Total joint replacement is commonly done in an older population, for whom golf is often the only form of exercise. We studied active golfers after they had had a total joint replacement. Most golfers with a successful primary total joint replacement will not have pain while playing golf, but will likely have a mild ache in the hip or knee region after playing. Patients with total knee replacement appear to have slightly more postgolf pain than patients with total hip replacement. In addition, golfers with left total knee replacements have more difficulty with pain during and after play than do golfers with right total knee replacements.