I found a pilot social prescribing project called Golf for Health that aims to connect eligible primary care patients with appropriate golf activities in Fife, Scotland. The project is a collaboration between The R&A and the University of St Andrews School of Medicine with partner organizations ¹. The initiative has been piloted in Fife with golf ‘prescribed’ for individuals to encourage a more active lifestyle. Researchers in the School have developed a model in partnership with The R&A, Fife Golf Trust, NHS Fife, Scottish Golf, PGA Scotland, the European Tour Group and Ladies European Tour to enable primary care professionals and community link workers to prescribe golf for eligible patients ¹. The pilot study was conducted with GP practices in Fife, with participating practices linked with initially four local golf clubs offering a six-to-eight week, free-of-charge program. The clubs running the program are Cluny Clays, Dunfermline, Dunnikier Park, and Elmwood ¹. The pilot initiative has been carefully designed to offer an accessible and social introduction to golf and to provide long-term health and wellbeing benefits for patients across Fife ¹.

Playing golf is associated with better strength and balance, a sharper mind, a lower risk of heart disease and a longer life, with more people
encouraged to take up the sport.

• To get the most benefit from the sport, golfers should play for at least
150 minutes a week and avoid riding in a golf cart. Players should also do
warm-up and strengthening exercises to lower their risk of injury
• While an estimated 60 million people play golf at least twice a year, golfers
are primarily middle-aged and older, affluent, male, white and living in
North America, Europe and Australia
• Compared with other sports, the risk of injury in golf is moderate. As golf
is an outdoor activity, golfers may have a higher risk of skin cancer than
people who take up indoor sports or sports with less time outside and
should use sunscreen when necessary
• Cost and perceptions of the sport may put some people off the idea
of playing golf. The sport is also perceived as difficult to learn and
unwelcoming to women, yet a number of women and girls’ initiatives are
assisting in this area
• Leaders in golf should make a greater effort to make the sport more
inclusive and welcoming of people from all walks of life and ethnic
backgrounds
Three key infographics were developed to help spread the messaging for
golfers, the golf industry and policy makers:
• Playing golf can make you healthier and happier
• Actions for policy / decision makers
• What can the golf industry / facilities do to maximise
the health benefits of golf?

The full report is available here -

Golf-and-Health-Report.pdf (hypnotherapy4change.co.uk)