Working on a golf course can be hazardous to your
health. A survey of 618 golf course superintendents who died
between 1970 and 1992 revealed that an uncommonly high number
perished from cancer of the lung, brain, intestine or prostate. The
culprit could be pesticide use, which has caused the demise of
thousands of birds. The authors of the survey, from the University
of Iowa, recommended that golf course workers “minimize their
potential exposure to pesticides.” They also suggested that
cigarette smoking was a cause of many of the cancers, since golf
course superintendents tend to be heavy
smokers.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Danger on the fairway.
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