Golf is sociable and gets people outdoors, connecting with nature

TOO many people are missing out on the health benefits of golf, a sport which is good for both the mind and body and can help lead to a longer life, a panel of international experts has claimed.

A report published in the ‘British Journal of Sports Medicine’ said evidence shows playing golf regularly can reduce the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Playing golf can provide moderate intensity aerobic physical activity, and it can boost older people’s strength and balance, the panel said.

It said the sport was associated with good mental health and improving the overall health of those with disabilities, and compared with other sports the risk of injury was moderate. Golf is also sociable and gets people outdoors, connecting with nature.

While around 60 million people play golf at least twice a year, the panel acknowledged the participant profile was quite narrow. Players tend to be middle-aged to older, male, of white European heritage, relatively well off, and living in North America, Europe and Australasia.

It is often perceived as expensive, male-dominated, difficult to learn, and not a game for the young or those on the lower rungs of the social ladder. The sport needed to be more inclusive and welcoming of people from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds, and any such initiatives should be supported, the panel said.

The panel, which includes Dr Andrew Murray of the University of Edinburgh’s Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, suggested more people might be interested in taking it up if it was promoted as an enjoyable outdoor activity that affords a sense of community and competitive challenge, as well as being good exercise.