Golf for Healthy Aging

Aging is associated with physiological declines that could impair the ability to perform activities of daily living and thus impair the quality of life of older adults. Golf is an activity that challenges the balance, flexibility, and muscular systems of the golfer and could have important implications in addressing the physiological declines associated with aging. Golf also challenges the cognition of golfer and is typically performed in groups of 2-4 people; therefore, it could also have important implications for the cognitive and social health of older adults. This research will investigate the effects of an introductory, therapeutic golf program on the physiological, cognitive, and social well-being of older adults. 25 older adults (60-80 years) will participate in a 10-week introductory golf program specifically designed with older adults in mind. The intervention will be led by Professional Golf Association (PGA) professionals with experience in teaching older adults to golf. In order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention, the functional, physiological, and cognitive abilities of the participants will be evaluated as well as the overall well-being before and after the completion of the golf program. We will also examine the inflammatory response changes associated with the golf program. These adaptations will be evaluated through the use of biomechanical analysis, standardized older adult functional tests, validated surveys and questionnaires, validated cognitive assessments, and analyses of markers of inflammation.