New research suggests that living near golf courses may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
A new study suggests that living close to golf courses—often seen as serene suburban amenities—may come with a hidden health risk: a significantly higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease.
The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, add to growing concerns about environmental triggers for Parkinson’s, a degenerative neurological disorder marked by symptoms like muscle rigidity, tremors, and slowed movement. While the causes of Parkinson’s remain largely unknown, researchers have long suspected a link between pesticide exposure and the disease.
This latest study zeroed in on one particular source: golf courses, where pesticide use is routine. Researchers conducted a case-control study using decades of medical records from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which includes health data from residents of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
They examined nearly 5,500 individuals—419 diagnosed with Parkinson’s between 1991 and 2015, and over 5,100 matched controls without the disease. The team analyzed how close each person lived to the nearest golf course, grouping their proximity into zones ranging from under a mile to more than six miles away. They also looked at whether those golf courses were located in areas served by municipal water and how vulnerable nearby groundwater sources were to contamination.
The results were striking. Individuals living 1–2 miles from a golf course had a 198% higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, while those 2–3 miles away faced a 121% increase in risk.
Additionally, people living in municipal water areas that included golf courses had a 96% higher incidence of Parkinson’s compared to those in areas without golf courses. The risk was even greater for those living near golf courses in regions prone to groundwater contamination.
Based on their findings, the researchers recommended stricter regulations on pesticide use at golf courses and enhanced monitoring of groundwater quality in vulnerable areas. These steps, they suggest, could help reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease in nearby communities.
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