Think carrying your golf bag is better for you? New research suggests otherwise

The idea that carrying your bag on the golf course is better for you is a common one.

It’s an argument that stands to reason, too. Surely, walking with a bag on your bag, rather than using a trolley, is going to burn more calories, as you’re exerting yourself more.

Well, a new independent study looks to have revealed that that isn’t the case.

The research, led by Graeme Close, Professor of Human Physiology at Liverpool John Moores University, focused on 16 elite college golfers using three different modes for transporting their clubs around the course.

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In the study, some players were carrying their bags, others were pushing a conventional trolley, and other players were using a Stewart Golf Q Follow electric trolley.

According to Close, who is also the nutrition consultant for the European Ryder Cup team, you won’t lose any health benefits by putting your clubs on an electric trolley, as opposed to putting them on your shoulders for your round.

“In my role with the DP World Tour it is vital that elite golfers can efficiently fuel performance,” said Close.

“This study is the first of its kind to accurately measure the physical effects of golf on the body.”

The study was centred around comparing the total energy expenditure and the rate of perceived exertion of the golfers.

The findings showed that with all three methods, there was no noticeable differences in calories burned. Instead, it’s the walking, whether you have the bag on your back or not, that is the real difference maker.

“By far the major contributor to the energy expenditure of golf is walking itself. The act of striking the ball or carrying the clubs is a much more minor contributor than walking,” said Close.

One factor where there was a difference in performance, however, was in RPE. In simple terms, that’s a measure of how a person feels, as opposed to their actual physical response.

For players who carried their bag, the RPE was much higher, which means that golfers felt like they were working a lot harder than they actually were. In reality though, these players weren’t burning any more calories than those using the trolley.

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In contrast, the Stewart Golf Q Follow electric trolley gave the lowest RPE, and was the only mode where golfers found the perceived level of exercise to be ‘very easy.’

“The perceived effort of the electric trolley was much lower, and I guess that makes sense because you know if you walk a course and you’re not having to actually think about either pushing a trolley or carrying clubs, then of course it feels easier and that’s what we measured in this study”, said Close.

Importantly, the study found that golfers who were carrying their clubs produced the highest overall heart rate and heart rate fluctuation on the golf course.

For those of us who might get a higher heart rate on the golf course in pressure situations, which is every golfer, that’s not going to let us hit our best shots.

You can see the full study from Liverpool John Moores University here.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor