In their own words: Steve Mona

The chief executive of the World Golf Foundation (WGF) talks about the latest political and research developments that have been showing the health benefits of playing the game.

Attendees at the first ‘International Congress on Golf and Health’ in London last year

The golf industry has long felt that there were long-term health benefits associated with playing the game. Now, a study conducted by the Golf & Health Project has confirmed this and the findings were presented at an important conference late last year.

The event brought together leaders in the areas of public health, public policy and sports as they were presented with data which supported golf as an activity to combat physical inactivity and as a preventer of a wide range of physical ailments, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

The study of scientific data linking golf and health, which was commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A, was presented in late October in London at the 7th Congress of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH).

Steve Mona. Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

There were three components to the Congress related to golf and health:

• The London Declaration on Golf and Health (October 17). Part of the First International Congress on Golf and Health presented by the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) and the Golf and Health Project.

• Breakfast Meeting at the ISPAH Meeting. The biennial scientific meeting is widely regarded as the world’s flagship physical activity and public health event attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.

• Golf and Health Scientific Meeting (October 18 at High Elms Golf Club in London). Golf & Health ambassador Annika Sorenstam and leading experts participated in this day-long conference about the health benefits of golf [there is more on this on the next page].

The Golf & Health Project team is planning additional research in 2019 and will make more findings available when complete. For further information, please visit www.golfandhealth.org.

Steve Mona has been World Golf Foundation’s CEO since 2008. In 2017, Steve was named to Golf Inc.’s list of ‘Most Powerful People in Golf’ for the 17th consecutive year. World Golf Foundation develops and supports initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values. Founded in 1993, it is supported by major international golf organisations and professional Tours, and provides oversight to World Golf Hall of Fame, The First Tee, WE ARE GOLF and other industry initiatives in support of its mission. For more information, visit www.worldgolffoundation.org