Golfing may be a great way to get outdoors and socialise, but a study suggests Australian golfers are more than twice as likely to have skin cancer than the general population.

University of SA researchers report that one in four golfers had received a skin cancer diagnosis compared with fewer than one in 10 non-golfers.

“Golf industry, golf facilities and the wider public health community have a role in supporting golf participants to reduce their UV radiation exposure and to engage regularly with health providers for regular skin checks,” the authors wrote in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine.

Lead researcher Dr Brad Stenner (PhD) and colleagues reviewed health information gathered from an online survey of 336 adults (mean age 62) who played golf at least once a month.