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Is walking 9 holes of golf good exercise?

Author

Daniel Moore

Published Jan 23, 2026

If a golfer choose to walk while playing golf -- either nine holes or 18 holes -- they're going to burn a substantial number of calories. The golf industry likes to say that a golfer will burn as many as 2,000 calories playing golf if they walk all 18 holes while carrying a golf bag -- which is usually 20-30 lbs.

Is walking 9 holes good exercise?

By walking six days per week and play 9 holes while carrying clubs one day a week, it's possible to burn as much as a 3500 extra calories every week.

How long does it take to walk 9 holes of golf?

An average golfer, playing without a cart and walking the full nine-hole course would take around 2 hours to complete their round. Fast players or single-player rounds will take less time, reducing this time by as much as 45 minutes.

Is walking a round of golf good exercise?

Walking golf is a great exercise for children and adults who love playing this invigorating sport. People who forgo the golf carts and hoof it on foot can find themselves burning off between 1,000 to 1,500 calories when playing all 18-holes. You can burn off more calories by carrying your clubs.

How much exercise is walking a golf course?

Walking the golf course is considered a great form of exercise. The typical golfer will walk between 4 and 6 miles during the round, taking nearly 10,000 steps (depending on his or her stride length), and burn up to 900 calories.

27 related questions found

Is golf with a cart good exercise?

Even golfers using a motorized cart can burn about 1,300 calories and walk 2 miles when playing 18 holes. When we asked adults who play sports which one they play the most, golf topped the list.

Is golf considered strenuous exercise?

Golf provides moderate-intensity physical activity that is recommended for people of all ages and genders for the longevity, physical and mental health benefits it offers, according to a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

How many calories burned golfing 9 holes?

During the course of a nine-hole round, which is typically 2-2.5 hours of time, a golfer could burn anywhere from 600-1,500 calories, depending on their weight, the weight of their bag, the topography of the golf course (how many hills and ups-and-downs there are).

Do you play better golf walking or riding?

A golfer usually burns twice as many calories walking 18 holes as does one who rides. Walking 18 holes is equivalent to a 3.5 – 4 mile run and can exceed 10,000 steps during a typical golf round.

How many calories does walking a round of golf burn?

Walking 18 holes equals about four undulating miles, and doing that while swinging and carrying your bag probably pegs your total calories-burned number to around ~1,400, according to an experiment conducted by the Director of the Center for Health and Sport Science and reported on by the New York Times, and sometimes ...

What is a good score for 9 holes of golf?

What is a good golf score for 9 holes? A good golf score for 9 holes for the average adult is 45 and considered to be bogey golf. Consider this idea: the average 9 hole score at the turn is 40-70. Scoring below 40 after 9 holes is usually left up to the professional golfers we see every Thursday Sunday on TV.

How long does a 9 hole golf last?

It usually takes 1 ½ to 3 hours to play 9 holes of golf. While playing 9 holes usually takes around half the time it takes to play 18 holes, keep in mind that you can't forget about 'sunk time costs' like going to the range before your round or times spent getting on the course.

What is the average walking distance of a golf course?

Play a round of regulation 18-hole golf on most courses and you'll walk anywhere between 3 and 6 miles, depending on the length of the course, how much walking you do before and after your game, and how often you have to wander off course in search of lost balls.

Is golf good for weight loss?

Golf can absolutely help you lose weight. Walking an 18-hole golf course in four hours can burn up to 800 calories, or even more if the terrain is hilly and if you are carrying your golf clubs in a carry bag.

Does golf build muscle?

Swinging a golf club, in and of itself, is not very difficult from a strength training point of view. However, as discussed above, golf courses typically have lots of hills and valleys. Walking up these hills is sure to work the quadriceps and hamstrings, which help to make up the muscles of the lower body.

Does hitting golf balls burn calories?

If you figure you hit about 100 or so golf balls at the driving range in an hour, it works out to about two calories per swing. A fair estimate is that you burn anywhere from two to four calories each time you swing a golf club.

How many steps is a round of golf?

Subjects walked each course while wearing a pedometer to record step data. Analysis revealed that each golfer took a mean ± SD 11,948 ± 1781 steps per 18-hole round of golf. Regardless of handicap level, sex, or course played, most subjects exceeded 10,000 steps during a typical round of golf.

What muscles does golf work?

The most important muscles for golf are located in your core—which includes your chest and back—your forearms, and your butt. These muscles allow you to control the force and rotation of your swing, giving you more power over the ball itself.

Is golf good exercise for seniors?

Why golf? The sport is an ideal comprehensive exercise activity for seniors, Salem says. It encourages seniors to socialize, players usually stick with it and it improves concentration and quality of life.

How long does it take to walk 5 miles?

But in general, briskly walking a mile can take anywhere from 13 to 20 minutes, according to UC Berkeley. As a result, the time it takes to walk 5 miles can range between an hour and five minutes to an hour and 40 minutes.

How many miles is 10000 steps?

An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile and 10,000 steps would be almost 5 miles.

How long does it take 2 players to play 9 holes of golf?

How long does it take to play nine holes of golf? 9 holes of golf is expected to take no longer than 1 hour 15 minutes for 1 player, 1 hour 30 minutes for a group of 2 players, 1 hour 45 minutes for a group of 3 players and 2 hours for a group of 4 players.

How long does it take to play 9 holes par 3?

With an average round of golf lasting 4-5 hours on a regulation 18 hole course, a Par 3 course usually plays in about 2 ½ hours and 9 holes in a little over an hour.

What does 9 holes mean in golf?

A 9-hole course is exactly what it says – a golf course with 9 holes. Like 18-hole golf courses, a 9-hole golf course is mostly comprised of par-4 holes plus a combination of par-3 and par-5 holes.