As a new puppy, your dog will only need short (10 minutes or so) in your own back garden. After your dog has had the necessary immunisation this period of exercise can gradually be built up by taking it on two or three walks a day rather than one long walk. You should try to use all types of terrain to exercise your dog, from lead trotting on the pavement to free running on the grass. 

Before letting your dog off the lead you should be confident that it has a good recall i.e. it knows its name and comes to you when called. I always use a whistle to train my dogs (available from a gundog shop) and I start from when I bring them home. It is surprising how well they respond to the same constant pitch (so be sure that when you replace your whistle, you buy one with the same pitch. We can't hear the difference but your dog can!). When I let them out into the garden as puppies, I use three short, sharp blasts on the whistle and call their names when I want them to come back to me. I give them lots of praise and returning to the whistle becomes second nature to them. I prefer not to reward their good behavior with 'tit-bits' as it is not good for their health and also, it is better to reward them with the pleasure in your voice - you always have that with you!

As an adult, a Golden Retriever can take, and thoroughly enjoy, all the exercise that you will be able to give it. My dogs are quite happy to stay out all day with me and I'm sure would let me know how unhappy they were if they only had a 10 minute walk around the block each day! 

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