Melanoma and golf: Improve your long game

Published 23 May 2019

Improve your long game is a program working to promote skin safety at golf courses in NSW. We are encouraging all golfers to use sun protection to reduce their risk of melanoma - with a particular focus on men over 40 years.

This collaboration with Cancer Council NSW currently involves over 70 golf clubs across the state.

It's part of 2016 - 2018 Improve your long game strategy, a three year plan aiming to:

Develop skills of golf clubs and golfers to improve sun protection:

• To increase the awareness of sun protection measures in men aged 40 years and over in a golf club setting.

• To increase the knowledge of skin cancer and sun protection in men aged 40 years and over in a golf club setting.

• To increase the belief that sun protection for men aged 40 years and over can help reduce the risk of developing skin cancer.

Create a supportive environment for sun protection in golf clubs:

• To increase the availability of sunscreen for use while playing golf.

Engage golf clubs and golfers in promoting sun protection:

• To establish and build partnerships with golf clubs for the strategy and beyond

• To create role models for sun protection in golf clubs.

Enhance capacity of golf clubs to promote sun protection:

• To increase the priority and/or prominence of sun protection in processes, policies and procedures relevant to golf clubs.

Adult males have been identified as a priority population for skin cancer prevention by both Cancer Council NSW and Cancer Institute NSW.

Older males in NSW are significantly more likely to develop and die from melanoma than women of similar age.

Behavioral research has demonstrated that adult males are confused about some of the important risk factors associated with melanoma and other skin cancers and overall, have poorer sun protection practices than females.

More information:

• Cancer Council NSW: Melanoma and golf – improve your long game