Benefits of Addressing Mental Health in The Golf Workplace.

Golf industry employees pursue careers that support their love of the game. However, their experience may fall short of their expectations. Many jobs are subject to long hours, minimal time off, physical strain, and unrealistic expectations of golfers and club leadership. Owners and operators need to consider the impact on mental health the nature of many jobs can have on their staff. 

Stigma has long influenced hospitality and recreational employers' hesitation to offer appropriate resources to their staff. This rings true in the golf industry. According to the 2024 NGCOA Benefits and Compensation report, only 32 percent of private and public clubs offer Employee Assistance Programs, and mental health insurance benefits. Despite challenges and data supporting revenue benefits, golf course owners have been slow to capitalize on the investment of quality mental health services for their employees. 

Global trends highlight the demands for mental health support in the workplace, and the employee assistance program industry has doubled in the past five years. But this growth hasn’t necessarily led to quality support. Many large insurance companies who’ve saturated the market with EAP programs that fail to address the acuity and attention to personal care often needed to navigate mental health issues. Golf industry leaders have the unique opportunity to normalize this service in an industry that values quality and ingenuity. Because the services are not common, programs that utilize the best evidence based, and innovative practices can be easily and affordably offered to the golf industry. 

Employers and employees have expressed growing concerns over workplace wellness since the COVID-19 pandemic with the recreation and hospitality workers notoriously under supported by their employers. Statistics show they are among the lowest percentage of employees to receive any mental health benefits or EAP support. 10 years ago, this may have not changed the desire for the best talent, but now, offering mental health support to employees can establish a course as an employer of choice in the regional market. 

The issue of mental health in the golf industry has become a puzzling and persistent problem for owners and operators. Absenteeism, turnover, burnout, and healthcare costs are all closely tied to mental health issues. According to the World Health Organization, this attributes to over $1 trillion loss in productivity annually. Additionally, golf course employees are finding it difficult to stay with their employer for long periods of time because of workplace stress, and lack of worklife balance. Collecting statistics on how mental health affects employees is challenging due to stigma and lack of awareness about what mental health can look like. In a recent survey Syngenta Golf found that over 60% of greenskeepers, PGA professionals, and club managers reported increased mental health challenges starting in 2021. They also lack support from employers, and only 9% ever connected with a mental health provider. 

This is a costly problem for the industry that has seen exponential growth in the past five years. There’s substantial strain on the existing workforce, challenging companies to find and retain talent. It is evident that by prioritizing healthier workplace dynamics and culture, with an emphasis on mental health and well-being, customer satisfaction will increase. Not only will this attract the best employees, but also ease pressure on the current staff, encouraging a more sustained and effective workforce. 

Golf course owners and operators need guidance to implement behavioral health support. Finding a service that understands the need for individualized, evidence-based practices can be difficult with the plethora of behavioral health providers and consultants. Most EAPs are tied into health insurance benefits, and are underutilized because education and marketing strategies are not effective. 

According to a report by Burr Consulting, approximately 97 percent of U.S. companies employing over 5,000 workers offer EAP benefits. But utilization rates average less than 10 percent. The services EAPs offer are often low touch, with minimal guidance, usually involving sending a list of providers along with 3 to 10 free counseling sessions. In comparison, specialized behavioral health companies that offer a more customized, comprehensive approach, using licensed clinicians, have higher satisfaction, utilization, and better outcomes. These companies can see utilization upwards of 40%. This emphasizes the need for golf industry leaders to thoroughly vet the companies offering behavioral health support to ensure they are going to get the highest return on investment.  

However effective the counseling sessions are, companies who invest in internal behavioral health support can see greater benefits. Without a close look at the workplace culture, burnout is contagious and difficult to extinguish without a thorough organizational evaluation. Since the culture in the golf workplace has traditionally been to “show up and shut up,” addressing this directly leads to sustainable and healthier team dynamics. 

With the popularity of golf still surging in 2025, the industry is poised to reform and develop more attractive benefits for employees. The industry can now capitalize on the paradigm shift on mental health, as it’s become a buzzword throughout the world. 

Even with these shortcomings, when employees are able to access services, mental health support has proven benefits to employee performance and retention. It’s wise for golf course owners and operators to justify investing in behavioral health support to help save money, and generate additional revenue. According to a recent study by the National Safety Commission and The University of Chicago, the return on investment is high, anywhere from $4 to $10 for every $1 spent on mental health support for employees. 

Many EAPs offer affordable options for employers to invest in services. Usually, this is available at a per employee per month rate between $3 and $10, depending on the size of the company. According to a study on case management efficacy by the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research increased touch points with each case independent consultants can provide leads to better outcomes and higher employee satisfaction.

Many agencies supporting golf employers have begun to prioritize the issues around mental health in the workplace. Industry leaders have partnered with experts to develop new strategies and services for owners and managers to address the complaints. It’s clear the golf industry is poised to develop a reformed approach to mental health treatment. 

As it moves to the forefront of industry issues, developing new standards of support can catapult golf as a leader in workplace behavioral health. With the health benefits of golf, and the passion many employees have for their jobs, offering these services can progress cultural reform, and reach new groups to play and work in golf, expanding the games demographic diversity.