Yes, golf really can count as exercise

Q: I have tried to get my husband to exercise with me, but he refuses. He plays golf an average of three days a week and says that is enough. Although he is able to play golf well, he is overweight and not in shape. Is golf enough for my husband to stay healthy?

A: Many activities that we enjoy can be part of a healthy lifestyle, but they should not take the place of completing an exercise program. Activities such as golf can be fun and a great way to move your body, but the physical benefits will depend on how involved your round of golf is.

•You can maximize the potential of any exercise or activity by making the most of it. For example, when playing golf you can walk the course instead of using a golf cart. This will increase the calorie expenditure of a round of golf and require the body to be conditioned to maintain endurance until the 18th hole. Using a pull cart while walking the course will also increase the calorie expenditure.

•Any exercise that is performed safely is better than no exercise at all, but it is important to take care of your body completely. Exercise that improves cardiovascular and muscular function, endurance, stability and efficiency should be incorporated into a positive lifestyle.

•Keeping your body-fat and weight in a healthy range while maintaining lean muscle is necessary to keep the body functioning well. It would be beneficial for your husband to find some sort of exercise that he likes that will also get him in shape.

•A good way to encourage your husband to exercise is to involve his enjoyment of golf with training that will improve his game. There are many golf-specific individual and group training classes available at local fitness facilities and golf courses. Fitness professionals can work with golfers to improve strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance, stability and endurance. Not only is this a great way to get in shape, but it could also lower your husband’s handicap, which I’m sure he would appreciate.

•Continue to encourage your husband to do other types of exercise in addition to golf to keep his muscles, joints, bones and heart strong, flexible and functioning efficiently. Taking walks around the block and bicycling are other forms of exercise that you can introduce to your husband as something you can do together.

•Remember that practicing healthy eating and sleeping habits while eliminating negative stress from your life also contributes to being in shape. Have fun with golf, but remember to give the body everything it needs work to its fullest potential.

Always consult a physician before beginning an exercise program.