Why living near a golf course could double your Parkinson's risk

Why living near a golf course could double your Parkinson's risk

Living near a golf course might improve your access to greenery, but all that grass has a dark side

Credit: Getty images


To ask about the health benefits of moving nearer a golf course has the whiff of someone desperately trying to use scientific research to convince their partner that living next to Gleneagles is a good idea.

Fair play. I, for one, greatly admire such a flagrant abuse of science, so here’s some evidence for the case file. 

To tee off, think about all of that greenery. Research consistently shows that living close to green space correlates with lower risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Quantifying the effects is difficult, but papers suggest it can reduce stress hormones, encourage exercise and improve aspects of cognitive function, such as memory and attention.

In one study, researchers concluded that every 10-per-cent increase in access to green and blue space was associated with a seven-per-cent reduction in anxiety and depression risk. 

A round of golf itself also has well-documented health benefits. In 2023, Finnish researchers compared the cardiovascular benefits of an 18-hole round of golf (walking – no buggies) with an hour of brisk walking and an hour of Nordic walking.

Although all three were beneficial, golf came out on top, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. 

Other research shows that golf training has cognitive benefits, especially for the elderly. It can also be good for your mental health, not least because it’s a sport that fosters and supports social relationships.

All told, regular golf can contribute to a longer, healthier life, according to researchers who found a 40-per-cent reduction in mortality in people who golf regularly.

Not a bad handicap, but the plan isn’t without its bunkers. Earlier in 2025, a study investigated a possible link between Parkinson’s disease and proximity to golf courses. The link relates to pesticide exposure.

Some of the chemicals used to keep greens and fairways pristine are neurotoxic and have been linked to Parkinson’s in a number of other studies (although risk is complicated by other factors, such as the type of pesticide and the extent of a person’s exposure to it). 

A man swings a golf club after hitting a ball
The chemicals used on golf courses to keep the grass green and uniform might contribute to Parkinson's risk - Credit: David Madison via Getty

In the latest paper, researchers studied people living around 139 golf courses in America. They found that people who live within one mile of a course were 126-per-cent more likely to develop Parkinson’s compared to people who lived 9km (6 miles) or more away.

The risk was almost double for people who live within the same water service area as a golf course, suggesting that groundwater contaminated with pesticides could be a factor, alongside airborne exposure. 

It should be noted that Parkinson’s risk is a complicated mix of genetic and environmental factors. Risks associated with chemicals have usually been connected with occupational risk, rather than recreational.

And assuming you’re in the UK, risk is also likely to be lower because one of the chemicals associated with Parkinson’s – paraquat – is banned. 

So, living next to a golf course is – like living practically anywhere else – a mixed picture. Maybe head to the 19th hole to mull it over.


This article is an answer to the question (asked by Paul Leach, from Carlisle) 'Would I be healthier if I moved next to my golf course?'

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