Disc Golf is Socializing

[yangs1]

I went to the doctor last Thursday for my yearly check up. Here's basic conversation that ensued.

Doc: "Are you exercising?"
Me: "Oh yes. I play tons of disc golf."
Doc: "You mean where you throw the frisbees and go get them and throw them again?" At this point he does a limp wristed, mocking, throwing motion.
Me: "Yeah."
Doc: "That's not exercise that's socializing."
Me: "Well, I'm walking miles at a time." At this point I'm ready to jump out of the chair and proceed with a deserved beat down. Doc notices I'm peeved off.
Doc: "I'm not trying to piss you off it's better than just sitting around and breathing but not much."

 

[DudeBro911]

 

[Grungedude42]

For what it's worth, I agree with your doctor. When I log my time playing golf in my calorie tracker app, I use the slowest walking pace. It's not high impact at all, doesn't lift your heart rate even into fat burning range (~120bpm), and typically you walk 300' at most before resting. Even less if you're playing with others. It's better than couch surfing, but it's a far cry from using a jogging trail, even for walking.

 

[yangs1]

It wasn't really the fact that he said it wasn't exercising that burned me. It was his mocking of the sport. I realize it's not a cardio workout but I do get noticeable benefits from it health wise every year.

 

[Halcón]

Your doctor doesn't know jack. If you play long courses and especially if they are hilly, you burn tons of calories. Even shorter courses require about a mile walk total.

 

[Jay Dub]

Ask your doctor to caddy for you then find the hilliest course close to you and play 2 rounds of golf.

 

[DudeBro911]

The best is when you hand a max weight boss to the "mockers" and tell them to throw it. Whooss the bitchh nowww

 

[yangs1]

Ask your doctor to caddy for you then find the hilliest course close to you and play 2 rounds of golf.

:clap:

 

[bluTDI09]

For what it's worth, I agree with your doctor. When I log my time playing golf in my calorie tracker app, I use the slowest walking pace. It's not high impact at all, doesn't lift your heart rate even into fat burning range (~120bpm), and typically you walk 300' at most before resting. Even less if you're playing with others. It's better than couch surfing, but it's a far cry from using a jogging trail, even for walking.

This. Disc golf is certainly better for your health than sitting on your butt and posting on an internet forum But it is only "exercise" for the obese and/or elderly. Maybe disc golfers wouldn't be so winded from walking a few hundred feet if they would stop smoking. I think people get the impression that it is exercise because they are fatigued at the end of the day. Standing up all day will also make you feel like that, but is not exercise...

 

[pspunch]

I guess it depends on how you play, but I get a great work out from disc golf. Sure it's walking, but it's up and down hills, carrying a bag with 20+ discs. And if you're by yourself you can set a pretty quick pace.

Any doctor should be jumping up and down if you tell them you get out and walk 2-3 miles three times a week.

 

[thrembo]

I ran into one of my dads friends on our local course (upper 60's) and was like "what the heck are you doing out here?" He said his doctor sugested it as a good source of excersize for him to do as he was recovering from a surgery.

 

[Kingace]

So I guess ball golfers don't really exercise with their golf cart.
The doctor is just mad he sits all day getting fat

 

[Cgkdisc]

It may depend on the course how high your heart rate my get. Here's my actual heart rate data while playing the Steady Ed course at the IDGC compared with my heart rate while working at the computer.

 

[bradharris]

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.

For some people, disc golf certainly qualifies as an activity that enhances or maintains fitness. Eldery, Obese, and those in recovery from surgery or illness benefit from anything that gets them out and moving.

However, for most of us, disc golf does not provide any noticeable physical benefit. So I'm in agreement with the doctor, for a typical healthy person, a round of disc golf does not qualify as exercise.

 

[bluTDI09]

So I guess ball golfers don't really exercise with their golf cart.
The doctor is just mad he sits all day getting fat

For sure, golf with a cart is also not exercise.

I don't think anyone would argue that walking a few miles several times a week is not good for you. Disc golf (and ball golf) have other benefits as well that are not simply aerobic exercise. However, since it is not a level of activity that adds strength or fitness unless you are very out of shape or you jog between shots, I would characterize it as "getting some fresh air."

 

[bluTDI09]

It may depend on the course how high your heart rate my get. Here's my actual heart rate data while playing the Steady Ed course at the IDGC compared with my heart rate while working at the computer.

Chuck, I love how much you love data. I stand corrected. Maintaining a heart rate in the 120-130 range certainly is exercise, so it clearly is exercise for some people.

 

[Mabuku1]

the doctor is right and I don't think he was mocking disc golf. it sounded like he was laughing at you for thinking that disc golf was adequate excersize. people walk a mile or two while working everyday on most jobs.

 

[Grungedude42]

It wasn't really the fact that he said it wasn't exercising that burned me. It was his mocking of the sport. I realize it's not a cardio workout but I do get noticeable benefits from it health wise every year.

I wouldn't get upset at his reaction. To him, it's nearly like you cited playing darts in a bar, or beer league softball as your source of exercise. Basketball, racquetball, football, hockey, weight lifitng, cardio, now that's exercise, from a medical professional's point of view. Disc golf is measured in pace by hours per mile. 5280' in a mile, how long is your course? Besides, doctors, at least good doctors in my experience, spent more time reading up on their profession than on the latest up and coming recreational sport, so I'd cut him some slack and grow a thicker skin. Afterall, we're tossing plastic in a park. It's not that impressive.

I'm sure anyone will see some health benefit to walking, even slowly. But for true healt benefits, your time is better spent hiking or walking on a path, or even slow steady swimming than it ever would be spent on the course. I think he would suggest supplementing the golfing with some "real" exercise. As another posted, disc golf could be best considered "exercise" for the elderly, severely overweight, or those recovering from injury or surgery. Not that there isn't any benefit at all, but is very low impact at best.

 

[Jay Dub]

I'm 55 years old. Carrying my 18 discs, water bottle and towels up and down places like Lincoln Ridge and even Monroe (very hilly but shorter) allows me to sleep better at night. My sleep is how I gauge how much I exercise. When I don't play and/or just walk I do not sleep as good that night compared to when I play golf.

I do agree it depends on the person, their age, weight and physical fitness.

 

[yangs1]

Wow! I was really only posting this for some comic relief from all the Pro's going hear and there, Prodigy BS and Nikko scamming the community. What I'm getting is a lecture that I don't excercise and if I'm am getting exercise from it I must be obese or elderly.