IT has been described as a good walk spoiled, and many of its devotees will say its more likely to raise the blood pressure than lower it.

But now fresh research shows that a game of golf is better for you than has been first thought, the crushing emptiness which comes from a bogie on the ninth hole notwithstanding.

Yet, too many people are missing out on the health benefits, say the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and the sport remains too white, too male and too middle-class.

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Golf can help boost older people's health, the study says

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The consensus - one of the first of its kind - comes on the eve of the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf tournament between Europe and the US.

The journal found that golf is good for both the mind and body, and can help lead to a longer life for both men and women as playing a round regularly can reduce the risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

A report by the journal's panel of experts on the benefits of the sport found that it can provide moderate intensity aerobic physical activity and boost older people's strength and balance.

They also said the game is associated with good mental health and improving the overall health of those with disabilities, and compared with other sports the risk of injury is moderate.

Golf is also sociable and gets people outdoors, connecting them with nature.

However, while around 60 million people play golf at least twice a year, the panel acknowledged the participant profile remains quite narrow.

Players tend to be middle aged to older, male, of white European heritage, relatively well off, and living in North America, Europe and Australasia.

It is also often perceived as expensive, male-dominated, difficult to learn, and not a game for the young or those on the lower rungs of the social ladder.

 

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The panel, which includes Dr Andrew Murray of the University of Edinburgh's Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, suggested that more people might be interested in taking it up if it was promoted as an enjoyable, outdoor activity that affords a sense of community and competitive challenge, as well as being good exercise.

The panel concluded that the sport needs to be more inclusive and welcoming of people from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds, and any such initiatives should be supported.

Previous studies have found that golf can be good the the waistline, with golfers typically burnt a minimum of 500 calories over 18 holes, while those walking the course could cover four to eight miles.

Dr Andrew Murray, from the physical activity for health research centre at Edinburgh University, said last year: "We know that the moderate physical activity that golf provides increases life expectancy, has mental health benefits and can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer.

"Evidence suggests golfers live longer than non-golfers, enjoying improvements in cholesterol levels, body composition, wellness, self-esteem and self-worth.

"Given that the sport can be played by the very young to the very old, this demonstrates a wide variety of health benefits for people of all ages."

 

The journal's panel drew panel a systematic review of the available published evidence, amounting to 342 eligible studies along with discussions among an international working group of 25 experts in public health and health policy, and industry leaders.

It has also made a raft of recommendations to guide policy-makers and industry leaders on how to make golf more inclusive and accessible and encourage more people from all walks of life to take it up.

The panel suggests golfers should aim to play for 150 minutes a week and walk the course rather than ride in a golf cart.

It also urges the industry to develop a culture that will inspire more women and girls to play, as well as promote equality and diversity.

"These outputs, if widely shared and adopted, will contribute to an improved understanding of golf and health, and aid these groups in making evidence-informed decisions and to improve health and wellbeing," the panel said.