This month’s PGA Magazine cover story provides extensive coverage on the intersection of golf and wellness, and how the game of golf helps so many people of all ages maintain an active lifestyle, while playing an integral role in healthy living.
The coverage goes in-depth to address a breadth of positive topics highlighting health and wellness in golf, and how it not only benefits lifestyle, but improves the game and makes playing much more fun. During the golf surge over the past few years, we’ve seen so many newcomers enter the game, joining the tens of millions of avid players who enjoyed more than 528 million rounds in 2023, according to our friends at the National Golf Foundation.
While the wellness benefits of golf include improved heart health and the opportunity to burn calories, a good day on the golf course offers immeasurable benefits such as breathing the fresh air, reducing anxiety, relieving work stress, and just relaxing and having a good time with friends, family and colleagues alike.
And with the average golf course spanning just over four miles, including diverse layouts and terrains, that’s a good deal of walking for golfers who prefer to walk. For avid players who play multiple times a week during the peak of the golf season, it’s easy to see why maintaining fitness is so important.
One of the more informative reads in this month’s cover story is a Q&A with Dr. Stephen Lorick, President of the Golf Fitness Association of America. He addresses all aspects of health and wellness, including advice for PGA of America Golf Professionals who want to enhance their knowledge in this area.
Integrating fitness and wellness activities into your overall golf programming is a game changer, and can really help keep your members and customers engaged with the game year-round.
Additionally, having been privy to watching the routines of the best golfers in the world at our major championships, you really get an appreciation for how much of their time is dedicated to the health, fitness and wellness component of their preparation prior to competing in a championship.
Equally important, as players, teachers and leaders, staying active and maintaining fitness is essential for PGA of America Golf Professionals. There is an immense benefit to your career and game in promoting a healthy lifestyle, especially given the long hours required in our profession. Also, as leaders at your facility, it sets a great example for your members/customers and staff.
I encourage you to make time to read this PGA Magazine cover story, as you will find important case studies from PGA of America Members highlighting how health and wellness impacts their business, which includes: coaching with a fitness/wellness approach; how to work with fitness experts to create golf-specific programs; how to improve your wellness IQ through certifications and PGA Education; and how to promote wellness programming to make it a cornerstone of your facility.
Healthy living is such an important topic in society today, and as our game has added so many new players of all ages, integrating health and wellness activities into your golf programming is good for business today and a healthier golf industry in the future.
Here’s to everyone’s good health and well-being. Thanks.
Sincerely,
John Lindert, PGA President, PGA of America