Golf is a timeless game that does not discriminate against age.

By JC Campbell - The game of golf has proved to be an excellent way for older people to keep themselves active and in good health. Now that the days of youth have gone and energetic sports are a thing of the past, senior citizens can still enjoy playing a sport that is competitive and motivating. For some older people, the game of golf gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning and helps them maintain a healthy mind and body. Regardless of age, a person can continue to enjoy this wonderful sport, often doing so in the company of friends and family who may be much younger.

As the years pass, we may lose some of our strength and flexibility, preventing us from pursuing the type of sport we played in our younger days. Too many people choose to become idle and lethargic once they lose the ability to share in more active kinds of sport. This is a mistake and can only lead to living a sluggish existence free of exercise. The tendency might be to spend too much time sitting in front of a television screen when you still have the health and strength to get out on the golf course and enjoy the fresh air. Just think of how beneficial it can be to walk nine or eighteen holes, especially if you can do so in the company of others.

Playing golf in later life has another important advantage. It is a game you can play with your own children and grandchildren, no matter how young they may be. There are not many sports that can be enjoyed by people of all generations who want to play on a level playing field but golf is one such sport. Thanks to the unique handicap system used in golf, young and old, male and female can all play together and compete with each other in a meaningful way. The pleasure of sharing time with loved ones on the fairways can last a lifetime and many have proved this to be true.

When the golden years have arrived and the halcyon days of youth are gone, it does not mean we can no longer enjoy the sporting life. Golf is a timeless game that does not discriminate against those who are no longer in the prime of life. It is sad to see people become stagnant later in life, somehow concluding that because they can no longer run or jump, they should simply be inactive. Good health and vitality are open to all, including those who have reached the later years. Of all the things an older person could choose to do, playing golf is without a doubt one of the most beneficial and enjoyable.

The golf course has long been a place to cement family relationships and friendships, and make business contacts.

D. Rutti - Learning to play golf has opened up a whole new world for many who may have thought their sporting days were over. A game that parents or grandparents can play alongside young children is a great way to enjoy family relationships in a healthy outdoor setting. There are not many sports that offer the opportunity for all generations to play together and compete on a level playing field thanks to the unique handicap system employed in the game of golf.

Unlike many other sports, golf is a game for all. From the very young to the older generation, people of all ages can enjoy this wonderful sport and do so in a meaningful way. Most sporting pursuits involve running or some other exertion and will most likely become a thing of the past as we reach an age where we are no longer as mobile as in our younger days. Perhaps this is why many people take up the game of golf in later life when they no longer feel fit enough to pursue the more vigorous sports they enjoyed in youth.

One of the advantages of golf is that it closes the generation gap so often evident in sport. When a person begins reaching middle age, it can be the beginning of the end for certain sporting activities like football, soccer, or baseball. If you play golf however, you still have decades of fun ahead of you as you enjoy a life of activity on the golf course. While there may be a tendency for some to become couch potatoes when their sporting days are over, the game of golf allows us to continue to be active and improve our health as we walk the fairways. There is nothing more enjoyable than a round of golf on a good day, taking in the scenery while enjoying the companionship of family or friends.

Another benefit to be enjoyed as we play golf regularly is the opportunity to make new friends. Golf is a very sociable game and many have made friends for life in their pursuit of the perfect swing. Some will join a golf club and make friends with other club members while others may do so when visiting new golf courses while on vacation. Friendships formed on the golf course can be long lasting and open up the opportunity to develop a wide circle of acquaintances who are also attracted by the game. The same principle applies even in the business world as connections are often made on the golf course.

There are numerous benefits to playing golf. The golf course has long been a place to cement family relationships and friendships, a place to make business contacts and a means to improve your health while enjoying the natural beauty of the world around you.

By Patrick M. Kennedy – Seniors, if you are new to the game of golf, or are considering taking it up to fill that extra time on your hands, follow the bouncing ball. Maybe a little information can help you to decide. Lessons are for another day. Golf is such an all-the-rage, controversial tradition of potential happiness, the best that can be done here is to summarize and categorize information, quote the experts, and allow the golf ball idea to settle down where it may. Just remember, before you proceed into this world, standing on a golf course does not make you a golfer any more than standing in a garage makes you a hotrod.

Also, remember, it is a game for perfectionists. You must get the ball into the hole, not once, but 18 times, specifically, 18 times each game. Close is not good enough. Try it a few times and get thoroughly lambasted by your playing partners, and you will learn. Consequently, it becomes the source of aggravation and the dusty accumulation of bent drivers and putters.

There are so many off-the-wall rules, antidotes, quotes, personal tales, techniques, training hints and philosophies, the only useful revelations may possibly come by stuffing them all into a ball washer and letting it spit them willy-nilly onto the green … you probably will get a better lie.

Some of the basic rules for domestic safety are – never go golfing with your wife, or never go golfing with your husband, because there will begin the nubbin of an endless debate. As one unknown duffer (hacker) said, “I've spent most of my life golfing ... the rest I've just wasted.” This goes a long way in describing the commitment and madness of some to a hobby of following a small, white ball around the world, no matter where it lies. You will soon wonder if you are ready for this journey in retirement.

Now let us put golf into perspective and separate it from other activities. The most elegant and successful pursuer of this insanity, Tiger Woods, has broken it down a bit for us. "Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps." And the bowler Don Carter, “One of the advantages bowling has over golf is that you seldom lose a bowling ball.” He has a firm finger-hole grip on the game.

And note this; honesty has a dubious existence in golf. Most have heard of it, thought about it, seen it, and accidentally, maybe, have done it, namely, kicked a ball from behind a tree or pile of cow dung to get an unimpeded shot at the flag. Arnold Palmer (of Arnie’s Army) one of the greatest hackers of all time exposed why he and others are so successful. He is a great teacher of the tricks of the trade, “I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game … it is called an eraser.” Many aficionados support the revelation that golf is a lot of walking, broken up by disappointment and bad arithmetic, and maybe a good eraser or creative caddy might help. “Isn't it fun to go out on the course and lie in the sun?” jibed golf nut Bob Hope, and this man had a tournament named after him.

The best advice before the first golf lesson is, learn how to stand and to move like a pretzel. “Have you ever noticed what golf spells backwards?” asks Al Boliska, but do you know it also stands for God’s Ol’ Lunatic Fun. “The only times my prayers are never answered are on the golf course,” observes Billy Graham, under his breath.

Exercise, fun, socializing, and entertainment are the overriding goals of this game, but with restrictions. “If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt,” said the well-know expert, Dean Martin, who always had a shot in his hand. “I play in the low 80s. If it's any hotter than that, I won't play,” admitted Joe E. Lewis. Then there is the exercise. “Golf is golf. You hit the ball, you go find it. Then you hit it again,” long time professional duffer, Lon Hinkle, simplified the absurdity.

This is all good advice to be absorbed as you mull over the possibility of pursuing this time killer. A golfer's diet, besides eating crow and chewing on knuckles after a slice or hook, is living on greens as much as possible.

There you have it. There are so many expert quotes and dehumanizing rules and reasons NOT to take up the sport of golf that you may be disheartened, but you cannot be, because there are also many more reasons to fulfill this dream!

GOLF PRODUCT OFFERING FROM AMAZON.COM

Golf: The Best Short Game Instruction Book Ever! (Golf Magazine) List Price: $32.00 Sale Price: $19.46 Used From: $17.09 Average Rating: Concept drew strong purchase intent among male golfers and was a top choice for favorite title and as a gift in research. · GOLF Magazine has a total readership of 6.1 million.· The Top 100 Teachers are featured in their own section ("YOUR GAME") every month in America's most widely read golf publication...