. If it seems overwhelming to walk, start small and work your way up to the bigger challenges. Walk the downhill holes and save the uphill tracks for the cart. Any additional walking will help the weight come off. It is the small adjustments over time that start to add up.
Final Thoughts on Golfing While Overweight?
Golf is an incredible game that is perfect for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. If golf seems like a sport that is interesting to you give it a shot. The golf community may have a stigma of being exclusive but that has never been my experience. I would encourage anyone who is overweight to give golf a try and see if it can help them lose weight while having fun!
Like this article? Check out our other blog posts!
