Is playing golf better for you than playing pickleball? Interesting new data

Both provide benefits, but one might be easier on your joints

By Steph Green Published April 28, 2025

Man holding a golf club about to hit a ball — Ryan Hoffman / Unsplash

Golf has been a popular sport for a long time, and golfers love nothing more than teeing off and swinging their clubs on a vibrant, green course. Recently, pickleball has taken the spotlight with a surge in interest. Lots of my friends are playing pickleball, swinging those rackets, and joining local games and teams. Researchers have been exploring whether playing one of these sports is easier on your body than the other. Let’s look at the new research.

Golf or pickleball? According to science

Both provide benefits, but one might be easier on your body overall than the other, especially if you have certain medical conditions or concerns about your joint health.

Golf

A new MarketWatch Report, a study of Swedish golfers, and a 2020 American Heart Association study revealed that frequent rounds of golf could provide regular exercise while lowering stress and the risk of heart disease. The researchers found that playing golf promotes longevity. Many health and fitness professionals recommend golf because it’s easier on the joints, especially for players with bone conditions and lower bone density.

Pickleball

Pickleball and racket sports also deliver benefits like improving balance, flexibility, and hand-eye coordination and promoting calorie-burning and weight loss. A review of 13 studies showed that pickleball players report improvements in overall well-being, life satisfaction, and general happiness. However, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons released data in 2024 showing that pickleball-related fractures had increased by 200% in the last 20 years.

To pickleball or not to pickleball?

While pickleball is a fun and beneficial sport that can make you feel like a kid again, it doesn’t come without risks, and it seems fractures are more likely due to the nature of the sport when compared to sports like golf. Pickleball involves fast movements, twists, and turns that might also play a role.

Recommended Videos

If you don’t think pickleball is for you, the research reveals that playing golf still provides cardiovascular benefits and physical activity. It’s up to you what you decide to play and how you get your exercise, but this research is worth keeping in mind. If you’re not sure if you should try a certain sport, it’s always best to consult your healthcare provider.

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

Topics

Workouts

Health & Fitness

How many stairs do you have to climb a day to drop heart disease risk by 20%?

Stair climbing is a good indicator of aerobic fitness and lower-body strength

Man climbing stairs

After being in a wheelchair for two years and going through a major surgery and months of physical therapy, learning how to walk again, I was proud and tearing up when I climbed up the flight of stairs in the therapy center and rang the bell. I’d been exercising and working with my physical therapist regularly, engaging my quads, core, hamstrings, and glutes, and finally, I was strong enough to walk up the stairs.

Some people have a simple goal of climbing a flight or two of stairs without feeling out of breath, and stair climbing is a good indicator of aerobic fitness and lower-body strength. Researchers investigated the impact of stair climbing on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Protecting our heart health is a priority, and it turns out, taking the stairs instead of the elevator is good news for your heart.

Health & Fitness

Diet vs. exercise: Which is a bigger driver of obesity? A new study weighs in

Can you really outrun a bad diet?

Blue plate with word blocks text weight loss on white background with green leaf

You can choose from countless fad diets or fitness fads that are trending one minute and forgotten about the next. Most people know that both exercise and diet play a role in the overall weight loss picture, but which is a bigger driver? This question remains a topic of debate in the health and fitness community. Recently, that’s exactly what researchers wanted to find out.

Previous research has shown the benefits of long-term exercise in reducing adipose tissue and improving obesity, particularly through aerobic and higher-intensity exercise. You can also find plenty of research on how low-calorie diets, ketogenic diets, and other nutrition plans resulted in lower body fat. So, which plays the more significant role, what happens in the kitchen or the gym? Can you really outrun a bad diet? This new study weighs in.

Health & Fitness

What’s the secret to better hydration? What you need to know

How to choose the best hydration products

person drinking water

Most people now understand that proper hydration is a critical component in nutrition, sports, and fitness. Yet, many don't quite understand the science behind it—particularly the role of osmolality and how it can help us make smarter choices when choosing hydrating beverages.
CEO of The Osmolality Lab, Nick Gillitt, shares his insight on how personalized hydration solutions shape the future of nutrition and advance health outcomes. Gillitt specializes in human health, nutrition, exercise, and recovery support from plant-based food ingredients, new product introductions, consumer research, and technology. The Osmolality Lab is the global authority in the field of osmolality science as it relates to various consumer products, offering unparalleled expertise, testing, and certification services essential to brands across several industries.
In our discussion, Gillitt shared how the market has shifted toward science-backed hydration products and what consumers should look for when shopping for sports drinks. Here's what you should know about shopping for the best hydrating sports drinks.

Evolution of hydration products