How DP World Tour Championship boosts wellbeing of fans and players

Dubai: When Rory McIlroy drained the winning putt at the DP World Tour Championship last year, the roar from the 18th green echoed across the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Thousands of fans high-fived, hugged, and reached instinctively for their phones to capture the moment. For those who missed it, it was a timely reminder: the true joy of great sport lies in being there, together.

But the feeling goes far beyond the thrill of live sport. Increasingly, research shows that shared experiences like the DP World Tour Championship don’t just provide entertainment. They can actively promote mental and physical wellbeing, helping people connect, move more, and feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Recent research suggests that the “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) on major moments isn’t just about the spectacle – it’s about the connections we crave. The shared laughter, the collective gasp, the simple joy of being there in person all contribute to a sense of belonging that screens can’t replicate.

As psychologists have pointed out, experiences shared with others become more meaningful, memorable, and motivating, which is precisely what events like the DP World Tour Championship deliver.

That’s where Dr Andrew Murray, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the European Tour Group, comes in. A physician, researcher at the University of Edinburgh, and leading voice in the health benefits of golf both physical and mental, Dr Murray has made it his mission to understand and communicate the value of both playing and watching golf.

“Playing golf is a form of physical activity with powerful benefits in terms of wellbeing, social connections, green space, and healthy physical activity. That helps you live longer, be happier, and be healthier,” he explains.

His PhD research confirmed that regular golf participation can be seriously beneficial for your health and studies have shown it can help prevent and benefit up to 40 major diseases, from Type 2 diabetes and heart attacks to anxiety and depression and even dementia.

But what about those in the galleries? Well, even those who never swing a club themselves, simply watching golf, it seems, is doing them a whole world of good, both physically and mentally.

According to Dr Murray’s study, golf spectators at DP World Tour events average 11,500 steps per day. That’s well above the 10,000-step benchmark often cited for good health.

The evidence is clear: unlike many sports where fans sit in stands, golf encourages people to move, explore, and interact. At tournaments, fans can follow playing groups across the course, meet old friends and family members, track down new vantage points, and soak in the natural green surroundings.

The benefits go beyond steps. Time outdoors and in nature is repeatedly linked to improved mental health. Health experts have long since recognised social connection and time spent in the outdoors as key protective factors for wellbeing – and golf spectating offers plenty of both.

“People not attending may not only miss the benefits of seeing world class players like Rory McIlroy, Bob MacIntyre, and Tommy Fleetwood, but they also may miss out on enhanced wellbeing, green space, social connections, decreased risk of various types of illness, and injury. Doing these things regularly (as a golf spectator) can actually lead to a longer, healthier, happier life,” says Dr Murray.