Orthopedic surgeons make up the highest proportion of physician golfers at 8.8 percent, according to a study in The BMJ.
The study included 41,692 U.S. physicians who actively logged their golf rounds in the U.S. Golfing Association database as of Aug. 1.
Here are three study findings:
1. Golf is a male-dominated sport: Men accounted for 89.5 percent of physician golfers; among male physicians overall, 5.5 percent played golf compared to 1.3 percent of their female counterparts.
2. Surgical specialists are the most avid golfers: The highest proportions of physician golfers were:
- Orthopedic surgeons — 8.8 percent
- Urologists — 8.1 percent
- Plastic surgeons — 7.5 percent
- Otolaryngologists — 7.1 percent
Internists and infectious disease specialists comprised the lowest proportion of physician golfers, at less than 3 percent.
3. Orthopedists beat endocrinologists: Thoracic, vascular and orthopedic surgeons were the best golfers, with approximately 15 percent better golf performances than endocrinologists, dermatologists and oncologists.