Just back from a business trip to San Diego - where I managed to fit in a round at Barona Creek (wonderful!).
Doug:
You are exactly right. The caloric expenditure figures that you see published for golf, or any other physical activity are ball-park averages. Just like those heart rate range posters you see up on the wall at the fitness club - If you are this age, then your heart rate range should be between x and y for aerobic exercise. There are tables of different activities and their associated caloric expenditure rates - they are usually expressed as kcal/minute because many of these activities don't cover much linear distance (e.g. raking leaves, housework, bowling, etc.).
What I would really like to do eventually is to develop a walkability/physical activity index for golf courses - something that gives people the idea of how much distance is covered if you walk the course, elevation change (hilliness of the course) and caloric expenditure.
AD