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Living near a golf course is perhaps the ultimate status symbol but it comes with a surprising health risk!
A study published in JAMA Network Open has raised concerns about a possible association between living near golf courses and Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder. The researchers found that people living closer to golf courses had higher odds of developing the disease than those living farther away.
Is there a causation link?
The findings do not establish that golf courses cause Parkinson's disease.
However, they raise questions about the potential environmental effects of chemicals used to maintain golf-course landscapes and whether these could reach surrounding residential areas through groundwater.
What do the gold course study find?
The study titled Proximity to Golf Courses and Risk of Parkinson Disease, analysed medical records of 419 people with Parkinson's disease and 5,113 controls in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin in the United States.
The researchers examined residential proximity to 139 golf courses, as well as characteristics of local water-service areas and groundwater vulnerability.
After adjusting for demographic and neighbourhood factors, they found that people living within one mile of a golf course had 2.26 times the odds of developing Parkinson's disease compared with those living more than six miles away.
The researchers also found that people living in water-service areas containing a golf course had nearly twice the odds of Parkinson's disease compared with those in areas without golf courses.
What is the caveat?
These are relative odds from an observational study, not estimates of an individual resident's absolute risk. The findings also do not mean that everyone living near a golf course will develop the disease.
124 studies examine the pesticide connection
Adding to the broader evidence on pesticides and neurological health, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Environmental Toxicology in 2026 examined 124 studies investigating the association between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease.
The review, Revisiting the Association of Pesticide Exposure and Parkinson's Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, reported that exposure to pesticides was associated with 1.80 times the odds of Parkinson's disease in its pooled analysis of studies examining any pesticide exposure. The 95% confidence interval was 1.51 to 2.14.
The researchers also found an association for herbicides, with an odds ratio of 1.58 (95% confidence interval 1.26-1.97).
The review examined occupational and household pesticide exposure separately. Occupational exposure to pesticides overall was associated with 1.46 times the odds of Parkinson's disease, while household pesticide exposure was associated with 1.21 times the odds.
The findings suggest that the possible relationship between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease warrants further investigation beyond occupational settings.
However, the authors identified important limitations, including substantial variation in study methods, differences in how pesticide exposure was measured and the underrepresentation of several regions of the world. Most of the included studies relied on questionnaires or estimates of past exposure rather than direct measurements of long-term exposure.
Crucially, this review did not specifically investigate golf courses or establish that people living near them face the same risks as people exposed to pesticides at work or at home.
Pesticides and Parkinson's disease: What is the link?
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition involving the progressive loss of certain nerve cells in the brain. Its development is thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Pesticide exposure has been investigated as a potential environmental risk factor for Parkinson's disease. Golf courses use chemicals to maintain putting greens, fairways and other landscaped areas, including products intended to control weeds, insects and fungal diseases.
Depending on the substance and local environmental conditions, some chemicals may move beyond the areas where they are applied. Residues may travel through soil or runoff, or leach into groundwater.
The golf-course study investigated whether proximity to golf courses and characteristics of local drinking-water systems were associated with Parkinson's disease. The systematic review provides additional context for investigating pesticide exposure as one possible pathway.
Neither study proves that chemicals used on golf courses caused Parkinson's disease in the people studied.
'Findings need to be interpreted with caution'
Dr Sabine Kapasi, CEO at Enira Consulting Pvt Ltd, founder of ROPAN Healthcare Pvt Ltd, and a UN advisor, told NDTV that the study raises important public health questions about the possible role of environmental pesticide exposure in Parkinson's disease.
"The association between living near golf courses and higher odds of developing the disease, particularly in areas with vulnerable groundwater, warrants further investigation. However, these findings need to be interpreted with caution. The study establishes an association, not a direct causal link, and proximity to a golf course does not necessarily mean an individual has been exposed to harmful levels of pesticides," she said.
Kapasi said further research was needed to establish the nature and extent of exposure, identify the chemicals involved and understand how long-term exposure may affect neurological health.
"At the same time, regular monitoring of groundwater quality, responsible pesticide use and transparent reporting of environmental risks should be priorities for public health authorities. Preventing avoidable environmental exposure is an important part of protecting long-term health," she added.
Whar does this mean for homebuyers in India?
Golf-course-facing apartments and villas are a prominent feature of premium residential developments in India.
Green views, open spaces and landscaped surroundings are frequently presented as lifestyle advantages.
Neither of the two studies establishes that people living near golf courses in India face the same risks. Pesticide-use practices, groundwater conditions, water sources and environmental regulations can differ considerably between countries and locations.
The findings raise questions worth investigating in India: what chemicals are used to maintain golf courses, how frequently are they applied, and what measures are in place to prevent their movement into neighbouring areas?
For residential projects located close to golf courses, relevant questions include whether pesticide-use records are maintained, whether nearby groundwater is monitored for relevant chemical residues, and whether environmental assessments consider potential exposure beyond the course boundaries.
Independent testing of groundwater and other relevant environmental samples could help determine whether particular locations have measurable contamination. Any such assessment would need to be designed around the chemicals actually used and local environmental conditions.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.