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Golf Safety Tips

Playing golf is a good challenge for the body and mind, and it's also a fun way to spend time with others and be outside. While golf is generally a safe sport, injuries can happen. Following these golf safety tips can help keep players safe on the course.

Staying Safe & Preventing Injuries

Do I Need to Wear Safety Gear to Play Golf?

To avoid injuries when playing, use a golf glove (or two) to help prevent blisters on your hands and keep the club from slipping. Wear golf shoes to avoid sliding, but get a pair with plastic spikes since most courses don’t allow the metal ones.

How Can I Prepare to Play Golf?

Before playing golf, it’s wise to get a sports physical. The doctor can check for any health problems and talk about sports safety in general. Being in good shape can help prevent injuries.

On the day you plan to play, check the weather. Don’t go if there might be a thunderstorm because lightning is dangerous on a golf course.

Since you’ll be outside, protect your skin by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and a hat. Using insect repellent is a good idea, too. You’ll also want to warm up and stretch. Learning proper swing techniques can help you avoid injuries. Take some practice swings, first with shorter clubs. Then build up to longer ones.

Staying Safe on the Golf Course

These tips can help golfers enjoy the game:

Be sure everyone else is a safe distance away before you swing. This includes people nearby who might get hit by the club and people farther away who could get hit by the ball.
Stay away from other golfers who are about to swing. And keep out of the way of the ball. Pay attention and be aware of your surroundings to avoid being hit.
Yell "Fore!" if you hit a ball in the direction of other golfers. This lets others know to watch out. If you hear someone else yell “Fore!” take cover behind a tree or a golf cart. If that's not possible, cover your head and face with your arms.
Drink plenty of water during and after play. Spending hours on the course can lead to dehydration and heat illness if you don’t drink enough. Using rechargeable or battery-operated fans and taking breaks in the shade can help prevent problems as well.
Take time off to rest between rounds of golf to avoid repetitive stress injuries (overuse injuries). These happen when someone trains too much or makes the same motions over and over.
Make sure at least one person in your group has a phone in case of an emergency.

Golf Cart Safety

To use a golf cart safely, follow these tips:

Let only licensed drivers drive it. But don’t let them drive if they’ve had alcohol.
Stay seated and avoid hanging your feet, legs, arms, or hands out of a cart while it's moving.
Look out for other carts where cart paths cross, and stay on the paths as much as possible. Don’t try to go off-roading across bumpy ground.
Drive straight up and down hills, and slowly while going downhill or making a turn.

How to Stay Safe During a Storm

Golfers carry metal clubs and often walk in open spaces or near trees. So their risk of getting struck by lightning is greater than normal.

If a thunderstorm comes, you hear thunder, or an alarm for lightning goes off, stop playing right away. Go to the clubhouse, a designated lightning shelter, or a bathroom.

If you can't get to any of these places, drop your clubs and move away from them and the golf cart. Keep away from trees or water. Find a low-lying area and keep a safe distance from other members of your group. Squat down, keep your hands on your knees, and put your head between your knees. This makes you a smaller target for lightning.

Safety in Other Sports

Safety matters whether you’re playing golf or another game. To help prevent injuries in other sports, check out these articles:

Medically reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD

Date reviewed: July 2025