Far from being a good walk spoiled, golf is the ‘perfect sport’ for mental and physical wellbeing
Golf is a great way to stay physical while also boosting your mental health(Image: Perthshire Advertiser)
An active lifestyle is essential to staying fit and healthy at any stage of life, but for many people, finding the right outlet isn’t always easy. Running may be too much physically, and perhaps the thought of going for a walk leaves you bored.
So what if you could combine that walk with another pastime – but be warned, it’s addictive. There is a famous quote, wrongly attributed to Mark Twain, that golf is a good walk spoiled.
But that is certainly not true with experts saying it can help fight around 40 chronic diseases. The sport’s governing body, the St Andrews-based R&A, has published a new edition of its golf and health report to highlight the physical, social and mental benefits of the sport.
It has helped the research of Dr Andrew Murray at the University of Edinburgh. He advises across the golf industry and various governments on the benefits of the sport.
In the latest report, Dr Murray, the Medical and Scientific Advisor for The R&A, said: “There are about 40 major chronic diseases, like heart attacks, Type 2 diabetes and types of cancer that can be benefited from regular physical activity like golf, while it’s also good for the brain.”
According to the report, an average golfer will burn a colossal 2,000 calories during an 18-hole round. Even going to watch the sport as a spectator can help burn around 1,000 calories.
Golfers Catriona Matthew and Mimi Rhodes stroll up the 18th hole at Royal Lytham & St Annes, host of the 2026 AIG Women’s Open(Image: Jan Kruger/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
The research suggests golfers live five years longer than non-golfers and can help strength and balance, improve quality of life and provide aerobic exercise, especially among the older generation. Playing also provides social interaction, a “significant protective factor for mental health and wellbeing”.
Dr Margo Mountjoy, a professor and Assistant Dean at McMaster University in Canada, said golf is the “perfect sport” for mental wellbeing. She explained: “Those who play it benefit from the three components that contribute to good mental wellbeing: physical activity, social activity and spending time in nature.”
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “As our new report highlights, it is amazing how much progress has been made over the last decade to evidence the positive impact golf can have on people’s lives. The health benefits of playing golf are a key selling point for the sport, educating golfers and encouraging new people into golf, as well as providing compelling evidence to policy makers.
“According to research, on average golfers live five years longer than non-golfers to illustrate the significant impact the sport has on life expectancy. The success of our new strategy depends on working collaboratively with our national federation partners to continue the momentum we have seen in participation growth. We can achieve this through promoting golf’s health benefits widely and encourage more people to play and engage with the sport more frequently worldwide.”