NEW research by York academics has revealed how much golfers' well being would be boosted by courses being reopened at the end of the month.

A joint study by York St John University and Abertay University in Dundee into the impact of lockdown on golfers showed that the benefits of playing on an outdoor course could not be fully replicated by driving range activity, or home practice like putting or chipping.

A spokesperson said the UK Government had announced that it hoped courses in England could be permitted to reopen from March 29, dependent on national progress against the pandemic.

They said that the universities' research, published in journal Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, involved surveys of hundreds of UK golfers aged 16 to 89 and measured a number of key personal wellbeing factors, including self-esteem, self-confidence, resilience, personal competence, sense of belonging, enjoyment, social connections and life satisfaction.

They found that driving range activity and golf-related activities which were possible at home during lockdown (putting, swing practice, chipping into a net, watching golf on TV, or taking part in online tutorials) could not match the levels of belonging, wellbeing, enjoyment or general life satisfaction golfers reported from playing outdoors.

Dr Graeme Sorbie, of Abertay University, said: “Based on our findings, we would recommend that on-course golf activity should be introduced at an early stage of any restrictive period, particularly given safety measures that have already been put in place by governing bodies responsible for golf."

Dr Alexander Beaumont of the York St John University School of Science, Technology & Health said their study suggested that golf activity, when performed outside, had the potential to provide golfers with opportunities to feel a greater sense of belonging to the sport, wellbeing and also life satisfaction. "This could be down to increased golf-related physical activity, social interaction with other players on the course, or playing the sport in a natural environment.’’