Retirement Golf

Ideal exercise and socializing for retirees 

Retirement Golf is an ideal retirement hobby for individuals and for couples, as is evidenced by its popularity among retirees.

An ideal retirement hobby?

It’s an excellent way to socialise and enjoy moderate exercise in beautiful locations. I started playing golf in my early twenties, in Zambia. I was never great at it - 15 was the lowest handicap I attained, yet the handicap system works wonderfully well in making the game enjoyable and competitive. 

Play to, or beat, your handicap and you can compete with the best, at any age. And I've had many victories to prove this, modest ones, yet nonetheless important to me. 

Nkana golf club in Kitwe Zambia was a place where I quickly made new friends, and that was where I socialized most. It was there my wife and I celebrated New Year's Eve, and Saint Patrick's Day! 

Golf has taken me to many beautiful destinations at home in Ireland and overseas. In Ireland my favorites are Ballybunion, Waterville, Killarney, Tralee, the K Club and Mount Juliet. 

In my vacation travels I've played at The Gary Player Country Club Sun City, South Africa, "The Blue Monster" Doral Miami, The Jockey Club de San Isidro in Buenos Aries, The Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort in Murcia Spain, and the Black Mountain Golf Club Hua Hin Thailand, Newport Beach California, and many more. 

My retirement golf experience

Golf is ideal exercise for retirees since it can be as relaxed or as vigorous as you want it to be. You can play 9, 18 or even 36 holes, with or without a buggy, depending on your level of fitness and flexibility. 

My relationship with golf for most of my life was that I loved it when I played it, yet was never fanatical about it. At various stages in my life my young family and my career took precedence. In retirement I get to play on a regular basis, usually twice a week, and I get to play off peak, when we "Evergreens" have the course to ourselves! 

And I'm playing the best golf of my life, or at least the most enjoyable. How could that be, if "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"? It's true that learning to do new things, or improve on an existing skill, is more difficult as you get older, because it's harder to break habits and let go of the old way of doing things. But there are compensating influences that make it possible. 

Free of the responsibilities of work and a young family, I can relax more when I’m on the course; I'm not thinking I should be elsewhere. And crucially, I took some golf lessons, for the first time in my life! 

Retirement Golf Flexibility and Golf Stretching for Golf Power

People over 50 are likely to lose strength and flexibility, yet you can maintain and improve your flexibility and strength at any age.

Stretching exercises are essential to keep flexible and give more freedom of movement, which allows you play pain free golf for longer during your senior years. Avoiding back pain gives you the confidence to swing faster.

Your driving distance is influenced mainly by your swing speed.  The larger your arc the faster your swing speed will be.  This is determined by your spinal and pelvic flexibility.

Flexibility is also important for routine activities like looking behind while driving, putting on socks, tying shoes, and playing with grandchildren.

Yoga is an excellent activity for enhancing flexibility

Fore!

With all the benefits described above you can see that retirement golf is a great retirement hobby for individuals and for couples. But fore! 

You've got to get involved long before you retire, if you don't want to have Paul's retirement golf experience.