Live longer, play golf

Glenmore Jones

RICHMOND — I do not have anything to write about on the local golf scene this week, so I will pass along a project I am working on.

I have mailed out a “Live Longer” poster to the PGA, USGA and several golf publications. My intent, in doing this, is to hopefully boost the great game of golf during this stagnant economic period. I also sent another poster “If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me,” along because it is a great slogan to live by.

These are the letters I sent out with the poster.



First letter I wrote:

I write a weekly golf column for the Richmond Register in Richmond, Ky.. The “Live Longer — Play Golf” poster was an idea spawned from a golf column I wrote in 2008.

I had played in a fund-raiser scramble for Eastern Kentucky University and was paired with an 80 and 82 year old couple, Jeane and Jim Stull. I was astounded at how well they hit the ball and in my write-up following the scramble I made this statement, “I believe playing golf keeps you younger.”

A couple of days after my column ran I received a call from one of my friends. She said, “I just heard on the radio that golfers live five years longer than the average person.”

This year, in August, I was again paired with the Stulls in the same scramble and there was just the three of us. We shot an amazing six-under par, 66.  Our combined ages were 250 years.

I was the oldest at 86 and Jeane and Jim were 81 and 83 respectively.

Wow!

There is no doubt in my mind that the exercise, the joy of playing golf and staying competitive leads to a longer life.

There is another reason why I am convinced playing golf leads to a longer life. Since the age of 30, I have struggled with a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis, which fuses the spine. I firmly believe that playing golf has kept that from crippling me and I am thankful.

In conclusion, I would urge all of you non-golfers to head for the links and take up this wonderful game if you want to have fun, enjoy life more and live L-O-N-G-E-R!

Live, love, laugh and learn ... Glenmore.



Second letter I wrote:

I have been a golf columnist for the Richmond Register, in Richmond, Ky.., for the last 11 years. In my golf columns, I always conclude with something positive in the form of a final thought.

In 2001, I used this quote: “The Ten Most Important Two-Letter Words — If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me” (author unknown).

In 2008, I read an article in Golf Journal about an encounter that Chuck Cook, a top 100 golf teacher, had with legendary golfer Ben Hogan.

When Chuck was a young aspiring professional he approached Mr. Hogan on the range one day and asked him if he would mind letting him watch him practice. Mr. Hogan consented and proceeded to go through his practice routine.

After the practice, Chuck asked Mr. Hogan what he attributed most to his success. Mr. Hogan replied, “I have a poster hanging on the wall in my office that I live by and that is: The Ten Most Important Two-Letter Words — If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me.”

I do not know who the author of this statement was, but I agree with Mr. Hogan, it is a great slogan to live by. I like it so much that I had 100 posters of it printed to give to my children, grandchildren and friends.

Live, love, laugh and learn ... Glenmore.



Golf has brought so much pleasure into my life I feel that I owe it something. I wanted to pass these items on before my screen goes blank.



Funny bone

“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.” — Henry Youngman.

If pro is the opposite of con, then is progress the opposite of Congress?



Final thought

Of all the unhappy people in the world, the unhappiest are those who have not found something they want to do. — Old Chinese Proverb.

Until next week, live, love, laugh and learn ... Glenmore.

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