Calories Burned While Playing Golf

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Quick answer

• Expect to burn roughly 100 to 300 calories for every hour you spend playing golf.
• Your calorie burn skyrockets if you walk the course and carry your own clubs.
• Hopping in a golf cart? You’ll burn significantly fewer calories, plain and simple.

Who this is for

• Anyone who loves the game and wants to know if it’s giving them a decent workout.
• Golfers who are tracking their fitness goals and want to understand their calorie expenditure on the course.
• Folks who are curious how golf stacks up against other activities when it comes to burning calories.

What to check first

• Your game plan: Are you hoofing it, pushing a cart, or cruising in a cart? This is the big kahuna of calorie burn.
• The lay of the land: Is your course a gentle stroll or a serious climb? Hilly terrain means more calories burned, no doubt.
• Your trusty sidekick: Are you carrying your bag? If so, how much does it weigh? That’s extra work.
• The clock: How much time are you actually playing golf, not just socializing or waiting around?

Understanding How Many Calories Burned Playing Golf

When you’re out on the links, you’re doing more than just hitting a little white ball. You’re walking, swinging, bending, and strategizing. All that movement adds up. The exact number of calories you torch depends on a few key things, and knowing them helps you get a more accurate picture of your workout.

Step-by-step plan: Calculating Calories Burned Playing Golf

1. Action: Pinpoint your primary mode of transportation around the course.

• What to look for: Did you walk the entire 18 holes, use a push or pull cart, or opt for the convenience of a golf cart? Be honest here; it makes a huge difference.
• Mistake: Assuming everyone walks. Riding in a cart cuts your calorie burn dramatically. It’s like comparing a brisk hike to a leisurely drive.

2. Action: Track your total active time spent on the course.

• What to look for: This includes the time you spend walking between shots, making your swings, putting, and moving from the green to the next tee box. It’s the sum of all your on-course movement.
• Mistake: Forgetting to count the time spent walking from the green to the next tee. This is prime calorie-burning territory that often gets overlooked.

3. Action: If you carry your bag, estimate its weight.

• What to look for: Get a rough idea of your bag’s weight in pounds. A standard golf bag packed with clubs, balls, and other gear can easily weigh 10 to 20 pounds, sometimes more.
• Mistake: Underestimating your bag’s weight. Carrying a heavy load is a serious workout that adds a significant calorie burn to your game.

4. Action: Factor in the course’s elevation changes.

• What to look for: Is your course mostly flat, like a parkland layout, or does it feature significant hills and inclines, like many links-style courses?
• Mistake: Treating all golf courses the same in terms of physical effort. Walking uphill requires considerably more energy than walking on flat ground.

5. Action: Consider your pace of play.

• What to look for: Are you moving briskly between shots, or is it a more relaxed stroll? A quicker pace will naturally increase your heart rate and calorie burn.
• Mistake: A leisurely pace. While golf can be relaxing, a faster pace will amplify the cardiovascular benefits and calorie expenditure.

6. Action: If you use a fitness tracker or app, input your activity details accurately.

• What to look for: Most trackers allow you to specify the type of activity (walking, golf), duration, and sometimes even terrain. The more precise you are, the better the estimate.
• Mistake: Relying on a generic “golf” setting without specifying if you walked or rode. This can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

7. Action: Add in any pre- or post-round activities.

• What to look for: Did you spend time warming up at the driving range, practicing your putting, or walking to and from the parking lot? These also contribute to your total calorie burn for the day.
• Mistake: Only counting the time spent playing the actual holes. Your entire golf-related physical activity should be considered.

How Many Calories Burned Playing Golf: A Deeper Dive

Let’s break down how the different aspects of playing golf contribute to your calorie burn. It’s not just about the swings; it’s about the journey from tee to green and beyond.

Common mistakes: Calories Burned Playing Golf

• Mistake: Only counting the time you spend actively hitting the ball.
• Why it matters: You’re burning calories with every step you take between shots, as you navigate the green, and when you walk to the next tee box. This movement is a significant part of the overall calorie expenditure.
• Fix: Make sure to include all the time you spend actively moving on the course, not just the moments you’re at the ball.
• Mistake: Assuming everyone walks the course.
• Why it matters: Riding in a golf cart drastically reduces your calorie burn, often by more than half compared to walking. It’s the difference between a moderate workout and a leisurely ride.
• Fix: Be honest and clear about whether you walked or rode. This is one of the biggest determinants of your calorie expenditure.
• Mistake: Underestimating the weight of your golf bag when carrying.
• Why it matters: Carrying a full golf bag adds a substantial resistance that your body has to work against. This significantly increases the effort required and, consequently, your calorie burn.
• Fix: Weigh your bag if you can, or at least make a more educated guess about its weight. Remember, it’s packed with clubs, balls, water, snacks, and other gear.
• Mistake: Ignoring the terrain of the golf course.
• Why it matters: Walking uphill, navigating uneven ground, or climbing slopes requires much more energy than walking on flat, even surfaces. A hilly course is a much tougher workout.
• Fix: Take into account whether your course is known for its challenging, hilly terrain or if it’s a more gentle, flat layout.
• Mistake: Not accounting for the entire golf-related activity.
• Why it matters: Time spent warming up at the driving range, practicing your putting on the practice green, or even walking from the parking lot to the clubhouse all contribute to your total calorie burn for the day.
• Fix: Add up all your golf-related physical activity, from the moment you arrive at the course until you leave.
• Mistake: Using a generic calorie calculator without specifying golf.
• Why it matters: Some general calculators might not accurately reflect the specific movements involved in golf, such as the bending and twisting during a swing, or the walking between holes.
• Fix: Use calculators or fitness trackers that have a specific “golf” activity option and allow you to specify whether you walked or rode.
• Mistake: Not considering your individual fitness level.
• Why it matters: A fitter individual may burn calories more efficiently than someone less conditioned, even when performing the same activity. However, for most people, the primary drivers of calorie burn remain the same: intensity, duration, and body weight.
• Fix: While you can’t change your fitness level instantly, be aware that your personal physiology plays a role. Focus on the controllable factors like walking and carrying your clubs.

FAQ

• How many calories do I burn playing 18 holes of golf while walking?

If you walk all 18 holes and carry your clubs, you can expect to burn anywhere from 1,500 to well over 2,500 calories. This number fluctuates based on your body weight, the pace at which you walk, and how hilly the course is. If you use a push cart, you’ll burn slightly fewer calories, but still significantly more than if you ride.

• Does carrying my golf clubs increase the calories burned?

Absolutely. Carrying a golf bag adds a considerable resistance workout to your game. It’s estimated to boost your calorie burn by an extra 100 to 200 calories per round compared to using any type of cart, whether it’s a push cart or a motorized one. It engages more muscles and requires more energy to move that extra weight.

• How much less do I burn if I ride in a golf cart?

Riding in a golf cart dramatically reduces your calorie expenditure. Instead of burning hundreds of calories per hour, you might only be burning around 100-150 calories per hour. For a full 18 holes (which can take 4-5 hours), this means you could be burning as little as 500 to 1,000 calories, which is a fraction of what you’d burn walking. It turns a moderate workout into a very light activity.

• Does my body weight affect how many calories I burn playing golf?

Yes, it does. Generally, individuals who weigh more will burn more calories performing the same physical activity as someone lighter. This is because there’s more mass to move against gravity and resistance. So, if you’re carrying a bit more weight, you’ll likely see a higher calorie burn on the golf course compared to a lighter golfer playing the same round.

• Is playing golf a good workout if I walk and carry my clubs?

If you commit to walking the course and carrying your clubs, golf can be a decent low-to-moderate intensity cardiovascular workout. It’s excellent for endurance and can help with weight management, especially if played regularly. It’s definitely more beneficial than a sedentary activity, and it gets you outdoors and moving. For a more detailed look at Calories Burned Playing Golf, this resource offers great insights.

• Can I use a fitness tracker to estimate my golf calorie burn?

Yes, fitness trackers and smartwatches are great tools for estimating your calorie burn during golf. The key is to input your activity accurately. Make sure to select “golf” as the activity and specify whether you walked, carried your clubs, or rode in a cart. The more precise you are with the settings, the more reliable the estimate will be. You can find more information on How Many Calories Do You Burn Playing Golf? and how trackers can help.

• Are there significant calorie differences between playing 9 holes versus 18 holes?

Absolutely. The difference is directly proportional to the time spent playing. If you burn, say, 200 calories per hour walking 18 holes, then playing 9 holes at a similar pace and intensity would burn roughly half that amount. The duration is the primary factor, but remember that factors like course difficulty and carrying your bag still play a role in the per-hour burn rate.

Sources:

• How Many Calories Do You Burn Playing Golf?
• Calories Burned Playing Golf