Do Golf Courses Increase the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease?

Imagine living in a picture-perfect neighborhood with rolling green fairways just steps from your front door. 

Now imagine that might, surprisingly, faintly, raise your odds of a Parkinson's diagnosis. 

Nearly 90,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) each year, and more than 10 million people worldwide live with the condition. 

While aging remains the strongest predictor, research increasingly suggests that environmental exposures, including pesticides, air pollutants, and contaminated water, may also be potential contributors. 

A recent study found that people within a mile of a golf course had 126 percent higher odds of developing Parkinson's compared to those living more than six miles out. 

That figure, that sense that something serene could also be a health risk, is enough to give anyone pause. 

Are pesticides and fertilizers used on golf courses silently shaping neurological health? 

Could something as routine as tap water be a hidden risk factor? 

And what can individuals and clinicians do about it today? 

Keep reading to explore the data, the science behind it, and how diagnostic testing can bring clarity. 

Access Labs makes it simple to test for hidden exposures, helping clinicians turn research into answers patients can trust. 

Key takeaways:  

• Residing within 1 mile of a golf course was linked to 2.26× the odds of a Parkinson's diagnosis.
• Sharing municipal water with a golf course was associated with nearly twice the risk of Parkinson's disease. 
• In areas with groundwater vulnerability, residing near a golf course increased the risk by 82 percent. 
• Odds dropped approximately 9 percent per additional mile from a golf course. 
• Integrating environmental history with targeted lab panels supports practitioners in personalized prevention. 

Here's what you'll find in this article:

• New Study Findings: Close to Fairways, Closer to Risk 

• Four Risk Factors That Stand Out 
• How Experts Reacted – Interpretations and Caveats
  

• Living Near a Golf Course: What You Can Do 

• When Golf Is Good: Physical and Social Upsides
  
• Age and Other Major Drivers of Parkinson's 

• Conclusion: What Practice‑Focused Physicians Can Do with AML 

New Study Findings: Close to Fairways, Closer to Risk 

Researchers tapped the Rochester Epidemiology Project to review medical records from 1991 to 2015 in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

They matched 419 Parkinson's patients with 5,113 peers who were similar in age, sex, race, income, and location. 

Drawing from geocoded addresses, groundwater data, and water service maps, the results were clear: 

• Living within one mile of a golf course brought 2.26 times higher odds of Parkinson's than living more than six miles away. 

• Shared municipal water systems serving golf-course areas increased the risk by 1.96 times compared to systems without golf courses and by 1.49 times compared to private wells. 

• Living in an area with both a golf course and vulnerable groundwater increased the odds by 1.82 times. 

• Distance offered a kind of safety buffer: risk dropped by about 9–13 percent per mile beyond a 3-mile threshold. 

Living within one mile of a golf course nearly doubles your odds of developing Parkinson's. 

Wondering how environmental exposures may affect health? Access Labs makes it simple for clinicians to order tests that bring patients clearer answers. 

4 Risk Factors That Stand Out

1. Living Close to the Course 

The closer the home, the higher the odds. 

People living within a mile of a golf course were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's compared to those farther away. 

That distance effect matters. The risk begins to taper off once you get beyond three miles, suggesting a clear link between proximity and exposure. 

2. Shared Public Water Service Areas

When neighborhoods share a municipal water supply with a golf course, exposure extends beyond the greens. 

Pesticides and herbicides used to maintain fairways can leach into the water system, potentially affecting every household connected to that source. 

Compared with residents on private wells, individuals using shared water systems that included golf courses showed approximately 50% higher odds of developing Parkinson's disease. 

3. Vulnerable Groundwater

Some regions are naturally more at risk. 

Areas with shallow bedrock or sandy soil make it easier for surface chemicals to seep into aquifers. 

In these vulnerable zones, researchers found an 82% increase in Parkinson's odds for residents living near golf courses. 

4. A Dose–Response Curve

Risk isn't static. It shifts with distance. Every mile farther from a golf course lowered Parkinson's odds by about 13%. 

That kind of dose–response curve is a hallmark of environmental exposure studies, strengthening the argument that this is not a coincidence but a measurable pattern. 

Here's What the Experts Say About It

While the findings sound alarming, researchers and advocacy groups caution against jumping to conclusions. 

David Dexter, Director of Research at Parkinson's UK, put it plainly: 

"Parkinson's is complex. Many studies have looked at pesticides and Parkinson's, and this study supports that link. But it's also reductive. It doesn't account for workplace exposure, lifestyle factors, or genetic predisposition." 

Other experts echoed similar points: 

• The study didn't directly measure pesticide levels in water or air. 

• Parkinson's develops slowly, often over 10–20 years, making it hard to tie the diagnosis to one exposure. 
• Lifestyle, genetics, head injuries, and diet all play meaningful roles. 

Still, the patterns were consistent across multiple variables—distance, groundwater, and water systems, which makes the signal hard to ignore. 

Groups like the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) and the Parkinson's  Foundation emphasize that while causation has not been proven, this research highlights areas where public health monitoring could be improved, particularly in water safety in communities adjacent to large golf courses. 

What You Can Do If You Live Near a Golf Course

Living next to a golf course doesn't automatically mean you'll develop Parkinson's. 

But being proactive can reduce potential exposure and give you peace of mind. 

• Test your water for pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals through lab-based testing from your physician. 

• Install filtration systems such as reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters, which are effective against many lawn-care chemicals. 

• Reduce indoor contamination by leaving shoes outside, washing hands after yard work, and rinsing produce grown in home gardens near treated areas. 

• Talk to your clinician about lab testing. Certain panels can  measure environmental toxins or early neurological stress markers, helping identify concerns before symptoms appear. 

Clinicians can order Heavy Metal Testing from Access Medical Labs. These panels help detect toxic elements that may accumulate through water, soil, or environmental exposure, giving patients a more complete picture of potential risks.