By Shelby Smith^*

Golf Is “The Game Of A Lifetime”

What sport is attractive to Kids, Youth, Adults and Seniors? GOLF!!

The most challenging athletic sport, with tradition and character that promotes healthy exercise and great FUN! Golf is said to be “The Game of a Lifetime.” All ages participate and enjoy hitting that little 1.68 inch ball around 18 holes of fairways, avoiding hazards & rough, and putting it into that small 4 1/4 inch cup.

According to the National Golf Foundation for 2010, 26.1 million golfers (80% men, 20% women) in the USA played golf at the 15,890 golf courses & 1,055 driving ranges in America, representing 50% of worldwide participation. Junior golfers ages 6-17 total 2.4 million (9%). Senior golfers ages 50+ total 8.9 million (34%), with 14% of new golfers being seniors.

As a Golf Teaching Professional and owner of the DynaSwingFIT Golf School in Myrtle Beach for the past 14 years and 10 additional years in Atlanta, I have had the opportunity to provide golf instruction for junior golfers of The First Tee as a Lead Coach for 6 years, the Whispering Pines JR Summer Camps, YMCA’s of Atlanta & Myrtle Beach and the South Carolina Junior Golf Association. Seniors instruction during the years has included private lessons and golf schools for corporate, hotel & recreation groups, retirement communities and the past 5 years for Elderhostel/Rhode Scholar/Exploritas and large worldwide travel groups. http://www.dynaswingfit.com

Juniors and Seniors share the many benefits of golf. They develop their own golf swings, that may individually vary, but have many similarities in their ball-striking and golf shot results. Basic golf swing fundamentals are similar except for physical flexibility, their strength, and personal athletic ability. The challenge of golf is there for all ages. Golfers compete against the golf course holes PAR and their own PERSONAL PAR.

Benefits are numerous. Playing golf is healthy. The golf course “arenas” are spectacular. Walking on beautifully landscaped golf courses of various designs is full of nature. Fresh air is plentiful. Exercise is excellent, requiring about 1,250 calories on a 4-hour, 18-hole golf round using a motorized cart; 1,600-2,200 calories walking the golf courses typically 4 to 5 miles in length. The golf swing itself is an athletic motion requiring a balanced, well-timed body rotation and arm swing. A round of golf typically has a couple hundred swings including practice swings and warm-up pre-round practice.

Seniors and Juniors both realize that golf is very much a mental game fully exercising the mind. Golfers analyze their shots and use imagination for varying situations and choices. Good judgment is rewarded. Memory plays a key role in planning and executing golf shots. Golfers are always thinking during play, with distances, obstacles, club selection, ball-flight all considered. Concentration also helps golfers focus on their golf shots, especially the short ones and putting. A positive attitude is very much encouraged and highly rewarded in golf. Confidence is powerful – for Juniors and for Seniors. Golf also affords players a nice social opportunity interacting with a variety of golfers of all ages, personalities and backgrounds.

Golf swings are remarkable athletic motions and ball-striking actions. Power, Control and Consistency are the golfer's objectives. Powerful results can be achieved for golfers of all ages.

Our DynaSwingFIT Golf School at Whispering Pines Golf Course & Driving Range, helps golfers realize their personal potential.

“We FIT Fundamentals Into YOUR Golf Swing” is our local teaching motto and realized objective.

Results-oriented Golf Instruction & Club Fitting using the Zelocity Launch Monitor is available for all ages. First Tee of Myrtle Beach 2009 & 2010 Girls 7-9 Age Champion Kayla Parsons is a fine example of a small-but-powerful star who at 4’9”, has driver clubhead speed of 78 mph, and 97 mph impact ball speed, producing 180+yard drives. That’s power!

Kayla likes many things about golf and especially “the challenge of different golf courses, meeting new friends and playing golf with my old and new friends.”

Myrtle Beach First Tee golfer Lance Vu age 9 has been golfing 4 years and effectively uses his 4’3”, 54 lb. body to smoothly swing with consistency and power, achieving 160 yards driver distance along with solid iron shots.

Ninety-two year old Marion Booth from Maryland plays golf 2 or 3 times weekly always with the goal of shooting her age or better.

She strokes her drives 150 yards “down the middle” and says “golf is a great game mentally, socially and physically for all of us, with balance being the most important thing, whether it’s in the golf swing or in life.”

Whispering Pines avid local golfer Bob Bell age 79 just started playing golf two years ago at age 77, and booms his drives 250 yards “mostly straight” with his 92 mph clubhead speed, and is almost shooting an 18 hole score of 90.

Bob enjoys great benefits from golf, including “the game's challenge, good health benefits and the fellowship."

All these various sized, young and older golfers have developed solid ball-striking skills for their golf games. They just swing the golf club, hitting the ball to a full-balanced-face-the-target finish. Solid ball impact with power is the result. The golf club has no idea who is actually at the handle-end making the powerful golf swing. Good fundamentals work for all!

Golfers also become resilient –- at all ages. Since 1997, over 4 million juniors have participated in the USA in The First Tee Golf & Youth Development Program, receiving insightful words from its National Director Joe Louis Barrow. On page-1 of their Par-Level Yardage Book . . . “golf is a lot like life, sometimes you get a good bounce and sometimes the ball rolls into the rough. What golf teaches is that whatever happens – in the game or in life – you have to stay positive, believe in yourself, and do your best to achieve your goals.”

YMCA programs also inspire families, adults and youth to use “Christian principles that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all,” and the South Carolina Junior Golf Association programs are also geared to “promoting healthy competition, fostering a drive to succeed and teaching many lessons of life.” Think about it!

Juniors to Seniors - all experience golf throughout the years. The athletic challenge, personal progress, healthy exercise, life’s character values, fellowship and fun/enjoyment, all let boys & girls, men & women experience golf’s mystique for many decades into their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, even 90’s. Truly, “Golf is the Game of a Lifetime.”

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Credits

Originally posted by ShelbySmith on 15 Jun 2011.
All contributors: ShelbySmith,

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