Men and women with moderate levels of cardiovascular fitness may be
able to significantly reduce their risk of a stroke, according to a new
study presented at the International Stroke Conference in 2008. It is
well-documented that regular exercise and related fitness enhances cardiovascular health. Golf, a low-impact sport, may be a great way to
help people not only improve overall health, but also reduce their risk
of suffering a stroke.
According to the study, those who participate in any kind of physical activity that meets the current guidelines and recommendations for
adults, for example, brisk walking for 30 minutes 3 times per week,
can significantly reduce their stroke risk. Golf can be good for your
health and safe for your heart, but these health benefits don’t come
from swinging a club, they come from walking. Since trekking across
the average course for a round of golf can equate to as much as 4 miles
of walking, if you walk 18 holes 3 to 5 times a week, you can get the
optimal amount of endurance exercise for your heart. If you pull your
clubs or carry them, you’ll burn even more calories per round and benefit even more.
198 GET ORGANIZED FOR BETTER SCORES
Do you know that your chaotic routine and cluttered golf bag might
be holding you back from playing your best golf? Nothing is more frustrating and stressful than standing on the first tee and having people
waiting for you to tee off while you rifle through your golf bag looking
for a glove, ball, or tee. Everyone can benefit from a more organized
golf bag, which can help you play faster and eliminate stress.
The following are a few suggestions to help you organize your golf
bag.
• Clean out your golf bag every few weeks. Throw out old golf balls,
worn out gloves, broken tees, half-eaten protein bars, empty golf
ball boxes, and old sunscreen bottles and lip balms.
• Separate and organize your golf accessories. Keep your golf balls,
gloves, tees, and ball markers in separate pockets. Use the big pockets in your bag for your golf balls and the smaller ones for tees and
ball markers. Avoid dumping everything in one pocket.
• Keep your tees and ball markers in clear plastic baggies. This allows
you to easily see what you are looking for and avoid dumping the
entire contents of your bag on the ground just to find your favorite
ball marker or the correct size tee.
• Throw away those old, dirty golf towels hanging on your golf bag. Not
only are they unsightly, they are hotbeds for bacteria and germs.
Replace and wash your towel often. Do not let it become the next
CSI: Miami episode.
• Purchase a new golf bag with easy-to-access pockets and club organizers.
Newer golf bags have more pockets and compartments, so you can
organize your golf accessories and better protect your equipment.
