| Would you rather swing a golf club than swing | | | | driving range near you and visit it often. It's a |
| your partner? Then perhaps golf is your course | | | | good place to practice your golf swing.o As part |
| to fitness. | | | | of the warm-up before any golf game, use your |
| Golf is an outdoor game. Your goal is to use a | | | | golf club as a stretching tool. Hold it horizontally in |
| club to send a small ball into each distant hole - | | | | front of you, and, without arching your back, lift it |
| preferably in as few swings as possible. No two | | | | skyward. Then bring it back down to shoulder |
| golf courses are the same, so each one is a fresh | | | | height and gently rotate your upper body to the |
| challenge. | | | | right and then to the left.o Start out with a |
| If you're new to the game, take lessons. They | | | | shorter backswing, progressing to a full swing as |
| should help you learn how to pick the right club, | | | | you gain strength and range of motion in your |
| perfect your swing, and guide your ball through | | | | back. However, you can significantly reduce your |
| such tricky terrain as high grass, sand traps, | | | | backswing without affecting your stroke.o |
| water hazards, and hills. | | | | Concentrate on turning your hips as you swing. |
| Be sure to plan for several expenses - you'll need | | | | This will relieve your back and improve your |
| clubs, golf balls, and greens fees. | | | | form.o Improve your golf grip with an old phone |
| The American Heart Association says golf is a | | | | book. Open the phone book and moisten your |
| good low-intensity exercise for older adults. If | | | | fingertips. Using one hand, press down with your |
| you're up to golfing without a cart, you may reap | | | | fingertips, and rip, crumple, and discard one page. |
| extra benefits. In just 20 weeks, middle-aged | | | | Alternate hands. Continue doing this until your |
| golfers who played cart-free about twice a week | | | | hands are tired. You should be able to do more |
| reduced their waistline, increased their HDL (good) | | | | pages with your dominant hand. This exercise will |
| cholesterol, and lost weight. | | | | improve grip strength, endurance, and flexibility.o |
| The study also suggests that playing golf regularly | | | | Chasing balls into the woods can raise your risk of |
| - without a cart - can strengthen your mid-body | | | | tick-borne infections. Consider taking an extra |
| muscles and so reduce lower back problems, as | | | | stroke instead. At the very least, wear long |
| well as fight general weakness, decreasing your | | | | sleeve and insect repellant, and be sure to check |
| risk of falls and fractures. | | | | yourself over for ticks after you retrieve the ball. |
| If you want to get into the swing of golf, | | | | If golf isn't the only sport that interests you, |
| remember these tips.o Before you start playing, | | | | that's good. Activities that improve your strength, |
| walk the course each day for a couple of weeks. | | | | aerobic fitness, and flexibility may help your golf |
| It's a fine way to get used to the terrain.o Find a | | | | game, too. |