Play golf and live a healthier life

According to research published by the R&A, people are living longer, happier, healthier lives by playing golf.

The report has revealed that on average golfers live five years longer than non-golfers, and the physical benefits of playing golf are vast. It can help prevent and treat as many as 40 major chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, breast and colon cancer, depression and dementia.

The study was carried out on approximately 2,000 golfers per market in Sweden, Canada, South Korea and the UK, by Sporting Insights for The R&A.

A separate survey of 250 golfers in the US, Canada and the UK found the majority cited “mental well-being” as their reason for playing. Golfers, many having invested in equipment and Golf Shoes, spend many hours outdoors — and time outside is a proven mood-booster, particularly for older adults.

The health benefits seem to be encouraging more people to take up the game, including women. The study showed that 20 percent of adult golfers were female in 2022, compared to 15 percent in 2019.

Participation numbers in golf continued to grow in 2022, and numbers are higher than before the pandemic according to the research. The data shows that, in Great Britain and Ireland, 5.6 million adult players played on nine or 18 hole courses last year, the second highest number in over 30 years. That number has increased by 265,000 from 2021.

Ex professional cricketer Ray Jennings, who played for South Africa, is a keen golfer and has a home overlooking a golf course in Mauritius at Heritage Villas Valriche. Testifying about the health benefits of golf he says:

“I am 69 but feel 21! I play golf three times a week and it boosts my energy, keeps my mind sharp and helps reduce stress. It’s important as you get older to find something you love doing and by following your passion you keep a positive mind and stop thinking about your aches and pains. For me spending time outside, in a beautiful natural environment, intensifies the pleasure of golf.

“Playing in Mauritius I can enjoy the sea views and lush greenery, it’s heaven.”

Meanwhile, golf participation can reach record levels in the coming years, says Martin Slumbers, outgoing chief executive of The R&A.

Speaking at his final Open Championship press conference before standing down from the role, Slumbers said he was bullish for the sport’s future prospects.

He said: “Golf is in many ways riding on the crest of a wave.

“The golf industry is benefitting from a surge in participation, and more and more people are experiencing golf in all its forms. More than 100 million people experience the game in one form or another around the world.

“The latest participation figures for 2023 showed that in the countries we’re responsible for, there were 62.3 million people playing golf, which is a rise of 1.1 million on the previous year.

“These are very encouraging figures, but we have to maintain this momentum. To do that, we must have a sustainable business model in the long term.

“If you look at golf as a pyramid, however strong the pyramid is at the top, it can only be sustained in the long term if the pyramid is equally strong at the base.

“We see that as our responsibility, and that is why we invest all of the proceeds from the Open back into the sport. We have to be careful to do that in such a way as to ensure that the recreational game is thriving and that the most talented players have a pathway to the top of the game so the professional game of tomorrow flourishes. We can’t do that if we neglect the base of the pyramid.

“The reason I’m raising this concern is that I care deeply about getting more people into golf around the world and helping them to move through the levels of the sport if they have the talent and the motivation.

“If we can achieve a sustainable business model and really engage in parts of the world where the growth opportunities are emerging, then there is a golden, perhaps once in a generation, opportunity to elevate our sport and make it a more popular participation sport than it has ever been. I’m convinced that that is achievable.”