Physical and Mental Health in Male Professional Golfers Participating in the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour: A Cross-Sectional Study of Injury, Illness and Mental Health Complaints

This cross-sectional study surveyed 55 male professional golfers at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic to assess the injury, illness and mental health complaints, alongside training and competition environments. In the preceding four-weeks, 74.6% reported injury complaints, most prevalent were lumbar spine (25.5%), wrist (20.0%) and thoracic spine (20.0%), 44.9% reported illness complaints and 43.1% mental health complaints, most prevalent were anxiety (25.5%) and performance anxiety (21.6%). Injury was significantly (Chi2 - 5.9, P=0.015) associated with greater need for psychotherapeutic support and the study suggests a link between injury and mental health problems and a need for enhanced mental health support.