Golf's Drug Policy (specifically for 'Beta-Blockers')

[RocketSurgery]

I've been golfing for 15 years, and I joined a league a few months ago (nothing major, just a league run by a local shop). The other day, a thought occurred to me...

I've been taking a beta-blocker called Propranolol for some time now. I know this drug has been universally banned from the Olympics for its ability to mitigate the affects of adrenaline on anxiety and heart rate, but I've never heard anything about drug policies in golf. Does anybody know whether or not beta-blockers are legal in golf at any level? I'm really not too worried about it with my league, but now I'm curious about golf's drug policy in general.

[x129]

Beta blocker in general are on the banned list. I am sure there are whole categories of medical exemptions but if you were to play in official USGA events, you would probably want to talk to someone to figure it out.

If your playing  handicapped golf, it shouldn't matter. The fact that your handicap is a stroke or 2 better due to your doping doesn't really change anything

Originally Posted by RocketSurgery

I've been golfing for 15 years, and I joined a league a few months ago (nothing major, just a league run by a local shop). The other day, a thought occurred to me...

I've been taking a beta-blocker called Propranolol for some time now. I know this drug has been universally banned from the Olympics for its ability to mitigate the affects of adrenaline on anxiety and heart rate, but I've never heard anything about drug policies in golf. Does anybody know whether or not beta-blockers are legal in golf at any level? I'm really not too worried about it with my league, but now I'm curious about golf's drug policy in general.

[Rulesman]

http://www.internationalgolffederation.org/MemberOnly/doping/d_letter.html

[RocketSurgery]

Thanks, looks like I found my answer - according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (link below), beta-blockers are prohibited in competitive golf unless otherwise specified. Propranolol is specifically named on their list, along with quite a few others.

Here's the link in case anybody's interested: http://list.wada-ama.org/prohibited-in-particular-sports/prohibited-substances/

[Aging Boomer]

I'm a surviving sixties kid, and I find the drug hysteria annoying.  The baseball writers have made the baseball hall of fame a travesty with their phony piousness, and I don't like it.

I don't do recreational drugs, but guys my age often have enough meds to take every day that somebody isn't going to like some of them.  If the USGA doesn't like it, I'd only remind them that I sprung for a set of Spin Doctor wedges as soon as they brainstormed that stupid groove rule.