Golf and prostate cancer

Just finished 45 sessions of IMRT last week. Schedule made golf during the week inconvenient. I managed to play all weekends but had to ride a cart. I plan on walking the course Tuesday this week and twice a week thereafter. I ramped up my exercise because of ADT. I think that actually helped my golf game. I’m 77 and a short ball hitter anyway.

At 73 and with small lymph node spread, I chose radiation and 18 months of Orgovyx rather than surgery. I'm not ready for golf: at three months post-ADT, I'm still trying to get my putter to stand up. Good luck!

I am also an avid golfer. At 81 I still play 2-3 times a week, always walking anc carrying my bag - on a very flat golf course. In Nov 2025 i had 5 sessions of SBRT over 10 days after a diagnosis of G9 in a couple of samples, no metastasis. Preceding the SBRT I had minor surgery to insert fiducials and a SpaceOAR. ADT began about 6 weeks prior to the SBRT and continued for 6 months, stopping at my request when my PSA was undetectable after a test in March 2026. A test three weeks ago showed it had risen to .13. I have had no urinary issues although for a few weeks after the RT, I was doing the wake-up dance. All seems normal now.

Recovery from the SBRT took about 10 days and during that time I didn't feel well enough to play golf. Up until the SBRT and after the recovery, I was playing again. For me, surgery was not an option due to my age. But for my treatment and outcome, I couldn't be more pleased. My next PSA test is next year.

Me: Post radical prostatectomy and salvage radiation. After healing from the surgery there has been no physical limitations while wearing an incontinence clamp. Running, Golf. Tennis. Weight lifting. Biking. Swimming. In case of incontinence, the clamp can be used while deliberating next moves, or can be the final move. Good luck!

@begreat99
I totally get ya! Had RP November '23. Doc had to rebuild my bladder due to a catheter being in me for 6 months prior. Well, the bladder and brain don't talk and I leak all the time. AUS surgery planned next month. As for golf, I wear a clamp and a pad. Check everything after 9 holes. As golfers know, you leak when you swing. I used to be able to hit my 8 iron 150, now it's more like 130 due to ADT fun. Used to be a 5 handicap, now it's quite a bit higher. Though I did get me 2nd hole in one in a tourney last month! 🙂 Keep it going, you'll get stronger and hopefully back to shooting 75's again!

Awesome hole in 1! Member-guest in October with my son, who is 28. First time ever. That’s why I fight.

@golf2026 Before I saw this post from you I was going to ask if you considered radiation instead of surgery. There are so many other options besides prostatectomy that should be considered. Get 2nd & even 3rd opinions. Go to a cancer center of excellence like a teaching university, even if it means traveling. Or you could do online consults with top prostate docs like Dr Scholz (many youtube videos), or Dr Chang from UCLA. Keep in mind if you go to a surgeon he is going to recommend prostatectomy, if you go to a radiation doctor he will recommend radiation. You have to do your own research, get several opinions from different doc's then make your decision. Personally I would not have a prostatectomy, not with all the very good emerging treatments, like HDR brachytherapy, SBRT, very accurate radiations machines, focal , etc etc. With a Gleason 9 a good option would be HDR brachytherapy, SBRT (5 sessions of radiation) & up to one year of ADT. This could put you in the 80-90% cure rate and able to play golf during all of this type of treatment. Wishing you the best on what ever you decide.

@copyman
Everyone’s PC may be different. I had RP 5 years ago and after 5 years of no complications and 5 years of undetectable PSA’s my psa started to become detectable. Now I just finished 20 treatments of IMRT Radiation without ADT. So far no major side effects. Played golf after 2 weeks of treatments and again 2 days after my last treatment. If I had to do it again, I would do the same thing. If you choose Radiation first, and you are correct, the technology is now very advanced, if your psa rises to detectable, it is unlikely that surgery to remove the prostate can be performed. Also, 1 year of ADT can have many terrible side effects and for me anyway, I’m not sure I would be able to play golf if on ADT? And if I could, probably not the same way I currently score?

@golf2026 I had an RP four years ago (G8, T3a) which interrupted my golf game. I had a catheter in for a couple of weeks but any time I moved there was a sharp twinge where the tube exited the end of my putter (if you know what I mean). I was 98% continent after 4 months, and now wear a thin pad for any dribbles. I think by then I started to swing a club slowly, and then ride along with my golf buddies and do some chipping and putting when we got near a hole. I'm not sure when I was doing full swings, but I had no trouble with leaks.

One year after my RP my PSA rose to .12 so I had 33 zaps of salvage radiation and 6 months of ADT. Despite being stiff and sore from ADT, I tried to golf as much as I could. I'm not a gym rat, so golf was (and is) my physical and mental therapy. It's a social game as well so it forced me to get out and interact and laugh at myself, all the while enjoying the beauty of creation.

To me, golf is not my life but a means to live a quality life.

Hi Jamie,
If I might ask; I am experiencing the same thing currently. How aggressive was your PCa pathology? Mine has shown up after 5 years as well. TYIA
Tom