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The researchers led by Barrow Neurological Institute and Mayo, led by the Mayo clinic, report an association between living near golf courses and an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in a study published in Jama Network Open.
The residents within 1 to 2 miles of a golf course have demonstrated almost the triple of the chances of having a MP, with the largest risk identified among those of water service areas with a golf course located in regions likely to contaminate groundwater.
Environmental risk factors, including exposure to pesticides, have been identified as contributors to the risk of MP. In the United States, golf courses are treated with pesticides at levels of up to 15 times higher than those in Europe, which raises concerns about potential environmental contamination. Previous reports have proposed that proximity to golf courses can increase the risk of MP by contamination of groundwater and drinking water.
In the study, “the proximity of golf courses and the risk of Parkinson’s disease”, the researchers conducted a case-test-based study to the population to assess the relationship between proximity to golf courses and the risk of MP.
The cohort included 419 cases of PD incident and 5,113 paired checks identified by the Rochester epidemiology project, a complete system of medical files covering a region of 27 counties in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin from 1991 to 2015.
The cases of PD were confirmed by an examination of medical records, in particular the verification of the diagnosis by a specialist in movement disorders. The checks were paired by age, sex and index date, defined as the date of the start of MP symptoms for cases or a comparable date for controls.
Data at the address level have been used to assess the proximity of golf courses. The limits of the golf course were mapped using satellite images and linked to the addresses of the participants. The distances from the nearest golf course were calculated on the basis of residential latitude and longitude recorded up to three years before the start of MP symptoms or the index date for controls.
The data on water service areas come from the US Geological Survey, categorizing the regions by the presence or absence of a golf course.
The vulnerability of groundwater vulnerability, provided by the Minnesota Ministry of Agriculture, have defined sensitive areas based on factors such as soil texture, foundation depth and karst geology. Municipal well data has been obtained from Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, with wells classified as superficial (less than 100 feet deep) or deep.
The exhibition assessments included the distance from the nearest golf course, living in a water service area with a golf course and residence in vulnerable groundwater regions. The distance categories were structured as less than 1 mile, 1 to 2 miles, 2 to 3 miles, 3 to 6 miles and more than 6 miles.
Living at 1 to 2 miles from a golf course was associated with ratings of PD 198% higher, while these 2 to 3 miles away had ratings of 121% higher. The risk decreased by approximately 13% per additional mile beyond 3 miles.
Resident in water service areas with a golf course has shown a 96% higher HP -HP than areas without golf course, regardless of residential proximity.
The very specific municipal factors, in particular the depth or proximity of golf courses, have not indicated a significant change in the risk of MP. Curiously, individuals with private wells, while being at increased risks, were at a lower risk than users of municipal wells.
The results align with broader concerns concerning exposure to pesticides and its potential impact on neurodegenerative diseases. The proximity of golf courses has become a risk factor for MP, in particular in areas with a vulnerability of groundwater, which suggests that environmental sensitivity can play an essential role in the exhibition routes.
The implications in public health are extended beyond immediate proximity, given the generalized use of pesticides on golf courses nationwide. The evaluation of the contamination of groundwater and the implementation of protective measures in areas with similar environmental vulnerability could alleviate the risk of potential exposure.
The fight against pesticide application practices on golf courses and monitoring the quality of groundwater in sensitive areas can serve as preventive strategies to reduce the risk of MP in neighboring populations.
More information:
Brittany Krzyzanowski et al, proximity to golf courses and the risk of Parkinson’s disease, Jama Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001 / JamanetWorkopen.2025.9198
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