(Glasson/Flickr)
AFTER ALL THE DEPRESSING NEWS about a certain someone’s knee, I want to lighten it up a bit as we head into the weekend. Spend time with your family and play golf if you can. Both are good for your health.
Following are excerpts from Divot Mix, an e-publication of GCSAA, on the longevity benefits of playing golf.
“The death rate for golfers is 40 percent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, according to a study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. This equates to a five-year increase in life expectancy said the scientists, led by Anders Ahlbom and Bahman Farahmand at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
“‘A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for about four miles, something which is known to be good for health,’ said Ahlbom.”
(It is for people who actually walk the course. I do.)
“People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help.”
I was thrilled to play the last two days with my 81-year-old pops, something I rarely get to do since he lives in California and I reside in Virginia.
I fly home tomorrow, but being on the golf course with my dad has been a special treat and has brought back memories of the many enjoyable afternoons we spent together on a golf course.
−The Armchair Golfer
I don’t doubt these stats at all. It’s true that golf isn’t a super-demanding sport physically, but mentally, it gives you more to chew on than, say, basketball.
Quite true, Jim. I’ve played many sports, and nothing compares to golf from the mental standpoint.