Golf & Health Project launches

A new project aimed at assessing the health and wellbeing benefits of golf has been launched by the World Golf Foundation (WGF).

The WGF’s Golf & Health Project has rigorously examined pre-existing research and will also conduct innovative new research to plug knowledge gaps and highlight golf’s role in giving people both health and quality of life.

University of Edinburgh researchers led by Dr. Andrew Murray and under the supervision of leading international academics, Professor Nanette Mutrie and Professor Liz Grant, have conducted the largest, most comprehensive study of golf and health, with the results shown in a Scoping Review published in the world’s leading sports medicine and science journal, The British Journal of Sports Medicine.

In total, 5,000 papers were reviewed to provide a comprehensive view on the impact of the game on health, illness prevention (and management) and associated injuries. ** Click here to see infographic below in full.

Key benefits include improvements in life expectancy and quality of life, as well as physical and mental health benefits. 

Golf is expected to decrease the risk of more than 40 major chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, colon and breast cancer.  Current research shows that golf has positive impacts on cholesterol, body composition, metabolism, and longevity.
 
The project launches with support from all of golf’s major organisations, along with an initial eight ambassadors from around the world with more than 30 majors and 350 wins between them - Aaron Baddeley (Australia), Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), Brooke Henderson (Canada), Gary Player (South Africa), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Ryann O'Toole (USA), So Yeon Ryu (South Korea), and Zach Johnson (USA).
 
“I am delighted to be an Ambassador for the Golf & Health Project and wholeheartedly support the work they are doing to prove the health and wellbeing benefits of golf,” explained Gary Player, nine-time Major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member. 

“The systematic and academic confirmation of the physical and mental benefits golf gives people will be of great use to us all to spread the word to institutions, governments and the entire world!”
 
Current information from the Scoping Review and future research findings will continue to be available through the Golf & Health website – www.golfandhealth.org.

This information is designed to be practical and usable by golf’s stakeholders to help develop the sport around the world.
 
The project also aims to show existing and future benefits that are identified are applicable to individuals of all ages throughout society, not just a specific sub-section of the population.
 
The WGF and the major golf organizations represented on its Board of Directors, along with partners such as the PGAs of Europe and the University of Edinburgh, academic collaborators and supporters from the University of California at San Francisco, and various other organizations, are working together on the Project with a view to sharing its work around the globe.
 
“The importance of the Golf & Health Project in the development of the sport is vital, not just for the WGF’s partners, but everyone involved with golf around the world,” said Steve Mona, CEO of the World Golf Foundation, which is a non-profit organization developing and supporting initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values. 

“This Project is something we can all get behind, as it is universally agreed that golf is good for you. It is going to provide real, tangible resources that can be used by governments and politicians, professional tours, governing bodies, golf businesses, PGA Professionals and more - all to the sport’s benefit.”

PGA chief executive of the PGA added: "“I always thought there were a lot of health benefits to be had from playing golf, especially for a number of years.

“This report is proof positive of the that. Hopefully it will encourage more people to take up the game and those that already play it to do so more often.”

The Project is planning various research-led activities to further prove areas of interest and also expand into currently under-researched areas such as the mental health benefits of golf, physical benefits in older players and the positive effects of spectating.
 
“For a number of years we’ve felt we’ve underplayed the likely benefits of golf on peoples’ health,” added Golf & Health Project Executive Director and European Tour Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Roger Hawkes.  “Over the last two or three years, there seems to be an interest from various bodies and we’ve been able to bring together that interest to actually study this area.”
 
Further information, news and features on the Golf & Health Project: www.golfandhealth.org, @GolfAndHealth on Twitter and ‘Golf and Health’ on Facebook.