A round of golf in retirement can make you mentally sharper.
Researchers recruited 25 people over the age of 65 and tested their thinking skills after completing 18 holes on a golf course.
The volunteers performed a test of rapid thinking, almost five seconds faster after playing golf, compared to before they took off.
The effects on brain health are likely due to the exercise that comes with walking a golf course, as well as the strategic thinking that is at the heart of the game.
But those who agree with the old joke that golf is a good walk can take heart, as walking nearly four miles also seemed to increase people’s mental acuity later in life.
Researchers recruited 25 people over the age of 65 and tested their thinking skills after completing 18 holes on a golf course (stock photo)
Dr. Julia Kettinen, who led the research at the University of Eastern Finland and is a professional golf teacher, said: ‘There is a reason that many retirees play golf, and it is really good exercise and good for your health. a much lower risk of injury than with tennis or skiing.
‘These results suggest that golf can keep people mentally sharper, which could be useful in warding off dementia.
‘It’s also encouraging that people who don’t like golf can take up walking and experience the benefits of aerobics.’
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, recruited people who were already golfers, playing an average of two rounds per week in the summer.
But their mental abilities appeared to improve immediately after a round of 18 holes, in which they pulled a golf trolley with their clubs behind them.
This was tested using the deceptively simple-sounding test where you use a pencil to draw a line connecting a jumble of numbers, from one to 25, in ascending order.
Actually, the test is quite difficult, because people are not allowed to lift the pencil from the paper and have to think quickly, and do it as quickly as possible.
The brain health effects likely result from the exercise associated with walking a golf course, as well as the strategic thinking that is at the heart of the game (stock photo)
After a round of golf, the study participants took the test an average of 4.4 seconds faster than before playing.
On another day, when they were asked to do a 6km walk instead, they then took the test almost 6.8 seconds faster on average.
Researchers also asked people to do fashionable Nordic walking, which involves using poles for the body with each step, which can be more demanding on the brain.
After this activity, the test was completed 4.6 seconds faster.
Researchers also used a more complicated test to assess older adults’ memory, mental agility and executive function – the mental skills involved in everyday decision-making.
This involved linking the numbers one to 13 in ascending order, and the letters A to M, but alternating the letters and numbers as quickly as possible.
In this test, 6km of Nordic walking seemed to stimulate people’s brains the most, with people doing it 9.6 seconds faster after this activity.
That compares with an improvement of almost 7.6 seconds when walking, which may be less of a workout for the brain because it doesn’t require coordination of sticks and feet.
Golf didn’t seem to help people in this second test, which may be because the round of golf lasted about three hours, compared to an hour of walking, which may have left people more mentally exhausted.
The researchers conclude that all three types of exercise appear to be good for the brain.
The golfers in the study completed the tests about 60 percent faster than the average previously seen for the general public, suggesting there are long-term benefits to playing the game for several years.
A previous study from the same research team earlier this year found that golf, 6km walking and 6km Nordic walking improved cardiovascular health in older adults, including by lowering blood pressure.