Health and Fitness
Top 10 Reason Why Women Should Golf: By: Jane Watson
- It's a healthy way to spend time with your friends or to make new ones.
- It allows you to truly get to know someone. After four to five hours, you can truly judge your partner's character, ethics and anger management techniques.
- It's great exercise.
- It can be played for fun or for competition.
- It's a great way to build relationships with business clients.
- It allows you to interact with senior management.
- It's a common way to raise money for charity in the business world.
- It can make for a fun holiday.
- It will keep you young.
- It's a skill that will last your entire life.
Why should a woman take up golf? It's time consuming, can be expensive and a potential source of frustration - as
rarely do all the pieces of the game work at the same time.
On the other hand it's a great way to socialize. Whether you belong to an organization such as the EWGA
(Executive Women's Golf Association), a house league, or just golf with friends, you spend several hours together,
chatting and laughing over unbelievable shots, and commiserating over the tough ones. You can really get to know
someone this way and make lasting friendships.
Golf is also a wonderful way to keep fit. According to nutristrategy.com, you can burn between 295 and 431
calories per hour (depending on your weight) pulling your clubs and between 207 and 302 calories riding in a cart.
Mark Twain once said, "Golf is a good walk spoiled." It should be noted that Twain was noted for his writing and
not necessarily his golf game. What better way to exercise? And the scenery on a well-designed golf course beats
that of a gym-the air is much fresher.
As an icebreaker in the business world, golf is beyond compare. I can see my status going up immediately
at the boardroom table, when I can easily talk clubs, courses, shots and players. Recently, one young
MBA executive complained to me that when her organization sponsored a charity tournament, she had to send
her treasured clients with her male colleagues, as she didn't know how to play. She joined them for dinner
but by then the party had already started, and she was the outsider.
Golf can be as competitive as you want it to be. You can play just for fun, or you can compete with yourself,
your foursome or with other players in a tournament. What's unique about golf is that with a handicap you can
take on anyone else no matter their skill level.
I personally took up golf to spend more time with my husband. And we now plan at least two golf holidays a year.
I get bored with lying all day on a beach. My perfect day is a half day of golf and a half day of sightseeing
followed by a wonderful meal with wine. But I also know many women who hate playing with their partners and
look forward to the yearly golf trip with the girls. Fantastic.
Finally, golf keeps you young. Although you probably will not be able to drive as far as a 20-year-old when
you reach your 60s, your short game can keep you competitive.
Some of my favourite women golfers are now heading toward the 80 mark and still playing several times a week.
With golf, there is something for everyone. It's an addiction worth fueling.
