Golf being offered on prescription to Fifers

A pioneering initiative is being piloted by the St Andrews-based R&A, the sport’s governing body, and the town’s university to encourage eligible primary-care patients to try out golfing activities considered appropriate for their requirements.

Researchers at the university’s school of medicine have worked with the R&A, Fife Golf Trust, NHS Fife, Scottish Golf, Professional Golfers’ Association Scotland, the European Tour Group and Ladies’ European Tour to enable primary care professionals and community link workers to prescribe exercise in the form of golf for some patients.

The initiative aims to exploit the sport’s profile in the region being raised further still by St Andrews hosting the 150th Open last summer to encourage those hitherto oblivious to the physical, mental and social benefits of golf to give it a go.

GP practices in Fife were invited to take part in the pilot study in partnership with four golf clubs offering a six-to-eight week programme free of charge, the clubs involved being Cluny Clays and Dunnikier Park near Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Elmwood at Stratheden.

About 30 patients took part in the preliminary version of the programme last year and more are expected to follow this spring.

Frank Sullivan, professor of primary-care medicine and medical school director of research at the university, said: “This 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.

“Our focus on developing connection pathways that are acceptable and feasible to implement for all involved is crucial. The most effective intervention in the world will not achieve its intended outcomes if patients are not connected with it.”

If further evaluation of how well the initiative is working in Fife rates it as a success, a larger-scale rollout across Scotland and the rest of the UK will follow.

Kevin Barker, director of golf development at the R&A, said: “The R&A is actively promoting the health benefits of golf to encourage more people into the sport.

“We see social prescription as a great way for golf to contribute to the health of communities and to provide people with opportunities to enjoy playing the sport throughout their lifetime.”

Linda Duncan, one of the participants in the programme at Cluny Clays, added: “Golf has become something for me.

“It’s helped me get out in the fresh air and meet other people. The health benefits for me have been ten, 20, 30-fold.”

The launch of the initiative follows research revealing that, on average, golfers live five years longer than those not involved in the sport and that golf, as a physical activity, can help prevent or treat 40 major chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, breast and colon cancer, depression and dementia.

Physical inactivity is associated with one in six deaths in the UK and is estimated to cost the nation’s economy £7.4bn a year.