In this space last week we reported on a study that said golfers live, on average, five years longer than non-golfers. It turns out there is more to that report, which is part of the launch of the ‘Golf & Health Project’ by the World Golf Foundation, the non-profit organization that develops and supports initiatives that positively impact lives through golf and its values, and, among other things, provides oversight to the World Golf Hall of Fame.
The Golf & Health Project has been reviewing thousands of research papers on health, illness prevention, and associated injuries, and has learned that the game is expected to decrease the risk of more than 40 major chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and colon and breast cancer, while also having positive impacts on cholesterol, body composition, metabolism, and longevity.
The project has the support of all of golf’s major organizations and has eight international ambassadors: Aaron Baddeley, Annika Sorenstam, Brooke Henderson, Padraig Harrington, Ryann O’Toole, Se Yeon Ryu, Zach Johnson, and, of course, Gary Player. For more information on what the project is doing and some of its early findings, check out its website. You also can follow the project on Twitter and Facebook, and watch interviews with the people involved.
