Study confirms what husbands have been telling wives for years; Golf prolongs life

Husbands might want to print this article and save it.

According to the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institute, "the death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, which correspond to a 5 year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest."

While there is a possibility of "causation versus correlation" skewing the results (for example perhaps people who golf are also the type of people who live generally healthier lifestyles), Professor Anders Ahlbom, who has led the study with Bahman Farahmand believes it is likely that the playing of the game itself has a materially positive impact on health:

"A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres, something which is known to be good for the health," he says. "People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help."

Of course the health benefits of golf are not exclusive to men (and no I am not talking about the peace and quiet that women get when husbands are out on the course). One out of four golfers is female the exercise and social aspects of the game are important regardless of one's gender.

Publication: 'Golf – a game of life and death. Reduced mortality in Swedish golf players', B. Farahmand, G. Broman, U. De Faire, D. Vågerö & A. Ahlbom, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 30 May 2008.

Additional source: Medical News Daily