Why Golf Is One of the Best Sports for Longevity

A Sport Built for a Longer, Healthier Life

In today’s society there is a big movement towards human longevity and the various ways to achieve this. In the search for activities that help us stay healthier for longer, golf is one of those sports that often goes under the radar. It doesn’t demand punishing workouts, intense speed, or youthful agility. 

Instead, golf offers something far more sustainable than you might think: steady movement, mental focus, community, and a rhythm of activity that people can maintain well into later life. 

For anyone aiming to preserve their physical and mental wellbeing as they get into later life, golf may be one of the most accessible and effective long-term habits you can adopt.

The Physical Benefits That Support Healthy Ageing

Research has repeatedly shown that regular golfers tend to live longer, with one Scandinavian study suggesting an average increase of around five extra years of life. While this statistic is surprising to many, the reasons behind it are simple. Golf involves continuous light-to-moderate physical activity: swinging, rotating, stabilising, and repeating these movements for several hours.

Even without walking a full 18 holes, golfers engage in controlled movements that challenge balance, coordination, mobility, and muscular endurance. These qualities become increasingly important as we age, helping prevent falls, maintain independence, and keep everyday activities feeling manageable.

There is also something uniquely beneficial about the way golf encourages slow, deliberate movement. The golf swing uses muscles through a full range of motion, improving joint mobility while staying low-impact. 

Unlike high-intensity workouts, golf rarely places excessive strain on knees, hips, or the lower back when done with good technique. Instead, it promotes flexibility and joint health gradually, allowing people to build strength without overloading their body.

Mental Wellbeing: The Hidden Longevity Booster

The physical component is only half the story. Golf has long been associated with mental wellbeing, offering a blend of concentration, strategy, patience, and presence that feels almost meditative. Every shot requires you to slow down, breathe, and focus. This mindful quality has been linked to improvements in stress management, cognitive function, and emotional balance.

At a time when chronic stress is increasingly recognised as a contributor to health problems, the calming nature of golf provides a valuable antidote. The sport’s pace encourages you to step outside the rush of daily life and spend time in a mental space that is structured but peaceful.

The Power of Social Connection

Social connection is another powerful driver of longevity, and golf provides it in abundance. Whether played outdoors or indoors, golf naturally brings people together. It creates shared routines, friendly competition, and opportunities for conversation—factors that are known to reduce loneliness, support mental health, and even improve long-term physical outcomes.

Studies consistently show that people with strong social ties live longer and healthier lives. Golf, unlike many sports, provides a built-in opportunity for meaningful interaction at a comfortable pace.

Why Indoor Golf Matters Too

While traditional courses offer fresh air and wide-open space, indoor golf facilities have become an increasingly important part of how people engage with the sport, especially in colder seasons or urban areas where time and weather can limit play. 

Centres such as Project Golf in London make the sport more accessible, allowing golfers to practise in a comfortable, weather-proof setting using advanced technology that supports skill development.

Although indoor golf doesn’t include the walking element, the physical act of swinging, rotating, balancing and repeating shots still delivers many of the same strength, coordination, and mobility benefits. For many people, being able to play consistently indoors helps them maintain the habit year-round, which may be the most important factor of all when it comes to building a longevity-supporting lifestyle.

Indoor golf also provides a welcoming environment for beginners or those returning after injury, creating a low-pressure space to learn, rebuild confidence, and re-establish healthy movement patterns. In this sense, it expands the possibilities of who can participate in the sport.

A Lifelong Path to Better Wellbeing

Perhaps the most compelling argument for golf as a longevity sport is simply this: people remain able to enjoy it for decades. It adapts as your body and needs change, transitioning from competitive challenge to mindful movement to social enjoyment without ever losing its value. Whether on a full course or in a modern indoor centre, golf offers a sustainable, rewarding path to better physical health, mental clarity, and long-term wellbeing.