Fitness for golfers by Yung-Shen Tsai, PhD, PT, Timothy C. Sell, PhD, PT, and Scott M. Lephart, PhD, ATC

Golf offers a wide array of benefits that can be appreciated over the span of a lifetime. Fitness, recreation, socialization and competition are reasons why golf is attractive to older adults.

Unlike other sports, golfers play more and spend more on the game as they get older. According to a report from the US National Golf Foundation, senior golfers (over 50 years old) account for about 25% of the total golfer population-and this percentage is increasing. Older golfers are dedicated to the game; they play 50% of all rounds and account for 53% of all spending on golf (1).