The claimWhat Alice actually said

Cooper has talked publicly for years about getting sober in the 1980s and picking up golf, at one point playing 36 holes a day, as a deliberate substitute for drinking. He wrote a memoir about it in 2007 and still describes golf as the thing that replaced the addiction rather than a hobby he happened to find. The line above comes from coverage of his remarks about golf and recovery.

Sources

Why it mattersWhy this matters for longevity

A daily hobby that gets someone walking for hours is one of the few habits people actually keep for decades

Golfer cohorts are healthier and wealthier to begin with, which inflates any longevity number attached to the sport

Reducing heavy drinking has clearer and larger health effects than anything golf itself contributes

The evidenceWhat the science says

A Swedish cohort of roughly 300,000 golfers found death rates well below the general population, and a British Journal of Sports Medicine scoping review concluded golf provides moderate-intensity physical activity and is associated with better cardiovascular risk factors and longevity. Pooled accelerometer studies covering tens of thousands of adults show that activity of almost any intensity tracks with substantially lower all-cause mortality, which is the mechanism most likely at work here.

What the evidence does not support is golf as a treatment. There is no controlled research showing that adopting a sport prevents relapse, and the golfer cohorts are confounded by income, education, and baseline health. Cooper also got clinical treatment and family support, so attributing the outcome to the golf alone is a story, not a finding.

TakeawayThe honest takeaway

The practical lesson

If you want the part of this that is actually evidenced, it is the walking: several hours of unhurried outdoor movement, most days, for years.

RelatedRelated habits

Daily WalkingOutdoor RecreationAlcohol ReductionSocial Group Exercise

Each of these is a habit you can build on its own. Explore them through the Topics index.

SupplementsThe supplement angle: Vitamin D and B vitamins

Support a habit, do not replace one

People recovering from long-term heavy drinking are more likely to be low in thiamine, folate, and vitamin D, so testing is reasonable rather than guessing. Any repletion belongs with a clinician, not a shelf.

Supplements can support good habits. They do not replace sleep, movement, nutrition, or medical care. Talk with your healthcare provider before starting anything new.

This is educational commentary, not medical advice, and does not imply that Alice Cooper endorses, is affiliated with, or uses Winning Longevity or any product. We critique the claim and the evidence, not the person. Any direct quote is a placeholder until sourced. Talk with a qualified healthcare provider before changing your routine. See our health disclaimer.