The Relationship between Self-Assessed Health of Middle-Aged and Aging Golf Players and Their Degrees of Specialization

[[abstract]]Since aging societies become global problems; elders? healths were gradually emphasized these years. Golf is an outdoor, sport and entertainment leisure activity. The expense of playing golf is usually more expensive than other sports; middle-aged and aging people play more golf because of their good incomes. The purpose of this study was to research the relationship between self-assessed health of middle-aged and aging golf players and their degrees of specialization. Five hundreds questionnaires were collected from March to April 2007 by the convenient method. Three hundred and fifty-eight samples were effective; and the effective rate was 71.6 %. The results of this study were the followings: 1. At the aspect of the degree of golf specialists, most of the surveyed players belonged to the middle degree of golf specialists. 2. At the aspect of the relationship between the degree of golf specialists and the barriers of playing golf, the expense of playing golf was more expensive than other sports, players? heaths cannot afford, and the information of playing golf was not enough were significantly related to the different degrees of golf specialists. 3. At the aspect of the relationship between the degree of golf specialists and golf players? self-assessed heaths of players, role limitations due to physical health problems, role limitations due to emotional problems, vitality and social functioning were significantly increased by the higher degree of golf specialists; however, general health was decreased by the higher degree of golf specialists. Based on the results, it is suggested to promote golf in the future. To increase middle-aged and aging people?s health to meet the needs of aging society, and to increase the population of golf players to increase the incomes of golf industry were the two advantages to promote golf