Take up golf and get into the swing of living a healthier, more active life

As the Ricoh Women’s British Open kicks off in Turnberry later this month, Kate Whiting reveals the benefits of perfecting your swing

Next year, golf will make its return to the Olympics for the first time in 112 years but why wait until 2016 to catch the golfing bug?

Lauren Spray, women’s participation manager at England Golf (www. englandgolf.org), says: “There’s no better sport for bringing people together and, with its combination of exercise, sporting skill and social interaction, golf is the perfect tonic for ensuring good health and happiness.

“It’s a powerhouse of all the core ingredients that doctors recommend for optimum physical and mental health, and wellbeing.”

Here are three reasons to get into the golfing swing:

It burns calories: “Playing 18 holes could burn at least 900 calories and will take you more than 10,000 steps, so you’ll easily achieve the 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week recommended by the NHS to keep healthy,” Lauren says.

It helps keep the body healthy: Research shows that the exercise you’ll get will help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and could help you live longer. A study in Sweden found regularly playing golf increased life expectancy by five years.

It boosts wellbeing: “Outdoor exercise in a green space can boost mental health by reducing stress levels, enhancing mood and even improving your selfesteem,” says Lauren.