When was the last time you ditched the golf cart and walked the course? I know, it’s so much easier, the sun is off your head, etc. There are a million reasons that we take the cart, but as many reasons as we have to take the cart, there isn’t even enough space here to include all the benefits of walking the golf course. Walking is simple to do, most healthy people can do it, and most golf clubs are the perfect place to get that exercise in during a round. You can start by walking the back 9 and progress to the full 18.

Here’s why you should consider it.

1. Burns More Calories – Walking burns calories like any other exercise, but without the impact and stress that other forms of exercise can like jogging and running. Even if you’re not feeling well, you can go on a leisurely stroll and still get the benefits of the movement.

2. Builds a Strong Heart – Working out always helps your heart because you cause your cardiovascular system to work a little harder, which is good for it when you’re healthy. Keeping your heart strong will keep you alive much longer.

3. Builds Better Bone Health – As we age, our bones become more brittle and we experience more pain. This can lead to broken bones and other issues. But if you keep walking and moving, you’ll be less likely to develop those problems.

4. Improves Balance and Coordination – The more you use your body, the more it works for you. Walking more often improves your balance and coordination because your body gets used to standing upright and moving more often. It’s a matter of practice and getting the muscles and ligaments strong and balance (and coordination) are so important to the game of golf.

5. Improves Your Lung Capacity – Walking will get your breathing up and cause you to build your lung capacity. Usually, it takes about six to eight weeks of cardiovascular workouts to see the full improvement that you can experience. Even though you may not walk that fast as you walk to the tee box, you’ll still be doing your lungs some good.

6. Lower Your Blood Sugar – People with high blood sugar can see huge benefits from walking and burning off that extra sugar in their blood. It’s not a cure for type 1 diabetes but it can help people with type 2 tremendously, and it can help people with type 1 lower their insulin requirements.

7. Eases Joint Pain – Did you see that? Do you complain about how you ache when you get home from playing? As people age, they tend to get joint pain, often caused by arthritis. It might seem counter-intuitive to keep moving through that pain, but the pain from arthritis absolutely can be reduced from more movement. This is because arthritis causes a build-up of scar tissue in the joints from lack of movement, so if you move more it can stop that problem.

8. Boosts Your Immunity – Getting your blood pumping and your cardiovascular system working will also boost your immunity from regular common illnesses like colds.

9. Energizes You – Anytime you’re feeling tired for no reason, try going on a fast, ten-minute walk and you’ll find that you have much more energy. This is one reason a walk is an excellent way to take on the course.

10. Improves Your Mental Health and Mood – A nice walk on a nature-laden golf course can vastly improve your mental health and mood. If you are feeling down, getting out in nature for walking instead of taking a cart can help.

11. Helps You Live Longer and Healthier – When you incorporate daily exercise into your life, it will extend your life. Not only that, but you’ll also enjoy your life much longer because you won’t be as sick or in as much pain.

12. Strengthens and Tone Your Leg Muscles – There is no hiding the fact that walkers have good legs, but it does also improve muscle tone all over your body – especially if you work on getting your arms in on the action (just don’t hit anyone with your driver as you walk along) and pay close attention to your glutes and core muscles.

13. Boosts Your Creativity – Anytime you’re having a glut of good ideas for anything you’re trying to accomplish, going for a walk without technology, just you and nature (or just you and the treadmill), you’ll get a boost of creativity that will carry you through.

Walking is something almost anyone can do. Because of that fact, it makes it the perfect exercise to start if you want to get healthier and improve your life in every single way. When are you going to start your walking program?

There you are, minding your own business doing the things on your to-do list when it hits you…life’s gotten pretty boring. When’s the last time you had something to look forward to? When’s the last time you did something memorable or life-changing?

I know that I’m finding it more and more since we’ve been home so much due to Covid-19. It’s like a viscious cycle. You start to feel like home in front of the television is the only safe place to be. Well, that and the driving range (driving ranges were made for socially distancing).

Even during normal times, life can get pretty boring from time to time and it’s hard to put our finger on when and why it happens. What once was new and exciting has become routine and boring. What once was all you thought you wanted, somehow became not quite enough. It sounds like the blah’s have set in which can feel stifling.

When did life get so boring anyway?

That might be hard to pinpoint. For me, a lot of it had to do with retiring. When you go from having a purpose to get up in the morning (even though you may complain about it), to having no schedule, no time to get to work, no reason to even get dressed, it gets tough. For most of us, it isn’t an exact moment but a collection of moments and lackluster experiences that have become so routine and easy that they don’t account for much anymore.

One person’s boring is another person’s security. Your boredom might stem from doing the same things over and over again to the point that you are simply going through the motions without any thought about it. While other people might feel safe and secure in a routine, it might be wearing you down into a boredom abyss.

There are a lot of reasons that life gets boring. Sometimes it has to do with the stage of life we are in. There are times when life seems to stand still:

• The college years, when you’d really like to get your career going
• The young family years when you’re overwhelmed with small children
• The mid-life slump
• RETIREMENT

Each of these, and other phases of life, can cause boredom, apathy, and a sense of going nowhere fast. This doesn’t mean life won’t get better, it just signals that you may want to do something to shake things up a bit. You don’t have to make a radical change to get your enthusiasm back, sometimes all you need is a jump start.

Think of your golf game. At some point, you realize that you’ve been playing the same game of golf, making the same mistakes and a light bulb goes off in your head. YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR SWING. So, you make an appointment with a golf pro to work on it.

If you’re feeling the boredom slump, take a minute and figure out how to “change your swing” and know that it’s not permanent. There’s plenty you can do to shake things up and revive your spirit and get excited about life again. Find ways to beat the blahs and get motivated to do something new and exciting, no matter what stage of life you’re in.

Amazingly, Zippy and Rachel not only still speaking with each other after all of the tireless work that they put in, not only to this magazine, but the show as well, and I am so proud of both of them for still making time for family and friends, even under deadline. I was excited to see Superbowl Legend Stephen Baker on their show again this week (I am through thick and thin forever a Giants fan). Each week she asks if I watched the show, and each week I say “NO, I CAN HEAR IT” since she’s broadcasting with only a sliding door between us. It’s true, and I have to be alert to keep the dog out of the studio, etc. (that’s my job).

One of these days I’ll catch the show….maybe when I’m away skiing and can’t hear it LIVE in the next room.

Of course, as I promised at the beginning of this post, it wouldn’t be the holidays without the holiday edition of The Compass Girls magazine….so HERE IT IS.

And if you haven’t caught The Compass Girls LIVE show, you are missing out on seeing stars like Stephen Baker (and interacting with him).

The Compass Girls airs – Wednesday evenings at 8 PM ET on The Compass Girls Facebook page.

And while I had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it (aside from making dinner so that she could work on it) I am happy to share the SUMMER edition of The Compass Girls Lifestyle Magazine for my readers.

Yes, it is geared more to women than men, but GUYS…you can find the PERFECT gift for her on these pages! Plus, she’ll love reading the articles.

Click the square on the lower right-hand side for a full view of the magazine.

You can catch The Compass Girls LIVE every Wednesday at 8 pm ET on Facebook.com/thecompassgirls

See you on the course soon!