Golf is truly a game for life

By Paul Gueorgieff
Editor, Golfer Pacific NZ

W

hat’s golf biggest advantage over other sports?

I’ll put you out of suspense immediately. Golf is a game for life.

That’s a phrase that has been used before but couldn’t be more true.

Golf is a game you can play as a child at age eight. You could still be playing at age 88.

That’s not an exaggeration.

I play every Thursday at our club. It used to be known as business men’s club day but it probably should have been known as a former business men’s club day.

Our club captain recalls the story when he was a new member and thought it would be nice to join up with the business men’s club. He envisaged rubbing shoulders with some well-to-do people who would discuss how well their businesses were going and the millions they were making.

He found that not quite to be the case. Instead he found himself playing many retirees, some of whom had handicaps in the high 30s. That was not quite what our club captain imagined.

But because we play for a few dollars we all remain highly competitive and because golf has a handicap system we are all competitive. For example last month one of my opposition was an 85-year-old on a 43 handicap. In complete contrast, his playing partner was on a four handicap.

And that is one of the beauty’s of golf. Good players and not-so-good players can compete.

But golf’s main attraction is you can play it for decades and decades. That is not the case with many other sports which usually require physical aggression.

Golf’s physical assertion could be best described as a pleasure and there is nothing like a few hours out on the golf course on a nice day breathing in some fresh New Zealand air.

I have come across retirees who only took up the game in their 60s. That’s good that they have taken up the game but they all say they wish they had done so at a much younger age.

And that’s my message: You can play golf in your 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s. But don’t wait until then to start the game. Learn it as a youth and get a good grasp of how to swing a golf club. You’ll never regret it.