ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROGRAM
Golf's Health Dividend
A multi-university partnership producing a scientifically grounded systematic review of golf's health benefits across five key domains of health. Our research has the potential to reshape how policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities think about golf as a public health intervention.
CORE THESIS
“Golf is a health-promoting sport that benefits individuals across five key domains of health and has the potential to reduce healthcare expenditures.”
2,700+
Health Citations Reviewed
5
Health Domains
3
University Partners
6
Research Team Members
Five Domains of Health
Our research is organized around five health categories aligned with CDC epidemic priorities, examining how golf contributes to each.
Physical Health
Walking, cardiovascular fitness, strength, balance, and motor coordination. Golf provides sustained moderate physical activity across varied terrain.
Cognitive Health
Brain activity, strategic thinking, and potential benefits for dementia and Alzheimer's prevention through sustained mental engagement.
Mental Health
Stress reduction, decreased anxiety, and alleviation of depressive symptoms through outdoor activity, social connection, and mindful focus.
Social Health
Socialization, community building, and reduction of loneliness and isolation. Golf is inherently social, fostering relationships across generations.
Wellness and Lifestyle Medicine
Contributions to obesity reduction, physical activity levels, quality of life, and healthy aging. Golf as a lifelong wellness activity.
Methodology
This study follows the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework for conducting systematic reviews of peer-reviewed literature.
Articles are manually screened for study type, population, sample size, and cost relevancy. Each citation is categorized by health domain and evaluated for methodological rigor, ensuring that our findings rest on the strongest available evidence.
The review encompasses over 2,700 health-related citations drawn from medical journals, sports science publications, public health research, and epidemiological studies spanning multiple decades of scholarship.
Research Team
Our research team brings together faculty and doctoral candidates from three leading research universities.
Dr. Erianne Weight, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dr. Jimikaye Beck Courtney, Ph.D.
Ellie Ellen Rudd
Dylan Wood
Theresa Hernandez
Naomi Martelia Whitaker
Reid Gorman
Tony Molinaro
Julien McNab