Time To Retire And Golf

Wake Up!

Don’t just sit there and dream about it, prepare for your retirement like you know it’s coming! Trust us, one day you will wake up and that day will be here. One minute you’re working on the Ford assembly line in Wayne, Michigan, and the next minute your crushing beer cans while swinging the 9 iron across several Michigan golf resorts. It’s a scary reality, and it happens to everyone, so you might as well make the best of it. So what do you do when the work bell rings for the last time? You pick up a golf club and you head out to the greens for some rounds with the fellas. Golf is a low impact sport that can be played all the way through to hospice. So here are some things to consider before hanging up your work boots for a pair of golf shoes.

Learning to Golf for Retirement

If you finally hit your retirement age after so many long years in the workforce, you may be wondering what you should do with all your new free time. Now that you do not have a job to go to anymore, the world is open to so many new possibilities and hobbies for you to explore, learn, and grow both mentally and physically. One of the top retirement hobbies is golfing.

Golfing is an excellent sport for everyone of all ages. It is not as intense as football or soccer, yet it still requires precise planning and body strength. For older and retired folks, it is an overall great solution to stay in shape, meet new people, and gives you something to look forward to. Most golf courses are also brew-friendly, so walking 9 holes with a cold one in-hand isn’t out of the ordinary, and this is just another reason why golf is awesome!

Staying in Shape

The physical benefits of golfing are well known, especially for those who play regularly. According to Golf Digest Magazine, on average, golfers will walk about 4 miles during a typical 18-hole course and burn roughly 1,400 calories. If riding in a cart instead, you are estimated to burn about 850 calories. From all of this physical activity, you not only gain stamina, but you also increase your muscle strength (arms, legs, and core) and enhance heart health. These are all aspects that are extremely important for everyone to keep up with, but especially critical as you age. Look, we are all going to die, if you are going to have a heart attack, it’s better to have one on a grassy green fairway than a lazy boy recliner watching re-runs of Lone Ranger.

Mental Health

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Golfing is excellent at keeping you sharp by working your brain. Mens golf, and women’s golf continue to grow and will provide you with a healthy platform to stay strong physically, and mentally. You have to continuously think about calculations such as ball location, wind strength and direction, and how tall the grass is. Just like all exercises, golfing also has been shown to release endorphins, which is the hormone that makes you feel good. From keeping your brain fit to feeling great after you play, this is perfect for ensuring proper mental health during your retirement. All that walking is great for cardio, and the extra oxygen pumping to the brain is going to support your mental health, as long as you aren’t puffing a bunch of recreational THC cigarettes.

Social Benefits

When you retire, chances are you will not be associating with as many people or as often as you were when you went to work every day. The rapid transition from being around people every day to generally alone can cause depression. This is why it is critical to stay social once you retire. Golfing is a great way to form new and lasting friendships with people who have the same interests as you. It also gives you something to look forward to and people to share your golfing experiences with. You can certainly play golf on your own if you wish, but if you feel like becoming more social, golf can bring people together and form new relationships. If you’re retired, but not yet knock’n on heaven’s door, golfing might also give you an opportunity to meet some older ladies. If the hardware is still active, you might be playing more than 18 holes.

Conclusion

Golfing is a wonderful sport that is both relaxing and challenging. This is an ideal combination that makes golfing an addicting sport to take on. Since you are retired or soon to be, feel free to go at any time of day during the week to either avoid or immerse yourself in the busy hours. Enjoy your freedom and ability to perfect your swing on your own time and have fun in the process.