A comprehensive new report from The R&A has set out the strongest case yet for golf as a health-enhancing activity, citing evidence that golfers live on average five years longer than non-golfers and that the sport can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases.
The Golf and Health 2021-2025 report, which builds on an earlier edition covering 2016 to 2020, draws together five years of scientific research, case studies and global initiatives to make the argument that golf is uniquely placed to tackle some of society’s most pressing health challenges – from physical inactivity and loneliness to mental illness and unhealthy ageing.
Among its headline findings, the report states that playing golf each week can help players meet World Health Organisation physical activity guidelines, with a typical 18-hole round covering four to five miles and burning up to 2,000 calories. It also notes that 51 percent of the British and Irish population consider themselves to be in good health – a figure that rises to 72 percent among golfers.
Research backed by The R&A found that golfers aged 65 to 79 demonstrated better strength and balance than non-golfers of the same age, while those over 80 maintained strength and static balance comparable to younger non-golfers. A separate study of caddies found that working through a golf season reduced fat mass by eight percent, lowered total cholesterol by 11 percent and cut coronary heart disease risk scores by 24 percent.
The report also highlights the sport’s mental health benefits, with leading sports science professor Dr Margo Mountjoy noting that golf delivers all three components that contribute to good mental wellbeing: physical activity, social interaction and time spent in nature. Research conducted at the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships, however, found that 32.5 percent of female amateur competitors reported mental health problems in the four weeks preceding the event — underscoring the need for continued support at elite level.
A series of ten case studies illustrates the breadth of activity taking place across the world. In Scotland, a social prescribing pilot saw GPs in Fife refer patients to free golf programmes, with one participant describing health benefits she put at “10, 20, 30-fold.” Golf in Society, meanwhile, has launched ten golf health hubs across Scotland for people living with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and loneliness, with The R&A’s Glasgow facility Golf It! generating a total social value of £20.8 million in 2025, up from £17.2 million the previous year.
On the professional circuit, the Ladies’ European Tour Performance Institute — established in 2023 — recorded more than 4,500 player therapy contacts at tour events in 2025 and has launched four PhD research collaborations covering strength and conditioning, performance nutrition, breast health and mental wellbeing. A separate study found that fewer than 20 percent of female golfers had previously received education on proper sports bra fitting, highlighting a significant gap in women’s health provision within the game.
The report also points to the health benefits of simply spectating at golf events. Research shows that golf fans walk between five and six miles on average on each day they attend a championship, burning more than 1,000 calories — enough to exceed the 7,000 daily steps recommended by doctors.
The R&A’s chief executive, Mark Darbon, said the organisation would continue to work with the golf industry and national governing bodies to build on the progress made. “Playing golf is one of the best things you can do for your health, helping with wellbeing, physical health and length of life,” the report concludes.
With more than 108 million golfers now active across R&A-affiliated regions worldwide, the governing body says its ambition is to deliver over £25 billion in social value over the next five years in partnership with national federations.
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