Parliament hails announcement of inaugural Golf and Health Week

Members of Parliament have hailed the inaugural Golf and Health Week, a dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of golf for people of all ages and abilities.

Golf and Health Week will take place from 15-19 April and will aim to encourage golfers, non-golfers and lapsed golfers into taking part in the sport.

A motion has been tabled in the House of Commons by All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group Co-Chair, Stephen Gethins MP, welcoming the announcement, and expressing hope “that more people will be encouraged to take part in this fantastic sport and enjoy all the health and wellbeing benefits that participation offers.”

The collaborative campaign will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies and clubs.

The week will be co-ordinated by The R&A with the support of the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation, as well as national associations including England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union.

All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group Co-Chair and Member of Parliament for North East Fife, Stephen Gethins MP, said “thanks to the Golf and Health Project, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A, we now have robust scientific evidence that golf delivers health benefits for people of all ages as health-enhancing physical activity and a preventer of a range of non-communicable diseases.

“I hope that Golf and Health Week will help to promote the sport as one that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, as well as highlighting the significant health and wellbeing benefits that participants enjoy.”

Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire and All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group Co-Chair Craig Tracey MP said “Golf and Health Week is a very welcome initiative, which I am sure will encourage more people to get involved with the sport and enjoy the health benefits that golf provides.

“The All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group looks forward to working with stakeholders from across the sport to promote Golf and Health Week, and to continue to introduce more people to the game.”

The full text of the motion is as follows:

Early day motion 2203: Golf and Health Week

That this House welcomes the announcement of the first ever Golf and Health week taking place from 15-19 April, which aims to encourage golfers, non-golfers and lapsed golfers into taking part in the sport; recognises the significant and robust scientific research undertaken into the health benefits of the sport by the Golf and Health Project, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A; hails the many and varied health and wellbeing benefits of golf; congratulates The R&A on coordinating Golf and Health Week, as well as the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association, the Golf Foundation, England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union for supporting; encourages all to get behind Golf and Health Week, to highlight the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf through projects delivered by golf bodies and clubs; and hopes that more people will be encouraged to take part in this fantastic sport and enjoy all the health and wellbeing benefits that participation offers.