My favorite golf game is what I call the "Do Over Game." When you play the "Do Over Game," you hit two balls instead of one and play your best ball - every time you hit. It's rather like playing Best Ball with yourself. When I golf, I golf with another retired teacher I have known for many years and who is also married to a good friend of mine. He lets me play the "Do Over Game" because it helps me improve my game. For me, the best thing about the "Do Over Game" is that it makes playing golf a lot less stressful. Each summer, I go back to my hometown and play golf with my family in the Northwestern Memorial Golf Outing held in memory of people from my high school that have passed away, including my brother. That is a Best Ball Tournament and is a great social outing!
Are you required to play golf when you retire? Of course not. But I find it a leisure activity that you can do with other people that also has many health benefits. My favorites are the executive courses - 9 hole courses with mostly par-3 and par-4 holes. I walk the course using a pull cart so that I get health benefits out of playing. Here are some great health benefits of golf:
- Exposure to nature: Being outdoors reduces stress, anxiety and relaxes your body. It also increases exposure to Vitamin D, which reduces the risk of depression, heart disease and cancer.
- Social relationships: Golf fosters social relationships since it is a low key sport and has opportunities for interaction with the friends you are playing with.
- Burns calories and keeps your heart rate up: With all of the walking, swinging and movement you do for a minimum of 2.5 hours, you can burn up to 1000 calories with a single game. Your increased heart rate decreases your chance of heart disease and lowers your cholesterol.
- Keeps your brain active: Increased blood flow to the brain, using strategy, eye-hand coordination and mental alacrity stimulate your brain and can delay mental illness such as dementia.
- Low-risk injury sport: Golf is a great way to keep your muscles engaged while limiting the risk of physical injury.
- Better sleep: Being outside and active always make for a great recipe for a good night's sleep. Getting a deep sleep at night is necessary for cell regeneration and of course keeping our youthful appearance!
- Positive Mental Attitude: Being outside in the sun and nature, being with friends and moving around release endorphins which makes you happier.
If you have never played golf before, it's not too late to start. You can either rent a set of clubs or purchase a set. You can get a decent set without investing in a small fortune. Start out by going to a golf course or driving range and just hit a bucket of balls at the driving range using various clubs. After that, try chipping and putting from the the practice greens. I spent the first few weeks of the summer practicing once a week at the driving ranges and practice greens before I actually played a round. If you are really serious about taking up the sport, most golf courses have golf pros who give private or group golf lessons. Another fun alternative is a fun getaway to golf camp. Several of my retired girlfriends attended Golf School for Women and had a great time!
Whatever your interest, whether it be golf, yoga, walking or gardening, keep moving the best you can and move every day. Don't be afraid to try new things - you may be surprised. Golf is an activity that allows you to try it at a very low level if you tend to be intimidated by it. It's also a great way to infuse something new and different into your exercise routine. I'm a big believer in varying your exercise routine. If you do the same thing over and over, you get stuck in a rut and boredom can set in. For me, the next hurdle is spinning. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to! I will let you know how it goes!
My family and me playing at the Northwestern
Memorial Golf Outing.
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