Burning Calories at the Golf Driving Range
Getting in your 10,000 steps a day is a worthy goal, but mixing up your workouts can help keep you motivated while still providing great calorie-burning exercise. Heading to the golf driving range offers an enjoyable way to be active while developing your golf skills. Learning how many calories you can expect to burn per hour while practicing at the range can help gauge its effectiveness as part of your overall fitness plan.
Calories Burned During Golf Activities
First, let's look at how many calories golf typically burns. The number of calories burned golf driving range will depend on several factors:
- Your weight - Heavier people burn more calories for the same exercise
- Intensity - Faster swinging and walking burns more calories
- Yardage - Longer shots mean more walking between strokes
- Terrain - Hilly courses require more energy
- Use of golf cart - Walking the course burns significantly more calories than riding
The average golfer walking 18 holes without a cart burns around 1,500 calories. Riding in a cart reduces that number to about 1,100 calories. For perspective, thats about the same number of calories in a Big Mac or a large order of french fries from McDonalds.
Driving Range Calories Burned Per Hour
Now let's focus specifically on time spent practicing shots at the driving range. Since there's no need to walk significant distances between strokes like when playing a full course, expect to burn fewer calories per hour. However, you can maximize calorie burn by keeping a brisk pace between ball basket refills. Here are estimates based on weight:
- 150 lb person - about 340 calories per hour
- 200 lb person - about 450 calories per hour
- 250 lb person - about 560 calories per hour
For comparison, here are the calories burned during other 60 minute recreational activities:
- Walking at a moderate pace - about 300 calories
- Light bicycling - around 400 calories
- Swimming laps - about 500 calories
- Tennis - around 600 calories
As you can see, an hour of driving range practice compares reasonably well for a calorie-burning workout, although tennis and swimming typically burn more per hour.
Maximize Driving Range Calorie Burn
Dial up the intensity of your driving range session to burn even more calories burned golf driving range in the same amount of time:
- Take fuller, faster swings for extra effort
- Opt for the heavy-duty weighted clubs available at some ranges
- Choose irons over woods to increase swing frequency
- Limit sitting breaks between ball basket refills
- Work on your short game too with bunker practice and putting
Getting your heart rate elevated will help maximize calorie burn. Wearing a fitness tracker is an easy way to monitor your pulse and overall exercise intensity.
Additional Benefits of Driving Range Practice
Burning extra calories is great, but time spent dialing in your golf swing yields additional benefits:
- Developing consistent ball striking skill
- Improving golf scoring for more on-course enjoyment
- Refining your pre-shot routine
- Trying new clubs or balls to optimize performance
- Relieving mental stress from work or personal life
And since golf is a lifetime sport, the exercise you log now will continue paying dividends well into the future. Whether walking 18 holes on the course or spending an hour at the practice tee, be sure to keep track of your calories burned golf driving range to quantify its full impact on your fitness.
FAQs
How many calories does an average golfer burn per hour at the driving range?
An average golfer weighing around 200 pounds burns about 450 calories per hour practicing at the driving range. Those who weigh less can expect around 340 calories burned per hour. Heavier golfers burn upwards of 560 calories in an hour.
Does walking between shots at the range burn extra calories?
Yes. Taking a brisk walk between basket refills instead of sitting can help maximize calorie expenditure. The more steps you take, the more energy gets expended, so keep moving.
Should I choose woods or irons for more calorie burn?
Iron shots generally require greater swing velocity and frequency compared to woods. So opting for more iron practice can help ramp up intensity and energy output at the range.
What exercises burn the most calories per hour besides golf?
Tennis clocks in around 600 calories per hour, while swimming laps is also highly effective at around 500 calories burned per hour. Consider alternating golf range sessions with cross-training using other sports.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
Add Comment